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Edify One Another

Wednesday Night 11/30/22 – Pastor Eric Davis

First Corinthians, chapter number 14. While you’re turning there, First Corinthians, chapter 14, we’re kind of backing up hitting chapter. We briefly skipped over on a, read a verse here that you are familiar with. See if I could find it. Here we go. Just so we are clear. Genesis, chapter one, verse 27. So God created man in his own image, an image of God created He Him. Male and female created he them and God blessed them. And God said unto them, be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue. It had dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Anything other than male and female in a marriage relationship is an abomination in the sight of God and always will be regardless of what the government says. Okay, so we’re clear on that. First Corinthians, chapter number 14. Just wanted to get that in there. We’ve gone over a lot of First Corinthians and I don’t know if it’s been any help to anybody else. I hope it has. Hope there’s been something throughout that’s helped you or maybe you’re like, wow, I didn’t know that was in there. That’s good. But I know it has helped me. And I heard somebody say this one time, they said normally it helps the preacher and the teacher more than it helps the class because you’re spending more time studying for it. And so I just hope that maybe you got something in it already. And we debated whether to go to chapter 16 since we went through chapter 15. Just go right on. But we couldn’t pass up chapter 14. So we’re going to look at that tonight. The title tonight is for the edification of one another. And edifying means building up for the encouragement of one another. And I’ll tell you, you know this to be a fact, if we need anything more, if there’s anything that’s lacking in today’s church would be building up one of another just among good Christian brothers and sisters. We’ve got a wonderful church here. I believe we do that. Let’s not lose sight of that. But you’re not going to get that out in the world. You’re not going to get encouraged and edified and say, hey, thank you for taking a stand for marriage between one man and one woman. Thank you for standing on the word of God. You go to the local supermarket, whatever your choice is, and you go through there and you’re not going to get thanked most of the time for taking a stand for what’s right. So we come to Church House and this is where we should get encouraged and built up. So that’s the title. Let’s look at chapter 14 and it follows right after chapter 13. You remember what chapter 13 is, right? It’s on charity, on love, the great love chapter of the Bible. Chapter twelve talked about the gifts that God gives concerning spiritual gifts, the unity in the spirit in his work. There’s different gifts, remember? Different administrations, different operations. But one spirit working through one body. Many members, but one body. So there’s one spirit and there’s one body, one church. We’re all working together. We’re not working against one another. I’m thankful that we have that in our church, that we’re not working against each other. I love the fact with the float, brother Bill, I just tell him an idea and he goes with it. I mean, he’s got all these ideas and some good, some nice I’m just kidding. But you can just turn over to him and he goes with it. He takes care of it. And the other night we stuffing bags and Lord will and I’m going to be gone next week. I’m not going to be able to help much. So I wanted to do something to be a help. We had several people show up and help stuff bags yesterday and what a blessing it was. We’re working together to accomplish something and it may seem small to some, but it’s not like a song says little as much when God is in it. But we all have different abilities. You would not want me building the things that we’re planning to build for the float. I promise you. It would look crooked and all out of sorts. But then we also care one for another. As I mentioned before, I may not be able to walk in somebody’s footsteps. I can’t walk in your shoes, you can’t walk in mine. We all have our own difficulties, we have our own problems. But we can be there to help one another, be there to support one another, pray for one another. And listen. When we get away from God and every single one of us are susceptible to that, we can encourage one another to come back to the Lord and be there one for another. And thank God he doesn’t cast any of us off. He welcomes us all back with open arms. Amen. I like what the Lord said. Maybe it was the angel said. I believe it was a message from the Lord. The angels told the women to go and tell the disciples and Peter that Jesus has risen from the grave. He said, don’t forget to let Peter know he’s the one that denied me. But don’t forget to let him know I’m not done with him yet. I’ve still got a lot for him to do so God doesn’t catch us off. But then look at chapter twelve. I know we’ll get to 14 a minute. Chapter twelve, verse number 31 says but covet earnestly the best gifts, and yet shall I unto you a more excellent way. Sometimes we get caught up in our abilities or what God has given us to do. And I’m not saying that it’s always the case or that’s even the case here, but he said, don’t forget that. Number one, the giver is more important than the gifts. God is more important than your talents and your abilities. He said. Also, don’t get caught up on your abilities, your talents, what you’re involved in. Let me show you a more excellent way. Then he goes through chapter number 13, talks about charity having love, one for another. Chapter 14 carries that thought on verse number one. Follow after what charity. Follow after love. You think after writing a whole chapter on love, he’d be done with it to move on. But it actually permeates. You know why it permeates all of this chapter? Because really, it’s the whole crux of the Christian life, letting God’s love shed abroad in our hearts show through our life. And that’s a hard thing to do. We can’t do that in ourselves. There are some people you may find, I have found that are difficult, more difficult to love than others, probably because they don’t act like me, right? They don’t have my personality. But when God loves through me, it’s possible. So he says, follow after charity. None of us have arrived, but keep falling after charity and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that you may prophesy. A lot of this chapter is concerning the gift of tongues. And there’s a couple of common practices today that are out of order according to the Bible. And we’re going to discuss that. And I think as we get done with this chapter, we’ll see what the Bible plainly teaches from the Bible, from that, or according to that, one of them is speaking in tongues. I believe that was a gift that was given for a certain time period, a transitional gift. We’re going to look at some of that, a certain purpose, and there is no longer a need for that particular gift that was passing. And another is the ever popular women preachers. So I thought about titling the message tonight, tongues and women preachers. But I figured it would be better to say for the edification of one another. And that’s really, honestly, the building up of one another is the whole theme of this chapter. So let’s get started. Okay, sounds good. For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue, speaketh not under men, but under God, for no man understandeth Him how, being in the Spirit, he speaketh mysteries. Let me say one other thing before we get there. There’s also another common misconception that sometimes we bring to the church house. And it’s the attitude of what can I get out of the service? Have you ever been guilty of that? I know I have. What can I gain from the service? Or what we should have? The attitude is, how can I contribute to the service? How can I worship the Lord with fellow believers? How can I help somebody else? And we’re going to see that’s the theme of this chapter as well. So first of all, the apostle gives a charge through the Spirit of God, follow after charity. Everything should be done in love. In charity, desire spiritual gifts. Why should we desire spiritual gifts, not for ourselves, but for others out of love, but rather that you may prophesy? There’s a reason he says prophesy for he that speaketh in an unknown tongue. He’s going to contrast two gifts, speaking in not just speaking in tongues, but speaking in an unknown tongue. And then prophesying. And prophesying in Scripture means to preach or to instruct in doctrines to explain Scripture. So that would be a teacher, it would be a preacher, it would be you. When you give your testimony, we have testimony time and you give something that God has shared with you, that would be a form of prophesying. So let’s look at the contrast. He that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God. For no man understandeth him, albeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. Now, we’re going to discuss some things tonight. We’re not doing it in a I don’t know what you say in a bad attitude. We don’t hate anybody. But I think there are some people that are in error and are going contrary to what God says. They might be sincere, but we don’t need that here. Amen. We want to follow God’s word to a tig. So an unknown tongue verse number two does not help another person. If somebody came in here speaking something that none of us understood, like English, right? Good form, English. You ever listened to somebody speak British English? And you just sit down and you wonder, what are they saying? Some of the words I can’t speak, I don’t understand what they’re saying. But anyway, somebody came in here speak an unknown tongue. How would we profit from it if we didn’t understand it? There’d be no profit. He said, Somebody who speaks an unknown tongue, which the creeping church, they were lifting up that ability. Whether or not they had it, that’s beside the point. They were saying they had it. They were lifting that ability up. And he said, Listen, no man understandeth him, albeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. Verse three. But he that prophesied speaketh unto men. Three things to edification, to exhortation and to comfort. Edification is building up. Exhortation is encouragement or advising somebody. Encourage them to do what’s right. Comfort. We know what that is. Giving me comfort, giving consolation, giving support. And he said, it’s more important to be able to do those things than to lift yourself up. Say, hey, I’m more spiritual than you because I can battle off in an unknown language. I would that you all let me verse number four. I skip verse four. He that speaks an unknown tongue edified himself. But he that prophesied edifies the church stop right there for just a minute. Five times that word edify is in some form or another mentioned seven times in our chapter. Five times it’s talking about edify in the church twice. It’s referred to in the negative aspect once here and once in verse number 17 here. It’s saying both of them refer to when speaking in tongues, speaking in an unknown tongue edifies the individual. It lifts the individual up. And let me just say this. You can lift yourself up in other ways. We can speak. You can type this is just an example. You can type out an eloquent prayer. Come up behind the pulpit and read that prayer. And, boy, it sounds good. It sounds eloquent. But if you’re not praying from your heart, you’re lifting yourself up. And that’d be just the same as what this individual is doing here. So he said, this doesn’t help anybody. It’s not profitable. Stealing an unknown tongue edifies himself. It lifts the individual up. But he that prophesied or he that instructs in Scripture edifies the church. That’s what you want. You want Scripture to be taught. I would that you all speak with tongues. He said. I’m not jealous if anybody has that gift, but rather that you prophesied, he said, rather than looking on the outside of things. There are some people that have a wonderful gift of music, a gift of singing. I don’t know anybody here that boasts of that or brags of that. But Sister Tina and Miss Terry and many of you. Brother Bill has the gift of singing and not this Bill. No, I’m just kidding. But you don’t hear anybody bragging about it or boasting about it. I love listening to Brother Frank when he sings. And I’m going to miss somebody now. I love listening to everybody that sings here, okay? Nobody that I don’t enjoy listening to, god’s given them ability to sing. But instead of lifting themselves up, what they’re doing is they’re lifting praises to God. They’re worshiping God. But when you’re speaking an unknown tongue, you’re doing it for yourself. Okay? So let’s keep going. Verse five. I would that y’all speak with tongues, but rather that you prophesied. For greater is he that prophesythe than he that speaketh with tongues. Except he interpret that the church may receive edifying again. The whole purpose is for the church to be built up, encouraged. Right? We’ll make application with that later. 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. So there again he says, an unknown tongue edifies the individual, not the church. It doesn’t profit anybody. 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? For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? So likewise ye, except he uttered by the tongue words easy to be understood. How shall it be known what is spoken for ye shall speak into the air. I’ll say this. We have had people in this church speak in a tongue that’s been foreign to us. But we’ve had an interpreter here as well. And I forget what language it was, but one of our Middle Eastern missionaries was speaking and we had an interpreter interpret from that tongue to the English tongue, the Hughilly tongue that we all know. And so that was biblical. We were edified by that. I was encouraged by that testimony because I could understand it and it spoke to my heart. There are it may be so many kinds of voices in the world and none of them is without signification. There’s all distinct languages, distinct tongues. Therefore, if I know not the meaning of the voice I shall be unto him that speaketh our barbarian and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me. I think that’s pretty plain. Even so ye, for as much as ye are zealous of spiritual gift seek that you may excel to the edifying of the church. It’s a real quick summary. It’s not profitable speaking in an unknown tongue without interpretation. It’s not profitable. It edifies the individual. It’s not orderly. It produces confusion. It produces disorder. If there’s no one to interpret later on, we’ll see that that individual needs to stay silent. If there was somebody that came in speaking a foreign language what good would it do if somebody got up here and spoke Spanish? Unless we had somebody interpret? Anybody speak Spanish? No. I learned, like three or four words. Here we go. We got an interpreter. When we get a missionary that’s speaking Spanish, you’re up. You better brush up on it. So let’s keep reading. There’s something in verse 15 I want us to look at together. Therefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. For if I pray in an unknown tongue, my spirit prayeth that my understanding is unfruitful. 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. Listen. We come together to worship the Lord. We sing our songs whether with music or without music. We pray. We want to sing and pray with understanding. I know we get into the habit sometimes with just singing the words without thinking about them. But it’s better to think about them, get them in your heart and then sing from your heart because you’re singing unto God with the understanding you say in lovingkindness he lifted me. When you remember where he brought you from, you’re singing from your heart with your understanding. You’re singing with your understanding. Jesus saves. There’s victory in Jesus. We’re talking about the fountain filled with blood drawn from Emmanuel’s veins. You’re singing with understanding. When we pray, we’re praying with understanding. We’re praying from our heart. Bible says, they that worship God must worship him in spirit and in truth. God wants sincere people to worship him. If you notice, a lot of false religions are just be monotonous tones. There’s no life there. We have life because we have the author of life. The Spirit of God indwelling us, living inside of us. So there’s life there. We ought to pray and sing with understanding, else when thou shalt bless with the Spirit how so he would occupy the room of the unlearned, say amen at thy giving you thanks he and he understandest not what thou sayest. We stop here for just a minute. Well, the 17th for thou verily give us thanks. Well, but the other is not edified. I believe that the gift of tongues is no longer necessary. As a general rule. There may be exceptional exceptions when somebody visits a foreign country and God has a special design, special purpose there. But I believe that’s rare and I don’t believe you hear much of it. It was a transitional gift. Let me just give you some references real quick. We’re not going to turn there. If you want to write them down and look at them later of where tongues is mentioned in first Corinthians, it’s mentioned a couple of different times. We’re looking at them right now. Mark, chapter 16 and 17. When Jesus gave him the Great commission, he foretold of a sign that would follow the preaching of the Gospel, where new believers would speak with new tongue. So that had yet to happen. Acts chapter two. New tongues happen. The day of Pentecost, the Spirit of God comes down upon the believers. They’re praying, they’re in one accord, and they speak in new tongues. And people, the other men there hear them in their language that they’re speaking in. And these apostles, it was a miraculous thing. They didn’t know that language before. Acts chapter number ten, another group is converted, saved, and speaks with tongues. That’s Cornelius. That was a transition. That was when God used Peter to open the door of the Gospel to the Gentiles. The first time a group of Gentiles had trusted Jesus Christ and were saved. And the Jews needed that for a sign to show that, hey, they had received the Spirit of God, just like we have there’s a third time in Acts, acts number 19, where a smaller group of believers we went from Pentecost 120 were gathered there together in the upper room to the conversion of Cornelius in his household. We don’t know how many were there, but probably a smaller group, to even a smaller group of believers in Acts 19 in Ephesus, where they had heard about the Lord. But Paul asked them, had you been baptized? And they responded, we baptized in John’s baptism. And so when they got everything straight, got everything figured out, they received the Spirit of God and they spoke with a new tongue. After that, you don’t hear about it except here in one corinthians and so in Scripture, a tongue refers to a language, a known language or an unknown language. There’s unknown languages out there. I wouldn’t have a clue what you’re speaking, many of them English sometimes if you’re speaking it the right way. But it’s no longer needed. It was a transitional gift. They didn’t have the scriptures. The church was just new in its infancy. Things were getting established. Now things are established. We have the complete word of God. We no longer need those signs or that sign gift. So I believe that is one of those gifts that Apostle Paul says is done away. Whether they be tongues, they shall cease. One Corinthians 13, verse number eight. So look at verse number 40, and we’ll come back and get the rest of the chapter. Let all things be done decently and what in order. And I believe tongue speaking brings confusion. So how does this apply to me? Well, let’s look at this last part of the chapter. And I know no one in here that I know of speaks in tongues. Unless you hit your nail with a hammer, you might hold your breath and try to speak in an unknown language. But verse number 18, it says, I thank my God I speak with tongues more than you all if anybody had perfect understanding of it. The Apostle Paul, who God chose to use to write this letter, knew about that. He spoke with it more than they all did. But in verse 19 he said, yet in the Church, I’d rather speak five words with my understanding that by my voice I might teach others also than 100 words in an unknown tongue. Here’s the danger. You can get worked up in emotionalism, and there’s no basis. There’s no scripture behind it. And you get carried away with false doctrine. And it’s real easy to do unless you’re grounded on the Word of God. That’s why we’ve got to judge everything by the Word of God. If there’s something I say that doesn’t line up with the Bible, come tell me, come show me. I want to know. I don’t want to preach anything against the Word of God. You ought to be able to know what God’s word says. I hope everybody in here has a copy of the Word of God. If not, we’ll get you one. There’s no reason why anybody shouldn’t. So you can judge what it said and discern what it said and say. Yes, that lines up with the Scripture. We’re going with the scripture. We’re not carried away with some fanaticism or some emotionalism. We get carried away with false doctrine that way. We want to be rooted and grounded in the Word of God. Brethren, be not children in understanding. How be it in malice be ye children, but understanding. Be men, he said. Be mature, be discerning. Have your understanding mature. In the law it is written with men of other tongues and other lips, while I speak into this people, and yet for all that they will not hear me, saith the Lord. Wherefore tongues are for assigned not to them that believe, but to them that believe not, but prophesy and serve not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. If therefore, the whole church becomes together in one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned or unbelievers, will they not say that you are mad? But if all prophesy and there comes in one that believeth not or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all. Let’s think about just an example real quick. If the preacher’s preaching about the gospel of Jesus Christ, about Jesus dying on the cross for our sins, being buried, rising again and salvation is by faith through Jesus Christ and him alone, and you all would say, what? Amen. Yeah, right. That’s true. I know you’re trying to make sure I didn’t slip anything in there. That’s good. You’re doing good. But yeah, that’s right. Amen. When you say amen, you’re doing the same thing that I’m doing, what the preacher is doing. I might be declaring the word of God. You’re saying yes? That’s right. I agree with that. You’re preaching. And so when some lost person comes in, they hear, hey, there’s more than just him agreeing to that. They’re convinced of all that what the word of God is saying is true or that lines up with the word of God. Does that make sense? Okay. And those are the secrets of his heart made manifest. That’s like when we have testimony time, if somebody gets up and says how God has been so good to them, how he’s blessed them, he’s saved their soul from the devil’s hell. And somebody over here says how they’re thankful that they’re not what they used to be. God saved them, delivered them. That is declaring the grace of God. Somebody comes in and hears that you’re preaching to them, that’s what should happen. And they’re convinced God uses that to convict their heart. And thus all the secrets of his heart may manifest. And so falling down in his face, he will worship God and report that God is in you of a truth. How is it then, brethren, when you come together? Every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation that all things be done unto what edifying? Building one another up? When we have testimony time, we open the opportunity up for you all to share what God has done for you. When we have somebody seeing a special sometimes, Sister Terry, I ask, which one should I do? I’ve got a couple of songs here which one would work well with the surface. Other times I trust her, she picks a song and it goes great. And Miss Rachel will do the same thing. Mr. Tina will do the same thing. What they’re doing is they’re singing out the overflow of their heart when we come together. If I came with a message prepared and Brother Robert said I’ve got something to say. Brother Frank said, I’ve got something to say. And brother Lewis says, I’ve got something to say too. And we all had something to say all at the same time to be chaos, confusion. We know that, right? So some things to be done decently and in order. So I think we’ve got that part down. 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. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church and let him speak to himself and to God. Paul is saying, listen, if there be no interpreter, that man is to keep silence in the church. God’s, not the altered confusion. Let the prophet speak two or three and let the other judge, if anything be revealed to another which says by, let the first hold is peace for ye may all prophesy one by one that all may learn and all may be comforted again when we have those opportunities. When you stand up, say what God’s done for you. That’s your chance to say, hey, listen, if God has given you a verse, share that verse. Let others be encouraged by that verse that God’s given you. The spirits of the prophets are subject under the prophets. Verse 32. Say, preacher. I just can’t contain myself. I’ve got to declare what God has done. Listen, God’s not author confusion, that’s the next verse, but a piece as an all church of the saints, you are in control of your own spirit. You can control yourself. You know what we tell our children? Be quiet. Right? Don’t talk. And looking at them, it’s hard to contain that. The more they try not to talk, the more their body just starts shaking, I think. Just starts convulsing because it’s got to come out. It’s got to vent out. But listen, truth be known, they can control that themselves. They just haven’t learned how to do that yet. We all can control that. There’s a time and a place for it all. That’s what God’s saying. Verse number 34. Get that other controversial topic. 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 is also, saith the law. Brother Paul, you’re getting this in trouble. What are you saying? Well, I believe this is what God is telling us today in the church. I believe it’s okay for a lady to testify how good God has been when we open that up for everybody to testify. But I don’t believe a lady should or a woman should be up here preaching. I believe God has that ordered in his word. I don’t believe. It’s right for a woman to teach a man. I think it’s okay for our ladies to teach the kids. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. But God has a set order, you say? Why is that? I don’t know if I could explain all of that, other than that’s what God has said, that’s what I want to go by. God’s order is in place if someone disagrees with what’s said, the best time to do that’s, not during middle service anyway, that would go for everybody. Wait until afterwards. But still, there’s a time and a place for everything. Would you agree with that? A time and a place for somebody to have a word of praise, word of testimony. And I know this message is getting a little longer. Rachel told me a joke before church this evening. She said something she had read online, said you know what? Said it’s a fine line between a long sermon and holding somebody hostage. So I don’t want to do that tonight. We don’t want to hold anybody hostage, but we want to make sure we’re getting across what we need to get across. I almost stopped thinking, trying to tell me something. But anyway verse 34. Let your women keep silence in the churches, for it is not permitted under them to speak, but they are commanded to be under. Obedience is also, saith the law that’s not belittling women. Let me tell you this, and you know this. Nothing has done more for ladies than the Lord Jesus Christ and Christianity. When Christianity is teached, teached. Here go again. Speaking of unknown tongue. When it is taught, then ladies are at liberty. They have more freedom. But I don’t buy into this, and you shouldn’t either, from the word of God that a woman can usurp authority over a man in the home or at the church house because that’s not God’s order. Not saying I’m smarter than my wife. She is much smarter than me. She is more spiritual than I am, and God will use her to help me and to teach me. But the ultimate say rests with me as the husband, and the same in the church house. The ultimate say rest with the man in the home. That’s where the authority is. If they will learn anything, let them ask their husbands at home. For it is a shame for women to speak in the church. What came the word of God out from you or came in unto you only. If any man think himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. He’s talking with those now that would seem to be contentious with anything that’s been said already. He said, if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. He says there’s nothing else we can do. Wherefore brethren covet the prophesy and forbid not to speak with tongues that’s in a language that’s known. But remember, there are certain conditions for it. It’s got to have an interpreter. But all things be done decently and in order. So here’s the application. Okay, first of all, my attitude and attending church, we’ll go through this quickly. It’s not what I can get, but what can I give? Now, know this. I know that there are different seasons of life we all go through. There are times when we have nothing left in the tank to give. We come because we need something. When I come to church, I need something. But I hope that’s not the only reason we come all the time, is just to get god has blessed us so much, we ought to be able to give back to him first and then to one another. But I know there are seasons of life where we need to come and get something from the Lord and then there’s nothing else to give. But you know what? You come anyway. You might be surprised how you help somebody else just by coming. I can’t tell you how it thrills my heart to see each one of you come into the church house and know that you’re here. You may say, I may not do anything. Well, you’re holding that pew up. And I promise you it’s a blessing to me to see you here. What can I give in my worship to the Lord, to my brethren? I can EEC and verse number three edification, exhortation and comfort. Edification. We’re building up, right? I can build my brother or sister in Christ up. How do I do that? Well, I can undergird them. I can help them. I can encourage them. That’s the next thing. Exhortation. I can encourage them to do what’s right. I can go alongside and help them as best I can through this life. I can pray for them comfort, remembering God’s promises together. This isn’t it good when you’re reminded, hey, Jesus said, I will never leave thee nor forsake thee. How many of you know that promise? But isn’t it a sweet thing, a precious thing, when you’re reminded of that promise? I know God cares for me. When somebody comes up and says, hey, brother, I just want you to know I’m praying for you. And don’t forget, God cares for you, that does something for me. I know that. But, boy, that helps. And we’re encouraging one another. We’re helping one another. Not everyone is a preacher or a teacher, but we all can be encouraged. And you can be an encourager. Remember Barnabas? That was not his name, but they gave him that name. That was a Son of consolation, was what that meant. He was known for his comfort so much that they gave him the nickname Barnabas, Son of Consolation. Wouldn’t it be a great testimony to have there comes Sister So and So. She’s always an encourager. Always has something to say to encourage. Encourage me. Here comes Brother so and so. He’s always got something not saying, well, here comes brother so and so. I wonder what he’s going to complain about this time, right? But here comes brother so and so. He’s an encourager, he’s a help. Chapter 16, verse 15 talks about the household of Stephanus, that they were they addicted themselves to the ministry. They were helpless in the ministry. All right. So the overriding principle. Chapter 14, verse one. Follow after what? Charity. Follow after love. Love is the overriding principle. We can’t do that in ourselves, but God through us can do that purpose, building up one another. There are several verses I would like to have read, but we’re not going to for sake of time. But over and over and over again in the New Testament, be established in the faith. The churches were established in the faith. How did they do that? They came together, they were taught from the word of God. God instructed them, they encouraged one another. God wants this church here to be established in the faith. He wants you to be established in the faith. That’s why he says, not forsaking the assembly of ourselves together. And so much more. As you see the day approaching, everything we should do should be done decently and in order, to be in order for everything. Not a formal ritual, just doing things because we’re doing them, but not chaotic and just emotionalism all either. There should be life there because God, we’re worshiping God, a living God, a living Savior, and he lives in me and he lives in you. But everything we should do should be done with our heart. Verse 15 with the spirit and with the understanding. Also when we pray, when we sing, when we give, it’s not just mindless giving, but we’re giving out of a heart full of love for the Lord in one accord. Talk about that, our testimony. Tom and edifying one another. The Apostle Paul goes through speaking in tongues and certain order in church, but he’s overriding it with the theme of love and building up one another inn. He says, follow after charity. Again, over and over and over, he says, Edify, edifying the church. Go to Ephesians real quick and we’ll be done with this. Ephesians, chapter number four, verse eleven. And he God gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ. You know, God gave the church. Apostles, they’re gone, they’re off the scene prophets. As far as biblical prophets in those days, they’re off the scene evangelists, they’re here today. We still have evangelists that proclaim the good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Pastors and teachers. Still have pastors and teachers. Why? Three things for the perfection of the saints, for the work of the ministry. And what’s the last one? Edifying of the body of christ. My job, part of my job description is to build one another up. Build you up. But you know what? That’s not just the pastor’s responsibility. We just read chapter 14. That’s all of our responsibility to build one another up, encourage one another. And I think we do a wonderful job of that. Let’s continue that and let’s encourage one another, pray for one another. Life gets hard sometimes and we get down sometimes. How many of you ever get down? You ever get down? Everybody, right? We’re honest to everybody, every single person in here. The remedy for that is looking unto Jesus and spending time with brothers and sisters in Christ. And it’ll help. It’ll help. But when we spend time with brothers and sisters in Christ, let’s not complain and bring each other down. Misery loves company, right? Let’s not bring the other person down. Let’s lift the other one up. Okay? All right, I think we’re covered tonight. Let’s stand head bout and eyes close. Father in Heaven, thank you for Your Word that helps us understand what’s right, what we need to be on guard against. And the Lord, I pray that nothing will ever be said by me or anyone else behind this pulpit that would be contrary to the word of God. And Lord, if it is, would you show us we can get it correct and get it right? We don’t want to follow the teachings of man. We want to truly follow Your teachings. And so, Lord, help us do everything in the right order and decently. And Lord, we pray that you get the glory and the honor to what’s accomplished here at Pacha Branch Baptist Church. Father, we pray that this would be a place of refuge, of comfort, of building one another up, or a place where a loss would come and see Jesus lifted up a crucified, risen and coming again, and they can trust in the Lord and be saved. Father, we know you want to do a great work. Help us to be what we should be. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

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