What's That All About? (2)
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This morning we are picking back up in our study of the book of Acts.
If you’re new to MCF, it would be good for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”. What that means is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then studying them from beginning to end, chapter by chapter, verse by verse, in order to understand what the Bible means in our lives today.
With that said, we’ve recently started a new study in the book of Acts. In fact, we just finished up chapter 1 and started chapter 2 last week.
So, if you are new, you’ve come at a great time, and just to make sure we are all up to speed, let me begin this morning by giving us all a quick recap of what’s brought us to this point.
You may recall, Luke kicked chapter 2 off with the coming of the Holy Spirit. An event that Jesus promised would take place. In Luke records the words and promise of Jesus. He writes:
4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Jesus says to his disciples, “Before you go anywhere or do anything, you need to wait for the Holy Spirit?” So, who is the Holy Spirit and why do they need to wait? Well, as we’ve learned, the Holy Spirit is our spiritual Helper and part of the godhead. And His purpose is to empower the disciples for the mission Jesus gave them. We know this because in , Jesus tells us this. In verse 8 He says:
5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me;
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Jesus says when the Holy Spirit comes, the disciples will receive a supernatural power that will enable them to take the Gospel to the entire world. A supernatural power that will equip them with spiritual gifts needed to witness and lead people to Jesus. Paul lists some of these gifts in . He writes:
8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
Paul says to those empowered by the Spirit, each will receive unique gifts that will help them witness Jesus to others.
The question then is, how does this apply to us? And what we’ve learned is it applies in the exact same way.
Because the fact of the matter is, the mission of gospel advancement continues today. We know this for two reasons.
First, because with over 7 billion people on planet earth, 2 billion have never heard about Jesus, and another 3 billion have heard but have not believed. Second,
First, there are currently 7 billion people on planet earth. Of that 7 billion, 2 billion have never heard about Jesus, and another 3 billion may have heard, but have not believed.
Second, before he ascended into heaven, Jesus told his disciples that one day he would return. And according to the book of Revelation, when Jesus returns, the end will come, and those who haven’t put their faith in Jesus will be eternally separated from God. All that to say, the mission will officially be over when Jesus returns, and he hasn’t returned yet.
That being the case, we have a lot of work to do before that happens. Because, like the first disciples we have a mission to accomplish, and like the first disciples we need the empowerment of the Holy Spirit to help us. So, that’s how it applies to us.
And that’s why is so important, because as the disciples wait for the Spirit to come, beginning in chapter 2, the promised Spirit comes. And as we learned last week, when the Spirit came it was quite a moment. In fact, it was one of those moments that caught everybody off guard. says it happened Suddenly. Luke writes, “And suddenly...”
“And suddenly...” It’s the idea that
It’s the idea that something abruptly or without warning took place.
So, what took place? Luke tells us. Continuing in verse 2 he writes:
2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:
Luke says in the moment the Holy Spirit came, three supernatural signs combined at once. Three signs that represent a fulfillment of prophecy and the beginning of a new era. An era called “The Church Era”.
Last week we looked at two of those signs.
The first sign was the sound of God’s presence. Luke says, “...there came from heaven a sound like a might rushing wind, and it filled the entire house.”
And what we learned is this wasn’t wind at all. In this passage the word Luke uses for wind comes from a Hebrew word found in . It’s a word that refers to the life giving breath of God that breathed life into Adam’s nostrils.
What that means then is the wind they heard was the life giving presence of God as it left heaven and entered that room. And Luke says it was a presence that could be felt.
The second sign was the symbol of his anointing. Luke says as the presence of God filled the room, “divided tongues as of fire appeared and rested on each of them.”
And what we learned is that the fire represented not only the physical presence of God, but the symbol of his anointing.
We know this because in we see something similar as King Solomon dedicates the temple. Listen to how the writer describes the temple dedication:
1 As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.
1 As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices, and the glory of the Lord filled the temple. 2 And the priests could not enter the house of the Lord, because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord’s house. 3 When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down and the glory of the Lord on the temple, they bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshiped and gave thanks to the Lord, saying, “For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.”
4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifice before the Lord. 5 King Solomon offered as a sacrifice 22,000 oxen and 120,000 sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. 6 The priests stood at their posts; the Levites also, with the instruments for music to the Lord that King David had made for giving thanks to the Lord—for his steadfast love endures forever—whenever David offered praises by their ministry; opposite them the priests sounded trumpets, and all Israel stood.
7 And Solomon consecrated the middle of the court that was before the house of the Lord, for there he offered the burnt offering and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar Solomon had made could not hold the burnt offering and the grain offering and the fat.
8 At that time Solomon held the feast for seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly, from Lebo-hamath to the Brook of Egypt. 9 And on the eighth day they held a solemn assembly, for they had kept the dedication of the altar seven days and the feast seven days. 10 On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their homes, joyful and glad of heart for the prosperity that the Lord had granted to David and to Solomon and to Israel his people.
11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord and the king’s house. All that Solomon had planned to do in the house of the Lord and in his own house he successfully accomplished. 12 Then the Lord appeared to Solomon in the night and said to him: “I have heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. 13 When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, 14 if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. 16 For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time. 17 And as for you, if you will walk before me as David your father walked, doing according to all that I have commanded you and keeping my statutes and my rules, 18 then I will establish your royal throne, as I covenanted with David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man to rule Israel.’
19 “But if you turn aside and forsake my statutes and my commandments that I have set before you, and go and serve other gods and worship them, 20 then I will pluck you up from my land that I have given you, and this house that I have consecrated for my name, I will cast out of my sight, and I will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples. 21 And at this house, which was exalted, everyone passing by will be astonished and say, ‘Why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?’ 22 Then they will say, ‘Because they abandoned the Lord, the God of their fathers who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and laid hold on other gods and worshiped them and served them. Therefore he has brought all this disaster on them.’ ”
The writer says in that moment, God anointed the temple as fire fell from heaven, entered the temple, and consumed it. And now the temple was ready for ministry.
In , we see the same thing happening, but now it’s not a physical temple God is anointing. In the church era, we are the temple of God’s presence. The Apostle Paul explains it like this:
16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?
Paul says we are the new temple God now dwells in us. And in we see the physical representation of God now anointing and empowering those He’s called for ministry.
We also know this represents God’s anointing because it’s how Jesus was anointed for ministry. In a very similar way, at the beginning of His earthly ministry God anointed and empowered Jesus for ministry.
It happened in following His water baptism. In that moment God poured His Spirit out upon Jesus and empowered him for the work He was called to. Luke records the event like this. In he writes:
21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
And in that moment Jesus was anointed and empowered for ministry. The Apostle Peter refers to this moment in . In Peter says:
37 you yourselves know what happened throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
All that to say, after His water baptism, God anointed and empowered Jesus with the Holy Spirit for ministry. And now in , Jesus is doing exactly the same thing for his disciples. In this moment Jesus is anointing them and empowering them with the Holy Spirit for the work of ministry. In fact, John the baptist said this is what Jesus would do. In John the baptist says:
16 John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
So, the question then is, “How do these two signs apply to you and me?” And again, what we learned is they apply in the same way. Because in the same way that Jesus anointed and empowered those 120 disciples in that room that day, He wants to anoint and empower us as well. Jesus wants to give us everything we need to do what He’s called us to do.
So, what has Jesus called us to do? Well, as we’ve said all along, He wants us to spread the Gospel to the entire world. He wants us to continue the mission. Which leads us to the third sign that was present that day. A sign that symbolizes two important parts of spreading the Gospel.
First, this sign symbolizes the heart of God for all people.
And second, it symbolizes the empowerment God has given us to accomplish the mission. So, what’s the sign?
Well, as the sound of God’s presence enters the room, as the symbol of his anointing rests upon them, a third sign takes place. A sign we’re going to call:
The Symbol of Spirit Empowered Witness
The sign we are referring to in is a sign known as “tongues.” Listen again to what Luke says happens as God’s presence fills the room and his anointing falls upon the disciples. Luke write:
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
Acts 2:
Luke says in this moment they were all filed with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
And it’s at this point where a lot of people say, “Pastor, what’s that all about?”
Because the truth is, this really is the elephant in the room for a lot of Christians. And I say that because whenever the word “tongues” is used in a setting like this, depending on your church or spiritual background, it raises all kinds of different reactions, responses, and concerns.
For some of you, when I said the word “tongues”, you started to feel a pit developing in your stomach. If you’re honest, your first thought was, “Oh no. Please pastor, say it isn’t so. Please don’t tell me the rumors are true. You’re not going to tell me I need to start speaking in tongues are you? Pastor, I invited my friend today, you’re not going to do something weird are you? We’re not going to officially become the tongues talking church are we?” That’s true, right?
And then for some of you, when I said the word “tongues”, you felt an excitement rise up in your spirit. You’re first thought was, “Yes! Finally! I’ve been waiting for pastor to finally get to this part. To finally give the green light for tongues in our church. Today is the day. Today we finally become an official Pentecostal church!”
The truth is, those tend to be the two most common reactions and the two sides of the isle people tend to sit on when it comes to tongues.
So, as we look at this third sign of Pentecost today, I have two goals. And they are simple goals.
Goal #1 - To explain what tongues meant in the context of .
Goal #2 - To explain what tongues means in our context.
And to be honest, I think both sides of the isle are going to be surprised by what the Bible has to say on this. And it is my hope that when everybody leaves today we will all be on the same page and this will no longer be something we need to worry about.
But for that to happen, I need all of you to do something for me first.
For those who sit on the side of the “fear of tongues”, for the next few moments I’m going to ask you to set your fears aside, and consider that maybe God works in ways that we aren’t always comfortable with.
And that maybe, just maybe, tongues is one of those ways:
Because like it or not, it’s in the Bible.
Like it or not, the first century Christians spoke in tongues.
Like it or not, this is a gift God gave the Church.
And so for the next few moments, I want you to set your fear aside and forget what you’ve heard. I want you to quit worrying that somebody might start speaking in tongues. And I want you to take the mindset that a supernatural God sometimes works supernaturally.
Now, for those on the other side of the isle. For those who are “for tongues”. I’m going to ask for the next few moments that you set aside what you think you know about tongues:
That you set aside what you saw or heard on TBN or on the Bethel channel.
That you set aside what your pentecostal tradition has taught you.
And that for the next few moments you would consider what the Bible actually says about tongues. And maybe be open to the idea that your version of what tongues isn’t Biblical.
And for us to discover that, we need to look at it in context.
Because the truth is, some of you have a distorted view of tongues. And because “tongues” is such a sensitive subject matter in the church world, it’s imperative that you have a Biblical view.
Otherwise you run the risk of doing what so many churches and well meaning Christians have done. You run the risk of running people off instead of leading them to Jesus.
So, with that as our basis, let’s begin with our first goal as we look at the purpose of tongues in .
And for us to discover that, let’s begin with the word “tongues”.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The word for “tongues” here is translated from the Greek word “glossa”. And its the idea of a supernaturally inspired language. In other words, it’s a supertnaural utterance of a language from someone that doesn’t know the language.
Now, when I say that, somebody who is a skeptic of tongues might be inclined to say, “Pastor, I’m just not sure I can buy into that idea. That idea that someone could supernaturally speak a language they’ve never learned.”
And what I would say to that is, “Then you don’t have a very big view of God.” Because the God that I serve said, “Let there be light”, and a flaming ball of fire called the sun appeared out of nothing.” The God I serve blew his breath into a piece of clay shaped like a man, and the man came to life. The Jesus I serve told a man who had been dead 4 days to come out of his grave, and he did.
And if my God can do all that, then I’m pretty sure, if He wants to, he can equip somebody with the ability to speak in a language they’ve never learned. My challenge to you would be to not limit what God can or might do.
So, the next question would be, “Why did God enable these 120 disciples to speak in a language that they’d never learned?” Luke tells us. Picking back up in verse 5 he says:
5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”
Acts 2:5-
The key to understanding what is going on here goes back to Luke telling us it was the day of Pentecost.
You may recall Luke started chapter 2 by telling us that on the day the Holy Spirit showed up, it was the day of Pentecost. The day of Pentecost being one of three major Jewish holidays on the calendar. A day when thousands of people from all over the known world had come to Jerusalem to celebrate and bring offerings to the temple. As a result, Luke says people from every nation under heaven, meaning the earth, were present that day.
5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven.
Luke says people from every nation under heaven, meaning the earth, were present that day.
And because there were people from different countries and different regions, many of them spoke different language, and this is a problem.
8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome,
Acts 2:8
It’s a problem because unlike today, learning a new language or translating a language would have been more difficult in the 1st century. Because they didn’t have access to Rosette Stone software in order to learn new languages. They didn’t have access to siri or elexa if they wanted to look up a translation.
In their day, if you didn’t know the language of the country you were visiting, then without a translator, it would have been extremely difficult to communicate with native speakers.
So, that’s the context for . There’s a major festival with people from all over the known world present who don’t all speak the same language.
And this is where the tongues become important. Because in this moment the Holy Spirit enables these 120 men and women to speak languages they’ve never learned in the native tongue of those attending the festival. How do we know that’s what happened? Because that’s what Luke tells us. In verse 7 Luke writes:
7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?
Luke says everybody present is amazed because people who shouldn’t have known their language are speaking it. That’s why they say, “How is it these Galileans are speaking in our own native language?” This doesn’t make any sense!
So, how are they doing it? They’re doing it through the power of the Holy Spirit.
So, a great question to ask then is, “If they’re speaking in a language they’ve never learned, what are they saying?” Luke tells us. In verse 11 he writes:
11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”
As the 120 disciples begin to speak in these spirit inspired languages, and as people begin to hear their native tongue, they hear about the mighty works of God:
They hear about God’s love.
They hear about God sending His Son.
They hear about all the things Jesus said and did.
They hear about his death and resurrection.
They hear about the free gift of salvation that God now offers for those who put their faith in Jesus. That’s what they heard!
And as a result, through this supernatural empowerment of the Holy Spirit, thousands of people from all over the known world hear the gospel message. It’s an amazing supernatural event as the gospel is spread through all languages.
And through this supernatural event, two principle for spiritual empowerment are established.
The first principle is that the purpose of empowerment if for reaching all nations of all languages. In other words, tongues in this instance is a symbol for cross-cultural witness. It’s the sign that Jesus died for everybody and the message is for everybody.
Second, the purpose of empowerment is to equip us for cross-cultural witness.
In other words, when it comes to spreading the gospel, there are no barriers for the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit can cross any social, cultural, or linguistic barrier. Nothing can stop the Holy Spirit from telling people about Jesus. And that my friends is why the empowerment of the Spirit is so necessary for us.
So, what does that mean for us?
Because when empowered by the Holy Spirit, we now have everything we need to communicate the gospel in our cultural context.
Meaning, in the context of Marysville and Marshall county, the Holy spirit has the ability to empower us to communicate the gospel in a way that people will understand it and embrace it in this community and region.
So, does that mean we will speak in tongues like they did in order to communicate the gospel. No. What it means is the Holy Spirit has the ability to empower us in a way that reaches this area. And to be honest, I’m not sure what that looks like. But I do know, if we ask God to empower us for witness to this area, He will empower us for witness. And in that moment, we’ll be able to present the gospel to people in this community in a way we couldn’t before.
It may be that you’ll have a knowledge you didn’t have before. A knowledge that will help you reach somebody you could have never reached in your own understanding.
It may be that you’ll have a knowledge you didn’t have before. A knowledge that will help you reach somebody you could have never reached in your own understanding.
It may mean you’ll have a discernment you didn’t have before. Because of the empowerment of the Spirit, you’ll be able to give counsel you couldn’t give before.
It may mean you’ll have a discernment you didn’t have before. Because of the empowerment of the Spirit, you’ll be able to give counsel you couldn’t give before.
It may mean you’ll have a confidence you didn’t have before. Because of the empowerment of the Spirit, you’ll be able to speak about Jesus with greater boldness.
It may mean you’ll have a faith you didn’t have before. A faith that will encourage others and lead them to Jesus.
It may mean you’ll have a faith you didn’t have before. A faith that will encourage others and lead them to Jesus.
But whatever it is, in that moment of empowerment, you’ll have the ability to communicate the gospel in a way you couldn’t before.
I don’t know about you, but I want that. I want the ability to share my faith with no barriers. And through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit we can have that. Because as we’ve just seen, the Holy Spirit can cross one of the greatest barriers known too man, the barrier of language.
That’s what’s happening with tongues in . The Holy Spirit has now equipped the disciples to communicate the gospel in a way they couldn’t before.
And to be honest, this sign is the elephant in the room.
A moment that left many people asking the question, “What’s that all about?”
So, that takes care of our first goal. Tongues in is a symbol of cross-cultural communication of the Gospel as the Holy Spirit equips the disciples to communicate the gospel in a way they couldn’t before. That’s what the tongues in symbolizes.
So, what happened in that moment? According to , when the Spirit came i
Now, at this point in the message, those of you who have lived in the fear of tongues are probably feeling pretty good. You’re thinking, “Well thank goodness. I really thought pastor was going to say that because the disciples spoke in tongues that we should too.”
And for those of you who are for tongues, you’re thinking, “I thought pastor was an Assembly of God pastor. Why isn’t he encouraging us to speak in tongues.”
Well, hold tight, because we still need to address our second goal. To determine what tongues means for the church today. And maybe the best way to answer that question is by asking a question. So, let’s start by asking this question concerning tongues. And the question is:
Question - Is tongues something modern day Christians should seek and practice?
And the answer to that question is yes. Some of you weren’t expecting that. So, before some of you head for the door, let me explain what that means and what that looks like in the modern church context. Because it’s not as weird and scary as you might think.
So, in order to not make it too complicated, I hope, I’m going to try and explain how tongues works using a car illustration.
How many of you have ever bought a car? Most of us, right? Have you ever noticed when buying a car there are package options. There’s standard options and their are upgraded options.
And what you’ll find is there are cars with base model options and then there are cars with upgraded features. For example, in a base model car, FWD might be standard. But in the upgraded package version of the car, it comes with AWD. Everybody with me?
And the truth is, some of those options are standard and will be expected, and some of the options wont’ be expected and will make the purchase that much more exciting.
For example, in a base model car, FWD tends to be a standard feature. But in the upgraded package version of the car, it might come with AWD. Everybody with me?
For example, in a base model car, FWD might be standard. But in the upgraded package version of the car, it comes with AWD. Everybody with me?
In a way, that’s how the baptism in the Holy Spirit could be viewed. Think of it like this.
A dissatisfier represents an option on a car that is expected, and if it wasn’t present, you’d be dissatisfied. For example, if you bought a 2012 chevy impala, and after purchasing it you realized that instead of electric windows it had roll up windows, you’d be dissatisfied. In your mind, electric windows should be a standard
When you put your faith in Jesus, the Holy Spirit enters you and begins the work of spiritual transformation. And in that moment the old you dies and the new is born. Jesus calls it being born again. The Apostle Paul puts it like this:
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
And from that point on your are saved and your journey with Jesus begins as you look forward to eternal life with Him.
Using our car illustration, that’s the standard equipment package for the Christian. That’s what everybody gets when they put their faith in Jesus.
But God doesn’t want it to end there. Because if you’re open to it, there are some upgraded features God wants to add. Features that increase our intimacy with Him, and features that increase our ability to be used by Him for witness.
That upgrade is called “The Baptism in the Holy Spirit”. And with the upgrade come some features you didn’t have with the standard package.
The first features is “tongues” as the Holy Spirit gives you a language that’s not your own.
Now, you might be thinking, “Pastor, that sounds weird. Where are you getting that. How do you know that? What’s your proof?” The proof is found in scripture, first from the book of Acts and then from the Apostle Paul.
Because what we’re going to see in the book of Acts, is in almost every instance except one, when a person was empowered with the Spirit, they spoke in tongues. We’ll see it in , , and Acts 19.
In addition to that, the Apostle Paul refers to a Christians ability to speak in tongues using himself as an example.. In Paul writes:
18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
Paul says, “Yeah, I speak in tongues, and I do it a lot.”
The question then is, “If that’s true, why would we need that feature?”
Well, in a way, it’s meant to give you the ability to pray to God from your spirit versus your mind. Listen to how Paul describes this prayer language. He writes:
14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays but my mind is unfruitful. 15 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.
What Paul is saying here is there are times in his personal prayer life that he prays in tongues and he doesn’t know what he’s praying.
So, why would he do that? In Paul gives us some indication to why tongues may be an appropriate way for the believer to pray at times. In he says:
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
What Paul is saying is, there are times when a person doesn’t know how to pray or express themselves to God.
Maybe you’ve had a moment like that. A moment where your own words couldn’t express how you felt or express the pain or frustration you were feeling.
Paul says in moments like this he prays in the spirit with words that transcend his mind and speech.
So, in a way, tongues is a private language between you and God that allows your spirit to pray in a way that your mind can’t.
Now, as I talk about this, I know what some of you are thinking. You’re thinking, “Wow pastor, this is way out there. I’m not sure what I think about all of this.”
Again, I would point out this isn’t my idea, it’s God’s idea. This is a gift that he’s given us that allows us to pray to Him in a way our mind can’t. And from Peter, to John, to Mary, to Paul, and the other 120, they all had this ability. And the truth is, if you seek the empowerment of the Spirit, you can have this gift as well. However, there is a major ground rule if you choose to engage in this gift, and it’s that you keep it private.
In other words it’s not something you showcase. It’s not for the public setting, for two reasons:
First, Paul says if you use your private tongue publically, it serves no purpose for those who hear you. In other words, they can’t understand what you’re saying. That’s why Paul says in :
9 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.
Paul says, if you use your tongue in public, how will anyone know what you said? And the answer is, they won’t.
12 So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.
Paul says, if you want to display a gift, display one that builds up the church.
Second, if you use your tongue publically, people are going to think you’re crazy or weird. And they’ll have good reason to think that, especially if they don’t know what the Bible says. This was a real problem in the church at Corinth. Listen to what Paul says to them concerning their abuse of the gift:
23 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?
And the answer to that is yes. They will think you are crazy. And that’s why so many Pentecostal churches get bad reputations and scare people out the door.
So, if you choose to function in this gift, then keep it between you and God.
So, that’s the first upgrade feature you can have with empowerment. A personal prayer language between you and God.
The second feature is your public gift. And when I say public gift, I’m talking about a gift that God wants to use through you for the edification of the church and to reach people for Jesus. Paul gives us examples of these gifts in and .
In , he lists 9 of these gifts: The gift of wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, discernment, tongues, and interpretation of tongues.
In he lists 7: The gift of prophecy, serving, teaching, preaching, generosity, leadership, and mercy.
8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
6 Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; 7 if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; 8 the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness.
And with all these gifts Paul says the Holy Spirit is the one who gives them and determines which gift each person gets.
All that to say, when you seek the empowerment of the Spirit, with it comes one of these gifts and maybe 2-3 for some. A gift or gifts you will use to bring health to the church and lead others to Jesus. I think that’s pretty awesome.
For example, when it comes to my gifts, two of my primary gifts are teaching and preaching.
Now, there are two gifts in particular I want to highlight, because again, they are the elephant in the room. The two gifts are the gift of tongues and interpretation. So, what are these gifts?
Well, let me begin by saying that the gift of tongues Paul mentions in is not the same as your personal prayer language. While anybody empowered by the Spirit can have their own prayer language, not every empowered believer has the gift of tongues. Two different things.
Because the gift of tongues Paul mentions in is a unique gift and is meant for public use. And when used is meant to express prayer and praise to God on behalf of those present.
The second gift mentioned with it is the gift of interpretation and is a complimentary gift to tongues. In other words, the two work together. Meaning, when the gift of tongues is in operation, the gift of interpretation must follow. Why? So that those present will know what was said. Otherwise the gift of tongues is useless.
And again, this is where a lot of well meaning Christians go sideways with this gift. Because unfortunately in some churches, how these gifts are meant to function has never been taught, and as a result they are abused.
Such was the case in the church at Corinth. A church that loved the gift of tongues. So much, that it was driving people out of their church. As a result, Paul laid down some ground rules for tongues and interpretation. So, here are a few I want to highlight:
Ground rule #1 - No tongues without interpretation.
Paul write in 1 Corinthians 14:
27 If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret. 28 But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God.
28 And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, helping, administrating, and various kinds of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? 30 Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret?
In this passage Paul does two things. First he limits the number of times tongues should ever be used in a service. He does this because the church at Corinth was out of control. Everybody came to church looking for an opportunity to speak in tongues. So Paul says, “2 nor more than 3 utterances in a service”.
Second, Paul says if you have the gift of public tongues, then before you use it, make sure you know somebody with the gift of interpretation is present. Otherwise, keep silent. The two gifts go together.
Unfortunately I’ve seen this rule bypassed, and the result is it creates awkwardness and confusion in a church service.
Ground rule #2 - No tongues when unbelievers are present.
Ground rule #2 - No tongues when unbelievers are present.
Paul writes in :
23 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? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, 25 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.
1 Corinthians 14:23-
Paul says tongues work against leading people to Jesus. Paul says better that an unbeliever enter your church and hear the understandable Word of God. Why? Because that’s what’s going to lead him to faith. That’s what’s going to cause him/her to recognize their sin and put their faith in Jesus. Paul writes:
19 Nevertheless, in church I would rather speak five words with my mind in order to instruct others, than ten thousand words in a tongue.
Because the truth is, if the unbeliever enters the church, and the church is focused on tongues, their going to think you’re weird.
So, what Paul is saying is tongues should only be used in the proper environment.
That’s why I’m of the personal opinion that in our context, the Sunday morning service isn’t the place for tongues to take place. Because this is the service we invite unbelievers to attend. This is the service we focus on leading people to Jesus. And like Paul, I don’t want anything to keep somebody from coming to Jesus. Like Paul I would rather we have 5 words people can understand versus ten thousand words in tongues that nobody understands.
So, you might ask, “What is the appropriate service then pastor?” I would say any service where everybody present for the most part are believers and everybody in the room understands how the gifts work.
Not to scare anybody away from the Wednesday night prayer meeting, but that would be a service I would be ok with the gift of tongues and interpretation functioning in. But even then, it should only happen if somebody with the gift of interpretation is present.
And here’s the deal, even when that happens, Paul says we are to weigh what is said. He writes:
29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said.
1 Corinthians 14:
Paul says when tongues and interpretation are used, we are to weigh the interpretation. In other words, by comparing it to what the Bible says, we are to determine if it’s from the Lord or not. For example, if somebody gives an interpretation that doesn't’ line up with the Bible, then it’s not from the Lord.
Years ago, I was in a church service where somebody spoke in a tongue and somebody gave an interpretation. And in the middle of the interpretation the pastor got up and stopped the person. He stopped them because what they were saying was unbiblical. It blew my mind but it reminded me we have a responsibility to weigh what is said. Just because somebody speaks in a tongue doesn’t mean its from the Lord.
All that to say, tongues is a gift that should only be used in an appropriate environment.
Ground rule #3 - Don’t make tongues the focus, seek gifts that build up the church.
Paul writes in :
1 Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. 2 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. 3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. 4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 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.
1 Corinthians 14:1-
In this passage Paul makes several points. The first point is that we would seek specific gifts, the first of these is love. Why love? Paul tells us in . He writes:
1 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:1-
Paul says without love, none of the gifts matter. Because without love, you will never lead anybody to Jesus. In other words, until they see the love of Jesus in you, then nothing you do or say will mean anything. Because at the end of the day, it’s the love of Jesus that draws people to Jesus. So Paul says, before you seek anything, make sure you have love.
Second, Paul says above all gifts, seek prophesy. So, why prophesy? The word here for prophesy means: to speak under the influence of divine inspiration. Or to make inspired utterances.
So, what Paul is saying, instead of focusing on tongues, focus on allowing the Lord to speak through you in a way people can understand.
Maybe it’s a word of encouragement.
All that to say, if you want a spiritual gift, pray for one that will help build others and will lead others to Jesus.
Maybe it’s a word of insight.
Maybe it’s a word of rebuke.
Paul says, better you say something that they can understand and that will build them up.
Because at the end of the day, unless there’s interpretation, tongues is only of value to the one who speaks it. Better you keep it to yourself and speak words that people can understand.
That’s why if you ask me to pray for a need you might have, you’ll never hear me pray for you in tongues. What good would that do? How would that help you? It wouldn’t. Because part of praying for someone is to pray words that bring encouragement. To pray words that build faith. The fact is, you’re not going to be encouraged and your faith isn’t going to be built if you don’t know what I said. All you’re going to be thinking is, “That was weird”.
All that to say, if you want a spiritual gift, with love as the foundation, pray for one that will help build others up and will lead others to Jesus.
So, while there are others we could talk about, those are the main ground rules.
So, now that we’ve talked about the elephant in the room, I hope everybody feels more at ease with the whole tongues issue. I hope you see in it represents a symbol of empowerment. A symbol of multi-cultural expansion of the gospel.
I hope you see that it’s meant to increase your intimacy with God. That if you choose to use your private prayer language, you’ll be able to pray in away you’re mind can’t
I hope you see in the public setting, it’s only to be used for the purpose of building up believers.
I hope you see, that if we’re going to be a spirit empowered church, we can’t be afraid of tongues. Because the truth is, if the gift of tongues is handled biblically, when and if it happens, it will never be weird and it will never be something that pushes people away from Jesus.
That being the case, as we close the service this morning, I would like to leave you with a few challenges to consider when it comes to the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
Challenge #1 - I’d like you to consider that God wants to empower you and has a spiritual gift for you. That God wants to upgrade you from the standard package to a package with added features. He wants to give you a gift that will give you greater confidence, boldness, and help you lead more people to Him. Jesus wants to empower you will the Holy Spirit.
Challenge #2 - If you’re open to seeking the empowerment of the Spirit, I want to challenge you to be at the Wednesday night prayer meeting this week. Because that’s something we are going to start praying for. Praying that God would empower us and equip for greater ministry.
Now, when I say that, you might be thinking, “I don’t know pastor. I don’t want to show up and have to deal with people speaking in tongues. That might freak me out.”
Here’s what I would say to that. On Wednesday night, we’re not going to be seeking tongues. That’s not what the believers were seeking, so that’s not what we’re going to seek.
What we are going to be seeking is empowerment for witness.
What we want is for God to empower us in a way that we can communicate the Gospel in Marysville and Marshall county in a supernatural way. And I already know tongues isn’t going to be the way God does it. So get that fear out of your mind.
However, while we aren’t going to be seeking tongues, I’m not going to say it couldn’t happen in a service like that. Because the fact is, when you seek supernatural gifts, supernatural stuff can happen. But if it does, I can promise you we will handle it biblically and nothing goofy will happen.
So, instead of coming worrying about tongues, how about you come focused on receiving the empowerment you need to lead your co-worker to Jesus. How about you come focused on receiving what you need to lead your family to Jesus. How about you come focused on receiving what you need in order to make an impact for Jesus in this community and county.
Challenge #3 - For those of you who are still skeptical about being empowered by the Spirit, I would challenge you to not be satisfied with the standard package. To consider that God didn’t bring you to faith to just sit around and go to church once a week. That beyond your own salvation, God has a divine plan for your life that involves you leading others to Jesus. But for you to embrace that, you need his Spirit to empower you.
The truth is, you don’t have to be spirit empowered. You can choose to live for your own salvation. Live in your own power. Live for your own purpose. Be a pawn so to speak. But I think what you’re going to find is that leads to a rather fruitless spiritual life. In fact, what that will eventually lead to is a religious routine and a dead faith. And some of you know exactly what I’m talking about because that’s where you are.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to live a fruitless spiritual life. I don’t want to be pawn. I want to be a player. I want to be a part of God’s plan to lead as many people to Jesus as possible. But the truth is, that can only happen if we are empowered by His Spirit.
All that to say, why would you want to settle for base model Christianity or religious routine when God wants to give you so much more.
So, my challenge for you who are skeptical, is to set your criticism aside, and consider that maybe what the Bible says about the Holy Spirit is true. And that maybe, just maybe, God wants it for you.
Let’s Pray