“The
Jesus in Me, Loves the Jesus In You…You’re Easy to Love!”
This review is brought
to you by the Kentucky
First Jurisdiction Church of God in Christ Sunday School Department.
LESSON AIM: By the end of the lesson, we will; recount what Paul says about
the value of speaking in tongues; realize the importance of speaking plainly in
the company of others; and reaffirm strategies for effectively communicating
the Gospel to both believers and unbelievers.
BIBLE TRUTH: Whatever you do in worship should edify other believers as well
as yourself.
1 Corinthians 14:13-26
| King James Version (KJV)
13 Wherefore let him
that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.
14 For if I pray in an
unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful.
15 What is it then? I
will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will
sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also.
16 Else when thou
shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the
unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what
thou sayest?
17 For thou verily
givest thanks well, but the other is not edified.
18 I thank my God, I
speak with tongues more than ye all:
19 Yet in the church I
had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might
teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue.
20 Brethren, be not
children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in
understanding be men.
21 In the law it is
written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this
people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.
22 Wherefore tongues
are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but
prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe.
23 If therefore the
whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and
there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that
ye are mad?
24 But if all
prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is
convinced of all, he is judged of all:
25 And thus are the
secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will
worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.
26 How is it then,
brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a
doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all
things be done unto edifying.
Paul continues to
teach and lead the Corinthian church into a more productive and edifying
service structure (public) for believers and unbelievers alike. This lesson
speaks all tongues and prophesy in a public church setting.
Definition: Speaking in tongues here refers to someone talking in another language
that they have never been taught. Paul is focusing on exercising the gift of
tongues without an interpreter.
The Corinthians
embraced speaking in tongues, both in private and public worship services. In
fact, many believed that I they really honed in on their gift of tongues, that
meant a higher level of spiritual maturity. In verses 13-15, Paul teaches for
the believer to seek God for the understanding of the tongues, or the
interpretation. It does no good for a person to emotionally render unknown
tongues, if their mind doesn't understand the meaning of it all. This is not to
be confused with Romans 8:26, where the Holy Spirit helps our infirmities with groanings
which cannot be interpreted, as these are too deep for words. Tongues can
be interpreted, so as believers, we are encouraged to seek the understanding.
Another important
point to make is that without understanding, it’s tough to reach an agreement,
or affirmation. Imagine how is may seem to an unbeliever (or believer, for that
matter) to sit through a service where you can’t understand what is being said.
Then, when it’s time to end the prayer, or “bless” the words of the prayer
(verse 16), how can someone say “Amen” or “it is so”, if they don’t understand
WHAT they are agreeing to? Make it plain! Take a look at 1 Corinthians 12:10.
God gives the gift of interpretation of tongues. So, this would be edifying in
the church.
Paul compares tongues
to prophesy and admonishes believers to focus more on prophesy, especially in public
settings. Paul gave an example to which the Corinthians could relate in verse
21. He called to their remembrance when Isaiah
the prophet, preached repentance to the Israelites in their own language, and
they would not repent. Then, God sent their Assyrian enemies to invade them.
The Assyrians spoke a different language, or tongue. God allowed the Israelites
to understand their language, and they STILL didn't repent (Isaiah 28:11-12). They
didn’t get God’s message with tongues.
In verse 23, Paul
says, (highly paraphrased) “If a person who doesn't know God walks in here and
hears the church speaking in tongues, and there is no instruction, won’t they
say that your church is crazy?” On the other hand, if you allow God to work
with you, in the gift of prophesy the believer AND the unbeliever can hear it
and really understand what God is saying to them. This level of understanding
and conviction will lead to a person falling on their face in the presence of
the Lord, proclaiming that God has spoken through you! This glorification,
although sent though a human being, goes back to God.
Paul ended here by
letting them know that whatever they do, whether it be a prophesy, a song, and
reading, or an interpretation, make sure that it is edifying to God, the person,
and those who are listening.
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