Sermon Notes "I Need A Sign" based on 1 Corinthians 14:20-25

Introduction: Have you heard someone say, “God, give me a sign.”  What exactly is a sign?  I immediately thought about hand signs of a few college teams (WSU, K-State, Texas).  Here’s my thoughts as we prepare to hear the passage today.  These signs are not WSU, K-State or Texas but they point to those universities.  In the same way, prophecy and tongues are pointing or directing to something else as well.

Review

·         Pursue love, gifts, and prophecy; purpose of tongues and prophecy (to build up) (1-5)

·         Use of examples and application for tongues/prophecy (band, battle, languages) (6-12)

·         Building Up The Church (spirit, soul, body; edification, God’s at Work In You) (13-19)

Maturity (vs. 20-21)

·         Vs. 20-Do not be children (young child) in your thinking (process-use your mind to consider carefully)

o   What is childish thinking? It’s all about me; if I don’t get what I want, I’m gone; concrete

o   Don’t let these things (gifts, prophecy, tongues) distract you from your purpose, Corinth

o   What might Paul say to Hesston MB today in 2021?  Don’t let these things (you fill in the blank) distract you from your purpose (A church community empowered by the Spirit transformed by the gospel)

·         Vs. 20-Be infants (babies) in evil (wickedness), in your thinking be mature (advanced, fully developed)

o   Not naïve to evil or wickedness around us but a rejection of it

§  Recognition of the spiritual battle (2 Corinthians 10:3-5)

·         For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. ⁴ For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. ⁵ We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

§  Recognize the lies

·         A lie in our mind can affect our will and emotions and body. We need each other to speak truth when we cannot see the lie.  We need the church.  We need brothers and sisters.

§  Speak truth and identity in Christ

§  Use spiritual weapons (prayer, worship, Word, testimony)

·         Vs. 21-In the Law, it is written-the Lord will speak but they will not listen

o   The Law (any part of the OT)

o   Isaiah 28:11-12

§  They had rejected God’s counsel to rest and trust in him as being too naïve and had gone ahead and formed other alliances. ^[1]

§  In other words, God had spoken in plain language to get them to turn from their evil ways but instead foreign nations who speak other languages will come and conquer them.  Will this lead them to repent? 

Miracles (vs. 22-25)

·         Sign for…Vs. 22-Tongues are not a sign for believers but unbelievers

o   Sign or miracle-a marvelous event manifesting supernatural act of a divine agent; often with an emphasis on communicating a message

o   The exact opposite would be expected^[2]

o   finds “great confusion” since v. 22 “seems to stand in direct contradiction to the explanation that follows in vv. 23–25^[3]

o   Wayne Grudem has shown that the word could be used to refer to something positive or negative^[4]

·         Vs. 22-Prophecy is a sign not for unbeliever but believers

·         If all ______, response is ________Vs. 23-All in church speak in tongues and unbeliever enters

o   Response: out of your minds

§  Similar to Acts 2:13-Pentecost “But others mocking said, They are filled with new wine.”

o   The idea of inclusive participation is highlighted in this verse^[5]

§  The church is about participation not consumerism

·         Vs. 24-All in church prophesy and unbeliever enters

o   Their conversion and worship are intended to lead others to do the same.^[6]

o   This confrontation with the unmasking, exposing power of the divine word and divine Spirit^[7]

o   Vs. 25-Response: convicted, secrets disclosed, fall on face and worship, declare God is among you

§  Law (points out our sin and our need of Savior) & Gospel (Christ died for sinners and offers a free gift of salvation by grace through faith not works)

§  Confess, Repent, Worship, Testify (Closing Response)

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^[1] Ciampa, R. E., & Rosner, B. S. (2010). The First Letter to the Corinthians (p. 697). Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

^[2] Thiselton, A. C. (2000). The First Epistle to the Corinthians: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 1122). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.

^[3] Thiselton, A. C. (2000). The First Epistle to the Corinthians: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 1122). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.

^[4] Ciampa, R. E., & Rosner, B. S. (2010). The First Letter to the Corinthians (p. 702). Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

^[5] Ciampa, R. E., & Rosner, B. S. (2010). The First Letter to the Corinthians (p. 704). Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

^[6] Ciampa, R. E., & Rosner, B. S. (2010). The First Letter to the Corinthians (p. 707). Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

^[7] Thiselton, A. C. (2000). The First Epistle to the Corinthians: a commentary on the Greek text (p. 1129). Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans.