Sabbath: A Portrait of Love
Daily Lesson for Sabbath 8th of August 2026
Image © Pacific Press
Read for This Week’s Study
1 Corinthians 13:1-13; Matthew 24:12; Galatians 5:22-23; 1 Timothy 1:14; 1 John 4:8.
Memory Text:
“And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13, NIV).
Love can conquer all. That’s why Paul had so much to say about it. The word family of agapaō—the most common Greek word in the New Testament to express the concept of love—occurs more than 135 times in his letters. This represents almost half of all occurrences in the New Testament. This should tell us something about the central theme of Paul’s letters to the Corinthian church.
There are many remarkable passages about love in the New Testament—Romans 8:35-39, 1 Corinthians 2:9, 1 Corinthians 8:3, Galatians 2:20, Colossians 1:13, 1 Thessalonians 3:12, and more—but nothing compares to 1 Corinthians 13:1-13.
Last week, we saw that without love, all things, even spiritual gifts, are worthless. This week, we will look more deeply into 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 and its marvelous portrait of love.
As we will see, love is not so much an emotion as an attitude, an attitude that must be expressed in life, in deeds, and in words; otherwise, it means nothing.
What love really is, and does, has been fully revealed in the life of Jesus.
Love is intangible (invisible) in its essence but very tangible (visible) when expressed. It is extremely beautiful to see how Paul defines an invisible object into a visible portrait with observable attributes. Love is an invisible reality which manifests in tangible actions. Like wind which cannot be seen phisically but its movement is clearly observable, love is clearly seen through action. This is the reason why Paul does not take much time explaining what is love but he tells us comprehensively what love do. John echoes the same sentiment.
“Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything.” (1 John 3:18-22, NLT)
God did not tell the world simply “I love you”, but He demonstrated what love do. He gave His Son to save sinners (John 16:3, Romans 5:8). God created a portrait of love in giving His Son. Yes, love is an intangible object, but its power is profoundly tangible. Therefore, next time, let us be prepared to demonstrate our love tangibly.
John 3:16
Not John 16:3
A friend of mine wrote to me after I posted my comment lamenting the lack of space devoted to 1 Cor 13 last week to point out that this week’s lesson was devoted to the chapter. Phew! I should have looked ahead.
The danger is that we will spend the week making up sentences showing we know the definition of “agape” and that we understand what “self-sacrificing” means. The real test is not our ability to describe it, but do we put it into practice.
I have a recording of our wedding somewhere. Unfortunately it is on a recording tape reel and I guess that may in our readership won’t even know what a reel-tape recorder is. The thing is that I can no longer play it. But I do remember the service. The minister, in his homily, read 1 Cor 13 and admonished us to read it every day. Of course, we haven’t done that, but that does not mean we have forgotten it. And it comes to mind every time we have a bit of a disagreement. Fifty-eight years later, I sometimes still want my own way, and I have to relearn the meaning of giving in graciously.
My point is that even in marriage, definitions and recitations are not all that useful. It’s the practice that gives love its meaning.
That is the standard!
Love remains the most beautiful portrait in the galleries of life. Better still, God’s love is both the beginning and the end of our lives, for it is the supreme story that spans all other storylines. Scripture declares, “God is love” (1 John 4:8), and His love was most perfectly revealed in Christ, who gave Himself for us on the cross. The truest mark of a Christian, therefore, is not merely religious knowledge, position, or outward appearance, but a life that bears the portrait of Christ-like love. Jesus Himself said, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (John 13:35). In the words of Romaine (2007), “What the sun would be without light, such is a Christian without love.” A Christian without love loses the very evidence that should distinguish the life of Christ within them.
Love remains the fabric that holds relationships together. It is the thread that binds families, friendships, communities, churches, and neighbourhoods. The apostle Paul reminds us that “love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud” (1 Corinthians 13:4). Love does not seek its own way, keep a record of wrongs, or delight in the failure of others; rather, “it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Corinthians 13:7). Where genuine love is absent, relationships gradually become dominated by suspicion, selfishness, resentment, competition, and division.
The portrait of love must therefore be deliberately embraced and displayed in our daily lives. In our families, love should produce forgiveness and patience. In our churches, it should produce unity and acceptance. In our communities, it should produce compassion and service. Jesus demonstrated this kind of love when He said, “As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). Christian love is not simply an emotion we feel; it is a decision we make, a character we develop, and a sacrifice we are willing to offer.
Question love doesn’t count wrong and forgive 7×70 so Jesus entered to church and punished the crowd who were selling and buying is that love
Unselfish love isn’t all hugs and pats on the back. Sometimes it is being tough enough to tackle sin head-on. I have been guilty of grabbing a child who has disobeyed me and is heading for a busy road. Sometimes it needs a shock to encourage people to change their behaviour.
Yes, indeed, Jesus loved the people who were buying and selling, but they were profaning the House of the Lord, and He stopped them.
As Maurice mentioned above, genuinely loving people sometimes means stopping them from going the wrong way to certain death – both physical death and eternal death.
It’s interesting that you view what Jesus did as punishment. We do only have the writers description of what took place. What has stood out for me is the fact that once the guilty people were gone, the children and the sick and oppressed flocked in to see Jesus. They weren’t afraid of him, which tells me that what Jesus did there was a loving thing, not a punishment.
Tremendous love is demonstrated by God, in creation. This lesson reminds me of the testimony of my former roommate, who shared of her increased reverence for God, after studying to be a dentist. Rather …, we have each, in our science-related fields, grown more amazed at the way in which the human body was created by God as an example that each part is important in enhancing the function of the other. So it is with the body of Christ.
May the Holy Spirit enable us to serve others in humility and in unity, till “The Blessed Hope” becomes a grand reality.🙏🏼
Love doesn’t count mistakes and always forgives and forget.
What do you mean by “mistakes”?
Where is there direction to “forget” after forgiving?
Don’t just tell me you love me, SHOW me you love me
That’s where the rubber meets the road!!!
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”!!!!
How can ‘love’ be defined as an ‘attitude’ that can be switched off and on depending how one ‘feels’? Jesus gave His life for us that we would know what one inspired by love does. Our Scriptures are filled with evidence that it is the Spirit of God which changes man’s heart and mind – to be born-again – enabling us to love by His Love.
Should we not ask ourselves why God’s ultimate aim is to transform us by His Spirit to reflect His Love? Is not God defined as/by Love? John 4:24 and 1 John 4:8 state this Truth.
1 John 4:16
”And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives IN love lives IN God, and God IN them.”
Love in one’s life is the effidence of the transformation from the old to the new ‘self’. Have we truly given up listening to the voice of the ‘old self’? Have we freely and willingly – unconditionally – invited God’s Love to transform our inner being by His Spirit of Love? Isaiah 1:18-20.
Yes, an attitude “can be switched on and off.” We *decide* what attitude to have towards Christ and towards others. God calls us to *choose* to serve Him.
Feelings come and go and cannot be easily controlled by decisions, and love is not a mere feeling.
By contrast to feelings, we can *decide* to love others as Christ loved us, whether or not we feel like it. When we *choose* to love others, as God commanded, He supplies the power whether or not we initially feel like it. He didn’t ask us to have warm feelings for others. He asked us to *love* them.
Love is a decision!
Love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8.
How you ask? By the plan of salvation(the plan of love)that was formulated before the foundation of the world.
Ephesians 1:4-7.
Matthew 25:34.
When you ask? When I ask for forgiveness, Christ is faithful and just to forgive me of my sins, which includes my mistakes and failures, and to cleanse me from all unrighteousness.
Is not it true that all have fallen short of the glory of God(mistakes).
1 John 1:9.
Romans 3:23-24.
In keeping with this week’s lesson what can I say about the love of God? It is for all. Available to all who take hold of God’s hand. How can I take hold of a hand that is invisible.
Ellen White says, “The light shining from the cross reveals the love of God. His love is drawing us to Himself. If we do not resist this drawing, we shall be led to the foot of the cross in repentance for the sins that have crucified the Saviour. Then the Spirit of God through faith produces a new life in the soul. The thoughts and desires are brought into obedience to the will of Christ. The heart, the mind, are created anew in the image of Him who works in us to subdue all things to Himself. Then the law of God is written in the mind and heart, and we can say with Christ, “I delight to do Thy will, O my God.” Psalm 40:8. Desire of Ages page 175 paragraph 5. For kindle users. Chapter 17.
You see taking hold of God’s hand is a heart thing.
Hi there people. Read ..the work and the life..
Chapter in ..steps to christ…by our prophet Ellen g. White. This one sentence illustrates love as a fragrance that banished the dark vapours of sin…when the love of Christ is enshrined in the heart like a sweet fragrance it cannot be hidden. Reneanne Amelia gale.
1Cor. 13:4-7 clearly outlines the characteristics of Godly love. This is helpful. In connection to this,let’s be aware that we live in a world where evil abounds and our Godly love risks being taken advantage of.
A life without love is a life of meaninglessness. Love gives value and sense to anything. But like everything, it needs balance; although the true meaning of love is perfect.