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Three of the most misunderstood gifts of all are Miracles, Prophecy and Tongues
They are also among the most rare gifts
We sometimes get a distorted view of their frequency
The Bible seems to be full of INCREDIBLE MIRACLES, PROPHET AFTER PROPHET, PEOPLE TALKING IN TONGUES (nt)
But we must remember...
...The Bible took place over thousands of years. Sometimes hundreds of years separated events or people.
* EXAMPLE: There had been over 500 hundred years between the last OT prophet and John the Baptist. Jews thought the era of the prophets were surely over until John the Baptist emerged. * writing was still rare, unlike today.
Only the most unusual and important evenst and people were recorded.
Today we have an additional problem, Defining the gifts.
We have diluted the meaning.
* A miracle can be finding a twenty dollar bill in your coat pocket.
* We may call a person a prophet if they are merely observant, noticing people and trends well enough to predict a result.
* tongues have most of us bamboozled to the point that we don't discus them.
It's hard to believe that these diluted gifts are what Paul meant when he wrote about spiritual gifts.
Maybe we can develop a definition by example:
* Make a list of your your favorite miracles in the New Testament.
- what happened?
- who performed the miracle?
- who was it performed on?
- what were the circumstances?
- how was faith involved?
Matt. 13:57-58 And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor." And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Galatians 3:5 (NIV) Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?
- what were the results?
- did the miracles make anyone mad or upset?
- how was the miracle-worker received after the fact?
- were there false miracle workers?
Think of some examples of Prophets - what did they prophecy?
Isaiah - attacks social injustice, wants us to have lives that reflect our faith.
Jerimiah - concerned with rewards and punishments for our lives.
Ezekial - emphasised tGod's hand in events
Daniel -told how the faithful could triumph over anything
Amos & Hosea - social injustice
Obediah - punishment to God's enemies
Micah - champion of pure worship of the Lord
Zephaniah - doom to those who deny the Lord
Zacheriah - second coming & a new temple
- what were the times like?
- do you think the prophets enjoyed thier roles?
- what part does faith play in prophecy?
Romans 12:6 (NIV) We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith.
- what were the results?
- did the prophets ever make anyone mad?
- were there false prophets?
Let’s look at some Examples of tongues
- When did it happen?
Acts 2:3-11 (NIV) They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. Utterly amazed, they asked: "Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in his own native language? Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs--we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!"
Acts 10:44 (NIV) While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God.
Acts 19:5-6 (NIV) On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied.
- Was it rare?
- What was accomplished by the tongues?
- did they ever upset anyone?
Do you see anything in common between these three?
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Or maybe we need definitions by the book
Miracle: A remarkable and welcome event that is impossible to explain by means of the laws of nature, and are therefore attributed to a supernatural agency (God)
Prophet: A divinely inspired revealer of the truth.
Tongue: The ability to speak, or manner of speaking.
(We may need the bible on this one.)
1 Corinthians 14:2-3 (NIV) For anyone who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God. Indeed, no one understands him; he utters mysteries with his spirit. But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.
1 Corinthians 14:18 (NIV) I thank God that I speak in tongues, However, I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct and edify others than to speak to ten thousand in tongues.
1 Corinthians 14:21 (NIV) In the Law it is written: "Through men of strange tongues and through the lips of foreigners I will speak to this people, but even then they will not listen to me," says the Lord. Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers. So if the whole church comes together and everyone speaks in tongues, and some who do not understand or some unbelievers come in, will they not say that you are out of your mind?
Are there rewards for these gifts? You might be surprised.
Matthew 11:20-23 (NIV) Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. "Woe to you,
Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and
Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.
John 7:3-5 (NIV) Jesus' brothers said to him, "You ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples may see the miracles you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world." For even his own brothers did not believe in him.
The rewards of Prophecy
Matthew 13:57-58 (NIV) And they took offense at him. But Jesus said to them, "Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor." And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.
Matthew 23:29-31, 34 (NIV) "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous. And you say, 'If we had lived in the days of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.' So you testify against yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.
Acts 7:52 (NIV) Was there ever a prophet your fathers did not persecute? They even killed those who predicted the coming of the Righteous One. And now you have betrayed and murdered him--
The rewards of Tongues
Is the reward for tongues that some will say that you are out of your mind?
We are often skeptics, is that good or bad?
Not all bad
2 Peter 2:1 (NIV) But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them--bringing swift destruction on themselves.
1 John 4:1 (NIV) Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.
What can we do to test the things we hear and see?
John 10:25 (NIV) Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me,
* listen to their actions, not their words
1 Corinthians 13:2 (NIV) If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
* Look for love. If they re inspired by the holy spirit,
the things they do will be inspired by love.
* Do we run a risk of dismissing true miracles, etc.? We do. But if we are diligent, and test the miracles and prophets among us, we may find that these miraculous gifts, though rare, are still with us today
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