1 00:00:07,600 --> 00:00:08,880 Welcome again. Good evening. 2 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:11,920 Open your Bible, please, to the book of First Corinthians in the 3 00:00:11,920 --> 00:00:16,400 New Testament in chapter 12. The title of tonight's message 4 00:00:16,400 --> 00:00:22,560 is concerning spiritual gifts. Now, often people will ask me a 5 00:00:22,560 --> 00:00:24,920 question about, you know, the gifts of the Holy Spirit and 6 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:27,360 where should I go? And I'll, I'll recommend to them 7 00:00:27,640 --> 00:00:32,080 reading chapter 12, chapter 13 and chapter 14 of First 8 00:00:32,080 --> 00:00:34,720 Corinthians and to read it in its context. 9 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:38,400 And the context flows beautifully. 10 00:00:38,400 --> 00:00:42,240 You can see where all of those elements fit together. 11 00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:45,040 Now, the actual book of First Corinthians that we've been 12 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:48,840 teaching through can be read in about an hour, and that was the 13 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:52,840 original reception of this book from the early church. 14 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:55,160 When Paul had written this letter to them, they would have 15 00:00:55,160 --> 00:00:57,560 opened it up and they would have read it and they would have 16 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:01,200 received everything from chapter one, verse 1 all the way through 17 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:03,600 to the end. We've been breaking it down. 18 00:01:03,600 --> 00:01:06,360 We've been taking bits and pieces here and there, and we've 19 00:01:06,360 --> 00:01:08,480 been in it now for some four months. 20 00:01:09,520 --> 00:01:13,640 It seems like not quite that long, at least from my end, 21 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:15,600 maybe from you. It's like, man, it seems like 4 22 00:01:15,600 --> 00:01:17,120 years. Hurry up and finish. 23 00:01:18,200 --> 00:01:21,760 But we're here in One Corinthians, chapter 12 on this 24 00:01:21,760 --> 00:01:24,440 topic of spiritual gifts. And I'm going to try and deal 25 00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:27,640 with it all in the context in which I've just recommended 26 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:34,520 chapter 12, chapter 13 and 14. And the reason I want to do that 27 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:38,360 is for, as I mentioned, to help us get it all in its context. 28 00:01:38,800 --> 00:01:42,240 And so understand that in this kind of fly over view that we 29 00:01:42,240 --> 00:01:45,760 won't necessarily dive deeply into components. 30 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:49,520 I was joking this morning that I said to someone, yeah, we'll try 31 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:52,640 and take these three chapters in in one session. 32 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:56,280 I figured why split the church over three weeks when you can do 33 00:01:56,280 --> 00:01:58,720 it in one week? You know, it's such a 34 00:01:58,720 --> 00:02:01,560 controversial issue, spiritual gifts, right? 35 00:02:01,560 --> 00:02:06,280 There's so much division about it and so much discrepancy and 36 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:11,200 diversity of opinions upon it, and we'll dig into that. 37 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:14,280 It's been a divisive topic. Certainly gifts of the Spirit. 38 00:02:14,800 --> 00:02:18,840 And in verse 1 of chapter 12, Paul says that he does not want 39 00:02:18,840 --> 00:02:22,120 the church in Corinth to be ignorant about spiritual gifts. 40 00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:24,120 Literally, it's the spiritual matters. 41 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:27,640 He starts now concerning spiritual gifts. 42 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:30,480 My translation, I'm reading from the new King James tonight. 43 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:33,800 Brethren, it's a collective term for the church. 44 00:02:33,800 --> 00:02:36,960 Church, I do not want you to be ignorant. 45 00:02:38,520 --> 00:02:43,440 Now again, they have been asking Paul a number of questions and 46 00:02:43,440 --> 00:02:46,440 Paul has also heard a number of rumours that he sought to 47 00:02:46,440 --> 00:02:48,320 address. The questions that they asked 48 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:51,600 him were to do with relationships, about marriage, 49 00:02:51,600 --> 00:02:55,240 about singleness, about divorce, to do with the areas of 50 00:02:55,240 --> 00:02:58,640 Christian liberty and conscience, to do with spiritual 51 00:02:58,640 --> 00:03:02,560 gifts, as we'll look at, and then in future sermons, to do 52 00:03:02,560 --> 00:03:06,000 with money and giving. And he'd also heard of what was 53 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:09,760 going on there in the Church, of the sexual issues that they were 54 00:03:09,760 --> 00:03:12,640 dealing with, the promiscuity that was present in their midst, 55 00:03:12,640 --> 00:03:16,080 that they were permitting of the divisions that people had in, in 56 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:18,840 how that they were grouping according to certain teachers. 57 00:03:18,840 --> 00:03:22,600 And and that was causing division of their drunkenness at 58 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:24,600 communion. We looked at last time. 59 00:03:25,240 --> 00:03:28,080 And so he's been writing to address their queries and he's 60 00:03:28,080 --> 00:03:31,920 been writing to address their ignorance on subjects and he's 61 00:03:31,920 --> 00:03:34,800 been writing to address their sin in areas. 62 00:03:35,560 --> 00:03:38,000 Now, it's interesting, and I've mentioned this before on this 63 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:40,880 first verse, that he did not want them to be ignorant. 64 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:44,240 This is one of a number of things that Paul advised the, 65 00:03:44,240 --> 00:03:47,920 the early New Testament church that he did not want people to 66 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:51,680 be ignorant of, which you could argue is largely what the church 67 00:03:51,680 --> 00:03:55,880 today is ignorant about. You know, we, we look at this, 68 00:03:56,240 --> 00:03:58,840 could you say that people are ignorant about spiritual gifts? 69 00:03:59,040 --> 00:04:03,880 I think that you can. In Romans Chapter 11, the thing 70 00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:07,360 that Paul there didn't want them to be ignorant of was the nation 71 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:10,680 of Israel and the Jewish people and of God's promises towards 72 00:04:10,680 --> 00:04:11,800 them. Could you say that people are 73 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:13,840 ignorant in the church about that? 74 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:19,839 The second thing out of First Thessalonians chapter 4 is to do 75 00:04:19,839 --> 00:04:22,920 with the end times and eschatology and and the second 76 00:04:22,920 --> 00:04:24,560 coming of Jesus. Could you say that there's 77 00:04:24,560 --> 00:04:30,720 ignorance about that Second Corinthians chapter 2 to do with 78 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:34,360 Satan's tactics and strategies. There's there's large ignorance 79 00:04:34,360 --> 00:04:36,640 about the way that the enemy works. 80 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:39,760 And then we looked at in chapter 10, ignorance to do with 81 00:04:39,760 --> 00:04:45,200 idolatry and the worship of any other thing or person above God 82 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:46,960 in the rightful place that he has to hold. 83 00:04:47,440 --> 00:04:50,880 And so it's as if Paul knew this, that these would be areas 84 00:04:50,880 --> 00:04:53,480 of division or that these would be areas of ignorance. 85 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:57,800 And, and modern church, as I said, largely is, is vague on 86 00:04:57,800 --> 00:05:01,880 these things to be polite and ignorant in other, other ways. 87 00:05:02,280 --> 00:05:04,240 Either people don't want to know about this stuff. 88 00:05:04,480 --> 00:05:07,280 It's too hard and you know, I've tried to look into it and I 89 00:05:07,280 --> 00:05:11,120 couldn't understand it. Or they just totally aren't 90 00:05:11,120 --> 00:05:13,240 concerned or interested about it. 91 00:05:13,240 --> 00:05:15,680 And so there's an ignorance in that way where, where there's 92 00:05:15,680 --> 00:05:17,480 just this flippancy to do with it. 93 00:05:18,080 --> 00:05:21,600 Or worse, there's confusion deliberately that people try and 94 00:05:21,600 --> 00:05:25,840 sow with respect to this. So I want to try to help us 95 00:05:25,840 --> 00:05:29,200 tonight in looking through chapter 12, chapter 13 and 14 96 00:05:29,200 --> 00:05:34,040 and and kind of wade in and have a look at God's view concerning 97 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:35,800 spiritual gifts and the way that we'll do this. 98 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:40,520 Chapter 12, we'll see is concerning with the purpose of 99 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:43,080 the spiritual gifts, the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 100 00:05:44,160 --> 00:05:51,320 Chapter 13 is the proof of the spiritual gifts and chapter 14 101 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:53,200 the proper use of spiritual gifts. 102 00:05:53,200 --> 00:05:56,040 So let's read again verse 1 of chapter 12. 103 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:58,440 I'll read through to verse 11 and then we'll jump ahead in the 104 00:05:58,440 --> 00:06:01,960 chapter. Now concerning spiritual gifts. 105 00:06:01,960 --> 00:06:03,800 Brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant. 106 00:06:05,480 --> 00:06:08,200 You know that you were Gentiles carried away to these dumb 107 00:06:08,200 --> 00:06:10,160 idols. However you were led. 108 00:06:11,120 --> 00:06:14,480 Therefore, I make known to you that no one speaking by the 109 00:06:14,480 --> 00:06:18,200 Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed and no one can say that 110 00:06:18,240 --> 00:06:20,920 Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit. 111 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:25,120 So the evidence of a regenerated life of the Holy Spirit's 112 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:29,320 indwelling is the way that people respond to to Jesus, to 113 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:31,760 the name of Jesus, to the person of Jesus. 114 00:06:32,400 --> 00:06:34,080 And then he builds on this in verse 4. 115 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:36,920 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 116 00:06:37,720 --> 00:06:40,760 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 117 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:44,600 And there are verse 6 diversities of activities, but 118 00:06:44,600 --> 00:06:46,920 it is the same God who works All in all. 119 00:06:47,880 --> 00:06:52,480 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for 120 00:06:52,480 --> 00:06:56,520 the prophet of all. For to one verse 8 is given the 121 00:06:56,520 --> 00:06:59,400 word of wisdom through the spirit to another, the word of 122 00:06:59,400 --> 00:07:03,520 knowledge through the same spirit to another, faith by the 123 00:07:03,520 --> 00:07:08,160 same Spirit to another, gifts of healings by the same spirit to 124 00:07:08,160 --> 00:07:12,160 another, the working of miracles to another, prophecy to another, 125 00:07:12,160 --> 00:07:15,280 discerning of spirits to another, different kinds of 126 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:18,720 tongues, to another, the interpretation of tongues. 127 00:07:19,040 --> 00:07:22,440 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, 128 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:25,120 distributing to each one individually as He wills. 129 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:30,360 Move ahead now to verse 27. Now you are the body of Christ 130 00:07:30,360 --> 00:07:34,960 and members individually, and God has appointed these in the 131 00:07:34,960 --> 00:07:38,040 church. First apostles, second prophets, 132 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:40,240 third teachers, After that, miracles. 133 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:44,920 Then gifts of healings, helps administrations, varieties of 134 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:50,600 tongues are all apostles. Verse 29 are all prophets, Are 135 00:07:50,600 --> 00:07:53,640 all teachers, Are all workers of miracles? 136 00:07:54,680 --> 00:07:58,160 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? 137 00:07:58,560 --> 00:08:01,600 Do all interpret the rhetorical questions with the obvious 138 00:08:01,600 --> 00:08:05,720 answer being no. But verse 31, earnestly desire 139 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:08,920 the best gifts. And yet I'll show you a more 140 00:08:08,920 --> 00:08:10,760 excellent way. I know we've prayed, but I want 141 00:08:10,760 --> 00:08:14,360 to pray again. Lord God, we pray for your help, 142 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:19,040 for your assistance tonight and understanding in listening and 143 00:08:19,040 --> 00:08:24,800 hearing your word to be less ignorant on this subject matter, 144 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:29,720 that it would be a blessing to our lives and it would glorify 145 00:08:29,720 --> 00:08:32,799 your great name. In Jesus name I pray, Amen. 146 00:08:34,080 --> 00:08:38,480 Now, sadly, as I said, much division exists with respect to 147 00:08:38,480 --> 00:08:41,320 the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and even the mention of that can 148 00:08:41,320 --> 00:08:43,799 cause people to get all sorts of, you know, interesting 149 00:08:43,799 --> 00:08:46,840 feelings come upon them depending upon their maybe 150 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:49,840 denominational background. And there are differing 151 00:08:49,840 --> 00:08:51,440 positions about the spiritual gifts. 152 00:08:51,440 --> 00:08:54,680 And I want to highlight the two most common to begin with that I 153 00:08:54,680 --> 00:08:57,760 think will be helpful in an introductory sense. 154 00:08:58,040 --> 00:09:01,400 And that is that one view is, is what's called cessationists who 155 00:09:01,400 --> 00:09:05,360 view that the gifts of the Spirit, the spiritual gifts have 156 00:09:05,360 --> 00:09:07,800 have now ceased to be in existence. 157 00:09:08,760 --> 00:09:13,120 That they were given by the Holy Spirit in the 1st century church 158 00:09:13,120 --> 00:09:16,280 and the time of Paul's writing here in Corinth for the purpose 159 00:09:16,280 --> 00:09:21,040 of founding the early church to authenticate the ministry and 160 00:09:21,040 --> 00:09:24,520 and the message of the disciples who became the apostles. 161 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:28,200 And that that once the early church was established, that 162 00:09:28,200 --> 00:09:32,040 these gifts, as we've read of them just now and in other parts 163 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:35,440 of the Scripture are no longer required and no longer necessary 164 00:09:35,440 --> 00:09:38,320 nor needed. And more So what they believe 165 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:40,480 and teach. The cessationist view is that 166 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:45,400 once the full Canon of Scripture arrived, as we know the Bible 167 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:49,360 today, the 66 books that the the gifts of the Holy Spirit are 168 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:53,000 obsolete as a consequence. Now there's some pretty switched 169 00:09:53,000 --> 00:09:57,120 on theologians that hold to this view cessationism within the 170 00:09:57,120 --> 00:09:59,400 church. Maybe you're familiar with the 171 00:09:59,400 --> 00:10:01,720 name John McArthur. Perhaps you've got his study 172 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:05,760 Bible. Here's one such second to that 173 00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:09,680 is what's called continuationists who believe 174 00:10:09,680 --> 00:10:13,240 that the spiritual gifts continue, are and are in 175 00:10:13,240 --> 00:10:17,560 existence and available given by the Holy Spirit today for the 176 00:10:17,560 --> 00:10:23,600 church, distributed by the Holy Spirit, just as we've read to 177 00:10:23,600 --> 00:10:27,040 individuals as He wills. For the purpose of what we'll 178 00:10:27,040 --> 00:10:29,560 break down a little bit later, kind of jumping ahead a little 179 00:10:29,560 --> 00:10:34,240 bit of this view again, there are some also very intelligent 180 00:10:34,240 --> 00:10:39,720 theologians and gifted students of the Bible in respected 181 00:10:39,720 --> 00:10:41,800 segments of the church. Perhaps you've heard of the 182 00:10:41,800 --> 00:10:45,160 names of Carson or of Piper or of Grudem. 183 00:10:45,840 --> 00:10:49,120 And this is in fact the view that we adhered to here in 184 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:54,080 Calvary Chapel, Secret Harbour. Now there are extremists in both 185 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:58,960 camps now by themselves, cessationists or 186 00:10:58,960 --> 00:11:03,960 continuationists, whatever view that maybe you hold, it's not a 187 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:09,280 salvation issue and and there should be discussion and it 188 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:12,000 should be able to take place, brothers and sisters in the Lord 189 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:14,920 in a civil manner. But as I say, there are 190 00:11:14,920 --> 00:11:18,360 extremists in both camps that have caused division throughout 191 00:11:18,520 --> 00:11:22,120 church history. Extreme cessationists, on one 192 00:11:22,120 --> 00:11:25,640 hand, would accuse continuationists of or perhaps 193 00:11:25,680 --> 00:11:29,600 acting hypnotic or being influenced in in in emotional 194 00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:33,880 hysterics at best, or worst, even under the influence of the 195 00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:38,440 demonic. Extreme continuationists, you 196 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:41,920 could perhaps call them sensationists, accused 197 00:11:41,920 --> 00:11:45,000 cessationists. There's a lot of inness here in 198 00:11:45,000 --> 00:11:48,800 this, so hang, hang with me, but they would accuse cessationists 199 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:54,280 of not being filled with the Spirit at all, or at worst, of 200 00:11:54,280 --> 00:11:59,600 literally being unsaved. And, and they'll assert that the 201 00:11:59,600 --> 00:12:03,120 gifts of the Spirit, and usually it's speaking in tongues when 202 00:12:03,120 --> 00:12:07,520 they speak of this, are the sign, the sign of someone's 203 00:12:07,520 --> 00:12:09,800 salvation. And, and people in the 204 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:13,320 sensationist view of things can get caught up in, in the hyper 205 00:12:13,520 --> 00:12:17,880 manifestations of the emotive hysterics that often give, you 206 00:12:17,880 --> 00:12:20,800 know, the gifts of the Holy Spirit a bad name in that way 207 00:12:21,480 --> 00:12:23,880 when people would lose control of themselves. 208 00:12:25,080 --> 00:12:27,120 So what are the arguments? Let's look at the first of 209 00:12:27,120 --> 00:12:29,880 cessationism, because they're here in the text, and likewise 210 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:33,160 of continuationism, because they're also here in the text 211 00:12:34,760 --> 00:12:40,000 that the gifts are done. 1st century AD served the purpose, 212 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:41,480 now obsolete. It's finished. 213 00:12:42,120 --> 00:12:45,840 Foundational passage for cessationism is jump ahead into 214 00:12:45,840 --> 00:12:51,120 chapter 13. In verses 8-9 and ten, it says 215 00:12:51,480 --> 00:12:55,160 love never fails, but whether there are prophecies, they will 216 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:58,560 fail. Whether there are tongues, they 217 00:12:58,560 --> 00:13:02,000 will cease. Whether there is knowledge, it 218 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:06,000 will vanish away, verse 9. For we know in part, and we 219 00:13:06,000 --> 00:13:09,080 prophecy in part, and here it is, verse 10. 220 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:14,320 But then sorry, but when that which is perfect has come, then 221 00:13:14,320 --> 00:13:17,600 that which is in part will be done away. 222 00:13:19,320 --> 00:13:23,560 So what's not in doubt from the passage that we've just read is 223 00:13:23,560 --> 00:13:28,360 that the spiritual gifts will cease, that there will be an end 224 00:13:28,360 --> 00:13:31,000 to these gifts that we've just read of and that we're studying 225 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:33,640 tonight. That's that's not up for debate. 226 00:13:34,480 --> 00:13:39,760 What is unclear or causes the difference in opinion is when do 227 00:13:39,760 --> 00:13:43,080 these cease? Was it the 1st century AD or is 228 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:46,320 it still yet some future point in time? 229 00:13:46,320 --> 00:13:49,920 And So what this passage explains in verse 10 is that the 230 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:53,200 spiritual gifts will cease at the coming of the perfect. 231 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:57,160 It said, Did you notice that? So cessationists will argue that 232 00:13:57,160 --> 00:14:00,280 the coming of the perfect what? What is the perfect? 233 00:14:00,280 --> 00:14:03,320 That's in reference there in that that verse is, as I 234 00:14:03,320 --> 00:14:05,880 mentioned earlier, the completion of the Canon of 235 00:14:05,880 --> 00:14:10,560 Scripture, the 66 books as we know them and that them being 236 00:14:10,560 --> 00:14:15,280 required, it is the perfect revelation of Jesus Christ and 237 00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:18,760 the supernatural giftings of the Holy Spirit are no longer 238 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:21,320 necessary nor needed as a consequence. 239 00:14:21,320 --> 00:14:24,320 Because we have all that we need in the Scriptures and and we do 240 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:28,720 believe that the Bible is what we need and is the the written 241 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:32,760 word of God. But, you know, in the context 242 00:14:32,760 --> 00:14:37,280 that cannot be what it means. And so here are the arguments 243 00:14:37,280 --> 00:14:41,320 for continuationism. And continuationists would 244 00:14:41,320 --> 00:14:45,200 believe that verses 11 and 12 provide the necessary context 245 00:14:45,400 --> 00:14:47,960 for what we've just read in 8-9 and 10. 246 00:14:48,640 --> 00:14:52,920 So read verse 11. When I was a child, I spoke as a 247 00:14:52,920 --> 00:14:56,160 child. I understood as a child, I 248 00:14:56,160 --> 00:15:00,080 thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put 249 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:05,600 away childish things. For now we see in a mirror verse 250 00:15:05,600 --> 00:15:09,960 12, dimly, but then face to face. 251 00:15:10,720 --> 00:15:19,160 Now I know in part, but then I shall know, just as I also am 252 00:15:19,280 --> 00:15:21,880 known. So what we see there in those 253 00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:26,000 verses is the phrasing then and now. 254 00:15:26,640 --> 00:15:30,200 Then he, he states something. I'm sorry. 255 00:15:30,200 --> 00:15:33,240 Now he states something and and then he states something will be 256 00:15:33,240 --> 00:15:38,480 so and Paul uses then to refer to a time when we will know God 257 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:44,240 fully as he fully knows us, that that's what he states with the 258 00:15:44,240 --> 00:15:46,520 den. When is this then? 259 00:15:47,800 --> 00:15:51,720 When, when is that then it? It is when we are fully 260 00:15:51,720 --> 00:15:54,920 perfected in sanctified form. You're familiar with 261 00:15:54,920 --> 00:15:59,600 sanctification when we're with the Lord, when we're in His 262 00:15:59,600 --> 00:16:06,840 presence face to face, and the reasoning is behind that when I 263 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:10,400 am in the presence of the giver of the gifts, who needs the 264 00:16:10,400 --> 00:16:16,760 gifts, then the then therefore cannot refer to the completion 265 00:16:16,760 --> 00:16:22,600 of the biblical Canon, for we still do not know now everything 266 00:16:22,600 --> 00:16:25,400 there is to know about God. Even when we read through the 267 00:16:25,400 --> 00:16:28,240 Bible, there's still much that we don't understand or 268 00:16:28,240 --> 00:16:30,520 comprehend fully about God, right? 269 00:16:32,560 --> 00:16:35,600 Because he says that we will know fully as we're fully known. 270 00:16:36,400 --> 00:16:40,040 The now then phrasing instead refers to the difference between 271 00:16:40,280 --> 00:16:48,040 life now on earth and life in in heaven, or eternity then, when 272 00:16:48,040 --> 00:16:49,840 we're in the presence of the Lord. 273 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:54,960 And so the perfect to come does not refer to the completion of 274 00:16:54,960 --> 00:16:57,880 the biblical Canon, but to being in the presence of the Lord, 275 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:02,000 before whom all the gifts are unnecessary. 276 00:17:03,040 --> 00:17:07,079 John the Apostle also spoke of the gifts ceasing in the 277 00:17:07,079 --> 00:17:10,760 presence of God. In 1 John chapter 3 verse two, 278 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:17,160 he said, Beloved, now we are children of God and it has not 279 00:17:17,160 --> 00:17:21,960 yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is 280 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:27,000 revealed we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is 281 00:17:27,880 --> 00:17:29,800 again. Quite simply, when we're in the 282 00:17:29,800 --> 00:17:33,160 presence of the giver again, no one needs the gifts. 283 00:17:33,160 --> 00:17:36,880 We'll be enamoured with the giver of the gifts when we're in 284 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:40,400 glory in the presence of Jesus face to face with Him. 285 00:17:40,400 --> 00:17:43,840 There'll be no such need for the giftings of the Spirit as we see 286 00:17:43,840 --> 00:17:46,120 them articulated in the Scriptures both here and 287 00:17:46,120 --> 00:17:49,680 elsewhere. In fact, Paul spoke earlier in 288 00:17:49,680 --> 00:17:53,720 his letter to the Corinthians of how they exercised every gift in 289 00:17:53,720 --> 00:17:57,760 expectation of what? Of Christ's coming, not in 290 00:17:57,760 --> 00:18:01,360 expectation of the completion of the Scriptures. 1 Corinthians 291 00:18:01,360 --> 00:18:05,280 chapter one, verse 7, so that you come short in no gift, 292 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:09,600 eagerly waiting for the revelation of our Lord Jesus 293 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:13,600 Christ. So again, here at Calvary 294 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:17,400 Chapel, we believe in continuationism with respect to 295 00:18:17,400 --> 00:18:20,880 the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We see this as the biblical 296 00:18:20,880 --> 00:18:24,200 evidence for it. But I would say again that 297 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:29,280 cessationist are still our brothers and sisters in Christ. 298 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:33,440 We might think that they're wrong, They might think that I'm 299 00:18:33,440 --> 00:18:37,200 wrong and you can hold whatever opinion, but still we are 300 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:40,120 believers, brothers and sisters in the Lord. 301 00:18:41,840 --> 00:18:44,480 So now let's look at the first. I thought it was just helpful to 302 00:18:44,480 --> 00:18:46,840 have a look at that. And then for the purpose of it, 303 00:18:46,880 --> 00:18:50,880 if you're taking notes, our first point, the purpose of 304 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:54,600 spiritual gifts as a definition. Let me give this out to you 305 00:18:54,600 --> 00:18:57,640 derived from the Scriptures, the gifts of the Spirit of the Holy 306 00:18:57,640 --> 00:19:02,040 Spirit, a special enabling special abilities that the Holy 307 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:07,480 Spirit provides, gives to believers for the edification of 308 00:19:07,480 --> 00:19:10,400 the church and the glorification of God. 309 00:19:11,560 --> 00:19:14,520 Now understand that these are different to natural gifts. 310 00:19:14,520 --> 00:19:17,200 We, we all have talents, we all have things that we're we're 311 00:19:17,200 --> 00:19:20,280 naturally prone and we have propensities towards and so on. 312 00:19:20,600 --> 00:19:23,120 And though the giftings of the Holy Spirit might share some 313 00:19:23,120 --> 00:19:27,200 similarities with that, these are supernaturally divinely 314 00:19:27,200 --> 00:19:29,680 bestowed upon by the Holy Spirit. 315 00:19:30,720 --> 00:19:33,000 We see this in one Corinthians 12 verse 7. 316 00:19:33,200 --> 00:19:36,640 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for 317 00:19:36,680 --> 00:19:41,840 the notice, profit of all, and then jump ahead. 1 Corinthians 318 00:19:41,840 --> 00:19:45,800 chapter 14, verse 26. How is it then, brethren, that 319 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:48,440 whenever you come together, each of you has a Psalm, has a 320 00:19:48,440 --> 00:19:51,240 teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an 321 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:54,640 interpretation? Let all things look at this be 322 00:19:54,640 --> 00:20:00,880 done for edification. Peter the apostle also indicates 323 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:04,040 in his writing one Peter chapter 4, verse 10 and 11. 324 00:20:04,080 --> 00:20:08,920 These words, as each one has received a gift, minister it to 325 00:20:08,920 --> 00:20:12,120 one another. As good stewards of the manifold 326 00:20:12,120 --> 00:20:16,440 grace of God, if anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of 327 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:19,240 God. If anyone ministers, let him do 328 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:21,560 it. As with the ability which God 329 00:20:21,560 --> 00:20:28,160 supplies, and that in all things God may be glorified through 330 00:20:28,160 --> 00:20:31,440 Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever 331 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:32,720 and ever. Amen. 332 00:20:33,200 --> 00:20:36,680 So again, the purpose of of the giftings of the Holy Spirit is 333 00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:41,040 the edification of the body, Brothers and sisters to benefit, 334 00:20:41,040 --> 00:20:45,200 to be encouraged, to be strengthened, to be exhorted to 335 00:20:45,200 --> 00:20:47,480 all of those things, to to build one another up. 336 00:20:48,040 --> 00:20:51,600 And then second, the glorification of God that hears 337 00:20:51,600 --> 00:20:55,560 praise, that the, the attention, the magnification, the focus, 338 00:20:55,560 --> 00:20:58,080 the worship, the exaltation is upon him. 339 00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:02,160 And can you see how people have gone wrong over the years with 340 00:21:02,160 --> 00:21:05,040 the giftings of the Holy Spirit? But that is the purpose of the 341 00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:09,000 gifts, the edification of the body, the glorification of God. 342 00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:13,480 Now there is value to each gift he he pointed out and and so 343 00:21:13,680 --> 00:21:19,680 Paul uses the illustration to to example this of the human body 344 00:21:19,720 --> 00:21:23,360 in one Corinthians 12, verses 12 through to 26. 345 00:21:23,360 --> 00:21:26,040 We didn't read them, but let me paraphrase for you. 346 00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:30,800 He starts to talk about how just like the human body that we we 347 00:21:30,800 --> 00:21:33,840 all have differing members in our bodies, but there's there's 348 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:38,800 no one member that is is, is to have a priority over the other. 349 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:41,040 You can't say to the ear, I don't need you anymore. 350 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:44,520 You can't say to the eye that you're of no use. 351 00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:48,400 And we know what it's like when one small seemingly part of our 352 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:51,160 body suffers that it impacts the entire body. 353 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:55,880 So he uses this to to highlight that the giftings are to benefit 354 00:21:55,880 --> 00:22:00,440 and to bless the entire body just as different parts form 355 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:02,400 their various roles and functions. 356 00:22:03,360 --> 00:22:05,680 So now let's look at the gifts that have been listed that we've 357 00:22:05,680 --> 00:22:10,480 read in One Corinthians 12/8 through to 10. 358 00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:14,200 And what I'll do is I'll provide a brief definition, an 359 00:22:14,200 --> 00:22:18,240 explanation, maybe some examples of each, each of these as well. 360 00:22:21,680 --> 00:22:24,800 For to 1 is given the Word of Wisdom through the Spirit verse 361 00:22:24,800 --> 00:22:28,480 8 chapter 12 to another the word of knowledge through the same 362 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:32,440 spirit to another faith by the same spirit to another gifts of 363 00:22:32,520 --> 00:22:36,560 healings by the same spirit to another the working of miracles 364 00:22:36,560 --> 00:22:40,840 to another prophecy to another discerning of spirits to another 365 00:22:40,840 --> 00:22:44,360 different kinds of tongues to another the interpretation of 366 00:22:44,360 --> 00:22:47,200 tongues. So the first that he mentioned 367 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:52,720 there is words of wisdom. This is having inspired insight 368 00:22:52,720 --> 00:22:56,080 or or answers to a problem or a question. 369 00:22:57,280 --> 00:23:00,640 Remember the example of King Solomon who exercised wisdom 370 00:23:00,640 --> 00:23:03,560 when he pretended that he would divide the baby that the two 371 00:23:03,680 --> 00:23:07,120 prostitutes were arguing about, thus revealing who the real 372 00:23:07,120 --> 00:23:11,200 mother was? You remember Jesus in response 373 00:23:11,200 --> 00:23:14,480 to the Pharisees where where they were questioning him where 374 00:23:14,480 --> 00:23:20,600 the people should pay taxes and Jesus with wisdom said, bring me 375 00:23:20,600 --> 00:23:23,800 a coin and, and, and ask the question, whose image is on this 376 00:23:23,800 --> 00:23:26,280 coin and, and the result was well, Caesar. 377 00:23:26,280 --> 00:23:29,360 And he said, render unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's and 378 00:23:29,360 --> 00:23:34,560 unto the Lord the things that are the Lord's second gift 379 00:23:34,560 --> 00:23:36,040 mentioned is the word of knowledge. 380 00:23:36,040 --> 00:23:41,480 This is having inspired information about a matter or or 381 00:23:41,480 --> 00:23:43,480 a person. An example. 382 00:23:43,480 --> 00:23:48,800 Peter exercised this gift of knowledge when he knew in the in 383 00:23:48,800 --> 00:23:53,280 the early Church of Ananias and Sapphira, who had lied to the 384 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:58,440 Holy Spirit about their, their giving and deliberately were 385 00:23:58,520 --> 00:24:01,520 saying that they had given all when in reality they had held 386 00:24:01,520 --> 00:24:02,920 back. And, and they were all about 387 00:24:02,920 --> 00:24:06,280 just the public perception of their, their gift there. 388 00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:09,800 And it was the Holy Spirit's insight into Peter in that word 389 00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:14,400 of knowledge in that instance. The third mentioned is a gift of 390 00:24:14,400 --> 00:24:16,480 faith. Now this is different to our 391 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:19,120 salvific faith. This is faith where it's an 392 00:24:19,120 --> 00:24:22,960 ability to trust and to rest in the promises of God for a 393 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:26,960 particular given situation or scenario or circumstance. 394 00:24:29,560 --> 00:24:32,560 It's a particular time where the Holy Spirit might enable 395 00:24:32,560 --> 00:24:36,680 particular trust to believe in God in that moment and to to 396 00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:40,000 trust by faith that that He'll fulfil that which He has 397 00:24:40,000 --> 00:24:42,360 promised. You could give the example of 398 00:24:42,360 --> 00:24:47,000 Peter walking on water, that despite the circumstances around 399 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:50,160 him, there was that extra exercise of faith in that 400 00:24:50,160 --> 00:24:53,680 moment. The 4th mention is healing, a 401 00:24:53,680 --> 00:24:58,040 supernatural ability from God to bring physical healing apart 402 00:24:58,040 --> 00:25:01,280 from the natural means. Now understand that sometimes 403 00:25:01,600 --> 00:25:04,080 once you've been given this gift, that might be the only 404 00:25:04,080 --> 00:25:08,880 time that you're given that gift that not once given is it always 405 00:25:08,880 --> 00:25:12,760 a thing where now I've got the gift of healing and, and here we 406 00:25:12,760 --> 00:25:14,200 go. And and that's how people might 407 00:25:14,200 --> 00:25:17,840 conduct themselves in some circles of Christianity Today. 408 00:25:18,880 --> 00:25:22,680 But healing is that supernatural ability from God to bring 409 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:26,480 physical healing apart from from the natural means. 410 00:25:27,080 --> 00:25:30,040 Peter in Acts chapter 3 healed the crippled beggar. 411 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:37,240 Paul healed the sick in Malta in Acts 28 similar miracles. 412 00:25:37,520 --> 00:25:41,000 The fifth one is meant the the working of God's powers through 413 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:45,080 a person for for glory, for for signs, for focus to be given 414 00:25:45,360 --> 00:25:48,760 unto God. Prophecy is mentioned next the 415 00:25:48,760 --> 00:25:53,120 the 6th 1:00 as the foretelling or rather in most cases the 4th 416 00:25:53,120 --> 00:25:56,600 telling of God's word for the strengthening and the 417 00:25:56,600 --> 00:25:59,080 encouragement and comfort of people. 418 00:25:59,640 --> 00:26:02,760 Often prophets throughout the Bible in both Old and New 419 00:26:02,760 --> 00:26:06,840 Testament would declare yes, predicted word of what would 420 00:26:06,840 --> 00:26:10,000 take place in the future, yes. But more often than not it was a 421 00:26:10,000 --> 00:26:14,240 declaration of this is God's word our 4th telling of a 422 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:17,040 revelation. And nowhere should there ever be 423 00:26:17,280 --> 00:26:20,720 the contradiction or superseding of Scripture by a prophetic word 424 00:26:20,720 --> 00:26:24,840 given the written word of the Lord will not be contradicted by 425 00:26:24,840 --> 00:26:27,920 a so called prophecy of God that somebody declares. 426 00:26:28,960 --> 00:26:31,600 And so that's why we're encouraging Scripture to test 427 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:36,360 every prophecy. Maybe hand in hand with that is, 428 00:26:36,360 --> 00:26:38,520 is this next one discernment of spirits? 429 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:42,280 It's mentioned a discernment that comes upon someone as a 430 00:26:42,280 --> 00:26:47,480 gifting by God to declare what might be divine or human or evil 431 00:26:47,480 --> 00:26:51,880 about a person or a matter and knowing a little bit more in in 432 00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:56,640 that tongues is mentioned. Eighthly, the ability to speak 433 00:26:57,200 --> 00:27:01,720 an inspired language unknown to the person speaking that is 434 00:27:01,720 --> 00:27:04,600 meant for prayer and praise unto God. 435 00:27:04,720 --> 00:27:08,120 And Paul will focus on this and we will later in chapter 14. 436 00:27:09,120 --> 00:27:12,840 The 9th is the interpretation of tongues, the companion gifting 437 00:27:12,840 --> 00:27:17,560 to tongues meant for the edifying of the speaker or of 438 00:27:17,560 --> 00:27:21,880 the hearers in that instant. And Paul goes on to mention more 439 00:27:22,560 --> 00:27:25,760 at the end of chapter 12 in One Corinthians 1228 to 30. 440 00:27:25,760 --> 00:27:29,160 We read those and here's the gifts that he mentions there, 441 00:27:29,720 --> 00:27:34,200 the gift of apostleship, A visionary gifting of of helping 442 00:27:34,200 --> 00:27:37,640 to to plan, to oversee ministries, maintaining 443 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:43,360 doctrinal purity of teaching the inspired ability to communicate 444 00:27:43,760 --> 00:27:48,200 God's truth with clarity so that the church may learn and grow in 445 00:27:48,200 --> 00:27:52,080 the faith of God. Third is mentioned there of 446 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:55,280 helps the especial ability to serve or assist others in 447 00:27:55,280 --> 00:27:57,880 practical, meaningful ways. That will be a blessing. 448 00:27:59,160 --> 00:28:02,360 Fourthly, the gift of administration, the special 449 00:28:02,360 --> 00:28:06,320 ability to devise or to organise and to execute plans and 450 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:08,760 objectives within the body of Christ. 451 00:28:10,400 --> 00:28:15,280 And what we've just covered in in chapter 12 combines with 452 00:28:15,320 --> 00:28:19,680 other texts to equate to somewhere around 20 spiritual 453 00:28:19,680 --> 00:28:22,520 gifts mentioned in the Scriptures out of Romans 12 454 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:25,680 verses 6 to 8 and Ephesians 4 verse 11. 455 00:28:25,680 --> 00:28:28,360 And and you would do well to read those in addition to what 456 00:28:28,360 --> 00:28:32,280 we've covered tonight. So hopefully that helps in some 457 00:28:32,280 --> 00:28:36,080 respect in in looking at the purpose of the spiritual gifts 458 00:28:36,080 --> 00:28:40,400 of the Holy Spirit in this way, what they are and what they are 459 00:28:40,400 --> 00:28:43,320 for. Now, what I want to do is to 460 00:28:43,320 --> 00:28:48,160 jump ahead to the proper use of the spiritual gifts and into 461 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:52,240 chapter 14. And in chapter 14, Paul will 462 00:28:52,240 --> 00:28:58,320 focus on three of these gifts specifically that were in the 463 00:28:58,320 --> 00:29:02,920 church in Corinth, problematic areas for them, that there is 464 00:29:02,920 --> 00:29:06,200 abuse with respect to these spiritual giftings going on. 465 00:29:06,600 --> 00:29:10,160 And he spends a lot of time on the gift of tongues. 466 00:29:11,480 --> 00:29:14,000 And that's great because if there's anywhere there's a lot 467 00:29:14,000 --> 00:29:15,560 of confusion, it's that isn't it. 468 00:29:16,640 --> 00:29:20,120 And damage has been caused over the years with respect to this 469 00:29:20,120 --> 00:29:21,800 one. So let's have a look at verses 1 470 00:29:21,800 --> 00:29:26,600 to 10 of chapter 14. It says pursue love and desire 471 00:29:26,600 --> 00:29:32,160 spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophecy for he who 472 00:29:32,160 --> 00:29:36,120 speaks in a tongue does not speak to men, but to God, for no 473 00:29:36,120 --> 00:29:39,560 one understands him. However, in the Spirit he speaks 474 00:29:39,560 --> 00:29:43,840 mysteries, but he who prophecies speaks edification and 475 00:29:43,840 --> 00:29:47,960 exhortation and comfort to men. He who speaks in a tongue 476 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:52,600 edifies himself, but he who prophecies edifies the Church. 477 00:29:53,520 --> 00:29:56,800 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you 478 00:29:56,800 --> 00:30:00,640 prophesied. For he who prophesize is greater 479 00:30:00,640 --> 00:30:04,280 than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets that 480 00:30:04,280 --> 00:30:06,040 the Church may receive edification. 481 00:30:07,160 --> 00:30:10,480 But now, brethren, if I come to you speaking with tongues, what 482 00:30:10,480 --> 00:30:13,200 shall I profit you, unless I speak to you either by 483 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:16,440 revelation, by knowledge, by prophesying, or by teaching? 484 00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:19,800 Even things without life, whether flute or heart, when 485 00:30:19,800 --> 00:30:22,680 they make a sound, unless they make a distinction in the 486 00:30:22,680 --> 00:30:25,320 sounds, how will it be known what a part or played? 487 00:30:26,800 --> 00:30:29,440 For if the trumpet makes an uncertain sound, who will 488 00:30:29,440 --> 00:30:32,840 prepare for battle? So likewise you, unless you 489 00:30:32,920 --> 00:30:35,840 utter by the tongue words easy to understand, how will it be 490 00:30:35,840 --> 00:30:38,920 known what is spoken? For you will be speaking into 491 00:30:38,920 --> 00:30:42,920 the air. There are, it may be, so many 492 00:30:42,920 --> 00:30:46,320 kinds of languages in the world, and none of them is without 493 00:30:46,320 --> 00:30:49,880 significance stopping there. So again, going back to our 494 00:30:49,880 --> 00:30:54,120 definition, the gifting of tongues is the ability to speak 495 00:30:54,320 --> 00:30:57,200 a language that is not known to the person speaking the 496 00:30:57,200 --> 00:31:01,200 language. The reason for this gifting of 497 00:31:01,200 --> 00:31:04,960 tongues? Well, we use words for 498 00:31:04,960 --> 00:31:08,640 communication, right? And words when we talk 1 to 499 00:31:08,640 --> 00:31:12,320 another, when we find the right word, our end communication 500 00:31:12,320 --> 00:31:14,280 takes place then. It's a wonderful thing. 501 00:31:14,640 --> 00:31:17,120 But have you not found that sometimes words just don't do 502 00:31:17,120 --> 00:31:20,200 justice to how you're feeling or in communicating? 503 00:31:20,280 --> 00:31:23,520 Sometimes husbands and wives, I think we wish we had the gift of 504 00:31:23,520 --> 00:31:25,880 tongues with one another, right? And the, and the ability to 505 00:31:25,880 --> 00:31:27,880 interpret with tongues. That's not what I meant. 506 00:31:28,200 --> 00:31:30,440 That's not what I said. No, it's just not tell me how 507 00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:32,960 you're feeling or just, I just can't put it into words. 508 00:31:32,960 --> 00:31:35,480 And, and so sometimes there would just be this wonderful 509 00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:38,280 thing if, oh, if only we had the gift of tongues in that moment, 510 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:43,280 because sometimes words fail us. Sometimes our ability to 511 00:31:43,280 --> 00:31:47,120 communicate what we're feeling and to express that is is 512 00:31:47,120 --> 00:31:50,040 limited or is restricted by our words. 513 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:54,600 So God gave and God gives some believers this gift to allow 514 00:31:54,600 --> 00:31:59,320 them to bypass that barrier and commune with him unhindered. 515 00:32:00,160 --> 00:32:04,400 It sounds bizarre. It sounds tricky for some of us 516 00:32:04,400 --> 00:32:06,560 to understand fully, and for good reason. 517 00:32:07,400 --> 00:32:11,160 It's supernatural. It's a gift of the Holy Spirit. 518 00:32:12,560 --> 00:32:15,640 Chuck Smith considered the gift of tongues, the one gift that 519 00:32:15,640 --> 00:32:18,720 his words, he said, is an insult to the intellect. 520 00:32:20,800 --> 00:32:23,080 It is a language unto God. Verse 2. 521 00:32:24,400 --> 00:32:27,280 And interestingly, a sign to unbelievers. 522 00:32:27,280 --> 00:32:29,800 We haven't read it yet. Verse 22, he says, therefore, 523 00:32:30,040 --> 00:32:33,920 tongues are for a sign not to those who believe, but to 524 00:32:33,920 --> 00:32:36,880 unbelievers. But prophesying is not for 525 00:32:36,880 --> 00:32:41,080 unbelievers, but for those who believe, but in the corporate 526 00:32:41,080 --> 00:32:43,320 setting. So collectively, what we're 527 00:32:43,320 --> 00:32:47,600 doing, our gathering here tonight, there is the need for 528 00:32:48,160 --> 00:32:51,280 the other gifting, the interpretation of tongues. 529 00:32:52,280 --> 00:32:55,080 And it says that we're to actually pray for 530 00:32:55,080 --> 00:32:59,520 interpretation. 1 Corinthians 14, verse 13 through to 15, Have 531 00:32:59,520 --> 00:33:02,600 a look with me. It says, therefore let him who 532 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:08,240 speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret, for if I pray in 533 00:33:08,240 --> 00:33:13,960 a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful. 534 00:33:15,040 --> 00:33:17,040 What is the conclusion then? Verse 15? 535 00:33:18,280 --> 00:33:22,760 It says, I will pray with the Spirit, and I will also pray 536 00:33:22,760 --> 00:33:26,480 with the understanding. I will sing with the Spirit and 537 00:33:26,480 --> 00:33:29,120 I will also sing with the understanding. 538 00:33:31,280 --> 00:33:34,920 So he says, Paul does not say that, that God always gives him 539 00:33:34,920 --> 00:33:38,360 the interpretation, but that he always asks, he always prays to 540 00:33:38,360 --> 00:33:40,680 understand. And So what does Paul do as a 541 00:33:40,680 --> 00:33:42,760 consequence of that? He does both. 542 00:33:44,480 --> 00:33:49,800 He prays using the gift of tongues and he speaks normal 543 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:53,720 speak. Now let's look a bit further at 544 00:33:53,720 --> 00:33:56,040 the use of tongues because this is interesting. 545 00:33:56,480 --> 00:34:01,440 Paul having said what he did there, he actually downplays the 546 00:34:01,440 --> 00:34:03,640 use of tongues in the corporate church setting. 547 00:34:04,480 --> 00:34:08,120 Out of all of the gifts of the Spirit, 1 Corinthians 14 verses 548 00:34:08,120 --> 00:34:12,719 18 and 19 I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all. 549 00:34:12,719 --> 00:34:15,800 So did Paul have the gift of the tongues with respect to a 550 00:34:16,000 --> 00:34:19,400 gifting from the Holy Spirit? Says I thank God that I do. 551 00:34:20,679 --> 00:34:24,679 Yet verse 19 in the church I would rather speak 5 words with 552 00:34:24,679 --> 00:34:28,440 my understanding that I may teach others also, than 10,000 553 00:34:28,440 --> 00:34:32,719 words in a tongue. Paul would rather be understood 554 00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:34,840 so that he could edify the church. 555 00:34:35,560 --> 00:34:40,159 And he goes on verse 23. Therefore, if the whole church 556 00:34:40,159 --> 00:34:43,960 comes together in one place and all speak with tongues, and 557 00:34:43,960 --> 00:34:46,560 there come in those who are uninformed or unbelievers, will 558 00:34:46,560 --> 00:34:48,639 they not say that you are out of your mind? 559 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:57,200 And then verse 33 For God is not the author of confusion, but of 560 00:34:57,200 --> 00:35:00,960 peace, as in all the churches of the Saints. 561 00:35:01,640 --> 00:35:04,640 So what Paul says, he says, I don't want your gatherings to be 562 00:35:04,640 --> 00:35:09,320 like a a gathering of the United Nations where nobody could 563 00:35:09,320 --> 00:35:12,680 understand where nobody can ascertain what is going on, what 564 00:35:12,680 --> 00:35:16,440 is taking place. He says non believers or or 565 00:35:16,440 --> 00:35:19,120 believers without a knowledge of spiritual gifts could enter the 566 00:35:19,120 --> 00:35:22,280 church and and hear each man speaking in in these different 567 00:35:22,280 --> 00:35:24,920 tongues, these different languages and consider everyone 568 00:35:24,920 --> 00:35:29,400 there mad. And so with all of these verses 569 00:35:29,400 --> 00:35:36,120 combined, that's why we here at Calvary Chapel downplay or maybe 570 00:35:36,120 --> 00:35:38,680 you could say discourage the public use of tongues. 571 00:35:39,680 --> 00:35:44,560 Now you can use them privately and those with the gift of 572 00:35:44,560 --> 00:35:48,240 tongues may sing in tongues as the church sings and they may 573 00:35:48,240 --> 00:35:52,400 pray quietly in the in the spirit as the church prays, but 574 00:35:52,400 --> 00:35:56,120 not to where it becomes an attention grabbing component of 575 00:35:56,120 --> 00:35:59,680 confusion in our gatherings. That's the the difference. 576 00:35:59,680 --> 00:36:01,920 You see. God is the God of peace and not 577 00:36:01,920 --> 00:36:06,280 confusion. Tongues are fine to use so long 578 00:36:06,280 --> 00:36:09,600 as they are not misused to draw attention to oneself. 579 00:36:10,520 --> 00:36:13,520 Paul gave very strict guidelines back then that are still in 580 00:36:13,520 --> 00:36:15,560 application today for the gift of tongues. 581 00:36:15,560 --> 00:36:18,920 Even in in smaller settings, perhaps where everyone was a 582 00:36:18,920 --> 00:36:21,520 believer and knew about the gift of tongues, Paul told them to 583 00:36:21,520 --> 00:36:25,800 limit speaking in tongues to two or three people if there was no 584 00:36:25,800 --> 00:36:28,360 one to interpret. Paul asked those who spoke in 585 00:36:28,360 --> 00:36:33,400 tongues to keep silent in the corporate church setting hears 586 00:36:33,400 --> 00:36:37,480 this the prophecy 4th telling of the word of God is the greater 587 00:36:37,480 --> 00:36:42,800 gift. 1 Corinthians 14 we read it already, verses 1 to 3 pursue 588 00:36:42,800 --> 00:36:46,680 love and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may 589 00:36:46,680 --> 00:36:49,800 prophecy. For he who speaks in a tongue 590 00:36:49,800 --> 00:36:53,040 does not speak to men, but to God, for no one understands him. 591 00:36:53,560 --> 00:36:57,720 However, in the Spirit he speaks mysteries, but he who prophecies 592 00:36:57,720 --> 00:37:02,360 speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 593 00:37:03,320 --> 00:37:07,240 It is the preaching of God's Word and that's why we, we, we 594 00:37:07,240 --> 00:37:10,880 focus on that so deliberately and so much here when we gather, 595 00:37:10,880 --> 00:37:13,760 when we meet, it is the preaching, the declaration of 596 00:37:13,760 --> 00:37:17,280 God's Word, the 4th telling of God's Word, the prophesying in 597 00:37:17,280 --> 00:37:20,080 that way that will make a difference in someone's life 598 00:37:21,040 --> 00:37:25,640 more than what tongues will. So there's the, the purpose of 599 00:37:25,640 --> 00:37:27,880 spiritual gifts. There's the proper use of 600 00:37:28,120 --> 00:37:30,880 spiritual gifts. And I'm mindful of time, but 601 00:37:30,880 --> 00:37:32,480 here we'll bring it to a conclusion. 602 00:37:32,760 --> 00:37:35,760 Now thirdly, the proof of spiritual gifts, because this is 603 00:37:35,760 --> 00:37:39,200 where where it all is wrapped up, where it's all summed up in 604 00:37:39,680 --> 00:37:44,840 sandwich between chapter 12 and chapter 14, kind of like that, 605 00:37:44,840 --> 00:37:46,920 that delicious goodness in an Oreo. 606 00:37:46,920 --> 00:37:51,520 You know, the middle part between the purpose and the 607 00:37:51,520 --> 00:37:54,760 proper use of the gifts is 1 Corinthians 13. 608 00:37:54,760 --> 00:37:59,200 We know it as the love chapter. People read this, people enjoy 609 00:37:59,200 --> 00:38:00,800 this, they think of it as a poem. 610 00:38:01,800 --> 00:38:04,480 They might ask for it as a reading at a wedding or some 611 00:38:04,480 --> 00:38:08,840 other, maybe gathering of some sorts, but out of its context, 612 00:38:09,200 --> 00:38:13,040 it misses what it's there for. It is to be a part of what Paul 613 00:38:13,040 --> 00:38:16,240 is Speaking of here, the spiritual gifts and the Holy 614 00:38:16,240 --> 00:38:19,000 Spirit. The proof that someone is 615 00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:22,880 operating in the Spirit is the love of Jesus shining through 616 00:38:22,880 --> 00:38:27,440 them. One Corinthians 13 verse one to 617 00:38:27,440 --> 00:38:29,520 three. And maybe you know the exercise 618 00:38:29,520 --> 00:38:32,840 in reading that passage that you can substitute every time that 619 00:38:32,840 --> 00:38:36,080 you come across the word love Jesus name there. 620 00:38:36,080 --> 00:38:42,360 And here's a more challenging exercise for us that whenever we 621 00:38:42,360 --> 00:38:46,320 come across the word love, we substitute our name there. 622 00:38:48,000 --> 00:38:52,040 Verse 1, Chapter 13 Though I speak with the tongues of men 623 00:38:52,800 --> 00:38:56,960 and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding 624 00:38:56,960 --> 00:39:02,720 brass or a clanging symbol. And though I have the gift of 625 00:39:02,720 --> 00:39:07,560 prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and 626 00:39:07,560 --> 00:39:11,640 though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains, but 627 00:39:11,640 --> 00:39:17,160 have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods 628 00:39:17,160 --> 00:39:20,720 to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but 629 00:39:20,720 --> 00:39:23,560 have not love, it profits me nothing. 630 00:39:24,680 --> 00:39:27,080 And here's where the substitution comes in. 631 00:39:28,160 --> 00:39:31,360 Love suffers long. Jesus suffers long. 632 00:39:32,680 --> 00:39:36,800 You suffer long. I suffer long and is kind. 633 00:39:37,880 --> 00:39:41,880 Love does not envy. Love does not parade itself, is 634 00:39:41,880 --> 00:39:47,640 not puffed up, does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, 635 00:39:48,240 --> 00:39:54,640 is not provoked, thinks no evil, does not rejoice in iniquity but 636 00:39:54,640 --> 00:39:58,960 rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, 637 00:39:58,960 --> 00:40:01,120 hopes all things, endures all things. 638 00:40:01,720 --> 00:40:05,080 Love never fails. But whether there are 639 00:40:05,080 --> 00:40:08,720 prophecies, they will fail. Whether there are tongues, they 640 00:40:08,720 --> 00:40:11,120 will cease. Whether there is knowledge, it 641 00:40:11,120 --> 00:40:16,360 will vanish away. For we know in part, and we 642 00:40:16,360 --> 00:40:19,400 prophecy in part. But when that which is perfect 643 00:40:19,400 --> 00:40:21,880 has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 644 00:40:22,680 --> 00:40:25,720 When I was a child I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, 645 00:40:25,720 --> 00:40:28,480 I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put 646 00:40:28,480 --> 00:40:32,360 away childish things. For now we see an Amira dimly, 647 00:40:32,360 --> 00:40:35,160 but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I 648 00:40:35,160 --> 00:40:37,880 shall know just as I also am known. 649 00:40:37,880 --> 00:40:42,160 And now abide. Faith, hope, love, these three. 650 00:40:42,640 --> 00:40:44,680 But the greatest of these is love. 651 00:40:46,840 --> 00:40:51,720 The sounding brass, the clanging cymbals demonstrate this, that 652 00:40:51,720 --> 00:40:55,600 the, the busyness, our our consumption with this and the 653 00:40:55,600 --> 00:41:01,240 abuse of this without love is just making irritating noise. 654 00:41:02,760 --> 00:41:05,720 Ever been around somebody just banging away? 655 00:41:06,760 --> 00:41:09,480 You know, I like to watch cricket, but there's certain 656 00:41:09,480 --> 00:41:13,120 context in watching cricket, the sport on TV where because the 657 00:41:13,120 --> 00:41:16,680 crowd is making a noise, there's like, oh man, I just have to 658 00:41:16,680 --> 00:41:19,800 turn the volume down because it's just a like a clanging 659 00:41:19,800 --> 00:41:23,160 cymbal in my ears sounding brass. 660 00:41:25,320 --> 00:41:29,320 And that's what Paul has highlighted that yes, be about 661 00:41:29,320 --> 00:41:32,920 the gifts, but let me remind you that without love in those 662 00:41:32,920 --> 00:41:38,240 gifts, it is like noise and noise that irritates and noise 663 00:41:38,240 --> 00:41:41,760 that becomes painful and noise that causes a whole lot of 664 00:41:41,760 --> 00:41:44,960 damage. So tonight we've looked at the 665 00:41:44,960 --> 00:41:50,720 purpose, the proper use of the proof of spiritual gifts. 666 00:41:51,640 --> 00:41:55,120 And what I, what I may do is, is go back and, and dive into some 667 00:41:55,120 --> 00:41:58,680 of these, maybe in a topical study or a series at some point 668 00:41:59,280 --> 00:42:03,080 and go into a little bit more, more depth and detail in these. 669 00:42:04,280 --> 00:42:08,200 But want to leave you with this. What are we to do with this 670 00:42:08,200 --> 00:42:11,040 tonight, this knowledge? What's our, our mission 671 00:42:11,040 --> 00:42:14,760 statement from here? When it comes to the spiritual 672 00:42:14,760 --> 00:42:20,640 gifts, go back again to 1 Corinthians 14, verse one. 673 00:42:20,640 --> 00:42:25,640 In the first part for me, Paul says, pursue love. 674 00:42:25,640 --> 00:42:29,880 You know, when you pursue something and there's a 675 00:42:29,880 --> 00:42:35,080 desperation and earnestness that you would do anything to try and 676 00:42:35,080 --> 00:42:39,840 obtain to achieve, to get there, Pursue that, pursue love. 677 00:42:40,240 --> 00:42:45,360 What's the definition of love? Chapter 13 And then desire 678 00:42:46,080 --> 00:42:49,560 spiritual gifts. Pursue love. 679 00:42:50,080 --> 00:42:56,360 Number one, desire spiritual gifts #2 you know we should #1 680 00:42:56,560 --> 00:43:02,520 not only desire to feel loved by God, but to put God's love into 681 00:43:02,520 --> 00:43:07,800 action in our lives. That's what pursue Love Is All 682 00:43:07,800 --> 00:43:12,320 about. Desire spiritual gifts #2 we 683 00:43:12,320 --> 00:43:16,080 should use those spiritual gifts that we have been given by the 684 00:43:16,080 --> 00:43:22,760 Holy Spirit to what edify His church, to bless and to benefit 685 00:43:22,760 --> 00:43:27,960 brothers and sisters in the Lord, to build up, to encourage, 686 00:43:27,960 --> 00:43:33,920 to strengthen the body of believers and to glorify his 687 00:43:33,920 --> 00:43:39,760 name, to give praise, to draw attention, not to me, but to the 688 00:43:39,760 --> 00:43:45,120 giver of the gifts. And often people want like the, 689 00:43:45,160 --> 00:43:47,800 the hyper show version of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. 690 00:43:47,880 --> 00:43:50,600 Oh, you're going. Did you hear about how and and 691 00:43:50,600 --> 00:43:53,880 and sort of people think of the the the you sort of you know, 692 00:43:54,560 --> 00:43:58,400 the tangible hysterics of of what has been given, you know 693 00:43:58,400 --> 00:44:01,280 kind of the bad reputation of the giftings of the Holy Spirit. 694 00:44:01,760 --> 00:44:04,520 But let me tell you this that that every time that we gather 695 00:44:04,760 --> 00:44:07,720 in the Lord's name. Did you know that the gifts are 696 00:44:07,720 --> 00:44:13,720 in operation, especially 1 Corinthians 14 verse 1B, but 697 00:44:13,720 --> 00:44:17,680 especially that you may prophecy that happens every time that we 698 00:44:17,680 --> 00:44:20,800 meet the 4th telling of God's word in that way. 699 00:44:20,800 --> 00:44:26,080 But let me tell you that that Wednesdays when we gather here 700 00:44:26,080 --> 00:44:29,960 in this building and and God's word is is taught first of all, 701 00:44:30,280 --> 00:44:33,440 and then we pray as a body of believers, man. 702 00:44:33,440 --> 00:44:37,200 There is such building up such edification of the body that is 703 00:44:37,200 --> 00:44:41,480 taking place as the gifts of the Holy Spirit are in operation in 704 00:44:41,480 --> 00:44:43,400 that meeting in our gathering together. 705 00:44:44,280 --> 00:44:47,960 And it might not look like tongues of fire on heads, might 706 00:44:47,960 --> 00:44:52,720 not sound like rushing wind, and we might not see, you know, legs 707 00:44:52,720 --> 00:44:55,920 growing longer or all sorts of, you know, miracles in ways that 708 00:44:55,920 --> 00:44:57,840 people think, wow, that's the Holy Spirit moving. 709 00:44:57,840 --> 00:45:03,680 But the Holy Spirit is moving in a way that is blessing the body 710 00:45:03,720 --> 00:45:06,760 and is praising the God who loves us. 711 00:45:07,160 --> 00:45:12,280 So let's pursue love, and let's desire spiritual gifts.