How to use gifts in a public worship service (pt 2)

INTRODUCTION

This is the second an final study on spiritual gifts

Again tonight, we will be talking about speaking in tongues

Does anyone remember anything from last week?

Speaking in tongues is worthless in a church service unless someone interprets

The edification of the church is most important; therefore If our gift is not building up the church, then we should seek another gift

Those who speak in tongues in public worship service without an interpreter are immature like little children. (They are self-centered and only thinking of themselves. Look at me, I am super spiritual, while going against true spirituality which is humility and love ch 13)

What we did not do is clarify whether or not there are two kinds of tongues:

The gibberish that we often hear today called tongues

The actual language that was used in Acts 2 at Pentecost.

And we did not clarify that because Paul does not clarify that. What Paul does make clear is that there is how tongues are to be used in public worship services.

Tonight we will continue that discussion and finish our study on spiritual gifts

1 Cor 14:21-25 “In the Law it is written, “By men of strange tongues and by the lips of strangers I will speak to this people, and even so they will not listen to Me,” says the Lord. So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe. Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his fac?e and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you.”

Improperly speaking in tongues hinders evangelism

In verse 22, Paul says tongues are a sign to unbelievers and prophecy for believers

In verse 23 Paul seems to say the opposite “Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad?”

Is Paul contradicting himself?

No, the reason we think that is because we think of every sign as a miracle, or some kind of divine encounter

BUT really Paul uses the word “sign” here in a negative sense (a warning sign)

When an unbeliever walks into the church and all are speaking in tongues, it does nothing for him but confirm his unbelief “you are all mad”

BUT prophecy is a positive sign. It edifies the church and also convicts the heart of the unbelieving (v 24) “he is convicted by all”

There are two kinds of evangelism

The kind where we take the gospel outsider of walls of the church and share it (the good news) with unbelievers

This may be our unbelieving family

This may be in our church community

This may be at our work

This may be with our friends

There is also the kind of evangelism that happens in our worship services

This is where the preaching of the gospel is done from the pulpit

People are invited to sit with us during a worship service

And they can become convicted of their sin and here of God’s grace and willingness to save them and be converted in a service

Application

Its important for us to remember that every church service is a form of evangelism

It is almost certain that there are unconverted people in every service

This is why I preach about salvation so much.

This is also why we should always conduct ourselves in ways that point people to Christ

When the whole church speaks in tongues and no one interprets it repels people from the church instead of drawing them to Christ

Paul has already made the point in v 11 that when people do this it makes the rest of the church feels like foreigners

Now he is saying it also repels lost people from the faith!

Have you ever experienced this?

I have not been to many chairsmatic church services that I can remember, but I the ones i do remember made me feel very uncomfortable

I remember one time there was a pastor who was walking around the congregation and it was a very emotional service

1 Cor 14:26-28 “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. If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret; but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God.”

Let all things be done for edification

Paul gives a list of gifts that are used in the church

A Psalm (Christian song of praise)

A teaching (instruction given during the church service)

A revelation (A word from God, a vision, God’s Spirit reveals something to someone)

A tongue (language or expression of devotion to God)

And interpretation of that tongue

“BUT if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church”

In other words, if you enter a church service and there are some speaking in tongues without an interpreter, it is not of God

And if that church allows it, they are going against Scripture and I would get away from that church and find a biblical church

Application

When I read this as a whole, it reminds me how much we all should contribute to the worship service through our spiritual gifts

If you feel like the Lord has given you something to say, then you should say it!

I would like to see our church become more open to manifestations of the Spirit through other people

1 Cor 14:29-33 “Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.”

“Let two or three prophets speak, and let others pass judgement”

Just like the one speaking in tongues, there is to be order in the church

Only two or three can speak (most likely in order)

What is the gift of prophecy?

Declaring God’s will to the people

The ability to communicate what God expects and wants from the church

That means we should not be so accepting of everything that is said as a declaration of God’s will to us (prophecy)

let others pass judgement

1 John 4:1 “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

1 Thess 5:20-21 “do not despise prophetic utterances. But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good”

1 Cor 2:12-16 “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.”

USE DISCERNMENT WHEN LISTENING TO THE MAN FROM THE PULPIT!

Not everyone who claims to speak for God truly does

There are many false prophets out there today

And if we do not know the whole counsel of God, how will we spot the counterfeits?

1 Cor 14:34-35 “The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church.”

This is one that has sparked so much controversy!

Paul cannot mean that women must never speak in church

1 Cor 11:3-5 “But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head. But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head, for she is one and the same as the woman whose head is shaved.”

So Paul says women are prophesying and praying here in a church service which mean that he prohibits all kinds of speech

So what does he want them to be silent about?

In context, silent about making judgements about making judgements about the prophecies given

If they have questions they are to ask their husbands at home

They is also a possibility that their own husbands were giving the prophecies which would bring shame upon them if their own wives question them

They are to ask their husbands at home

Application

Eph 5:22-23 “Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, as Christ also is the head of the church, He Himself being the Savior of the body.”

These is to be a level of submission in the Christian life to bring glory to God

Wives, be subject to your husbands

Husbands love your wives

1 Cor 14:36-40 “Was it from you that the word of God first went forth? Or has it come to you only? If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord’s commandment. But if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues. But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.”

Paul states his authority here: “these things are the Lord’s commandment”\

That is written for the one who says, I do not need to listen to Paul

Or Paul was a male chauvinist (show - vuh - nest)

Or that was culture, but our culture has changed

These are the Lord’s commands

“Do not forbid speaking in tongues”’

This is a call for humility for those who are quick to be critical

We must never think God cannot do something

That is why I am so careful to tell someone, “that is not of God” UNLESS it clearly contradicts His Word

Be sure to weigh everything by the Word of God

“All things are to be done properly and in an orderly manner”

Church is to be organized, flow well, not be chaotic, not out of order

There should be clarity in a church service

There should be unity