The Language Of A Generation

The Language of a Generation

Why YOU Should Speak in Tongues

05/05/07

I. Introduction

Welcome to our Cinco de Mayo fiesta!!!

We’re so glad you’re here and we want to say THANK YOU for coming. We’re going to have a lot more fun and do some more stuff in a little while, but right now, I’ve got a special message I want to share with you from the Word of God – the Bible.

We’re celebrating Cinco de Mayo tonight and I’ve got a question for you. How many of you know what the official language of Mexico is?

SPANISH!!!

Have any of you taken any Spanish classes at school?

Let’s get a couple of volunteers who know a little Spanish to come up here and have a brief conversation with each other. Can anybody do that?

Cool! Muy bien, amigos!

Have any of you ever stopped to think about what the official language of Heaven is? I mean, we might not even think about it, except if someone were to ask you that question. What language do they speak in heaven?

You might immediately think it’s English, right. I mean everybody speaks English.

Let me ask you this. If you speak 3 languages, you’re trilingual, right? If you speak 2 languages, you’re bilingual, right? Well, what are you if you speak one language? You’re American!

But honestly, is English the official language of heaven?

No.

As a matter of fact, God will speak to you in whatever language you understand. And you can speak to God in whatever language you understand. But, did you know that there’s a heavenly language that you can use to communicate with God directly?

It’s commonly referred to as “speaking in tongues” or also referred to as a “heavenly language.”

There’s been a lot of controversy among churches regarding “speaking in tongues.” A lot of people have different viewpoints…many of which aren’t biblical. Tonight I want to address some of those viewpoints and talk to you about why YOU should speak in tongues.

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues has been a long debated issue in the body of Christ. There are some that believe that speaking in tongues is of the devil. Others believe that speaking in tongues was just for the early church and that tongues have passed away. Still others have this idea that speaking in tongues is merely speaking in other languages. Some think that the tongues are real and Bible-fact, but they believe it’s a special gift for certain people. And finally, others believe what the Bible says which is that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is a real experience available to all Christians and speaking in tongues is the initial sign or evidence that someone has received the HS.

II. The Promise

We’re going to go through a lot of Scripture tonight and the purpose is for you to see clearly what the BIBLE has to say about speaking in tongues, not just hear what I’m saying.

Luke 3:16 John answered, saying, to all "I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I is coming, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire".

Jesus gave us a promise that He would send the HS after he took off.

John 14:16,17 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

John 16:7 7But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.

After Jesus promised the other comforter, he then commanded the disciples to wait in Jerusalem for the Promise of the Father, which was the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:4-8 4On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: "Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5For John baptized with[a] water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."

6So when they met together, they asked him, "Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"

7He said to them: "It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. 8But 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."