1 Cor 14:1-9

1. 1 Cor 14:1-9

2. Daniel Webster: “If we work on marble it will perish. If we work on brass, time will efface it. If we rear temples, they will crumble to dust. But if we work on men’s immortal minds, if we imbue them with high principles, with just fear of God and love of their fellow-men, we engrave on those tablets something which time cannot efface, and which will brighten and brighten to all eternity.”

3. The work of teaching Scripture is so important.

4. The work of teaching Scripture is so important. • Those who teach touch eternity.

5. The work of teaching Scripture is so important. • Those who teach touch eternity. • Dennis Jones: “Fellas, we are changing the population of heaven!”

6. The work of teaching Scripture is so important. • Those who teach touch eternity. • Dennis Jones: “Fellas, we are changing the population of heaven!” • In whatever way we teach, we are changing the population of heaven.

7. First century worship allowed more individuals to speak.

8. First century worship allowed more individuals to speak. • “When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation” (1 Cor 14:26, ESV).

9. First century worship allowed more individuals to speak. • “When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation” (1 Cor 14:26, ESV). • The context of miraculous gifts necessitates that we see each of these teaching tools as miraculous.

10. Problems in the way the Corinthians exercised their gifts.

11. Problems in the way the Corinthians exercised their gifts. • Some were bragging about the “superior” gifts God had given them.

12. Problems in the way the Corinthians exercised their gifts. • Some were bragging about the “superior” gifts God had given them. • Many were speaking at once.

13. Problems in the way the Corinthians exercised their gifts. • Some were bragging about the “superior” gifts God had given them. • Many were speaking at once. • “If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret” (14:27, ESV).

14. Problems in the way the Corinthians exercised their gifts. • Some were bragging about the “superior” gifts God had given them. • Many were speaking at once. • “If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret” (14:27, ESV). • “Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said. If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent. For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged” (14:29-31, ESV).

15. To combat these two extremes: • Paul has written of the superiority of love.

16. To combat these two extremes: • Paul has written of the superiority of love. • Love isn’t going to boast that my gift is better than your gift.

17. To combat these two extremes: • Paul has written of the superiority of love. • Love isn’t going to boast that my gift is better than your gift. • Love isn’t going to cause me to feel that I need to speak over you to make sure I get “air” time.

18. To combat these two extremes: • Paul has written of the superiority of love. • Love isn’t going to boast that my gift is better than your gift. • Love isn’t going to cause me to feel that I need to speak over you to make sure I get “air” time. • Paul, in our passage, writes about the purpose of tongues & prophecy.

19. To combat these two extremes: • Paul has written of the superiority of love. • Love isn’t going to boast that my gift is better than your gift. • Love isn’t going to cause me to feel that I need to speak over you to make sure I get “air” time. • Paul, in our passage, writes about the purpose of tongues & prophecy. • The purpose of prophecy is instruction.

20. To combat these two extremes: • Paul has written of the superiority of love. • Love isn’t going to boast that my gift is better than your gift. • Love isn’t going to cause me to feel that I need to speak over you to make sure I get “air” time. • Paul, in our passage, writes about the purpose of tongues & prophecy. • The purpose of prophecy is instruction. • This morning, we want to think about the “Master Teacher.”

21. We all teach in one way or another!

22. Vv 1-5 construct

23. “Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy. For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the Spirit. On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who

24. “prophesies builds up the church. Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up” (vv 1-5, ESV).

25. “Earnestly desire” (ESV) or “desire” (KJV) is the term from which we get the English “zeal.”

26. “Earnestly desire” (ESV) or “desire” (KJV) is the term from which we get the English “zeal.” • The idea of “zeal” is closely tied up in this word—it means to want something really, really, really badly.

27. Why would paul tell these brethren to desire earnestly these gifts?

28. It all has to do with the PURPOSE of these gifts.

29. It all has to do with the PURPOSE of these gifts. “The one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation” (v 3).

30. It all has to do with the PURPOSE of these gifts. “The one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation” (v 3). • These gifts were given for the benefit of the body of Christ, not individual Christians.

31. How do we use the gifts we’ve been given?

32. God expects us to use our gifts for his purpose, not our own!

33. “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more” (Lk 12:48, ESV).

34. “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more” (Lk 12:48, ESV). • Parable of the Talents.

35. “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more” (Lk 12:48, ESV). • Parable of the Talents. • When the landowner returned home, he called his servants before him to give an account.

36. “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more” (Lk 12:48, ESV). • Parable of the Talents. • When the landowner returned home, he called his servants before him to give an account. • The servants presented the talents to their master.

37. “Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more” (Lk 12:48, ESV). • Parable of the Talents. • When the landowner returned home, he called his servants before him to give an account. • The servants presented the talents to their master—The talents didn’t belong to the servants to do with as they pleased, but they were to be used for the benefit of the master.

38. Do we use our talents for the benefit of the body of christ?

39. The one who prophecies speaks to the people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation, v. 3.

40. The one who prophecies speaks to the people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation, v. 3. • “Upbuilding” literally means “construction.”

41. The one who prophecies speaks to the people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation, v. 3. • “Upbuilding” literally means “construction.” • Often used of the act of construction & more frequently of the finished product (i.e., a building).

42. The one who prophecies speaks to the people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation, v. 3. • “Upbuilding” literally means “construction.” • Often used of the act of construction & more frequently of the finished product (i.e., a building). • Figuratively, the term refers to building people toward maturity.

43. Helping people reach maturity is so important.

44. Helping people reach maturity is so important. • “He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph 4:11-12, ESV).

45. Helping people reach maturity is so important. • “He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph 4:11-12, ESV). • Apostles & prophets were to help the infant church reach maturity.

46. Helping people reach maturity is so important. • “He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph 4:11-12, ESV). • Apostles & prophets were to help the infant church reach maturity. • Evangelists & teaching-shepherds (same office) help Christians of any age reach maturity.

47. Helping people reach maturity is so important. • “He gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ” (Eph 4:11-12, ESV). • Apostles & prophets were to help the infant church reach maturity. • Evangelists & teaching-shepherds (same office) help Christians of any age reach maturity. • As we teach, we are helping people reach maturity.

48. Do we regularly help people reach maturity?

49. The one who prophecies speaks to the people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation, v. 3. • “Encouragement” (ESV) could also be rendered “exhortation” (KJV).

50. The one who prophecies speaks to the people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation, v. 3. • “Encouragement” (ESV) could also be rendered “exhortation” (KJV). • Applied to a person, the term refers to a mediator, an intercessor, and occasionally an attorney.