Love, actually.

I hope you had a great Valentines, that you got that special card or candy; of course, chocolate. I got my chocolate. I had to go out and buy it myself, but I got my chocolate. Maybe you streamed your favorite romance movie. Mine is “Love Actually”. You know “Love Actually”: nine stories of unlikely loves: like a prime minister and his lowly staffer; a rock star and his manager, a writer and the maid.

Valentine is, also, a time of some memorable “real-life” romance stories like the story of the man who found his forever partner after moving cross country for a job, only to discover that his husband was also the perfect match for his live-saving kidney transplant.

One of my favorite love stories is the one of the man and wife who shared a special Valentine’s night. It was rare for them to share a night together during regular hours as he always worked the midnight shift. But not this Valentine’s night. He surprised her. “Honey, I don’t have to work tonight.” So, it was great for them to be snuggled together during normal hours. Then at 4 a.m., the phone rang. He picked it up. After a long pause, he said, “How would I know? You think I’m some weatherman.” Then he slammed down the receiver. "Who was that?” his wife sheepishly asked? The husband replied, “Wrong number. It was some jerk wanting to know if the coast was clear.”

Can you say “wrong number”. This story made my all-time favorite Valentine story list for just that reason. Sometimes love can be a wrong number—a love to be avoided. Not all loves are created equal. There are some loves that can be a wrong number because it is based on cuddling, cards, and candy alone.

But you need a more certain love—a 1 Corinthians 13 love. We hear it read at weddings all the time, but have we really streamed it for its full meaning. The Greek language has four names for love: storge, philia, eros and agape—the featured love in 1 Corinthians 13. Agape love is the right number because it is primary, practical and permanent. All things considered; agape is “love actually.”

First, agape is “love actually” because it is primary. It is sacrificial. We see that in verses 1-3.

The Corinthians needed to hear that because they were hung up on comparing their gifts: my speaking in tongues is better than your teaching. But Paul said that tongues without love is noise. Prophesy without love is pointless. Giving without love is bankruptcy. Gifts without love is no gift at all.

And love requires sacrifice. King Solomon understood this. When he was confronted with deciding who was the real mother in 1Kings 3, sacrificial love was the determiner. You know the story. Two women claimed the same child as theirs. So, he threatened to cut the baby in half and give each a dead share. However, the real mother spoke up, “Let her have the baby.” She was willing to give up the baby so the baby would live. Out of her sacrificial love, the baby was awarded to her. Solomon knew who “loved actually.”

Agape love is motivated by sacrifice and service. It asks: What I’m I willing to give up? Restaurateur Robert Magiet, was willing to drive in 9-degree cold, through the streets of Chicago a winter ago, to buy the daily inventory of tamales from street vendors to get them off the frozen sidewalk. Magiet, then donated the tamales to homeless shelters.

As we celebrate love beyond Valentine’s Day, lets strive for Magiet’s love—agape love—1Corinthian 13 style. Ask yourself: What does my love cost me when it’s cold outside and someone needs a blanket, or when people are hungry, or lonely, or in a tough spot? You say you love your church, but as your church is in a jam, do you stay and work it out, or do you walk away? Is your love “candy love” or is it “love actually”?

Second, agape is “love actually” because it is practical —doable—in all areas of life. We see the practical side of love in verses 4-7. Paul told the gifted Corinthians that they did not always practice what was practical. But agape is “do-able” every day in 8 ways:

1. Love is patient;

2. Love is kind;

3. Love does not envy;

4. Love does not boast;

5. Love is not rude;

6. Love is not selfish;

7. Love is not easily angered;

8. Love does not keep score.

Ask yourself: what love do I practice when the day calls for kindness like the day American speed skater Erin Jackson, slipped during her qualifying race at the US Olympic Speed Skating Trials. She fell to third in the team standings. Only the first two finishers were guaranteed spots on the Beijing Winter Olympics team. Then Brittany Bowe practiced kindness, 1 Corinthian-style love”. She gave up her first-place spot to Erin who would go on to win a gold medal, the first Black woman to win an Olympic gold medal in the sport. And there was no envy. Brittany was the first to hug Erin after her victory. That day, practical love won gold because agape love is kind and doable.

Church, seek opportunities every day to practice what the Church preaches if there is hope that you will be a gravity that pulls the world into your Woodlands orbit. We sing what John 13:35 calls us to show:: "know we are Christian by our love, by our love. They will know we are Christians by our love.” Like the field of dream where, if you build it, they will come. They will come, if we “love actually, practically”.

Finally, agape is love actually because it is permanent, outlasting any fad, failure or faith. We see the permanence of love in verses 8-13. Verse 8 says: Love never fails. But it is not for babies.

Listen to verse 11-13:

The Corinthians handled their gifts like children with some toys—yoyos, beanie babies and Chia Pets—hot items today and gone tomorrow. Like fad toys, their gifts and loves had short shelf lives.

They toyed with prophecy, the gift of foretelling the future. But when Judgment Day comes, there will be a final new heaven and earth according the Book of Revelations. There’ll be no need to predict the latest real estate boom. Prophecy will be foreclosed.

They toyed with speaking in tongues. But when Judgment Day comes, a great multitude of every tongue and nation will be speaking the same message: “Salvation belongs to God” according to the Book of Revelation. interpreters will close up shop.

They toyed with the gift of knowledge. The wisdom of men was coveted. But when Judgment Day comes, all wisdom will go to the worthy Lamb of God according to Revelations. PhD’s will be MIA.

So, what gifts will survive Judgment Day?

Faith won’t be there. Faith is the evidence of things unseen according to Hebrews 11. But when we all get to heaven we will see Jesus. We won’t have to believe.

Hope won’t be there. “Hope that is seen is not hope” according to Romans 8:24. I But when we all get to heaven we will see Jesus. We won’t have to hope we will

So, what of love? 1 Corinthians 13:13 says the greatest of these is love—a love that has no end. John 3:16 guarantees it: “For God so loved the world he gave his only begotten Son for whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life. Love has an eternal shelf life.

So church, major in that which is permanent, not in that which will not last as some churches do.

· Some churches major in services styles: traditional, blended, contemporary. The style police is their pastor.

· Some churches major in real estate. Location, location, location is their praise.

· Some churches major in buildings: red carpet, stained glass; no blue carpet and curtains. It’s about architecture, not orthodoxy.

These churches will go by the way of the yoyo, beanie babies and Chia Pets. Here today, gone tomorrow. But if you want to be a Judgment Day church, resist the toys. Be a 1 Corinthian 13 Church. Love till it hurts. Do it daily. Don’t give up.