Bore da, cadwch eich Beibl ar agor. Y bore yma, rydym yn astudio 1 Corinthiaid bennod pedwar ar ddeg. Mae’n sôn am roddion tafodiaith a phroffwydoliaeth. Mae hwn yn bwnc lle gall fod gennym farnau gwahanol.
(That was Welsh, which I had to learn at school but can’t speak. Claude, the artificial intelligence, speaks it.)
A sermon in an incomprehensible language would be a bit tedious! We’re discussing the subject of speaking in tongues and prophecy.
What was your reaction whilst listening to the reading? So cool! Finally, we’re getting down to business! Let’s stop being so stuffy at Connexion! Or perhaps: oh dear! My worst fears are coming true. Things are getting out of hand. Let’s calm down! Or rather: what on earth are they on about? I’m completely lost!
We’re in the middle of a series of sermons on the Apostle Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. The Christians in Corinth approached their church gatherings a bit like France’s Got Talent: everyone turned up to show off and attract as much attention as possible. One person would pull out their guitar for a ten-minute solo without looking at anyone; another would interrupt them for an impromptu – and incomprehensible – theological lecture; a third person would strike up a magnificent hymn … in an unknown language …
Meanwhile, at the back of the hall, a shy believer thought to himself: ‘I’m no use to anyone; I’m not spiritual enough.’ Paul sought to correct this misconception: to be a Christian is to be a member of the body of Christ, where each person receives a gift not to impress others, but to serve. Last Sunday we saw that love must guide every action. But we also heard Paul urging us to strive for ‘the best gifts’. 1 Corinthians 12:31 What are the best gifts? What is the most loving gift to seek?
That is our question this morning. We shall see that it is the gift of communicating God’s word to build others up. Perhaps you are visiting us or discovering the Christian faith. The crux of the matter this morning is that being a Christian is not a solitary journey. It means being part of a loving family where we encourage, support and build each other up. We’re going to look at issues on which Christians do not all see eye to eye. There are Christians whom I greatly admire who hold different views to mine on this subject.
So we must be humble, respectful and, above all, keep the Bible open to discover what it really says. Next Sunday we’ll have a question-and-answer session at the end of the service dedicated to the topic of spiritual gifts.
Here is the outline for this morning:
Prophecy is the most loving gift to seek … (1–3)
For edification (4–6) Through understanding (7–19) And for evangelism (20–25)
Firstly …
Prophecy is the most loving gift to seek … (1–3)
1 Corinthians 14:1
Pursue love. Strive also for spiritual gifts, but above all for prophecy. For the one who speaks in tongues does not speak to people but to God, since no one understands him, and he utters mysteries in the Spirit. The one who prophesies, on the other hand, speaks to people, edifying, encouraging and comforting them In the church at Corinth, it would seem that speaking in tongues was regarded as the spiritual gift par excellence. The apostle Paul wishes to set them straight. Prophecy is the gift to be prioritised. Let us clarify what we are talking about!
The gift of tongues is, it seems to me, a supernatural ability given by God to express oneself in a human language that one had not previously learnt. Not everyone shares this view. Some believe it involves speaking in heavenly or angelic tongues. In some churches, including the one where I came to know Jesus, it is common to have a time during the service when people can speak ‘in tongues’. During these times, one hears people uttering sounds that do not correspond to any human language and which, according to these churches, come from a heavenly language. I’m not convinced by this.
In the Bible, there is only one place where we are told precisely which languages were spoken: Acts chapter 2. These are human languages. I do not see why it should be any different in 1 Corinthians. So speaking in tongues, as it is sometimes practised in so-called Pentecostal or charismatic churches, does not seem to correspond to the New Testament gift of tongues. That does not mean it is necessarily wrong. It may simply be a form of psychological release, although we must bear in mind Paul’s advice regarding the need to speak words that others can understand.
Be that as it may, Paul wants to set the record straight. It is not that speaking in tongues is useless. In a large, cosmopolitan city like Corinth, at the heart of the Roman Empire, miraculously speaking foreign languages was certainly very useful. One can well imagine the impact of hearing Christians proclaim Jesus in one’s own language.
But that was not the perspective of the Christians in Corinth. For them, speaking in tongues gave the impression of being super-spiritual, of having an exhilarating experience, regardless of whether anyone else understood. It was as if they were going to church solely for their own personal experience. It is this attitude that Paul wishes to correct. Strive for spiritual gifts! But above all… to prophecy. What is prophecy? When I was 15, I took part in a workshop on ‘learning to prophesy’ at a Christian conference.
Someone came to the front. The others closed their eyes to ask God for a revelation for that person – an image, a word or a song – which they then shared. Then the person at the front said, ‘OK, I think God is telling me X.’ What I admire about that is the expectation that God really does speak to us today. We don’t have a silent God. God speaks. But… I don’t think that’s what Christian prophecy is, according to the Bible. Christians have different views. But here’s what prophecy today cannot be.
It cannot be new revelations that would be added to the Bible and which we would need in order to know how to be saved or how to live for Jesus. The Bible itself says that it is sufficient to explain these things to us. The Letter to the Hebrews says that after God had spoken to our ancestors many times and in many ways through the prophets in days gone by, in these last days he has spoken to us through the Son. If we have Jesus and the testimony of the New Testament, God has given us his final word! Peter says in his second letter that God has given us everything we need for life and godliness in the Scriptures.
We do not need any further words. When I was a teenager, I thought that the Bible provided general information about God, but that to receive a message ‘tailored’ to me, I needed more. So I believe the Bible is sufficient; I also believe that God is sovereign and that he arranges circumstances to tell us what we need to hear, when we need to hear it.
I was walking down the street one day. A stranger stopped me and said, ‘I think God wants to remind you of this Bible verse.’ I did indeed need to be reminded of it. But when Paul says to strive for prophecy, he is not inviting us to seek words beyond the Bible.
I have sometimes heard people speak of receiving things in prayer – direct revelations supplementary to the Bible that one might receive. I do not think this is biblical language. Rather, Paul is inviting us to draw on the Bible – our final and sufficient revelation – to encourage others. He says this in verse 3 V.3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people, building them up, encouraging them and comforting them To build up, encourage and comfort. That is what the good news of Jesus does. For us, prophesying means encouraging others on the basis of the Bible.
We probably prophesy far more often than we realise. When you share a word of encouragement from Scripture with a brother or sister over a cup of coffee. In our small groups, when we study a passage to understand how it applies to our lives, we are prophesying in the manner described in 1 Corinthians 14. It’s even tempting to rename our community groups ‘prophecy groups’! Not ‘co’ groups but ‘pro’ groups! (That might cause some confusion)
We meet to build each other up, encourage one another and comfort one another through the Word of God. Later in the passage, Paul explains why prophesying is the most loving gift to seek. Firstly, because it aims to build everyone up.
For edification … (4–6)
Verse 4
“Anyone who speaks in tongues edifies themselves, but anyone who prophesies edifies the Church.” Mr Bean goes to church. Have you seen that sketch? If not, there’s a big gap in your cultural knowledge. He spends the whole service fighting boredom and disturbing his neighbour. The neighbour isn’t exactly cool either. He’s there for himself and can’t be bothered to think about the person sitting next to him. The Apostle Paul wants us, when we come together, not to think only of ourselves but of the edification of others. To edify is to build up, strengthen and help someone to grow.
That’s what we’re all here for. We’re not just passive recipients, but spiritual builders for one another. That is why, in this internet age when we could simply sit in front of a screen and have a ‘spiritual moment’ on our own at home, we still get together! We have a duty towards our brothers and sisters. That’s just the way it is, because that’s how Jesus thought. Jesus Christ did not think of his own interests. He sacrificed them for our sake when he gave himself up on the cross. He could have stayed in heaven: ‘Do you have problems, needs? Too bad. Sort it out yourselves!’ But he didn’t do that!
He sought our good at the cost of his own life. And as we have seen, when he saves us, it is not so that we might go it alone. He connects us to one another as members of his body. Paul says: have the same attitude as Christ when you gather together. Do not come just for your own sake, but for the sake of others. That doesn’t mean we don’t come to receive. We need to be encouraged and to delight in Jesus and his love for us. But if we truly delight in Jesus, it will be evident in our attitude towards others: seeking to build them up, not just ourselves. So here’s a question. Why do we come to church?
If it’s to edify others, everything changes. Who we talk to. What we talk about. Just football results and our latest holidays, or more edifying things. How we speak. How we listen to sermons. How we listen to others. How we sing! I knew someone in another church who would stand at the back of the hall and sing as loudly as possible … very badly … to encourage others to turn up the volume to drown out his voice! What self-sacrifice!
But it’s not just that we come to edify one another. Paul’s point is that we edify one another best through words that are comprehensible and intelligible to all. This brings us to the next point Prophecy is the most loving gift to seek, for edification
Through understanding … (7–19)
Verse 7
“If inanimate objects that produce sound, such as a flute or a harp, do not produce distinct sounds, how will anyone recognise the melody being played on them? And if the trumpet gives an unclear sound, who will get ready for battle? The same applies to you: if your tongue does not speak intelligibly, how will anyone know what you are saying? Indeed, you will be speaking into the air.” In the Mr Bean sketch, you can hear the pastor’s voice speaking. Blah blah blah blah blah – literally! Corinth wasn’t all that different!
They loved speaking in tongues, but as no one could understand what they were saying, their gathering was nothing more than an incomprehensible hubbub. Paul demands the opposite. Some of you here play in an orchestra. Imagine we were going to a concert. It’s a piece we like. The conductor raises his baton … [] … just a jumble of noise. What a disappointment. We’ve come for nothing. Or worse still …
Soldiers are sleeping in their tents. Suddenly, the enemy army appears on the horizon. They are about to attack. They will all be killed if they do not prepare immediately. A sentry takes his trumpet. He knows the signal to sound so that the others wake up and get ready. He blows into it … but [] no clear sound comes out. Yet this is a matter of life and death! That is what Paul means! Hearing clear words from God is a matter of life and death! In verse 7, when he speaks of ‘inanimate’ objects, literally these are ‘lifeless’ objects. This illustration of instruments has a morbid quality!
A matter of life and death! Paul says at the beginning of 1 Corinthians that the message about Jesus is the power and wisdom of God … which save us! Provided we understand it! So when we come together to delve into God’s Word, the stakes are high! Let’s take a moment to reflect on our privilege. The infinite God who created the universe has spoken. He had his words written down so that they might reach us. People have given their lives so that this book might exist in our language. And here we are, with it on our bedside table. In our pocket. On our phone. These words, which save us from death
What a privilege! Google is investing billions in research to delay death. Some of the world’s richest people will pay astronomical sums to have their bodies cryogenically frozen in the hope that they might one day be revived.
We hold in our hands words that save us from death once and for all. For free.
When Christians gather together, they have the incredible privilege of listening to these words, meditating on them and savouring them together. Failing to do so would be like keeping one’s trumpet silent as the enemy approaches. A few implications.
Firstly, God speaks to our minds through his Word to help us grow.
Sometimes Christians turn to experiences, rituals or times of meditative silence as the means that will change us. I have nothing against silence; it can do us good … … There you have it!
But what changes us is understanding and taking in this word. I wonder if we really believe that. These aren’t just words in a book! Taking these words to heart together is the most spiritual experience there is! When we gather together, we’re not there to sleep!
God wants us to come to church with our minds engaged, our Bibles open, and our eyes fixed on them. The most encouraging thing for a preacher to see? This gesture [bowing one’s head to read the text]. People poring over the text. As for those of you taking a nap, I can see you ;-) It means that loving others must include opening the Bible together. Perhaps not in every conversation. But regularly. It would be brilliant if, after the service, when we have lunch together, we seized the opportunity not just to ask ‘how was your week?’, but ‘what is encouraging you in God’s Word at the moment?
Perhaps that would be the most loving question to ask someone today! It also raises a question: are we intentionally seeking out settings where we can listen to God’s Word and discuss it with others? Our community groups and prophecy groups are essential. If you don’t have one yet, please find one! But we cannot give to others what we have not received ourselves. To share God’s Word with someone, it must first dwell within us. My best moments in my community group – my ‘pro’ group – have been precisely those times when others have arrived having already reflected on the text, ready to build others up.
That’s love in action. Perhaps the most loving thing you could do for your group this week would be to take some time to read and reflect on the passage before the evening’s meeting. Perhaps you’re thinking, ‘I don’t have time.’ A new mum, with short nights. Or a job that takes up all your time. Meditate? Prophesy? You’re already out of breath.
Listen carefully. You don’t need an hour. A verse on the fridge. A passage you hear in the car. Repeating one of God’s promises whilst rocking a child to sleep at three in the morning. That’s a start. And a message to a friend saying, ‘I thought of this verse for you just now’, is already brilliant in certain seasons of life. Prophecy is the most loving gift to seek, for edification through understanding …
And finally, for evangelism (20–25)
Verse 23
“So if, whilst the whole church is gathered together, everyone is speaking in tongues and some who are merely listening or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are mad? On the other hand, if everyone is prophesying and an unbeliever or a casual listener comes in, they are convicted of sin by everyone, they are judged by everyone; [thus] the secrets of their heart are laid bare, and they will then fall face down to the ground to worship God, declaring that God is truly amongst you”
I used to live next to a church that held Masses in Latin. I’ve never studied Latin. It was completely incomprehensible to me. Paul wants our gatherings to be filled with understandable words from God, not only for the sake of Christians but also for those who are exploring the Christian faith. Our aim is not to be a monastery cut off from the world, nor a club reserved for a particular culture or educational background. It is to be accessible to everyone through words that everyone can understand. We have a message of life to share!
Especially in times as uncertain as these, when we see the damage – in this neighbourhood – that occurs when people no longer know what truth to hold on to. So a service where all one hears are incomprehensible words serves no purpose. This is the meaning of verse 22: tongues are a sign for non-believers. In other words, untranslated tongues keep people in a state of unbelief. They are a sign of judgement. For as long as we do not understand God’s message, we remain under his judgement.
But when we prophesy, we speak words that enable people to understand their need for Jesus and His forgiveness, and to grasp hold of it. Perhaps you are visiting us here this morning. Our aim is not to make things as obscure as possible! If anything is unclear, ask the person who invited you to explain it to you! For regulars, we’re not here just for ourselves. We’re not even here solely for the other members of the church. Paul expects there to be visitors, whether they’re Christians or not, and he asks us to do everything we can to help them better understand our faith.
Here’s a good test: if a visitor asked you to explain the sermon again – because they hadn’t quite understood it – would you be able to do so? If the answer is no, because the preacher himself wasn’t clear, please let him know!
Prophecy is the most loving gift to seek, for edification … through understanding and for evangelism. Our world is steeped in individualism. Even religions and spiritualities. Individualistic and self-centred forms of spirituality are everywhere. God’s family must be different. Modelled on God’s selfless love. He has made himself understandable to us. He speaks to us for our spiritual good. He wants us to follow his example: to seek the good of others by sharing his words with them. Nowadays, words are sometimes disparaged. People say that actions speak louder than words.
People speak of empty words. It is true that Christians have sometimes been criticised for having only words and no love. But … when it comes to the words of the God who spoke and there was light, there is nothing more powerful or loving than becoming his spokespeople. I wonder who it might be that you could encourage this morning by saying: ‘My sister, my brother, here is a truth you need to hear right now.’ In a church of this size, looking after everyone isn’t easy! Are there 150 of us?
Each with their own circumstances, questions and needs. It’s incredibly reassuring to be able to look around this room and see 150 preachers! 150 prophets!
Perhaps not from the pulpit. But for one another, in small groups, in the practical realities of everyday life, with a coffee in hand or a baby in our arms … … and the powerful word of God on our lips. 1 Corinthians 14:1 – “Pursue love. Strive also for spiritual gifts, but especially for the gift of prophecy.”
