The Reality of the Resurrection and the Message of the Gospel...

As a church, we have been looking at a letter in our Bibles that a man named Paul wrote to a group of people who claimed to be Christians but we living their lives in a way that failed to reflect Christ or follow His teachings. And in this letter, we see Paul reveal a timeless truth that makes those who claim to be Christian in fact unchristian and far from God. And that timeless truth is that we who claim to be Christians are actually unchristian when we reject the reality of the resurrection.

The reality is that you cannot be a follower of Jesus and not believe and trust in the reality of the resurrection. You cannot correctly identify yourself as a Christian and reject that Jesus was physically and bodily raised from the dead. Now you may be wondering “why is the physical and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ so essential to being a Christian? And why do I have to believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ to become a follower of Jesus?” Or maybe your biggest push back to church or the Bible or Christianity has to do with the resurrection. For you to buy Christianity, you need proof of the resurrection.

If you are asking those questions, I want you to know that these are great questions to be asking. These are great questions to be asking, because these were the same questions that the members of the church at Corinth were asking. And in this section of this letter, we will see Paul answer these questions and reveal for us four results that occur when we reject the reality of the resurrection. We see the first result beginning in 1 Corinthians 15:1. Let’s look at it together:

Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also. For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me did not prove vain; but I labored even more than all of them, yet not I, but the grace of God with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

Paul begins this section of his letter to the church at Corinth by reminding them of the message of the gospel that he had proclaimed to them. Paul explains that their acceptance of the message of the gospel by faith in what God had done to rescue them from their selfishness and sin was based on their firm adherence to the message of the gospel that Paul had proclaimed to them. When Paul uses the phrase unless you believed in vain, he is explaining to the church and to us today that the only way that the message of the gospel does not result in salvation from our selfishness and sin is if we respond to the message without careful thought.

Paul’s point is that believing, trusting, and following Jesus is more than an emotional response. Salvation revolves around a person recognizing and responding to their selfishness and sin by embracing the facts that surround the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel by placing their complete confidence in those facts by believing, trusting, and following Jesus as Lord and Leader. The message of the gospel that results in salvation is rational in nature and is rooted in history.

Paul then reminds the members of the church, and us here this morning of the essence of the Christian faith. What is of first importance; what is the closed handed and non-negotiable center of the Christian faith is that Jesus Christ, who is God in an bod, entered into humanity and allowed Himself to be treated as though He lived our selfish and sinful lives so that God the Father could treat us as though we lived Jesus perfect life.

When Paul uses the phrase according to the Scriptures, he is reminding Christians throughout history that Jesus life and death was predicted and proclaimed throughout the Old Testament. Throughout the Old Testament, we read of God promising a rescuer, a deliverer to save us from our selfishness and sin and to bring us into the relationship with God we were created for. But not only was Jesus life and death proclaimed throughout the Old Testament, Paul also explains that Jesus burial and resurrection was predicted and proclaimed in the Old Testament. When Paul talks about resurrection here, he is referring to a literal, physical, bodily resurrection. Jesus died on the cross, was buried in a tomb dead as a door nail, and was brought back to life as a result of God’s transforming activity.

Paul then explains to the members of the church the reality of the resurrection as seen in the multitude of people who had contact with the resurrected Lord. When Paul uses the word appeared, he is not referring to seeing Jesus is a dream or vision; this word refers to an actual visual encounter with the Risen from the dead Jesus Christ. Paul then provides a list of people who had an encounter with Jesus after he was raised from the dead.

First, Paul lists Peter, who had denied Jesus three times while he stood outside his trial. Paul then lists the remaining eleven disciples. And while we may question the testimony of his closest followers, Paul then transitions to explain that Jesus appeared to more than five hundred people at one time, most of who were still living. Paul is saying to the church “if you do not want to believe me or the disciples, then go ask these five hundred people. Do you think five hundred people would have the same dream or vision at the same time?” Paul’s point here is that there were people who were still alive that could testify as to the truth of the reality of the resurrection.

Paul then explains that James, the brother of Jesus, who had mocked Jesus claims during His life on earth, he saw the resurrected Lord, so go ask him. The same James who is now the Senior Pastor at the church in Jerusalem. What would cause someone who had mocked Jesus to so change his opinion so as to be a leader in His movement? Paul then explains that Jesus also appeared to all of the Apostles, which we read about in Acts 1:6-11. Finally, Paul refers to his own encounter on the Damascus Road, which we read about in Acts 9. When Paul refers to himself as one untimely born, this phrase was used to describe a miscarriage or abortion. Apparently, the members of the church at Corinth viewed Paul as a freak and insignificant as compared with the other Apostles.

Paul responds to this criticism by explaining the wile he should have the lowest status among the Apostles as a result of his persecution of the early church, the exceptional effect of God’s gracious activity in his life resulted in Paul leveraging all that he had to serve the Lord and proclaim the gospel. I mean what else do you think would cause someone like Paul who persecuted the church to become the greatest missionary of the early church?

Paul’s point here is that the resurrection of the dead is a historical reality that was witnessed by hundreds of people over forty days time. I mean, all that was needed to stop the fledgling movement that was Christianity was to produce Jesus dead and rotting corpse for all to see. And for 2,000 years people have been trying to find Jesus corpse, with absolutely no success, because the reality is that Jesus has been raised from the dead by God’s supernatural activity. And it was the reality of God’s activity through the resurrection of Jesus Christ that resulted in the transformation of lives and the spread of the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel throughout history. And this morning, the reality is that to reject the reality of the resurrection results in a denial of the gospel.

Now you might be thinking “But why does rejecting the reality of the resurrection deny the message of the gospel? Why is the resurrection and the gospel inseparable?” Again, if you are asking these questions, these are great questions to be asking. Tomorrow, we will see Paul answer these questions for us.

So, what is your greatest hesitation to believing in the reality of the resurrection?

How a Lack of Order Impacts the Use of Spiritual Gifts...

This past week, we have been looking at how we are to use the spiritual gifts we have been given as followers of Jesus. Last time we saw Paul reveal for us that when we desire style over substance in spiritual gifts, the result is a lack of order. When we are driven by style over substance in spiritual gifts, we can end up wanting to exercise our spiritual gift in a way that puts the focus on us and opposes authority as we end up in competition with one another. And this leads to a lack of order in corporate worship.

Paul then applies this principle to a situation that was occurring in the church. And these verses are some of the most understood and misapplied in the entire Bible. So let’s look at these verses together:

The women are to keep silent in the churches; for they are not permitted to speak, but are to subject themselves, just as the Law also says. If they desire to learn anything, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is improper for a woman to speak in church. Was it from you that the word of God first went forth? Or has it come to you only? If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things which I write to you are the Lord's commandment. But if anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized. Therefore, my brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues. But all things must be done properly and in an orderly manner.

Let’s start by looking at what these verses do not mean. These verses do not mean that women cannot speak in church. As we discovered a few weeks ago in chapter 11, the issue is not whether or not a woman could speak in church; the issue was authority. When Paul talks about speaking in these verses, he is referring to women speaking authoritatively in judging the exercising of the spiritual gifts during the main worship gatherings. Paul’s point here was that only the Elders were the authorities responsible to evaluate the exercising of the spiritual gifts to ensure their accuracy to the message and teachings of Jesus.

There were women in the church, however, who were attempting to exercise authority and leadership outside the structure of the church by questioning the accuracy of what was being said in church. Paul then explains that if they want to question the authority or accuracy of what was being said in the church through the exercising of the spiritual gifts of tongues or prophecy, they were to have that conversation at home and not in the church, which would cause further disorder and distraction.

Paul is not forbidding women to speak in church or to exercise spiritual gifts in church; Paul is forbidding their attempt to exercise authority and leadership by judging what was being said. Paul then provides the reason for forbidding women to exercise authoritative leadership by pointing the church back to the book of Genesis and creation. Paul is reinforcing what he said earlier in this letter, which we looked at a few weeks ago, where the man is the first among equals, and has the role and responsibility to lovingly lead, protect, and provide for women in ways appropriate for their relationship, which includes exercising leadership in the church.

Paul then concludes this section of his letter to the church by explaining that if anyone wanted to push back on his directions and commands, they need to recognize that these are not his commands; these commands and directions are from the Lord. And because of this reality, the person who will not recognize or pay attention to these principles so as to follow them has consequences. And the consequence for disregarding these commands is that God will disregard and fail to pay attention to them.

Paul then reminds the members of the church to strive to exercise the spiritual gifts of prophecy. At the same time, however, Paul states that they were not to forbid the exercising of the spiritual gift of tongues. But in the exercising of the spiritual gifts, whatever gift they may be, they must be exercised in a way that is appropriate and that provides the order necessary that results in the spiritual good and growth of others.

So what is the desire that drives the use and exercise of your spiritual gifts? Are you driven by style over substance in spiritual gifts? Or are you driven by the spiritual good and growth of others?

How Desiring Style over Substance Results in a Lack of Order...

This week, we are looking at a section of a letter written by a man named Paul that reveals for us four results that occur when we abuse spiritual gifts by desiring style over substance in spiritual gifts. After revealing that style over substance results in spiritual immaturity, a lack of profit for others,and a hindering of the kigdom mission we have been given, Paul applies these three timeless principles to what was occurring during corporate worship at the church.

And in this application, we see a fourth result that occurs when we desire style over substance when it comes to spiritual gifts. We see this in 1 Corinthians 14:26-34:

What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. Let all things be done for edification. If anyone speaks in a tongue, it should be by two or at the most three, and each in turn, and one must interpret; but if there is no interpreter, he must keep silent in the church; and let him speak to himself and to God. Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others pass judgment. But if a revelation is made to another who is seated, the first one must keep silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all may be exhorted; and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets; for God is not a God of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints.

Paul begins by literally asking “What then? What should you do to apply this?” Paul then answers this question with a very specific application. Paul explains that during times of corporate worship, whether it is during times of corporate singing, corporate prayer, or during the sermon, all aspects of the corporate worship is to be focused on the spiritual good and growth of others. And to achieve that goal, Paul provides several timeless principles of application.

To understand what Paul was communicating here, we first must understand what church looked like in Paul’s day. Now when one attended a church service in Corinth, what would happen is that after a time of corporate singing and prayer, people in the church would stand up and speak, sharing either their testimonies or messages that they heard from other Christians. Some would even exercise spiritual gifts that involved the public communication of new verbal messages from God. It is important to understand that they did not have what we have today as the Bible; the New Testament was still being written.

With this culture of oral sharing and the time of testimonies and messages from God, there would be a need for people of spiritual maturity and authority to keep order and accuracy in the services. These church leaders, known as elders, would evaluate and judge what was being said as to its accuracy with the truth of the gospel message. Then an elder would speak or even read a letter that the church may have received from Paul or Peter, for example.

With this context of corporate worship in mind, Paul explains that if anyone exercised the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues, that there were to be two or three at most and that there must be a person present who had the spiritual gift of interpreting of tongues so that this new verbal revelation from God would be able to be clearly understood. Paul then states that if there was no one there who possessed the gift of interpretation that the person was not allowed to exercise the gift of tongues but was to stay silent.

Paul then transitions from the spiritual gift of tongues to the spiritual gift of prophecy. Paul states that only two or three prophets were to speak in the main worship gathering and let others pass judgment. The others that Paul is referring to are the Elders, who were the leadership within the church responsible to evaluate the exercising of the spiritual gifts to ensure their accuracy to the message and teachings of Jesus. Paul then explains if a second prophet exercises their spiritual gift, the previous prophet was not to respond to what was said, because the spiritual prophetic gifts are subject to the prophets in whom the Holy Spirit dwells.

Paul then makes a statement that reveals for us a fourth result that can occur when we desire style over substance in spiritual gifts: “for God is not a God of confusion but of peace”. What is interesting is that this word confusion, in the language that this was originally written in literally means to be opposed to authority. When Paul talks about peace, he is referring to a state of good order that results from harmonious relationships.

And here we see the reality that desiring style over substance leads to a lack of order. When we are driven by style over substance in spiritual gifts, we can end up wanting to exercise our spiritual gift in a way that puts the focus on us and opposes authority as we end up in competition with one another. And this leads to a lack of order in corporate worship.

Paul then applies this pprinciple to a situation that was occurring in the church at Corinth, which we will look at tomorrow.

How do you use your spiritual gifts? Is the exercise of your spiritual gifts leading to a lack of order in corporate worship? Or is the exercise of your spiritual gifts rresulting in the spiritual good and growth of others?

How Desiring Style over Substance Results in Hindering the Kingdom Mission...

This week, we are looking at a section of a letter written by a man named Paul that reveals for us four results that occur when we abuse spiritual gifts by desiring style over substance in spiritual gifts. After revealing that style over substance results in spiritual immaturity and a lack of profit for others, Paul then reveals a third result that can occur when we desire style over substance in spiritual gifts, beginning in 1 Corinthians 14:20:

Brethren, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature. In the Law it is written, "BY MEN OF STRANGE TONGUES AND BY THE LIPS OF STRANGERS I WILL SPEAK TO THIS PEOPLE, AND EVEN SO THEY WILL NOT LISTEN TO ME," says the Lord. So then tongues are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophecy is for a sign, not to unbelievers but to those who believe. Therefore if the whole church assembles together and all speak in tongues, and ungifted men or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are mad? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an ungifted man enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all; the secrets of his heart are disclosed; and so he will fall on his face and worship God, declaring that God is certainly among you.

In these verses, we see Paul challenge the members of the church to grow up when it comes to the role that spiritual gifts play in the advancing God’s kingdom mission. Paul’s point here is that we are only to remain immature when it comes to exercising selfish and sinful attitudes and activities as followers of Jesus. When it comes to exercising the spiritual gifts we have been given, however, we are to mature in how the exercising of these gifts advances the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel.

Paul then quotes Isaiah 28:11, where God predicted that the unbelieving Jewish nation would experience punishment at the hands of the Babylonians. This foreign nation, with their unintelligible language, would be the instrument and sign that God would use to judge and punish their unbelief which separated them from God.

Paul then explains that just as this foreign nation with an unintelligible language was a sign that confirmed their unbelief, the spiritual gift of tongues alone, was a sign gift that served as a warning sign designed to expose the unbelief of those who failed to understand the unintelligible language being spoken. Prophecy, by contrast, was a spiritual gift that through its use resulted in those who heard the clear message of the gospel respond by receiving the forgiveness of their sins and the relationship with God that they were created for by believing, trusting, and following Jesus as Lord and Leader.

Paul then applies this timeless truth to the situation at Corinth and to our context today by explaining that if the entire church was speaking in tongues, those who did not have the gift of interpretation and those who were unbelievers would see what was going on and respond to the situation by thinking that they were out of their mind crazy. And in their response they would discredit that church as being irrelevant and remain in their selfishness and sin as a result of their unbelief.

And this response often still occurs today, doesn’t it? Paul here is revealing for us the reality that desiring style over substance in spiritual gifts results in hindering the kingdom mission. When we become focused on style or the spectacular when it comes to spiritual gifts, we can hinder the advancement of the message of the gospel by not clearly presenting the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel in a way that is understood and results in a response.

Paul explains that when the spiritual gift of prophecy is exercised, the unbeliever clearly hears the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel in a way that reveals their need for forgiveness as a result of their selfishness and sin. When Paul states that the secrets of his heart are revealed and so he will fall on his face and worship God, this phrase conveys a gesture of one’s complete dependence and submission.

Paul’s point is that through clearly hearing the message of the gospel through the gift of prophecy, the hidden and secret thoughts and desires are exposed, which results in repentance from sin and a turn toward believing, trusting, and following Jesus as Lord and Leader. For those who are far from God due to being religious or irreligious, it is through a clear and substantive presentation of the gospel proclaimed and the gospel lived, not through the spectacular or style, that the Holy Spirit uses to bring a person to faith in Christ.

Paul then applies these three timeless principles that desiring style over substance results in to what was occurring during corporate worship at the church. And in this application, we see a fourth result that occurs when we desire style over substance when it comes to spiritual gifts. And tomorrow, we will look at this fourth result.

So, are you hindering the kingdom mission that god has given the church by desiring style or the spectacular over clearly communicating the claim of Christ and the message of the gospel?

How Desiring Style over Substance Results in Spiritual Immaturity...

This week, we have been looking at a section of a letter that reveals that Christians act unchristian when we desire style over substance in spiritual gifts. Yesterday, Paul revealed for us the reality that desiring style over substance in spiritual gifts results in no profit for others. While the person who is speaking in tongues or exercising a different spectacular spiritual gift may have an valid emotional encounter with God through the Holy Spirit, they have no way to understand what that experience means, which results in no transformation in terms of their personal spiritual growth or the spiritual growth of others.

We see the Apostle Paul unpack this idea and reveal a second result that occurs when Christians act unchristian by desiring style over substance in spiritual gifts. We see this beginning in verse 15 of 1 Corinthians 14:

What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also. Otherwise if you bless in the spirit only, how will the one who fills the place of the ungifted say the "Amen " at your giving of thanks, since he does not know what you are saying? For you are giving thanks well enough, but the other person is not edified. I thank God, I speak in tongues more than you all; however, in the church I desire to speak five words with my mind so that I may instruct others also, rather than ten thousand words in a tongue.

Paul begins by asking “What then? What should I do?” Paul answers that question by stating that during his times of worship that he will pray and sing songs of praise with the spirit and the mind also. This phrase literally means that he will worship God through song and prayer in the power of the Spirit and in full possession of one’s mental faculties. Paul will not settle for simply an emotional experience and Paul will not settle for simply an intellectual experience. Paul desired that both his head and his heart be engaged fully in worship as he received and responded to God’s word.

How often, however, do we simply settle for one or the other? We either only want the emotional experience that makes us feel good and does not require us to critically think and apply the truth about God. Or we only want the intellectual truth about God, where we are "fed" with the truth, without being challenged to change how we feel or act. And even today, we see many churches that are at either one or the other extreme. God calls, us however to worship Him in the power of the Holy Spirit both emotionally and mentally engaged in who He is, what He has done, and what He has promised to do.

Paul then explains what happens when we worship God simply through the unrestrained emotional experience that was occurring in Corinth, and can occur in churches today. Paul explains that when the spiritual gift of tongues is exercised without any interpretation as simply an emotional response to worship, those who are followers of Jesus recognize that you are worshipping, but cannot join in the worship in a way that results in spiritual growth and maturity as followers of Jesus.

Paul here is revealing for us the reality that desiring style over substance results in spiritual immaturity. While Paul reinforces his desire that spiritual gifts be exercised for the spiritual growth of others by stating that while he exercises the spiritual gift of tongues more than any member of the church, he would rather speak five words that were intelligible and understood by others that would result in him teaching them in a way that results in spiritual growth.

So, do you use and exercise the spiritual gifts you have been given for the spiritual growth and good of others?

How Profitable are Style-Driven Spiritual Gifts?

This week, we have been looking at a section of a letter that reveals another timeless truth that can occur when Christians act unchristian when we use our spiritual gifts. And that timeless truth is that Christians act unchristian when we desire style over substance in spiritual gifts. In 1 Corinthians 14, we see the Apostle Paul reveal for us four reasons why, as followers of Jesus, we are not to pursue style over substance when it comes to the exercising of our spiritual gifts. We see the first reason revealed for us in 1 Corinthians 14:6-14. Let’s look at it together:

But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching? Yet even lifeless things, either flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp? For if the bugle produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle? So also you, unless you utter by the tongue speech that is clear, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into the air. There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and no kind is without meaning. If then I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be to the one who speaks a barbarian, and the one who speaks will be a barbarian to me. So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church. Therefore let one who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful.

In these verses, we see the Apostle Paul reveal for us the first result that occurs when we desire style over substance in spiritual gifts. And that first result is that pursuing style over substance results in no profit for others. Paul begins by asking a rhetorical question: “if I come to you speaking in tongues, what will I profit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation or of knowledge or of prophecy or of teaching?”

Paul’s point here is that tongues do not benefit anyone on their own. Unlike other spiritual gifts, which delivered and made known new verbal revelation from God in a way that the members of the church could comprehend and grasp so as to grow spiritually, the gift of tongues was by very nature unintelligible to the rest of the church on its own. Unless someone possessed the spiritual gift of interpreting tongues, what was said made no sense to those who heard.

Paul then uses three examples to reinforce this reality. Paul’s point is that just as a flute, harp, or bugle fails to profit those who hear if the notes of these instruments are not distinct and clear, those who exercise the gift of tongues produce an unclear sound that does not profit others. Paul then transitions from musical instruments to the various languages of the world. Paul is explaining to the members of the church at Corinth, and to us here today, that if we are unable to understand the meaning of what is being spoken when the spiritual gift of tongues is exercised, the spoken words are unintelligible and therefore do not profit those who hear the tongues.

Paul then provides practical application of this principal in. Since spiritual gifts are by nature a God-given inner motivation to meet the needs of others in order to build up others spiritually, these spiritual gifts should be exercised in a way the profits others. First, Paul explains that the members of the church should focus their commitment to exercising their spiritual gifts with a desire that strives for the spiritual good and growth of others.

And to do that, Paul explains that those who exercise the spiritual gift of tongues should pray and ask God that he receive the spiritual gift of the interpretation of tongues, so that the new verbal revelation that they were receiving from God would be made understandable to those listening. Paul then explains the reason for his prayer request is that while the person who only exercises the spiritual gift of tongues may be experiencing the Holy Spirit’s activity in their lives, the exercising of this gift is useless as their minds and the minds of those who are listening are not actively engaged in a way that results in spiritual growth and maturity.

While the person who is speaking in tongues may have an valid emotional encounter with God through the Holy Spirit, they have no way to understand what that experience means, which results in no transformation in terms of their personal spiritual growth or the spiritual growth of others.

We see the Apostle Paul unpack this idea and reveal a second result that occurs when Christians act unchristian by desiring style over substance in spiritual gifts.

So do you exercise the spiritual gifts you have been given in a way that profits others?

Desiring Style over Substance in Spiritual Gifts...

For the past two weeks, we have been looking as the Apostle Paul addressed how a group of people who claimed to be Christians were failing to reflect Christ or follow His teachings when it came to how they used and exercised the spiritual gifts that they had been given by God. The members of this church were not only abusing the spiritual gifts that they had been given by God; the members of this church were using God’s gifts without giving God’s love.

Paul concluded his discussion about spiritual gifts in a letter written to this church by addressing the core issue that drove the problem that the church at Corinth, and churches today, still seem to have when it comes to spiritual gifts. So let’s begin by picking up where we left off last week, beginning in 1 Corinthians 14:1:

Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands, but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. But one who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation. One who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but one who prophesies edifies the church. Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but even more that you would prophesy; and greater is one who prophesies than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edifying.

Paul begins this section of his letter to the church of Corinth by commanding the members of the church to pursue love. Paul here is picking up his stream of thought that we looked at last week in that we are to strive to be driven and motivated by love as we exercise and use our spiritual gifts. Paul then continues by explaining to the church that as they strived to understand and use their spiritual gifts that they should strive to prophesy. As we saw a few weeks ago Prophecy was a foundational spiritual gift that was used to deliver new verbal revelation from God as to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel.

Paul then explains the reason that the church should strive to exercise the spiritual gift of prophesy was for one who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God; for no one understands but in his spirit he speaks mysteries. As we saw a few weeks ago tongues was a sign spiritual gift that was used to confirm new verbal revelation from God as to the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel by speaking in a language that the speaker was unfamiliar with. And because of that reality, even the follower of Jesus who exercised the spiritual gift of tongues would not know what he was saying; it was a mystery to him that was only known to God and a person who had the spiritual gift of the interpretation of tongues.

The person who exercised the spiritual gift of prophecy, however, delivered the message of the claims of Christ and the message of the gospel that resulted in edification, exhortation, and consolation. Paul’s point here was that the spiritual gift of prophecy resulted in the building up of others spiritually as followers of Jesus as they grew in their faith. The spiritual gift of prophecy resulted in the encouraging of others in belief and action that resulted in spiritual growth and maturity. The spiritual gift of prophecy resulted in an ability to provide encouragement to one who was depressed or grief-stricken.

Paul then reinforces his command in verse 4 by explaining that while the person who exercises the spiritual gift of tongues at best may only impact his own life, the person who exercises the spiritual gift of prophecy is able to impact many other followers of Jesus in a way that results in spiritual growth and maturity. But why is Paul singling out the spiritual gifts of tongues and prophecy for such a discussion?

To understand why Paul is singling out these two spiritual gifts, we first need to understand what was happening in Corinth. At the church in Corinth, the members of the church were judging one another’s spiritual maturity based on the spiritual gifts they were given and were exercising. There was a belief in the church that those who exercised the more spectacular sign spiritual gifts were more spiritually mature than those who had other spiritual gifts. So there was pressure within the church to seek to posses and exercise these spectacular spiritual gifts.

So, has anything changed? There are still many streams of Christianity that still measure your spiritual maturity, or whether or not you are even a follower of Jesus, by whether or not you speak in tongues or exercise some spectacular spiritual gift. And in many instances, as followers of Jesus, we can often fall into the trap of measuring spiritual maturity in terms of what spiritual gift we have been given more than how we exercise the particular spiritual gift we have been given.

Paul responds to the situation in Corinth by stating that while he desired that every member of the church had the spiritual gift of tongues, he would rather that every member of the church had the spiritual gift of prophecy so that the entire church would benefit from the spiritual growth that would occur as a result of the exercising of that gift.

In this passage we see the Apostle Paul reveal for us yet another timeless truth that can occur when Christians act unchristian. And that timeless truth is that Christians act unchristian when we desire style over substance in spiritual gifts. In 1 Corinthians 14, we see the Apostle Paul reveal for us four reasons why, as followers of Jesus, we are not to pursue style over substance when it comes to the exercising of our spiritual gifts. We will spend the rest of this week looking at each of theses results that can occur when we desire style over substance in spiritual gifts.

Why do you think there is so much controversy among Christians when it comes to the stylish or spectacular spiritual gifts?