THE VALUE OF TONGUES
Keeping Perspective In The Church
1 Corinthians 14:1-20
INTRODUCTION: in the church today there is tremendous tension and polarization over the issue of sign gifts, particularly tongues. Divisions and church splits over the charismatic movement have become all too common. Conditions in some of the churches today hardly differ from those in the Corinthian church of centuries ago. Because of this polarization, few Christians are without strong feelings on this issue. Yet, it is important to lay out a foundation, a biblical foundation about what the Scripture does say regarding the gift of tongues.
I am often asked what denomination I am. And to this question, I answer, quite freely, that I am a Baptist. “if you cut me, I bleed Baptist blue!” But I am not a Baptist for the sake of being a Baptist. In fact, my home church was Presbyterian. My family has always been Presbyterian. Glasses were involved in the founding of the Presbyterian Church I grew up in, and there was even a sect of the Presbyterian Church known as the Glassittes in Scotland and Ireland. I did not become a Baptist till college. I became a Baptist, not to be a Baptist, but because I believe that the baptistic approach to Scripture is the most consistent to the Word of God. So, what I am really saying is that I am a Biblicist first, and for the most part being a Biblicist does not conflict with my being a Baptist!
I GOD’S COMMUNICATION IS MEANT TO ENCOURAGE US – 14:1-6
A GOD’S MAJOR CONCERN IS COMMUNICATION
1 Paul begins this passage by encouraging the readers to keep the value of spiritual gifts in perspective
a Spiritual gifts – and hence their usage must be preceded with love.
b Spiritual gifts, no matter what the gift should never be used apart from biblical love
2 Paul encourages us to desire spiritual gifts
a Especially prophecy
b Every gift in one form or another has as its purpose communication of God’s message to people
1 Some gifts deal directly with the message
2 Some gifts deal with the clarity of the message
3 Some gifts deal with the correctness of the message
4 Some gifts deal with the illustration of the message
5 Every gift deals with the communication of God’s message to man!
3 Prophecy (the proclamation of truth) edifies the church – 14:4
a Prophecy stands alone as a spiritual gift
b Tongues cannot communicate to the church apart from the presence of another gift
1 Corinthians were exercising the gift of tongues apart from the gift of interpretation – and not edifying the church
2 The goal is church edification – building up the church
B THE GIFT OF TONGUES WAS CAUSING CONCERN
1 Tongues by their nature were a gift that is directed primarily towards God – 14:2
2 No one understands the person speaking in tongues
a Whether a known language
b Or an unknown language
3 The issue is not the type of language, but the lack of communication
4 The use of the gift of tongues in the Corinthian church was causing disorder
a It was being used as a sign of superiority
b It was being used in a way unbeneficial to the church as a whole
c Spiritual gifts have their fullest expression and activity when exercised for the benefit of the entire body
5 Speaking in tongues is a private matter of self-edification
a Does not edify the church
b Does not communicate with the church
1 Mystery
2 In the spirit
6 Tongues apart from interpretation brings no good to the church – 14:6
II GOD’S COMMUNICATION IS MEANT TO BE UNDERSTOOD BY US – 14:7-12
A CLARITY IS IMPORTANT FOR HARMONY
1 Every instrument in an orchestra has a specific note to play or rest to take every beat of the musical piece
2 Every note of every instrument has a specific harmony with every other instrument
3 Every harmony has been set by the creator of the music piece
4 Playing out of turn destroy the content of the piece as determined by the creator of the piece
5 We know what is being played and what is not being played by the order, tone, length, melody, and harmony of the notes
B CLARITY IS IMPORTANT FOR INSTRUCTION
1 Trumpets were the communication towers of the military
2 Certain groups of tones meant certain things
3 Battles could not be successfully fought without clear signals from commanders to troops.
4 We need to clearly hear God’s instructions to effectively carry out God’s commands
C CLARITY IS IMPORTANT FOR THE GOSPEL
1 When we speak, and know one understands no one knows what we are saying
2 When we speak and no one understand, we are simply wasting our time
a Speaking into the air
b Talking to the wall
3 God gave us all kinds of languages in the world – 14:10
a Every language has meaning to those who know it
b When we fail to grasp the meaning of the language, we are foreigners!
Ephesians 2:19 (NIV) 19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household,
1 Being a foreigner keeps out of the household of God
2 Being a foreigner keeps us out of fellowship with God’s people
4 If we are to desire anything with regard to tongues, or any other gift it is to excel in that aspect of that gift that builds up the church
III GOD’S COMMUNICATION MUST BE PASSED ON PROPERLY BY US – 14:13-20
A TONGUES WITHOUT INTERPRETATION IN PRAYER IS UNFRUITFUL
1 The Corinthian church excelled in the gift of tongues without the gift of interpretation
2 To pray in tongues without the gift of interpretation – ie: God has not given you the ability to discern what YOU are saying is unfruitful
a Spirit knows
b Mind does not know – “know something is happening, but do not know what it is.
3 Pray is something done with us – Prayer is communication between us and God
B TONGUES WITHOUT INTERPRETATION IN PUBLIC IS UNPROFITABLE
1 Anyone hearing someone exercising the gift of tongues without interpretation cannot give thanks to God
2 Anyone hearing someone exercising the gift of tongues without interpretation cannot understand what God is saying
3 Anyone hearing someone exercising the gift of tongues without interpretation cannot give ascent to what is being said.
4 Other believers CANNOT be edified by your actions
This is so volatile and issue that Paul gives his own position on it, ….
C PAUL’S PERSONAL POSITION
1 Paul spoke in tongues
2 Paul spoke in tongues privately
a When alone in worship
b When he knew what he was speaking
3 Paul did not exercise this gift in the church
a He will give instruction to the Corinthian church later in the chapter, but it seems that Paul did not exercise this gift in the church
b More important to speak only five words that were understood and communicated biblical truth to others than to speak 10,000 words that did not minister to himself or to the church
D WATCH THE TEMPER TANTRUMS
1 Corinthians 14:20 (NIV) 20 Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.
1 Only children think as you do regarding this gift
a What we have and do is special
b In reality, what we have and do is divisive
2 How about, ……
a Exercising the gift of tongues in the fashion described by Paul?
1 Speaking a language
2 Not Your own
3 Yet communicating to others
a) Biblical truth
b) The Gospel
c) Edification for the Body
4 Learn another language, and share the gospel cross culturally
a) Whenever we think of the gift of tongues, we never seem to think of a God given gift to learn a tongue we never knew and then use it.
b) What good would it be for us to go to Uruguay and speak English? Not much good
c) But what would it be like to learn Spanish and go to Uruguay
Share story of Haiti and greeting the church in Creole.
A powerpoint is available for this sermon, please email for file
