The Sign Gift of Tongues, Pt. 1 (10/03/1999)

Good morning, everyone Good to see you. I Trust you have a bulletin with you. I'm going to for the most part let you take this home and and Pray over the prayer requests. There are a couple that I do want to to mention Here first of all Fred Blackman for health and And Deborah just go to the doctor.

Does that mean he's stubborn about that? Okay, and Then also pray for June Clark for health she got a kind of a Frightening doctor's report this past week and she's having some tests run. She and she's not feeling well either.

So being prayer about that I Don't I'm not gonna go into it because I think I sense that it is Fear that Satan brings about is what I sense that it is. And of course, that's that's my hope that that's what it is as well but that's what I sense it is and so pray for her that the tests that come back would be good and Just pray for her that she would get her strength back and and be able to be back with us.

And so She well, I've got your curiosity up so much I'd be unkind not to share with you what it is. But the a skin doctor here in town Said that there's a possibility that she might have lupus. Which is most of you know, it's a disease where the your it's an autoimmune system disease where your immune system begins to attack your own Cells and especially around your joints and so forth can affect your vital organs as well.

And it's a serious disease that they do not know a lot about and He diagnosed that on the basis of a rash on her face that she got after switching makeup. Which I think was a little bit. Well unprofessional is the word I'm striving for I think on the doctor's part.

But she's very concerned about it and and rightfully so if I were in her shoes, I would be too so pray For miss June and ask the Lord just to heal her and to cure this rash on her face. And she she does have a tired feeling.

Also right now so just pray for her to get her strength back and for her to trust the Lord and and for. And this this just to be some type of attack on her by the enemy. That's what I believe it is. So Please be in prayer for her about that.

Well, I'm going to go to the Lord in prayer at this time. Dear father, we thank you so much for This another day together we know that we will spend eternity together and what a blessing it is to know that we're already living eternal life because of Jesus Christ our Savior and our Lord and Our life and we thank you for that.

May you draw our attention to that? The life that we have today may we revel in that may we rejoice in that may we give you praise. May your Holy Spirit amplify our praise. For the very life that you've given us father.

We remember a time when all was darkness and you brought us out of that darkness into light and life and so help us rejoice together today as a family of Believers and That you've brought together by your very hand.

Help us to think on things that are lovely things that are of good report today things that have virtue help us to put aside any negative thoughts or thoughts of the cares of the world or thoughts of this world and help us to Sense that we are in fact Seated in the heavenlies in Jesus Christ right now as we're together.

We do know father that there is work left for us to do on this earth in time. Because we're still here and so use this as a day of equipping us. For that work until the Lord Jesus comes back for us. We pray for Fred Blackman and we ask father that You would strengthen his body and if it's your will for him to go the doctor that you would impress that upon his heart.

Where there'd be no doubt in his mind what he should do. We pray for June this morning for strength and and courage and for her to just think about you and be and to trust you and to be in the Word of God today and to sense that we're here loving her and praying for her and we just pray that you would touch her body and heal her and prove the doctor to be a fool and Lord we We just ask that you would move in our hearts today through the Word of God.

That you would move mightily so that we would leave here ready to go out and serve you all this week. And we ask it in Jesus name. Amen to 656.

656 There are souls to rescue there are souls to save. Send the light send the light the blessed gospel light let it shine for. Send the light the blessed gospel light let it shine forever more. We have heard the Macedonian call today.

The light send the light and the golden offering at the cross we lay. Send the light send the light send the light the blessed gospel light let it shine from shore to shore. Send the light the blessed gospel light let it shine forever more.

Would you stand with me now as we sing the last. And the ushers will come for the morning offering. Let us not grow weary in the work of love. Send the light send the light. Let us gather Jews from a crown above.

Send the light send the light send the light the blessed gospel Let it shine from shore to shore. Send the light the blessed gospel Let it shine forever more.

Richard would you offer prayer please. Morning to first corinthians? Chapter 13.

And verse 8. And then we'll go to first corinthians chapter 14 verse 18. We've been speaking on a series lately of the sign gifts in the bible. And whether or not certain of these sign gifts have in fact ceased.

From the church in the church age. That's been the topic for several weeks. We had a Wonderful diversion from it last sunday with brother myron golden. And uh god blessed that message that sunday morning message so much and many of you that were here would Testify to that it was just wonderful for me.

In particular I love to hear him preach. And I know you do too. He just has such a gift of the hand of god on his life for teaching and preaching. Love brother myron well let's review just a little bit as we get back into this because we did skip a week and We also have a few visitors that have not been here for the entire time.

We've been talking we spent a little time talking about miracles in the bible. And we pointed out that Miracles in the bible happen for a purpose. There never has been a time in bible history when miracles were an everyday event.

Uh, the closest that it ever came to it was when jesus during jesus christ ministry on this earth. He is after all the king. And when the king is here, we had a bit of the kingdom on the earth but as we search the scriptures we find that the The norm for miracles is going to be during the kingdom age during the millennial period the thousand year kingdom age of christ.

Miracles will be an everyday event during that time. And when you see miracles that happen In this day and time or in any other dispensation. What you're actually seeing is a little bit of the kingdom of god coming down in To time and coming back out and god is saying we're moving in that direction.

Most of the miracles that have happened in the bible have been clustered around three major events with hundreds of years in between. Those three clusters the first cluster was moses as god was bringing in the law.

And the second was around elijah and elijah elisha and the third was around jesus and the apostles. And in between those three times you'll find hundreds of years of Distance where you did not see that miracles were an everyday event.

Well. When we look at this just by way of review. Can you help me remember what the four? Truths about miracles are the four purposes of a miracle anytime you see one in the bible it fulfills these four things.

Can somebody give me one of them? It's three weeks back. All right. That's that's right. It's uh, well, let's put it this way to authenticate the prophet. All right. That's right the many times. There's a new era being ushered in or we might call it a new dispensation.

And what god has done is he will send a messenger. Who will bring this truth to the world or to his world the real world god's world? And he will authenticate that messenger with signs and wonders and miracles.

And so the purpose of a miracle the first purpose is to bring in a new era of revelation. That's why you see it clustered around moses when the law was brought into the world. That's why you see it around elijah and elisha to authenticate the office of the prophet.

And that's why you see it around jesus and the apostles and the reason is obvious there to authenticate the coming in of the new Church age in the new testament truths the truths of jesus christ. So we see the first thing is that it brings in a new era.

The second thing is it authenticates the messengers of the new era like brother alfred said the prophets themselves are authenticated By signs and wonders. And then thirdly these signs and wonders authenticate the message itself.

And point that this is a message from god and then fourthly. Those who are standing around watching always gain instruction. So those are the four purposes for miracles in bible times and Sometimes we have folks today that just seem to throw around the idea that miracles are just supposed to happen every day.

Now when I say miracle Let's re-redefine what we're talking about. So we're all using the same language. I'm using a strict definition of the word miracle for purposes of this study. And i'm referring to a miracle like the parting of the red sea.

I'm referring to a miracle like jesus changing the water and into wine. I'm talking about god. Intervening and setting aside natural laws to cause his will to happen directly that type of miracle. Now we've discussed this if your definition of a miracle is just anytime god does something then miracles are happening all the time.

Because god's working around us all the time. And it's okay with me if you define miracle that way that's fine because I use the term that way too. But for purposes of this study, we're not talking about that.

We're talking about signs and wonders. All right. Now we began then to focus. Let's look at first corinthians chapter 13. And for a couple of sundays we focused here on the specific sign gift of tongue speaking.

So let's read first corinthians 13 8 charity never faileth. But whether there be prophecies they shall fail. Whether there be tongues they shall cease. Whether there be knowledge it shall vanish away.

The bible does say that tongues shall cease. It's an interesting fact of history that the scholars throughout church history Have really never focused on this passage first corinthians chapter 13 and verse 8 and 9 and following to prove that the sign gifts ceased.

They've used other passages throughout the scriptures and to this day we've studied this now what three or four sundays and we still have not considered this passage of scripture because It's really not the most important part.

Or passage that we can look at we will look at it before we're through but we're not going to look at it today either. But it does mention that tongues will cease. The great debate today is when? When will tongues cease?

When will these other sign gifts cease? Uh, did they cease? Sometime after jesus christ went on into heaven. Or are they still operative today? Will they start if they're not operative today? Will they then be operative again at the second coming or before during the tribulation period?

Or what about during the millennial period? Is there a lot of questions about it? We have probably the largest movement In the world today in quote christendom is what we call the charismatic Or pentecostal movement.

It's probably the fastest growing segment of Of christendom and you have to remember when we say christendom that means everyone who professes to be a christian. Now it's the fastest growing movement.

And it's all around us and so it's something that we do need to discuss we don't harp on it or talk about it often but At least once a year. I like to talk about these issues because they're they're really Right today probably the most obvious thing that's going on in the in the world of christendom.

Well last time we talked about how jesus christ and the apostle paul and the apostle peter. Each indicated that these sign gifts would in fact cease. After the apostolic age, which means after all the apostles were gone on to heaven.

Now today I want to look at I don't know exactly how much time we're going to have here to get into all this because there's a lot of material. But I want us to start looking into first corinthians chapter 14.

And I know where I want to begin and I don't know where i'm going to end. So we'll find that i'm going to end when you start looking like it's lunchtime so. If you don't like the material this morning, just start looking hungry.

Okay. Drool. Well, usually when they bring that chicken in back there it just happens. Okay, let's start with uh, first corinthians 14. I really you know, I don't ask you to take notes often when we're preaching because that's that's uh I don't care whether you do or not during the sermon now you should during the sunday school lesson and you should.

Anytime you sense that it's teaching but if like last week when brother myron was preaching. That was for your heart. This one today is for your head. Okay. Now it's it this deals with truth. If you don't think truth is important, then why did jesus say a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

So take your pens and pencils out and your paper and uh jot some notes down for me. Because we're going to talk about some issues that I guarantee you you'll run into you'll run into them at the Brother otis and I ran into this at the restaurant not too long ago.

Just innocently we're always innocent and we just ran into to. We ran into a situation of debate and uh. So let's start with first corinthians 14 and let's go up to about verse 18. Paul says I thank my god.

I speak with tongues more than you all. Yet in the church, I had rather speak five words with my understanding. Than by my voice that by my voice I might teach others also than 10 000 words in an unknown tongue.

Now if we set aside the debate about what unknown tongues are. Isn't it interesting that the fastest growing movement in the country? Will not point out that verse 19 and other verses in this passage clearly show that paul was trying to move the church away from tongue speaking.

He was saying this is not important. Let's move away from this and get into things that edify the church. You have to also remember that when paul was writing the church at corinthian at the corinthian church.

He's talking to the baby church the carnal church. And you have to understand some of the history surrounding this church in corinth was the greatest center Of worship of the goddess diana anywhere in the world at that time and all kind of other pagan worship.

That some of these new christians had come out of in their old life before they were born again. Now Let's look at this. We'll come back in a moment and discuss the issue of what tongues is or was in the bible and what it really is.

In a moment, but let's just read through here because I want to point out something Brethren. Be not children in understanding now. Why was he having to tell him that? Because he's talking to the baby church.

You can find that out by going back to chapter one and reading first and second corinthians. How be it in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. Verse 21 is where we're going for a few moments this morning.

Look at it carefully. In the law it is written. Now i've got to stop there and ask you where's the law? All right, let's just generalize. Let's just say old testament. When was it it was prior to the time of pentecost.

And it was certainly prior to this time around 60 around ad 60 when he's writing this letter to the corinthians. In the law, he's referring to the old testament scriptures. It is written. With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people.

And yet for all that will they not hear me? Saith the lord. Wherefore tongues are for a sign. Now god gives the purpose of the gift of tongues right here. You have to always understand that a miracle.

Or a sign or a wonder always has a purpose. And throughout biblical history when that purpose was fulfilled the sign or the wonder ceased and vanished away. They come to fulfill a purpose and then they go away and you go back to the norms of the world the way it is the natural world.

The great majority of the time when god works in our lives and even in bible days. This is what people don't understand but even in old testament days the huge huge majority of the time when god worked in people's lives.

He did it through Natural phenomenon that he just he had already brought it into works and he just moves that in for instance He'll use your immune system to heal you. Now I don't think for a minute that I mean to say that that's nature healing you that's god healing you.

He's doing it through your body that he made. That wonderful body that he made. And god moves according to his sovereign will and purpose and when he chooses to heal you He can touch you. From as far away as the third heaven.

And cause that immune system of yours to destroy whatever it is. It's hurting you and ailing you. And most of the time that's how he works or he may work through the hand of a surgeon now. Tongues are for a sign now notice this not to them that believe.

But to them that believe not. I want to pose a question this morning if that's true what is church for. When we come together on sunday morning, are we here to evangelize. Why are we here? We're here to edify and to grow.

And to be taught the word and to hear the word and to learn the doctrine. And to become strong because of it and to fellowship together and break bread, which we'll do here in a few moments. And to pray like we do together more lengthy time on wednesday nights.

But we don't come together to evangelize. And we don't really intend to bring the world in here on sunday morning. Do we? Now if we don't intend to bring the world in here on sunday morning. Then the great majority of the believers in church ought to be believers.

That sounds good. Doesn't it? I mean people attending church ought to be believers. Probably work the other way, too now. Look what it says wherefore tongues are for a sign not to them that believe the question I would pose if if if this is A sign that's not for believers.

Why is it done in church? Across our country today. You weren't supposed to answer the question for sure. I have a second. Uh, could we all vote on this? Uh. Well, that's right. Now there is one other issue that would be brought up at this point though.

And they would say this is a prayer language and i'm going to discuss that. Sometime maybe today it can happen for confusion as well. A lot of these issues will be covered by the word of god as we go through this study.

I mean specifically handled as god discusses. That these events right here with this particular carnal church because they were having a problem with tongues. Now there's been a debate through the years or rather the tongues in the book of acts is the same as the tongues in the book of corinthians.

And i'd have to say yes and no. Because that's an easy answer. I can't be wrong with that. But yes, and no yes. Because true biblical god-given gift of tongues is identical in both places. It was languages.

They were known languages in the world and I demonstrate that both in acts and in corinthians, we will show that. However, I am of the opinion of this i'm getting an area where this is just my opinion.

You'll have to study on your own and see if you agree. It's also the opinion of many scholars. That There were some in this carnal baby church. Who were in fact speaking in gibberish? But there's nowhere in the bible where it says that is god-given.

In fact, it is a thing that paul is rebuking. In this very epistle that we're reading. So we may get into a little bit of that too as we go, but let's look first. I want to address this point number one.

In the law it is written. Did you realize that tongues is mentioned in the old testament before it's mentioned in the new testament? Very seldom will you hear that taught in a charismatic or pentecostal church because if you go to the first mention of tongues in the bible and you know first mention is thought by many scholars to be very important when you Find the first mention of any doctrinal concept you want to go there and it kind of sets the scene.

For the teaching of that throughout the entire scripture. If you go to the first mention of tongues in the bible, you will find it in the book of deuteronomy chapter 28. Very good, brother richard. Turn to deuteronomy 28 15 if you would.

How did you know it was exactly. I mean, why didn't you say leviticus or something or exodus? He picked the right one it actually includes all of those but. But here is where we find the first mention.

Now remember in first corinthians chapter 14 that the apostle paul says that tongues are for a sign. That's their purpose and they are a sign for the unbeliever. Uh, there are other places. Well, i'll tell you where it is.

First corinthians 1 22 Clarifies that even more and it says for the jews require a sign and the greeks seek after wisdom. Now predominantly today. The church is a greek church. It's it's a gentile church.

God says in first corinthians 1 22 that the gentiles do not require a sign. But the jews do. So we find out from that that tongues were specifically a sign to the jewish people and specifically to unbelieving jews.

Now why would that be a sign of what? Well, we have to go back into the book of deuteronomy chapter 28 verse 15 to get a clue. But it shall come to pass if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the lord thy god to observe to do all his Commandments and his statutes which I have commanded thee this day that all these curses shall come upon thee.

And overtake thee. The sign of tongues in the bible. Always is a sign of impending judgment from god. We see the first clue right here in verse 15. In verse 45 it says moreover. All these curses shall come upon thee and shall pursue thee and overtake thee till thou be destroyed.

Because thou hearkenest not unto the voice of the lord thy god to keep his commandments and his statutes. Which he commandeth thee and they shall be upon thee now if you're in deuteronomy 28 verse 46 I want you to underline or circle this phrase.

They shall come upon thee for a sign and for a wonder. Signs and wonders always have a purpose. And specifically the sign or the wonder of tongue speaking had the purpose of warning the unbelieving jew and the nation of impending judgment.

It says these things will be a sign and wonder upon thy seed forever because thou serve not the lord Thy god with joyfulness and with gladness of heart for the abundance of all things. In chapter 28 verse 49, it says the lord shall bring a nation against thee from afar from the end of the earth as swift as the eagle flyeth.

A nation whose tongue and you can underline the word tongue because this is the first mention of tongue speaking in the bible. Notice that it was a language. It was a world language. The word tongue throughout the scriptures both old testament and new always means language.

If you would just scratch the word out everywhere you see tongue and put the word language. You you won't have near the problem of understanding this. It means language. It simply is the greek way of saying a language.

The word tongue is used to mean languages. That's all it's ever meant never did mean gibberish a nation whose tongue Thou shalt not understand now notice the word shout the phrase thou shalt not understand because when we get back into first corinthians 14 We're going to have some very similar phrases.

Where it sounds like that these tongues are things that just cannot be understood which makes the modern christian think it means gibberish. If you weren't here two months, i'm, sorry that just came upon me.

If you weren't here Two weeks ago. I taught on how to speak in tongues. How many of you were here for that lesson? Raise your hand. Can anyone do it? Have you practiced? Who was that talking to me this week that was showing me they could do that?

Somebody was doing that no one can do it. Would anyone like to try? Well, all you have to do is take all of the japanese motorcycles and and say them as fast as you can over and over. Now I can't do it, but there are people in this church that can because i've heard them.

And they're very good at it but They think today when they read a passage where it says that man cannot understand it. That means it has to be gibberish. That's not true. I guarantee you if I spoke a little french to you, most of you would not understand it, but I would and god would.

Some in here today could speak some spanish. Many of us would not understand all of it. But god would understand it and so would the person speaking it. Now what if god gave you a miraculous gift though of speaking spanish and you never went to school to learn it?

Some of us would understand it. You'd be speaking it, but you wouldn't have a clue what you were saying, would you? But that doesn't mean it's gibberish does it? In fact, it's never gibberish in the bible.

It's also a language. So what happens here is the first mention of tongues you have the assyrians. They're going to come in and they speak with a language that these people have never heard before and to them.

It just sounded like something they couldn't understand. And it says that in verse 50. It's a nation of a fierce countenance which shall not regard the person of the old nor show favor to the young. And so the tongue speaking.

That the prophet told them about was a sign to them. A sign of impending judgment in isaiah chapter 28 verse 10. It says for precept must be upon precept. Precept upon precept line upon line line upon line here a little and there a little for with stammering lips.

And another tongue in the new testament. They would have translated unknown tongue he Speak will he speak to his people now, who is the one speaking? God. God is speaking through these stammering lips.

And this unknown tongue now, wouldn't you agree that the pentecostal or the charismatic could use this phrase stammering lips to make it? Sound like that's gibberish. That means what it sounds like but it's not what it's talking about.

Because it's obviously speaking about this other tongue or this unknown tongue. Now in the new testament where it uses unknown tongue. The word unknown is not in the greek. It's added in the english to make us understand that it's a language that we don't know.

And so this foreign language that was spoken With stammering lips and another tongue god will use that to speak to his people. Why. Because it's a sign the jew always worked after a sign. He required a sign.

Therefore thus saith the lord god behold I lay in zion for a sound foundation a stone. A tried stone a precious cornerstone. Who is that? The lord jesus a sure foundation he that believeth shall not make haste now.

Don't you find it fascinating? That the old testament mention of tongue speaking is in relation to the coming of the lord jesus christ. And the fact that the nation of israel was going for the most part to miss him.

That's why they received the sign. You see he speaks of a stumbling stone. A cornerstone which the nation would reject. And he says i'm going to bring stammering lips And unknown tongues to you as a sign.

When this time takes place judgment also will I lay to the line and righteousness to the plummet. And the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies. And the water shall overflow the hiding place. It speaks of judgment.

So we see then that the assyrian language could not be understood by the jewish people. It sounded like stammering lips. And it was certainly another tongue, but it was god speaking to them a sign of coming judgment.

Jeremiah 15 5 says lo I will bring a nation upon you from far Oh house of israel. It is a mighty nation. It is an ancient nation a nation whose language underlying the word language Thou knowest not that is an unknown tongue.

Neither understand us what they say and this is always and ever the true definition of unknown tongue in the bible. Is a foreign language that you haven't learned before or that god did not Supernaturally allow you to understand cause you to understand.

I should say. Okay, look at verse 16. Their quiver is as an open sepulcher. They are all mighty men. What are we talking about? What are these tongues predicting? Great and awesome judgment. They shall eat up thine harvest and thy bread which thy sons and daughters should eat.

They shall eat up thy flocks and thine herds. They shall eat up thy vines and thy fig trees. They shall impoverish thy fenced cities. Wherein thou trustest With the sword. Nevertheless in those days saith the lord.

I will not make a full end with you. And it shall come to pass. When ye shall say wherefore doth the lord our god all these things unto us. Then shalt thou answer them like as ye have forsaken me. And serve strange gods in your land.

So shall ye serve strangers in a land that is not yours. Declare this to the house of jacob and publish it in judah. So we see in these passages of the old testament that Stammering lips and unknown tongues were merely a sign just as the apostle paul Has said for us in the book of first corinthians a sign to the unbelieving jew.

That god's judgment is coming upon him because of his lack of obedience and love for god. Now let's go back into first corinthians chapter 14 for a moment. And look at verse 19. Well, let's go on down to verse 21.

In the law it is written now that is a direct reference to this passage in juderonomy. As brother richard pointed out. It's a direct reference to it in the law. It is written with men of other tongues and other lips.

Will I speak unto this people and yet for all that. Will they not hear me saith the lord. Wherefore tongues are for a sign not to them that believe but to them that believe not. But prophesying serveth not for them that believe not but for them which believe.

And now it's interesting when you look at the word for where it says that uh tongues are for a sign. Not to them that believe. The word for is the word ice which means purpose. It gives the purpose of tongues Is for unbelieving jews.

Now man named gg fendley who Wrote the book the expositors greek new testament said this god spoke to israel Through the strange assyrian tongue in retribution. Not to confirm their faith but to consummate their unbelief.