okay so he said I beseech you therefore brethren therefore that was because of
the fact that we've been grafted in because we are now that that spiritual
Israel Paul beseeches us okay he's basically pleading isn't he so it's not
automatic is it yeah I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercy of God
that you present your bodies a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God which
is your reasonable service because how much false doctrine is there out there
where people believe that if you're saved you're going to automatically be
some sort of great person now well I got saved I'm now different to everyone else
because I'm saved I just had that today preaching on the door we're preaching to
a mother and daughter the daughter end up getting saved the mother it was there
was some language barrier issues as well but as far as she was concerned there
was no way that that any Christian would go out and commit murder she said I said
okay well are you trying to tell me that there's no Christian ladies out there
ever that haven't murdered their children are you saying that there
aren't any Christian mothers out there that haven't got abortions as the world
likes to call them terminations as the world likes to quaintly call them of
course have are there other are there other issues like that out in the world
are you trying to tell me there's not one Christian that's ever committed
murder King David committed murder as far as I'm concerned oh well he didn't
do it with his hands you know what you think there aren't people that haven't
done it you think there are people out there Chris is out there haven't
committed murder with their hands course you are but in her world well no way no
way because you're a Christian well that's not what the Bible says is it
yeah didn't say there's some automatic change he's beseeching them by the
mercies of God that you present your body's a living sacrifice holy
acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service see that's your
reasonable so that's not right you know on the flip side it's not well you know
this is this is kind of an extreme if you could try and present your bodies
you know do what you can because then you got the opposite side well you know
I'm under grace man just do I can do God knows me God knows what I'm capable of
well he said it's your reasonable service it's your reasonable service to
present your body's a living sacrifice holy acceptable unto God that's just
your reasonable service okay yep we're not gonna get it right all the time yep
we're all gonna sin yeah we know that but on the same hand we should be
presenting our bodies shouldn't we we should be saying look I'm here to serve
you God yeah I'm here for you I want to do your will I want to be holy I want to
be acceptable unto you that's your reasonable service verse 2 says and be
not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind
that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God now
conforms okay is made to resemble reduced to a likeness of made agreeable
to suited so what he's not saying here is that you have to stick out like a
like a sore thumb okay people who can read this and go right I need to make it
as clear as possible that I'm a Christian by the way I dress now of
course we don't want to conform to this world on the same hand but we don't have
to be like the Amish doing okay we don't have to try and make this big point of
well you know we're not like the world and we wear just bizarre you know 17th
century outfits for example you think about you thinking well yeah too many
people do that well think about the Catholic priest in his dress yeah what's
he trying to do he's trying to make this big point of what and who he is isn't he
yeah those stupid dog collars or whatever they're called I mean it's just
ridiculous isn't it think about the the Muslim in a dress oh they're so holy
because they're walking down the road in a dress oh well it's alright they got
trousers underneath they're still in a dress aren't they isn't it absolutely
bizarre dress as some stupid hat what even does that mean but aren't they
holy because they're not conformed to this world well okay yeah we don't want
to be conformed to this world there should be a difference shouldn't there
but a difference in the way we think yeah and there should be a difference in
the way we dress if if the way the world's dressing is sinful of course
there should be a difference in the way we behave yeah there should be a
difference in the way we behave people should with time be able to see a
difference in your workplace yeah they should be able to see a difference and
go yeah there's a difference there because that guy's a Christian it
shouldn't be a secret that you're a Christian either should it okay they
should they they should clearly you should not be conformed as well people
should start to say yeah you can see the difference in that guy yeah that guy's
honest that guy doesn't just lie off the tip of his tongue that guy works
hard that guy you know what you're gonna get that guy's diligent that's how we
should be in our workplace men shouldn't we yeah people should be able to say
yeah that's it that's a difference because otherwise really you're doing
the opposite there aren't you're doing harm you're doing harm by being just
just another lazy rubbish worker like the rest of the world is it seems I'm
not saying they all are but it seems to be a lot more like that isn't it what
about what about mums when you're when you're around other mums you know people
should be able to see that difference they should be able to see that
difference so that you're nervous to be a Christian or anything else to just to
just be happy to have children happy to to be a mum yeah to have self-respect
for the fact that you're a mum yeah and not constantly trying to make excuses
for why you're not at work there should be a difference in us and nowadays yes
there should be a difference in the way we dress and before some of you ladies
are sitting and going oh no he's at it again here we go here we go we're gonna
start hearing about trousers again well let's give the ladies a bit of a bit of
a break from this because we've covered this a couple of times now in the last
couple of weeks and he is one of my favorite something that I'm joking it's
not choose or one of my face well what about boys then what about the men here
yeah how can we be different in the way we dress well especially you young boys
here without those stupid skull and crossbones all over your t-shirts and
everything you wear you see all that stuff you see everywhere everywhere they
go these kids these young kids and we get a lot of hand-me-downs yeah so we
have family members that pass on boys clothes and girls clothes to us and
obviously it has to go through a bit of a filtration system and one of those
systems is skulls and crossbones yeah and it seems to be a lot of the stuff we
get as skulls and crossbones on it and they have to get kind of put away binned
or whatever else yeah but skulls and crossbones because what is that it's
just worshipping the dead isn't it yeah we as Christians don't want to be have
our kids dressed in all this you know undead or whatever sort of stuff they
call it obviously Halloween type stuff we steer clear of don't we yeah we don't
worship that stuff we don't put it up there as some sort of cool thing to
celebrate what about all the ripped jeans stuff as we talk about thighs
being thighs being nakedness don't we yeah I think I've shown that from the
word of God quite clearly previously so is it all right if boys or girls are
walking around and just rips up their thighs is that okay in a bizarre fashion
isn't it bizarre fashion to buy something which looks like it's tatty
and should be put in the bin and you actually some people pay good money for
that stuff don't they good money for ripped up jeans but should we should we
really be dressed like that no you're just bearing nakedness aren't you what
about all the long hair the long hair do we want our boys do we want our sons the
men here oh should we just push all what is long hair what is long hair well it's
the opposite to short hair why don't you have short hair yeah pretty simple isn't
it oh well where's the line or line is just have short hair yeah it's simple
yeah have short hair don't have long hair it's a shame unto a man to have
long hair what about earrings about earrings yeah and I don't think anyone
here has been I think so wait a second I don't think any of the men here are
hitting the earrings but but you know hopefully they won't be tempted so
hopefully they won't go well you know he's just a teenager he's just going
through a phase of looking like a queer yeah don't wait I'm gonna be honest
here when I was young I had an earring yeah and I look like an absolute clown I
still hate looking at photos of myself when I was a young foolish teenager with
a hoop in my ear yeah and okay it was the left ear all right left he was all
right yeah yeah I can still feel the little lump there is embarrassing yeah
it's embarrassing I see brother Gary nodding there as well yeah didn't we
look cool a no we look like fags yeah but we didn't think we did we thought we
look cool but yeah earrings we don't want to encourage that sort of nonsense
do we and and look there are many other things you could think of I mean I some
jewelry is a bit questionable I would say anyway it's more of a kind of
effeminate thing but you know again I'm not gonna pretend there's a word of God
there about that but I would say look we don't want to be conformed to the world
do we you know we don't want to be conformed to the world obviously with
men boys the rest skinny jeans yeah things that are showing off your body
your physique tight down your legs all that stuff he's just queer isn't it yeah
that sort of stuff along with the earring yeah I'm not I'm not trying to
get on my high horse here but that sort of stuff when I was young that sort of
stuff you'd look at someone to go what a queer yeah if someone walked into my
school when I was young in a pair of skinny jeans one of my friends he would
have probably got quite a bad beating okay that's the truth I'm not saying
that's good I'm not saying we should just be going around beating people in
skinny jeans what I'm saying is that that would have happened wouldn't it
yeah nowadays it's all the rage isn't it absolute madness and look just because
your friends are just cuz you're at school or just because wherever it is
just cuz you see that around young young men here I'm talking to especially you
know the boys here don't be conformed to this world because that's the sort of
stuff you'll look back in years to come and like me with my stupid earring yeah
I look back and I cringe and I think what was I doing to us amen yeah sure
so yeah yeah and for the doorings saying the same and I'm sure there's a few
other guys that get quiet out there as well but yeah and we look back at
ourselves we think what was I do did you know I think him again I don't want to
you know I don't want to talk badly of him but if only my parents had just gone
now in fact my dad didn't let me wear it in the house yeah he didn't but he
should have just ripped it out and said you're not having it at all that's what
he should have done and that's what I would do if any of my son's turned up
with an earring when they're older I will rip it out there is and make sure
they can't put one back in because because that's what he should have done
that's what he should have done but he didn't unfortunately and I have to cut
this bit in case social so I'm joking no because that's the true shit yeah yeah
because a father should make it clear yeah shouldn't they make it clear and
obviously my dad wasn't raised with the Word of God as well we have that
benefit now but yeah you know for me we need to make sure we're not conformed
and I'll hit on the men a bit here but how's our mind renewed though because it
says here be transformed by the renewing of your mind so fortunately praise God I
hope everyone here has had some renewing of their mind we'll turn to 1st
Corinthians 2 because first off it comes from the indwelling Holy Ghost okay
first off that renewing of your mind comes from the indwelling Holy Ghost 1st
Corinthians chapter 2 and from verse 9 reads 1st Corinthians 2 9 but as it is
written I have not seen nor ear heard neither invented the heart of man the
things which God had prepared for them that love him but God has revealed them
unto us by his spirit that's the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost there for the
Spirit search with all things yea the deep things of God for what man knoweth
the things of a man saved the spirit of man which is in him even so the things
of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God now we have received not the spirit
of the world but the spirit which is of God that we might know the things that
are freely given to us of God which things also we speak not in the words
which man's wisdom teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth comparing
spiritual things with spiritual but the natural man receiveth not the sings of
the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know
them because they're spiritually discerned but he that is spiritual
judgeth all things yet he himself is judged of no man for who is known the
mind of the Lord that may instruct him but we have the mind of Christ so the
indwelling spirit here gives us the ability to have the mind of Christ but
is that automatic is it just automatic you got saved you got the Holy Spirit
now you have the mind of Christ no verse 13 says that it comes from comparing
spiritual things with spiritual it's from the Word of God isn't it it's from
the Word of God and that's why the unsaved can't understand the Bible isn't
it that's why they rest to the rest with the scriptures don't they but but to
no avail they can't understand them they can't get they just can't get it and you
could sit down with someone unsaved and show verse after verse and look if they
don't and obviously I'm not talking about salvation I'm talking about all
those other things there they just don't get it do they they don't understand a
lot of the time you are just casting your pearls to swine okay it is with
many other issues it is pointless but they can't understand it but the Holy
Ghost it's it's a Holy Ghost which does that because it's a natural man the
unsaved receiveth not the things the spirit of God for their foolishness unto
him neither can he know them because they're spiritually discerned when we go
through some of the stuff in this chapter you're going to see that as
well why is it they're just so confused he's understand and the vast vast vast
majority that we just unsaved and and they just take scriptures we're gonna
see it about some of the gifts and things like that and they just just go
completely off the rails with it but for me that stuff isn't really worth
debating yeah when it comes to unsaved people debating we were talking about
this earlier about the NIV and things like that and being ready to answer
these people if someone's coming to you trying to preach you a false gospel and
trying to debate about the NIV and stuff like that just let them be accursed yeah
they've got no interest the only interest I've got I've got is trying to
get them saved because until they're saved that stuff's just a waste of time
isn't it yeah pointless okay turn to Ephesians 4 because the
renewing the renewing comes from the Holy Spirit but then it's a word of God
isn't it's comparing spiritual things and spiritual things which is an
ongoing renewing okay it's an ongoing renewing Ephesians 4 and verse 20 we're
going to look at from verse 20 Ephesians 4 20 says but ye have not so learned
Christ if so be that ye have heard him and have been taught by him as the truth
is in Jesus that you put off concern the former conversation the old man which is
corrupt according to the deceitful lust and be renewed in the spirit of your
mind and that ye put on the new man which after God is created in
righteousness and true holiness so verse 21 there says we learn Christ when we
hear him and are taught by him which helps us to resist the old man yeah the
old you and be renewed in the spirit of your mind which is basically putting on
the new man yeah so just with that in mind go back to Romans 12 because the
renewing of our mind isn't some one-time salvation thing okay just remember that
it's not just this one-time salvation thing right that's it you're done it's a
constant process that requires the Word of God okay it's constant you need to
constantly renew you can think of it think of it like a cleaning process you
can think of it maybe like a car just having the car means it needs cleaning
doesn't it and don't start looking at my van outside because it doesn't get
cleaned that often yeah but it should it should and it look a car needs constant
cleaning now you could think well what if I park it up in a garage you know
even if you sat it in a garage it will still need cleaning but we can't just
sit in a garage can we okay so everyone here and this is where a lot of
Christians get confused don't they are so-called Christians and you got these
you know these monks that just want to go and hide themselves away the cave
somewhere so they're not conformed to the world yeah but no because we need to
go and get people saved so we have to be in the world don't we you can't just
park your car up in the garage spiritually speaking no we need to go
out and preach the gospel if we're out in the world and you're out running that
car and you're out doing the motorways and you're out just just driving around
it's gonna need cleaning isn't it and it needs constantly needs regular cleaning
and and basically that's like the Word of God isn't it yeah we need that Word
of God to just be constantly renewing us constantly refreshing renewing our mind
because it could just take a short amount of time out in the world short
amount of time out in some of you guys workplaces I'm sure a short amount of
time just even just out in the shops and suddenly you're hearing the wicked music
suddenly around the wicked things the things that you see and you need to get
back in the Word of God don't you you really do and it's so easy not to but
doesn't it help doesn't it help and when you start that day badly don't start
that day in the Word of God it's kind of like you it's like basically just taking
like a big big just bucket of dirt pouring over your car to even start the
day with yeah there's no you know it needs cleaning and that's what we need
to do we need to make sure that we're just renewing renewing our mind
constantly and that will come ultimately from the Word of God yeah and I would
say look if you you'll find you'll find a help if you could just at some point
in your day get in the Word of God not oh well I've done the morning that's it
now or I wait until I get home and that's when I read my Bible try and get
some in somehow anyhow you know work on just a memory verse maybe in a day
whatever it is it really does help yeah it really does help you to renew your
mind on a regular daily basis then we're able to prove what is that good and
acceptable and perfect will of God okay why is it that we're able to prove it is
because we've got this magic ability no it's because we're in the Word of God
because it all comes from the Word of God doesn't it and when you're in the
Word of God when you're in the Word of God when you're memorizing the Word of
God when you're living the Word of God then it comes into your mind and you can
prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God and you can
prove what is an answer you can prove what is a false doctrine you can prove
what is the wrong decision you can prove what is a bad stuff in life when you're
in the when you're in the Word of God but if you're not in the Word of God
you're gonna be able to do that now verse 3 says for I say through the
through the grace given unto me to every man that is among you not to think of
himself more highly than he ought to think but to think soberly according as
God has dealt to every man the measure of faith and that's something we often
need remind you of don't we and and we can often get puffed up everyone here
has the ability to do that especially for many of us when we were at these
these bad churches and these churches where no one was doing anything for God
and it's easy to get a little bit puffed up isn't it's easy to think well you
know you're some sort of you know top Christian really because you're just
trying to live by the Word of God and it's easy and everyone's probably had
times when they they've felt the need to battle with that and they could and you
can still have it in a church like this because you can start to feel like when
you're going out and you're knocking on doors and all these people who claim to
be Christians who aren't saved and everything else it's easy to get puffed
up but we should not think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think but
we should think soberly according as God has dealt to every man the measure of
faith because it's God that has dealt to us every man and that's people there
that's men and women the measure of faith and measure of faith it we're
gonna see the kind of faith yeah is what it's talking about in the following
verses and so don't get puffed up when you start going through this ago yeah I
think I've got a gift for that yeah I think I'm I'm well it wasn't because
you achieved anything it's just because God dealt to you that measure of faith
so ultimately it all comes back down to God anyway doesn't it okay so verse 4
says for as we have many members in one body and all members have not the same
office so we being many are one body in Christ and every one members one of
another so like our different members or body parts have different roles so do
different members of the body of Christ that's the local church okay have
different roles look at verse 6 having then gifts differing according to the
grace that is given to us where the prophecy let us prophesy according to
the proportion of faith or ministry let us wait on our ministry or he that
teaches on teaching or he that exhorteth on exhortation he that giveth let him do
it with simplicity he that ruleth with diligence he that showeth mercy with
cheerfulness now keep a finger here and turn over to 1st Corinthians chapter 12
so this is a list of gifts that we've been given but like with the example of
body parts that he's just used that analogy is an arm there to benefit
itself is your arm just there to live for itself to do things that just
benefit itself no the arm is benefiting the whole body isn't it yeah is the arm
just say you know saying to itself well I'm the best arm you know is my right
arm so I'm right-handed just going yeah I'm the best arm I'm better than the
left arm no he the the right arms there to benefit me not to show off the gates
the left arm and and with every other body part you can see the same way it's
all there to benefit the body that's what it's there for 1st Corinthians 12
also talks of spiritual gifts yeah but it says in verse 12 for as the body is
one and have many members and all the members of that one body being many are
one body so also is Christ so this is referring to a church you have to turn
the Colossians 1 24 says who now rejoice in my sufferings for you and fill up
that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's
sake which is the church okay back to where you are verse 13 says for by one
spirit are we all baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Gentiles whether
we be bond or free have been all made to drink unto one spirit oh I'm not going
to go off on a tangent here about Jews and Gentiles for the body is not one
member but many if the foot shall say because I'm not the hand I'm not of the
body is it therefore not of the body if the ear shall say because I'm not the
eye I'm not of the body is it therefore not the body so as we go through these
gifts just because you might not have a certain gift or role it doesn't mean
that you're not a valued part of the church okay just remember that as we go
through this verse 17 if the whole body were an eye where were the hearing if
the whole were hearing where were the smelling and look we can't all be the
pianist can we or there would be no singers yeah we can't all be reading the
Bible or there would be no one to listen yeah you could probably give many other
examples in the church well then it's not just about the church service we're
going to be looking at that in a second because it's more than just set jobs in
a church setting you know there's helpful ministers as people just
encouraging people forgiving types you know all the things we're going to see
are all needed in a church yeah it's not just about whether or not you have a
set job in the church service okay there's many many areas that a church
needs all these different types of people and not only for the direct
things that they do either not only for the fact that you encourage others or
not only for the fact that you just help out when it seems to be done but also
because those qualities rub off on others so when you go through a list of
gifts or a list of qualities a list of spiritual gifts any of those things it's
not just to really go well I'm not that no because ultimately we want to be
well-rounded don't we and when someone has that gift has that ability that
should encourage other people yeah it's not just go well they're good at that
that's what they do look you should it should encourage you to try and be more
like that because they're all good good attributes aren't they yeah so it's not
well that gift or that one or it's only for some people that everyone should be
encouraging everyone should be a good good minister a good help everyone
should be giving yeah everyone should have some form of leadership qualities
especially the men here yeah everyone here should should should try and covet
the gift of prophecy be able to preach even if it's just to help out your soul
winning yeah so there's many things that we should you know they're all good
things to have okay because why why though is it because it makes you more
well-rounded and you can just you know put a tick on your box of well-rounded
Christian in that area it's because it all benefits the church because that's
what it all comes down to it's all about edifying the church the body of Christ
okay so verse 18 says but now if God set the members every one of them in the
body as it has pleased him and if they were all one member where were the body
but now are they many members yet but one body and the I cannot sound to the
hand I have no need of the nor again the head to the feet I have no need of you
nay much more those members of the body which seem to be more feeble and
necessary and those members of the body which we think to be less honorable upon
these we've we bestow more abundant honor and our uncombley parts have more
abundant comeliness because look people could consider I don't know cleaning or
some of the more menial jobs the weeding in the in the in the you know in the car
park or cleaning outside the front door of the church you know so it looks nice
when people arrive the windows all that sort of thing they could consider that
a menial task and therefore less honorable but it's not is it yeah having
people who are just happy to just come and do that stuff how many people that
just get on with it without even being asked yeah and just make the church look
nice and obviously without going too silly I'm not saying people that just
turn up and just tell me by the way I've just removed this and change now but
people who just just you know that number one worker that our pastor
preached about when he was here you know those people what a blessing they are
what a blessing around a church and all those sorts of things for we bestow more
abundant honor on him don't we we bestow more abundant on her and our
company parts have more abundant comeliness it's a lot of people the
trick is to get pulled into thinking well I need to be something important I
need to have this important role in front of people or something else yeah
but that's not where the abundant honor comes because for me leaving the church
as people are just willing to get on with the not so you know pleasurable
jobs and jobs which don't aren't that everyone maybe doesn't see you're doing
yeah for me like people are willing to help with that stuff that's the more
abundant honor that I'll shed on them because you know it's such a blessing
have those people around he says for our company parts have no need but God have
tempered the body together having given more abundant honor to that part that
part which lacked that there should be no schism in the body but that the
members should have the same care one for another and it all comes down to the
benefit being for the church which is what which is each other and that's
another thing that we have to remember when we're part of a church because
people look at it think oh well I'm really helping out brother Ian with this
yeah I'm really doing him a favor here by helping out with this job or doing
that job well yeah I'll see what I can do brother in no because really you're
helping a church it's not the church oh well that's sure foundation Baptist
Church UK so I'm helping past Thompson brother me no it's each other it's each
other because that's really what you're doing is when you it all works together
to make a better church it works together to take pressure off leadership
which means he can put put effort into other areas put other time into things
which are ultimately going to benefit each other benefit you know the the
whole world by going out and preaching the gospel more and doing other things
which are gonna gonna reach the unsaved other things which are gonna edify the
church etc and that's what it all comes down to so when you're when you're
helping the church you're not helping me yeah you're helping each other yeah
and obviously when you hinder the church who are you hindering each other when
you're causing me grief or you're causing our pastor grief you're really
just causing each other grief and we'll look at that in a minute with that in
mind let's look at some of the gifts in Romans chapter 12 then and as we go
through these bear in mind that there are crossovers okay so some people do
have multiple gifts some people have many of the things on this list maybe to
a certain degree some people might have one gift to a strong degree something
might be like I don't know if I've got any of these but you probably maybe have
a lot of them just to a lesser degree maybe you just need to realize that gift
that you have yeah and and and there's nothing wrong with praying for and
seeking and and coveting in a good way are the gifts as well it again but but
what's your motivation if it's for benefiting the church yeah that's what
it's about it's not about for edifying yourself make yourself look good verse
six back in Romans 12 says having then gifts differing according to the grace
that is given to us where the prophecy let us prophesy according to the
proportion of faith now is this as you talk about predicting the lottery
numbers yeah let us predict the lottery numbers according to the to the
proportion of faith well although prophecy and prophesying can be about
future events Webster's 1828 dictionaries good on this where it talks
about prophesy to utter predictions to make declaration of events to come yet
can be that but then it says in Scripture to preach to instruct in
religious doctrines to interpret or explain scripture or religious subjects
to exalt now turn to Proverbs 31 as this is also the case with the word prophecy
so we prophesy with the words of prophecy with a C there see why at the
end and again you know it can be you know to foretell yeah a foretelling
prediction a declaration of something to come the word prophecy but also in
Scripture a book of prophecies for example you know a history is a prophecy
of a hydra and second chronicles out of turn in 929 he talks about you know the
the prophecies and it's talking about history but preaching as well okay
preaching public interpretation of Scripture exhortation or instruction and
we see that example in Proverbs 31 and verse 1 where it reads the words of King
Lemuel the prophecy that his mother taught him and if anyone knows Proverbs
31 you've been reading it daily to your wives or or anything else like that then
you would you would know that the proper 31 doesn't go on to predict future
events to you Proverbs 31 if anything is probably talking about things which
which you'll never see in the future well the way our world's going anyway
and that's a virtuous woman but but it's definitely not a prophecy is it it's
definitely not a prophecy and it talks about drinking alcohol and the effects
of that and other things okay and it's not telling us of futuristic things that
are going to come so prophecy as we see can be used in different ways and look
we you know we're at the point now where we have a finished Word of God turn at
turn of Revelation chapter 22 because of course you've got the charlatans haven't
you the false prophets out there claiming to predict future events yeah
claiming that they can tell you what's going to happen in the future just on
that you know yeah there are some charlatans but there is some wickedness
out there as well and there are there is some spiritual wickedness out there okay
and there are people that can come out with bizarre stuff yeah I've known of
people that have got involved with some of these you know talking to spirits
types medium stuff and there's stuff you can't explain yeah you can't explain
by our own rationale it's not that it's just all some big con and everything
else but I tell you what it is it's devil's yeah it's devil's and there is
some power in the spirit world but we don't want to be dabbling with that sort
of stuff doing okay and and when you're in you're in Revelation 22 because it's
God it's God's mouth which is where trustworthy prophecy comes from and it's
all been written down here hasn't it the trustworthy prophecies all come out of
God's Word and it's finished here and that's why Revelation 22 and verse 18
says for I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of
this book if any man shall add unto these things God shall add unto him the
plagues that are written in this book if any man should take away from the words
of the book of this prophecy God shall take away his part out of the book of
life and out of the holy city from the things which are written in this book so
the gift of prophecy as we see here yeah it's not for us to start trying to come
out with the future what's gonna happen apart from what we can interpret from
the Word of God yeah okay and sometimes yeah when we preach we prophesy the
future according to the Word of God and often we're just preaching the Word of
God the gift of prophecy to prophesy the Word of God is to be done according to
the proportion of faith we go back to Romans chapter 12 then what does that
mean well that's something that myself and anyone else preaching needs to
remember is to preach according to the proportion of faith because there are
people and you've probably heard them before and I've been at churches before
like this when they try and preach stuff that they really don't have any clue
about yeah and they are completely off they're they're they're interpreting
scriptures all wrong scriptures out of context and it does that edify you no
and really a lot of the time makes him look foolish doesn't it look hands up
now there are parts of this Bible that you know I'd find it hard to preach yeah
I would have to really sit down and take my time and even then I'm not gonna be
confident about certain subjects certain things that look I'm not gonna preach
yeah I'm not obviously I want to preach the whole counsel of God you know I
want to preach all counts of God and I want to learn and grow and do that but
I've got to do it according to the proportion of faith I can't stand up
here and just preach stuff that I've I I'm not sure about I've got no knowledge
about because if I do that well it's going to be a bit of a train wreck
isn't it and it's something just to remember as well and and I wrote look
for me when I preach yeah I want to preach and obviously going through a
book of the Bible sometimes you're gonna hit verses you'll be unsure but I'll
make it clear I'll say to you well these are maybe some options on this or maybe
you know this is this is what I've heard preach or something else if I believe it
I'm gonna say yeah this is what I believe and I'm gonna preach and if I'm
sure that's that the Lord I'll say that's that the Lord but you've got to
remember and just remember this guys those are you and hopefully in the
future be more people that want to maybe give it a try on a men's preaching night
okay when you when you're doing a men's preaching night just just preach it
simple okay you don't have to do a ten-point sermon in ten minutes that's
pretty hard to a ten point seven in ten minutes okay it doesn't have to you
don't have to get you know right well I've got to show you that my knowledge
of this now because you're gonna find it hard to explain that in ten minutes okay
really what you want to do is is preach according to the proportion of faith I
would much prefer to just hear someone just preach on just a simple sin yeah
and that's gonna edify the whole church then to try and really make it sound you
know really clever and in-depth and everything else I'm not saying anyone
does that but there could be a temptation to do that especially for
those that just kind of you know I want to preach and you get up here and I want
to show people and but you got it all wrong when you do that don't you because
really what should be your goal when you're preaching they define the church
yeah in ten minutes pick a sin and preach it or pick a pick a doctrine
preach it you're going to edify the church yeah and that's something to
remember it's something you know that I have to remember as well you know I'm
not here to try and show you how well I understand this particular nuance in
scripture because if I'm thinking that I'm gonna preach a lousy service because
I'm definitely not in the spirit yeah and I'm definitely not preaching for the
edification of the church yeah okay so verse on that just remember that verse
three said for I say through the I say through the grace given unto me to every
man that is among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to
think but think soberly according as God has dealt to every man the measure of
faith and that's not just with preaching but also with the other gifts so let's
have a look he also says or ministry let us wait on our ministering or he that
teaches on teaching well I mean ministering here he's not talking about
the ministry he's talking about attending serving helping yeah we need
that around the church okay we really need that around churches his church
continues to grow we're gonna need that more and more okay because you know
myself my family as I've said before we can't do all it and I'm not saying we do
because people are you know do help out and we need that and we'll continue to
need that like I said we'll put abundant honor on those people that do that
because you know it's such a great thing it's such a blessing to have we need
that around a church don't just claim that you don't have that gift yeah well
I just don't have the gift of ministering yeah I'm more of a gift of
putting my feet up and relaxing you know we've got a sofa up there now yeah so
okay but look because it's something that should rub off on others okay and
just because someone clearly is just one of those people that's just buzzing
around and always busy and find things to do that should encourage you to be
the same yeah okay but but that's a great thing to do let us wait on our
ministering so I think they're you know in a way saying look if you if you've
been given that ability then praise God keep helping because it's easy as well
you can just because you have that gift of ministering and finding things to do
and keeping busy and doing things you can quickly get resentful yeah if no one
else is really doing that it's easy to get resentful and start looking around
going yeah great you know I'm the only one doing this and no one else seems to
even care or want to do anything like that look you know appreciate the fact
you've been given that gift because it's a great thing for you to have and
God's gonna bless you for that as well as you as you use it and don't get
resentful with it you know because you've still got to do it so look God
might have given you a gift but you still have to use that gift yeah okay
it still comes down to you comes down your free will with that doesn't it as
well and that's same with teaching he said or he that teaches on teaching some
people are just more able to explain a simple point aren't there yeah anyone
been around people where you ask them to explain something and you come away more
confused than you were at the beginning I mean around many people like that and
and it's I've always found it interesting in the sports world because
you would have people that were I mean you know I probably haven't talked about
it for a while so I can get away with it again in the Thai boxing world there
were people that were amazing fighters yeah and you you trained with them and
you're like this guy you know is is phenomenal yeah this guy wow the skill
he's got the way he went on to like world championships and everything else
when he coached lousy yeah absolute rubbish couldn't explain the simplest
technique yeah just because someone can do doesn't mean they can teach and the
thing is the world kind of doesn't get that so you get a lot of people who are
kind of they come to your gym or they come to someone at all so what's your
fight record and what did you do and everything else and and I got conned
into this a little bit when I wanted to learn a bit of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and I
was trying to find the best guy and I went to a guy who anyone who's into this
sort of thing will have known the name of a guy called Roger Gracie yeah amazing
fighter yeah now maybe he is a great coach I don't know but for me I didn't
get that I I was there at the gym and I just didn't really get most of what he
was saying you know most of what he's coaching and sometimes there's
relationships with that as well some some person you might click with more
than someone else I then went down to a gym of a guy at the time I think was a
purple belt called Ricardo Silva down in Epsom not that those names mean
anything to most of you but I know one guy who does me too and this guy could
coach and I learned so much from him in that short space of time he was nothing
in the world of it when it when it was competition at the time but I tell you
what he could coach and that's the same in life in every other area isn't it and
I'm sure many of you could probably you know a test for that in places of work
and other place just because the guy is the best at the job doesn't mean he can
teach you how to do the job just because the person is the best the best chess
player doesn't mean he can coach you how to be a good chess player yeah yeah you
might have a fair right you might be better than the guy who's never picked
up a piece and and everything else but look with all of it yeah look there's a
skill required isn't there for some to be able to put themselves in the shoes
of someone that's hearing listening to them trying to explain rather than just
teach it as if they already know and sadly many people who can do they can do
but it doesn't mean that they understand what it takes to learn sometimes those
are the most talent at something don't really understand what it's like to not
have talent something don't they so with teaching yeah you look but if you're
good at teaching and some here I'm sure are good at teaching yeah some here I'm
sure have that gift are able to teach does that mean that you just start
taking people off to the side of the church and teaching them teaching in the
Word of God no that's not how it works is it okay look if God really wants you
to use you for teaching you'll get there'll be times and places where
you're able to teach because the teaching comes from our pastor and
obviously standing in for our pastor in this where we're a satellite churches
myself okay so it comes from the pulpit but there are times like we have men's
preaching nights there there will be times where people will preach where
yeah I'll ask you to preach I'll ask you to and some part of that preaching is
going to be teaching as well okay but it's not something you go and do in
private and everything else because that will be start to be red flag time you
know when people off whispering to other people things about the Word of God and
look there are other place to teach as well how about teaching the gospel yeah
yeah if you can explain it you can show someone something you can teach it well
that's a great great great gift to have how about teaching your wives men yeah
use that gift to teach your wives teach your families because that's what you
should be doing shouldn't you but according to the measure of faith yeah
according to the measure of faith don't go right yeah she I think I've got a
gift for teaching so I'm going to sit down and start trying to explain
something I've got absolutely no clue about what I got the gift of teaching
yeah make sure it's according to the measure of faith according to what you
do understand according to what God's given you there verse 8 says or he that
exhorteth on exhortation he that giveth let him do it with simplicity he that
ruleth with diligence he that showeth mercy with cheerfulness right
exhortation is inciting or encouraging to good things and that can be through
by the way is it's not just from the pulpit that could be through advice that
could be through counsel that could just be by your own actions can't it as well
okay some people are just good at encouraging people aren't they you know
just that in life there are people that just encourage you that incite you to
get actions but no one wants unsolicited advice yeah so just because
you feel like yeah I'm good at encouraging people it doesn't mean just
go up to people and go you can do it you get there like yeah I know I could do I
didn't even ask you you know look obviously again not unsolicited
remember it comes down to the edifying of the church but it's if God's given
you that gift God's gonna give you a time to use that gift if your
motivations are right if you're trying to force it on to people well I need to
show brother in how good I am at this cuz and he's gonna get I'm gonna show
pastor Thompson because then he's gonna give me this well already you're out of
God's will aren't you yeah look God's God's gonna sort it out for you God's
gonna put you in those positions God's gonna use you if you're saying that here
I am you know send me Lord yeah that's how we want to be don't we and and
obviously look forcing our opinions that we don't want to be doing that do we and
and it's an easy thing to fall into but we don't want to be doing that okay if
someone wants your advice if God wants him to get your advice you might just
put that little scene then they might ask you for advice or something yeah or
maybe you'll be put in a position where you're able to give that if you're good
at encouraging and other things like that says here he that giveth let him
do it with simplicity let's talk about generous people and it's not necessarily
just money okay and there are people that are generous with their money and
offering and by the way we're not talking about tithing here okay tithing
is paying is paying God okay what you owe the first ten percent of your all
your increase okay and I'll probably talk about that next week maybe as we go
through Romans 13 but look it's not to about tithing it's talk about giving
that's above and beyond and it's not just money okay that could be food that
could be food that can be time and resources can't it as well some people
are just giving with these things aren't they some people it's they just want to
give to you they want to give you lifts they want to help you out they want to
do things other people they don't really want to do they don't really want to put
themselves out and look there it's great to have people like that and again that
can rub off another people can't it he says let him do it with simplicity this
is without an ulterior motive though okay look because it's not the sound
well I'm just giving but it's always to get something back it's always for some
sort of other motivation it should just be for the sole purpose of giving yeah
sole purpose of giving to edify to help to do things for the church ruling okay
he that ruleth with diligence ruling is those in positions of authority notice
he didn't say he that ruleth with an iron hand yeah because look I talked to
someone about this recently you get the you get the cults yeah you get the cults
where they're not really preaching the truth so they need to rule with an iron
hand in the cults don't they because they need to keep people in line and not
let them ask questions and not let them question anything because they're lying
to them yeah because they're not even saved a lot of time in the first place
but he also didn't say he that ruleth you know with the nicest smile yeah
because it's not necessarily about popularity or anything like that either
he said with diligence what's diligence steady application in business of any
kind constant effort to accomplish what is undertaken exertion of body or mind
without unnecessary delay osloth due attention industry aciduity care heed
and heedfulness to okay that's someone who puts effort into the job isn't it
yeah that's someone who puts maximum effort in but isn't gung-ho either yeah
okay diligent care yeah he's putting effort in but it's it's thought out care
and effort into a job because there are other areas of leadership in the church
other than pastor and in our case satellite church leader or evangelist we
have a song leader don't we yeah we have a song leader soul winning captains we
have someone leading the live stream video and in the future there could be
men sent out to lead other churches from here okay so there are there are many
areas of many places where where leaderships needed but like I said
earlier with teaching every husband and father here is a leader to yeah every
single one and really to a lesser degree as well and not to a less important
degree but every mum here is a leader in the home and she were you know beneath
her husband so look there's a lot of areas of leadership and but more
important than your Bible knowledge more important than your disciplinary and
approach more important than your popularity is your diligence yeah is
your diligence is your hard work is you're wanting to put maximum effort in
and to and you know with that and I know you think yeah yeah whatever look it
really is important you know and look being a father you need to put some
diligence into that oh well I had kids I'm a father no you need to put effort
in you need to be sitting down with your wife and sorting out solutions and
making the best strategy you're a manager there yeah you're you're a
manager of that of you know your house yeah you're a leader and you need to be
a good leader you need to put effort into that yeah kind of work isn't isn't
that that's all right job done no you're a leader yeah being a leader doesn't
just mean find the money down you go to a business and if the leader just gives
that money and does nothing else that business gonna crumble isn't it yeah we
men we have to lead at home don't we we have to lead and we have to put
diligence effort time effort into that yeah okay and to be a great leader you
know the saying you need to be a great follower don't you you need to be a
great follower if you're going to be a great leader you need to be a great
follower turn over to Hebrews chapter 13 because it's something that I will just
keep remind you time and time again because we are different to most churches
barring maybe you know the real kind of disciplinarian cults is that you're in a
pastor-led Church this is not a free-for-all okay and I say it time and
time again I'll keep saying it until hopefully I never need to say it then I
probably will keep saying it just to remind you this isn't a free-for-all it
is a pastor-led Church there is an authority structure here there are rules
okay you're here okay you're here you're you're part of a great year this is a
great Church okay okay it's a great Church and that's not because of me
that's not you know that it's it's because because of the the Lord yeah
it's because we're just trying to do things the way God says and when you do
it like that Wow don't you see the difference yeah and look and we've got
great things to come obviously we're in the starting phase you're going to add a
third night sorry a third service we're going to add things to this church
there's going to be more things going on and as we start to settle more and now
we've sorted out this room look there's going to be a lot to come yeah it's
going to get better and better I have no doubt about that but you need to
appreciate that and you need to understand that there's an authority
structure in a church because it's easy like I said before it's easy to just
think well yeah whatever you know you know well he's just getting at me a bit
there are these silly rules look the rules are there for your own good yeah
the rules are there for the church's own good yeah and if you want to be a great
leader you need to be a great follower just bear in mind as well for fathers
here as well if you're clearly not following rules do you expect your kids
to always follow your rules yeah you're leading by example aren't you as well
okay look we all have someone that we have to follow oh well what about what
about our pastor who does he follow the Lord Jesus Christ yeah and if he doesn't
follow him we ain't gonna follow him are we yeah we're not gonna we're not gonna
follow our pastor if he doesn't follow the Lord look because we all have to
lead by example Hebrews 13 verse 17 says obey them that have the rule over you
and submit yourselves for they watch for yourselves as they that must give account
that they may do it with joy and not with grief for that is unprofitable for
you so look if you come to this church you need to obey and submit to the
leadership yeah okay obey them oh what so you know obey what sort of a church
leader is this yeah obey yeah obey how hard is it is it how do you find it hard
to obey in your place of work do you find it hard to obey your boss he's
paying you money because you're getting more from this church than you're
getting from your boss yeah you're getting you you're getting fed with
spiritual things here and I tell you what you know you partake of spiritual
things and if you can't appreciate that and you can't obey the leadership in
this church then you might as well not be here because who does it affect the
church it affects everyone else it's not just me and look yeah I will get grief
for people that just cannot obey rules you're like constantly trying you know
constantly finding things that are being broken constantly having problems
constantly having issues but it's not me because ultimately it affects everyone
else yeah and how hard is it really how hard is it or you've just or you've got
issues yeah and look and eventually if you're bringing down the rest of church
eventually it's just going to end up with people either getting kicked out or
you're just going to end up being unpopular because people could see yeah
people could see in a church when you're in a church and you just cannot just
cannot follow the rules it's constantly doing your own thing constantly trying
to have to do it your own way everyone else sees that and yeah one hand they
might follow you and copy you that's going to cause even more grief for the
church on the other hand they're just going to think oh not that person again
oh why can't they just do is they're told yeah how hard is it well you need
to obey and submit to leadership no we're not some false church cult where
we ban you from church or discipline you because you're late yeah no that's not
what I'm talking about yeah or we discipline you for asking a Bible
question how dare you look you want to ask a question go ahead and ask a
question yeah that's not what we are but look when we have set rules for the
church I tell you rules for sure there's no debate yeah no debate why don't we do
it like this or why is our why aren't you doing it look there's no debate
about it just do it yeah how hard is it just do it it's so much easier if you
just do if you just say stuff just doing you stop trying to constantly have to
test and challenge you will be much happier you will be much happier if
you're unsure then ask yeah that's pretty simple isn't it if you're unsure
about a rule just ask how hard is it to oh and I don't want to have to submit
well then you're a problem and you're a problem to the whole church because it
says obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourself so they watch
for your souls as they much that must give account yeah the people you know
myself pass the tops and have to give account to God yeah okay that they may
do it with joy not with grief for that is unprofitable for you so if we're
getting grief it's unprofitable for you and that means you as a plural that's
everyone that's the whole church the people that are just constantly causing
problems constantly causing grief constantly needing more and more stuff
added you know changed you know announced rules preaching constantly
about not doing is it up ultimately you're going to become unpopular you
should do and I'm not saying people should start being mean to you but
really look it's it affects the church doesn't it yeah and like I said you
wouldn't do it in a place of work or some other area life would you yeah so
how hard is it to just come to church and follow the rules okay and like I
said if you cut if if you're causing us grief it's just unprofitable for everyone
else here so on a side note with or not a side note on that yeah we should also
be encouraging others to do to follow the rules shouldn't we yeah so if
someone is clearly just just one of those people and that some people might
just need a bit of encouragement with it some people need someone else that's
able to follow rules to just show them or maybe say to them oh yeah but isn't
the rule this don't be shy about doing that because ultimately you're gonna be
helping the church that's edifying everyone else yeah okay and old and you
don't want the chastisement of God you don't want the chastisement of God for
it for willfully disobeying his rules okay and they're his rules because I'm
an ordained leader in this church pastor Thompson's an ordained pastor yeah
they're here and and who ordained us ultimately God so whose rules are they
God's okay but like I said if you want to rule well in other areas of life you
need to be able to follow yeah that's what it comes down to if I couldn't
follow pastor Thompson I'll be a rubbish leader of this church yeah okay he that
showeth mercy with cheerfulness okay these are the types of people that seek
out the socially awkward yeah that are kind to the less popular that are
welcoming to the newcomers and I'm not talking about private little chat
somewhere where well someone's new so we'll exchange numbers and have a little
chatter so no that's that's weird yeah I'm talking about people that are just
just just not showing mercy that they see have empathy for other people okay
that see a knee that see people that look a bit uncomfortable look a bit
awkward I want to actually talk to them not going right gonna avoid that one
because that's an uncomfortable conversation and these again great
people to have in a church aren't they yeah great people driving to church to
make people feel happy make people feel welcome make people feel more at home
okay he says here with cheerfulness do it with joy not with resentment again
because others aren't doing it no it's me again it's got to go and talk to that
person no one else is like hopefully the more you do it the more you might
encourage people to do that yeah okay so yeah people like that again great now
God's clearly given us these gifts we saw that in verse 6 didn't we but
whether you call them spiritual or not I suppose it it doesn't really matter
does it yeah because some people get really these aren't spiritual gifts and
other people I know you know spit what are you trying to say there's no more
spiritual gifts look it doesn't really matter because look God's given them to
us yeah so whether you want to call it a gift or a spiritual gift or any matter
yeah okay it's a gift that's God given to that God's given to you and we should
be using it and while we're using it for the edifying of the church for the
benefiting of the body of Christ so what about all those miraculous gifts so yeah
yeah the miraculous gifts let's hit some miraculous gifts so turn over to 1st
Corinthians 12 which also gives us a list of spiritual gifts where it says in
verse 7 but the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit
with all okay again that's to profit with everyone together yeah bear that
in mind as we go through this it's to it's for the benefit of others for to
one is given the spirit of the word of wisdom to another the word of knowledge
by the same spirit to another faith by the same spirit to another gifts of
healing by the same spirit to another the work of miracles to another prophecy
to another discerning of spirits to another diverse kinds of tongues to
another the interpretation of tongues but all these work that one in the self
same spirit dividing to every man severally as he will all right so some
may have various combinations yeah that's what it's saying that later in
the chapter he adds other gifts to the list which are also on our own was 12
lists so we know we don't have to go there but turn it turn to 2nd
Corinthians 12 because we want to know what the deal is with these healings and
miracles don't we okay and you hear a lot about this you see a lot of false
doctrine about this as well now in 2nd Corinthians 12 Paul is feeling the need
to justify his position as an apostle 2nd Corinthians 12 and verse 12 this is
what he says truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you talking
about by himself in all patience in signs and wonders and mighty deeds so
the signs of wonders of mighty deeds were signs of what of an apostle yeah
the signs of an apostle wrought among you and all patience in signs of wonders
and mighty deeds one of the qualifications of an apostle was to have
seen Jesus okay he says in in 1st Corinthians 9 1 you don't have to turn
that am I not an apostle am I not free have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord are
you not are not ye my work in the Lord now turn to Hebrews chapter 2 while you
turn I'm gonna read Acts 2 43 which says and fear came upon every soul and many
wonders and signs were done by the Apostles Hebrews 2 3 to 4 says Hebrews
chapter 2 and from verse 3 says how shall we escape if we neglect so great
salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed
unto us by them that heard him God also been a witness both with signs and
wonders with diverse miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost according to his own
will so God was bearing the Apostles witness and signs and wonders diverse
miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost wasn't he yeah that's what we see here
and it was a sign of an apostle and he was doing that to show that they were
apostles and to confirm the Word of God because that's what it was doing it was
confirming the Word wasn't it remember we didn't have a complete Bible at this
point and and it's confirming the Word confirming the Holy Spirit in them there
was no New Testament really there wasn't there okay so go back to 1st
Corinthians 12 well you turned I'm gonna read mark 16 20 where he says and they
went forth and preached everywhere the Lord working with them and confirming
the Word with signs following our men so those signs were confirming the Word of
God as well yeah okay so with that in mind that's why these Merrick miraculous
signs and wonders clowns and devils yeah these miraculous signs and wonders
clowns and devils aren't in the hospital healing people are they yeah anyone
seeing them just walking through the hospital just healing people healing
whole wards no because it's nonsense isn't it a bunch of well a bunch of
charlatans most of them aren't they and the ones that aren't are just devils you
know in fact they're all devils just some are charlatan devils some aren't
charlatan devils so what do they do because it does take a lot of front
doesn't it a lot of front or a lot of devil activity to blag the miracles and
the healings I mean you gotta have some front of it you to stand there in light
and some of these are in some big auditoriums aren't they blagging this
sort of stuff and look with that there are look there are there is some some
weird devil activity at work yeah and there's some weird stuff that happens
but ultimately what they're all unsaved anyway okay that goes without saying and
what do we really go by is what comes out of their mouth and what they believe
and these people believe in a work salvation so whatever they're doing
there's a combination of absolute fakery and some weird devil kind of impressive
signs and wonders because as we know you know the false prophet will come with
all sorts of weird devilish signs and wonders won't he but it would be
impossible wouldn't it without in mind to blag the real gift of tongues wouldn't
it would it be impossible to blag the real gift of tongues and when I say the
real gift of tongues I mean what tongues really is which is languages and for me
to just suddenly here we started bringing all different nationalities and
just everyone has start speaking languages they never even learn and
suddenly I'm speaking this and that that you could have blagged it could you okay
you ain't gonna do it so instead what these false teachers do is just change
the meaning of the word tongues how do we get around this one because we can't
really fake this well I know let's just change the definition of tongues of
languages to incoherent nonsense yeah because that's a bit easier to blag
isn't it incoherent nonsense yeah that's a lot easier and to convince people that
if they just make noises and you know and blabber all sorts of nonsense that
they're somehow speaking the gift of tongues and people can be fooled into
this yeah and I'm not saying that everyone doing it is going on blagging
everyone here yeah a lot of them are actually being conned into thinking that
they're talking some sort of heavenly language because it said where were we
it said here in if you go back so you go back to to 1st Corinthians 12 and verse
10 it said to another the working of miracles to another prophecy to another
discernia spirits to another divers kind of tongues to another the interpretation
of tongues but divers means different or various yeah I think it's from where we
get the word diverse isn't it okay tongues means languages eg speaking in
the English tongue or the mother tongue people say don't they or the native
tongue yeah okay turn to Genesis 10 because first instances in the Bible
often helped to define a word don't they okay first instances often helped to
find a word and we see in Genesis 10 the first instant of tongue of talking about
tongue is as a singular now Genesis 10 1 to 5 is showing us the ongoing
generations of Noah's sons in the coming division after babel okay and from verse
1 it says now these are the generations of the sons of Noah Shem ham and J fifth
and unto them were sons born after the flood the sons of J fifth Gomer and
Magog and Madai and Javan and Tubal and Meshech and Tiraz and the sons of Gomer
Ashkenaz and Rephath and Togemah and the sons of Javan Elisha and Tarshish and
Kitim and Dodonim by these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their
lands everyone after his tongue of their families in their nations okay it's
pretty clear what that tongue is isn't it there yeah Genesis 10 verse 20 then
says in case you're still wondering what about tongues these are the sons of ham
after their families after their tongues in their countries and in their nations
talking about obviously because then they get they get spread abroad don't
they after babel okay with different languages tongues nothing to do with
random noises is it nothing to do with random noises whether it's clicking or
clucking or or you know whatever it is nothing to do with that it's ridiculous
isn't it because it is funny really is it it's funny but sadly it's true and
sadly you're talking about a lot a lot of what they what claim to be Bible
believe in Christi I mean these aren't people who just go well yeah this is
just my religion oh this is what we do these are people that are claiming they
found this in the Word of God it's madness okay so turn to Acts 2 because
there was this miraculous gift where people were suddenly speaking in
languages they had never learned that's an amazing gift isn't it and there were
those that were interpreting or understanding languages that they had
never learned okay the interpretation of tongues acts 2 and from verse 1 2 1 says
and when the day of Pentecost was fully come they were all with one accord in
one place as suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind
and it filled the house where they were sitting and there appeared unto them
cloven tongues like as a fire and it sat upon each of them and they were all
filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak with other tongues as the Spirit
gave them utterance well this isn't getting indwelt with salvation it's a
filling or coming upon of the Holy Ghost here okay they all began to speak with
other tongues and they were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews devout men out of every
nation under heaven now when this was noised abroad the multitude came
together and were confounded because that every man heard them speak in his
own language I mean it's clear as day isn't it and they were all amazed and
marveled saying one to another behold and not all these which speak
Galileans and how here we every man in our own tongue wherein we were born
Parthians and Medes and Elamites and the dwellers in Mesopotamia and in Judea
and Cappadocia and Pontus in Asia Phrygia and Pamphylia in Egypt and in
the parts of Libya about Cyrene and strains of Rome Jews and Proselytes
Crete and Arabians we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of
God surely no one surely no one can interpret that as an unknown noise yes
some unknown noise which is a special prayer language between you and God that
no one understands surely you could not read that and come away with that but
they do don't they why do they why do they because the natural man receive
with not the things of spirit of God for their foolishness unto him neither can
he know them because they're spiritually discerned that's what it comes down to
isn't it with the vast but I mean I have a hard time in believing that someone
that's saved could then get deceived into that you could get saved whilst
deceived in that and maybe take a while but I look maybe you could I don't you
know I don't want to start putting levels on it but I have a hard time
seeing that because that is bizarre isn't it or at least if you were deceived
into that and started or whatever else because that's what everyone else is and
they seem like lovely people yeah they seem like great guys in this church yeah
if someone with the Word of God just went look acts 2 what does that say then
hopefully they would go yeah because like Jesus send my sheep hear my voice
yeah and I know them and they follow me so it should be clear once it's pointed
out to you shouldn't it okay turn to 1st Corinthians 14 because what do we say
that the point of all these gifts was what did the Bible say the point of all
these gifts was the edification of the church to benefit the church to edify
each other okay and and with that in mind look at 1st Corinthians 14 and from
verse 1 follow after charity and desire spiritual gifts but rather that you may
prophesy for he that speaks in an unknown tongue speakers not unto men
but unto God for no man understandeth him happy in the spirit he speaketh
mysteries so Paul is saying instead of speaking some rare language no one
understands except God desire the gift of prophecy or preaching okay because
you can imagine some people thought yeah this is a pretty cool gift yeah I could
just speak these Latin people and then they start trying to go with the most
obscure languages and stuff and people are like what no wow you know that's
really cool well say look prophecy or preachings better yeah it might not look
so impressive yeah but and he's not just talking about from behind a pulpit he's
all about going to preach the Word of God yeah now preaching a gospel as well
okay the mysteries here means that no one understands it oh he's some special
mystery like no it just means no one understands what you're talking about
yeah it's it's not to about some extra biblical revelation okay okay verse 3
but he that prophesies speak fundamental edification and exhortation and comfort
okay it benefits others verse 4 he that speaks in an unknown tongue edify
himself and he that prophesied edify the church okay so let's just for a
second let's just pretend that an unknown tongue sorry unknown tongue yeah
actually did mean some bizarre voodoo type chanting okay let's just pretend
that we're all wrong let's just pretend that acts two doesn't exist yeah that in
fact the first instant of the word tongues with someone back in you know
Genesis 10 was just like no one understood what he's talking about okay
let's just pretend that none of what I said really really existed yeah the that
like I said none of that happened it was actually just like jibber-jabber okay
that no one understood but it was between you and God or something you
know weird like that okay what's Paul saying he's still saying that you only
edifying yourself isn't it so even if that was the case he's he's rebuking
them and going you only edifying yourself because what good is it what
what what is that benefiting anyone yeah if we if I started doing that now go
right guys everyone just quiet for minutes I'm gonna do a bit of tongues
yeah okay end of the day prayer already yeah who's benefiting from that
absolutely no one and what is the point in all these gifts every single gift is
to benefit each other it's to edify each other so even if even if we're like all
of that what I said didn't exist what are these morons doing they're
basically going again because they love going to chapter 14 of 1st Corinthians
because because it doesn't mention languages there yeah so I love going to
there just ignoring everything else but by the way you could read through it in
your own time we won't do it for sake of time but 1st Corinthians chapter 14 and
read through it and just replace tongues with language or languages and it makes
perfect sense okay but it's it's it can also you know fit in their mind well we
could go look tongues because you know it suits their doctrine a little bit
more probably a bit easier to preach full stop to you from that chapter alone
okay but he said here well he said if any man in verse 27 if any man speak in
an unknown tongue unknown language let it be by two at the most by three and
that by course and let one interpret it but if there be no interpreter let him
keep silence in the church and let him speak to himself and to God so he's just
said earlier in verse 4 he that speaks an unknown tongue edify himself but he
that prophesied identified the church so why as every single one of these
charismatic Pentecostal types all just trying to seek this gift of unknown
tongues when Paul rebuked him and said you're not edifying anyone with this
unknown language which people don't understand and if there's a few that do
it's okay if there's a couple that understand it that's all right but
otherwise cut it out let alone so like it did kill anyone does it anyone I
don't know I've been in one of these churches it does anyone actually pretend
that they understand what these people are saying is anyone standing there
going right he's saying this this is well the person saying we know he's
blagging he'll be like what you talking about it say that I didn't say like give
the pastor more cash but I didn't say you know I didn't say whatever other
like false I didn't say yeah repenting of your sins is true what you talking
about but but it doesn't because no one can interpret it so the whole thing is
an absolute nonsense isn't it they got a first good this full team which is
rebuking what they're trying to claim that it's saying but it's obviously it's
not what they're saying okay let's move on from languages back to
1st Corinthians 12 though for one final point and we might maybe cut this
chapter in half because I did think it might take a while and we are only a few
verses in so okay back to 1st Corinthians 12 we've seen that signs of
wonders and miracles were a sign were signs of an apostle yeah and to confirm
the word we have the complete Bible don't we okay and faith cometh by
hearing and hearing by the Word of God yeah so why are they such a part of 1st
Corinthians 12 we ever wondered that and okay of course it was written for the
day as well and there was still some of that going on at the time and obviously
it just been and they'd just been seeing that sort of stuff as well and obviously
we are to study to show thyselves approved your workman that need is not
to be ashamed rightly to run the Word of Truth and we have no doubt because the
Bible's clear that there were signs and wonders and miracles not just what by
Jesus we're not one at some of these that try and explain away the miracles
of the Bible but there were signs and wonders and miracles done by it by the
Apostles as well yeah and we see Paul doing some amazing stuff well if you
notice in Romans 12 yeah Romans 12 they were all things you have to turn there
but they were all things because I went through them that the world would call
personality traits characteristics weren't they they're all things that can
be explained away by you know the kind of rational so-called thinking world
can't they well because it's all about faith isn't it it's all about faith so
you know you could go home and say to unsaved you know family or friend or
whatever it is ah you'd be amazed this person's got this gift of the Spirit in
their mind they're thinking you know whatever yeah that's just the sort of
person they are yeah they're just a bit of a giver they're just good at
preaching they whatever it is yeah okay so there's always a way of explaining it
away isn't there well you could say you could say yeah the look on that look
because it comes by faith doesn't it so much can they know those signs and
wonders were to confirm the word to confirm their apostleship to confirm what
they were saying but that's done we have the Word of God now so look if we were
suddenly speaking dozens of languages we'd never learned in this church well
we'd have those windows open the doors open and everything else if we were
healing people for real yeah and we were doing unexplained miracles there'd be a
lot of people coming and taking interest but it wouldn't be about faith in the
Word of God would it okay so you could say though that everything on that list
in 1st Corinthians 12 could be seen today but could also be explained away
by the word so what I'm saying is there's a there's a non miraculous
version of it all I think so when you look at 1st Corinthians 12 and verse 8
it says for one to one is given this by the spirit the word of wisdom to
another the word of knowledge by the same spirit you see great wisdom and
knowledge amongst some men and women of God don't you yeah to another faith by
the same spirit some have strong faith don't know there are some people have
some really strong faith aren't there some people that they have no doubt God's
going to answer their prayers they have no doubt about you know what it is you
know that God's going to do what he says he's going to do and some people are
weaker with that to another the gifts of healing by the same spirit okay what
about healing well you could translate that to getting people saved though
couldn't you yeah yeah like wow don't we do some healing when we go out yeah
people that are literally rotting corpses walking and suddenly 20 30
minutes later their eternal lives walking yeah we do some great healing
when we're out don't we yeah what about what about to another the working of
miracles well there are people that that come into churches like this and well
does the Word of God do miracles in their lives yeah doesn't it there are
people that come into churches like this and and their whole life changes around
and we you know over that time here we're starting to see that with people
come into this church and you know months later you've seen those changes
in and wow there's some miracles that happen with the Word of God aren't there
miracles happen with the Word of God to another prophecy and there are some
great preachers out there aren't there yeah we've all listened to some great
preachers over time and it's a great thing to hear to another discerning of
spirits and there are people yeah that can we were talking about this earlier
they can just spot the bad guys yeah they can just spot them and they just
have a knack for it they can just and not just I sometimes think with with
discerning spirits as well they can discern motivations as well they can
discern the spirit that something's done in so when someone thinks that they
look so clever because they're saying it one way but some people could just
discern what they really feel or what they really you know what really that
spirit is behind it you know people like that aren't there to another diverse
kinds of tongues some people have a gift for speaking languages don't they some
of us English born and bred here yeah we're like all that all that you know
see mate you don't everything else yeah yeah we look at some of you some of you
that have a gift for it and think wow that's a gift for languages because we
we don't have that gift yeah and there is a gift and it's one thing you know
some people can speak up a good language some you just have a good look gift for
learning languages don't they and some people have a gift to another the
interpretation of tongues and that's a gift for translation because one thing
to be able to speak a language it's another to be able to translate
accurately and clearly and I'll tell you what that gift of translation was
probably used for this King James Bible wasn't it yeah and look all these things
obviously there were the miracles yeah back in you know 2,000 years ago but all
these do carry forward I think if things which can be rationally explained but
for us who know we know when people are being given something by God for the
edification of the church don't we and what's the point of it all like I said
for the benefit of others edification of the church to benefit those that you
know that are in you know that are in the church and that's what it's all
about isn't it yeah it's about benefit benefiting others and you stand in there
and just you know just jibber-jabbering something because someone told you that
that makes you more holy and that they prayed for you to have that gift ain't
edifying no one in fact not even edifying yourself because you look like
a fool okay on that let's pray
father I thank you I thank you for just your clear teachings in the Bible that
that with just a little bit of study and it's not exactly even a great deal of
study just a little bit of study that that you know we can rightly divide the
word of truth and we're not look at dividing you know nonsense
dispensations aren't even there we're talking about dividing the truth
dividing the word dividing you know what's truth from from full stock tree
and we thank you that you make that you give us that ability to do and
ultimately that's for your Holy Spirit and we thank you for that gift and we
pray that you help us not to get bogged down in these debates with others it's
good for our edification to be strengthened in these things but really
you know our goal is to get these people saved and we don't want to create
stumbling blocks and get into arguments aroused we just want to try and get
people saved help us to do that this week help us to go out and not only use
those gifts for the church here but use the gifts you've given us to go out and
preach the gospel and then to all return back here and just keep building this
church keep edifying this church keep growing as a church help us do all these
things in your name amen