THE SPIRIT & HIS GIFTS 3
1 Cor. 12:8-11
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR: WHAT FOOTBALL POSITION?
1. An elementary school girl was known for her bragging about her older brother who was on the Huntsville Hornets football team.
2. Of course, most people know that the Hornets have struggled in recent years to win any kind of title/ trophy.
3. Recently, during show and tell, the girl held up a picture of her brother in his football uniform and talked about how he was probably the best player on the team.
4. Someone asked, “What position does your brother play on the football team?”
5. She replied, “I’m not sure, but I think he’s one of the drawbacks!”
B. TEXT
“For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” 1 Cor. 12:8-11.
C. THESIS
1. We are having a continuing series on the Holy Spirit. We started in Genesis and have worked through the Books of the Bible, down to the Apostle’s Epistles. Tonight we’re on Part 3 of the Spiritual Gifts.
2. “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant” 1 Cor. 12:1. There are many people who don't understand the gifts of the Spirit and/or mistakenly teach that God has done away with the gifts. But they are real & vital for the Body of Christ today!
3. The title of this message is: "The Holy Spirit & His Gifts 3."
III. GIFTS OF UTTERANCE
INTRODUCTION
Utterance is the logical, spontaneous outflow of the SPIRIT OF GOD. In the Old Testament, when the Spirit of God fell on people, they prophesied (Num. 11:25-26; 1 Sam. 10:10). In the New Testament, the Spirit is vocally manifest through prophecy, speaking in tongues, and interpretation of tongues. Through these gifts we hear the VOICE of the Holy Spirit (John 15:26) speaking to the church.
A. PROPHECY
1. Definition of the Gift
The Hebrew words for prophecy are “Naba” – "to FLOW FORTH;" “chazah” – "to gaze" (mentally to perceive, contemplate); and “nataph” – "to let drop" (ooze). The Greek word is “prophetes” – "to speak for another." A prophet is one who proclaims, by the Spirit, a divine message for God.
2. Mistaken Notions about the Gift:
a. Is not identical with the office of Prophet. The Prophet Office = Jesus’ gift to the Church; the Gift of prophecy is given by the Holy Spirit to individuals. The Prophet office is inseparable from a person; the Gifts are given as the Spirit wills.
b. Is not always PREDICTIVE (not just fore-telling, but also forth-telling).
c. Is not intended for guidance of believers (but is for confirmation; 13:1-2; 21:10.
d. Should not be confused with Preaching (is a revelation, “apokalupsis,” 1 Cor. 14:30).
e. Is not the mere repetition of Scriptures.
3. Purposes of the Gift:
a. Vehicle for God to Speak to Men (1 Cor. 14:3).
b. To EDIFY the Church (14:4). The blessing of Prophecy is evident in Ezra 6:14, “…and they (the Jews) prospered through the prophesying of Haggai.”
c. To Exhort the Church (14:3).
d. To Comfort the Church (14:3, 31).
e. For Instruction ("learn," 14:31).
f. To Convict the unbeliever and make manifest the SECRETS of his heart (14:24-25).
4. Scriptural Guidelines Governing Prophecy
a. Prophets are limited to two or three in a service.
b. The audience EVALUATES the message (judged as to their genuineness (14:29).
c. Prophets speak one at a time.
d. Will have SELF-CONTROL for the sake of order in the Assembly (1 Cor. 14:32-33, 40). “The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets” 1 Cor. 14:32.
The believer doesn’t become a mindless conduit for the Spirit. The Holy Spirit in no way violates the self-control of the believer. Timing is important in a church service.
B. DIFFERENT KINDS OF TONGUES
1. Nature of Tongues:
a. The word "tongues" means languages, so the word is speaking of actual LANGUAGES, whether of men or of Angels (1Cor. 13:1), which are inspired as the Spirit gives utterance (Acts 2:4). The Holy Spirit is the author of them.
b. Tongues serve as a Sign. "Wherefore tongues are for a sign…" 1 Cor. 14:21-22.
1). They serve as a sign of the Holy Spirit BAPTISM (Acts 11:15-17, 2:4).
2). A sign of the supernatural to unbelievers (1 Cor. 14:21-22).
c. Tongues were prophesied of before the day of Pentecost (Isa. 28:11-12; Joel (Acts 2:16-18); Mk. 16:18.
2. Differences between the Public & Private Gifts
a. ALL should speak in DEVOTIONAL tongues when they are baptized in the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:4). It is to build us up individually. EVERYONE BHS gets their personal tongue.
b. But in public meetings of the church, not everyone is given a public manifestation of tongues that is to be interpreted (1 Cor. 12:30).
c. The Public Gift: Is God speaking to men (14:21); edifies the church (14:5); is as the Spirit wills (12:11); and is Useful in church (14:27).
d. The Private Gift: Is the believer speaking to God (14:2); edifies the speaker (14:4); is as the believer wills (14:15); and is supposed to "keep silent" in the church (14:28).
3. Purposes. The private use of tongues has many benefits; in prayer (14:2), worship (14:16), FAITH (Jude 20), and spiritual refreshment (Isa. 28:12). The value of the public gift of tongues is found chiefly when it is interpreted.
4. Scriptural Regulations of the Public Gift. It is to be treated the same as prophetic utterances. The tongues speaker is required to pray that he/she might interpret (14:13) or KEEP QUIET if no interpreter is present (14:28).
C. INTERPRETATION OF TONGUES
1. Tongues plus interpretation is equivalent to PROPHECY (14:5). Then why is it needed? 4 reasons. They fulfill prophecies made in the Old Testament, they serve as a SIGN of the supernatural, the interpretation confirms the linguistic reality of tongues, and these gifts supply another avenue of edification to the body.
2. Nature of the Gift
a. This is not a TRANSLATION – "a rendering from one language to another in equivalent words.”
b. It’s an "interpretation:" – "a declaration of the meaning."
c. The interpretation may be pictoral, parabolic, descriptive, or literal. One gift may be longer or shorter than the other. Ps. 23:1 is 3 words in Hebrew but 9 words in English.
d. The Greek word (diermeneueto) means "to explain thoroughly." But interpretation can be a literal translation of the gift of tongues.
3. Operation of the Gift
a. The interpretation is not an operation of the MIND of the interpreter, but the mind of the Spirit of God. The interpreter pays no attention to the message in tongues, but rather both tongues-speaker and interpreter independently look to God to supply their messages. Only in the mind of God or the two gifts linked.
b. Just as with prophecy, the TEMPERAMENT, natural gifts, and training of the possessor of the gift will influence the message. [Amos was a farmhand, blunt, simple, direct. Isaiah was of royal lineage, educated, a philosopher, refined, with a complex literary style. God used both as they were!]
4. Rules for its Use (1 Cor. 14:27-28): Two or at most three should speak; one of the time, and someone must interpret. If no interpreter is present, keep quiet and speak to YOURSELF and to God. If it is a message to believers, others should weigh carefully what is said (vs. 29).
5. Always be careful to keep a “believing heart” not a “doubting heart” toward the gifts, or God can no longer speak to you through them (1 Thess. 5:19-22).
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION: Need Guidance?
1. A Spirit filled pastor (Pastor Herman Trenholm) from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island had an unusual experience.
2. He was having a terrible time getting his radio message together. He tried, but he could only stammer out his message.
3. At the same time, in the same town, a pastor from a large denomination was fighting his doubts about God's existence.
4. Finally, in despair, he opened his phonebook under the heading of churches and randomly put his finger down on a particular church. It so happened that this was Pastor Trenholm's church.
5. The doubting pastor cried out loud: "God, if you do exist, send this pastor to my door within 30 minutes!" (I do not recommend this method, by the way!)
6. Meanwhile, Pastor Trenholm felt an urgent need to stop recording and drive the streets of Charlottetown. Guess where he ended up? You got it. Right at the church of the doubting pastor. Exactly 29 minutes after the pastor had uttered his prayer, Pastor Trenholm knocked on his door. 7. When he opened the door, Pastor Trenholm said, "I have no idea why I'm here, but God told me to come here. Is there anything I can do for you?"
8. The doubting pastor started to cry, and Pastor Trenholm was able to witness to him. He became born again was baptized by God's Spirit that same day! [As told by Pastor Peter Youngren.]
6. "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being shall flow rivers of living water.'" But this He spoke of the Spirit. (NASB) John 7:38-39.
B. THE CALL
1. Paul had some good advice for us; “Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit (14:1); “But covet earnestly the best gifts” (12:31).
2. Paul spent an entire chapter (13) making sure that he stressed that our gifts should operate out of a motivation of love and not selfishness or pride.
3. God said we need these gifts operating in the Body. Therefore we do, and should earnestly seek them and their use in the churches.
4. Let’s ask God to fill us with the Holy Spirit and use us in these Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
