GIFTS OF THE SPIRIT 9: PROPHECY AND TONGUES. 1 COr 14:1-12 WBC 17/10/04am
LOVE (V1)
You know- this (love ) really is the most important thing
- many love the 1 Cor 13 bit- as a poem
- as a kind of ¡¥add on¡¦, ¡¥balancer¡¦
But it¡¦s not
- this is SCRIPTURE!
- and it really IS true- you can have all the gifts available and be the pumping, happening, church or individual
o but you¡¦re wasting your time if you haven¡¦t got love. Really
o The gifts will either go to your head
„X as an individual
„X or as a church
That¡¦s my experience after 15 years of making many mistakes in these areas as a Pastor
- I¡¦ve seen countless individuals, pastors, congregations hurt and torn to bits by
o The restlessness to have the ¡¥latest¡¦. Trend or ¡¥gift¡¦
o The power without the love. 2 rails for the train
Basically because people put the Gifts of the Spirit above the gift of love
- Could give you so many examples! I meet them weekly
o But you don¡¦t need examples, do you?!
o ¡§You¡¦re not in step with the Spirit (ie trend!) therefore¡K.!¡¨
But this book says:
PHP 2:1 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, 2 then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. 3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. 4 Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Follow the way of love, Paul says
But there can be an equal error¡K extreme¡K in this direction, as well
- it¡¦s a shameful cop-out, really
- = ¡§we have the greatest gift, love, so we don¡¦t really need this other immature stuff¡¨
Sounds a bit proud, to me. A bit ¡¥above what God says¡¦
EAGERLY DESIRE (V1b)
This passage says we are to eagerly desire ¡¥spiritual gifts¡¦
- again, it¡¦s not literally ¡¥spiritual gifts¡¦- it¡¦s that ¡¥pneumatikon¡¦ word
Nope- we are to eagerly desire:
- the dynamic of the Spirit. Dynamism.
- Spiritual things
- To be people of the Spirit, w ho move in the power and things of the Spirit
It¡¦s not ¡¥either/or¡¦, it¡¦s ¡¥both/and¡¦
So-let me ask you. Do eagerly desire the Lord to be spiritually and dynamically present? Here and in your life?
- or do you want an undynamic, unspirtual faith, church, pathway?
o What¡¦s the point of that, then?!
- And be aware- Paul comes down on it v hard. He ranks such an attitude along with pride, unholiness, brutality, conceit, love of self when he says that in the last days people will have these things as well as ¡¥having a form/show of godliness abut denying its power¡¦ in 2 Tim 3:5
„« Eagerly desire!
And then he gives one example of a gift that is so encouraging to this ¡¥spiritual dynamic¡¦- particularly when used in the way of love
- the gift of prophecy
THE GIFT OF PROPHECY (V3)
But what is it? What is prophecy?
- v3 gives a definition: it is when someone speaks to people for their strengthening and encouragement
o but it¡¦s more than just human words, or even teaching
„X it¡¦s words that God brings to mind. It¡¦s words that are brought by the Spirit
It is something that has encouraged my life, deeply
- Illustr: first in Anaheim VCF in ¡¦90. Big change of gear.
Now- a few things
1) v 3 ¡¥speaks to men¡¦
Basically the more people it encourages, the better the gift is being used (pl)
- hence v12: you¡¦re excelling if it¡¦s used in a way to build up the church
- cf what we¡¦ve learnt re gifts so far: they are given to an individual for the church¡K body
2) OT & NT prophecy
You might think- ¡¥that all sounds a bit fluffy. I thought it was ¡§thus saith the Lord¡¨
- well: that IS OT prophecy. The OT prophets spoke the exact words of God to people. Their words wrote the OT. Disobeying them was the same as disobeying God as every word was inspired
- But their role is not taken over by US and general church prophecy. Their role was taken over by the Apostolic prophets
o Whose words were the exact words of God brought through humans
o Who saw disobedience to their words as tantamount to disobedience to God (14:36-38!!)
o Who wrote scripture
- None of us are writing scripture nor giving God¡¦s exact words!
This is important to understand.
- THIS (Bible) is God¡¦s word to us
- What WE bring is different
3) NT prophecy
In the NT the Spirit has been poured out on all believers
- but since we¡¦re not writing scripture¡Kwhat we bring is a more general prophetic ministry (rather than t he office of Apostle, or Prophet)
- and all can do it
- and all bring it to varying degrees
Do what, Ewen? Tell me once more. What is prophecy?
- b ringing something that God puts into your mind f or the encouragement/strengthening of others
’Prophecy is not the equivalent of scripture. Prophecy is a particular word for a particular congregation (or person) at a particular time through a particular person. Scripture is for all Christians in all places at all times’. Michael Green, ’to Corinth with care’ p75
And we do it in OUR words. It is using our words to describe something that God stirs, prompts in us
- sometimes the prompting is so strong you almost get the words
- but generally it¡¦s exact sense (ispsisima vox). It¡¦s certainly not exact words (ipsisima verba)
So- we¡¦re not writing scripture, here. There is something of US in it
- and it¡¦s not to take over the Word
- but BOY does it bear fruit when it¡¦s operated!
o And we should have more of it!
We occasionally have words of knowledge (someone hear with this or that)
- that¡¦s a subset of prophecy: a revelation about someone
- v24: Illlustr: Kath¡¦s word re Dee/Doreen/handbag!
- have seen fruit form that, here
But we need to move forward in the words that bring encouragement to MORE of us- rather than us just getting encouraged ¡¥by proxy¡¦!
You might feel ¡¥but what God has prompted me about doesn¡¦t feel v significant¡¦
- and the truth is it often needn¡¦t and doesn¡¦t
o a word can even be ¡¥dropped¡¦ (v30) and we needn¡¦t be concerned if it is ¡V coz it¡¦s not scripture
o (it doesn¡¦t mean YOU have been dropped! This is just a note not to get too heavy a bout this stuff or yourself!)
- but you don¡¦t know until you¡¦ve given it! Stepped out
o that¡¦s when the waters part!
o Bring a word to US and your friends
But don¡¦t start it ¡¥thus sayeth the Lord¡¦¡¦, rather ¡¥I feel God is saying¡¦
- as what you bring will be ¡¥through a glass dimly¡¦ and ¡¥prophesying in part¡¦ (ch 13)
- but you¡¦ll find GOD uses it!
- others will be encouraged and the temp will go up
this ministry is essential, desirable, highly edifying. But it¡¦s not 100% accurate, directive, or above ¡¥teaching¡¦ or the Word
TONGUES (V2)
So- why bring in tongues, here
- because of the useful contrast of how effective they are¡K and because they are linked: tongues + interpretation = prophecy
So- what are tongues
It¡¦s a supernatural ability to connect with God that transcends language
- God gives you a language of your own though which your spirit can cry out to Him.
- It¡¦s direct connection: broadband, if you like, rather than an old 56k connection
It¡¦s a language that you don¡¦t naturally have. It¡¦s a language you and others don¡¦t recognise
- although there are documented cases of people speaking in tongues and ¡¥guests¡¦ recognising the tongue
Here it¡¦s different to Pentecost- where the miracle was twofold- them speaking tongues and each hearing their own language
- the reverse of Babel
Here- neither the speaker nor the hearer understand unless God helps them
- the speaker is ¡¥edified¡¦: praising and connecting with God¡K but others aren¡¦t
o hence the contrast with prophecy where everyone understands and is built up
o and the more orderly and intelligible (and hence considerately loving) the better
So- this is talking about one of the contexts and uses of the gift of tongues: the public/corporate use
- when the HS comes and manifests Himself kick-starts tongues in someone. Ie the ¡¥manifestation¡¦ has them¡K they may not have the gift
o in which case God is wanting to do a lot more than just give that individual a buzz: He is wanting to encourage all
„X so: wait for an interpretation
„X then= like prophecy.
- If no interpretation forthcoming- then the one who brought the tongue can/should pray that they may interpret (v 5b, 13)
o If, repeatedly, no interpretation- (v28) just keep it between you and God
But there¡¦s another context for tongues, as well. This is when you don¡¦t have the spontaneous manifestation- but rather the gift of tongues
- = a gift given to YOU so you can switch it on/off when you like
- dunno what to pray? Wanna praise God mor and bypass the 56k modem of the brain- kick into tongues
It¡¦s a great gift as it is something remarkably supra-natural and really builds you up
- -of course you don¡¦t have to have it to connect with and praise God
o not everyone does!
o Talking with someone this week who does just as good a job lying on their bed- connecting
And it is to be encouraged (some forbid! V39).
And it is not to be neglected. Many have been given the gift and leave it on the shelf
- = downright rude and ungrateful! Did God give it to you for no reason?! He gave it coz you need it!
- Paul says to Timothy, 1 tim 4:14: ¡§do not neglect the gift given you. ¡§ Applies to tongues, as well
- And to fan into flame the gift & presence of God inside him (2 tim 1:6)
QUESTIONS?
So- folks: it¡¦s time to move into the pneumatikon. Into the spiritual dynamic. This stuff is not just talk- but power and alive
- ask. Trust that God will give you what is good. Step out
