September 4, 2011
Morning Worship
Text: Acts 2:4
Subject: Tongues
Title: And They Spoke in Other Tongues…
This is a Labor Day message to those who want to labor for God.
There has been a wonderful move of the Holy Spirit here the last couple of weeks. Isn’t it wonderful when we allow Him to have His way in His church? That fact alone is a valid testimony to the love of God who is true to His word when He said, “Those who honor Me I will honor…” And isn’t that what we have been experiencing? We honor God by seeking after Him and He honors us by revealing Himself t us in a special way.
What I am talking about is the desire of a church to go deeper in the things of God. And that is what I want to speak to you about today.
Let me begin by sharing with you the work of the Holy Spirit in my life.
1. The Holy Spirit began to convict me of sin when I heard the gospel message. I used to get so mad at my brother when he would witness to me. I thought I was mad because he thought that he was right and I was wrong. I really was angry because of the way the Word of God made me feel – uncomfortable! It was the same Holy Spirit who finally broke through my hard “religious” shell and brought me to repentance and salvation.
2. The Holy Spirit came to dwell inside of me. That is what happens at the point of salvation. You not only get heaven – you get a houseguest. He comes to live in your tent. That is the result of being born again.
3. Jesus baptizes you with the Holy Spirit. And that is where we want to be today. We know what Jesus said to the disciples when He was preparing them for ministry. Acts 1:8, But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” John the Baptist talked about this baptism in the Spirit. Luke 3:16, John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Jesus told the disciples how important this baptism was. Luke 24:49, I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
OK! It is pretty obvious, isn’t it, that Jesus wants to baptize with the Holy Spirit. It is for power. Now how do you get it? First of all you must want to go deeper with God. Then all you have to do is ask. Luke 11:13, 13 If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”
If you are satisfied just knowing that you have received the promise of heaven in the next life and don’t desire to go any further, then this message is not for you. But if you want to take the relationship to the next level, then this baptism in the Holy Spirit is for you. It is a secondary act of grace following salvation and Jesus intends for all to have it.
One more thing before I get into the meat of the message today. The bible says that this baptism is for power to be witnesses. Let me share my heart with you on this. When you are baptized in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in other tongues, power is not just something magical that comes upon you. What the baptism in the Spirit does, is to magnify the relationship you have with Jesus, and increases your spiritual awareness as to what God wants to do in you and through you. John 16:12-15, 12 “I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. 13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.
Now I have finally gotten to where I want to be… The bible specifically says that when you receive power from on high that the initial physical evidence of receiving that power is speaking in tongues. Jesus Himself said that it would happen. Mark 16:17, And these signs will accompany those who believe … they will speak in new tongues…
Today I want you to gain a new and better understanding about tongues…
Acts 2:4, All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them…
Lord, open my eyes to see and my ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.
I. TONGUES IS FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL … Let’s use a bit of logic here. If Jesus expects all Christians to receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, and tongues is the initial evidence of that baptism, then can’t we come to the conclusion that He wants all to speak in tongues? 1 Corinthians 14:2, For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit. Tongues are a way to speak to God by the Spirit. Romans 8:26-27, 26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. Now, turn over to the little letter written by Jude, the brother of Jesus. Jude – verse 20, But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. The NKJV says it this way, 20But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit… Just as the baptism in the Holy Spirit empowers us because we are now operating according to the mind and will of God, praying in the Holy Spirit builds us up because when we do we are praying according to God’s will. Now, I want to stop here and make the distinction between praying in tongues and speaking a message in tongues.
II. TONGUES AS A SPIRITUAL GIFT. 1 Corinthian 12:7-10 we are given a list of gifts that are given by the Holy Spirit. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the message of wisdom, to another the message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. Is this the same thing as the tongues that we have spoken of earlier? Well let’s break it down with scripture to gain a better understanding. First of all, when the bible talks about praying in the Spirit this is always from man to God. Go back to 1 Corinthians 14 and let’s look at verses 2-5. For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit. 3But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort. 4He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified. Now, here Paul is not making a distinction between two spiritual gifts. He is comparing the spiritual gift of prophecy with praying in tongues. How do we know this? Because praying in tongues is directed heavenward. Prophecy comes from heaven. Verse 6 is the key verse in differentiating between praying in tongues and the gift of tongues. 6Now, brothers, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? Here we see something that is coming from God to man. The reason I say that is that it says that the purpose of tongues here is to bring revelation or knowledge or prophecy or instruction… Interesting that many commentators make no concession for praying in the Spirit as opposed to the gift of tongues. Let me ask you a question. If this is talking about praying in tongues, then when was the last time you gave God a revelation or knowledge or prophecy or a word of instruction? Just what I thought. For your own personal study… if you read 1 Corinthians 14 with an understanding of the difference between praying in tongues (man to God) or the gift of tongues (God to man) it makes the whole chapter much easier to understand. Praying in tongues edifies self. A message in tongues with interpretation edifies the church. 1 Corinthians 14:23-25, 23 So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all, 25 and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”
III. TONGUES AS THE EVIDENCE OF THE NEXT STEP… There are five instances in the book of acts where it tells us that someone was baptized in the Holy Spirit. And in each case that baptism came because people were hungry for a deeper relationship with God. Acts 2:4, 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 8:14-18, 14When the apostles in Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 17Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money… Acts 9:17, Then Ananias went to the house and entered it. Placing his hands on Saul, he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord—Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you were coming here—has sent me so that you may see again and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 10:44-46, 44While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. 45The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. 46For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Acts 19:1-6, 1While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples 2and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” 3So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied.4Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” 5On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. 6When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. In three of the episodes it is expressly stated that those who were filled spoke in other tongues. In Acts 8 there was something tangible that happened that caused Simon the Sorcerer to want to be able to give that same gift. 18When Simon saw… Finally, in the case of Paul and Ananias we know that Paul spoke in tongues. 1 Corinthians 14:18, I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.
Just so you know, this message was not about speaking in tongues. It was about having the deep longing to go the next step with God. Some people speculate that the spiritual gifts mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12 can only come with the baptism in the Holy Spirit. I don’t think that is necessarily true. I believe that all believers can operate in all the gifts except one and that is the gift of tongues. That is the only one that comes after the baptism in the Spirit.
What does happen, though, after the baptism in the Spirit is that all the gifts are magnified as your desire and hunger for more of God in you life increases.
Remember:
1. God wants you to be saved… 2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. It is time to truly give your heart to Jesus…
2. God wants you filled with the Holy Ghost… Luke 24:49, I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” It is time to take that step of faith to receive the promise of the Father… not for the purpose of speaking in tongues, but to go deeper into your relationship with Him…
3. God wants you to know that it is His power that works in you… Ephesians 3:20, Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. It is time to begin to move in the power of that intimate relationship with God…
The moving of the Holy Spirit that we have experienced in the last weeks is pleasing to God because it is an indication to Him that we are not satisfied with our current status, but want to be drawn nearer and nearer to the one who saves us, empowers us and who is glorified in the church.
It’s time to step it up…
