Despise Not Prophesyings

Driving home: And whenever you have one without the other, you've got something less than Biblical Christianity.

The Holy Spirit's activity in the assembled people of God is likened to fire breaking out in different manifestations, which should not be quenched.

Commands which deal primarily with the life of God's people as they are God's people. They are gathered for worship and for instruction in the truth of God. Last week we studied that command, quench not the Spirit, which applies not primarily to the individual believer and his own walk, which should be a walk in which he gives proper place and due respect to the ministry of the Spirit, but which refers primarily to the Spirit's activity in the midst of the assembled, the people of God, likened under the figure of fire that will break out

2:24 - 3:06 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And whenever you have one without the other, you've got something less than Biblical Christianity.

Maintaining the balance between 'quench not the Spirit' and 'despise not prophesying' is compared to the difficulty of maintaining balance in other areas of truth, highlighting the tendency to err on one side or the other.

And whenever you have one without the other, you've got something less than Biblical Christianity. And as with so many things, as we've pointed out many times from this pulpit, maintaining the balance of truth is such a difficult thing. There are those that would say, despise not prophesying. Give proper place, to the exposition and application of the word of God.

4:42 - 5:07 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Drawing heavily from 1 Corinthians 14, Martin defines prophecy as an intelligible communication of divine truth, authored by the Holy Spirit, with the dual goal of edifying…

An unbeliever, accustomed to ornate temple worship, enters a simple Christian assembly. Through intelligible prophecy, his heart is exposed, he is convicted, converted, and worships God, declaring God's presence. This illustrates prophecy's goal for unbelievers.

Here's this intelligible communication of divine truth given by the Spirit of God which has as its goal the building up of believers. But it has a second goal, chapter 14, verses 24 and 25. But if all prophesy, and there come in one unbelieving or unlearned, he is reproved by all, he is judged by all, the secrets of his heart are made manifest, and so he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed. Here's this unbeliever who says,

10:40 - 11:23 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin explores several reasons why people despise prophesying: a lack of perception regarding truth's strategic role in spiritual life, a weariness of 'words' (liberalism), a…

A person with no concept of nutrition, despite exposure to a balanced diet, lives on candy bars and coke. This illustrates how a lack of perception regarding truth's strategic place in spiritual life leads to despising the exposition of truth.

It's like the person who having no concept of nutrition, though he has experience in the spiritual world, has no idea of what is going on in the spiritual world. It's like the person who having no concept of nutrition though he has exposure to a well-balanced diet, lives on candy bars and coke. And you say, why do you live on that? Well, it satisfies my hunger.

18:50 - 19:13 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin explores several reasons why people despise prophesying: a lack of perception regarding truth's strategic role in spiritual life, a weariness of 'words' (liberalism), a…

The Corinthians despised prophesying because tongues seemed flashier and more exciting, failing to see the strategic place of intelligible truth for edification. This serves as a historical example of despising prophecy.

This applies both to the saved and to the unsaved. Now at Corinth, their problem was prophesying looked kind of dull next to tongues. Oh man, this tongues business, this caused great excitement. And so they got all taken up with tongues and Paul says, wait a minute, he says, when you come together and you're all exercising your gift of tongues, he does not discount the gift.

20:07 - 20:31 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin explores several reasons why people despise prophesying: a lack of perception regarding truth's strategic role in spiritual life, a weariness of 'words' (liberalism), a…

Liberalism's rejection of 'words' (the gospel) in favor of social action ('rolling up sleeves and getting busy') is presented as a modern example of despising prophesying.

So they began to despise prophesying because they didn't see the strategic place of the intelligible exposition and application of divine truth. See? Now this has happened today to an alarming and tragic degree. Out here you have liberalism that says we're tired of words, words, words, words, words.

20:53 - 21:17 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin explores several reasons why people despise prophesying: a lack of perception regarding truth's strategic role in spiritual life, a weariness of 'words' (liberalism), a…

Liturgical churches, with their emphasis on aesthetic beauty and ritual (like the Mass), are presented as an example where people despise prophesying because they are 'taken up with the sensual fleshiness and the mushy aspects of formal liturgical worship.'

I'm not going to talk about the religious principle. It's not something foreign to us. It's what I would call the problem of formalism. Everything's in the beauty of the liturgy.

22:08 - 22:22 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin explores several reasons why people despise prophesying: a lack of perception regarding truth's strategic role in spiritual life, a weariness of 'words' (liberalism), a…

The New Testament church is likened to the synagogue (focused on exposition) rather than the temple (focused on ritual). When life leaves the church, it tends to revert to temple-like formalism, despising prophecy.

Because they're all taken up with the sensual fleshiness and the mushy aspects of formal liturgical worship. It's interesting that the New Testament church is not an extension of Old Testament temple worship. But it's rather an extension of synagogue life. You see, the temple was taken up with formal ritual.

23:07 - 23:33 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin explores several reasons why people despise prophesying: a lack of perception regarding truth's strategic role in spiritual life, a weariness of 'words' (liberalism), a…

A Pentecostal man admitted to Martin that Pentecostals 'haven't produced Bible preachers' because in their zeal for the Spirit, they haven't seen the Spirit's ministry is directed by the Word. This illustrates how an overemphasis on the Spirit can lead to despising prophecy.

But I ask, how do I know what is His Spirit and not some other Spirit? I had a Pentecostal study two weeks ago when I was holding meetings over here in Bloomfield. I came for special meetings one night and at the end of the message he came and said, oh, it was so good to hear some Bible preaching. He says, you know, we Pentecostals, we haven't produced Bible preachers.

25:05 - 25:28 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin explores several reasons why people despise prophesying: a lack of perception regarding truth's strategic role in spiritual life, a weariness of 'words' (liberalism), a…

Martin recounts occasionally visiting an Assemblies of God church in Lancaster due to weariness with the lack of spontaneity in his own church, noting their understanding of 'quench not the Spirit' and their ability to channel the Spirit's fire through the Word.

They've not seen that the Spirit's ministry is directed by and fed by the Word. The Spirit and the Word are different. And they know much about the spontaneity of the Spirit, some of the more stable Pentecostal assemblies than we know. In fact, I'll really stick myself out on a limb and tell you that once in a while I got so weary, weary, of the heaviness and the lack of spontaneity in the church we attended in Lancaster some years ago.

25:36 - 26:03 Read in full sermon

Driving home: And yet in evangelical circles today there is this despising of prophesying, this intelligible exposition and application of the Word of Truth in some desire to have some mystical experience of Jesus that has no doctrina…

Groups that say 'we just want to see Jesus, don't teach us doctrine' are presented as despising prophesying, as any understanding of Jesus inherently involves doctrine.

But in most Pentecostal situations this is not true. Then there is on the other hand the mysticism and subjectivism of groups that say, no, we just want to see Jesus. Don't teach us doctrine. Like the note I received that said, we would see Jesus.

26:49 - 27:05 Read in full sermon

The point: If you don't see the centrality of Spirit-owned exposition and application of the word for edification and conversion, you will despise prophesying.

The practice of 'putting on a show' in churches, with 'musical packages' and limited preaching time, is labeled 'carnivalism' and presented as a way of despising prophesying.

It's impossible. And then there is also in our evangelical circles what I would call the doctrine of God. It's called carnivalism. We've got to put on a show.

27:40 - 27:52 Read in full sermon

The point: If you don't see the centrality of Spirit-owned exposition and application of the word for edification and conversion, you will despise prophesying.

Martin describes his practice of asking prospective hosts if they will 'clutter up the hour with all kinds of extraneous stuff' or give him 'at least a good hour to open up the word and apply it,' refusing engagements that despise prophesying through carnivalism.

Carnivalism. It despises prophesying. I don't do it anymore. People say, will you come here to preach?

28:16 - 28:23 Read in full sermon

The point: If you don't see the centrality of Spirit-owned exposition and application of the word for edification and conversion, you will despise prophesying.

Just as the body needs to expel poisons to get better, the child of God needs the 'purging influence of the word' (a cathartic) for spiritual growth. This illustrates why prophecy's exposure is necessary but often resisted.

To the sinner it says, he comes into your midst and if all prophesy, the thoughts of his heart will be exposed. John says, men love darkness rather than light. True prophesying exposes. You see, for a Christian to be built up, just like physically, you've got to get rid of the poisons in your system.

29:50 - 30:17 Read in full sermon

The point: A sinner who is dead in earnest will not despise prophesying but will attend seriously to the word.

Despising prophecy due to prejudice against the instrument is likened to disliking the sound or color of the trumpet God is blowing, rather than the message itself.

I don't like the sound of the trumpet that the Lord's blowing. Or I don't like its color. It's brass and I'd like it silver. You know, the Lord talked about the people of his own generation.

32:38 - 32:52 Read in full sermon

The point: A sinner who is dead in earnest will not despise prophesying but will attend seriously to the word.

Jesus' parable of children in the marketplace, who wouldn't play funeral or wedding, is paraphrased to illustrate how people of His generation despised both John the Baptist's somber prophecy and Jesus' more accessible ministry due to prejudice against the messenger.

He said, that's why they despise prophesying. John the Baptist came prophesying, they wouldn't listen. Jesus came prophesying, they wouldn't listen. He said, you know what you people are like?

32:52 - 33:03 Read in full sermon

The point: Failing to be present when the word is preached is despising prophesying and robbing yourself of spiritual health.

A child consistently absenting himself from meals prepared by his mother is despising her cooking. This illustrates how failing to be present where the Word is preached is despising prophesying.

One is the failure to be present where the word is preached. Here's a mother who prepares three adequate meals for her children and for no good reason one of her children consistently absence himself from one or two of those meals. What is that child saying to the mother? What you have prepared is not of sufficient worth for me to be present to assimilate it for despising the mother's cooking.

35:57 - 36:30 Read in full sermon

The point: Discipline your time and rest on Saturday night and Sunday morning to bring a fresh mind, alert body, and quiet spirit to prophesying.

Coming to church unrested and mentally unprepared is likened to a boxer who is standing but 'out on his feet,' unable to engage. This illustrates how a lack of preparation despises prophesying.

And many times it's confirmed. That glassy-eyed stare begins to greet me halfway through Sunday school and by this hour, that's it. You're long gone. You're like the fighter who's standing up in the ring but the referee looks at him and puts his arm around the other fellow and raises his hand.

38:55 - 39:13 Read in full sermon

The point: Discipline your time and rest on Saturday night and Sunday morning to bring a fresh mind, alert body, and quiet spirit to prophesying.

Some people listen to preaching not as students with a teachable spirit, but as judges, only accepting what fits their preconceived notions. This illustrates a wrong attitude that despises prophesying.

Someone has said, they who hear with prejudice will never hear with profit regardless of who is preaching. There's some people that every time I preach I never get the feeling they've ever really come with a teachable mind. They're sitting there not as a student but as a judge.

40:36 - 40:53 Read in full sermon

The point: Come with a teachable spirit, receiving the word with readiness of mind, rather than as a judge.

Martin recounts a Wednesday night prayer where an individual gave a digest of all the previous Sunday's messages, demonstrating a truly teachable and receptive spirit, contrasting with those who remember nothing.

In contrast to that, there was someone who prayed here Wednesday night and I couldn't believe it. In a little prayer of three minutes they gave a digest of last Sunday's messages Sunday school, Sunday morning, Sunday night and I sat there amazed. I said, Lord, what in the world would happen if we had a church full of people like that? This individual wasn't doing it to throw accolades at me.

41:39 - 41:59 Read in full sermon

The point: Do not despise prophesying by refusing to think diligently with the preacher.

The desire to 'feel good without thinking hard' is compared to the LSD cult's pursuit of insight without 'painstaking observation and analysis and grappling with things as they are,' illustrating mental laziness that despises prophesying.

Well, you carry that to extreme and that's the LSD cult. Let's find answers. Not by painstaking observation and analysis and grappling with things as they are. But take a cue and take a trip and get some insight.

43:35 - 43:51 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Whosoever turns away from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination.

Just as a woman is insulted when guests don't come to her prepared meal, the Lord is insulted when His prophetic ministry (preaching) is regarded lightly.

The impoverishment of our own souls. If the intelligible communication of divine truth in the power of the Spirit is the main instrument of our edification and we regard it lightly, we do so to the impoverishment of our own souls. Secondly, we do so to the insulting of our Lord Himself. Just like the woman is insulted whose guests do not come to her prepared meal, so the Lord Himself is insulted when He has ordained to speak to us through the prophetic ministry.

44:35 - 45:10 Read in full sermon

Driving home: Whosoever turns away from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination.

A child who insists on speaking before listening to a parent is 'brattish.' This illustrates the impudence of expecting God to hear our prayers when we refuse to listen to His Word.

What right do I have to think God will hear me when I speak if I won't sit and listen when He speaks? That's pretty impudent, isn't it? It's like the child who's got something to say and the parent says, Now wait a minute, I want to say a few things first and he says, No, no, no, no. What he has to say is more important.

45:45 - 46:01 Read in full sermon

Driving home: I believe that the present state of the evangelical church is in part God's judgment upon our despising of prophesying.

God's judgment on a nation that despises prophesying is a 'famine of hearing the word of the Lord,' where people seek but cannot find it. This illustrates the ultimate consequence of despising prophecy.

Amos 8 and verse 11, God says to a nation that despise prophesying and despise prophesying a famine's coming, not a famine of bread, but of hearing the word of the Lord. And God says, You'll run to and fro to find the word of the Lord and you won't find it. Beloved, listen. I believe that the present state of the evangelical church is in part God's judgment upon our despising of prophesying.

47:52 - 48:15 Read in full sermon

Driving home: I believe that the present state of the evangelical church is in part God's judgment upon our despising of prophesying.

Martin describes his 'spiritual fainting fits' while working in the church building, wondering if the truth will still ring from its walls in 50 years or if God will have judged a people who despised prophesying. This conveys the gravity of the warning.

And that's a frightening thing. A frightening thing. Oh, may we never despise it so that God takes it away from us. I tell you, I have some spiritual fainting fits at times as I work on my work.

48:48 - 49:00 Read in full sermon