1 Corinthians 14:26-40 | "Decently And In Order"
[1 Corinthians] • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 34:30
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· 228 viewsSunday, October 17, 2021. 1 Corinthians 14:26-40 | "Decently And In Order." What should the saints do when the church comes together? The apostle supports the various gifts but offers pointed instructions for how each gift, rightly deployed, builds up the church. This message preaches from 1 Corinthians 14:26-40. It is part of a preaching series through 1 Corinthians "To The Church." The title of this sermon is "Decently And In Order."
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I. The Reading
I. The Reading
26 What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.
27 If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret.
28 But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God.
29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said.
30 If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent.
31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged,
32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.
33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,
34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says.
35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.
36 Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached?
37 If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord.
38 If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.
39 So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
40 But all things should be done decently and in order.
[ Scripture Reading ~3 min ]
This is God’s Word, Amen.
II. The Exhortation
II. The Exhortation
This text begins with a question.
Verse 26 opens with these words:
“What then, brothers?”
Understood another way, this question asks:
“What should you do then, brothers and sisters?” (NET)
What should you, the church of the saints, do when YOU, the church of the saints, come together?
This is a very practical question.
The answer to this practical question will guide the witness and the worship of the church’s chaotic gatherings in Corinth.
But, it is not a question the church in Corinth was asking. Instead, the apostle asks the question OF them, and FOR them, as a point of order.
“What then, brothers?”
“What should you do?”
The church needs to ask questions like this!
“What should we do?”
Because we are inclined to rest in what we’ve always known. We cement ourselves in what is comfortable for us.
For nearly two thousand years the Lord has been building His church all over the world — but if we were honest, really honest, we act in our worship gatherings, as if the last 50-70 years is the way church has always been ordered and ought always to be ordered, forever and always, amen!
Week after week, we do the same things when we gather, in almost the same order, with the same people. And with minor differences of dress or appearance or titles or people, the whole worship gathering orders for us in a very similar manner to the way it was ordered five decades ago, from the call to worship to the invitation and the benediction.
Our Sanctuary has become for us, a time capsule when it is meant to be a transporter of the church to the throne of God in glory!
Hear these words [Revelation 7:9-12]:
9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands,
10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”
11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God,
12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
With so many people around the throne from a diversity of nations, tribes and tongues, we might expect there would be chaos, but instead there is order - because everyone there in that vision, is ordered around the same purpose - to worship God before the throne and praise His name forever!
That’s our vision, Church! God is our vision!
And in light of this vision of God upon His throne and the eternal heavenly worship, we should always ask of our gatherings:
“What then, brothers?”
“What should you do”?
What should we do — to represent that picture?
What should we do - to anticipate that scene?
As a whole, we don’t ask this question, because we've already determined the answer.
We don’t ask “what should we do?” because:
“That’s just the way we’ve always done things.”
Church — WE have defined for ourselves, what WE believe is decent, and orderly in God’s Church, and we act accordingly.
WE define “decently and in order” by our own comfort and culture, which means we are looking at the wrong picture and building towards the wrong goal.
God is not a God of confusion but of peace.
God would have us look to Him and ask “What then?” as we order our gatherings of worship.
Imagine having hundreds or thousands of pieces to a jigsaw puzzle poured out on a table, but you’ve lost the box with the picture of the puzzle!
Imagine how difficult that puzzle would be to put together. Consider how much time it would take, if you didn’t know what you were working toward; if you couldn’t see what the picture was supposed to look like!
Your labor to construct that puzzle would be slow, frustrating, trial and error at best, aimless even, and may ultimately fail to represent the glory of the final picture.
The gathering of the church to worship God can be like that disconnected puzzle without a picture, if we fail to ask the good question: what are we doing when we come together?
There are many parts to our body, but without a guide to how they all fit together, without a vision for the finished form, the puzzle remains a mixed up pile of pieces, dumped out on a desk, piece upon piece, color upon color, turned upside down and every which way into heaps of chaos, with no order, no plan, making no sense to anyone.
It is still one whole puzzle, but it is broken into many unintelligible parts with no discernable picture or end.
But if we had the box, we would have the picture. If we had the picture, we would have a vision for what the puzzle will look like when it is built correctly. If we have this vision, then we have a plan. We have a guide.
And in the same way, God gives His Church a picture of worship, a vision of what a worship gathering should look like when it is built correctly - and that vision is Him!
And God gifts us and guides us by His Holy Spirit and His Holy Word into a worship that strengthens the believer through service, and convicts the unbeliever and outsider.
24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all,
25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.
So if “God is really among you,” — “What then?”
“What should you do?”
“What should we do, brothers and sisters?”
III. The Teaching
III. The Teaching
14.26
14.26
26 What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.
Notice the words: “each one has.”
The apostle is not addressing our situation - he doesn’t know our situation. He is speaking to the situation on the ground in Corinth and what he knows about what is taking place in their worship.
The church is coming together, as they should and as is right.
And being one body with many parts, they are coming together as one body with many individual offerings and gifts.
And the implication is, that the gifts were being used in a chaotic, individualistic way so that it puffed up the individuals and failed to build up the church.
“Each one has a hymn.” The word “hymn” is the word [ ψαλμός ]. It’s a Psalm!
It could have been a song of praise that the person wrote themselves to contribute to the gathering of worship, but it was probably an Old Testament Psalm to sing.
One has a lesson. This is the word for “teaching.”
One has a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation.
The apostle does not view this as a problem. This is a blessing!
The various gifts and offerings by the many parts of the body represent the presence and work of the Holy Spirit in the church! Each gift is given as God wills, to build up the church.
The question for us is to ask today is this - do our gatherings represent a diversity of gifts like these?
Or do our gatherings represent only a few of the gifts, like that of teaching? Do we limit and restrict the gifts of God in the way we have so ordered ourselves when we gather?
Charismatic churches allow for a variety of gifts and that easily falls into chaos. That’s what the apostle is addressing.
But what about us non-charismatic churches on the other end of the spectrum? Are we limiting the building of the church by limiting God and those He has gifted for us?
Are we willing to create space in the gathering of the saints for all worshipers to offer their gifts in service of the Church for the building up of the saints as God empowers?
That is not easily done in a large group gathering with order. But it may be done in a small group gathering!
This is why small groups are an important movement of our membership. This is why I urge every one of us to be a faithful participant in a Sunday School class or small group.
Small groups allow the church to do what cannot be done in a Large Group Gathering like this.
Small groups are another form of the saints gathered. Small groups are “ministry incubators” where you may discover, develop and exercise your spiritual gift in a way that this large gathering does not support.
This is why I encourage teaching in Sunday School, but not ONLY teaching. Do other things as well as you gather in smaller groups. Give opportunities for a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation or whatever God gives!
As a member with Southside Baptist Church, if you can only participate in one thing we would ask you to prioritize the Large Group Gathering - this is where the saints assemble and receive the preaching of God’s Word and witness to the future worship that awaits us together in glory. The Large Group Gathering is the Sunday morning gathering for worship.
But if that is all you do, if you only participate in Sunday morning worship, you will miss out on some of the richest opportunities for spiritual growth and service in the church and mission through the church.
I urge everyone to pray and participate in a small group gathering of some kind under the oversight of this church. As we see in this text, the Spirit of God gives a variety of needed gifts that need to be exercised in the church for the building up of the church.
The apostle says at the end of verse 26:
26 What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.
“Let all things be done for building up.”
He then explains what this looks like for the situation on the ground in Corinth, and principles that we may apply in our churches today.
14.27
14.27
27 If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret.
The gathering of worship is not to be taken over by any one gift, especially a gift like tongues that the apostle already has shown is not speaking to others but is an individual speaking to God.
“Let there be only two or at most three.”
The apostle is speaking about tongues specifically, but I suggest that this principle could easily apply to us when it comes to music. I’m sure all of us have been to worship services that are taken over by songs. 40 minutes of songs, 10 minutes of teaching.
We’ve also seen it the other way: 40 minutes of teaching and 10 minutes of songs.
If the church is to be built up, there will be some kind of balance of the various gifts.
27 If any speak in a tongue, let there be only two or at most three, and each in turn, and let someone interpret.
This key of interpretation, “let someone interpret” is necessary.
I’ve been to churches where tongues were spoken and no one was there to interpret those tongues. Everyone spoke at the same time. It was uncomfortable, it was chaotic, and it did not benefit or strengthen me in the Lord at all.
Be it tongues, or anything that is done in the service of worship, it needs to be done in turn, and rightly interpreted so that it communicates God to the people.
14.28
14.28
28 But if there is no one to interpret, let each of them keep silent in church and speak to himself and to God.
The apostle then addresses the prophets.
If tongues is people speaking words to God, prophecy is speaking God’s word to people.
If tongues are to be interpreted, prophecy then, is to be weighed.
14.29
14.29
29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said.
To weigh means to evaluate. Prophets must be evaluated by their message.
Even in the Old Testament, a prophet was evaluated by his message. If what he prophesied did not come to pass, he was a false prophet and judged.
You may be thinking - what does this talk about tongues and prophecy have to do with us today? That was Corinth. This is now!?
God has not changed. The Spirit still gifts. Who’s to say the Spirit won’t give someone tongues? What are you going to do if someone begins speaking in them?
Who’s to say the Spirit won’t give someone words of prophesy? What are you going to do then?
Listen to what Jesus said:
15 “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.
1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction.
1 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.
Simply stated - Southside Baptist Church, we must be on guard against false prophets! They are here! They arise among us! They look like sheep - they look like followers of Jesus, they look like church members, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.
Revelation 19:10 ESV
...For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
If someone claims to be godly but doesn’t talk about Jesus they are probably a false prophet, beware!
29 Let two or three prophets speak, and let the others weigh what is said.
14.30
14.30
30 If a revelation is made to another sitting there, let the first be silent.
14.31
14.31
31 For you can all prophesy one by one, so that all may learn and all be encouraged,
Look at those two words: learn and be encouraged.
If someone thinks they have a gift, and they use that gift, and you are not benefited from it, if we are not benefited from it, t’s probably not the Spirit’s gift upon that person.
Prophesy, like other gifts, was meant for learning and for encouragement, but no matter what the gift, if it is exercised in a chaotic way, with one talking over another, then no one learns and no one is encouraged.
14.32
14.32
32 and the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets.
Peter says it this way:
19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts,
20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation.
Warren Wiersbe was a well known pastor, writer, Bible teacher and speaker and he writes of his own experience, going to conferences. And a person would be scheduled an allotment of time to speak ahead of him and then it would be his turn.
He writes of a certain man that...”often went fifteen to twenty minutes past his deadline, which meant, of course, that [I had to condense my messages at the last minute. He excused himself to me by saying, “You know, when the Holy Spirit takes over, you can’t worry about clocks!” My reply was to quote 1 Corinthians 14:32: “And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets.” Our own self-control is one of the evidences that the Spirit is indeed at work in the meeting.” (WW, 615).
In other words, someone who is speaking on and on without any control and says “well, that’s just the spirit moving” is to be questioned.
Because even the prophets had self-control. Their spirits were subject to the other prophets.
As it pertains to this task of preaching, I remind you to be like the the Bereans of Acts 17:11 —
11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.
My preaching is should be met with an “Amen” from you, from your study of God’s Word and searching of the Scriptures to see if these things are so.
Verse 33 gives a reason for this —
14.33
14.33
33 For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints,
The Holy Spirit is giving all of these various gifts to build up the church, and the Holy Spirit likewise guides how those gifts are to be exercised in such a way that promotes the character of God in that gathering and reflects the presence of God in that gathering.
“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.”
God is not chaotic.
God is not inspiring people to speak over one another.
If there is confusion, if there is disorder, if there is rebellion in a service - it is not of God.
If a man or a woman speaks a word in the church that causes people to be confused, or causes chaos - [ I’m sure we can all think of a business meeting or two where that has happened ] - that person is not moved by God.
God is a God of peace. And Jesus Christ is our peace. And the fruit of the Spirit is peace.
If God is really among us, there will be peace among us.
Now, the apostle turns to one example in the Corinthian church that caused disorder and confusion, and it pertains to something the women in the church were doing.
He says:
“As in all the churches of the saints...”
14.34
14.34
34 the women should keep silent in the churches. For they are not permitted to speak, but should be in submission, as the Law also says.
Notice that the women are not the first, nor the only group told here to “keep silent.” The tongue speakers were told to keep silent when there was no interpreter (v.28) because they were not building up. The prophets were told to keep silent, when another prophet was speaking, because they were speaking out of turn and it hindered learning and encouragement.
The women, likewise, are told to keep silent when a certain situation arises — when they desire to learn.
14.35
14.35
35 If there is anything they desire to learn, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is shameful for a woman to speak in church.
It is more probable that the women addressed here are wives who have husbands.
And these wives were speaking as the prophets were speaking, asking questions, desiring to learn, and by doing so, were causing the same chaos that the prophets were causing themselves by talking over one another!
And so the apostle teaches that there is also a right order to learning.
Women were not educated in culture but in the church they could be! So they would have many questions. But the time for asking those questions and learning as women, as wives, was at home. And by practicing learning in this order, it was not viewed as shameful.
The apostle is not against women praying in church, or even prophesying in church. In these ways the women not only could speak, but were given opportunity to speak in the church!
But they were not to speak over the prophets, and speak questions to learn at that time.
As far as applying this today, it could just as well be said that men should not speak in such a way that causes an interruption or a disordering of the service and the benefits that build up all.
Returning to his overall argument, the apostle concludes with another question:
14.36
14.36
36 Or was it from you that the word of God came? Or are you the only ones it has reached?
This is not speaking to the women now, but to the whole church assembled. Especially to the prophets.
Their word of prophecy did not originate with them and them only! They don’t own the rights to God’s word.
They don’t get to make up their own rules and their own ways.
For the rules and the ways belong to God!
God has spoken, and God’s Spirit by God’s Word judges all things.
Nothing that is spoken by way of prophecy or tongues will contradict God’s revealed Word.
This is why our service is built upon God’s Word. This is why you can have a confidence every Sunday that God’s Word will prevail, not our own!
14.37
14.37
37 If anyone thinks that he is a prophet, or spiritual, he should acknowledge that the things I am writing to you are a command of the Lord.
Notice the source - “a command of the Lord.”
People rise up in the church all the time with their own agendas, their own ideas, their own evaluations, but the ones who are spiritual will recognize only what comes from God!
If you think this doesn’t happen, listen to what Jesus said —
22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
These are false prophets!
14.38
14.38
38 If anyone does not recognize this, he is not recognized.
14.39
14.39
39 So, my brothers, earnestly desire to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues.
14.40
14.40
40 But all things should be done decently and in order.
IV. The [ Christ ] Conclusion
IV. The [ Christ ] Conclusion
To do all things decently and in order does not mean to do them the way we think they ought to be done. Instead, it is to do them God’s way, as revealed in His Son!
This requires a dependence upon Jesus and His Word.
Jesus said:
25 Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe. The works that I do in my Father’s name bear witness about me,
26 but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep.
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
We’ve heard today about what it means to learn and be built up in the gathering of the church. It means that we do not limit or restrict the Spirit’s working, but neither do we promote chaos.
We do all things decently and in order, for a purpose.
So that Christ and His Words may be clearly heard, received, and believed, so that they might then be obeyed.
The apostle will go on to show how Christ’s work was orderly as well. His death on the cross for sin, his burial and resurrection to life was not chaotic, but brought eternal order once again to the chaos through a New Creation made possible by His cross.
Christ died for us, so that we may take up our own cross and die to ourselves, and follow Him.
To answer the question “What then, brothers?” “What should you do?” — the answer must always and forever point to Jesus and what He did for you and for me.
Amen.
[ 4,454 words (37 minutes) ]