Disorderly Conduct

INTRO/ILLUSTRATION:

1 Corinthians 14:1–40 ESV

Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up. Now, brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or teaching? If even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is played? And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will get ready for battle? So with yourselves, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said? For you will be speaking into the air. There are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning, but if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker and the speaker a foreigner to me. So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church. Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. What am I to do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also. Otherwise, if you give thanks with your spirit, how can anyone in the position of an outsider say “Amen” to your thanksgiving when he does not know what you are saying? For you may be giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not being built up. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue. Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature. In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers. If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you. What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up. If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged, 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, the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says. If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church. Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached? If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord. If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But all things should be done decently and in order.

This is a REALLY loaded passage, isn’t it?!?!

Set the stage - what’s happening…The worship gatherings in the Corinthian church were a mess. Remember, now, they didn’t worship together in a large building like we do. They were in houses. There wasn’t a whole lot of “order” in their worship gatherings. It was kind of a “free-for-all.” Kind of this, “Let’s show up and see what happens” approach. So, you had people talking over each other, you had people all speaking in tongues over each other, you had someone trying to cut in and share some teachings from scripture, you had someone over here singing a song…it was chaotic.

KIND OF LIKE MY VEHICLE WHEN WE TAKE THE KIDS SOMEWHERE…someone’s singing at the top of their lungs (out of key), someone’s yelling at their sibling, the other one is crying, the radio is going, it’s a zoo!

And, here, Paul addresses three particular areas that the Corinthians need to correct and address...

Speaking in Tongues

Now, this particular spiritual gift has been at the center of a lot of heated debate within Christianity. Different denominations believe different things about the gift of tongues and some Christian - Jesus loving - brothers and sisters practice the spiritual gift of tongues. In the NT we’re really first introduced to “tongues” in

Acts 2:4 ESV

And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

The Corinthians were, in a very unhealthy way, distracted and obsessed with the gift of tongues? Why? Because they felt that it was the “mark” of a genuinely spiritual person.

What does Paul say about this spiritual gift (in chapter 12 and here)?

A) “Tongues” comes from the Greek work, “Glossa” which refers to the actual muscle (tongue) and also “language” or “speaking.” It’s clear, in the NT, that Paul understands the gift of tongues to be...

“A language inspired by the Spirit and not a noncognitive, nonlanguage utterance.”

It’s not just meaningless babble....which is apparently what many in Corinth and many today think it is…just nonsensical babbling that is supposedly a “spiritual language.” It is a GIFT…now, some believe that the gift died out with the apostles…I believe, again, as I’ve said several times - I’m not going to limit God. I believe God is going to gift people whom He chooses WITH the gift He chooses. I do believe, too, that it there has been an unhealthy and unbiblical emphasis placed on the gift by many…you can’t learn it, you can’t teach it.

But it is unintelligible.

The purpose of “tongues” is PRAISE not REVELATION.

“Communion with God.”

There MUST be an interpreter.

Limited to a “few.”

NOT a sign of “true” Christianity or “spirituality.”

Limited to a “few.”

“Look at me!” This was a very individualistic gift…it was a competition…it was to draw attention to the person. And THIS is exactly what Paul is writing and warning against. What does Paul say they should strive for? Look again…he talks about the gift of prophecy.

2. Prophecy

“To proclaim a divine revelation…to speak on behalf of God.”

Not individualistic in focus but is communal.

A gift that any believer can have.

In short…when God gives insight, by the illumination of the Holy Spirit, into a matter - whether it be in the life of a person, according to Scripture...

Piper:

Prophecy is a regulated message or report in human words usually made to the gathered believers based on a spontaneous, personal revelation from the Holy Spirit for the purpose of edification, encouragement, consolation, conviction or guidance but not necessarily free from a mixture of human error, and thus needing assessment on the basis of the apostolic (Biblical) teaching and mature spiritual wisdom.

Foretelling vs. “Forth”telling

Paul says that this is the gift that is to predominate worship…why? For the building up of believers and as a witness to the lost - it builds up the church through exhortation and consolation and convicts unbelievers and leads them to repentance and worship of the one true God.

“Prophecy has the potential to penetrate the innermost sanctum of an unbeliever’s soul with the laser light of divine judgment. It presents evidence that causes the individual to be scrutinized, exposed, and convicted of sin or of the truth. It calls the individual to account. In this case, prophecy must be gospel proclamation. Paul says that Christian prophecy causes the unbeliever to experience an overwhelming sense that they are in the presence of God. This happens in a house church, not a grand temple, and it happens through the instrument of simple people articulating God’s power and love in simple language without pomp and circumstance or spiritual fireworks.

What are exposed are the secrets that are buried like splinters in the hidden recesses of the heart and that one hopes no one else will discover. Prophecy lays open these secrets and heals them, though it might be a painful process. In a society concerned about external appearances, the message rips away the camouflage used to hide who one really is. It unmasks secrets but also reveals the one who loves and accepts them even when they are fully exposed. This prophetic scrutiny of inner thoughts, conscious and unconscious, leads to the recognition of God’s presence.”

NEED A GOOD ILLUSTRATION

Must be measured against Scripture.

vs. 29 - NOT INFALLIBLE

3. WOMEN SPEAKING IN CHURCH

WHY DOES THIS MATTER? WHY IS PAUL ADDRESSING IT?

OUR CORPORATE WORSHIP - HOW WE WORSHIP, WHAT WE SAY, WHAT WE DO - MATTERS. PAUL SAYS, IN VS. 33, THAT GOD IS NOT A GOD OF CONFUSION. HE’S NOT A GOD OF CHAOS. HE’S A GOD OF ORDER.

DOES IT MEAN THAT WE HAVE A “SCRIPT?” DOES IT MEAN THAT WE ARE RIGID AND THAT THERE’S NO FREEDOM OF FOLLOWING THE SPIRIT’S LEADING? THAT THE “ORDER OF WORSHIP” IN THE BULLETIN IS THE INFALLIBLE, INSPIRED, UNCHANGING GOSPEL? NO!!!

HERE’S WHY IT MATTERS…HERE’S WHAT MUST HAPPEN WHEN WE GATHER TOGETHER FOR WORSHIP…3 THINGS QUICKLY:

JESUS must be exalted.

Believers must be edified.

The lost must be evangelized.