The Way of Love
Issues Concerning Spiritual Activity (12:1-15:58)
In the middle of Paul's discussion of gifts and how the body of Christ is constructed, he inserts an essay on love. Not eros love or love of passion, but what we might refer to as desire. Nor did he use the word philia meaning affection, but the word agape meaning sacrificial, self-denying love. This whole chapter defines love as the more excellent way of building genuine love-unity in the Christian community. Paul's point couldn't be more clear: self-sacrifice in the Kingdom economy has more value than achievement, acquisition, or advancement.
Love Defined (1-13)
Paul basically says three things about love:
Apart from love, nothing I am, do, or achieve has any lasting value or worth (1-3).
Paul clearly states he could speak like an angel (1), comprehend the mysteries of the universe, have mountain-moving faith (2), and sacrifice his body for a cause, but still not love (3). And to not have love, for Paul, meant to live a worthless existence.
Love, as a motive, produces virtue and strength of inner character beyond human ability (4-7).
Love descriptively is completely selfless.
Love is not pushy (4).
Love is not harsh (5).
Love is not insensitive (6).
Love does not quit (7).
Paul describes the transforming effect love has on the human heart, making a man out of a boy and a woman out of a girl, bringing them into a place where relationships and denial of self matter more than achievement (8-13).
When a person loves, a person is fully known and fully grown, building the foundation of his or her life on faith, hope, and love.
Psalm 90:1-8
Yahweh, My Shelter
Psalm 90 is the beginning of Book IV, which will conclude with Psalm 106. There are only three Psalms in this book that are not anonymous: Psalm 90 belongs to Moses, and 101 and 103 belong to David. The dominant name for God in this fourth book is “Yahweh,” occurring in every Psalm and then conspicuously showing up over ten times in Psalm 94, 96, and 106, and seven times in the abbreviated form of “Yah.” The dominant theme in these Psalms is the worship of Yahweh.
As in the previous three books, the first two Psalms of the book are linked together to present the opening thought or thoughts of each book. Book four is not different: Psalm 90 deals with Yahweh being “the eternal dwelling place” for Israel and Psalm 91 declares that “Yahweh is the everlasting shelter for Israel.” Both these subjects of Moses’ are seen in his final address. “The eternal God is your dwelling place, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” Deuteronomy 33:27 ESV
Psalm 90 is a “Lament Psalm,” written by Moses and the third Psalm referred to as a prayer. It is likely the second oldest Psalm in the Book of Psalms, Psalm 91 likely being penned by Moses at an earlier time. Some chronologically place this Psalm just after Numbers 14. The twelve spies had just returned; ten made the people fearful and complaining, and two encouraged them to go up immediately and fight. The people grumbled, were rebuked, then warned; the generation who feared and grumbled would die in the wilderness. It is believed Moses penned the Psalm after that generation of Israel was told of said fate.
This Psalm can be divided into four sections:
The home in Yahweh (1-2)
The humanity of man (3-6)
The humiliation of man (7-12)
The help of Yahweh (13-17)
Purpose: To show us how to pray when we begin to see the end of our life before the completion of all our life goals.