TALK SENSE!
Opening Prayer
Thank God for loving and gifting you to be a unique part of your faith community. Ask for discernment in how best to share your gifts to edify others.
Read 1 CORINTHIANS 14:1-19
Intelligibility in Worship
14 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. 2 For anyone who speaks in a tongue[a] does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. 3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. 4 Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I would like every one of you to speak in tongues,[b] but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues,[c] unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.
6 Now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you and speak in tongues, what good will I be to you, unless I bring you some revelation or knowledge or prophecy or word of instruction? 7 Even in the case of lifeless things that make sounds, such as the pipe or harp, how will anyone know what tune is being played unless there is a distinction in the notes? 8 Again, if the trumpet does not sound a clear call, who will get ready for battle? 9 So it is with you. Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air. 10 Undoubtedly there are all sorts of languages in the world, yet none of them is without meaning. 11 If then I do not grasp the meaning of what someone is saying, I am a foreigner to the speaker, and the speaker is a foreigner to me. 12 So it is with you. Since you are eager for gifts of the Spirit, try to excel in those that build up the church.
13 For this reason the one who speaks in a tongue should pray that they may interpret what they say. 14 For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. 15 So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. 16 Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer,[d] say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? 17 You are giving thanks well enough, but no one else is edified.
18 I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. 19 But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue.
Footnotes
- 1 Corinthians 14:2 Or in another language; also in verses 4, 13, 14, 19, 26 and 27
- 1 Corinthians 14:5 Or in other languages; also in verses 6, 18, 22, 23 and 39
- 1 Corinthians 14:5 Or in other languages; also in verses 6, 18, 22, 23 and 39
- 1 Corinthians 14:16 The Greek word for inquirer is a technical term for someone not fully initiated into a religion; also in verses 23 and 24.
New International Version (NIV)Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Think of a time when you were helped in your walk with Christ by what other believers said. In what ways did that experience encourage you?The church in Corinth was not healthy because its members were focused on their individual spiritual experience. Having recentered them on love (chapter 13), Paul now directs them to build up their community of believers, rather than thinking only of themselves (v 12). This means that intelligible worship is vital. Speaking in unknown languages is fine for personal upbuilding (v 4), and Paul himself exercises this gift (v 18). But when the community of believers meets, the key question is whether others are being helped to grow in their faith. Growing requires that people understand what is said when the church meets; in that situation, Paul values prophecy over tongues-speech (vs 2-4).
Paul unpacks the importance of being understood with a series of illustrations (vs 6-12). Reflect on them, and consider if and how your church’s life falls into the trap of making the gospel culturally unintelligible.
Head and heart, mind and spirit go together in the Christian life (v 15). Paul invites us to consider how we help each other renew our minds in a Christ-centered way when we meet together – and that affects both how we act during a church meeting, and how we act over coffee afterward.
Apply
In what ways can you encourage your church to be a place where people learn and grow in their faith through good, up-building speech – both in services and more informal settings?
Closing prayer
Almighty God, how great you are. Strengthen me to express my faith and gratitude to you, in deeds of love today.
Book and Author Intros
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