1 Corinthians 14:26-33

26 What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 27 If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 28 If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.

29 Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. 30 And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. 31 For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged. 32 The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people. 

-1 Corinthians 14:26-33

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It’s not about you.  That’s the focus of this passage.  In the Church of Corinth almost 2,000 years ago, their services were very scrappy.  It was very formal or planned.  During their church serve, people just jumped in to share a thought or to pray or to prophecy or to “speak in tongues.”  It must have been pretty chaotic.

What made it more chaotic was the fact that everyone was trying to jump in to speak in tongues to show off how spiritual they were.  The Apostle Paul was basically discouraging from doing so because it was making the service crazy long and disorganized.  He was pleading with them for the sake of the community to stop trying to show off your “spiritual” gifts.

When people in the church or a faith community only care for themselves, the community begins to break down and feel chaotic.  But when the people begin to care for one another and put others first, the community becomes strong and healthy.

I’m so grateful that you are all part of the Harvesters / AYL family!  May we be a community that puts others first and not ourselves and our own egos.

In what ways can you put others in Harvesters or AYL first?

1 Corinthians 14-22-25

22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25 as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!” -1 Corinthians 14:22-25

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Do we make our gathering places inviting to those who may not come from a Christian background?  Look at the Apostle Paul’s concern  here.  He was worried if the church had visitors and everyone is “speaking in tongues” they would scare away these visitors who might be interested in Christianity.  Our fellowship groups or gatherings must always take into consideration how we can better help our visiting friends feel comfortable.  We need create safe spaces for people to explore their faith at their own pace.

This is why the Harvesters House was so important to us.  It’s a place where yes, we learned about Jesus, but we also where we played the Voting Game, Smash Bros, sing karaoke (this one’s for you Ryan), eat birthday cakes, and just hang out and have fun.  We try to make it as comfortable as possible for people.

In your life, you will be involved in many different Christian communities.  May all of them be open and welcoming to those who have questions about the faith.

1 Corinthians 14:6-21

“Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me. So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church. For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified. I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue. Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. In the Law it is written: “With other tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.”” -1 Corinthians 14:6-21 NIV

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The purpose of spiritual gifts is not to glorify oneself but to be a blessing on others.  But too often, we use our gifts for us.  When we use our skills or talents that God has given us just for ourselves, we’re being spiritually immature.  This is why the Apostle Paul is telling the church of Corinth to stop thinking like infants.  All they cared about is showing off their ability to speak in tongues.  All they cared about was how spiritual they appeared to others, when in fact, their desire to do so showed instead how truly un-spiritual they were.

Are you being spiritually mature in the way that you look at the gifts God has given you?

1 Corinthians 14:1-5

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. 2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. 3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. 4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified. -1 Corinthians 14:1-5

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The word “prophecy” have different interpretations.  Some Bible scholars believe they are talking about actual predicting of the future events that were supernaturally revealed to an individual.  Other scholars say that the word “prophecy” is talking about Christian teaching or Christian truth.

Regardless of the interpretation it is clear that Paul see prophecy as something that benefits others.  If you received a supernatural revelation, you share it with the community o build them up.  If you are teaching Christian truth, you are building up the faith community.

This is in sharp contrast to the “speaking of tongues,” which was a practice where someone becomes so overwhelmed by God’s Spirit that they start speaking in an unknown language.  The Apostle Paul was discouraging this because the ability to speak in tongues have become a spiritual status symbol in the Corinthian church.  People think they are godly or better than others because they have the ability to speak in tongues.  This gift has become all about them and not about God or about helping others grow in God.

My personal pet peeve is when people go on missions trip to a different country and take pictures of themselves with kids who are living in poverty.  I don’t want to sound overly jaded but sometimes I wonder if they are there to really help or just for a photo op they can post on their Insta to show the world how altruistic they are.  Is it really about those kids or is it about their own reputation?

Today in our churches, we have our own version of “speaking in tongues.”  A lot of people want to be on the church’s praise team or leadership team because they get a lot of visibility.  If you’re playing music on stage, you’re literally in the spotlight.  Or if you’re sharing with people, you’re up front and the focus is on you.  We need to be careful that we’re not doing “spiritual” things for our won ego as oppose to for God’s glory.

That’s what the people in Corinth were doing—the speaking tongues was for their own glory, not for God’s and that annoyed the Apostle Paul as it should.

1 Corinthians 13:13

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. -1 Corinthians 13:13

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This last verse in the “love” chapter wraps up the emphasis on love above all things.  We need to have faith now in God, but in heaven faith won’t be required because we will see God face to face.  

We need to have hope in God now, but in heaven all that God wants to accomplish will be accomplished.  All evil will be vanquished.  All wrongs will be righted.  Everyone will be made more like themselves than they ever were.  There will no longer be need for hope because what we hope for will be true.

But love is something different.  We need love know and in heaven love isn’t tossed away because it’s no longer needed, but rather it is fulfilled to it’s fullest extend.  It’s the opposite of what happens to faith and hope.  Faith and hope’s usefulness disappears in heaven, but love’s finds it’s ultimate fulfillment in heaven.  It expands infinitely outward to encompass all of God’s creation and reality.  Faith and hope disappears but love is no everywhere in heaven.

This is why the greatest is love.  When we love here on earth, we are but mirroring and inkling of what love will look like in heaven.

Are you loving people here on earth?  Are you mirroring heaven?

1 Corinthians 13:8-12

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. -1 Corinthians 13:8-12

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In the church of Corinth, people were all trying one-up each other by showing off their “spiritual” gifts.  People who spoke in tongues or were able to prophesy considered themselves better than those who can’t.

The Apostle Paul was putting all of them in their place.  In heaven, there is no need to speak in the tongues of angels because everyone will be communicating with one another in ways we can’t even imagine right now.  In heaven, there’s no need to predict what is to come because we will know and understand reality and a completely different way than we do now.

So speaking in tongues will cease and predicting the future will cease, but not love.  Love will still be around in heaven and that’s what makes it so much more important than anything else.  Our love here on earth has the power to stretch into eternity.

Love never fails. 

1 Corinthians 13:7

“...always perseveres...” -1 Corinthians 13:7

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What does it mean that love always perseveres?  It means two things.  The first is that our love is bound to be tested.  Perseverance suggests hardships.  It suggests resistance.

Think about someone you love.  There must have been times when it was difficult to love that individual.  As Christians, we know fundamentally every person has a sinful nature and thus are bound to sin against others—even against those who love the individual, especially against those who love the individual.  The people who love the most have the greatest potential to hurt us with their sin.

But love perseveres.  Love endures even when it is hard and tough.  Even when there seems like it’s running on empty, love continues to love.

Jesus is the ultimate role model for this.  He went to the Cross for the very people who put him there—that’s you and me!  Jesus didn’t just die for people who needed him, he died for people who hurt him and yes, even killed him.

If you think about, because of our sin, all of us are responsible for Jesus’ death.  And yet, love perseveres.  Despite our sin and despite how much we hurt him and even killed him, Jesus continues to love us.

And when we accept his love, we become conduits of his love toward others.  When we allow Jesus into our lives, our love becomes invincible like his love because it is really his love flowing through us.  And because his love perseveres, so do ours.

Does your love persevere?  Is the love of Jesus flowing through you?