Exercising Our Spirtual Gifts in a Worship Service

INTRODUCTION

The primary discussion of chapter 14 is speaking in tongues

It is very interesting that Paul spent so much time on the gift of tongues when it is the INFERIOR GIFT.

Almost half of his entire conversation about spiritual gifts (over 30 verses) is on the subject of speaking in tongues

Any idea why that is?

ANSWER: Because this was a major problem in the church of Corinth.

And when we read this section, we need to read it as CORRECTIVE TEACHING

Remember, we are reading someone else mail. There is a reason for His writing this letter.

And the reason He spends over 30 verses on speaking in tongues is because it is not being practiced biblically in the church of Corinth

So Paul goes into great detail so that her can explain how the spiritual gift of tongues is to be used

Is it not surprising then, that many people & churches error in this same topic today?

There is something speaking in tongues that attracts the flesh, attracts the natural man

And we must be careful that we are not letting our flesh lead us where the Spirit has dominion

The problem in Corinth is the same problem today: People were uttering all sorts of things and claiming superior spirituality

And we see this today, sometimes in people’s private life and often times in public worship services

But He does not give us a definite answer as to how tongues are to be used in a worship service

And anyone who does not follow these guidelines are not being led by the Spirit of God, but by the flesh of man

Primary Principle in this entire chapter is that spiritual gifts are given to build up the entire congregation, not for personal benefits.

Look at these verses:

(v 4) “One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church.”

(v 12) “So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church.”

(v 17) “For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified.”

(v 19) “however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.”

(v 26) “What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification.”

(v 31) “For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted

(v 33) “for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.”

(v 40) “But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.”

If what we do (spiritually) is for ourselves then we have missed the entire point of the church body metaphor Paul gives in chapter 12

1 Cor 14:1-5 “Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation. One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church. Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying.”

Notice the contrast in these verses about prophecy and tongues

Tongues:

speak to God only because no one understands

edifies self

Is no benefit to the church

Prophecy

men understand

Prophecy edifies, exhorts, consoles

Prophecy benefits the church

The point Paul is making is that prophecy builds others up, and those in the church who were speaking in tongues were only doing it for themselves

(v 2) no one understands them

(v 3) One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself

Christianity is not self-seeking

Christian love is not self seeking

Love does not brag

Love does not seek its own

Following Christ is about putting others above ourselves

And this MUST be modeled when it comes to using spiritual gifts

Whatever tongues were being used in Corinth had no regard for the other people in the church

And I can only speculate from Paul’s words here, people were claiming to be building themselves up by speaking in tongues

Paul does not say whether or not they were truly speaking by the Spirit of God

And neither should we

We really don’t have that right, unless they are doing it in a church service without an interpreter

The reason we do not have the right is because we cannot say what God is doing UNLESS it contradicts His Word

The main point of verses 1-5 is this: If our gift is not building up the body of Christ, then we should seek another gift

If I go to church and utter things to make myself feel better and more spiritual, then I should earnestly desire another gift

I should be asking: What are the needs in the church. What has God gifted me to do to serve my fellow church members

Paul gives three ways that tongues without interpretation is worthless

1 Cor 14:6-12 “But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching? Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? For if the bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning. If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me. So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church.”

(v 6-9) Utterances without meaning are useless

Paul illustrates this by referring to an instrument (flute or harp)

Has anyone ever given your kid a flute at school?

Luke came home with those highly annoying flute called “a recorder” for music class

To practice at home with

I think this was punishment for us from the teachers

He made sound, but the sound was annoying and pointless

Contrast that to someone who can play a piano beautifully, or a harmonica, or a banjo

The same is true for speech. If it makes no sense, it is pointless. It does absolutely nothing.

They will be speaking into the air.

(v 10-11) Those who speak in tongues without an interpreter make others feel like an outsider (foreigner)

We do not understand someone who speaks Chinese

Have you ever been into a place where everyone spoke the same language except you?

Dominican Illustration

I needed finger nail clippers

I could not communicate that to them to save my life!

People laughed at me, to feel like an outsider was understatement

When someone practices tongues in the church it will be the same result

People are uncomfortable

They feel like an outsider

They feel like a foreigner

Those who speak in tongues bypass the mind (v 14)

Conclusion:

(v 12) stop speaking in tongues and seek for ways to edify the church body!

(v 13-16) PRAY that you could interpret tongues so that the body may be built up

(v 19) It is better to speak five words people can understand than 10,000 words in a tongue.

(v 20) The reason people do this is because they are immature in their thinking

How do children act?

They are self-centered. Their favorite word in MINE

They love to call attention to themselves. Judah loves to praise himself any time he does something good!

They are attracted to things that are flashy, shiny, and showy things. Big shiny toys that may be junk are on their Christmas list

How do mature Christians act?

Selfless

Phil 2:3-4 “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.”

Humble

Matthew 23:11-12 ““But the greatest among you shall be your servant. “Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted.”

Self control

Gal 5:22-24 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”

2 peter 1:5-8 “Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply moral excellence, and in your moral excellence, knowledge, and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, perseverance, and in your perseverance, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they render you neither useless nor unfruitful in the true knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.”