Tongues and Prophecy

Tongues and Prophecy

Part of Spiritual Gifts—First Corinthians 12-14

November 12, 2023

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1 Corinthians 14:13-25 (New International Version)
13 For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. 16 Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? 17 You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.

18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.

20 Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults. 21 In the Law it is written:

“With other tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.””

22 Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and inquirers or unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind? 24 But if an unbeliever or an inquirer comes in while everyone is prophesying, they are convicted of sin and are brought under judgment by all, 25 as the secrets of their hearts are laid bare. So they will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, “God is really among you!”

I. The prayer and praise of tongues (vv. 13-15)
• Tongues has both a

and

use.
• Tongues is supernatural

or

available to all Christians.
• Tongues edifies our spirit by Holy Spirit providing

prayer or praise.
• The most

way to pray and praise is to use both our native language and tongues. (Rom. 8:26-27, Eph. 5:18-20, Jude 20-21)
II. Turning solos into symphonies (vv. 16-18)
• God prefers

to solos.
• God wants personal encounters to become

encounters.
• Singing in tongues at church is charismatic

that is normative.
• Singing in the Spirit supernaturally casts off

.
III. Spiritual maturity and immaturity (vv. 19-21)
• Immature Christians come to church primarily for

experiences.
• Mature Christians come to church primarily to

others.
• Signs and wonders captivate people’s

to listen to and believe God’s Word about Jesus.
• Chasing experiences creates a cycle of spiritual

- never learning responsibility.
IV. Two different audiences (vv. 22-25)
• Tongues are a sign to unbelievers of being an

with God.
• The person with a gift is the

for all Christians to meet the standard.
• A

is available to every child of God as a gift.
• Prophecy is a sign for believers that God is

and

.

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TAKE OFF
Share about a time when you were told you needed to change the way you thought about something. How did you respond?

TEXT
1. What thoughts or feelings did you have during this week’s sermon?
2. What is the value of the gift of interpretation of tongues (vv. 12-13, 16-17)? Who does the apostle Paul direct to pray to interpret tongues spoken in a church service? Have you seen this take place?
3. How can Christians pray and sing with their spirit and mind (vv. 14-15)? How do these verses change your perspective and definition of worship?
4. Differentiate between who - believers or unbelievers – the gifts of tongues and prophecy are for (v. 22). What effect do tongues and prophecy have on inquirers and unbelievers (vv. 23-25)? Have you ever experienced a prophecy during a church service that produced in you a deeper worship and understanding of God?

TAKE AWAY
What are some practical ways you can grow/mature in how you view and use spiritual gifts?