When We Gather

1 Corinthians 14 “ I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge—even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you—so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ,” 1 Corinthians 1:4-7 ESV When we gather the goal is edification “But the one who prophesies speaks to people for edification, exhortation, and consolation. The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself; but the one who prophesies edifies the church. Now I wish that you all spoke in tongues, but rather that you would prophesy; and greater is the one who prophesies than the one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may receive edification… So you too, since you are eager to possess spiritual gifts, strive to excel for the edification of the church… What is the outcome then, brothers and sisters? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation. All things are to be done for edification.” 1 Corinthians 14:3-5, 12, 26 NASB When we gather there needs to be clarity Vs.6-25 3 Illustrations *Musical instruments “But now, brothers and sisters, if I come to you speaking in tongues, how will I benefit you unless I speak to you either by way of revelation, or of knowledge, or of prophecy, or of teaching? Yet even lifeless instruments, whether flute or harp, in producing a sound, if they do not produce a distinction in the tones, how will it be known what is played on the flute or on the harp?” 1 Corinthians 14:6-7 NASB *The Call to battle “For if the trumpet produces an indistinct sound, who will prepare himself for battle?” 1 Corinthians 14:8 NASB               *Speaking in different languages “So you too, unless you produce intelligible speech by the tongue, how will it be known what is spoken? For you will just be talking to the air. There are, perhaps, a great many kinds of languages in the world, and none is incapable of meaning. So if I do not know the meaning of the language, I will be unintelligible to the one who speaks, and the one who speaks will be unintelligible to me. So you too, since you are eager to possess spiritual gifts, strive to excel for the edification of the church.” 1 Corinthians 14:9-12 NASB When we gather there needs to be order “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace—as in all the congregations of the Lord’s people.” 1 Corinthians 14:33 NIV “Therefore, my brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.” 1 Corinthians 14:39-40 NIV