Questions

1. Fill in the blanks from 1 Cor 14:1-5:  Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may ________. 2 For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him, but he utters mysteries in the _______. 3 On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation. 4 The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church. 5 Now I want you all to speak in _________, but even more to prophesy. The one who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless someone interprets, so that the church may be built up.
2. TRUE or FALSE: Paul forbids speaking in tongues in the church.
3. Paul teaches that spiritual gifts must flow from what foundation?
4. Knowledge
5. Discipline
6. Love
7. Tradition
8. Paul says, “Brothers, do not be children in your __________.”
9. TRUE or FALSE: Paul’s main concern was how spiritual gifts were being used within gathered worship.
10. TRUE or FALSE: Some believers in Corinth were using gifts to appear more spiritual.
11. According to the sermon, what kind of love is emphasized in 1 Corinthians 13?
12. Emotional love
13. Romantic love
14. Self-sacrificial agape love
15. Brotherly affection only
16. What did Jesus say that demonstrates servant-hearted love?
17. “Love your enemies.”
18. “Follow Me.”
19. “I came not to be served, but to serve.”
20. “Take up your cross.”
21. Pastor Winans used the example of playing the __________ loudly in high school to illustrate immaturity.

Discussion

1. To prepare to answer this series of questions you can review this section of the message in this link to the video: As we begin 1 Corinthians chapter 14 (Timestamp Start to 8:15)
2. What is the purpose of spiritual gifts according to the sermon?
3. Why does Paul place chapter 13 between chapters about spiritual gifts?
4. Why are impressive spiritual acts meaningless without love?
5. How did Jesus perfectly model the proper use of spiritual power?
6. Discuss the following questions in this link to the video: Our message this morning (Timestamp 8:16 to 20:00)
7. What contrast does Paul make between tongues and prophecy?
8. Why is intelligibility important in worship?
9. What does Christian maturity look like according to this sermon?
10. Is humility essential when exercising spiritual gifts?
11. How does our growth in Christlikeness affect our approach to spiritual gifts?
12. Discuss the following questions in this link to the video: And we should not limit this principle only to tongues (Timestamp 20:01 to End)
13. How can worship leadership become self-centered?
14. How can teaching become distorted?
15. How can encouragement become manipulative?
16. According to verses 24–25, what should happen when spiritual gifts function properly?
17. Reflection Questions:
18. Why does God care so much about motives and not merely outward actions?
19. What practical steps help believers use their gifts in love?
20. Have you taken the Spiritual Gifts Assessment to help you discern your spiritual gifts? If not you can take it now by clicking this link: https://cornerstoneshape.com/

Sermon Outline

 As we begin 1 Corinthians chapter 14 (Timestamp Start to 8:15), you may be wondering why we spent so much time in chapter 12 while passing over chapter 13. After all, chapter 13 is one of the most beloved and recognizable passages in all of Scripture. If you have attended many weddings, you have certainly heard portions of it read before.

Part of the reason we are not spending extended time there right now is because about a year ago we walked through an entire Advent series on chapter 13 called When Love Came Down, and we would be glad to make those messages available to anyone who would like to revisit them. But that does not mean we want to skip over the importance of this chapter altogether. In many ways, chapter 13 stands at the very center of Paul’s argument throughout these chapters.

What Paul is showing us is that when we exercise the spiritual gifts God has given us, those gifts must flow from the right source and foundation if they are to be used as God intended. That foundation is love. The opening verses of chapter 13 make that abundantly clear.

1 Corinthians 13:1 – ¹If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.

In order for the gifts of God's Spirit to be effective, it’s a necessity that they are coming from a place of foundation of agape, self-sacrificial love for others. He goes on to say...

1 Corinthians 13:2 – ²And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

A person may even have faith strong enough to move mountains. Yet if love is absent, none of those things give that person true value before God. Without love, not only do our gifts accomplish nothing, but we ourselves are nothing, regardless of how impressive those gifts may appear. And then Paul concludes by saying...

1 Corinthians 13:3 – ³If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Even the most extraordinary acts of sacrifice—giving away all that we possess or even surrendering our bodies to suffering—carry no eternal profit if they are not rooted in love. Without love, there is no true gain, no lasting reward, and no spiritual value.

Throughout this passage, Paul continually returns to the same central truth: if we are to exercise the gifts God has entrusted to us, we must do so from the driving force of agape love—a selfless, sacrificial love that seeks the good of others above itself. This is the very love modeled perfectly by Jesus, who said, “I came not to be served, but to serve.”

With that foundation before us, we now turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 14. And as we do, may we keep this truth firmly in mind: apart from love, everything else is empty.

Our message this morning (Timestamp 8:16 to 20:00) is entitled When Gifts Cast a Shadow. As Paul the Apostle moves out of chapter 13—having firmly established that spiritual gifts are meaningless apart from love—he now turns to address the practical problems that arise when those gifts are exercised without a loving concern for others. In the church at Corinth, certain uses of spiritual gifts were creating confusion and disorder rather than building up the body of Christ.

Throughout this chapter, Paul places two gifts side by side in order to compare and contrast them: uninterpreted tongues within the gathered assembly and prophecy spoken within the community of believers. His purpose is to address issues that were evidently taking place in the Corinthian church and to show how spiritual gifts are meant to function for the edification of the church rather than for personal display.

It is important to understand that Paul’s concern is not with the gift of tongues itself. In fact, later in this very chapter he explicitly says, “Do not forbid speaking in tongues.” Rather, his concern is how these gifts are being exercised within the gathered worship of the church. As he says in this chapter...

Tongues are: a Language spoken to God (14:2), a praying of one’s spirit (14:14),

a means of thanksgiving (14:17), and must not be prohibited (14:39).

Paul explains that tongues are spoken to God, functioning as a form of prayer in which a person prays in the spirit and offers thanksgiving to God. Because of this, he makes it clear that the gift itself is not to be rejected or forbidden. In fact, Paul even says, “I speak in tongues more than all of you.”

So the issue is not the existence of the gift of tongues, but rather its use within the gathered assembly when there is no interpretation. The central concern is intelligibility. Uninterpreted tongues are not understood by those listening, while prophecy communicates truth in a way that can be clearly understood by the congregation. That is the contrast Paul is drawing in verses 2 and 3. If someone speaks in tongues without interpretation, no one understands what is being said, but prophecy speaks intelligibly to people for their strengthening, encouragement, and comfort.

1 Corinthians 14:2-3 – ²For one who speaks in a tongue speaks not to men but to God; for no one understands him... ³On the other hand, the one who prophesies speaks to people for their upbuilding and encouragement and consolation.

Without interpretation, a person speaking in tongues is essentially “speaking into the air,” because the words are not intelligible to those listening. By contrast, when words of prophecy are spoken clearly and understandably, God’s truth is communicated in a way the entire congregation can receive. The result is the strengthening, encouragement, and comfort of God’s people.

If the gifts of the Spirit are given for the common good and for the building up of the body, then speech that cannot be understood fails to serve others in love. Paul begins to address this issue more directly in verse 4.

1 Corinthians 14:4 – ⁴The one who speaks in a tongue builds up himself, but the one who prophesies builds up the church.

Paul says that the one who speaks in an uninterpreted tongue within the gathered assembly builds up only himself. But the one who prophesies—speaking the Word of God in a way that is understandable to the congregation—builds up the church. One use of gifts centers on personal edification; the other strengthens and encourages others.

This brings us back to the central issue Paul has been emphasizing all along: what is the necessary foundation for the proper use of spiritual gifts? It is love. True love does not primarily seek to elevate self; it seeks the good and edification of others.

That is the heart of the problem Paul is confronting in this passage. Some were exercising spiritual gifts in a way that drew attention to themselves, using them to appear more spiritual in the eyes of others. The focus had shifted from serving the body to promoting self-image and spiritual status. As N. T. Wright writes in his commentary on this chapter...

There are some things which can, puff you up, making you proud and self-important, but what builds people up is love. And this chapter (1 Corinthians 14), is all about making sure that public worship builds everybody up rather than displaying their spiritual giftedness like so many strutting peacocks. –

N.T. Wright 1^st Corinthians for Everyone.

Male peacocks are known for spreading their feathers and strutting about, drawing attention to themselves. In many ways, Paul is confronting a similar issue within the Corinthian church. Certain individuals were using the gathered assembly as a stage for self-display. Rather than exercising their gifts from a foundation of love in order to strengthen others, they were using them to elevate themselves and appear especially spiritual in the eyes of the congregation—like peacocks displaying their feathers for attention.

Keeping this in mind helps us understand how deeply relevant 1 Corinthians chapter 14 remains for us today. It would be easy for someone to read this chapter and think, “I do not speak in tongues or prophesy, so perhaps this does not apply to me.” But the underlying issue reaches far beyond those particular gifts. The real question is whether we are using whatever gifts God has given us to serve others in love or to draw attention to ourselves.

This same principle appears again in Romans chapter 12, where Paul also teaches about spiritual gifts and their proper use within the body of Christ. In verse 3, the Apostle Paul says...

Romans 12:3 – ³For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.

Before Paul even begins discussing spiritual gifts with the Roman church, he first reminds them that these gifts were never intended to exalt self. They are not to be used as a way of displaying our spirituality or drawing attention to ourselves, as though we were strutting like peacocks before others. The purpose of spiritual gifts is not self-promotion, but the building up of the body of Christ in love.

Paul returns to this same concern here in 1 Corinthians chapter 14 verse 20, where he reminds them.

1 Corinthians 14:20 – ²⁰Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.

Part of the role of parents is to teach children not to live in constant self-centeredness, because that is our natural tendency. In our flesh, we naturally want to draw attention to ourselves—to “strut like peacocks,” seeking recognition and admiration from others.

But one of the clearest marks of maturity, both as human beings and especially as followers of Christ, is that we are no longer consumed with ourselves. Instead, our focus begins to turn outward. We become concerned with serving, encouraging, and building up others from a foundation of genuine love.

When I was in high school, I played the trumpet and developed the ability to play extremely high and loud notes—something that was genuinely difficult and, at the time, very impressive to me. Because I was immature, during rehearsals I would intentionally play parts an octave higher and louder than everyone else so people would notice me.

But instead of improving the music, it disrupted the entire performance. The conductor had to stop, the ensemble lost focus, and attention shifted away from the music and onto me. What I thought showcased my talent actually damaged the unity and purpose of the group.

Paul is saying that this was exactly the problem taking place within the gathered assembly. People were exercising spiritual gifts in a way that drew attention to themselves, as if they were putting their spirituality on display. But instead of strengthening the church, this misuse of the gifts was creating confusion and disorder within the body.

That is why Paul says he would rather speak just five understandable words that instruct and build up others than engage in speech that merely draws attention to oneself without benefiting the congregation. Rather than “strutting like a peacock,” the goal of spiritual gifts should always be the edification of others in love.

To reinforce this point, Paul turns in verse 21 to a passage from the Old Testament to support and illustrate his argument.

1 Corinthians 14:21 – ²¹In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.”

What Paul the Apostle is doing here is showing that the situation unfolding in the Corinthian church mirrors a pattern already seen in the history of God’s people. In verse 21, he draws from the Book of Isaiah chapter 28, where the prophet Isaiah confronts a people filled with pride and spiritual arrogance. They had become dismissive of God’s clear and straightforward Word, craving something beyond the ordinary—something they considered deeper or more spiritual.

In response, God tells them that since they refused to listen to His plain Word, He would speak to them through foreign lips and unfamiliar tongues. In Isaiah’s context, this referred to the Assyrians, whose foreign language would become a sign of coming judgment upon Israel. Because the people would not humbly receive God’s understandable message (Isaiah 28:11-12), they would instead hear words they could not comprehend.

Paul uses this Old Testament example to make a sobering point. Throughout Scripture, unintelligible speech and foreign tongues can function as a sign of judgment—a reflection of spiritual pride and a failure to receive God’s clearly revealed truth.

“Unintelligible speech” and “strange tongues” in the Scriptures

represent a sign of judgment upon Israel in exile for their unbelief. –

Anthony Thiselton 1^st Corinthians

Paul is saying that they were repeating a tragic pattern from Israel’s history. The very gifts that were intended to draw people near to God were instead making Him seem distant and inaccessible.

When spiritual gifts are used selfishly—and in this case, in ways that are unintelligible to others—they are being turned upside down from their intended purpose. Rather than building up the church and revealing God’s presence among His people, they create confusion and separation.

Using our gifts selfishly and unintelligibly turns the gifts of God on their head. –

Stephen Um 1^st Corinthians: Word of the Cross

Spiritual gifts are meant to be expressions of blessing that draw people toward God and build up the body of Christ. But when those gifts are used selfishly, they can instead create distance, confusion, and even a sense of alienation. What was intended for edification begins to cast a shadow.

And we should not limit this principle only to tongues (Timestamp 20:01 to End), because the larger issue applies to every spiritual gift and to all of us. Take the gift of leading worship, for example. I do believe there is a genuine anointing that God gives to some people to lead others into worship. Many of us have experienced moments where a worship leader helped usher the congregation into a deep awareness of God’s presence. That is a gift from God.

But what happens when a worship leader begins making the experience about themselves? Instead of serving the congregation, they may choose songs primarily to showcase their own abilities, selecting arrangements so difficult or performance-driven that the church can no longer meaningfully participate. The focus shifts from helping people worship God to drawing attention to the person on the platform. The gift that was meant to invite people into worship instead becomes a distraction from it.

The same danger exists with the gift of teaching. God gives some people a deep ability to study, understand, and communicate truth so that the church may be strengthened and encouraged. But if a teacher uses that gift to impress others, intentionally making everything overly complicated or inaccessible simply to appear intelligent or spiritually advanced, then the gift is no longer operating in love. Instead of building people up, it leaves them confused while elevating the teacher.

The gift of leadership can be distorted in the same way. Romans chapter 12 speaks of leading with diligence and zeal, recognizing leadership as a spiritual gifting. Yet we have all seen the damage that occurs when leadership becomes centered on self rather than Christ. Ministries begin to revolve around personalities instead of the Lord. The mindset subtly shifts from “He must increase, and I must decrease” to the exact opposite. And when pride takes hold, ministries often collapse under the weight of self-exaltation, leaving God’s people wounded in the process.

Even the gift of encouragement can be twisted when it is no longer rooted in love. A person gifted in encouragement often has great sensitivity to others and an ability to speak words that strengthen and uplift. But when self-interest enters in, encouragement can become manipulation. Instead of building others up sincerely, words are used to flatter, control, or gain influence. What should have been a channel of grace becomes a tool for selfish ambition.

Do you see Paul’s larger point? This chapter is not merely about tongues versus prophecy. The issue is whether spiritual gifts are being exercised in love for the good of others or being used to elevate self. Uninterpreted tongues in the assembly became a shadow because they drew attention to the speaker without building up the church. By contrast, even a few understandable words spoken in love could strengthen, encourage, and comfort God’s people. That is why Paul concludes by directing everything back to the edification of the body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 14:24-25 – ²⁴But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, ²⁵the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.

Paul concludes by showing us what spiritual gifts are meant to look like when they are functioning according to God’s design. When gifts flow from a foundation of love, and when believers humbly allow God to work through them for the good of others, then the presence of God is truly manifested among His people. That is the very purpose of spiritual gifts—the manifestation of the Spirit.

And when God’s presence is genuinely revealed, lives are changed. Paul describes people entering the gathered assembly and becoming convicted as the truth of God reaches their hearts. They are drawn into worship. They fall before God in humility and recognize that God is truly at work among His people. The church is strengthened, encouraged, and comforted because the Spirit is moving in a way that builds others up.

But this only happens when we are willing to set ourselves aside. Spiritual gifts were never meant to spotlight us; they were meant to reveal Him. In humility, we must move out of the way so that the Holy Spirit dwelling within us can shine through us. The focus must never be on our abilities, our personalities, or our recognition, but on the Spirit of God working through surrendered people.

And when that happens, the mission of the church moves forward in power. The church becomes a living witness to the continuing work of Christ in the world, as the Spirit of God manifests His presence through His people for the blessing and transformation of others.