THE CLARIFICATION OF TONGUES
1 CORINTHIANS 14:20-25
INTRODUCTION: As we approach this next passage regarding the gift of tongues and their use/misuse, it is appropriate to deal with verse 20 again. Last week we closed with this verse, looking at the exhortation of Paul, not to be babies and children about the issue of tongues. And today, we want to remember that Paul STILL asks us not to treat this issue like children, but as adults.
When we think about children and their attitudes towards things, two thoughts pop into my mind. First, Kids tend to be content with trifles. How many of you can remember when you had all these wonderful Christmas gifts for your young son or daughter, or grandson or granddaughter, etc., etc. You watched them open up the Christmas gift, so that they would see the extra special toy you had bought them, and they looked at it, put it down and were content to play with the wrapping paper. The kids were content with the paper. Second, Kids tend to value things falsely. In other words they put great value on things of little worth, and little value on things of great worth.
Perhaps Paul is warning us to look for the real purpose and appropriate value in the gift of tongues. I think that he is.
I TONGUES AND THE DIRECTION OF GOD’S MOVEMENT – 14:21-22
A God’s Plan has always had a direction
1 Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel."
2 Philippians 2:9-11 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
3 Revelation 21:3-4 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."
B God had a direction with the gift of tongues
1 The history of Isaiah 28:11 Very well then, with foreign lips and strange tongues God will speak to this people,
a The people of Israel were under the teaching of the prophets.
1 Instructed by Divine authority
2 Reproved by Divine authority
3 Corrected by Divine authority
ISRAEL DID NOT LISTEN
b Their continual disobedience led to God bringing the Babylonians onto the scene
1 The Babylonians would discipline the nation of Israel
2 They would discipline in a tongue that Israel did not know
3 The unknown tongue became a symbol of discipline and judgment
2 The gift of tongues was meant to assist in the propagation of the gospel by allowing Christians to address people of various nations in their own language.
a Used this way – tongues was a blessing
b Used to address those who could not understand the language – made the gift a curse and a detriment to the cause of Christ.
ACTUALLY DIVIDING THE CHURCH IT WAS MEANT TO HELP!
C God’s direction Has Always Been Communication
1 Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God – Romans 10:17
2 When the gift of tongues was used to convey the message of the Gospel to a group in their own language, tongues became prophecy. They heard the Word of God and believed.
3 The Corinthian Church was involved in activity that fractured the church
4 Tongues got the attention of unbelievers
Acts 2:7-8 Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans?
8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language?
Acts 2:12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, "What does this mean?"
Acts 2:22-24 "Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.
23 This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.
24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
a They understood what was said
b Able to act on what was said
A legitimate question to ask is, Is the modern day tongues movement biblical or Corinthian in its activity?
II TONGUES AND THE VALIDITY OF GOD’S MESSAGE – 14:23-24
A Tongues are an evidence of God’s work.
B Are they the best evidence, or the most appropriate
1 For this we need to look at the early church
2 The early church gives us the best opportunity to evaluate this gift and its purpose regarding the gospel and Spiritual Activity
SALVATION AND TONGUES
Three Recorded Incidents of Tongues associated with Salvation:
Acts 2:4. 8-11 – PENTECOST
Acts 10:44-48 -- Cornelius and friends
Acts 19:6 -- Men of Ephesus
17 Recorded Incidents of activity without the association of Tongues:
Acts 2:37-47 -- 3,000 saved, baptized & added to church
Acts 3:1-26 -- Lame man healed.
Acts 4: 1-4 -- 5,000 plus saved.
Acts 4:31 -- All filled with the Holy Spirit, preached the Word
Acts 5: 11-16 -- Multitudes saved, healed, added to the church ¬
Acts 5:42 -- Daily in the temple and every house and ceased not to teach and preach Christ
Acts 6: 1-8 -- Seven men chosen, full of the Holy Ghost, multitudes saved including priests
Acts 6. 7 -- Steven preached
Acts 8:26-40 -- Ethiopian Eunuch saved & baptized
Acts 9 -- Paul saved, baptized, preached
Acts 9:32-35 -- Aeneas healed.
Acts 11 :22-26 -- People added to church
Acts 13:44-52 -- Paul and Barnabas, salvation for many, the
disciples filled with the Holy Spirit
Acts 15:12 -- The multitude kept silent, listened to preaching, talked of signs and wonders
Acts 16:14.15 -- Lydia saved
Acts 16:30-34 -- Jailor saved
Acts 17:1-4 -- Thessalonica, many saved
3 The overwhelming conclusion is that tongues – in the New Testament Church was not the evidence of salvation some make it out to be
C The validity of God’s Message is not seen in the evidence of God’s gifts, but in the conviction of peoples hearts. – 14:24-25a
III TONGUES AND THE SALVATION OF GOD’S PEOPLE – 14:25
A The early church needed tongues to validate the message of God
1 God’s message to the church was not completed till almost 100 A.D.
2 Apostles were literally writing God’s message – Acts 6
B The Early Church needed tongues to convict them of their own prejudices.
1 Acts 2 -- God was moving
2 Acts 8:14-17 – God was moving to the Samaritans
3 Acts 10:44;11:11-18 – God was moving to the Gentiles
4 Acts 19:1-7 – God was moving out
5 Fulfillment of God’s prophecy to the church – Acts 1:8
C The Present Day Church
1 Has a completed message from God
2 Has a fulfilled Prophecy from God
a No other prophecy awaits the church but the rapture
3 What the Corinthian Church did not have
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