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Steve Estes 2/23/25 Steve Estes 2/23/25

Love in Heaven

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:8-13
February 23, 2025

1 Corinthians 13:8-13: Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I reasoned like a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child. When I became a man, I put childish things behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Sermon Outline

1. Wrong idea of spirituality

Tongues
Same wrong idea with prophesy
What the chapter has said

2. Summary of this passage

3. Three temporary gifts of ministry

Prophecy
Tongues
Knowledge

4. Two figures of speech and a clear statement

Contrast between childhood and adulthood
Contrast between reflection and face-to-face
The clear statement

5. On verse 13

“These three remain”
“But the greatest of these is love”

6. Jonathan Edwards on love

The cause and fountain of love
The objects of love
The beings who will love
Some aspects of love

Steve Estes 2/9/25 Steve Estes 2/9/25

What Love Looks Like

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
February 9, 2025

1 Corinthians 13:4-7, NIV: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

1 Corinthians 13:4-7, ESV: Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Sermon Outline

1. Fifteen verbs

2. First: Two positives about love

“Love is patient”
“Love is kind”
Combination reflects God

3. Seven negatives about love

“Does not envy”
“Does not boast”
“Is not proud”
“Is not rude”
”Is not self-seeking”
“Is not easily angered”
“Keeps no record of wrongs”
“Does not delight in evil”

4. Four zippy little phrases about love

NIV translation
ESV translation
Answering objections
Steve’s Uncle Tom

Steve Estes 2/2/25 Steve Estes 2/2/25

Love: Graces Better Than Gifts

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
February 2, 2025

1 Corinthians 13:1-3: If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Sermon Outline

1. Introduction

Challenges facing the earliest Christians
How God equipped them

2. Love is more important than gifted speaking and teaching

The gift of tongues
The problem
The application

3. Love is much more important than mere religious activity

“If I have the gift of prophecy...”
“If I can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge...”
“If I have a faith that can move mountains...”

4. Love is more important than even acts of personal sacrifice

“If I give all I possess to the poor...”
“...and surrender my body to the flames...”

5. The result of no love

“I gain nothing”
“I am nothing”

6. Three closing thoughts

Benediction

Praise be to the Lord, for he has heard our cry for mercy. Our hearts trust in him, and we are helped. Save your people and bless your inheritance, be our shepherd and carry us forever. Amen — paraphrased from Psalm 28: 6-9

Steve Estes 3/31/24 Steve Estes 3/31/24

Adam, Christ, Easter, and You

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Speaker: Steve Estes
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 15:19-23
March 31, 2024

1 Corinthians 15:19-23, NIV: If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.

1 Corinthians 15:19-23, ESV: If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as all die in Adam, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.

Sermon Outline

1. The Bible acknowledges: When viewed a certain way, Christians appear pathetic

Not many early Christians were high-achievers
Many Christians appear to miss out
Jesus’ followers sometimes lack the skills that seem to matter in this life
If this life is all there is, Christians are to be pitied

2. The resurrection of Jesus is what guarantees the resurrection of His followers

3. Our link to Christ’s resurrection is illustrated by our link with Adam

All human beings have moral weaknesses
We are morally flawed because we are all descended from Adam

4. A defense of the doctrine of original sin: “My fate is affected by others"“

Everyone agrees with this principle when it works in our favor
Everyone agrees with this principle in situations where we must often be represented by others
It makes sense that the same principle applies in spiritual matters

5. Death through Adam, life through Christ

6. One final thought

Benediction

May the God of life who raised our Lord Jesus raise you on that great day because you believe in His Son. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Amen. — paraphrased from Romans 8:11