Take a moment to read 1 Corinthians 14:26-40 before reading the devotional below.
As we discussed in yesterday’s post, Paul encourages all followers of Jesus to seek special gifts from the Holy Spirit, including praying in a non-earthly language and prophesying. Much of the time, these gifts would be used in a church service, and today’s passage helps us see the rules for how to best use them. In a church gathering, people should not be shouting out in languages no one there can understand. If someone can interpret what is going to be said, then it can be shared aloud. If not, the prayer language may be used silently. Also, it’s confusing to have multiple people shouting out prophecy at once. Order is necessary for everyone to get the most out of it.
Along those same lines, if someone has a question in the middle of a sermon, it’s not the time to ask the preacher. In those days, women were often less educated and perhaps the Corinthian church had some instances of women asking questions out of turn in their meetings. They likely also had problems with shouting out prophesies and spiritual prayers as well. The issue isn’t really about women here, it’s about order.
Here’s your freedom for today:
God makes sense.
Paul reminds us in today’s passage that God is not a God of disorder but a God of peace. When church is a chaotic place, people don’t feel safe. It’s hard to invite friends and help others start following Jesus when it’s not safe to invite them to church. Our gatherings should be useful for both Jesus-followers and those who are not yet believers. In the Corinthian church, some women played a role in the disruptive nature of their church services as did some of the men. Taking turns, holding a question until you get home, or operating under the authority of a pastor during a service are all important parts of what it means to keep our focus on God when we gather. Let’s keep the main thing the main thing.