The Bible, Revised Standard Version
1 Corinthians, chapter 13, 1: - 13:

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love is not jealous or boastful; it is not arrogant or rude. Love does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrong, but rejoices in the right. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends; as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect; but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall understand fully, even as I have been fully understood. So faith, hope, love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Good morning. When Pastor Rich asked me to speak to you today, I immediately (even while he was talking, I must confess) started thinking about what I would say. Now, rule #1 in public speaking is speak only on what you know. OK, what do I know? I know about gaining and losing and gaining weight; I know how to pass a resolution, issue a proclamation, run a meeting and on and on. All of a sudden an ad appeared on the TV from Hallmark Cards. “That’s it, I said. I know about love and it is February, the month of love so I will speak about that wonderful little word.

Notwithstanding the fact that Hallmark Cards and Madison Avenue has capitalized on the profitability of love, we would have a great difficulty trying to separate love and Valentines Day and maybe that’s a good thing. Sometimes we all need to be reminded of what we have and what we should do to keep it. Speaking of Valentine’s Day, did you ever wonder just how this day was created? Many legends surround the mystery of St. Valentine. Who was he and why do we celebrate this day?

Although the Catholic Church recognizes three legends surrounding St. Valentine, the most popular one tells us that when Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers that those with wives and children, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When he was discovered, he was sentenced to jail and death. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl, who may have been his jailor’s daughter—who visited him in prison. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed “From your Valentine.” The image of this martyred priest was portrayed as a sympathetic, heroic and most importantly, a romantic surprise. By the middle ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England.

The image of St Valentine was not confined to England, however. Ancient Egyptians and Babylonians wrote passionate poetry to their lady loves. The Song of Solomon clearly portrays the affectionate delight that a bridegroom and bride take in one another. Greeks and Romans, Persians and Arabs, Frenchmen, Englishmen and a host of others have added their attempts to do descriptive justice to that complex quality known as love. The Sonnets of the Portuguese stand as a lasting tribute to the deep love between Elizabeth and Robert Browning with the beautiful words, “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways".

While we are recognizing the influence of St. Valentine as well as the efforts of poets and song writers, of lovers and dreamers, we must never overlook that fact that the entire Bible is God’s valentine to us.

If we can agree that the Bible tells us how much God loves us, then we must look at First Corinthians, Chapter 13. There we find a description of how and to what degree God cares for us. It also gives us clear instructions about our responsibly to that love. It is all there in just three stanzas. It is a biblical love ballad to us.

This chapter outlines characteristics of love that should apply to every human situation. It defines the nature of our love for each other and is the best description ever found of just what love is. So, as Valentine’s Day draws near, and we think about our valentines, is it not logical that we should think about our valentine to the one that we are certain loves us? What better place to turn than to the Bible’s own love song in First Corinthians?

Paul tells us that LOVE IS ESSENTIAL. The refrain that rings throughout each of these three verses is “But have not love.” Love is the irreducible minimum, the indispensable condition, the fundamental basis of all Christian relationships. In short, LOVE IS ABLSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL.

But human nature being what it is, we try to compromise the essentialness of love as shown in the Bible. We say: “Can’t eloquence cover up for a lack of love”? Hardly. “If I speak in the tongues of man and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging symbol.” Many a husband has tried to sweet-talk his way out of the doghouse, only to discover that a glib tongue is never a substitute for tender affection. Unless your lofty oratory and high-flown sentiments are reinforced by love, the other person will remain unimpressed. Love is far more important than language. In fact, Love is absolutely essential.

So, we keep trying. We say, “Well then, how about intelligence and spirituality? Almost never. “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.” Many a Christian has attempted to convert someone though theological argument and pious behavior, but to no avail. In far too many cases, failure is because love is far more important than logic and life. In fact, love is absolutely essential.

Not to be outdone, we don’t give up. We say, “What if we should try generosity and self-sacrifice.?” Won’t they succeed even if nothing else does?” Not at all. “If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.” Next time you have a fight with your spouse, or a close friend, try slipping him or her signed check from your personal account. Regardless of the amount of the check, your scheme doesn’t have a chance of success.

Paul tells us in stanza two of the Bible’s love song that LOVE IS ETHICAL. Running his finger down a list of qualities and characteristics, Paul tells us what love is not as well as what love is. Love flees in terror from everything that is hateful in God’s eyes, but flings its arms around everything that God himself commands. Love is on the side of truth, the good, the beautiful; it avoids associations with the false, with the wicked and the despicable. In short, LOVE IS TOTALLY ETHICAL.

Paul then goes on to list the qualities of love that back up his statement. He says: LOVE IS UNDERSTANDING. “It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.” LOVE IS SELFLESS. “It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no records of wrongs.” Yet how often do we make selfish requests and then lash out with irritation and resentment if those requests are not met. LOVE IS PURE. “Love does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres.” Whenever we take even the slightest pleasure in misfortunes that befall others, we fail to exemplify Christian love. Pure love responds with anything but happiness when all is not well with those around us.

Stanza Three of the Bible’s valentine tells us that LOVE IS ETERNAL. And if it is joined to Christ that is the only way we would want it. Everything else may be transitory, but love never ends. Everything else may be temporary and immature, but love goes on forever.

As parents, we watch over our children; we hold their hands when they try to cross the street so they will be safe. Until one day, the child reaches for your hand, to help you cross the street to safety. The cycle of unending love is complete once again.

Now we have looked at the Bible’s love song --God’s valentine to us, what are we doing for him? How will we prepare our valentine to Him? We want it to be special – we want it to be unique. I have a friend who used to buy six valentines each year. They all said “To My One and Only.” That’s certainly not what we want to do.

When we were in Sunday school, one of our favorite hymns was God is Love. It went, “love Him, love Him, all ye little children, God is love. But the second verse, if you recall, went “serve him, serve him, all ye little children, God is love.” Even then we learned we cannot separate the two words, love and serve.
People serve God in many ways – serve him through many kinds of love.

By this service to others, we begin to create our unique, personal valentine to God. Since love and service are intertwined, let’s look at a few of the kinds of love that come with service. SPIRITUAL LOVE fulfills and sustains us daily. Our presence here this Sunday, the joyful sound of music, the caring friends with their handshakes and smiles are demonstrations of this love.

Our daily prayers nourish our spiritual love each day. LASTING LOVE is all around us as we celebrate wedding anniversaries, reaffirming that giving and sharing of our lives is part of God’s plan. We feel the joy that is shared by husbands and wives who have weathered life’s storms and shared life’s joys. We see the special smiles of memories by everyone who has known a special lasting love – the kind of love that makes the heart smile. SELFLESS LOVE surrounds us every time that people put the welfare of others first. Anytime that we do something to make another’s life easier or better, we become catalysts of selfless love.

Caring for someone in need is an important part of serving with love. God shows this great SHELTERING LOVE for us and he bids us to create a refuge for those who are in need.

When we teach children to grow and learn PATIENT LOVE is needed . What better way to serve God than to help children.

Each time we hear a fire siren, an ambulance call or a police whistle, we are comforted by the fact that we live with people who are willing to show COURAGEOUS LOVE to make our lives safer and better.

And last, God asks each of us to show a RESPONSIBLE LOVE and assume command of our own actions and thoughts. How well we do this is a true measure of our love and trust.

We must remember that love is truly a gift from God. Since love is given to us as a gift, we must give it back in some way. Jesus said, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”

This love of thy neighbor opens up the pathway of creation of acts of love, in a way that can send out messages of God’s love and our love for Him. Each of us has a talent, sometimes several, given especially to us; for through us God has become something unique in the universe. Love develops our talents, sets us free to do the special work that we were meant to do. No matter what else we do in life, we are never completely happy unless our talents are developed, unless our destinies are fulfilled. By allowing love to work in our lives as a power for good, we become free to develop our special gifts, we become free to contribute. This contribution, when it is individualized and expressed in such a manner as is unique with each of us, becomes a living example of our love for God. Not only in this month of love, but throughout the year. This is our valentine to Him. For Jesus said, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

Everyday we share acts of love with God. Each time we phone a friend, share a prayer, help a child, brush away a tear, help someone with something they need, work on a committee or give more of ourselves and our possessions to aid people who are hurting; every time we step out of ourselves and our own little world, we are creating our valentine to God.

Every action, every deed, every act of service that is done, is an affirmation, a proclamation of our love for God – it is, if you will, our own special valentine to Him. All around us every day we see people knowingly and even unknowingly creating their valentines to God – creating them by acts of service and love.

Last year, a newspaper reported Christmas gifts to a local charity totaled over $50,000. This money came from small donations from hundreds of people. It portrayed a human interest story about a sixty-nine year old man on a medical disability spends six days a week helping patients at a local hospital. Why? “Because they need help” was his answer. Guideposts magazines continues to tell stories of people like John Martin, who overcame a personal addiction and now spends his life working with the handicapped.

And so it goes – people creating their living valentines to God. We send valentines to those we love by e-mail and mail. We send our special valentines to God by our acts of love. The way you live your life makes your valentine to God unique. It is not mass produced by Hallmark. Let us all remember to live our lives so we can send the very best, most beautiful, meaningful creation to Him to tell him how much we love him.

Let us pray: