Who can Prophesy? 誰來傳講神的話?

4/10/11 Sermon by Minister Michael Johnson; Translation by Chung-wei Lee

1 Corinthians (哥林多前書) 14:1-12

Translation note: 方言 = 音語; 預言 = 先知的話；懺語

Each individual here is made up of many components. We have the physical self, which is our body. We have our soul, which is a combination of our mind, emotions, ability to reason, etc. We have our spiritual self, which we cannot see. It is our spiritual self that is regenerated by our relationship with Jesus Christ. All parts of our being, our body, our soul and our spirit, must be strengthened in order to develop and grow. To strengthen our bodies, we exercise and eat healthy. To strengthen our mind, we challenge it, whether it’s in school or through the books we read or the conversations we have. To strengthen our spiritual self, we spend time in the Lord’s presence, we read His Word and we share with each other what He is doing in our lives.

咱每個人都包括好幾個部分。一個部分是咱的身軀；一個部分是咱的魂，就是對咱的頭殼、感情、和思考的能力；隔一個部分是咱的靈，雖然我們看不到，總是咱的靈是對耶穌跟咱相結連、從頭生的。咱人的每一個部分，身軀、魂、靈，都需要勇健來成長。要使我們的身軀勇健，我們要做運動、吃營養。要使我們的魂、就是頭殼勇健，咱要去學校讀冊、或跟別人講話。要使我們的靈勇健，咱要用時間跟上帝相與齊在、讀聖經、且跟別人見證上帝在咱的生命中所做的工。

In this passage Paul addresses two other ways our spiritual self is strengthened: prophecy and speaking in tongues. Paul is educating the Corinthian church on the appropriate usage of these spiritual gifts. He is eager for the use of spiritual gifts in the church and wants to see them used properly. Paul’s main purpose in this passage focuses on the use of the gift of prophecy, versus speaking in tongues, among the Body of Believers.

保羅又另外提出兩個方法、讓我們的靈能夠更勇健，這兩個方法，一個是講先知的話(就是懺語、預言)，另外一個是講音語(就是講方言)。保羅教使哥林多教會如何正確來使用這兩個屬靈的恩賜。保羅迫切希望教會都能夠多多正確來使用這兩個屬靈的恩賜、就是講先知的話及講音語。在這段聖經節裡，保羅主要要講的是信徒講先知的話的恩賜。

You see, the Corinthian church was focused on speaking in tongues in the worship service. They seemed to think the use of tongues somehow meant they were closer to God than congregations that did not use tongues when gathered together. In fact they were asking that Paul come to visit them speaking in tongues. Paul, however, corrects them in this passage on the proper use of tongues. Paul reminds them tongues are meant for building up the individual because it is the Holy Spirit communicating a message between the individual and God. Doing so builds up that person’s spiritual self. But if tongues are spoken in the church, then it must be accompanied with an interpretation. Spiritual gifts are to be used to build up the church. If someone speaks in tongues before the whole church but no one else can understand what is being said, then the church is not edified by it, thus defeating the point.

咱可以發現，哥林多教會真注重在教會聚會時講音語的恩賜。因可能認為會講音語的比那些不會講音語的會眾更加接近上帝。事實上，哥林多教會曾要求保羅用音語來對他們傳講。總是，保羅教導因怎樣正確來運用音語的恩賜，伊這樣來對他們講：講音語的恩賜，是為了要利益個人，因為音語是人跟上帝透過聖靈來講話，致到起造個人的靈性。凡是在教會裡面講音語，得需要一個會翻譯音語的人。因為屬靈的恩賜是為了要起造教會，若是有人用音語對教會來宣講上帝的話，哪無另外一個會翻譯音語的人，得教會未能從這裡得到利益。這樣屬靈的恩賜就未致到伊的目的。

In 1 Corinthians 14:6-10, Paul says the use of tongues without interpretation is like a person playing music with no idea how to string notes together. It just sounds like a complete noisy mess. Imagine if someone came to church and wanted to play the piano during the service. Only instead of stringing together notes to make a song they simply pushed as many piano keys as they could with no special order. What would it sound like? All you who are trained in music here at the church are probably cringing right now! You know what it would sound like, a terrible, confusing mess. The same goes for those who speak in tongues without interpretation. The intention may seem right to the person, their heart may be in the right place, but the congregation would be confused.

在哥林多前書14章第6-10節，保羅說：音語若無經過翻譯，就親像不會音樂的人在演奏，聽起來會很吵。想像一下，有一個人在禮拜的中間彈鋼琴，伊只是隨意亂棄，黑白來彈，聽起來會親像什麼款？這種恐怖的聲音，你們學過音樂的人聽到可能就驚到了。同款的、講音語若沒有翻譯的也是這樣。雖然講音語的人是出於好意、總是會眾會霧煞煞不知道在說什麼。

Prophecy, on the other hand, is a word from the Lord that can be understood and shared in our everyday language. Paul distinguishes the two gifts in 1 Corinthians 14:23-25: “So if the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and unbelievers or uninformed people enter, will they not say that you have lost your minds? But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or uninformed person enters, he will be convicted by all, he will be called to account by all. The secrets of his heart are disclosed, and in this way he will fall down with his face to the ground and worship God, declaring, ‘God is really among you.’”

講先知的話就不同款，因為伊是出自上帝、用咱可以了解的話語來讓咱了解。保羅在哥林多前書14章第23-25節解釋講先知的話及講音語這兩種恩賜的不同款：”唸”

Prophecy is a message from the Lord. Prophecies have several purposes. We see in this passage I just read that prophesy can disclose the secrets of our heart. It may be a word that uncovers hidden sin, in an effort to draw us to repentance and closer to God. Let’s turn to 1 Corinthians 14:3. Paul writes, “But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouragement, and consolation.” The Lord wants us strong as a Body of believers. Therefore, he may give someone or even a group of people a message that helps build up the body. Maybe there is quarrelling in the church and the Lord uses prophesy to put an end to it in order for unity to be restored. Maybe there is an area of the church that is weak and prophesy is used to highlight it in order that it may be built up into a fruitful ministry.

先知的話是對上帝來的信息。預言有好幾個目的；在咱剛剛讀過的聖經節裡看見先知的話可以使心內的秘密顯明出來。有時候先知的話堂顯明咱的罪，使咱可以對上帝來悔改、再一次來親近上帝。保羅在哥林多前書14章第3節說：”唸” 上帝希望咱成做一個隔卡勇健的基督徒，所以，上帝有時ㄟ對一個人、抑是一群人講話、來起造因。有時教會裡面有紛爭，為了讓教會合一的目的，上帝會用預言來教使咱。有時教會軟弱、有的事工不夠額，上帝用預言來提醒咱堂好好認真服事。

Likewise, prophecy can also bring encouragement. Maybe the church has gone through a difficult time that decreased its morale. A prophetic word would pinpoint the exact cause and start the process of restoration. This type of encouragement can also occur in our lives as individuals. If someone has an encouraging word for you, and it’s very specific, but they do not what you are going through, but it causes your faith to grow and your hope to soar, then you may have just experienced a prophetic word.

先知的話也可以用來鼓勵。有時教會遇到艱苦事致到綏志，先知的話可以針對這個原因來鼓勵咱。上帝這款的鼓勵也可以針對個人。若是有一個人不知道你遇到困難，總是伊對你講鼓勵的話、嘟嘟針對你的需要、ㄟ加添你的信心跟希望，這可能就是ㄧ個對上帝來ㄟ先知的話。

Consolation is sometimes in order and a prophetic word can be offered to aid. As humans we are limited. We do not always have the right words to say to someone who is hurting. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit knows what the person needs to hear. He can speak directly to their heart in a way that we as humans are not able to do on our own. Even in a person’s darkest hour the Lord can shine light. In any case, a message of prophecy is a distinct message, from the Lord, placed in the mind and on the heart of someone to share with others. It’s important to note that a word from the Lord would never contradict Scripture.

先知的話語也可以安慰人、幫助人。咱人是有限的，時常沒法度講出合宜的話來安慰人。感謝上帝，聖靈知道咱人需要聽的，可以直接對人的心來講話，這是咱人所做不到的。在一個人尚艱苦、尚黑暗的時，上帝猶原能夠能讓我們看見光。不論如何，對上帝來的預言可以放在咱的心裡，也可以跟別人分享。真重要的一點咱要知道，從上帝來的話的確不會違反聖經的教釋。

Prophets are sometimes referred to as seers, as they can see with their spiritual eyes what they cannot see with their physical eyes or hear with their physical ears. Not everyone who gives a prophecy is a prophet. God can give anyone a word at any time. If you want the Lord to use you in this way, pray for it. One thing to keep in mind is, the one who prophesies is also one who soaks in Scripture and spends a lot of time in prayer. Ask the Lord for a love of Scripture and to help you carve out a lot of time in prayer. As you’ll see in a minute, there is more to just receiving a word. You have to be able to discern if it’s God’s voice, if it’s God’s timing and what He wants you to do with it.

有時咱將預言看做先知先覺，因為因可以用屬靈的眼光、看見肉體的眼睛所看不到、耳朵所聽不得到的。不是任何一個講過預言的人都是先知，因為上帝隨時都可以將他的話給任何人。凡是你希望上帝用你來傳講他的話，得用禱告來求討上帝的信息。咱要知道，會講預言的人、的確勤讀聖經、也用多多時間來祈禱。求上帝幫助咱，意愛來讀聖經，也開始撥出時間來祈禱，然後咱就會發現：除了得到上帝來的信息以外，咱更愛有能力來分別所領受的是不是出自上帝、甚麼是上帝的時間、隔上帝要我們做什麼？

Even though someone might feel they have a message from God, they may worry about what they are going to say. Will it be the right thing at the right time? Will I mix up my words? What if they take it the wrong way? These are not uncommon concerns. Even the Old Testament prophets worried about these questions. Take Jeremiah for instance. In Jeremiah 1:3-10 we read,

“The LORD said to me, “Before I formed you in your mother’s womb I chose you. Before you were born I set you apart. I appointed you to be a prophet to the nations.” I answered, “Oh, Lord GOD, I really do not know how to speak well enough for that, for I am too young.” The LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ But go to whomever I send you and say whatever I tell you. Do not be afraid of those to whom I send you, for I will be with you to protect you,” says the LORD. Then the LORD reached out his hand and touched my mouth and said to me, “I will most assuredly give you the words you are to speak for me. Know for certain that I hereby give you the authority to announce to nations and kingdoms that they will be uprooted and torn down, destroyed and demolished, rebuilt and firmly planted.”

We can see that Jeremiah thought he did not have the right qualifications to be a prophet. But the Lord assures Jeremiah He will take care of him. In fact the Lord promises He will protect Jeremiah and give him the words to say. The Lord gives Jeremiah the authority to announce the message He has given Jeremiah. Jeremiah would be preaching to the Israelites who are in exile they will be restored as a nation. Jeremiah could speak this because he was listening and obeying the Lord who is his protector and voice.

雖然咱有時領受到從上帝來的言語，咱可能會煩惱要怎樣傳講上帝的話；何時好趟來傳講上帝的話？會不會講不清楚？別人會不會誤會上帝的意思？這些都是時常遇到的煩惱，舊約裡面的先知也時常煩惱這些問題。咱這時來看耶利米第一章第4-9節：”唸”

耶利米想說伊不夠額來做先知，總是上帝保證會照顧伊；上帝的確應允會保護耶利米，也給伊知所當講的話。上帝也給耶利米權柄堂宣揚上帝的信息，耶利米教釋受抓去巴比倫的以色列人因的國家ㄟ得到復興。耶利米堂講這些話，因為伊遵探上帝，就是伊的保護者跟教釋伊講話的。

So where does this leave us today? When thinking of the gift of prophecy I believe it is important to remember that the Lord still speaks today to the church. If He is still speaking to the church then why not through prophesy? We shouldn’t think of prophecy as a mystical realm of only dream interpretation and telling the future. Certainly the Lord used prophets to do both, but only for the sake of turning people to Him. Prophecy can be as simple as hearing a word from the Lord and speaking it to a friend. In this process both the person receiving the word and the friend are built up in the Lord.

咱在一次來看今天的信息。當思想講先知的話這個恩賜的時，咱要記得上帝今天猶完對教會講話。若上帝猶完對教會講話，當然會透過講預言。預言的目的不是秘密、解釋夢、抑是講未來的事情。當然上帝通過先知來做這些事情，伊的目的是要讓咱堂回轉向上帝。先知的話語可以真簡單，親像對上帝領受一句話、然後講給一個朋友聽；通過這樣，兩個人都領受到上帝的話、對上帝來得到利益。

Do not confuse prophesying with what the world has to offer. Fortune telling is the best thing the devil could come up with to imitate God’s gift of prophecy. You see, God creates; the devil imitates. You will find, and are inviting, demonic activity when you participate in fortune telling, palm reading, tarot cards, or ouija boards. In these practices, someone looks into a crystal ball or hears words from some spirit that reveals the future. What you don’t realize is that you are inviting that person to speak those very things into your life. It is dangerous, it is unclean and it is to be avoided. While prophecy can have a future oriented purpose at times, is not some kind of mystical, psychic or demonic force. To prophesy is to point to Christ, His specific work in our hearts, His care and concern for us, and His desire that we know Him not just by the words we read in Scripture but also by having a real, living, growing relationship. It is exciting to know that God still speaks to us today.

千萬不要把講先知的話這個恩賜、跟世俗的相命當作一樣。因為相命是出自撒旦。你看，上帝創造，撒旦就偷學、偷copy。撒旦想要偷學上帝所賞賜的恩賜，就是做先知。撒旦變東變怪，結果就是變出相命。凡是參予相命、看手紋、用紙牌算命等等，就是跟撒旦相交陪；相命的人看水晶球、抑是聽魔鬼來說未來的事情。咱要警醒，因為這樣做就是開大門讓相命的人將撒旦的話講入你的性命。這樣很危險、不是聖潔，所以咱基督徒不湯這樣做。總是先知的懺語不同款、不是秘密、魔鬼的勢力。講先知的話是出自耶穌基督；出自伊對咱的心靈的旨意，出自耶穌關心咱照顧咱，也是出自伊希望跟咱的關係是ㄧ個又真又活的關係，超過咱對聖經所讀到的。所以，上帝到今的確猶完對咱講話。

Prophecy does not need to be as grand a message as Jeremiah’s, which deals with the tearing down and building of world governments. Prophecy can happen right here and right now, among us. The Lord could lay on someone’s heart a message He wants conveyed during this service. I am not saying the Lord will lead someone to interrupt a song or the sermon to relay that message. But, there are things to consider if you feel the Lord has given a word for the body. First, they must discern if it is a message from the Lord, or if it’s merely something they want to say or if they are just seeking attention. Just because something pops in your mind does not mean it is a message from the Lord. If we have a word we think we need to share but it does not align with Scripture, if it does not reflect the Lord’s nature and character, then we need to reconsider the message. However, if the message is from the Lord, it will be warmly received by those who hear it. Second, the person needs to ask if this is the right time to speak the message. Maybe the message needs to be shared, but in a more private or appropriate context. Maybe the Lord is revealing something to you in order for you to spend time praying about it. I encourage you that if you feel like the Lord is laying a word on your heart for this body that you first approach Pastor Li or one of the elders for them to discern if (a) that word is from the Lord and (b) that this is the right time and place to share it. So, when we pray for the Lord to give us a word, we should pray just as much for discernment and for the discernment of our leaders.

先知耶利米的言語，可以毀壞跟建立萬國，總是講先知的話不的確就要向耶利米的預言那樣大才算。在咱的中間，這個時候，這個所在，也可以講先知的話。在咱的禮拜中，上帝就堂將伊的話來感動某某人，透過伊來講出來。我不是說上帝得用這個方式來宣講伊的話，總是你若有感覺上帝要用這種方式對會眾說話，咱就要考慮。第一、咱要分別這個話是不是真正出於上帝，抑是講的人只是要引起別人注意？因為咱心裡所有的念頭，不攏出於上帝。若是咱有感動要分享，總是跟聖經的教釋不同、抑是跟上帝的性情不同款，就咱要好好參詳這個話是否真的出自上帝。若是出自上帝的話語，聽到的人會感到真溫暖。第二、咱就要自問現在是不是分享這句話的好時陣？有時陣上帝的話語需要在私底下來分享，有時陣上帝給伊的話啟示咱，是為了要我們為這件事來祈禱。我鼓勵你們，凡是你們有感動來給大家分享對上帝領受的話，可以跟牧師抑是長老參詳，分辨這是不是出自上帝、何時何地來分享。當咱向上帝禱告、求上帝對咱講話時，咱也需要祈禱咱自己跟牧長有分辨的能力。

Something to consider next time you have a stirring in your heart is that the Lord may be speaking in a still small whisper. See 1 Kings 19:11-12, “The LORD said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the LORD. Look, the LORD is ready to pass by.” A very powerful wind went before the LORD, digging into the mountain and causing landslides, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the windstorm there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake, there was a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. After the fire, there was a soft whisper.”

咱也要知道上帝會用至微小的聲音來對咱講話。列王記上19章11-12節說：”唸”

The Lord does not need to use an earth shattering revelation to speak to and through us. Sometimes, He uses a soft, gentle whisper. As you spend time with the Lord, reading Scripture, meditating on it, and praying, ask Him to speak to you. Ask Him to help you understand His mysteries. Our God is a great, powerful and mysterious God. His ways are higher than our ways, His thoughts higher than our thoughts. You may not understand speaking in tongues or prophesying or what role it has in your life, so ask Him. He says that we are to seek His gifts. But more than His gifts, we are to seek His face. We are to know Him and make Him known to others. If a spiritual gift is ever held in higher esteem than knowing God, then we have missed the mark. May He continue to reveal Himself to us, may He give us more understanding of His ways, and may our love for Him, and each other, grow stronger every day.

上帝不用轟動武林、驚動萬教的啟示來對咱講話、抑是透過咱講話。上帝時常用至微小的聲音來對咱講話。當你撥出時間跟上帝相與齊在、讀聖經、思考伊的話、祈禱的時，得求上帝對你來講話。求上帝幫助你來了解伊的奧秘。咱的上帝是至大、有權能、隔奧妙的上帝。伊的道路卡高過咱的道路、伊的旨意卡高過咱的旨意。你得將所不了解的講音語、講先知的話、抑是你的性命的意義來求問上帝，因為伊曾講咱堂求討上帝的恩賜。除了以外，咱也求要朝覲上帝的面。咱認識上帝、也要給別人認識伊。認識上帝比追求屬靈的恩賜格更重要，若不是這樣，咱就沒選擇尚好的。懇求上帝將伊自己開拆給咱來認識伊，讓咱格更知道伊的道路，讓咱堂來疼伊、也互相相疼，日日加添。