Order in the Church -- 1 Corinthains 14v26-40

So that's from 1 Corinthians chapter 14, beginning at verse 26, and that's page 1155 of the Red

1 Corinthians 14 · chapter mention

Church Bible.

What then shall we say, brothers?

When you come together, everyone has a hymn or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue,

or an interpretation.

All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.

If anyone speaks in a tongue, two, or at the most three, should speak, one at a time, and

someone must interpret.

If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself

and God.

Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said.

And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop.

For you can all prophecy in turn, so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.

The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets.

For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace.

As in all the congregations of the saints, women should remain silent in the churches.

They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the law says.

If they want to inquire about something, they should ask their own husbands at home, for it

is disgraceful for a woman to speak in the church.

Did the word of God originate with you, or are you the only people it has reached?

If anyone thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am

writing to you is the Lord's command.

If he ignores this, he himself will be ignored.

Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues, but everything

should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

Thank you, Christine.

Well, should Christine have read or not?

That's the question.

We'll get to that a little bit later on.

Keep your Bibles open.

1 Corinthians 14.

And there's some pens and sheets.

If you'd like to be able to take notes, then you can do that, or you simply use the back

of the new sheet.

There's spaces there if you'd like to be able to take notes as we work along.

So, just a reminder, we did have a little break from 1 Corinthians last week, but we've been

looking at a series which we're entitling The Gathering, which takes us from 1 Corinthians

11 through to the end of 14, which is asking the big, big question, what should we do when

we gather together, just as we're doing now?

What should our meeting, our gathering be like?

And we come to the very end of that.

It's almost like a conclusion to all that's been spoken about.

Thanks, Alex.

We're going to pray and ask for God's help to us.

Our Father God, we thank you for your word, and we thank you that you have spoken clearly

to us.

We ask that in the midst of the chaos of this world and the confusion that we face, that

you would speak truth to us, your people today, so that you bring order out of disorder.

You bring hope in times of darkness, that you bring peace where there is turmoil.

So, Father, by your Holy Spirit, speak through your word, through your servant today.

We pray in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Amen.

So, what did you say to the person you're sitting next to this morning?

Or what was your conversation like over tea and coffee?

Well, the writer of Proverbs reminds us about our words.

He says this, reckless words can pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise or the words

of the wise brings healing.

You see, our words have great power.

They can either build up or they can tear down.

They can hurt or they can heal.

And I'm sure we've all experienced both.

That sharp word that crushes us and breaks us or the gentle word that restores and renews.

Our words have great power.

Well, in the church at Corinth, they were well known for their, what we might term, their word

gifts.

So, look at verse 26.

Chapter 14, verse 26.

What then shall we say, brothers and sisters?

When you come together, so just as we're gathered together like this in this meeting place.

So, he's saying when you come together, everyone has a hymn or a song or a word of instruction

or a revelation, that is a prophecy, a word from God, a tongue, that is another language,

or an interpretation of that language.

You see, they've got these wonderful word gifts.

But the problem is, as we've seen, their words are causing division and disorder.

And in particular, throughout chapter 14, we've seen that if you had the gift of tongues,

speaking in an unknown language, the assumption was that your words were more powerful, perhaps

you were more spiritual, and therefore you should have more speaking rights.

The church was like question time in Dolaran.

Everyone wanting to have their say, and no one quite understanding what was being said.

It was chaotic.

There was complete disorder.

Well, as we gather together as church, we've come here today with all of our word gifts.

Everyone might have something to say, but how we use our words with each other is of crucial importance.

So, look at verse 33.

For God is not a God of disorder, but of peace.

You see, when God speaks, he doesn't bring disorder.

God brings peace.

God's word doesn't bring confusion and chaos.

God's word brings clarity.

Think about the creation story, that passage at the very beginning of the Bible in Genesis 1.

In the beginning, we're told, there was, what, there was like chaos and disorder, and then God spoke.

And his word brought order.

And his word brought harmony.

He had everything in its place.

Everything as it should be.

Now, the point is, as we gather together, our gathering here should reflect something of the character of the God we worship.

So, as we come this morning, our words to one another should bring clarity, not confusion.

The words that we speak to one another should bring peace and harmony into each other's lives.

It brings peace to the brokenness and the disorder that our world and our lives face.

So, in conclusion, he will say in verse 40.

But everything, that is, as we meet together, everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.

Because God is a God of order.

And God brings clarity, not confusion.

Well, as we gather together, there are two big things that we need to keep in mind.

Here's the first one.

All our words should build up the church.

All our words should build up the church.

Go back to verse 26.

What then shall we say, brothers and sisters?

When you come together, everyone has a hymn or a song, a word of instruction, a revelation, that is, a prophecy, a tongue, or an interpretation.

All of these, and not just those, but indeed all word gifts, must be done for the strengthening of the church.

So, what's that going to look like for us here in Carragallion?

Well, three things.

First, we should come ready to participate.

Again, look at verse 26.

Do you see in the middle it says, when you come together.

When you come together, everyone.

So, the expectation is, is that we actually do make it a priority, as God's people, to meet together.

And when we come together as church, we come to participate.

That's been encouraged all the way along.

Look at verse 12 of chapter 14.

So it is with you.

So it is with you.

Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church or strengthen the church.

What are they?

Well, go down to verse 18.

He says, I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you.

So it's not wrong or bad to speak in tongues.

Verse 19.

To comfort those who are struggling.

And to instruct those who perhaps are drifting in their relationship with God.

So we don't come waiting to be spoken to by somebody else and sitting in our seats going,

why isn't anybody talking to me?

We come ready to participate.

Second, we come thinking of others.

The gifts that God gives to us are primarily to strengthen other people and not self.

So look at verse 27.

If anyone speaks in a tongue, that is, in an unknown or unlearned language,

two, or at the most three, should speak.

One at a time.

And someone must interpret.

You see, if someone speaks in an unknown or unlearned language,

it's not going to benefit the church at all because

no one understands.

Verse 11.

If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying,

I'm a foreigner to the speaker.

And they're a foreigner to me.

Verse 13.

For this reason,

anyone who speaks in a tongue

should pray

that he may interpret what he says.

So anybody who has the gift of tongue should,

well, they should be praying for that interpretation.

Or somebody else should interpret

so that all the church,

so that everybody benefits.

Verse 28.

If there is no interpreter,

the speaker should keep quiet in the church

and speak to himself and God.

You see, the point I think here is

is that we use our word gifts

to think of ways of building other people up.

It's really not about me.

In contrast then,

he goes on to talk about prophecy,

which is others-centered.

It's about thinking of others.

So again, verse 27.

Let's just read the first part of verse 27.

It says,

if anyone speaks in a tongue.

If.

So it's not essential.

But, look at verse 29.

Two or three prophets

should speak.

And why is the priority

or the emphasis placed on prophecy?

Well, we're told in verse 31.

For you can all prophecy in turn

so that everyone

may be instructed

and encouraged.

You see, prophecy is a priority

within the church

because it is always thinking

of other people.

It is others-centered.

You might remember that

from chapter 14 and verse 4.

He who speaks in the tongue

edifies himself,

but he who prophesies

edifies the church.

It builds up the church.

Now you say,

well, that's all great, isn't it?

All this talk of prophecy.

Well, let me ask this.

When was the last time

someone in this church

brought a prophecy?

Never mind two or three.

Can you remember?

Well,

we need to think about that,

don't we?

Because if we understand

prophecy as this,

and we looked at this

the other week,

as being a revelation

from God,

that is a word

that is tested

against scripture,

that strengthens,

encourages,

comforts,

instructs,

the church body,

and can lead

unbelievers

to Christ.

So what's that

going to look like

for us?

Well, it could be

as we've just done

over tea and coffee.

We don't look at

tea and coffee

as break time,

but as perhaps,

do we say,

prophecy time?

An opportunity

to build

one another up?

to comfort

and instruct

and encourage

each other

with our words?

It could be.

But it seems

as we read

through this,

this is talking

about two or three

speaking to the

whole church.

Not just one-to-one

conversations,

but someone speaking

to all the church.

So what's that

going to look like?

Well, in some sense,

preaching is prophetic,

as we're doing

right now.

As we hear

God's word

explained and applied,

it brings instruction,

it brings encouragement,

it brings comfort.

Those who led

the songs,

in some sense,

were also being

prophetic,

as they spoke

truth.

Even the words

that we sang

today bring us

comfort and

encouragement

in the midst

of chaos and

turmoil and

unknowns of

what's going

to happen.

But again,

as we read

through this

section here,

it seems to be

that this is

not just

planned speech,

but there's

also a

spontaneity.

So look at

verse 30.

So in the

gathering,

we're talking,

verse 30,

and if a

revelation comes

to someone

who is sitting

down,

the first

speaker should

stop.

So it

seems to me

that when

the church

gathers

together,

there should

be times

when there is

opportunity

to bring a

word from God

to build up

the whole

church.

And again,

we could say,

well, we could do

that in home

groups.

Yes, yes,

we could do

that, but it's

not the whole

church gathered,

is it?

Now, I

haven't got my

head completely

around all of

this, still

thinking it

through, but I

think it's

something we do

need to think

about.

But what

would it look

like?

Well, it

might mean,

and this is

what I do

think, instead

of having time

for announcements,

which we did

this morning,

and which

everybody else

can actually

read from

their new

sheet.

We don't

need to do

it if you

just read

carefully.

Maybe we

need to think

about having

time where

church members

have the

opportunity to

speak a word

of encouragement

to the church.

It's not

necessarily all

the time, it

doesn't say that

everybody has

that gift,

but it might

be a word of

encouragement in

line of what

we've been

thinking.

I leave that

for discussion.

we can talk

about it

again.

So come

to participate,

think of

others,

and third,

learn to

be silent.

Verse 33,

for God is

not a God

of disorder,

but of

peace.

As in all

the congregations,

all the

churches of

the saints,

women should

remain silent

in the

churches.

churches,

they are

not allowed

to speak

and must

be in

submission,

as the

law says.

So that's

clear,

isn't it?

Men are

encouraged to

participate,

and all the

women have

to keep

quiet.

Well,

before I get

something thrown

at me,

we need to be

very careful.

I don't think

that's exactly

what it means.

Three things

in response

to that.

First,

Paul is

actually given

instructions to

all the

church about

being silent.

So look back

at verse 28.

If there is

no interpreter,

the speaker

should keep

quiet in the

church.

In other

words,

be silent.

It's the

same in

verse 30.

And if a

revelation or

a prophecy

comes to

someone who

is sitting

down,

well then

the first

speaker should

stop.

That is,

be quiet,

be silent.

So it's

not just

women that

are to be

silent.

We all

need to

learn to

be silent

and quiet.

The second

thing is,

Paul actually

does encourage

women to

speak.

He's very

clear about

that.

We saw

that back

in chapter

11,

verse 5.

You can

flick back

a page.

It's a

different

situation,

a different

context.

If you

want the

whole sermon,

you can

listen to

it online.

But just

the first

part of

verse 5,

chapter 11.

And every

woman who

prays or

prophesies.

So the

implication is

that women

are gifted

just as

much as

men to

pray and

prophesy

within the

gathering of

the church.

There's no

restriction.

So why

then, when we

get to

chapter 14,

verse 34,

are we

reading women

aren't allowed

to speak?

Has he

forgotten what

he's written?

Is he a

little bit

confused?

I don't

think so.

I think the

answer thirdly

comes in

verse 35

of chapter

14.

If they,

who are

they?

Well, in

particular, I

think the

wives.

If they

want to

inquire

about

something,

they should

ask their

own husbands

at home,

for it was

disgraceful for

a woman to

speak in the

church.

Now let me

try and give

a picture of

what I think

and what

certainly some

of the

commentators

point towards.

The scene is

probably something

like this.

A man would

stand up to

give a word of

encouragement,

an instruction,

a prophecy.

And then his

wife would

publicly start

questioning or

disagreeing with

what he had to

say.

So husband and

wife were having

a little bit of

a spat in the

front row.

Not only was

that disrespectful

to the husband

whose role it

was to lead,

verse 35,

we're told it

was disgraceful.

In other words,

the questioning

was bringing a

disorder to the

church,

instead of

building up

the church.

Look at the

middle of verse

34.

They, the

wives, are not

allowed to speak,

but must be in

submission as the

law says.

Well, what does

the law say?

What law is he

referring to?

Well, it's the

law, the

scriptures.

And I think it's

a reference back

to Genesis

Genesis 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2,

where we learn

that women

and men

are equal in

value and

worth before

God, but

they've been

given different

roles.

The husband

is to give

loving,

sacrificial care

for his

wife, to

protect, to

protect and to

provide.

He is to give

of himself for

his wife, to

serve his

wife.

And the wife

in response is

to live in

submission, that

is to live under

the loving and

sacrificial care of

the husband, which

is to be a good

and orderly care.

So to start

questioning and

disagreeing in

public was in

some way a

rejection of

God's good and

beautiful design

for marriage.

And that's

why I think he

gives this

specific instruction

here.

So I think

what we can

take from all

of this, we're

all encouraged,

women and

men, we are

all encouraged

to pray and

prophesy to

one another for

the building up

of the church.

And there are

times when all

men and

women need

to learn to

be silent.

As we gather

together, it's

not about me and

what I want to

have to say and

what I want to

have to share and

give me the mic and

let me say what I'm

going to say.

It's about respect

for each other

and letting others

speak and letting

them strengthen and

encourage.

and that

everything we

do, we do

for the

strengthening and

building up of

the church

family.

So, first, all

our words should

build up the

church.

The second, and

it's a little bit

shorter, all our

words should be

submitted to

scripture.

scripture.

So, as we

come together and

somebody has a

prophecy, does

that mean we

can say whatever

we like?

Well, I don't

think prophecy is

an excuse to

share with the

church anything

that just pops

into our mind and

we can confidently

stand before

everybody and

say, thus says

the Lord, and

out it comes.

Verse 36.

Did the word of

God originate

with you?

Are you the

source of

everything that

God has to

say?

Verse 36.

Or are you the

only people it

has reached?

Are we the

last word on

what God is

and what God

is not?

Like, is it

up to us?

It seems to

me that it's

arrogant for

us to think

that our

thoughts and

our imaginations

have the same

authority as

God's word,

the Bible, and

it's very

dangerous to

speak to other

people as if

your words are

coming directly

from God and

your words should

be obeyed.

Two things, I

think, will

help us here.

First, the

authority of

Scripture.

Verse 37.

If anybody, if

anyone thinks he

is a prophet or

spiritually gifted,

let him

acknowledge that

what I am

writing to you

is the

Lord's

command.

So Paul is

claiming that

his words,

he's written

words to this

church in

Corinth, and

the words that

we are reading

right now, he

says, are the

Lord's commands.

In other words,

what Paul is

saying, God

is saying.

His words are

Scripture, which

is why we have

them preserved and

recorded for us

today, and which

is why we're

reading them and

looking at them.

This is God's

voice to us

today.

God's

writing.

And not

God's

responsibility to

write Scripture.

It was consigned, if

you like, to the Old

Testament prophets and the New

Testament apostles. Their

writing is God's word to

us.

So again, verse 37, if

anyone thinks he's a

prophet or spiritually

gifted, let him

acknowledge that what I am

writing to you is the

Lord's command.

That means none of us

can stand up and say,

God has told me, or

God has said.

No, the only time that

I could ever speak, or

you could ever speak,

with such authority, is

when we're reading from

the Bible, when we can

stand up and say, this

is what God says.

We must be very wary of

people who say things

like this, God told

me to tell you.

Which means, secondly, we

must test everything

against Scripture.

Verse 29.

So he's talking about

prophets. Two or three

prophets should speak, and

the other should weigh

carefully what is said.

So again, let's try and

picture this. If someone

brings a word of

encouragement or

instruction, well, the

whole church has a

responsibility.

We should weigh what

the other should weigh

carefully what is said.

That is, we should

carefully discern if what

they are saying is of

God. And the best way to

do that is to test it

against Scripture.

Is what the person's

saying in agreement with

Scripture? Or does it

contradict what God has

already said?

Are the words that

they're speaking to the

church an application

of Scripture?

A principle that's

taken, that's being

applied to a specific

situation?

So, for example, today

we're facing Brexit.

What's going to happen?

What's the future?

Well, we speak God's

Word.

God's Word says, I am the

Lord and there is no

other.

We can take refuge in

this God.

So is what they're saying

in agreement with

Scripture?

Is it an application of

Scripture?

Regrettably, it's very

common today for so-called

prophets to tell people

things like this.

God has told me to tell

you that you're going to

be healed or that you

will be successful.

Well, the fact is that

God has never, ever

promised anywhere in

His Word that guarantees

that you will be healed

of everything and that

you'll be successful in

everything.

It's a lie.

God can heal.

God gives gifts of

healing.

But we must never, ever

mess with people's lives

by claiming God said.

You see, we are not free

to say whatever we like

and stick a little

spiritual God says at

the beginning.

That is both arrogant

and dangerous.

Verse 38.

If he ignores this, if he

ignores the Lord's

command, that is,

he himself will be

ignored.

We should test and weigh

up everything carefully

with what God has said.

And if it is not in

line, we should ignore

it completely and do

not entertain it.

So, as we gather

together, we come with

all of our gifts that God

has given to us.

And we use our words

to build up the church.

Speaking words of truth,

encouragement, comfort,

and making sure that all

that we have to say

submits to the authority

of Scripture.

For God is not a God of

disorder, but a God of

peace.

let's pray together.

Let's pray together.