Speaking For God’s Glory

Grace Fellowship Church

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This sermon is from Grace Fellowship Church in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. To access other sermons or to learn more about us, please visit our website at graceedmonton .ca.

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Welcome everyone. Welcome back to Grace Fellowship Church. We'll try this with amplification.

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We'll see how we do here. I think it sounds better out there than it sounds in my head. I sound a little tinny out here, but that's okay.

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As you guys are turning to 1 Corinthians 14, like I said, welcome back those who are visiting. We're back in our study back in 1

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Corinthians. We're in chapter 14, verses 1 to 12. And before we begin to look at the passage, if you remember the last time that I was up here that I preached, we looked at chapter 12.

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We were looking at the beginning verses. And in those beginning verses, Paul began the discussion of spiritual gifts. So that included all the spiritual gifts that we looked at.

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Some of them were knowledge, wisdom, healing, miracles, et cetera, et cetera.

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And if you remember then when I preached, I left two gifts out. I left the gifts of tongues and prophecy, the speaking gifts, for another day.

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Because I said that Paul would be returning to these gifts, and we'd be looking more at them in more depth at a later date.

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Well, today's that date, because Paul is going to spend the remainder of chapter 14, or pretty much all of 14, speaking about and working out the gifts of speaking, so prophesying in tongues.

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Paul is also going to spend time looking about how these gifts are to be applied within the church.

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Because remember, this is the section of the letter that applies about worship, and how it is these gifts are to be used in the ecclesia, within the body of believers, so within the church.

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So if you remember, the Corinthians aspired to speaking gifts. Their fascination with speakers and presenters and orators made these particular gifts more desirable.

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So again, prophesying in tongues. These higher gifts were ones that were more likely to be noticed, and as a result, they were desired more.

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There's an air about them. They were the speaking gifts. They were heard more audibly. And Paul also acknowledged, too, since he also recognized the impact of these gifts.

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So in one sense, Paul acknowledged that the Corinthians had acknowledged the speaking gifts, and he was also affirming those things.

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However, their impact was not exactly what the Corinthians thought them to be. Again, they were so carnally minded, they were so fleshly minded, that they were focused on just the speaking aspect, and they were short -sighted.

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They weren't keeping the big picture in mind. So at this point in the book, again, all the things that Paul is going to be talking about are matters of the church, and worship, and how she is to worship.

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So we'll just carry on. If this thing comes on, it comes on. We're just going to roll with it. Technical problems this week has been incredible.

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So anyways, so picking up anyways. So in today's text, we'll be studying more about the higher speaking gifts, and how to build up the church with them in mind.

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Because like Paul says, we should desire them. Like PJ just read in the text, we should desire them.

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However, if not properly understood, we are no different than the Corinthians. We will use our speech and our words to self -glorify and to diminish the glory of the

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Lord. So we will be no different than this church, and this is how we have to keep this in mind. So before we do this, let's pray, brothers and sisters.

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Dear Father, dear Father, you who stand in unapproachable light, guide us this day.

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Lord, we come to you with nothing but open hands. Father, you have created every single one of us beautifully in your image.

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You have created us for a purpose and a goal, to enjoy you forever. That is the goal.

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That is the aim of today, Father. Furthermore, you give us giftings and abilities to build up your kingdom.

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1 Corinthians 1 .26 -7 says, Consider your calling, brothers and sisters.

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Not many of you were wise according to worldly standards. Not many of you were powerful. Not many were of noble birth.

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But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.

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Father, let us not boast in anything other than our Lord and honor him rightly with whatever giftings and whatever talents and abilities we've been given.

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We praise you and we ask and we pray all these things in the precious name of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

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Amen. So if you haven't flipped already, like I said, we're in 1

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Corinthians chapter 14, verse 1. And as we begin looking today at the remaining gifts, again, tongues and prophecy,

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Paul is going to jump right into it. So we'll just dive right into the text and then we'll see what it is he says. In verse 1 he says this,

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Pursue love and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.

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He begins it by telling the church to pursue love. Again, this is coming off the heels of chapter 13, the chapter of love.

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John MacArthur stated that this is probably one of the most beautiful pieces of Scripture that you can read in the

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Bible. It's so rendered so beautifully. And Paul is following up on that idea of of loving our brothers and sisters and worshiping in that love.

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And by extension, he says, desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.

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In 1 Corinthians 12, 31, Paul tells the church to desire these higher gifts.

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Paul is affirming what the Corinthians thought to be true about spiritual gifts, that there are higher gifts and that there are lower gifts.

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However, they still don't have the big picture in mind, right?

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There's higher gifts and there's lower gifts. But if you remember when I preached last time in chapter 12,

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I said that these gifts complement one another. And Paul makes that point by alluding to the Trinity. So you might be asking, how is it that there are higher gifts and lower gifts if they all complement one another?

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In one sense, that is not the wrong question to ask, because again, we're looking at different gifts. And if we're looking at the speaking gifts, there are certain gifts that will just receive more air time, right?

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As audible gifts, you will hear them more. And as it was, although this is one reason that the

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Scripture calls them a higher gift, it isn't the full reason. The main reason for why we can call them a higher gift is for their reach and their effects, not the spectacle they make.

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So I'll say that one more time. It's not because of the spectacle or the extravagance of the gift, but their far -reaching effects of speaking in tongues and prophesying.

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In verse 2, Paul begins to make the distinction between tongues and prophecy. While the

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Corinthians were fascinated by the use of tongues, they weren't always used for the sake of building up.

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As Paul says, people who speak in tongues speak to God in utter mysteries that they themselves don't understand, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

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Remember, this isn't a condemnation of tongues. Paul isn't condemning tongues, but remember that in the following chapters that this is all about the presupposition of love.

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And remember, love is effectual. It is an action. It's a verb. We looked at that last week.

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And it's not just emotion. Love is based on a standard of truth.

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And while the giftings might be miraculous, the question we have to consider whenever we consider any spiritual gift, including the gifts of the tongues, of speaking and prophecy, is this, how is this building up the church?

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That's the logical question we have to ask. And we'll ask it again, how do these gifts build up the church? If nobody is able to interpret this gift, speaking of tongues, as Paul says in these verses, if nobody's able to interpret these tongues, is it really of any use to our brother and sister?

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If I come speaking to you in a foreign tongue, and as amazing as that might be, you do not understand it, what use is that of me to you?

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How am I honoring you? How am I serving you? Especially within the context of the local church, if this gift becomes a spectacle, which in many cases it did become a spectacle, this was a thing that was seen rampantly all over the place, all over the

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Church of Corinth, it quickly takes away from the building up and the loving of others. Looking at our text, looking at verses 2 -4, it says this,

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For to one who speaks in tongues speaks not to men, but to God. For no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the

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Spirit. But look at what he says about prophecy in verses 3 -4. On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.

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The one who speaks in a tongue builds himself up, but the one who prophesies builds up the

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Church. The interesting thing about the word prophesy in chapter 14, in many cases, not all, but in this verse in particular, the word propheteo,

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I'm going to butcher that, it does mean what he says in verse 3. It means to refute, to teach, to reprove, admonish, and comfort.

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So in verse 4, that same word for prophecy means to refute, teach, reprove, admonish, and comfort.

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It's also very similar to what Paul says in verse 3. So if you compare that list to the list in verse 3, to encourage, to upbuild, and to console, those are very similar things.

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Paul is talking about the same idea in both verses. So when Paul says prophesy in this chapter, he isn't looking for us to utter unknown oracles, or mysteries, or even possible future events.

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That's not what Paul is talking about here. In other words, there is too much of that already. There's way too much of that.

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Too many oracles, too many mysteries, too much of that taking place. Instead, what Paul wants us to focus on when it comes to prophesying in this context of this verse is to do exactly what he says in verse 3, again, upbuild, encourage, console, or to refute, teach, reprove, admonish, comfort.

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That's quite a list. In one sense, you could pick one out of those lists and do it.

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And you would be building up the church more than if you were speaking a tongue. So again, now that we have this list, now we have this logical list of things that Paul has laid out, we have to ask the question, how is it that we can apply this?

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How do we look at this list and say, okay, how does this build up the church today? And this is where we can do this.

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So again, for those taking notes, you can put a note around this. How do we apply this? It's to desire to build one another up.

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I'm just going to quote the scriptures here. Again, desire to build up one another. Verse 5 says this,

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Now I want you all to speak in tongues, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets so that the church may be built up.

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Again, I want to keep things in reference here in context. Speaking in tongues is not bad.

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Paul is not condemning tongues in this passage, by no means. But if you desire the gift of tongues, desire all the more to up -build, encourage, and console.

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Desire to do these things more than it would be to look like someone speaking in tongues.

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That is what we should be doing. We should desire to build one another up. The gift of tongues builds up the speaker.

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But how long until that knowledge begins to puff one's self up, like it says in 1

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Corinthians 8. And real quickly, he says in an earlier chapter,

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We know that all of us possess knowledge. This knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. Realistically, how much self -knowledge is bound to build up other people?

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If my gift only benefits me, so thinking about this practically, if I have a gifting and it benefits only me, if I speak oracles to the

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Lord, this is a very specific gift by definition, with a really small audience, regardless of how much sanctification and up -building

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I might need. Be that as it may, that's still a very specific gift. It's tied only to me. However, if I receive a gift that I can use with or on other people to up -build the young and the immature, to encourage the heavy laden, or to console the one who is grieving, think about the reality of that, to console someone who is in deep anguish, this is a higher gift.

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This is actually what Paul is talking about when he's talking about desiring a higher gift. How much more effective is the building up of one another versus solely pouring into ourselves?

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We turn out to be pretty shallow vessels if it's only us we pour into. Philippians chapter 2 verse 3 says, do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility, count others more significant than yourselves.

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Again, brothers and sisters, this is a much higher gifting. If this is the gifting we desire, this is a good thing.

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So that is what we should be aspiring to do. We should be desiring to build one another up, just like it says in verse five.

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So that ends our first point. Again, those keeping notes, again, our first point, sorry, I failed to neglect or to mention it.

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This is what biblical prophecy looks like. This is what Paul is going, is talking about in these first five verses. However, for the next point, before I do, before I get into the next point,

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Paul is going to work or is going to use an analogy. And for that, I kind of want to ask people questions. So maybe the kids, but adults, please feel free to raise your hands here.

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I know a couple of you do this. So how many of you know how to play an instrument? Maybe I'm hoping for the kids too.

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Okay, there you go. Okay. You guys know how to play instruments? Okay. How many of you guys, you guys are probably still done field trips at some point.

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How many of you guys have gone to the orchestra? Oh, I see PJ. PJ's gone to the orchestra.

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Okay, so we have people who know the orchestra. Good, good. Okay. So if you guys remember the orchestra, so we're going to keep that in mind.

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If we keep the image of the grand orchestra, instruments are arrayed in a certain order, right?

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They have their woodwinds, their brass, and their percussions, and things are organized in a certain way.

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Now I have a question for the kids. What would happen if I were to grab all the instruments, like a bag of chips, and I was going to shake them up, and then

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I was going to pour them out and just lay them all out on the stage? The same stage, but now instead of having groups of percussions, brass, woodwinds, whatever, you have everyone laid out on the orchestra.

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All are just mixed together. What do you think would happen there? What do you think that would sound like?

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I guess that's a better question. Would that sound better or worse? Worse. Yes, it would sound worse.

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It would sound a lot worse, actually. It would sound terrible. That's not an orchestra I would pay to go to. And actually, that would, and that kind of leans into this idea, because all these instruments have a purpose, have a goal, have a use in mind.

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And Paul is going to lean into that, this analogy of instruments and vocalizations, because that is what it's going to do in our second point.

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So again, for those taking notes here, our second point is, this is what ungodly tongues sound like.

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Again, Paul is going to kind of declutter the mess here. So picking up from verse six, again, looking back at our

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Bibles here, it says this, Now brothers, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will

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I benefit you unless I bring you some revelation, knowledge, prophecy, or teaching?

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So if he does not bring one of those four things, how is he helping? Again, I really want to make clear,

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Paul isn't condemning tongues. Again, he's not condemning them, but this is a logical question that we all need to ask. If tongues, if they do not benefit someone else, if they are just tongues spoken out in open air without an interpreter, what is their presence adding?

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Because they are adding something, but it isn't what the Corinthians think it is. Looking at our passage of verse seven, he gives the idea, if even lifeless instruments, such as the flute or the harp, do not give distinct notes, how will anyone know what is being played?

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In other words, if we're looking at our grand symphony orchestra, remember, we're sitting in the seats of the grand symphony orchestra.

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If all instruments play a specific role and have specific information that they relay when they're being played, certain instruments help keep the tempo, certain instruments bring a contrasting pitch to, you've got your highs and your lows, you've got your bass and your altos, or some instruments come in very subtly at the end to add an energy or a mood or an emotion to a song.

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Every instrument, every note adds meaning. There's a right note and there's a wrong note for a given time.

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Likewise, every single voice, mine and yours included, needs to add meaning.

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If it doesn't add meaning, it is only bringing more noise, and as a result of that noise, we get chaos.

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I know there's many of us here who worked or have worked in the school district or in classrooms before. This is all too apparent in the classroom when you're seeing noises absolutely destructive to a learning environment.

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It is horrible. And actually, this is so important, this idea of this chaos that is brought by endless noise or chaotic noise that Paul drives even further into this analogy.

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In verse 8, he says, And if the bugle gives an indistinct sound, who will be ready for battle?

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Again, this bugle could be translated as trumpet. So you can just substitute the word trumpet for this.

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And if you remember, those of you who know the significance of the trumpet in the

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Bible, it's used as a significant audio cue when something is going to take place. So whenever the trumpet is used, everyone needs to be ready and paying attention.

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It's a very stark instrument and it was meant to gather your attention and keep your eyes up. In Numbers chapter 10 in the

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Old Testament, a large section of this chapter is dedicated solely to the use of the trumpet.

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I won't go into it this much now, but if you're curious, please look at chapter 10. Because in the verses 8 and 9, it says,

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The trumpets shall be to you a perpetual statute throughout your generations. And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets that you may be remembered before the

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Lord, your God, and be saved from your enemies. So it plays a pretty significant role in matters of worship and also of matters of conducting orderly fashion, of just operations.

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Think about it like this, and this is what Paul is alluding to in verses 6, 7, and 8.

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He's saying this. In other words, if a man or woman claims to have something so vital to say to the church, something of paramount, something so important, a trumpet call, you might say, they claim to have a message.

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And yet no interpreter is there to make this message clear. How will the church know when to get ready for battle?

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If this message, being so important, is so unclear, how can this help in the trials to come?

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That is what Paul is saying in these verses, which does lead us to how we apply this, which does lead us to our application.

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If we look at verse 9, it says this, So with yourselves, you and me included, if with your tongue you utter speech that is not intelligible, how will anyone know what is said?

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For you will be speaking into the air. For application, let's keep this in mind.

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Again, for those taking notes, don't waste your breath. So don't waste your breath. This isn't the first time that Paul has said something similar.

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At the end of chapter 9, in verse 26, he says, I do not run aimlessly. I do not box as one beating the air.

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Paul says in that verse, I don't waste my time. I don't waste my efforts. And Paul is saying something similar here in verse 9, that he doesn't waste his breath.

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Again, although this passage is in reference to the gift of tongues and prophecy, this is an application we can put to better use even today.

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As a common rule, we can do better to listen more and to speak less.

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This is something that has been really convicting of me even lately. So we can do better by listening more and speaking less.

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In James chapter 3, Again, I don't have the time to really go through this chapter.

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It's a phenomenal chapter, but it talks about the dangers of the tongue. So James chapter 3, he speaks about the evil that our tongues can bring about.

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This little member in our mouth, this little body part that can cause so much damage. It says this in verse 5 and onwards.

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It says, The tongue is a small member, and yet it boasts of great things.

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How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness.

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The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.

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For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed, and has been tamed by mankind.

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Verse 8, look at this. But no human can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of poison.

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With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God.

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In one hand we bless, in the other hand we curse. With such a small part of our body, how much damage we cause.

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These are sobering words by James. So if there's any part of our speech, think about this today, tongues or not, all included here.

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If there's any part of our speech that does not build up our fellow brother or sister, build up your neighbor, and is somehow rooted in selfish gain, or some form of pride, save it.

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Don't utter it, don't speak it. You will be better off, I guarantee it. Proverbs 17 .25

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says, Whoever restrains his words has knowledge, and he who has a cool spirit is a man of understanding.

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Let's apply that even today. We can do better with listening. At best, an overly busy tongue will be just a noisy symbol, or another banging gong like Paul says, but at worst, and this is what should concern us, it can bring harm to those around us.

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So again, brothers and sisters, I urge you again, learn to speak less, and don't waste your breath. Don't waste it.

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Again, our words are valuable, they're precious. Okay, looking back to our passage.

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Again, as we're continuing to go through the passage, and unbox what it is

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Paul has said, at this point you might be asking yourself, okay, but I still don't know what good spiritual tongues look like.

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We've looked at prophecy, we have some understanding of what prophecy looks like, and yet, at this point, we've looked at our first point, which is the biblical prophecy, what that looks like, and then our last point, what ungodly tongues sound like.

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We still don't know what it looks like to have a biblical tongue. I don't know about you guys, but I've never been one to witness one of these things in my life personally.

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However, I don't need to have witnessed it personally. We have the word of God, and there's a perfect instance where we can look at it.

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So again, as we look at our last point here, and as we examine what it is

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God says about tongues, we're going to be looking at something that, or a story from Acts chapter 2, the textbook example of tongues, and we're going to be looking at that in depth.

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So again, our third point is this. Spiritual gifts in unity work like this.

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So again, turning back to our passage in 1 Corinthians, so verses 10 and 11, we'll read them and they'll say this.

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This is Paul saying, he says, there are doubtless many different languages in the world, and none is without meaning.

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But if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker a foreigner to me.

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I want to ask the kids, and maybe those in the crowd. So have you guys ever traveled to a foreign country?

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I don't travel often. Well, I don't want to travel. I travel in the West here, but not really. Anyone gone abroad where languages, where English isn't the main language?

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Okay. What does it look like to commute from point

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A to point B in a place you don't know the language? Is it easy?

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Is it something that we can do with ease? That's right. You're a foreigner, right?

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They're a foreigner to you, you're a foreigner to them. Even the basic necessities, let alone the higher things, let alone things that build up and encourage and console, the basic of things, getting from point

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A to point B, getting food, getting water, all these things are made so much more difficult.

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Because you speak in a language they don't understand, and they don't understand what you're speaking. You're completely foreign to one another.

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And that is what Paul is saying here. This is the exact analogy that Paul is driving into, again, with the use of tongues, this gift that everyone was so coveted.

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It doesn't matter how high, or how high, how exalted this gift is, if no one understands it. If no one sees the benefit, and no one can convey the meaning, then what is the point?

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So he says, if you speak to someone in another language or tongue, without interpretation, again, we have gifts now, and tools that we can use on our phones to help translate.

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There was no such thing, especially when it comes to spiritual gifting. If without interpretation, they are completely foreign to you, you are wasting everyone's time.

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Again, this is just what he talked about in the last couple of verses. You're wasting their time, you're wasting your time. Don't waste your breath.

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However, we do have a textbook example of what it looks like to speak in tongues, and what that looks like in the

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New Testament. So in this example, we will see the glory and unity of the

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Holy Spirit at work. And that example, if you guys could turn there, we're going to spend some time here, is

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Acts chapter 2, so the day of Pentecost. So as you guys make your way there, again, this is the day of Pentecost.

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This is shortly after the ascension of Jesus Christ into heaven. So we see the spiritual gift of tongues on full display.

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And again, I thought it fitting to spend some time here, because then we see, like I said, a textbook example of what it looks like when tongues are used to glorify

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God to the fullest. Again, to summarize some of the details, the

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Apostles descended upon Jerusalem after having received the Holy Spirit. Remember that Jesus Christ has ascended shortly before this.

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And the Apostles, having prayed and fasted, have the Holy Spirit imbued upon them. Picking it up in chapter 2, verse 5, we'll just read to the end of 13.

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It says this, Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven, and at the sound of the multitude came together, and they were bewildered because each one was hearing them speak in their own language.

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They're attracted by the gift of tongues. The Apostles are speaking in a foreign tongue, tongue not native to them, and this is bringing about people on the day of Pentecost.

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Verse 7, And they were amazed and astonished, saying, Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear each one of us in our own native language?

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Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, and Egypt, and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome.

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I'll pause there. That's a lot of people, a lot of tongues, a lot of dialects. There's a lot happening there. One single man could not have all those dialects and everything under their belt.

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There's more at play here. Verse 11, Both Jews and Proselytites, Cretans and Arabians, we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.

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And they were all amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, What does this mean? But others, mocking said,

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They are filled with new wine, essentially saying, These guys are drunk. They're on the new stuff.

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Again, there are many multitudes of people here. There's a variety of people that are gathered. However, they're not being turned away.

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They're not being driven by these languages. They're not being driven to frustration and walking away. Actually, under the power of the

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Holy Spirit, people are being drawn in. Notice, again, what it says in verse 12. It says,

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And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, What does this mean? So again, now we have the speaking of tongues.

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And if we've been looking at our text, the next logical question we ask ourselves is this. Isn't someone going to interpret?

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Because if this gift is from the Lord, if there's a word, if there's a prophecy, something to build up the people around them, who is going to interpret this message?

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That has to take place if there's going to be a godly tongue. Verses 14 and 16.

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It says, But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them. Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you and give ear to my words.

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For these people are not drunk, as you suppose it is. It is only the third hour of the day.

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In other words, it's very early in the day. They're not drunk. They haven't been drinking. But this is what the prophet

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Joel uttered. And then Peter goes to profess the gospel and give the Jews at Pentecost the gospel.

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He goes to upbuild them. He goes to encourage them. He goes to admonish them and rebuke them of sin.

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This is what Peter does interpreting the spirit of tongues. With the gift of tongues, he does this.

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And as we close, and as we look at almost the end of chapter 2 in verse 41, it says,

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To those who received his word were baptized and they were added that day about 3 ,000 souls.

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That is the logical outcome of godly tongues, of unity of the gifts, when working all in tandem, working, again, to complement one another, and these spiritual gifts are a gift, but working all together to complement one another.

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This is the result. People are saved. Keeping that in mind, again, we're talking about the unity of the spirit.

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We're talking about unity in these gifts, Holy Spirit power done right. We're going to look at our last point for today.

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We're going to look at our last point of application here. And again, I'm just going to quote the verse because I can't say it better than they do.

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In verse 12, it says, So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the spirit, strive to excel in building up the church.

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Strive to excel. So again, the application is this. Excel in building up the church. Excel in that. As I look to those here, and I look at, and I know of the brothers and sisters all around the world, and those that I've been blessed to know, each one has been made and gifted with particular talents.

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Each one of us is uniquely different. Some of us are teachers.

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Some of us speak. Some of us are better at speaking than others. Again, I don't know that I have that, but here I am. Some are laborers.

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Some have been blessed with administration. Praise God. I have not. That's not something I do. I don't do well anyways.

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But each member of the body of Christ has their purpose. And when the goal is to build up that body, true love is expressed.

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In other words, souls are one to the kingdom. Believers are strengthened. And Christ is proclaimed.

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I stumbled upon a really good quote. So to those who aspire to teach, to those who aspire to teach one another in different contexts,

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I was reading a quote from Richard Baxter not too long ago. Some of you might be familiar with it. Ironically, it's written in an older style

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English, so it's going to be sometimes a little harder to understand. But Richard Baxter's point is this.

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This is what he says. All our teaching should be as plain and as simple as possible.

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This doth best suit a teacher's needs. He that would be understood must speak to the capacity of his ears.

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And this is important. Truth loves the light, and it is most beautiful when most naked.

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The truth being as glorious as light is better off when it's not obfuscated, when it's not put with big words and lofty messages.

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This is particularly sobering, again, to anyone who would teach. It's sobering to me. If I preach,

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I must preach to be understood, not to appear smart. Again, that doesn't edify anyone. That's not a gift of tongue

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I want to express. To those blessed with the gift of serving, there are people who serve beautifully even within our midst.

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Romans 12, 9, or sorry, 12, 9 to 11 says, Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil.

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Hold fast to what is good. Love on one another with brotherly affection. Ado one another in showing honor.

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Do not be slothful and zeal. Be fervent in spirit. Again, it says this, serve the Lord. Serve Him.

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Use that spirit. Use that gifting. Again, if your gift is to organize, if your gift is organization, it is administration, praise

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God. If you find delight in balancing out spreadsheets and administration, and yeah,

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I don't. Again, I don't do that. Praise the Lord. That is a gift. And that's an actual gift. That is not something that all of us are born with.

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Okay, and those who know me know that that's true. Find what the Lord has blessed you with.

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Find out what that is. Seek to know what it is, and then with all your heart, do it. Bless those around you.

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Again, all gifts, not just the spiritual gifts, but all giftings, find their higher calling in the

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Lord, and their calling is made loudest when they're blessing one another. Again, in other words, if you have a gift, let it be a gift that you can use with other people, on other people, loving them and blessing them.

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Because again, the gift that you give yourself is only to one person, and it only benefits you. Again, I wish that I'd been able to give more time to certain aspects of today's message and to really delve into certain things, but again,

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I want us to really keep in context that these gifts are blessings to our brothers and sisters. They are meant to bless one another.

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When we, so when we behold the church and her many members, we see all the individuals who make up this holy nation.

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We see so many faces. I see young, old, married, unmarried, all beautiful.

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Each member made in the image of our God, beautifully and wonderfully made, and they all have unique roles, and God has guided them to those roles.

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The kids have a role. The older, the younger, the married, the unmarried, the widow, all have a role, and all are meant to fill that role.

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I will not be able to fill all those roles. Shane will not be able to fill those roles. Each one of us has a particular calling, and we're all wonderfully made, brothers and sisters.

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What a blessing it is to those who walk in the light and are covered by the righteousness of Christ. What love we've come to enjoy that God has given us so many brothers and sisters who seek to make

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Christ known by their serving of one another with their gifts. Think about that. We come into a family that aims to serve one another.

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That's a real blessing. That is not something that the world can claim. We have a family guided by our

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Lord to do this, to serve one another, a command. And the message to those lingering outside who look from the outside in,

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I urge you once again, I urge you guys, I plead, taste and see that the Lord is good.

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I plead with you that you walk in the light of Christ, His holy light, and find the peace of forgiveness.

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The forgiveness of sin that cannot be found on earth. We can't find that on earth. We might appease, we might abate our guilty conscience for such a short time, but true peace, true reconciliation won't be found here.

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In other words, in context of spiritual gifts, your current gifts still lie dormant within you since you do not first seek the gift giver.

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Again, spiritual gifts are for those who are in Christ and acknowledge Him as Lord and Savior. But to those who linger on the outside the fold, looking in, your gifts lie dormant because you have not first sought the

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Lord Jesus Christ. How much greater will your joy be when you apply and use your gifts under the veil of light, the light, the light of Christ.

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So I stumbled upon one more quote by one of the Puritans this week and I thought it was a really fitting one. And this is where we end.

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And also as actually as we close here, as I urge you, brothers and sisters, to serve those of us in the

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Lord, to serve one another. As we grow and as the many needs are growing with the members, there are places to serve.

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Unfortunately, Sam's gone right now, but please seek him out and seek one of Shane or myself in areas that need service.

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Let us love one another. Let us do that. I wanted to leave you with an actual person to speak to again because there is needs.

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There are needs in the brothers or in the church brothers and sisters and we need those filled. So again, the quote is from Richard Sibbes and he says this.

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When we come to be religious, Christian, we lose not our pleasure, but translate it.

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Before we fed on common notions, but now we live on holy truths.