20180910 preparing post

Prepare your heart for the Sermon by looking through these suggestions that will assist you in making the most of our time together hearing God's Word.

You will find suggestions for thinking more critically through the passage, meditating more intently on the text, and prayerfully seeking wisdom to deepen your understanding of the passage to be preached this Sunday.

Carefully Think

  • This week we will be taking a detour from 1 Corinthians to study “tongues in the New Testament.” This will be a survey of various passages that will help us understand the purpose and role of tongues in the New Testament.
  • Read Mark 16:14-20. This is the first reference to speaking in tongues in the New Testament. At what point in Jesus’ ministry does he give these statements? Who is Jesus speaking to specifically? What is the relationship between these signs and salvation (v. 17)? What other signs does Jesus speak of here?
  • Read Acts 2:5-13. This is the second mention of speaking in tongues in the New Testament. When did this event take place? Who was speaking in other languages? Who would have been gathered in Jerusalem at this time? What were those speaking other languages saying?
  • Scan Acts 10:1-43 and read 44-48. Who is Peter speaking to and why? Why was this significant in the book of Acts at this point? What was the response of those who heard Peter’s preaching? What did speaking in tongues tell Peter?

Prayerfully Meditate

  • From this brief survey, and what we have learned in our study of 1 Corinthians so far, describe the purpose of the gift of languages. What would the purpose be for the gift today?
  • How does the information gleaned from this study help you understand Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 13:8 and that the gift would cause itself to be stopped? If someone claims to have the gift today, how would you evaluate its use in light of what you have studied?
  • Skim through the book of Acts and see where else tongues are mentioned, how they were functioning, and what was their purpose.