Sermon Tone Analysis

1Co. 14:13-19                      Ministry with the Spirit and Mind                                         1~/25~/98

Series 23.29                                                                                                                       ABCC

I.     Review                                                                                                                             607

q      Edification of the Church Must be our Goal When Using Our Gifts (v.

4,5,12,26b)

q      Paul is not addressing all the sp.

gifts in this chapter – contrasting tongues to prophesy

q      Every church probably has a dominant gift or ministry that people will gravitate toward & cause that local church to be out of balance.

Therefore, all churches need to work hard at maintaining balance in ministry.

q      The Church must be able to understand what is being communicated in order to be edified

1.      Tongues = An unplanned, spontaneous & unlearned utterance inspired by the Holy Spirit.

Neither the speaker nor the congregation understand the meaning of the language (v.

2,11,14); requires interpretation, and the word mysteries simply means God is revealing things not clearly understood before in this congregation.

Paul encourages the use of this gift outside public worship – private devotion.

2.      Prophecy = direct inspiration of a known language from God through a speaker to the congregation (v. 3)

An unplanned & spontaneous utterance inspired by the Holy Spirit in a language known to the speaker & the congregation – a true utterance will never contradict the Scriptures.

II.

Ministry with the Spirit and Mind

A.     The Christian with the gift of tongues should pray for the ability to interpret (v.

13)

If the Holy Spirit plans to use the Christian with the gift of tongues to edify the church, then He will give the speaker or another Christian the ability to interpret – therefore PRAY (v.

12-13, 27-28).

The speaker should have confidence from God that there will be interpretation before he~/she speaks so that the church is edified (v.

12).

Ministry with the Spirit and Mind, pg.

2

 

B.

The Christian with the gift of tongues should pray with the spirit & mind (v.

14-15a)

To pray in tongues means to pray with the spirit only without any benefit to the mind (human spirit inspired by the Holy Spirit).

This is not to be done in the church or when the  church gathers for public worship (v.

18-19).

Rather when the church gathers for worship, prayer should be spoken in a manner that everyone understands with their minds (v.

15a).

C.      The Christian with the gift of tongues should sing with the spirit & mind (v.

15b)

Singing should be inspired by the Holy Spirit, but should done in language & manner that everyone understands.

D.     We must give others the benefit of understanding our prayers & praise so they may be in agreement (v.

16-17) – PRAYER & PRAISE MAY BE SPONTANEOUS, BUT MUST BE UNDERSTANDABLE!

So then we must maintain BALANCE with regard to prayer & praise – we do not have to choose between spirit or mind; either being spiritual & emotionally edified or having our understanding enlightened; either being edified in private devotion or in public worship.

No my brother~/sister, but we must do BOTH so that we maintain BALANCE.

Look at our Lord Jesus Christ,  there were times when He would get away alone and meet with the Father to speak & commune with Him.

We don’t have to speculate about the language that He spoke, but He certainly was not limited (Mt.

14:23; Jn. 6:15; Mk. 1:35).

But in public ministry & worship, whether praying, singing, teaching or preaching, He spoke in the common language that his hearer knew well and could understand.

Our Lord ministered with the spirit and mind, how can we do any less my brother or sister.

God has brought us out of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son.

He has given us new hearts, we have the Holy Spirit & all of his gifts & power – everything necessary for life & godliness.

Let’s not quench or grieve the Holy Spirit – maintain a BALANCED Christian life!