2022_06_15 Insight Post- Rusty Coram
This week’s reading- 1 Corinthians 13-14
Chapter 14 of 1 Corinthians starts off with, “Let love be your highest goal! But you should also desire the special abilities the Spirit gives—especially the ability to prophesy. 2 For if you have the ability to speak in tongues, you will be talking only to God, since people won’t be able to understand you. You will be speaking by the power of the Spirit, but it will all be mysterious. 3 But one who prophesies strengthens others, encourages them, and comforts them. 4 A person who speaks in tongues is strengthened personally, but one who speaks a word of prophecy strengthens the entire church.” (1-4)
Kim Feld challenged us earlier this week with her post about love and our need to pursue it. In chapter 14, Paul is bringing the application to our church community and our worship together. In Corinth, many immature people were eager to have special abilities but wanted them for their own benefit, not for serving God. The Holy Spirit did give some (Not all! See 1 Corinthians 12:29-30) the ability to speak/pray in an unknown language. That ability was primarily just a benefit to the one speaking, so as a contrast, Paul talks about prophecy and how that is a gift that the whole church benefits from. Prophecy is God-inspired preaching and teaching based on the Bible. This strengthens, encourages, and comforts the whole church. Another great benefit of prophecy (Biblical preaching and teaching) is its power to help unbelievers see their need and find Jesus: “But if all of you are prophesying, and unbelievers or people who don’t understand these things come into your meeting, they will be convicted of sin and judged by what you say. 25 As they listen, their secret thoughts will be exposed, and they will fall to their knees and worship God, declaring, “God is truly here among you.” 1 Corinthians 14:24–25 (NLT)
If we truly love each other, we will pursue and desire that the Holy Spirit equip us with the gifts that would help provide what is needed in our church – not the gifts we just think would be cool for us to have. A simple illustration is the difference in praying for God to bless me financially so I can have more things, versus asking God to bless me financially so I can help others in need.
Love, genuine love, is mostly interested in how to support, encourage and comfort others in God’s name. This isn’t so much a feeling as it is a commitment, fueled by grateful devotion to the One who has lavished His love on us.
Rusty Coram
Senior Pastor