Overview: This week\u2019s readings deal with the interesting subject of peaking in tongues. The new Christians of that day, as well as many Christians today, wanted to speak in tongues to prove they were filled with the Spirit. This idea apparently came from the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2) when Peter and the other apostles spoke in tongues. That day was the first outpouring of the Holy Spirit on believers. If you look back to Acts 2 though, you find that these \u201ctongues\u201d were given so that all the people in Jerusalem that day could hear the gospel message in their own language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From these chapters in 1 Corinthians we learn that the early Christians were putting the wrong emphasis on speaking in tongues. This also happens today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We notice that the early Christians had about as much trouble getting along with each other in the church as we do today. But nowhere in the New Testament does this difficulty suggest that we should abandon the idea of meeting together as believers. In face, all of our reading reinforces the importance of meeting as a local body of believers and encouraging each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. Which Christians were given spiritual gifts and why?
2. Why is Paul talking about parts of the body?
3. What is one spiritual gift you connect with?<\/p>\n\n\n