GRINDIT podcast

Paul encourages the believers at Corinth to prophecy instead of speak in tongues, a foreign concept to our charismatic churches today who often push speaking in tongues on believers. Paul tells the church at Corinth it is better for them to prophecy because they speak in a language that everyone understands and the entire congregation is built up instead of speaking in tongues and only the one speaking being edified. He explains to them the order, or the way they need to do these things so they do not create confusion, since God is a God of order and not confusion. And, Paul points out that when nonbelievers come into the meetings, their hearts will be exposed when people prophecy and they will be humbled before God!

Paul mentions some musical instruments when he is talking about speaking in tongues and prophesying to the church at Corinth. This church is seeking spiritual gifts with such passion but they have left out love, in particular, Agape love, or unconditional love. They are more concerned about the spiritual gift they have and whose is better! Paul is making a point that, when one speaks in tongues, they are talking it God and only God can understand it, therefore, the people who hear them gets nothing from it. If they would seek to prophesy instead, they will speak out loud, in a language that all can understand, and the entire body would benefit from what God says through that individual! He uses the flute, trumpet, and harp to clarify his point. He says they are dead; they are useless without someone blowing breath through them or plucking the strings. God wants to use us like these instruments, but He wants us to edify one another with the gift, or gifts, He has given us...not be selfish with them!

Paul just spent some time telling the church at Corinth, who pursues spiritual gifts with passion, telling them there is a more excellent way and that way is love. Not just any love, but Agape love, or love that is unconditional. This is something they struggled with because they are divided, full of selfish pride, arrogant, they loved to boast, and they had cliques in the church when they met together as a body. Therefore, Paul starts off chapter 14 with, “Pursue Agape love.” This word in the Greek means to act so fast you kick up dust when you take off! And when you go deeper, you see the word carries an idea of being a servant, as an attendee or waiter. Are we pursuing love? Or are we seeking to please ourselves?

Paul has a flashback to when he was child as he writes his letter to the church at Corinth. He wasn't having pleasant memories, instead he was telling this church who is full of believers who think they are so mature, so wise, and have so many gifts of the Spirit, how they are acting like children the way they are acting toward one another. They are divided, certain ones eat all the food, drink all the wine, they brag a lot, some think they are higher than others, and Paul says, "Y'all need to grow up, act mature, and love one another. Without love, y'all have nothing and are just a bunch of noise makers! Grow up people!"

When Paul talks about love in 1 Corinthians 13, he uses a bunch of verbs. Then he says, "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things." We break these four things down in this podcast...What are they? What does Paul mean? The first one is a big one and it doesn't mean what you think it does! Lord, help us to be people who love well...in Jesus name...

Paul is telling the church at Corinth they need to be united, not divided, so he is in the middle of telling them about how to act when they come together. After talking about the gifts of the Spirit and how these gifts are to bring unity to the body, he goes into telling them about a more excellent way...Love. Love is a noun but instead of using adjectives to describe Love, Paul uses verbs. Verbs are action words which means Love is an action, something that we do! DC Talk had it right when they sang about Love being a verb! We break down the ingredients of Love in today's episode.

Paul is telling the church at Corinth they need to be united, not divided, so he is in the middle of telling them about how to act when they come together. After talking about the gifts of the Spirit and how these gifts are to bring unity to the body, he goes into telling them about a more excellent way...Love. Love is a noun but instead of using adjectives to describe Love, Paul uses verbs. Verbs are action words which means Love is an action, something that we do! DC Talk had it right when they sang about Love being a verb! We break down the ingredients of Love in today's episode.

Tina Turner sang a song in the 80s called, "What's Love Got To Do With It?" Well, Tina, Paul says Love has everything to do with it and without Love, we are nothing but a noisy cymbal being smacked out of time and rhythm! It just doesn't make any sense and it standing out alone makng a bunch of noise. But when the cymbal is hit in the rhythmn of the song, it great adds an accent and sounds wonderful! Today's culture is full of people trying to stand out or make it on their own. They want to do their own thing and stand above the rest and will do anything to make it happen without any regard to anyone else. Paul says, "Love is..." and he explains what LOve actually is. Love is a noun in the Greek but it is described by Paul using a bunch of verbs. Verbs are action words so if we are Loving, then people should be able to see it and receive something from ou action.

When people hear 1 Corinthians 13, their mind immediately goes to “love” but is that what Paul is talking about in this chapter? Yes, he mentions it many times and explains what love is, but why is Paul explaining love to the church at Corinth? It is because they are divided, they are enjoying sin instead of fleeing from it, and they are boasting about their spiritual gifts given to them by the Holy Spirit. Did you know the words he uses to describe love are not adjectives? They are verbs meaning love is an action! Love is something we do on a consistent basis because Paul is going to say, “Love never stops!” Are you loving? You may be surprised to find out you aren’t loving at all!

Paul uses a person’s body to explain how the body of Christ is to function. He says we are one body that serves the same Lord, worships the same God, and is filled with one Spirit, the Holy Spirit that comes from the One True God we worship! He uses the foot, the hand, the ear, the eyes, and the nose to prove his point. What’s his point? That each body part is necessary for the body to function properly. If a foot is missing, it’s harder to walk; if an hand is missing, it’s harder to grasp things etc. each person in the body of Christ has been given a gift, or gifts, by the Holy Spirit and it is crucial for them to be present when the church meets to function properly. When one suffers, we all suffer. You have a gift the I do not and vice versa. We need each other, to encourage one another to continue in our walk with Jesus. We work together, not against one another. The body is not divided, like the church at Corinth, but it was designed to work together, to produce nutrients and waste. Noi matter how insignificant you seem to feel, you are needed in the body of Christ!