Let's take our Bibles and turn
back to the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 14. 1 Corinthians 14. The Apostle Paul had previously spoken
on the necessity of being able to understand what's being said. One speaking in a language that
They had never heard before that someone interprets. Because if you hear something,
though it is the truth, and you don't understand it,
it's not going to do you any good. So let's just pick up where
we left off. 1 Corinthians chapter 14, verse
18 and 19. Paul says, I thank my God, I
speak with tongues more than ye all. Yet in the church, I'd
rather speak five words with my understanding that by my voice
I might teach others also, than 10,000 words in an unknown tongue. Paul thanked the Lord that Almighty
God had given him the ability to speak in more foreign languages
than anybody that he was speaking to. When he went to these different
countries, he went here and he went there and he traveled here
and traveled there, Paul did not need a translator to go with
him. He could speak in the language
of his hearers. But though he could speak in
all those languages, he said, I'd rather preach five words
that you understand than to preach 10,000 words in a language that
you don't understand. I use Brother Walter now, especially
in the context of these passages here, when he was able to travel,
when he was able to still come back to the States, he would
go to these different churches that we all know and fellowship
with, and he made it quite clear that he really struggled to preach
in English. Now, Walter is from the United
States. He lived in Texas for a long
time, but he's been down in Mexico now for over 50 years. And really, to Walter, his native
tongue, you know, just about, is Spanish. And we all remember,
I mean, he'd come here and preach for us, and Betty would be here
with him, and there'd be times that he's preaching in English,
and he'd forget the English word. He'd ask Betty, what was that
word? You know, Betty, she'd tell him in English. And he'd
speak it, so he was very comfortable speaking in Spanish, and probably
would have been more comfortable to sit here and speak to us in
Spanish. than in English. But what good
would that have done us? I mean, we know him, we love
him, we appreciate him. One day I was down there, Walter
and Cody and I were standing talking, and Walter looked at
me and began speaking to me in Spanish. He wasn't trying to act funny,
He was just so used to speaking in Spanish to everybody down
there. He started speaking to me and
then he got through and Cody looked at him and he said, Dad,
that was really good what you just said. But why don't you
tell Marvin in English so he can understand. Then he realized.
I didn't know. I just sat there and looked at
him and just smiled. And I thought, well, when he's
done, he'll be done. Paul said, I'd rather say five
words to you. that you understand than 10,000
words that you don't. Verse 20, Brethren, be not children
in understanding, how be it in malice, be ye children. But in understanding, be men. Now be careful, Paul says. Be desirous of these spiritual
gifts. But be desirous of them for the
right reason. Don't, you know, as I said, I
told you a little something in Cajun French a while ago. And
that was, I mean, it was because I knew what it said. It was a
blessing to me. But I don't speak the language.
And I wouldn't want to try to say something to impress you.
I'll just go ahead and tell you up front. I don't understand.
I don't understand it. I don't speak it. But I don't
want to be able to do something to try to impress you. But I've
really something, you know, because I can say something. I'm sure
a bunch of you here can probably say something in foreign languages
and you don't understand it either. You know, but Paul was saying
don't be immature. Don't, stay in this context of
speaking. Remember when you exercise the
gift of tongues. He said, don't be like children. Don't be like children. Don't
try to act in a way that is immature, or don't do it out of vanity,
trying to make a fine show and gain applause because of something
that you did or thought you did. He said, now, it's OK to act
like a child in malice. What in the world is he talking
about when he says that? Have you ever seen kids get into
a squabble? And I mean they're just out there,
I mean just fighting and fussing. When I was growing up, my brother
and I, we would get into the biggest fights that you've ever
seen in your life. But now, just give it a second
and it's over. And we'd just go back to playing
again. I mean, it was just, you know, it was just a big deal.
Or he and I could get into a fight. But buddy, the guy that lived
next door better not come over here and get on to one of us
because immediately we're going to take one of our sides. But
he said, act like a child when it comes to these squabbles.
Just give it a minute, it'll be over with. He said, and go
back to play it. Go back. But he said, when it
comes to this thing of tongues, act like men. Act like some with
understanding. Act with some maturity. Act like
a grown-up. Act in a way that is becoming
of a Christian. Verse 21, In the law it is written,
with men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto
this people, and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith
the Lord. Now, that verse of scripture
right there, I'm going to show you, Lord willing, what it means. If you didn't, if the Lord gives
us not understanding of what it's saying, we completely miss. Paul had been telling the people,
you seek these gifts, that's fine, that's fine, but rather
to edify and prophesy and preach. Seek those gifts and it's fine
to be able to have a desire, but be careful why you seek them.
Be careful not to try to draw. Don't act like a child and try
to be vain. Act like a mature person on that. Because, he said, speaking in
tongues was not always, or hearing a language that you don't understand,
was not always a blessing. Now, look at this. Check me out here. Look. Alright,
I want you to take your Bibles and turn with me to Isaiah 28.
He says, In the law it is written, if
you've got a reference in there, it's going to reference Isaiah
28 verse 11 and 12. That's where he's going back
to. So let's go, Isaiah 28, hold your place, go to Isaiah 28 and
see what he's saying. He said, you're desiring something,
thinking that it's always going to be to your profit. But he
said, I'll tell you, there was a time when the Lord allowed
his people to hear languages that they don't understand. And
it was a chastisement to them. So he said, be careful what you're
desiring. Isaiah 28. I'm going to read. It's actually verses 11 and 12.
But I'm going to read verse 9 to 12. Whom shall he teach knowledge? And whom shall he make to understand
doctrine? Them that are weaned from the
milk and drawn from the breast? For precept must be upon precept,
precept upon precept, line upon line, line upon line, here a
little, there a little. For with stammering lips and
another tongue will he speak to this people. to whom he said,
this is the rest wherewith you may cause the weary to rest,
and this is the refreshing, yet they would not hear. Now let me tell you what Isaiah
just said. The Spirit of God spoke through
Isaiah the prophet. And what had happened was, God
had sent his word to his people. And he sent to them line on line,
precept on precept, through prophets. But they wouldn't hear. They
wouldn't hear. And the Lord sent them into captivity
in these foreign countries. And being in captivity, They
would hear these people that were from that place that had
them captive speaking in languages that they didn't understand.
And they had to listen to a foreign tongue that they didn't understand
because of God's displeasure with them. And He made them hear
something that they didn't understand to remind them of their disobedience. So the Apostle Paul, back in
1 Corinthians, is telling them concerning this thing of tongues. Seek those gifts. Desire, verse
1, where we were a while ago. But rather that you may prophesy,
seek that which is used by the Lord, if rightly used. But if
you're hearing something, let me ask you something. Some of
you have possibly been in a situation like this. Have you ever been
around someone that's speak in a language that you don't understand,
and they're saying something, and then they look at you and
laugh. And you're thinking, I don't know what you said, but obviously
it wasn't good. It wasn't for my profit. You're
laughing at me. You're making fun of me. That's
what God's people had to endure. And so Paul is telling them something
here. He said, be careful. You may
find that this is a curse, that what you're desiring. Desire
to prophesy, desire to say something and be heard in a language that's
understood. So there was a case there, according
to these scriptures, where God made His people to hear something
that they didn't understand for His pleasure to chasten them. and to rebuke them for what they'd
done. So be careful, Paul says. Look at verse 22. Wherefore,
in this case, concerning what I just said, wherefore, tongues
are for a sign not to them that believe, but to them that didn't
believe. That's what that case was. That's what they had to
go through. Tongues are for a sign not to
them that believe, but to them that believe not, but prophesying
serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe,
you that sit and hear the gospel of God's grace being preached. Is it not a benefit to you, prophesying,
understanding, but in the case where they were put in bondage,
That proved to be their demise. That proved to be that which
was not for their profit. So preaching the gospel with
understanding is for those that believe. You hear the truth,
you desire the truth, you love the truth. That's what you want
to hear. You don't want to hear something
you don't understand. You want to hear the truth. Verse
23, If therefore the whole church be come together into one place,
and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are
unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that they're mad
if one doesn't recognize the use, the right use of tongues? You might have problems. You're
all desiring, he said, to have these gifts. Be careful. Remember,
God sent a curse because they wouldn't believe what they did
here correctly. So with this gift, do that which
is profitable to God's people. Don't be foolish. If the whole
assembly, he says, comes together, and he said, these gifts that
you're desiring, You want to preach in an unknown tongue,
languages that are known, but not known to your hearers. And
you're trying to out-talk each other. He said, and someone comes
in who doesn't know. Let's say there's a bunch of
us right here, and we all speak different languages, and you're
all saying stuff, and somebody comes in here, and they're unlearned. They're not a believer. You know
what they're going to think, Paul says? That you're mad. What kind of a place is this?
You ever been somewhere and they're doing that? And I have. I've been where there's a bunch
of stuff going on and everybody's all... I was in an assembly where
they were... Glenda, you were with me. You
remember that? We went into a place one time and I was there to preach. That's the only reason I was
there. And they all came up Everybody, everybody except me, Glenda,
and Tony Moody. We were the only three sitting
in the seat right here. Everybody came up to the front.
And everybody started praying. And I thought, this is the most
confusing, just irreverent thing I've ever seen in my life. Lifting
up her hands and stuff. I preached there one day. That
was it. That was it. And by the grace
of God, two people came out of that and sit consistently now
under the gospel. Most precious couple, really
sweetest couple you'd ever meet in your life. But I thought,
to them, they thought that that was a blessing. Everybody come
up and pray. Paul the Apostle is saying, just
be careful. If the whole church, verse 23,
comes together into one place and they all speak with tongues,
and there comes those that are unlearned or unbelievers, they'll
think you're mad. I thought they were mad. And
I was sitting there knowing what I was getting ready to preach.
But, he said, verse 24, if all prophesy, and there come in one
that believeth not, or one unlearned, He's convinced of all. He's judged
of all. If there comes in one and he's
hearing someone is preaching in a language that they understand.
Those that can understand what you're saying. Those that hear
the word of God and by the grace of God they're convinced of their
sin. And they see their need of Christ. They see themselves
as a sinner. Now that's profitable, verse
25. And thus are the secrets of his
heart. made manifest. I need the Lord. I need a Savior. And so he's falling down on his
face. He'll worship God and report that God is in you of a truth. He said, now this man is telling
me the truth. He's taking that Bible right there and I'm listening
to what he's saying. And he's taking what I'm reading
and he's showing me this is what God has to say. Paul said, that's
profitable. All these other males. He said,
be careful. Be careful with these tongues,
desiring these languages that you can't preach. It may prove
to be a curse. Oh, but preaching. Preaching
the gospel. That's always profitable. That's
what he said. Look at verse 26. How is it then,
brethren, when you come together, every one of you hath a psalm,
hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation,
let all things be done unto edifying. If you come together, how is
it everybody's got a word from God, everybody's got a message,
everybody's got a special psalm, or a particular point of doctrine
that they want to expound, or a message in a foreign language,
or a special revelation from God, or interpretation of a tongue. How is it? Let everything be
done on confirmation of the Word, on building up. Let it be done
in order. Let it be done in order. That's
why when I'm here to preach, I've looked at these scriptures,
I've asked the Lord's blessing, I've looked up these words, I've
gone over and over and over what I want to say. And I ask the
Lord, Lord, teach me, teach me this truth. And Lord, when I
preach it, bring back to my memory what I've read, and Lord help
me, and Lord bless this word to the people. This is the order
in which it's done. I don't want somebody standing
up and starting to speak in a language that might be a language. I don't
need someone to stand up and sing a song right now or anything. Let everything Paul says be done
in order. Let it be done with consistency
and honor. If a man, verse 27, speak in
an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three,
and that by course. You know what that means? One,
then one, then one. Let it be by course and let one
interpret. Don't stand up there and start
saying something if people don't understand what you're saying.
Let it be by interpretation. but two or three at the most,
and not without an interpreter. Look at verse 28. But if there
be no interpreter, what do you do? Be quiet. Be quiet. You're not going to do anything
but cause confusion. Let him keep silence in the church. Let him speak to himself, to
God. But keep your mouth shut. an
interpreter, if people don't understand, you're not going
to help them. Verse 29, let the prophets speak
two or three. And let the other judge, if there's
preachers there, if there's preachers, if we've got three preachers,
two, three preachers, it's going to be in order. We'll have a
meeting here. I'll invite a couple of guys
and they're going to come and I'll say now this and here's
what I want you to do. Once you take first service, I'd like
for it to be shorter, 15-20 minutes. And then you're going to preach,
I'd like to have you preach after that. And then what will happen
is, one at a time, they'll get up and they'll preach. And what
the others of us will sit here and judge. What? Pass judgment
on him? No. Take what he's saying and
by the Word of God. Is he saying what God's saying?
Search the Scriptures daily. I would tell anybody, as I've
told you before, take what I'm saying and look in these Scriptures. Look the words up. If I look
up something and I tell you, how do you know? I might be lying.
I might have made a mistake. Look it up. See what I'm saying. Let it be done in order. Compare
it to the Scriptures, verse 30. If anything be revealed to another
that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace, if a man is called
of God. He's inspired, gifted by the
Lord to preach the gospel. And he's sitting there and he's
listening. And the Spirit of God has moved
upon him and is profitable. Not that he's to blurt it out
and be interruptive or anything like that, but in decency, One
that has been gifted of God. Taught of God. Somebody that
you trust. If somebody comes in here and I don't know who
you are. I think about that story. I love this story. About the
time that a fellow was sitting here. Brother Scott came driving
up. Guy was sitting here. Guy told Brother Scott, he said,
God told me to preach this morning here. And Scott said, That's
amazing. You know, I was just talking
to him and he didn't say anything to me about this. I thought,
God didn't know who that was. I mean, you know, God told me
to speak this morning? Believe me. But if one is speaking,
if anything be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first
one hold his peace. In order. The Lord's taught me
something. Well, then let the one that's
talking, let him be quiet. Listen to what he's got to say.
It better be something that's edifying or something. If it's
just disruptive, it won't go well, believe me. Verse 31, For
ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may
be comforted, and the spirits of the prophets are subject to
the prophets. For God is not the author of
confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. So
that all may be instructed, all may be encouraged for the spirit
of the speaker, his attitude and ability to be able to preach. That verse right here, I'm going
to say something here because I'm getting ready to tell you
what verse 32 means. The spirits of the prophets are
subject to the prophets. What does that mean? The spirit
of the prophets, the spirit of me, my life, that's him. Okay, it's subject to what I
decide to do. This is what I mean. I know that
I'm supposed to be preaching. I'm supposed to start preaching
on Sunday morning at 930. 930 is when we begin this service. come and they'll read scripture
and then they'll, uh, Gary'll come up and he'll lead a song
and then I'll get up and I'll preach. So about 940, something
like that, I'll begin to preach. Now I knew what I was going to
preach. I knew what I was going to preach. And so therefore,
whenever it was time for me to preach, my spirit was subject
to myself. These men didn't just get up
and all of a sudden just go into a trance and just start speaking
in some language that they didn't understand. Maybe they understood
it, but he didn't have the ability, or he did have the ability to
interpret. But his spirit was subject to
him. What I'm saying is, it wasn't
something just off the cuff. They just couldn't help it. They
just started, like I said, like a trance. They just started speaking
and all of a sudden, no. No. They would go somewhere and
in order. When it was time to preach. Just
like when it's time for me to preach. My spirit is subject
to me. To the order of it. I'm not going
to stand up when Mark or Neil or some of you other men are
reading. I'm not going to stand up and start preaching. Why you're,
you know, I said, well I just couldn't help it. I mean, I was
moved by the Spirit of God. You're thinking, Marvin, that's
confusing. No, the Spirit is subject, the
Spirit of the Prophet is subject to the Prophets. So that you
all may prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may
be comforted. And the spirits of the Prophets
are subject to the Prophets because God is not the author of confusion,
but of peace, as in all the churches, and of the saints. But then there's some limits
on who's going to be able to stand up and preach, and who's
going to be able to speak, and who's going to have a word from
the Lord. The scripture says, verse 34,
let your women keep silence in the churches. For it's not permitted
unto them to speak, but they are commanded to be under obedience,
as also saith the law. And if they will learn anything,
Let them ask their husbands at home, for it is a shame for a
woman to speak in the church." Now does that mean any conversation
at all? No. Ladies will come in here
and if I come up to you and say, how are you doing? I would really
expect you to say something back to me. I would expect for you
to say something so I could hear. You know, how are you doing?
Do you feel okay? Or something like that. But it's
talking about in the capacity as a preacher. As an instructor. That's what it's talking about.
Paul said women are not permitted to preach or to teach or to assert
authority over the men In the church, 1 Timothy 2.12, I suffer
not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority, to dominate
in authority over the man, but to be in silence. If there's
a question, Paul said, if a woman has a question, let her ask her
husband at home. Well, what if she's not married?
What if she's a widow? Well, ask her pastor. But don't
let it be, don't ask it in such a way to where it becomes a point
of confusion or you're asking something it's not permitted. As far as standing around and
debating doctrine in the church, exerting herself in a position
of authority or setting herself up in a position of authority,
it's a shameful thing. And if there's a question, you
know, about it, then just ask your husband. Do it privately.
Don't say anything. You know. Verse 36, 38. What? Paul said, he just said what
Almighty God moved upon him to say concerning the order, men
speaking one by one, let it be order, let it be orderly, Let
it be where people understand what's being said. Don't let
women don't stand up and preach. Somebody tells me, you know,
that this woman is a pastor of a church. I think, oh, really? Now, where did that authority
come from? Not from this book. I can tell
you that. No, no, no. Whatever excuse,
they'll know. But he sets forth this truth. He said, concerning the things
that I just said, If there's a question about it, he asks
this question, what? Came the word of God out from
you? He says, were you the author
of this book? He said, I'm telling you what
God has laid upon my heart to say. If you're questioning me,
did the gospel originate with you or did it come unto you only? Are you the only one that knows
the truth? If any man think himself to be
a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that
I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. Paul is saying,
listen, understand something. I didn't come up with this off
the top of my head. But if any man be ignorant, let
him be ignorant. If he's ignorant of these things,
you refuse, I'm not going to hear what you have to say. Paul
said, then be ignorant. Do whatever you think is best. Covet or desire to preach the
word, but don't hinder those that are preaching in foreign
languages if they're gifted to preach. But don't think that
this word that I'm preaching is not something that I came
up with. Wherefore, brethren, covet to
prophesy. Forbid not to speak with tongues.
Let all things be done decently and in order. I'm going to make
just a few statements here in closing. In light of everything
that the Apostle Paul has set forth under the inspiration of
God's Spirit, I want to make some application to it. Paul
has stressed the importance of making sure the hearers understand
what's being preached. And it is my desire, as I proclaim
the unsearchable riches of the grace of God, in the face of
the Lord Jesus Christ, that you hear it, and hear it correctly,
and hear it as the Spirit of God sets it forth. And it is
my calling, it is my duty to look this up, and to tell you,
to tell us, what is being said. That's what I want, because by
these Scriptures, we're all going to stand before God. And I truly
desire to know now. I'd rather know now than then
and find out then. I want you to know when I say
God, there's a lot of men saying God, speaking God. But I want
you to know just like speaking in a tongue that people don't
understand, I'm speaking now in a language that you understand.
I want you to know when I speak of God, I'm speaking of Him who
rules in heaven and earth. He who worketh, the scripture
says, all things after the counsel of His own will. God Almighty
who shows mercy and compassion to whomsoever He will. Salvation
is by the grace of God. You understand that now, don't
you? When I say God, I mean God I don't mean somebody trying
to be. When I speak of the Lord Jesus
Christ, I'm speaking of God Almighty, who humbled Himself, was made
flesh, took upon Himself the form of sinful flesh. He knew no sin. But Almighty
God, according to an everlasting covenant of grace, God Himself
came into this world. to seek and to save that which
was lost, His people. And the Lord Jesus Christ lived
for and died for His people. That's what He said. That's what
He said. He finished the work of their
salvation at Calvary. It finished. It was done. When
I speak of the Holy Spirit, I speak of Him who sovereignly and powerfully
and effectually calls God's sheep out of spiritual darkness through
the means of preaching the gospel. This is the message that they
must hear. Romans 1 16 says that. You must
hear the gospel. You must hear the gospel. You
must believe. God will give His people faith. When I speak of salvation, I
speak of that which is absolute. that all that the Father has
given the Son are surely going to come to Him. They will be
willing in the day of God's power. And I don't want to speak as
a foreigner to you. I want you to understand the
message of life in Christ. This is the only preaching that
edifies and comforts and builds up the believer. I pray that
the Lord bless this word, these two messages, to our hearts. And when someone speaks to you
and tells you, well, we speak in tongues or something, if it's
not according to this book right here, it's a lie. It's a lie. They're deceived.
They're deceived. Because Almighty God's word never
fails. Lord, bless it to our hearts
for Christ's sake. Amen.