Holy Spirit Series #12 tongues & Interpretations
We have looked at all of the gifts mentioned here but 2 Tongues & the Interpretation of Tongues
A)Define : 1st TONGUES 1st what it is not. It is NOT the ability to pick up a language quickly.
B)There
are those that have the ability to pick up a language with great ease. This is
NOT the gift of tongues.
What It Is
A)Speaking
in tongues is speaking in a language, through the ability of the Holy Spirit,
that you did not NATURALLY acquire.
B)It
is the ability to WORSHIP God and PRAY in a language that you have not
naturally learned.
C)
Now we see examples of People speaking in tongues throughout the book of Acts –
Lets consider the first place it occurs – Acts 2
2:1 When the Day
of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.
2 And suddenly
there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the
whole house where they were sitting.
3 Then there
appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them.
4 And they were
all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit
gave them utterance.- KEY
5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews,
devout men, from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the
multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak
in his own language.
7 Then they were all amazed and marveled,
saying to one another, "Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?
8 "And how is it that we hear, each in our own language
in which we were born?
He gives a list of each background & language
represented there & then says in v. 11 we hear them
speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God."
So
here we see that the tongues being uttered were directed to God in the form of
PRAISE speaking forth the wonderful
works of God."
A)
Now I believe that this is the nature of tongues – praise & worship
oriented – in the spirit – proclaiming the goodness of God
B)
Primarily it is used in Praise
Now in 1Cor 14 Paul tells us of the Uniqueness of & the Purpose of this Gift – Note ____ Things
1Pursue love,
and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2For
he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands
him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 3But he who
prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 4He
who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the
church. 5I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he
who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he
interprets, that the church may receive edification.
A)Uniqueness of the gift – Not speaking to Men – But to God – where as the other gifts Prophecy /Wisdom / Knowledge – to men
B) 2nd the Person who speaks w/ Tongues edifies himself – the other gifts Edify the Church
1)
So in Light of the Church – this would make
tongues the least of the gifts because unless interpretation – there is no
edification to the Body
18I thank my God I speak with tongues
more than you all; 19yet in the church I would rather speak five
words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand
words in a tongue.
C) So in the Context of the Body it is the least of the gifts but in the context of the individual believer it can be the Best
1) It edifies or Builds up the Believer
The Purpose Of The Gift
1.) It
is given by God to AID the believer in his expression of praise and
thanksgiving.
Paul
said 1 Cor 14:15 I will sing with the spirit, and
I will sing with the understanding also.
2.) It is given by God to AID
us in prayer.
1
Cor 14:15 What
is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding
also:
Rom
8: 26Likewise the Spirit also helps in
our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the
Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be
uttered.
A)Prayer
is NOT an instrument whereby our will is accomplished. The purpose of prayer is
to see GOD’S WILL accomplished on earth.
B)The
problem is that we do NOT always KNOW what HIS WILL is on every matter. That is a weakness.
EXAMPLE: You might
have a friend and he has experienced a horrible reversal in his financial
matters. He loses everything. Then he totals his car the day after his
insurance had expired and his house falls into foreclosure.
Do
I pray: ‘God, let him win the lottery..... Get him
out of this mess?”
C)
Or is it possible that God is doing something in his life? Perhaps he had
become reliant upon his finances
1) or proud about the kind of car he was driving.
D)
Perhaps, because of his
possessions, he is drifting further from God and thus God is seeking to pull
him back into a deep commitment to Christ.
1)
Do I pray: “Turn up
the heat” or “Turn off the heat”?
Paul said in those cases that
the Spirit will make intercession for me at those times.
A)What a comfort to
know that the Spirit is there to help me when I do NOT know how to pray, because He KNOWS the perfect will of God.
B) Caution: There are plenty of Models of Prayer that we have in the
scriptures to follow when we don’t know how to pray for folks
1)This gift is not meant for us to Check out
mentally babble in tongues in praying for people
C)
But used in this way when you just don’t know how to pray / words just won’t
come
So it is used for Praise to the
Lord – Used in Prayer for intercession when I don’t know how to Pray / Also
used as a Weapon
2
Cor 10:3-5
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the
weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling
down of strong holds;) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that
exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every
thought to the obedience of Christ;
A)According
to Eph. 6 our two primary offensive weapons are the word of God ( the sword of
the Spirit & Prayer – Specifically Praying in the Spirit
1) ( Last thing mentioned)
B)
Now praying in the spirit can mean – Praying according to the Spirit – but I
believe that it also has reference to speaking in tongues
1)
Use it as a tool in
combating the attack of the enemy in my life
C)
So the Uniqueness of the gift is that it EDIFIES ME –
BUILDS ME UP
1)
Purpose : To aid the
Believer in his Praise of God / His Prayer to God & his intercession for
others / Help him battle in Spiritual warfare
Now lets consider the Use of
this gift in the Body of Christ – See how it is to be accompanied by the Gift
of the interpretation of tongues /1 Cor. 14
A) Now
one of the first things that we are reminded of is that the gifts are for the
Building up of the Body – Paul’s says prefers Prophecy
V. 5 I wish you all
spoke with tongues,( great for you ) but
even more that you prophesied;( great for the church ) for he who prophesies is greater than he who
speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive
edification.
B) Because the Purpose of the gifts in the Context of the Church is so
the Body can be built up / understanding & order are a Key
1)
So tongues if
it is going to benefit the body needs to be accompanied w/ interpretation
C) The gift of the Interpretation of tongues is a
supernatural ability by the
H.S. to
be able to give an interpretation of a tongue that was spoken
1)
Thus
the interpreter is interpreting a Language that He or she doesn’t know
& has possibly never even heard before.
Note V.6-12
Paul uses 3 simple illustrations To make his point. That there needs to be understanding if there is to be edifying spiritual ministry taking place
A) Musical instruments /
trumpet calls to battle / & daily conversation !
B)
If the Musical instrument does not give a clear distinct sound nobody
will recognize the music being played (
what is that )
1) Trumpet in battle - not
clear charge or retreat !
A) And there are many Languages in world / but if I can not
understand who cares it is no use to me !
( Interpreters in Yugoslavia / Hungary )
D) Paul in using these 3 illustrations Is basically
stating that Tongues are great but if
there is no one who can interpret it is like being in a foreign country ! Very
frustrating
E) No one is
going to be built up
v.26 One has Psalm / a
teaching / a tongue / and an Interpretation
A)Note on this – Tongues
speaking to God & not man – the interpretation is going to be to God &
not to man
B) Too often – Thus says the
Lord – Oh my people –
1)
That might be a Prophecy but it is not an Interpretation Of tongues
V.27 – Two or at the most 3
w/ an Interpretation
V.28 No Interpretation let
him keep silent – I have Control -
D) How does that work
practically – Waiting on the Lord – tongue – I would say lets wait see if
someone w/ the gift of Interpretation is here
1)
If
not remain silent – No more tongues
v.33 Order in what God does
he is not the Author of Confusion
V.40 Let all things be done
decently & in order
The Consequence of Unrestricted Speaking in Tongues
1 Cor 14: 23Therefore if the whole church comes together in one
place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those who are uninformed
or unbelievers, will they not say that you are out of your mind?
24But if all
prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced
by all, he is convicted by all. 25And thus the secrets of his heart are
revealed; and so, falling down on his face, he will worship God and report that
God is truly among you.
V.22
Contradiction – 22Therefore tongues
are for a sign, not to those who believe but to unbelievers; but prophesying is
not for unbelievers but for those who believe
Context tongues w/ Interpretation are sign
A)So Do all speak in tongues
? No – why God is Sovereign
B) How Receive it – like the
others ask