CONSTRUCTION ZONE

1 Corinthians 14

When you come together...

Attending worship for most of us is simply that which we do in Sunday.

For most of us coming together on Sunday is such an integral part of our week we feel at a loss when for various reasons we may have to miss a Sunday here and there.

For those to whom Paul was writing, though, this practice of ‘coming together’ as a distinct people claiming allegiance to Jesus was a brand new experience.

Many of those early believers had been Jews and were accustomed to regularly meeting with other Jewish families on the Sabath.

Some of them may have still been meeting with Jews on the Sabbath.

Those who had experienced new life in Jesus, though, were deeply aware of their need for more than what the Jewish synagogue could offer.

In this section of Paul’s letter - 1 Cor 12-14, Paul has critiqued the ‘gatherings’ of those in Corinth. He heard of the quarrelsome nature of these believers. He knew from information he had received that they were proudly boasting of their willingness to accept immoral sexual behavior. He wondered why these believers couldn’t settle matters among themselves.

These chapters, this central section of his letter, aims are reminding those believers in Corinth and their successors (like us) that when we come together there are at least three primary purposes, none of which had to do with personal convenience, or personal preferences.

When you come together…Unity in Diversity

In 1 Cor 12 Paul spent most of the chapter outlining how though each believer has a different gift, the gifts function only when they are used for the benefit of all

1 Corinthians 12:4–7

Now there are different gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different ministries, but the same Lord. And there are different activities, but the same God activates each gift in each person. A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person to produce what is beneficial:

Let’s put it like this: as people look at us - or any gathering of believers - Paul wants them to see a the presence of God in His fullness:

1 Corinthians 3:16–17

Don’t you yourselves know that you are God’s sanctuary and that the Spirit of God lives in you? If anyone destroys God’s sanctuary, God will destroy him; for God’s sanctuary is holy, and that is what you are.

Can you imagine what a gathering would look like if people on one side of the room were ‘praying in another tongues’ while yet another a few people were trying to be heard as they spoke words of encouragement?

If a non-believer entered the place, what would they take away?

Confusion, noise, an unsettledness, no sense of order.

Look at Paul’s counsel:

1 Corinthians 14:40

But everything must be done decently and in order.

1 Corinthians 14:33 (HCSB)

since God is not a God of disorder but of peace. you come together…the presence of God displays order, a sense of peace.

Listen to Paul’s description of what might occur in a gathering:

1 Corinthians 14:26–33

What then is the conclusion, brothers? Whenever you come together, each one has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, another language, or an interpretation. All things must be done for edification. If any person speaks in another language, there should be only two, or at the most three, each in turn, and someone must interpret. But if there is no interpreter, that person should keep silent in the church and speak to himself and to God. Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should evaluate. But if something has been revealed to another person sitting there, the first prophet should be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that everyone may learn and everyone may be encouraged. And the prophets’ spirits are under the control of the prophets, since God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,

When you come together…Proclaiming God’s Purposes Fulfilled in Jesus Christ

In vs 20 - 25 Paul reminds his audience (yes, that includes us) that unbelievers may very well attend our gatherings.

I pray that non-believers will attend - in person or online.

Imagine a scenario where a nonbeliever enters our place of gathering and everyone is speaking in other tongues (vs 23).

What would they hear besides noise?

How would they be called to account for their sin? How would they hear the call of God to believe in Jesus as Savior and Lord?

Imagine a similar scenario:

1 Corinthians 14:24–25

But if all are prophesying and some unbeliever or uninformed person comes in, he is convicted by all and is judged by all. The secrets of his heart will be revealed, and as a result he will fall facedown and worship God, proclaiming, “God is really among you.”

When you gather…An Invitation to Experience New Life in Jesus

Just a word about vs 34-35:

Paul has already noted that women may pray and prophecy

1 Corinthians 11:5 (HCSB)

But every woman who prays or prophesies...

and even here in

1 Corinthians 14:26 (HCSB)

What then is the conclusion, brothers and sisters? Whenever you come together, each one has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, another language, or an interpretation. All things must be done for edification.

The context of Paul’s instructions needs to go back to vs 29.

Who are those ‘qualified to evaluate?’

In first century Rome and Greece, women asking questions in a public forum would be totally foreign.

Notice what Paul says - if a woman has questions, she can ask her husband - at home, lest her evaluation of another’s prophecy create confusion.

Look at this thread of statements from just this section:

1 Corinthians 14:3 (HCSB)

But the person who prophesies speaks to people for edification, encouragement, and consolation.

1 Corinthians 14:12 (HCSB)

So also you—since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek to excel in building up the church.

1 Corinthians 14:16–17 (HCSB)

Otherwise, if you praise with the spirit, how will the uninformed person say “Amen” at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? For you may very well be giving thanks, but the other person is not being built up.

1 Corinthians 14:26 (HCSB)

What then is the conclusion, brothers? Whenever you come together, each one has a psalm, a teaching, a revelation, another language, or an interpretation. All things must be done for edification.

1 Corinthians 14:39 (HCSB)

Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy,

REFLECT AND RESPOND:

A worship gathering - such as this one - may or may not meet your needs or mine.

A worship gathering such as this one - is simply our response to the presence of God.

We gather for several important reasons:

A. Because only God is worthy of our worship.

one author writes,

Worship encompassed the entirety of one’s life lived in obedience to God (Rom 12:1–2). Every act of obedience to Christ, no matter how mundane, when done to his glory, is an act of worship (e.g., Col 3:17). This worship will find its consummation when people from every tribe, tongue, and nation join with the rest of creation in adoration before the throne of the Lamb (Rev 5:11–14)

Esau McCaulley, “Worship,” in Lexham Theological Wordbook, ed. Douglas Mangum et al., Lexham Bible Reference Series (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2014).

We gather because God is worthy of our time, our effort, and our attention.

B. As we worship God - the focus is Him.

I’m not trying to be repetitive, but it is easy to fall into ways of thinking and acting that make us the center of worship, our gifts, our abilities, our needs, our desires.

There are times when God’s people come together for other purposes.

Worship - is to remain God-centered, God-focused - and God honoring.

C. As we worship God’s presence is made real

When you come together - as Paul writes -

The One and Only Triune God makes Himself known through the diversity of the gifts He has already given to us

God centered and God focused worship draws attention not to those leading, but to Jesus Christ - who is real in each of the hearts of worshipers.

When Jesus is present, lives change!

He is present whenever His people gather, He is able to give new life to all who ask; He is willing to gift us with His Holy Spirit that we might find our place in God’s people; and He continues to invite us into His new life.