A Call to Orderly Worship
Subtitle: Doing Good Things in a Chaotic Environment Can Be Counterproductive.
1 Corinthians 14:26-40 (NLT)
26 Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you.
27 No more than two or three should speak in tongues. They must speak one at a time, and someone must interpret what they say. 28 But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak in tongues to God privately.
29 Let two or three people prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said. 30 But if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from the Lord, the one who is speaking must stop. 31 In this way, all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged. 32 Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can take turns. 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people.
34 Women should be silent during the church meetings. It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says. 35 If they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings.
36 Or do you think God’s word originated with you Corinthians? Are you the only ones to whom it was given? 37 If you claim to be a prophet or think you are spiritual, you should recognize that what I am saying is a command from the Lord himself. 38 But if you do not recognize this, you yourself will not be recognized.
39 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking in tongues. 40 But be sure that everything is done properly and in order.
Examine the scriptures:
1 Corinthians 14:26-40 (NLT)
A Call to Orderly Worship
26 Well, my brothers and sisters,
1 Corinthians 1:2 (NLT)
I am writing to God’s church in Corinth, to you who have been called by God to be his own holy people. He made you holy by means of Christ Jesus, just as he did for all people everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours.
Paul is speaking to Christians
let’s summarize.
The Corinthian church was young and immature and needed structure.
Paul was addressing the abuse of spiritual gifts that was taking place in the church at Corinth.
Paul was addressing the need to eliminate the existing chaos in the church services.
When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said.
A worship service included:
Singing
Teaching (this could include lessons from the Old Testament.
Share a new truth (prophecy)
Speaking in tongues
Interpreting what was said in tongues.
But everything that is done must strengthen all of you.
Spiritual gifts were given to individuals in the church to strengthen the church, not for the personal edification of the individual possessing the spiritual gift.
Ephesians 4:11-13 (NLT)
11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God’s Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.
- Spiritual gifts are for strengthening and equipping others to do God’s work.
1 Corinthians 12:7 (NLT)
A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.
Specific instructions (to eliminate chaos)
27 No more than two or three should speak in tongues. They must speak one at a time, and someone must interpret what they say. 28 But if no one is present who can interpret, they must be silent in your church meeting and speak in tongues to God privately.
To eliminate chaos Paul instructions included:
Only two or three persons speaking in tongues.
Speaking in turn, one at a time.
Only speaking in tongues is someone was present who could interpret.
If no interpreters were present, only using tongues in silent prayers.
29 Let two or three people prophesy, and let the others evaluate what is said. 30 But if someone is prophesying and another person receives a revelation from the Lord (during the service), the one who is speaking must stop. 31 In this way, all who prophesy will have a turn to speak, one after the other, so that everyone will learn and be encouraged. 32 Remember that people who prophesy are in control of their spirit and can take turns.
To eliminate chaos Paul instructions included:
Only two or three were to speak.
Determine if the message was from God.
Defer to someone who receives a revelation from God during the service.
Take turns speaking.
Paul was not telling the church to stop prophesying and he was not telling the church to stop speaking in tongues. He was wanted the church to practice these gifts in an orderly manner.
33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace, as in all the meetings of God’s holy people.
Paul was promoting peace, harmony, order, and clarity in worship.
- God is not a God of disorder but of peace.
34 Women should be silent during the church meetings.
See chapter 11 where women were permitted to pray and prophecy.
It is not proper for them to speak. They should be submissive, just as the law says.
Apparently some women were out of order and were asking questions that disrupted the worship service (part of the chaos Paul was addressing,)
35 If they have any questions, they should ask their husbands at home, for it is improper for women to speak in church meetings.
These instructions appear to be addressing married women.
1 Timothy 2:11-12 (NLT)
11 Women should learn quietly and submissively. 12 I do not let women teach men or have authority over them. Let them listen quietly.
Colossians 3:18 (NLT)
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting for those who belong to the Lord.
Ephesians 5:22 (NLT)
For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord.
36 Or do you think God’s word originated with you Corinthians? Are you the only ones to whom it was given?
Paul’s authority misunderstood by the Corinthian church.
2 Corinthians 3:5-6 (NLT)
5 It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 6 He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit.
Galatians 1:1 (NLT)
This letter is from Paul, an apostle. I was not appointed by any group of people or any human authority, but by Jesus Christ himself and by God the Father, who raised Jesus from the dead.
37 If you claim to be a prophet or think you are spiritual, you should recognize that what I am saying is a command from the Lord himself.
1 Thessalonians 2:13 (NLT)
Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God—which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe.
38 But if you do not recognize this, you yourself will not be recognized.
39 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be eager to prophesy, and don’t forbid speaking in tongues.
40 But be sure that everything is done properly and in order.
- Be sure that everything is done properly and in order.
