1 Corinthians 14:26-28

²⁶What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. ²⁷If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. ²⁸If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.

Rally

When all of sudden someone shouts, “Christ is Lord! Jesus is King,” how do you like that? It happened at a political rally. A presidential candidate talked about her support of abortion right, and her supporters applauded very loudly. Then, some attendees in that rally shouted, “Christ is Lord! Jesus is King!”

The presidential candidate responded, “Oh you guys are at the wrong rally. No, I think you meant to go to the smaller one down the street.” Her supporters told them also, “You are not invited; you are not welcomed to this event. You need to leave.” So, those who shouted, “Christ is Lord! Jesus is King,” left.

Accordingly, the one who shouted, “Christ is Lord, Jesus is King,” testified during interview, “When my friend and I proclaimed that ‘Christ is Lord!’ ‘Jesus is King!’ We got a lot of backlash. We were mocked. And that’s the biggest thing for me, personally. In reflection of the event, Jesus was mocked, his disciples were mocked, and that’s OK. In reality, we were there for the right reasons.”

If possible, avoid witnessing for Christ before hostile crowd. Let’s reflect on what happened when Apostle Peter and John were teaching about resurrection of the dead in Jesus Christ. They were told to stop teaching about Christ. Hostile Jewish leaders imprisoned Peter and John, interrogated them and warned them not to talk about Jesus. It narrated in Acts 4:18-20, ¹⁸They commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. ¹⁹But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! ²⁰As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”

Are you ready to talk about your faith in Christ before hostile crowd? We might be forced to take stand why we trust Christ as Lord anytime, anywhere. The word of God that we heard, read or memorized will be useful. Apostle Peter and John were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they were not scared of the threat of the hostile Jewish leaders. They testified of what they heard from the Lord. Christ said in John 14:26, ²⁶The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.

Are you serious about your faith in Jesus Christ? How do you prove that? God may design pleasant situations favorable to our faith in him. God may allow unpleasant circumstances also to help us understand more clearly and practically prove if we seriously trust Christ as Lord and Savior. And believers of Christ are encouraged in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, ¹⁶Rejoice always, ¹⁷pray continually, ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

It is easy to rejoice during pleasant moments but when circumstances are not pleasant, how can we rejoice? We pray for inspiration from the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit supplies joy for us to give thanks in all circumstances, pleasant or not. When the Holy Spirit inspires us to thank God in all circumstances, Christ is glorified in us. Anyone may struggle with difficulties. Believers who observe our demeanor could be encouraged when we rejoice always in everything we do. Others might be inspired to serve the Lord, if we do everything with gladness.

1.  Everything

²⁶What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up. 

All church activities must be done to build each other up. We gather as a church to thank and praise the Lord for all the blessings he showered us. When we gather together as children of God, what is it that may encourage you? Would honesty, leniency or motivational speeches inspire you to actively serve God?

It says, “Everything must be done.” It emphasizes necessity. To build each other up is a “must,” imperative requirement. It’s indispensable essentiality. If it’s a necessity not optional, there’s no option; there’s no other choice or preference. So, to build each other up should be seriously considered in everything we do.

The church of Corinth had several factions. They’re divided. Each faction had preferred church activities. Some groups may have emphasized on singing hymns, while other groups may have preferred motivational speakers, and still other groups may have practiced speaking in tongues, and they were confused.

Likewise, there are churches that invested in praise and worship teams. Other churches prefer motivational speakers. Still, some churches are particular with speaking in tongues. Church attendees are confused where they may attend to be edified and encouraged. How about you? Why do you attend this church? Personally, how do we build each other up? We rely upon the Holy Spirit of God.

Together, let’s reflect on what it admonishes in Romans 14:19, ¹⁹Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.

Mutual edification is to build each other up. To develop, strengthen and grow together in Christian faith and character as children of God should be our priority. The English term “edification” means “to build” or “to construct.” To build or construct presents the idea of structural buildings. The process of edification is like constructing a structural building. Structural buildings require firm foundation.

Likewise edification or building each other up requires firm foundation in Jesus Christ. Everything we do must be done with gladness from the Holy Spirit. Why? Everything we do has eternal effect. Jesus Christ declared in Mark 13:1-2. ¹One of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!” ²Jesus replied, “Do you see all these great buildings? Not one stone here will be left on another; every stone will be thrown down.”

The disciple was impressed by the magnificent structures in Jerusalem. Probably, there’s no impressive structural building in his town. Christ was not impressed at all by the magnificent buildings that impressed his disciple. Why? He saw the destruction of Jerusalem that actually happened 70 years afterward.

Curious attendees are attracted by impressive church building. If it is the will of God, he provides attractive and magnificent structure. Together, let us learn from what it declares in Ephesians 4:11-12, ¹¹Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, ¹²to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.

To build his church, Christ gave apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers to equip for works of service and not to amuse church attendees. Reflect personally. “What is my involvement as part of the body of Christ?” When we participate in church activities, we behave with gladness from the Holy Spirit.

During a political rally mentioned earlier, when they shouted “Jesus is King and Christ is Lord,” did they interpret that the hostile crowd may listen to them? On the contrary, the presidential candidate had interpreted that they were in the wrong circumstance, and her supporters applauded loudly. Did she assume that her supporters did not need to know that “Jesus is King and Christ is Lord?”

Likewise, the Corinthians church behaved according to their interpretation. Some of them preferred hymns; some preferred to be motivated by sermons that may scratch their itching ears, and speaking in tongue confused them. Apostles Paul wrote a lengthy explanation that “Someone must interpret” what is spoken in tongue. The term “must” implies expectation of orderly activity in the church.

2.  Expectation

²⁷If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. 

Here’s a biblical instruction for speaking in tongue during church gathering. Speaking in tongue should be limited to three persons, at the most, and speakers should speak consecutively. Speaking in tongue is optional as the term “should” implies, and interpretation is expected; it is a “must.” It is imperative necessity for someone to interpret, explain or translate what is spoken in tongue.

How do you interpret what Apostle Paul wished for in 1 Corinthian 14:5?

⁵I would like every one of you to speak in tongues, but I would rather have you prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be edified.

Do you dream to be great Christian or just stay ordinary church attendees?

Prayerfully desire and ask God to grant you the spiritual gift of prophecy which is greater gift, why? To prophesy is to correctly interpret and translate divine truth.

We want to know, interpret exactly when God reveals his will for us, right?

With gift of prophecy, we correctly interpret and translate a revelation from God. If we understand a divine message for us, we can practically apply it specifically. God wants believers to prophesy. Likewise Moses wanted Israel to prophesy.

Prophets

The Israelites complained and grumbled. Moses told the Lord that he was tired also. And, the Lord took some of the power of the Spirit that was on Moses and put it on the 70 elders. When the Spirit rested on them, they prophesied.

It was reported that two men were prophesying in the camp when the Spirit rested also on them. Joshua son of Nun, who had been an assistant of Moses since youth, spoke up and said in Numbers 11:28-29, ²⁸“Moses, my lord, stop them!” ²⁹But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!”

The Holy Spirit empowers with the ability to interpret a message from God. The ability to correctly interpret a message of God and clearly explain to listeners is called spiritual gift of prophecy. Prophets are messengers of God. Prophets must correctly interpret a revelation from God and clearly explain to listeners.

When we speak about the gospel of salvation, we serve as messengers of God. When we quote biblical passages, we serve as messengers of God.

So now, do you consider it as prophesying when you share the gospel?

You pray for friends and relatives to come to the knowledge of Christ as Lord and Savior. Prayerfully ask God to grant you the gift of prophecy. Maybe, God has chosen you to be his messenger of the gospel of salvation. Reflect on Romans 10:16-17. ¹⁶Not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?” ¹⁷Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ. 

Likewise, if we expect our friends and relatives to believe in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, we have to share the good news of salvation to them. You may not preach a lengthy sermon, but gifted with prophesy, the Holy Spirit explains the word he puts on our lips for listeners to understand. Surely, potential believers will explore more about Christ even with just few words of explanation.

3.  Explanation

²⁸If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and to God.

For speaking in tongue to edify, explanation in understandable language is expected. It may build each other up, when correct translation is provided. But if there are no available interpreters to clearly explain, we avoid speaking in tongue in the church. Anyway, how do we know a correct explanation of message from God? How can we identify an interpreter who may translate a divine revelation?

We should focus on understanding when God reveals his will to us instead. We need the gift of prophecy to understand and practically apply a message from God. Revelation from God is not reserved for intellectual people. No amount of human eloquence can convince anyone to put into practice what God reveals. But when God reveals his will to us, we are transformed to respond obediently.

Of course, the Holy Spirit transforms us to obey God. With spiritual gift of prophecy, we correctly interpret, understand, translate and apply of a message from God. Personally, how do you interpret what Jesus Christ said in John 6:29?

²⁹The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.

God performs in our life is for us to believe in Jesus Christ eventually. To believe is to have faith, to have a sense of trust and reliance upon Christ to save us from eternal torture; he can save us from temporal problems. Can you agree?

Faith in Christ is deep trust, personal transformation and intimate relationship with him. Faith in Christ compels us to prioritize Christian behavior and attitude.

Barak

Let’s learn from this situation, when a lady prophet named Deborah told Barak to lead Israel against their enemies in Judges 4:6-9, ⁶“The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: ‘Go, take with you 10,000 men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mount Tabor. ⁷I will lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.’” ⁸Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don’t go with me, I won’t go.” ⁹“Certainly I will go with you,” said Deborah. “But because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh.

Jabin was Canaanite king. Sisera was commander of his army, and they oppressed the Israelites for 20 years. The Israelites cried to the Lord for help. Lady prophet Deborah said that the Lord chose Barak to lead Israel against their enemies. Barak agreed with a condition that Deborah joins him in the battle.

Barak did not completely trust Deborah. Did he interpret that God reveals his will to a prophet not a lady prophet? He asked her to join him in battle, why? If ever they lose the battle, he won’t be blamed alone. Barak missed his blessing.

To receive God’s blessing, total obedience is required without hesitation.

What may cause hesitation to obey God? Not clear interpretation, preferences.

Hesitation to obey God happens when someone has preferred messenger.

When God reveals his will and we correctly understand it together as a church, we harmoniously participate with gladness. Earnestly pray to have a spiritual gift of prophecy to correctly understand and gladly explore the will of God for you.

This coming New Year, what do you expect for yourself, your family, the church? May God grant us the gift of prophecy to interpret clearly his will for us, for our family and the church! May God bless you abundantly next year! Amen!

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