Latest / A Chapter a Day Bible Reading / August 27 - 1 Corinthians 14

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August 27 - 1 Corinthians 14 · A Chapter a Day Bible Reading

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  Hello friends, it's Sean here. It's Tuesday, it's the 27th of
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  August and I'm delighted to have your company.
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  Thank you for inviting me into your day, no matter what it
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  looks like, whether it is a busy one or a relaxing one or
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  somewhere in between. Great to have your company as
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  this week we are going to be finishing reading together the
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  book of First Corinthians. And then, well, we won't be able
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  to read the 2nd letter that Paul wrote to the church in Corinth
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  because that it has been lost to time.
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  But we do have a copy of the 3rd letter he wrote, but we don't
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  call that Third Corinthians. We call it Second Corinthians
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  because it's the 2nd letter that we have that Paul wrote to the
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  church in Corinth. Probably 4 all that, but we just
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  have two that have become part of our biblical Canon.
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  So once we've finished this week, then next week we are
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  going to take another step forward, turn the page over and
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  read the 2nd letter that he writes to this church.
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  So we've got just a few more chapters of the 1st letter.
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  And in this one today we're going to hear all about Paul
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  setting some structure and some some regulations around the way
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  that that church worshipped in that time and place.
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  And some interpret these verses, the instructions in these verses
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  as being for the whole church throughout time.
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  But many believe that no, this was just to create a sense of
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  order and to reduce the disruption that would have
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  otherwise been caused in that time as they started to meet
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  together and work out what does church look like and how do we
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  do this in a way that everyone feels comfortable.
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  So without saying anything further, let us sit down here.
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  What our old mate Paul has to say with us is reread together
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  First Corinthians chapter 14. Let love be your highest goal.
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  But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit
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  gives, especially the ability to prophecy.
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  For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be
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  speaking only to God. Since people won't be able to
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  understand you, you will be speaking by the power of the
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  Spirit, but it will all be mysterious.
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  But one who prophecies strengthens others, encourages
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  them, and comforts them. A person who speaks in tongues
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  is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of
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  prophecy strengthens the entire church.
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  I wish you could all speak in tongues, but even more, I wish
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  you could all prophecy, for prophecy is greater than
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  speaking in tongues, unless someone interprets what you were
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  saying so that the whole church will be strengthened.
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  Dear brothers and sisters, if I should come to you speaking in
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  an unknown language, how would that help you?
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  But if I bring you a revelation or some special knowledge or
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  prophecy or teaching, that will be helpful.
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  Even lifeless instruments like the flute or the harp must play
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  the notes clearly or no one will recognise the melody.
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  And if the bugler doesn't sound a clear call, how will the
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  soldiers know they are being called to battle?
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  It's the same for you. If you speak to people in words
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  they don't understand, how will they know what you were saying?
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  You might as well be talking into empty space.
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  There are many different languages in the world, and
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  every language has meaning. But if I don't understand a
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  language, I will be a foreigner to someone who speaks it, and
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  the one who speaks it will be a foreigner to me.
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  And the same is true for you, since you are so eager to have
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  the special abilities the Spirit gives, seek those that will
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  strengthen the whole church. So anyone who speaks in tongues
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  should pray also for the ability to interpret what has been said.
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  For if I pray in tongues, my spirit is praying, but I don't
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  understand what I'm saying. Well, then, what shall I do?
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  I will pray in the Spirit, and I will also pray in words I
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  understand. I will sing in the Spirit, and I
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  will also sing in words I understand.
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  For if you praise God only in the Spirit, how can those who
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  don't understand you praise God along with you?
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  How can they join you in giving thanks when they don't
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  understand what you were saying? You will be giving thanks very
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  well, but it won't strengthen the people who hear you.
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  I thank God that I speak in tongues more than any of you,
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  but in a church meeting, I would rather speak five understandable
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  words to help others than 10,000 words in an unknown language.
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  Dear brothers and sisters, don't be childish in your
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  understanding of these things. Be innocent as babies when it
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  comes to evil, but be mature in understanding matters of this
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  kind. It is written in the Scriptures.
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  I will speak to my own people through strange languages and
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  through the lips of foreigners, but even then they will not
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  listen to me, says the Lord. So you see that speaking in
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  tongues is a sign not for believers, but for unbelievers.
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  Prophecy, however, is for the benefit of believers, not
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  unbelievers. Even so, if unbelievers or
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  people who don't understand these things come into your
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  church meeting and hear everyone speaking in an unknown language,
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  they'll think you are crazy. But if all of you are
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  prophesying and unbelievers or people who don't understand
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  these things come into your meeting, they will be convicted
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  of sin and judged by what you say.
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  As they listen, their secret thoughts will be exposed and
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  they will fall on their knees and worship God, declaring God
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  is truly here among you. Well, my brothers and sisters,
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  let's summarise. When you meet together, one will
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  sing, another will teach, another will tell some special
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  revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and
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  another will interpret what is said.
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  But everything that is done must strengthen all of you.
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  No more than two or three should speak in tongues.
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  They must speak one at a time, and someone must interpret what
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  they say. But if no one is present who can
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  interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak
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  in tongues to God privately. Let two or three people
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  prophecy, and let the others evaluate what is said.
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  But if someone is prophesying and another person receives a
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  revelation from the Lord, the one who is speaking must stop.
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  In this way, all who prophecy will have a turn to speak one
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  after the other, so that everyone will learn and be
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  encouraged. Remember that people who
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  prophecy are in control of the Spirit and can take turns, for
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  God is not a God of disorder, but of peace.
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  As in all the meetings of God's holy people, women should be
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  silent during the church meetings.
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  It is not proper for them to speak.
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  They should be submissive, just as the law says.
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  If they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at
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  home, for it is improper for women to speak in church
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  meetings. Or do you think God's Word
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  originated with you? Corinthians.
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  Are you the only ones to whom it was given?
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  If you claim to be a prophet or think you are spiritual, you
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  should recognise that what I am saying is a command from the
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  Lord Himself. But if you do not recognise
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  this, you yourself will not be recognised.
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  So my dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophecy and don't
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  forbid speaking in tongues, but be sure that everything is done
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  properly and in order. Our Jesus, we hear so clearly
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  that you want your people to work together in a way that
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  edifies the group and encourages each other.
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  Thank you, Lord, that you have placed us in community so that
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  we can be encouraged and that we can know more about you and
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  Lord, as we discern these words. Lord, I pray that You would show
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  us what that looks like in our context, what orderly,
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  respectful, and holy worship looks like when we gather to
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  lift up your name and bring Your Kingdom closer.
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  I thank You that You don't come to us with a rule of law, but
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  with an open heart of grace, and that when we get it wrong, You
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  continue to invite us in and to forgive us with that incredible
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  love of yours. I pray that you would inspire us
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  to be the same, to approach each other with hearts filled with
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  love and grace. I thank you for this most
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  perfect way that you have shown us.
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  Transform us from the inside out to be more like you.
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  Jesus, I pray all of this in your precious, peaceful name,
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  Amen.