Introduction:
A. One Sunday, a Sunday school teacher asked the children a question just before she dismissed them to go to church, “And why is it necessary to be quiet in church?”
1. Little Johnny replied, “Because people are sleeping.”
B. I think it is ironic and humorous that parents of babies cannot wait until they can talk, but then once they can talk, their biggest challenge is keeping them from talking through worship.
1. Many a child has been “shushed” during church.
2. And many a child’s first memory of worship is being told to be quiet.
3. Some preachers have jokingly said that the reason they became a preacher was so that they could talk during worship.
C. Although I have begun with a humorous take on the need to be quiet in worship, it is actually a serious matter.
1. Do you realize that it was such a problem at Corinth that Paul had to give them rules for talking in church?
2. Having laid the groundwork in chapters 12 and 13, Paul now addresses the problem of the Corinthian’s worship in more specific terms here in chapter 14.
I. The Chaos at Corinth
A. It appears that some of the Corinthians considered themselves gifted with wisdom and knowledge, and were placing inordinate emphasis on the gift of tongues.
1. They believed that their ability to speak in tongues was the ultimate sign of spiritual power and authority.
2. Worship in the Corinthian church had fallen into disorderly confusion as various members were speaking simultaneously and unintelligibly, and were perhaps even competitively seeking to outdo one another.
3. Additionally, there was some kind of confusion that was being brought about by some of the women who were somehow calling out in the middle of the service to question either their husbands, or the leader of the worship. Perhaps they were even trying to direct the proceedings.
4. All in all, it wasn’t a pretty sight and it wasn’t doing anyone any good – not the members or the visitors.
5. So Paul tackles the problem with the instructions he lays out in this chapter.
B. But if you think about it, the situation did pose a difficult problem for Paul.
1. Paul, obviously, firmly believed in the gifts of the Spirit.
2. He, himself, had a number of the gifts, and believed that God wanted those gifts employed in the worship of the first century church.
3. But the challenge was how to create order in the church’s worship without squelching the Spirit.
4. His inspired solution set forth in this chapter insists that love requires that the gifts be used for building up the community.
5. Consequently, intelligible speech is necessary in the assembly for the common good.
6. Unintelligible tongues must be either interpreted or reserved for private prayer.
C. Ultimately, Paul was not trying to put down tongues, but he was trying to counteract the excessive valuation and undisciplined practice of tongue-speaking in worship at Corinth.
1. At the same time, Paul urged his readers to desire the gift of prophecy.
2. He said, “But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.” (vs. 19)
3. It is important that we understand what tongues and prophesy are as spiritual gifts.
4. The gift of tongues referred to the supernatural ability to speak a language not native to the speaker and not learned through normal educational processes.
a. It, therefore, was speaking, praying or singing in an unlearned language.
b. When manifest, it’s meaning would not be known unless someone was present who naturally knew the language or who had a corresponding supernatural gift of interpretation.
c. When in verse 22, Paul says that “tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers,” I think he is saying that the gift of tongues was given primarily for the purpose of evangelism.
d. The gift of tongues allowed one person to tell another about Jesus in their own language.
e. That’s what happened in Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost.
f. Imagine how your attention would be drawn and faith would be established if someone who did not know your language was able to tell you the gospel in your own language.
5. The gift of prophesy is not necessarily future telling, as our English word tends to imply.
a. Prophesy was primarily speaking or proclaiming a message from God.
b. This could have meant relaying a vision or dream or some other special revelation from God, or just a particular insight into the teachings of Christ.
c. It is not the same thing as composing and preaching a sermon.
d. I think you can see why Paul says that prophesy is for believers.
e. It provides the ongoing instruction needed for the church.
f. We have to keep in mind the NT Scriptures have not been completed and are therefore not available for the church to study and learn from.
g. That’s why I believe that the miraculous gifts were present in the first century but are no longer active.
D. Throughout the entire chapter looms the theme of building up the church.
1. The Greek noun and verb that mean “to build up” or “up-building” occur 7 times in this chapter.
2. One of the guiding principles in Christian worship must be what verse 26 says, “All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.”
E. Chapter 14 falls into two major parts.
1. In verses 1 – 25, Paul argues for prophesy over tongues as the means for edification in the church.
2. Then in the second part, verses 26-40, Paul gives specific guidelines for orderly worship.
3. Paul argues that the possessors of charismatic gifts are able to control their gifts.
4. They don’t all have to speak at once; they can take turns.
5. And, if there is no one to interpret, then the tongues speakers shouldn’t speak.
F. Let me say something about verses 34 and 35, where Paul says something about women speaking in the church.
1. First of all, let me say that these have been very controversial verses for many, many years.
2. I wish we could invite Paul to come and do a seminar and explain what he meant when he wrote these verses, as well as the verses back in chapter 11, and in 1 Timothy 2.
3. I won’t pretend to think that I can be the one to say the definitive word about what Paul meant.
4. Certainly, this is a tough word to hear in the age in which we live.
5. Some have tried to suggest that Paul was a male chauvinist and a women hater.
6. Others have defended him by saying that he didn’t write this, rather it was inserted later by uninspired others, whomever they were.
7. Others have taken it at face value and have sought to implement it as literally as possible.
8. I do believe that it was written by Paul, and that it had both something to say specifically to the issue at hand, and something to say in principle for all time.
9. Certainly, Paul didn’t see it as the only and final statement he would make on the question of a woman’s role in worship.
10. If so, I’m sure he would have addressed the question much more thoroughly.
G. Let me give you a brief description of three of the more employed interpretations of this passage.
1. Some maintain that in light of 1 Corinthians 11:3, there is a God-ordained order that is to be the basis for administration and authority in the church and in the home.
a. Women are to be in submission to their husbands both at home and in the church regardless of their particular culture.
b. According to this view, a timeless order was established at creation that specifies specific roles for men and women in the home and in the church.
2. A second view maintains that Paul’s concern is that the church be strengthened by believers showing respect for others and for God as they exercise their spiritual gifts.
a. Such respect must necessarily take account of accepted social practices.
b. If within a particular social order, it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in church, then she shows disrespect by doing so and should remain silent.
c. According to this view, there were occasions even in Paul’s culture for women to speak in church – for example in 1 Cor. 11:5, her praying and prophesying must be done with her head covered.
d. So Paul’s purpose, therefore, was not to define the role of women, but to establish a fitting and orderly way for them to worship.
3. A final view says that in this context Paul was discussing primarily the disruption of worship by women who become involved in noisy discussions or clamoring for explanations.
a. Therefore, Paul was not forbidding women to speak in church, he was just forbidding the disorderly speaking they were doing there at Corinth.
b. Instead of interrupting the worship, the women were to ask their husbands at home.
H. Although I believe that here in 1 Cor. 14 Paul is addressing a specific problem of disorder with regard to women at Corinth, it is interesting to me that he begins with the statement, “As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches.” (vs. 33-34).
1. So whatever the principle is, in Paul’s mind it applies across the board in all the churches – Gentile and Jewish, in Judah and in Asia Minor.
2. Overall I personally believe that the roles of men and women are to be different.
3. As Paul addressed the issues of women’s roles in both 1 Corinthians 11 and in 1 Timothy 2, he did not mention the concern of culture, but only the concern of creation.
4. Therefore, I believe God reserves the roles of leadership and instruction in worship for men.
5. I know that that may be a more conservative interpretation than you are comfortable with.
6. I do not claim to understand all of God’s reasons, but consider the OT priests – the only men in Israel who could be priests were from the tribe of Levi, that meant only 1/12 of Israelite men could be priests. That may not seem fair, but that was God’s will.
7. I may be wrong, and I wish Paul could come an explain himself, but that is a brief explanation of my present, personal understanding.
II. The Application at Wetzel Road
A. I would like to leave you with five words that emerge from this chapter of Scripture that will help us apply these truths to our lives.
B. Word One – Intentionality
1. Worship is not something that happens by accident.
2. It’s intentional in nature.
3. We are instructed to neglect not the assembling of ourselves together.
4. Individualism in spiritual matters is a dead end.
5. Spiritual growth comes by worshiping with the body and by being in relationship with brothers and sisters in Christ.
6. Certainly our private devotions and private attention to spiritual disciplines is essential, but they are not meant to replace what happens when the church comes together.
7. We must be intentional about coming together to worship, and we must be clear about whom we are worshiping and how we are worshiping.
8. I urge all of us to be intentional about our worship, and even when we are away from home, our intention should be to gather with God’s people for worship.
C. Word Two – Participation
1. As we come together, each of us must have something to offer in worship.
2. It may not be our role to lead in the worship, but all of us are to participate in the worship.
3. All of us are called to be involved, none of us are to be just spectators.
4. Our minds and hearts are to be engaged in the worship whether we are listening to Scripture and preaching, or whether we are participating in the prayer, singing, or Lord’s Supper.
5. There are times when I notice people who are not singing or don’t seem to be engaged in the worship, and although none of us can judge what is going on in another person’s heart and mind, it seems that they are not participating as God would want and that’s not good.
6. Worship is an exercise that requires our attention and effort.
7. And even if we don’t consider ourselves to be good singers, we can sing and make music in our hearts to the Lord.
8. Our presence with our brothers and sisters also offers numerous opportunities for participation as we minister to one another.
D. Word Three - Edification
1. Edification is a word that has largely lost its meaning in our time.
2. It sounds a bit sanctimonious.
3. All edification really means is the building up of the church.
4. As we gather with the body we should come ready to give and to serve.
5. What we have to offer may be as simple as a smile or a hug, or may be as significant as a prayer or a word of encouragement.
6. I would also challenge you to reach out of your circle of friends and be sure to welcome our visitors and get to know other members of the church you are not as close to.
7. As someone who does most of the preaching here, let me say something about my concern that my sermons are edifying.
a. During the past several decades here in the United States, there has been a shift in the expectations of people with regard to preaching.
b. Too often the expectation is that the preacher be funny.
c. How many times have you heard someone say, “Isn’t he a great speaker? He is so funny!”
d. I struggle with this every week, because I want to be listened to by you as well as I want to be liked by you.
e. I want to minister to you in a way that edifies – meaning that you are built up constructively.
f. I certainly don’t want to be a bore!
g. I would love every Sunday to tell some emotional story that makes you feel good or brings tears to your eyes.
h. But there is more to edification than just making people feel good or touching their emotions.
i. There are words of correction and challenge that need to be spoken.
j. And there is a need to teach about subjects and passages that might not meet your specific need at this time. What doesn’t meet your need, may very well meet someone else’s need.
8. As we come into this political season, let me say something about my responsibility and our responsibility as leaders and teachers, we are called by God to build up the church spiritually.
a. Although we can be modeling good citizenship, it is not our place to politicize the church or the pulpit.
b. Each individual Christian must follow their conscience with regard to involvement in the political process – for some that may mean running for office, for others it may mean not even voting.
c. None of us should attempt to dictate political positions in the church.
9. One final word about edification – we can’t be edified if things are not understandable.
10. Whatever we do or teach should be as understandable as possible to the largest number of people possible.
11. Even the songs we sing should be understandable and should be designed to teach the truth, worship God and build each other up.
E. Word Four - Order
1. One of the key elements in chapter 14 is Paul’s appeal to order.
2. Verse 33 says, “For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace.”
3. And verse 40, “But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.”
4. This has been an age-old struggle in the church – how to find the right balance between order and ardor (passion).
5. There are some churches that stress ardor over order, with visible expressions of emotions, even physical involvement in the waving of arms, rolling in the aisles, and jumping in place.
6. Paul would say that worship that is chaotic and confusing is not edifying.
7. So to err or the side of order and understandability is better than to err on the side of confusion and disorder.
8. The worship gathering of God’s people is not to be a free for all.
9. The worship of God’s people should be characterized by thoughtful preparation and thoughtful participation – our minds and our spirits are to be engaged.
10. Everything is to be done decently and in order.
F. Word Five - Love
1. All these words and all our actions are to be undergirded by love.
2. Paul begins the chapter, “Follow the way of love.”
3. If we really love God and love each other then we will only do what is best and up-building for each other.
4. As we come together as a church, let us remember that our primary focus is to be on God.
5. As we come together as a church, let us remember that we must desire to build one another up.
6. And as we come together as a church, let us be motivated and guided by love.
7. May God help us follow the way of love – the most excellent way!
Resources:
The (Im)Perfect Church (Studies in 1 Corinthians), Rubel Shelly, 21st Century Christian, 1983.
First Corinthians (Interpretation – A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching), Richard Hays, John Knox Press, 1997.
1 Corinthians (The NIV Application Commentary), Craig L. Blomberg, Zondervan, 1994.
1 Corinthians (Bible Study Guide), Charles R. Swindoll, Insight For Living, 1977.
“Prophesy and Tongues – What’s This All About?” Sermon by John A. Huffman, Jr., September 10, 2006. “Orderly Worship” Sermon by John A. Huffman, Jr., September 24, 2006
“Order in the Church!” by Paul Decker (SermonCentral.com)
“Gifts and Worship” by Chris Appleby (Sermon Central.com)
“Talking In Church” by Greg Nance (Sermon Central.com)
“How to Act in Church” by Roger Thomas (Sermon Central.com)
“The Purpose of Power” by Rick Stacy (Sermon Central.com)
