242 – Searching The Scriptures,

242 – Searching The Scriptures,

Coming Together in the Church

Notes by Steve Jaynes

God bless you all in the mighty and Powerful name of our risen Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. May God bless you all abundantly. The following are the notes from the latest podcast show “Searching The Scriptures, sub titled 'Coming Together in the Church'. The Scriptures are all written out so it will be easy for you to follow along. Give a listen. Click on the title to hear the show.

This week's podcast I start out by playing two songs by an old-time group called 'Agape.' The first song is called 'Give Him Your Hand', the second song is called 'Searching the Scriptures.' The first song goes along with the theme of the podcast show. The second song goes along with the theme of this week's sharing, Click on the title above to hear the show.

I start out by teaching the importance of searching the Scriptures. By letting the Scriptures interpret themselves. we always need to remember that the words in the verses are important and we must always see in light of their biblical meanings. We must understand every word in the verse and let the words interpret themselves. Then with a group of verses together we get the context. We must read the contacts to get the whole picture of what the scriptures are trying to tell us. This may mean that sometimes we have to read the entire book in which the verses are written. In this lesson, we're going to see how important it is to read the entire context.

In this sharing, I am going to do an outline of a section in God's Word from 1st Corinthians 11:17 all the way to 2nd Corinthians 14:40. This entire section is about coming together in the church. By understanding this section in its entirety I think you will see some of how the church is to act and conduct it selves when the church gets together.

The Outline

1 Corinthians 11:17 – 19 “ Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse. ¹⁸ For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. ¹⁹ For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.”

In this section, we could see that Paul heard there was a division among them and he partly believe it.

1 Corinthians 11:20 - 22 “When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. ²¹ For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. ²² What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.”

When they came together and they were eating together, the way they did it was shameful. It seems like they needed to learn how they treated one another.

Paul had to tell them that when they did eat together it wasn't the Lord's supper. Paul had to teach them the meaning of The Last Supper. We sometimes called it the holy communion service.

1 Corinthians 11:23 – 32 “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: ²⁴ And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. ²⁵ After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. ²⁶ For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. ²⁷ Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸ But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. ²⁹ For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. ³⁰ For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. ³¹ For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. ³² But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world.”

Paul finishes the chapter by getting back to some of their eating habits as they ate together. He wanted to care for one another.

1 Corinthians 11:33 & 24 “Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry [or care] one for another. ³⁴ And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.”

1 Corinthians 12:1 – 6 “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I would not have you ignorant. ² Ye know that ye were Gentiles, carried away unto these dumb idols, even as ye were led. ³ Wherefore I give you to understand, that no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Jesus accursed: and that no man can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy Ghost. ⁴ Now there are diversities of gifts [gifts of service], but the same Spirit. ⁵ And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. ⁶ And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all.

The word 'gifts' in verse four means gifts of service. Diversities and the operations are explained in the following verses 7 through 11 which we have looked at before.

1 Corinthians 12:7 – 11 “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. ⁸ For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; ⁹ To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; ¹⁰ To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: ¹¹ But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.”

This is talking about the manifestations all operated by the same spirit that we receive when we get born again.

1 Corinthians 12:12 – 27 “For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. ¹³ For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. ¹⁴ For the body is not one member, but many. ¹⁵ If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? ¹⁶ And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? ¹⁸ But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. ¹⁹ And if they were all one member, where were the body? ²⁰ But now are they many members, yet but one body. ²¹ And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. ²² Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: ²³ And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. ²⁴ For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: ²⁵ That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. ²⁶ And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. ²⁷ Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular.”

This is talks about that we are all members of the body of Christ. Christ is the head of the church and we are all members in particular.

1 Corinthians 12:28 – 31 “And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. ²⁹ Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? ³⁰ Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? ³¹ But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.”

God has set them some in the church as it has pleased him. He's going to show us a more perfect way and that will be in chapter 13.

1 Corinthians 13:1 – 8 “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. ² And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. ³ And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. ⁴ Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, ⁵ Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; ⁶ Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; ⁷ Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. ⁸ Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.”

We know in part but we're going to continue to grow.

1 Corinthians 13:9 – 13 “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. ¹⁰ But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. ¹¹ When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. ¹² For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. ¹³ And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”

Follow along as I read this chapter to get the emphasis.

1 Corinthians 14:1 – 40 “Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. ² For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. ³ But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. ⁴ He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. ⁵ I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. ⁶ Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? ⁷ And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? ⁸ For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? ⁹ So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. ¹⁰ There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. ¹¹ Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. ¹² Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. ¹³ Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. ¹⁴ For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth, but my understanding is unfruitful. ¹⁵ What is it then? I will pray with the spirit, and I will pray with the understanding also: I will sing with the spirit, and I will sing with the understanding also. ¹⁶ Else when thou shalt bless with the spirit, how shall he that occupieth the room of the unlearned say Amen at thy giving of thanks, seeing he understandeth not what thou sayest? ¹⁷ For thou verily givest thanks well, but the other is not edified. ¹⁸ I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all: ¹⁹ Yet in the church I had rather speak five words with my understanding, that by my voice I might teach others also, than ten thousand words in an unknown tongue. ²⁰ Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. ²¹ In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. ²² Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. ²³ If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? ²⁴ But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all: ²⁵ And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth. ²⁶ How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying. ²⁷ If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. ²⁸ But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. ²⁹ Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. ³⁰ If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. ³¹ For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. ³² And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. ³³ For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. ³⁴ Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. ³⁵ And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. ³⁶ What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? ³⁷ If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. ³⁸ But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. ³⁹ Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. ⁴⁰ Let all things be done decently and in order.”

We are to desire spiritual matters. We are to seek the excelling of the church. To bless the church. We are to let all things be done to edifying. We are to let all things be done decently and in order. When we meet together in the church we give in whichever manner God has for us to give.

Until the next time we get together, may God bless you abundantly. 

Agape, 

Steve Jaynes 

The Announcer: Maurice Coleman 

Intro and Outro Music: Pamela LoVerme Janovyak, Her version of "Be Thou My Vision" from her CD Behold 

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