The Operator’s Manual
Notes
Transcript
Effective ministry operation requires …
I. Innocent Behavior and Mature Thinking (1 Corinthians 14:20)
I. Innocent Behavior and Mature Thinking (1 Corinthians 14:20)
A Life of Ministry — a successful ministry requires a balance between innocence and wisdom.
Is one of innocence
16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.
19 For the report of your obedience has reached to all; therefore I am rejoicing over you, but I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil.
2 An overseer, then, must be above reproach, the husband of one wife, temperate, prudent, respectable, hospitable, able to teach,
12 Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Is one of wisdom
16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; so be shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves.
13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. 17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
The effectiveness of a ministry is predicated upon its behavior and thinking.
Spiritual maturity is NOT giftedness. There are plenty of spiritually gifted Christians who are living immaturely.
How a church thinks and behaves …
1. Impacts its Influence (1 Corinthians 14:21-26)
1. Impacts its Influence (1 Corinthians 14:21-26)
Positive and Negative Signs
Paul quotes from Isaiah 28:9
The context of the passage in Isaiah is one of captivity. When Israel found themselves being ruled by other nations speaking foreign tongues, they would recognize it as a sign of God’s judgment.
We see examples of both positive (the rainbow — Gen. 9:12) and negative (those dying in Korah’s rebellian — Num. 26:10) signs indicating either God’s approval or displeasure at a people or situations.
In vv. 23-25, Paul explains how tongues and prophecy represent signs
Tongues as a Sign — Negative Influence
Tongues—the God-given ability to pray or praise in languages not understood by the speaker or hearers.
I removed the word “or syllables” from last weeks definition. While tongues may not be known or understood, they are nonetheless a language, NOT ecstatic babbling.
Tongues function as a sign to unbelievers.
If the whole church spoke in tongues, any unbelievers who heard would only see confusion or “madness”.
Though an exaggeration, the implication is that everyone could speak in tongues.
Like the sign to Israel, the “sign” to unbelievers is that they are out of fellowship with God and remain under His judgment.
Prophecy as a Sign — Positive Influence
Prophecy — the God-given ability to discern or verbalize a thought that God has brought to mind for a specific person or situation at hand.
Prophecy functions as a sign to believers.
If the whole church prophesies, the Holy Spirit works to convict, call to account, and disclose the secrets of the heart of the unbeliever.
Though an exaggeration, the implication is that everyone could prophesy.
The work of the Holy Spirit results in the conversion of unbelievers, resulting in the sign that “God is certainly among you.”
Impacting Influence
How a local church chooses to behave and think impacts—whether positively or negatively—its influence.
The church focused on self-promotion, self-advancement, and self-exaltation would always be a negative sign to unbelievers.
vs.
The church focused on the exultation of Jesus Christ and the edification of the body of believers will always be a positive sign—convicting, calling to account, and disclosing sin—confirming to Christians that “God is certainly among you.”
The result in a local church
Notice that everyone has something to bring.
27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.
Like Paul’s other lists, this is certainly not exhaustive.
However the Holy Spirit chooses to manifest His power in and through believers, all things must be done for edification.
How a church thinks and behaves …
2. Reflects in Their Worship (1 Corinthians 14:27-38)
2. Reflects in Their Worship (1 Corinthians 14:27-38)
Reflect in Their Attitude of Worship (vv. 27-33)
Tongues
There may be two or at the most three tongues-speakers
Each in turn
There must be interpretation
If no one can interpret, tongues in the church must remain a private prayer/praise between the individual and God
This means unless the individual speaking in tongues has the ability to interpret, or someone else is known to have the ability of interpretation, people should remain silent.
Prophecy
Two or three prophets speak
Let others pass judgment
Judgment — to separate thoroughly, to discern against the Word, to hesitate first
10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. 11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.
19 Do not quench the Spirit; 20 do not despise prophetic utterances. 21 But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22 abstain from every form of evil.
If a revelation is made to another, the one speaking must stop
All can prophesy one by one
So that the entire church may learn and be exhorted
v. 32 — the tongue-speaker and the prophet are to be in complete control of themselves and what they are saying
Why?
Because the God we worship is not a God of confusion but of peace.
It should be noted that the opposite of confusion (disorder) is NOT quietness or sobriety, but peace.
In other words, the church that exercises it’s worship biblically is one that finds itself in harmony—pursuing the same goal, mindset, mission, etc.
While a church can worship quietly or contemplatively, joyful, loud, exclamatory worship is not the same as chaos.
Reflect in Their Order of Authority in Worship (vv. 34-38)
Controversial Verses
Some think vv. 34-35 don’t belong in Scripture at all (manuscript argument)
Some think they are only cultural commands and don’t apply today
Some think they are the result of an oppressive, patriarchal system
Some think they are simply the Word of God
vv. 34-35 are not only controversial, they are misunderstood and misused, but they don’t need to be.
The issue of “silence” has to do with prophecy in the local church
Specifically, while a prophesy is being judged—examined, sifted—women are to keep silent.
The implication being that women through questioning—whether out of curiosity or some other reason—were disrupting this process.
This does not mean that women wholesale can never speak in the church.
Paul has already given instructions of the conduct of women in the context of corporate worship
5 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.
The way Paul worded several phrases in chapter 14 also indicates that all (including women) have the ability to speak in tongues or prophesy.
If women desire to learn (which it should be noted Paul does not forbid), they should ask their husbands.
This passage is as much instructions to women as it is to men.
Yes women should ask their husbands.
By implication that means husbands must be able to answer (or be willing to find the answer!) when they are asked.
How a church thinks and behaves …
3. Honors Who They Worship (1 Corinthians 14:39-40)
3. Honors Who They Worship (1 Corinthians 14:39-40)
