Groups Discussion Guide
Read Scripture. Go Deeper. Ask Questions. Take Action.
Help Me Help You
Scripture
1-3 Go after a life of love as if your life depended on it—because it does. Give yourselves to the gifts God gives you. Most of all, try to proclaim his truth. If you praise him in the private language of tongues, God understands you but no one else does, for you are sharing intimacies just between you and him. But when you proclaim his truth in everyday speech, you’re letting others in on the truth so that they can grow and be strong and experience his presence with you.
4-5 The one who prays using a private “prayer language” certainly gets a lot out of it, but proclaiming God’s truth to the church in its common language brings the whole church into growth and strength. I want all of you to develop intimacies with God in prayer, but please don’t stop with that. Go on and proclaim his clear truth to others. It’s more important that everyone have access to the knowledge and love of God in language everyone understands than that you go off and cultivate God’s presence in a mysterious prayer language—unless, of course, there is someone who can interpret what you are saying for the benefit of all.
6-8 Think, friends: If I come to you and all I do is pray privately to God in a way only he can understand, what are you going to get out of that? If I don’t address you plainly with some insight or truth or proclamation or teaching, what help am I to you?
9-12 So if you speak in a way no one can understand, what’s the point of opening your mouth? There are many languages in the world and they all mean something to someone. But if I don’t understand the language, it’s not going to do me much good. It’s no different with you. Since you’re so eager to participate in what God is doing, why don’t you concentrate on doing what helps everyone in the church?
Main Idea
God gave the gifts of the Spirit to help equip the church. These gifts include grace, healing, miracles, word of wisdom, word of knowledge, discerning of spirits, prophecy, speaking in tongues, and the interpretation of tongues. All of these gifts are needed in the church depending on the situation. Paul's instruction to desire the best gifts is direction for us to search for the right gift at the right time. Each gift is a working of the Holy Spirit.
The gifts of speaking in tongues and prophecy were causing some confusion in the Corinthian church. Corinth was a city where lavish commerce and spiritual activity because the society was used to trying to impress each other. God's gifts are for the benefit of the church but when we try to use them to impress others, we are getting out of sync with God's purpose and design for our worship services.
Even the earliest church historians and writers described typical Christian gatherings on the first day of the week where scripture (Old and New Testament) would be shared, people would be encouraged, songs would be sang, and prayer was done as a group. Paul wanted to bring clarity to tongues and prophecy because they were being misused.
Everything is weird to the uninitiated.
Discussion Questions
- What has been your experience with prophecy and tongues in church?
- How did the explanation in Pastor Justin's message differ from that experience?
- How were you encouraged by the sermon and explanation of tongues and prophecy?
- If you do pray in tongues, can you share what your experience has been like?
Summary
There is a distinct difference between speaking in tongues and prophecy. In the most simple explanation, tongues are for me and prophecy is for you. In the early church, the use of tongues started to be used as a status symbol and confused people.
Prophecy as outlined in I Corinthians 14 is meant to be a word given to the church to encourage, strengthen, and comfort. In reality every time we come to church, we are receiving some prophecy as the scripture and message encourages us in our daily walk with God. We need God's encouragement to keep pressing forward in trying times.
Tongues are meant as a private prayer language. Tongues were being misused in the Corinthian church but they are valuable to each of us in our daily walk with God.
Benefits of speaking in tongues:
- Your mind is limited, but God's Spirit is not. Romans 8:26 explains that our spirit can pray in accordance to God's design even if we don't know what to say.
- Spiritual battles require Spiritual weapons. Our enemy is always working against us and tongues is a weapon we can have in our arsenal.
- God wants you to experience His power personally and his presence intimately. I Corinthians 14:4 explains that speaking in tongues helps build up your spirit and your relationship with God.
The benefits of speaking in your personal prayer language are tangible but in service there should be order as to not confuse those in churches. Our goal is to edify and encourage others to bring them closer to God. If you see something you think is odd in a service be sure to ask God to give you insight because anything can be odd if you don't understand it.
Take Action
- If you do not have a private prayer language, pray to God for the gift.
Announcements
- Summer Family Bash at 6-8pm Friday, 7/25
- Popcorn and Movies series starts on 7/27
- Groups Night gathering on 7/29 at 7pm
- Essentials classes are at 10am every Sunday morning
