1 Corinthians Chapter 12, 13, and 14 "Concerning Spiritual Gifts"

Welcome again. Good evening.

Open your Bible, please, to the book of First Corinthians in the

New Testament in chapter 12. The title of tonight's message

is concerning spiritual gifts. Now, often people will ask me a

question about, you know, the gifts of the Holy Spirit and

where should I go? And I'll, I'll recommend to them

reading chapter 12, chapter 13 and chapter 14 of First

Corinthians and to read it in its context.

And the context flows beautifully.

You can see where all of those elements fit together.

Now, the actual book of First Corinthians that we've been

teaching through can be read in about an hour, and that was the

original reception of this book from the early church.

When Paul had written this letter to them, they would have

opened it up and they would have read it and they would have

received everything from chapter one, verse 1 all the way through

to the end. We've been breaking it down.

We've been taking bits and pieces here and there, and we've

been in it now for some four months.

It seems like not quite that long, at least from my end,

maybe from you. It's like, man, it seems like 4

years. Hurry up and finish.

But we're here in One Corinthians, chapter 12 on this

topic of spiritual gifts. And I'm going to try and deal

with it all in the context in which I've just recommended

chapter 12, chapter 13 and 14. And the reason I want to do that

is for, as I mentioned, to help us get it all in its context.

And so understand that in this kind of fly over view that we

won't necessarily dive deeply into components.

I was joking this morning that I said to someone, yeah, we'll try

and take these three chapters in in one session.

I figured why split the church over three weeks when you can do

it in one week? You know, it's such a

controversial issue, spiritual gifts, right?

There's so much division about it and so much discrepancy and

diversity of opinions upon it, and we'll dig into that.

It's been a divisive topic. Certainly gifts of the Spirit.

And in verse 1 of chapter 12, Paul says that he does not want

the church in Corinth to be ignorant about spiritual gifts.

Literally, it's the spiritual matters.

He starts now concerning spiritual gifts.

My translation, I'm reading from the new King James tonight.

Brethren, it's a collective term for the church.

Church, I do not want you to be ignorant.

Now again, they have been asking Paul a number of questions and

Paul has also heard a number of rumours that he sought to

address. The questions that they asked

him were to do with relationships, about marriage,

about singleness, about divorce, to do with the areas of

Christian liberty and conscience, to do with spiritual

gifts, as we'll look at, and then in future sermons, to do

with money and giving. And he'd also heard of what was

going on there in the Church, of the sexual issues that they were

dealing with, the promiscuity that was present in their midst,

that they were permitting of the divisions that people had in, in

how that they were grouping according to certain teachers.

And and that was causing division of their drunkenness at

communion. We looked at last time.

And so he's been writing to address their queries and he's

been writing to address their ignorance on subjects and he's

been writing to address their sin in areas.

Now, it's interesting, and I've mentioned this before on this

first verse, that he did not want them to be ignorant.

This is one of a number of things that Paul advised the,

the early New Testament church that he did not want people to

be ignorant of, which you could argue is largely what the church

today is ignorant about. You know, we, we look at this,

could you say that people are ignorant about spiritual gifts?

I think that you can. In Romans Chapter 11, the thing

Romans 11 · chapter mention

that Paul there didn't want them to be ignorant of was the nation

of Israel and the Jewish people and of God's promises towards

them. Could you say that people are

ignorant in the church about that?

The second thing out of First Thessalonians chapter 4 is to do

1 Thessalonians 4 · chapter mention

with the end times and eschatology and and the second

coming of Jesus. Could you say that there's

ignorance about that Second Corinthians chapter 2 to do with

2 Corinthians 2 · chapter mention

Satan's tactics and strategies. There's there's large ignorance

about the way that the enemy works.

And then we looked at in chapter 10, ignorance to do with

idolatry and the worship of any other thing or person above God

in the rightful place that he has to hold.

And so it's as if Paul knew this, that these would be areas

of division or that these would be areas of ignorance.

And, and modern church, as I said, largely is, is vague on

these things to be polite and ignorant in other, other ways.

Either people don't want to know about this stuff.

It's too hard and you know, I've tried to look into it and I

couldn't understand it. Or they just totally aren't

concerned or interested about it.

And so there's an ignorance in that way where, where there's

just this flippancy to do with it.

Or worse, there's confusion deliberately that people try and

sow with respect to this. So I want to try to help us

tonight in looking through chapter 12, chapter 13 and 14

and and kind of wade in and have a look at God's view concerning

spiritual gifts and the way that we'll do this.

Chapter 12, we'll see is concerning with the purpose of

the spiritual gifts, the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Chapter 13 is the proof of the spiritual gifts and chapter 14

the proper use of spiritual gifts.

So let's read again verse 1 of chapter 12.

I'll read through to verse 11 and then we'll jump ahead in the

chapter. Now concerning spiritual gifts.

Brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant.

You know that you were Gentiles carried away to these dumb

idols. However you were led.

Therefore, I make known to you that no one speaking by the

Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed and no one can say that

Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.

So the evidence of a regenerated life of the Holy Spirit's

indwelling is the way that people respond to to Jesus, to

the name of Jesus, to the person of Jesus.

And then he builds on this in verse 4.

There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.

There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.

And there are verse 6 diversities of activities, but

it is the same God who works All in all.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for

the prophet of all. For to one verse 8 is given the

word of wisdom through the spirit to another, the word of

knowledge through the same spirit to another, faith by the

same Spirit to another, gifts of healings by the same spirit to

another, the working of miracles to another, prophecy to another,

discerning of spirits to another, different kinds of

tongues, to another, the interpretation of tongues.

But one and the same Spirit works all these things,

distributing to each one individually as He wills.

Move ahead now to verse 27. Now you are the body of Christ

and members individually, and God has appointed these in the

church. First apostles, second prophets,

third teachers, After that, miracles.

Then gifts of healings, helps administrations, varieties of

tongues are all apostles. Verse 29 are all prophets, Are

all teachers, Are all workers of miracles?

Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues?

Do all interpret the rhetorical questions with the obvious

answer being no. But verse 31, earnestly desire

the best gifts. And yet I'll show you a more

excellent way. I know we've prayed, but I want

to pray again. Lord God, we pray for your help,

for your assistance tonight and understanding in listening and

hearing your word to be less ignorant on this subject matter,

that it would be a blessing to our lives and it would glorify

your great name. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Now, sadly, as I said, much division exists with respect to

the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and even the mention of that can

cause people to get all sorts of, you know, interesting

feelings come upon them depending upon their maybe

denominational background. And there are differing

positions about the spiritual gifts.

And I want to highlight the two most common to begin with that I

think will be helpful in an introductory sense.

And that is that one view is, is what's called cessationists who

view that the gifts of the Spirit, the spiritual gifts have

have now ceased to be in existence.

That they were given by the Holy Spirit in the 1st century church

and the time of Paul's writing here in Corinth for the purpose

of founding the early church to authenticate the ministry and

and the message of the disciples who became the apostles.

And that that once the early church was established, that

these gifts, as we've read of them just now and in other parts

of the Scripture are no longer required and no longer necessary

nor needed. And more So what they believe

and teach. The cessationist view is that

once the full Canon of Scripture arrived, as we know the Bible

today, the 66 books that the the gifts of the Holy Spirit are

obsolete as a consequence. Now there's some pretty switched

on theologians that hold to this view cessationism within the

church. Maybe you're familiar with the

name John McArthur. Perhaps you've got his study

Bible. Here's one such second to that

is what's called continuationists who believe

that the spiritual gifts continue, are and are in

existence and available given by the Holy Spirit today for the

church, distributed by the Holy Spirit, just as we've read to

individuals as He wills. For the purpose of what we'll

break down a little bit later, kind of jumping ahead a little

bit of this view again, there are some also very intelligent

theologians and gifted students of the Bible in respected

segments of the church. Perhaps you've heard of the

names of Carson or of Piper or of Grudem.

And this is in fact the view that we adhered to here in

Calvary Chapel, Secret Harbour. Now there are extremists in both

camps now by themselves, cessationists or

continuationists, whatever view that maybe you hold, it's not a

salvation issue and and there should be discussion and it

should be able to take place, brothers and sisters in the Lord

in a civil manner. But as I say, there are

extremists in both camps that have caused division throughout

church history. Extreme cessationists, on one

hand, would accuse continuationists of or perhaps

acting hypnotic or being influenced in in in emotional

hysterics at best, or worst, even under the influence of the

demonic. Extreme continuationists, you

could perhaps call them sensationists, accused

cessationists. There's a lot of inness here in

this, so hang, hang with me, but they would accuse cessationists

of not being filled with the Spirit at all, or at worst, of

literally being unsaved. And, and they'll assert that the

gifts of the Spirit, and usually it's speaking in tongues when

they speak of this, are the sign, the sign of someone's

salvation. And, and people in the

sensationist view of things can get caught up in, in the hyper

manifestations of the emotive hysterics that often give, you

know, the gifts of the Holy Spirit a bad name in that way

when people would lose control of themselves.

So what are the arguments? Let's look at the first of

cessationism, because they're here in the text, and likewise

of continuationism, because they're also here in the text

that the gifts are done. 1st century AD served the purpose,

now obsolete. It's finished.

Foundational passage for cessationism is jump ahead into

chapter 13. In verses 8-9 and ten, it says

love never fails, but whether there are prophecies, they will

fail. Whether there are tongues, they

will cease. Whether there is knowledge, it

will vanish away, verse 9. For we know in part, and we

prophecy in part, and here it is, verse 10.

But then sorry, but when that which is perfect has come, then

that which is in part will be done away.

So what's not in doubt from the passage that we've just read is

that the spiritual gifts will cease, that there will be an end

to these gifts that we've just read of and that we're studying

tonight. That's that's not up for debate.

What is unclear or causes the difference in opinion is when do

these cease? Was it the 1st century AD or is

it still yet some future point in time?

And So what this passage explains in verse 10 is that the

spiritual gifts will cease at the coming of the perfect.

It said, Did you notice that? So cessationists will argue that

the coming of the perfect what? What is the perfect?

That's in reference there in that that verse is, as I

mentioned earlier, the completion of the Canon of

Scripture, the 66 books as we know them and that them being

required, it is the perfect revelation of Jesus Christ and

the supernatural giftings of the Holy Spirit are no longer

necessary nor needed as a consequence.

Because we have all that we need in the Scriptures and and we do

believe that the Bible is what we need and is the the written

word of God. But, you know, in the context

that cannot be what it means. And so here are the arguments

for continuationism. And continuationists would

believe that verses 11 and 12 provide the necessary context

for what we've just read in 8-9 and 10.

So read verse 11. When I was a child, I spoke as a

child. I understood as a child, I

thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put

away childish things. For now we see in a mirror verse

12, dimly, but then face to face.

Now I know in part, but then I shall know, just as I also am

known. So what we see there in those

verses is the phrasing then and now.

Then he, he states something. I'm sorry.

Now he states something and and then he states something will be

so and Paul uses then to refer to a time when we will know God

fully as he fully knows us, that that's what he states with the

den. When is this then?

When, when is that then it? It is when we are fully

perfected in sanctified form. You're familiar with

sanctification when we're with the Lord, when we're in His

presence face to face, and the reasoning is behind that when I

am in the presence of the giver of the gifts, who needs the

gifts, then the then therefore cannot refer to the completion

of the biblical Canon, for we still do not know now everything

there is to know about God. Even when we read through the

Bible, there's still much that we don't understand or

comprehend fully about God, right?

Because he says that we will know fully as we're fully known.

The now then phrasing instead refers to the difference between

life now on earth and life in in heaven, or eternity then, when

we're in the presence of the Lord.

And so the perfect to come does not refer to the completion of

the biblical Canon, but to being in the presence of the Lord,

before whom all the gifts are unnecessary.

John the Apostle also spoke of the gifts ceasing in the

presence of God. In 1 John chapter 3 verse two,

1 John 3 · chapter mention

he said, Beloved, now we are children of God and it has not

yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is

revealed we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is

again. Quite simply, when we're in the

presence of the giver again, no one needs the gifts.

We'll be enamoured with the giver of the gifts when we're in

glory in the presence of Jesus face to face with Him.

There'll be no such need for the giftings of the Spirit as we see

them articulated in the Scriptures both here and

elsewhere. In fact, Paul spoke earlier in

his letter to the Corinthians of how they exercised every gift in

expectation of what? Of Christ's coming, not in

expectation of the completion of the Scriptures. 1 Corinthians

chapter one, verse 7, so that you come short in no gift,

eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus

Christ. So again, here at Calvary

Chapel, we believe in continuationism with respect to

the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We see this as the biblical

evidence for it. But I would say again that

cessationist are still our brothers and sisters in Christ.

We might think that they're wrong, They might think that I'm

wrong and you can hold whatever opinion, but still we are

believers, brothers and sisters in the Lord.

So now let's look at the first. I thought it was just helpful to

have a look at that. And then for the purpose of it,

if you're taking notes, our first point, the purpose of

spiritual gifts as a definition. Let me give this out to you

derived from the Scriptures, the gifts of the Spirit of the Holy

Spirit, a special enabling special abilities that the Holy

Spirit provides, gives to believers for the edification of

the church and the glorification of God.

Now understand that these are different to natural gifts.

We, we all have talents, we all have things that we're we're

naturally prone and we have propensities towards and so on.

And though the giftings of the Holy Spirit might share some

similarities with that, these are supernaturally divinely

bestowed upon by the Holy Spirit.

We see this in one Corinthians 12 verse 7.

But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for

the notice, profit of all, and then jump ahead. 1 Corinthians

1 Corinthians 14:26

chapter 14, verse 26. How is it then, brethren, that

whenever you come together, each of you has a Psalm, has a

teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an

interpretation? Let all things look at this be

done for edification. Peter the apostle also indicates

in his writing one Peter chapter 4, verse 10 and 11.

These words, as each one has received a gift, minister it to

one another. As good stewards of the manifold

grace of God, if anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of

God. If anyone ministers, let him do

it. As with the ability which God

supplies, and that in all things God may be glorified through

Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever

and ever. Amen.

So again, the purpose of of the giftings of the Holy Spirit is

the edification of the body, Brothers and sisters to benefit,

to be encouraged, to be strengthened, to be exhorted to

all of those things, to to build one another up.

And then second, the glorification of God that hears

praise, that the, the attention, the magnification, the focus,

the worship, the exaltation is upon him.

And can you see how people have gone wrong over the years with

the giftings of the Holy Spirit? But that is the purpose of the

gifts, the edification of the body, the glorification of God.

Now there is value to each gift he he pointed out and and so

Paul uses the illustration to to example this of the human body

in one Corinthians 12, verses 12 through to 26.

We didn't read them, but let me paraphrase for you.

He starts to talk about how just like the human body that we we

all have differing members in our bodies, but there's there's

no one member that is is, is to have a priority over the other.

You can't say to the ear, I don't need you anymore.

You can't say to the eye that you're of no use.

And we know what it's like when one small seemingly part of our

body suffers that it impacts the entire body.

So he uses this to to highlight that the giftings are to benefit

and to bless the entire body just as different parts form

their various roles and functions.

So now let's look at the gifts that have been listed that we've

read in One Corinthians 12/8 through to 10.

And what I'll do is I'll provide a brief definition, an

explanation, maybe some examples of each, each of these as well.

For to 1 is given the Word of Wisdom through the Spirit verse

8 chapter 12 to another the word of knowledge through the same

spirit to another faith by the same spirit to another gifts of

healings by the same spirit to another the working of miracles

to another prophecy to another discerning of spirits to another

different kinds of tongues to another the interpretation of

tongues. So the first that he mentioned

there is words of wisdom. This is having inspired insight

or or answers to a problem or a question.

Remember the example of King Solomon who exercised wisdom

when he pretended that he would divide the baby that the two

prostitutes were arguing about, thus revealing who the real

mother was? You remember Jesus in response

to the Pharisees where where they were questioning him where

the people should pay taxes and Jesus with wisdom said, bring me

a coin and, and, and ask the question, whose image is on this

coin and, and the result was well, Caesar.

And he said, render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and

unto the Lord the things that are the Lord's second gift

mentioned is the word of knowledge.

This is having inspired information about a matter or or

a person. An example.

Peter exercised this gift of knowledge when he knew in the in

the early Church of Ananias and Sapphira, who had lied to the

Holy Spirit about their, their giving and deliberately were

saying that they had given all when in reality they had held

back. And, and they were all about

just the public perception of their, their gift there.

And it was the Holy Spirit's insight into Peter in that word

of knowledge in that instance. The third mentioned is a gift of

faith. Now this is different to our

salvific faith. This is faith where it's an

ability to trust and to rest in the promises of God for a

particular given situation or scenario or circumstance.

It's a particular time where the Holy Spirit might enable

particular trust to believe in God in that moment and to to

trust by faith that that He'll fulfil that which He has

promised. You could give the example of

Peter walking on water, that despite the circumstances around

him, there was that extra exercise of faith in that

moment. The 4th mention is healing, a

supernatural ability from God to bring physical healing apart

from the natural means. Now understand that sometimes

once you've been given this gift, that might be the only

time that you're given that gift that not once given is it always

a thing where now I've got the gift of healing and, and here we

go. And and that's how people might

conduct themselves in some circles of Christianity Today.

But healing is that supernatural ability from God to bring

physical healing apart from from the natural means.

Peter in Acts chapter 3 healed the crippled beggar.

Acts 3 · chapter mention

Paul healed the sick in Malta in Acts 28 similar miracles.

The fifth one is meant the the working of God's powers through

a person for for glory, for for signs, for focus to be given

unto God. Prophecy is mentioned next the

the 6th 1:00 as the foretelling or rather in most cases the 4th

telling of God's word for the strengthening and the

encouragement and comfort of people.

Often prophets throughout the Bible in both Old and New

Testament would declare yes, predicted word of what would

take place in the future, yes. But more often than not it was a

declaration of this is God's word our 4th telling of a

revelation. And nowhere should there ever be

the contradiction or superseding of Scripture by a prophetic word

given the written word of the Lord will not be contradicted by

a so called prophecy of God that somebody declares.

And so that's why we're encouraging Scripture to test

every prophecy. Maybe hand in hand with that is,

is this next one discernment of spirits?

It's mentioned a discernment that comes upon someone as a

gifting by God to declare what might be divine or human or evil

about a person or a matter and knowing a little bit more in in

that tongues is mentioned. Eighthly, the ability to speak

an inspired language unknown to the person speaking that is

meant for prayer and praise unto God.

And Paul will focus on this and we will later in chapter 14.

The 9th is the interpretation of tongues, the companion gifting

to tongues meant for the edifying of the speaker or of

the hearers in that instant. And Paul goes on to mention more

at the end of chapter 12 in One Corinthians 1228 to 30.

We read those and here's the gifts that he mentions there,

the gift of apostleship, A visionary gifting of of helping

to to plan, to oversee ministries, maintaining

doctrinal purity of teaching the inspired ability to communicate

God's truth with clarity so that the church may learn and grow in

the faith of God. Third is mentioned there of

helps the especial ability to serve or assist others in

practical, meaningful ways. That will be a blessing.

Fourthly, the gift of administration, the special

ability to devise or to organise and to execute plans and

objectives within the body of Christ.

And what we've just covered in in chapter 12 combines with

other texts to equate to somewhere around 20 spiritual

gifts mentioned in the Scriptures out of Romans 12

Romans 12:6–8

verses 6 to 8 and Ephesians 4 verse 11.

Ephesians 4:11

And and you would do well to read those in addition to what

we've covered tonight. So hopefully that helps in some

respect in in looking at the purpose of the spiritual gifts

of the Holy Spirit in this way, what they are and what they are

for. Now, what I want to do is to

jump ahead to the proper use of the spiritual gifts and into

chapter 14. And in chapter 14, Paul will

focus on three of these gifts specifically that were in the

church in Corinth, problematic areas for them, that there is

abuse with respect to these spiritual giftings going on.

And he spends a lot of time on the gift of tongues.

And that's great because if there's anywhere there's a lot

of confusion, it's that isn't it.

And damage has been caused over the years with respect to this

one. So let's have a look at verses 1

to 10 of chapter 14. It says pursue love and desire

spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophecy for he who

speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God, for no

one understands him. However, in the Spirit he speaks

mysteries, but he who prophecies speaks edification and

exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue

edifies himself, but he who prophecies edifies the Church.

I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you

prophesied. For he who prophesize is greater

than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets that

the Church may receive edification.

But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what

shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by

revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching?

Even things without life, whether flute or heart, when

they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the

sounds, how will it be known what a part or played?

For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will

prepare for battle? So likewise you, unless you

utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be

known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into

the air. There are, it may be, so many

kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without

significance stopping there. So again, going back to our

definition, the gifting of tongues is the ability to speak

a language that is not known to the person speaking the

language. The reason for this gifting of

tongues? Well, we use words for

communication, right? And words when we talk 1 to

another, when we find the right word, our end communication

takes place then. It's a wonderful thing.

But have you not found that sometimes words just don't do

justice to how you're feeling or in communicating?

Sometimes husbands and wives, I think we wish we had the gift of

tongues with one another, right? And the, and the ability to

interpret with tongues. That's not what I meant.

That's not what I said. No, it's just not tell me how

you're feeling or just, I just can't put it into words.

And, and so sometimes there would just be this wonderful

thing if, oh, if only we had the gift of tongues in that moment,

because sometimes words fail us. Sometimes our ability to

communicate what we're feeling and to express that is is

limited or is restricted by our words.

So God gave and God gives some believers this gift to allow

them to bypass that barrier and commune with him unhindered.

It sounds bizarre. It sounds tricky for some of us

to understand fully, and for good reason.

It's supernatural. It's a gift of the Holy Spirit.

Chuck Smith considered the gift of tongues, the one gift that

his words, he said, is an insult to the intellect.

It is a language unto God. Verse 2.

And interestingly, a sign to unbelievers.

We haven't read it yet. Verse 22, he says, therefore,

tongues are for a sign not to those who believe, but to

unbelievers. But prophesying is not for

unbelievers, but for those who believe, but in the corporate

setting. So collectively, what we're

doing, our gathering here tonight, there is the need for

the other gifting, the interpretation of tongues.

And it says that we're to actually pray for

interpretation. 1 Corinthians 14, verse 13 through to 15, Have

1 Corinthians 14:13

a look with me. It says, therefore let him who

speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret, for if I pray in

a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful.

What is the conclusion then? Verse 15?

It says, I will pray with the Spirit, and I will also pray

with the understanding. I will sing with the Spirit and

I will also sing with the understanding.

So he says, Paul does not say that, that God always gives him

the interpretation, but that he always asks, he always prays to

understand. And So what does Paul do as a

consequence of that? He does both.

He prays using the gift of tongues and he speaks normal

speak. Now let's look a bit further at

the use of tongues because this is interesting.

Paul having said what he did there, he actually downplays the

use of tongues in the corporate church setting.

Out of all of the gifts of the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 14 verses

1 Corinthians 14:18

18 and 19 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all.

So did Paul have the gift of the tongues with respect to a

gifting from the Holy Spirit? Says I thank God that I do.

Yet verse 19 in the church I would rather speak 5 words with

my understanding that I may teach others also, than 10,000

words in a tongue. Paul would rather be understood

so that he could edify the church.

And he goes on verse 23. Therefore, if the whole church

comes together in one place and all speak with tongues, and

there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will

they not say that you are out of your mind?

And then verse 33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of

peace, as in all the churches of the Saints.

So what Paul says, he says, I don't want your gatherings to be

like a a gathering of the United Nations where nobody could

understand where nobody can ascertain what is going on, what

is taking place. He says non believers or or

believers without a knowledge of spiritual gifts could enter the

church and and hear each man speaking in in these different

tongues, these different languages and consider everyone

there mad. And so with all of these verses

combined, that's why we here at Calvary Chapel downplay or maybe

you could say discourage the public use of tongues.

Now you can use them privately and those with the gift of

tongues may sing in tongues as the church sings and they may

pray quietly in the in the spirit as the church prays, but

not to where it becomes an attention grabbing component of

confusion in our gatherings. That's the the difference.

You see. God is the God of peace and not

confusion. Tongues are fine to use so long

as they are not misused to draw attention to oneself.

Paul gave very strict guidelines back then that are still in

application today for the gift of tongues.

Even in in smaller settings, perhaps where everyone was a

believer and knew about the gift of tongues, Paul told them to

limit speaking in tongues to two or three people if there was no

one to interpret. Paul asked those who spoke in

tongues to keep silent in the corporate church setting hears

this the prophecy 4th telling of the word of God is the greater

gift. 1 Corinthians 14 we read it already, verses 1 to 3 pursue

love and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may

prophecy. For he who speaks in a tongue

does not speak to men, but to God, for no one understands him.

However, in the Spirit he speaks mysteries, but he who prophecies

speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men.

It is the preaching of God's Word and that's why we, we, we

focus on that so deliberately and so much here when we gather,

when we meet, it is the preaching, the declaration of

God's Word, the 4th telling of God's Word, the prophesying in

that way that will make a difference in someone's life

more than what tongues will. So there's the, the purpose of

spiritual gifts. There's the proper use of

spiritual gifts. And I'm mindful of time, but

here we'll bring it to a conclusion.

Now thirdly, the proof of spiritual gifts, because this is

where where it all is wrapped up, where it's all summed up in

sandwich between chapter 12 and chapter 14, kind of like that,

that delicious goodness in an Oreo.

You know, the middle part between the purpose and the

proper use of the gifts is 1 Corinthians 13.

We know it as the love chapter. People read this, people enjoy

this, they think of it as a poem.

They might ask for it as a reading at a wedding or some

other, maybe gathering of some sorts, but out of its context,

it misses what it's there for. It is to be a part of what Paul

is Speaking of here, the spiritual gifts and the Holy

Spirit. The proof that someone is

operating in the Spirit is the love of Jesus shining through

them. One Corinthians 13 verse one to

three. And maybe you know the exercise

in reading that passage that you can substitute every time that

you come across the word love Jesus name there.

And here's a more challenging exercise for us that whenever we

come across the word love, we substitute our name there.

Verse 1, Chapter 13 Though I speak with the tongues of men

and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding

brass or a clanging symbol. And though I have the gift of

prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and

though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains, but

have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods

to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but

have not love, it profits me nothing.

And here's where the substitution comes in.

Love suffers long. Jesus suffers long.

You suffer long. I suffer long and is kind.

Love does not envy. Love does not parade itself, is

not puffed up, does not behave rudely, does not seek its own,

is not provoked, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in iniquity but

rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things,

hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. But whether there are

prophecies, they will fail. Whether there are tongues, they

will cease. Whether there is knowledge, it

will vanish away. For we know in part, and we

prophecy in part. But when that which is perfect

has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

When I was a child I spoke as a child, I understood as a child,

I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put

away childish things. For now we see an Amira dimly,

but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I

shall know just as I also am known.

And now abide. Faith, hope, love, these three.

But the greatest of these is love.

The sounding brass, the clanging cymbals demonstrate this, that

the, the busyness, our our consumption with this and the

abuse of this without love is just making irritating noise.

Ever been around somebody just banging away?

You know, I like to watch cricket, but there's certain

context in watching cricket, the sport on TV where because the

crowd is making a noise, there's like, oh man, I just have to

turn the volume down because it's just a like a clanging

cymbal in my ears sounding brass.

And that's what Paul has highlighted that yes, be about

the gifts, but let me remind you that without love in those

gifts, it is like noise and noise that irritates and noise

that becomes painful and noise that causes a whole lot of

damage. So tonight we've looked at the

purpose, the proper use of the proof of spiritual gifts.

And what I, what I may do is, is go back and, and dive into some

of these, maybe in a topical study or a series at some point

and go into a little bit more, more depth and detail in these.

But want to leave you with this. What are we to do with this

tonight, this knowledge? What's our, our mission

statement from here? When it comes to the spiritual

gifts, go back again to 1 Corinthians 14, verse one.

In the first part for me, Paul says, pursue love.

You know, when you pursue something and there's a

desperation and earnestness that you would do anything to try and

obtain to achieve, to get there, Pursue that, pursue love.

What's the definition of love? Chapter 13 And then desire

spiritual gifts. Pursue love.

Number one, desire spiritual gifts #2 you know we should #1

not only desire to feel loved by God, but to put God's love into

action in our lives. That's what pursue Love Is All

about. Desire spiritual gifts #2 we

should use those spiritual gifts that we have been given by the

Holy Spirit to what edify His church, to bless and to benefit

brothers and sisters in the Lord, to build up, to encourage,

to strengthen the body of believers and to glorify his

name, to give praise, to draw attention, not to me, but to the

giver of the gifts. And often people want like the,

the hyper show version of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

Oh, you're going. Did you hear about how and and

and sort of people think of the the the you sort of you know,

the tangible hysterics of of what has been given, you know

kind of the bad reputation of the giftings of the Holy Spirit.

But let me tell you this that that every time that we gather

in the Lord's name. Did you know that the gifts are

in operation, especially 1 Corinthians 14 verse 1B, but

especially that you may prophecy that happens every time that we

meet the 4th telling of God's word in that way.

But let me tell you that that Wednesdays when we gather here

in this building and and God's word is is taught first of all,

and then we pray as a body of believers, man.

There is such building up such edification of the body that is

taking place as the gifts of the Holy Spirit are in operation in

that meeting in our gathering together.

And it might not look like tongues of fire on heads, might

not sound like rushing wind, and we might not see, you know, legs

growing longer or all sorts of, you know, miracles in ways that

people think, wow, that's the Holy Spirit moving.

But the Holy Spirit is moving in a way that is blessing the body

and is praising the God who loves us.

So let's pursue love, and let's desire spiritual gifts.