Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

I wonder if you have ever been in a situation or place where there was no order, just chaos.... well, that’s what Paul is trying to prevent from happening in the church.

Let’s look at each part of this passage...

All things must be done for edification

We should all contribute something to the church.

There is only one acceptable reason for wanting to be used by God: to be a blessing to others - “let all things be done for edification.

Tongues must be orderly

When giving the church a message in a tongue, it must be interpreted.

If there is no interpreter, the speaker can continue to pray in tongues quietly, but not disrupt the service.

Only two or three messages in tongues should be given.

One should speak at a time to avoid confusion.

Prophecy must be orderly

There are to be two or three prophetic messages.

This probably means two or three at a time, as verse 31 goes on to say “you can all prophesy”.

After two or three prophetic words are given, they are to be judged.

The principle here is this: we are not to hear so many prophetic messages that we forget what is said!

Nor are we to allow misguided words to continue.

Judging after two or three messages allows us to reflect on

and weigh what has been said.

JCC Protocol

In a public service, such as today, if someone feels they have a prophetic word for the church, they are to come and speak to me to obtain permission to speak.

I will then make a decision as to whether or not the word is shared.

In other contexts, such as home groups, the following order should follow:

A maximum of three prophetic words should be given at a time.

Afterwards, feedback should be given e.g.

“I resonated with what you said” etc.

If something has been spoken contrary to God’s word, that should also be pointed out.

We must exercise self-control

Someone might excuse their disorderly behaviour by saying.

“The Spirit made me do it”.

However, this passage makes it clear that we have the ability to control ourselves.

God is not responsible for disorder.

We must not be disruptive

Some churches have read this verse out of context and don’t allow women to speak at all in their church services!

However, that can’t be what Paul meant as a few chapters earlier he taught that women should prophesy in church with their heads covered:

Therefore, it is clear that women could speak in church.

It is so important that we ready passages withing the wider context of the book in which they are found.

This is also confirmed in Acts 2:17

So what did Paul mean?

There are various views.

One view is that the women, who were less likely than the men to be literate in 1st century Greece, were discussing with their husbands what was being said whilst it was being said (David Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary, page 483).

As you can imagine, this would have caused much disruption during the service, and it may be this that Paul is correcting.

The applicable point for us all is that we should not be causing any disruption during a service.

We shouldn’t be having our own conversations during worship, the word etc.

No one is above the written word of God

All things must be orderly

Paul makes it clear that the exercise of spiritual gifts is to be done in an orderly fashion.

But this principle applies to the rest of our lives also - I believe God wants everything in our lives to be done decently and in order.

Order requires organisation

Doing things in an orderly manner is known by another phrase - being organised!

Why be organised?

1.

An organised life is efficient

You get things done

2.

An organised life is reliable

You can be depended on

3.

An organised home is a refuge

You can find retreat from a hostile world

4. Being organised removes stress

You feel more in control when you are organised.

5. Being organised is godly

God is organised so you should be too!

We see God’s order in creation:

In other words, God organises the seasons into a careful pattern.

How to be organised

6 tips… (I’m stronger on some of these than on others!)

1. Write everything down and don’t rely on your memory

E.g. diary, to do list

2. Have a place for everything

This will enable you to get things done quickly.

You can’t think clearly in a messy environment.

3. Clean up regularly

The best way to remain organized is to allot a certain amount of time each day for cleaning up.

Can be a short time (e.g. 15 mins a day)

4. Practice putting things away immediately

Keep the peaceful ambience of your home by putting things away as soon as you have finished using them.

It will save you a lot of cleaning time later on.

5. Declutter Regularly

Keep only what you need

6. Get enough sleep and drink plenty of water

Being organised requires you to be alert, for which sleep and water are essential!

8 hours of sleep is recommended

symptoms of not enough sleep include hunger, feeling irritable, being forgetful.

Final thought

Be the best you.

An organised you, is a better you!

Summary

In church, all things must be done for edification

Tongues must be orderly

Prophecy must be orderly

We must exercise self-control

We must not be disruptive

No one is above the written word of God

All things must be orderly

Order requires organisation

An organised life is efficient

An organised life is reliable

An organised home is a refuge

Being organised removes stress

Being organised is godly

Write everything down and don’t rely on your memory