Spiritual Gifts – Discussion 11

Pray

Pray together for the group meeting, and any pressing needs within the group.

Review

Each week you’ll spend some time reviewing the previous week’s lesson. Did anything happen last week that brought the lesson to mind, and what did you learn from it?

Watch

Watch the following discussion-starter video. It’ll set the topic of discussion for the group.

1. Read: 1 Corinthians 14:1-6

   Unpacking Questions:

   1. What is the purpose of spiritual gifts?
   2. Why is it important to pursue love while also pursuing spiritual gifts?
   3. Why is the one who prophesies greater than the one who only speaks in tongues?

   Verse 6 uses four words to describe an utterance in a known tongue (Revelation, knowledge, prophecy, teaching). They are not necessarily mutually exclusive, but together they cover all types of spiritual speech in the church, whether revealed directly from God or acquired through the study of God’s Word.

   Read, Re-read, Re-tell: 1 Cor 14:12 “So with yourselves, since you are eager for manifestations of the Spirit, strive to excel in building up the church” -ESV

   Unpacking questions:

   1. From this passage, what is the key to a manifestation of the Spirit?
   2. How do we build up the church?
   3. Why do you believe Paul placed so much emphasis on building up, or edifying the church?

   The Corinthian believers were so zealous for spiritual gifts that when they came together speaking in tongues dominated their corporate worship. They had plenty of other opportunities to speak in tongues for personal edification, however. They needed to use their valuable meeting time for something that would edify the body.

   “Therefore let him who speaks in a tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my understanding is unfruitful’ Vs 13-14

   Unpacking questions”

   1. How can speaking in tongues be of benefit to you personally? How can it be of benefit to the church?
   2. When being used in the gifts of tongues (Not the private use), what is Paul teaching us to do?
   3. Why is it important to pray for the interpretation? 

   Read, Re-read, Re-tell: 1 Cor 14:21-25

   Unpacking questions:

   1. From this passage, who are tongues spoken for as a sign?
   2. How does the gift of tongues benefit an unbeliever?
   3. Does the gift of tongues without the use of interpretation (Revelation, knowledge, prophecy, teaching) benefit anyone?
   4. Why does this passage say prophesying is only for those who believe?
   5. What is the benefit of having the responsibility of prophecy fall only on the believers?
   6. What spiritual gifts do you feel God has given you and how do you intend to develop those gifts?
   7. What does the idea of guidelines say about control of the gifts of the Spirit within an assembly?

   Additional Information on Guidelines for order in public worship. 1 Corinthians 14:26-31

   1. In one meeting, allow two, or at most three public utterances in tongues (vs 27)
   2. After a public utterance in tongues, wait for an interpretation (vs 27)
   3. If no interpretation is forthcoming, the speaker should be quiet (vs 28)
   4. In one meeting, allow two, or at most three public prophecies (supernatural utterances in the known tongue to the entire audience) (vs 29)
   5. The listeners should evaluate all prophetic utterances (vs 30)
   6. If there is more than one prophecy, the speakers should take turns (vs 30-31

   Next Week:  End of semester celebration

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