1 Corinthians 14:1-5 

¹Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. ²For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. ³But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. ⁴Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. 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.

Expressed

How do you practically express your love to other believers? One definition of agape love of God is that: Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. If we don’t delight in worldly behavior and don’t hesitate but teach the truth, is it considered as expression of love to our brothers and sisters in Christ?

When we consider other Christians as brothers and sisters, is it right to consider that there are older and younger Christians and treat them accordingly?

At one church, older men were preparing to cook food for fellowship in the church. A young person observed that one man was not very expert in cutting veggies. The young person is gifted in cooking, so he tried to teach a proficient and more efficient way to cut veggies to the older man. The older man may have been embarrassed that a younger person was more knowledgeable than him.

Together, let us seriously meditate on what it advises in 1 Timothy 5:1.

       ¹Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father.

It’s great to see young people who’re eager to teach but older people don’t necessarily welcomed being told what to do. Cultural traditions and practices are very important to older people, and that cannot easily change overtime. Younger generation may assume that teaching older people is expression of their love, but older people cannot readily appreciate it when their ego is pricked or insulted.

This is when agape love of God comes into picture. How? Surely, some people may appreciate when we express love for them, but it is not certain that others may appreciate also. Nevertheless, we sense peace when we express agape love, and we are saved from negative results of not being appreciated.

Can you accept that when someone uses Scriptural passages to rebuke, teach, admonish or give warning to others, it is also another form of preaching? So, it would be very helpful to prayerfully ask God for the gift of prophecy, if you cannot help but to preach, teach or proclaim the word of God. Why? The gift of prophecy is spiritual gift of expositing divine truth or interpreting the Scripture. We should desire, pray and entreat God to grant us the gift to prophesy divine truth.

1.  Entreat

¹Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy. ²For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to people but to God. Indeed, no one understands them; they utter mysteries by the Spirit. 

Why do we desire, implore, plead or entreat God for the gift of prophecy? God preferred the practice of spiritual gifts as expression of his agape love for us. Someone interpreted that when we practice our spiritual gifts, God will provide all other practical concerns, and we should not be bothered by personal necessities.

How do you interpret what Christ advised in Matthew 6:33? ³³Seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

God will provide for our practical concern, support, finances, relationship, even contacts, including emotional, physical health, that are necessary for us to be effective as we practice our spiritual gift. As the Holy Spirit performs in and through us, we’ve got peaceful gladness. When we practice our spiritual gifts, we pray that the Holy Spirit empowers us to perform what he prescribes for us to do.

Among other spiritual gifts, why should we desire spiritual gift of prophecy? The spiritual gift of prophecy edifies, trains, informs and educates other believers.

Apostle Paul compared the significance of spiritual gift of prophecy and the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues, why? Probably, some Corinthians tried to compare which spiritual gift is better than the other. When the disciples were baptized with the Holy Spirit, speaking in tongues was the first practical proof.

In says in Acts 1:4-5,  ⁴On one occasion, while Jesus was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. ⁵For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

The Holy Spirit has not come down yet at that time while Jesus was still with the disciples. After his resurrection, Jesus stayed with particular disciples for 40 days. And then, he was taken into heaven, but the Holy Spirit came and filled the disciples on Pentecost Day. The Pentecost is 50^th day after the Passover.

Jesus died and buried before Passover meal; he resurrected on the third day, then he stayed with the disciples for 40 days before he returned to heaven. And, seven days after Christ returned to heaven, the Holy Spirit came down to the disciples on the Pentecost day. Reflect on what it narrated in Acts 2:1-4, ¹When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. ²Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.

The Holy Spirit enables speaking in tongue. If anyone insists on speaking in tongue but not baptized by the Holy Spirit, what is the point of it? Be wise and smart to carefully choose the spiritual gift you may desire. Speak in tongue was first practical manifestation of the Holy Spirit but desire for the gift of prophecy.

Sometimes, the first is most important but not necessarily true all the time.

The first son of Abraham was Ishmael, but Isaac was more important. The first son of Isaac was Esau, but God preferred Jacob over Esau. Reuben was the first son of Jacob but Joseph was given the double portion of inheritance. The first king of Israel was Saul but David was greatest king of Israel.

How about spiritual gift? What does the Scripture teach about prophecy?

We are challenged to desire the spiritual gift of prophecy. How does the gift of prophecy relate to the command to preach? It advises in 2 Timothy 4:2,

²Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.

Interestingly, we are commanded to preach in season and out of season, whereas, we are not required to speak in tongues in season and out of season. In season and out of season can mean anywhere anytime and not just preaching during church worship services. Preaching requires intelligible interpretation of the word of God. To interpret divine truth correctly, the gift of prophecy is needed.    You may speak in tongue anytime anywhere you like but it is not required. The purpose of speaking in tongue is for personal edification. In comparison, the spiritual gift of prophecy is useful to train, inform, educate and edify the church.

2.  Edify

³But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort. ⁴Anyone who speaks in a tongue edifies themselves, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. 

Take note that the practice of spiritual gifts should be in the context of love. God said, “Love your neighbors as yourselves.” Love for others is based on love for ourselves. Love for others is Agape while love for the self is Philautia love. The spiritual gift of speaking in tongue is meant to train, enlighten and edify the self which is love for the self, personal well-being, self-esteem, self-compassion. Therefore, speaking in tongue is Philautia love; it’s not expression of Agape love.

In comparison as expression of Agape love, the gift of prophecy helps us interpret divine truth to communicate the message of God clearly. To encourage, teach, admonish and edify the church, we should interpret divine truth clearly. If we clearly understand the language by heart, it has deeper meaning personally.

Visayan Driver

There was a traffic violator who was apprehended by a traffic officer. As a responsible citizen, the driver politely greeted the traffic officer. The traffic officer told the driver to show his driver’s license, registration of car ownership and car insurance papers. The driver said something in Filipino language, and traffic officer asked him, “Are you Visaya?” Visaya is another Filipino language.

The driver asked the traffic officer in Visayan language, “Are you Visaya also?” He laughed in relief. The driver and the traffic officer, both laughed that they understood each other in their mother tongue. The video showed that they spoke Visaya together. The tension between them was minimized, subsequently.

Understanding a language from the heart transmit a message much better. Anytime anywhere can be a divine opportunity to teach, share the gospel.

The spiritual gift of prophecy helps us interpret divine message more accurately.

It helps us prepare to preach, teach, share the gospel. Listeners respond better.

Interestingly, after the Holy Spirit filled the disciples, it narrated in Acts 2:6-13,

⁶A crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. ⁷Utterly  amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? ⁸Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? ⁹ Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, ¹⁰ Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome ¹¹(both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” ¹² Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³Some, however, made fun of them.

The disciples were speaking in tongues; they spoke in languages that the crowd understood. Speaking in tongues or speak in foreign languages confused the crowd about what was happening. In their amazement, the confused crowd made fun of the disciples who were speaking in different foreign languages.

When Apostle Peter heard that the crowd was confused by the speaking in tongues of the disciples, he stood and started preaching the gospel. And after his preaching, it recorded in Acts 2:41, ⁴¹Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

3,000 were converted in one preaching as a result of the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. The spirit-filled Peter did not hesitate to preach before a crowd. Preaching the gospel of Christ is practical manifestation of agape love for others.

Prayerfully plead and entreat God to give you the gift of prophecy. Why?

The gift of prophecy is a gift of expositing or interpreting divine truth. If you are able to correctly interpret the divine message of God personally, you will be able to share the gospel with your loved ones more accurately with agape love.

Discover your spiritual gifts. Try and participate in different ministries until you sense the agape love of God and you will sense gladness serving God. It encourages us in Romans 12:6-8, ⁶If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; ⁷ if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Warning: Involvement in the ministry attracts difficult struggles. If you are in the wrong ministry, you can be disappointed or frustrated. So, prayerfully seek to be inspired by the Holy Spirit to cheerfully serve the Lord. When we participate in the ministry regularly, we experientially and empirically know our spiritual gift.

Ministries are also opportunities to discover and test our spiritual gifts.

Testing can be trials that may also challenge our dependence on the Lord.

When we depend on the Lord, his agape love prevails and protects us from unpleasant results or undesirable, unexpected events that we cannot agree with.

Prayerfully ask the Holy Spirit for inspiration to discern which ministry he prefers us to excel and enjoy, even if we may not able to explain it how or why.

3.  Explain

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.

If no one interprets or explains in plain language, that listeners understand, the gift of prophecy is more preferable choice than the gift of speaking in tongue.

Earlier, we are encouraged to desire the gift of prophecy. It means that if the Lord wants us to desire the spiritual gift of prophecy, he certainly gives it for us to clearly interpret his divine message. Additionally, it is greater than speaking in tongues to practice the gift of prophecy or interpretation of divine truth.

If prophesying is greater than speaking in tongues, does it follow then that greater reward awaits us, when we prophesy or preach the gospel of Christ?

How do you personally interpret what it declares in 1 Timothy 5:17?

¹⁷ The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.

Responsible church leaders diligently perform their task, and in addition to their assigned ministry, they may teach in Sunday school or preach when they get opportunity. Preaching and teaching the word of God is not limited to church leaders. Actually, when you mention the Scripture at a coffee shop, it is informal preaching; when you share the gospel at the park, it’s informal preaching.

When you explain what you understood from the Scripture, speak of what you heard from the sermon, it’s informal teaching or preaching of God’s word.

When you lead praise and worship, and you share a passage that inspired you while practicing your songs that, is also another informal preaching.

When your officemates ask, “Why don’t you work on Sundays? Why don’t you take overtime work on Sunday?” and you explain that Sundays are holy and set apart for the Lord, they could be very curious and ask for explanation. That will be your divine appointment to tell them about your faith in Christ. And if they dig deeper into your belief, you should be able explain the gospel of Christ.

Are you ready for such divine opportunity to share the gospel of Christ?

Are you prepared to explain the good news? But what is the bad news?

The bad news is: “All of us have sinned, and we are destined to eternal torture!” The good news is “Jesus Christ died on the cross as penalty for our sins; his shed blood on the cross washed away our sins.” Only by faith we believe such mysterious way of God to demonstrate his love for us through Jesus Christ.

Always remember to prayerfully seek inspiration of the Holy Spirit, always.

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