DON’T BE IGNORANT CONCERNING THE HOLY GHOST
Gifts are not…
- Natural gifts
- Not given to an elite few (1 Corinthians 12: 7 each one given a gift)
- Signs of spiritual maturity
- Not to be weird or freaky or something to fear
GIFTS ARE FOR THE CHURCH
Romans 1: 11 I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord.
1 Corinthians 12: 7 a spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
Acts 19: 11 God gave power to perform unusual miracles through Paul
RESULT: So the message of the Lord spread widely and had powerful effect.Vs 20
Result of spiritual gifts are to build up the church, and spread the news of Jesus.
What are the Spiritual Gifts of the Holy Spirit
Romans 12: 6 – 8
- Prophecy Speaking about the future and speaking what is happening in a life today)
- Serving (Just as spiritual as prophecy
- Teaching
- Encouraging
- Giving
- Leadership ability
- Showing kindness to others
The List continues in 1 Corinthians 12: 7 – 11
- Wisdom – knowing how and when to do something
- Knowledge – knowing what to do
- Faith – Surge of faith to believe something extraordinary
- Healing
- Miracles
- Prophecy mentioned again
- Discernment (telling if something is from God or not
- Speak in unknown tongues
- Interpreting an unknown tongue
Dealing with the objections
- Tongues will cease
1 Corinthians 13: 8 – 10 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears
People do not have a problem with the book of Acts, they have a problem with the book of Acts being for today.
Some claim that the perfect that comes is the Bible. Once the Bible was canonized (put together) then that was the perfection that we enjoy today.
We are told that when the perfect comes, tongues will cease, but it also says knowledge will cease.
Knowledge- moral wisdom and understanding. General intelligence.
The question. Has this also ceased?
1 Corinthians 13: 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known
Same word emphasized twice in the same verse.
We will see this as we go on in the next few weeks, but the reason for tongues is greater intimacy with Jesus.
- Tongues were just for the disciples
Acts 2: 38 – 39 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off–for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
Generations mentions with the gift of the Holy Spirit.
- We receive the Holy Spirit when we are saved
- They (the 120 in the upper room) spoke in other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance (Acts 2: 1 – 4)
- Samaritans – Something powerful happened that Simon offered Peter money for the power to do that (Acts 8: 17 – 19
- Ephesians They spoke in other tongues and prophesied (Acts 19: 9)
- Paul was healed as scales fell from his eyes (Acts 9: 17)
- Cornelius Saved, and filled with the Holy Spirit at the same time. Only time we have record of this happening. They also spoke in tongues (Acts 10: 44 – 46)
- Bible says we will not all speak in tongues
1 Corinthians 12: 30 Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues ? Do all interpret
Four Types of Tongues in the Bible
Tongues for the Unbeliever
1 Corinthians 14: 22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbeliever
when the Holy Spirit transcends our intelligence and we speak in another language of this earth.
We cannot decide when to operate in this gift.
The disciples did this on the day of Pentecost Acts 2: 5 – 11
Tongues for Interpretation
The second category of tongues is also for public ministry. These tongues are heavenly languages; there are no dialect like them on earth which is also true of the rest of the tongues we are going to talk about.
1 Corinthians 12: 10…to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues
Notice: These tongues are an interpretation not a translation
These tongues when interpreted are a lot like prophecy
1 Corinthians 14: 5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified
This is a tongue that edifies the church and builds it up. Now lets look again at the verse that talks about tongues ceasing in context
1 Corinthians 12: 28 – 30 And in the church God has appointed first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, also those having gifts of healing, those able to help others, those with gifts of administration, and those speaking in different kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles? Do all have gifts of healing? Do all speak in tongues ? Do all interpret?
Do you notice that Paul is speaking about ministry gifts that God has set in the Church? Certainly not all are apostles or prophecy and all do not have the ministry gift of speaking in tongues.
1 Corinthians 14: 22 – 23 Tongues, ( tongues that speak a language of earth) then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers. So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, (heavenly language that no one interprets) and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?
Answer to the question of do all speak in tongues? The public ministry gift of tongues that are interpreted? No they do not. God is selective about who he gives his ministry gifts to. He is not the same way with gifts for our own personal walk with Him.
Tongues for Personal Prayer
1 Corinthians 14: 14, 15 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind
Now we are in a tongue that communes with God and not with man.
Jude 20, 21 But you beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit
Notice when we pray in tongues that we build ourselves up, where as when we speak in tongues to the church and interpret, we edify or build up the church. (1 Corinthians 14: 5)
Tongues for intercession
Romans 8: 26, 27 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. 27 And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will
There are times when we are at a loss of how to pray and what to pray for. The Holy Spirit can help us in these times.
DON’T IGNORE THE GIFTS OF GOD
1 Peter 4: 10, 11God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another…Then everything you do will bring glory to God.
Key Point: Be spirit filled rather than spirit less Christians
Time to see what is on the other side of the curtain. Answer questions from the inside looking out.
God wants us all filled with the Holy Spirit
1 Corinthians 14: 5 I wish you all spoke in tongues
Wasn’t he just talking to the Corinthians?
2 Peter 1: 20 no prophecy ever came from the prophets themselves
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God 2 Timothy 3: 16
Paul was not just talking to the Corinthians, he was God talking to the whole church.
1 Corinthians 14: 38 but if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant. I have made my will clear to you on the matter of tongues. If you choose to remain ignorant, then you will be ignorant and will not be blessed with My provision.
1 Corinthians 14: 39 Do not forbid to speak with tongues