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I know that's early but even in my notes I put early but worth it so 6 30 a.m it's early but it's very much worth it so if you could turn with me if you have your Bibles to Psalm 125 for our call to worship psalm 125. a song of a sense those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion which cannot be moved but abides forever as the mountains surround Jerusalem so the Lord surrounds its people from this time forth and forever for the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous lest the righteous reach out their hands to iniquity do good O Lord to those who are good and to those who are upright in their hearts as for such as turn aside to their crooked ways the Lord shall lead them away with the workers of iniquity peace be upon Israel amen okay in our hymn books if you could turn to him 100 selection B uh and if you could stand and sing with me that's him 100b [Music] Christmas is [Music] foreign you are the same eyes what's wrong with your eyes All Stars [Music] may be seated so we'll turn to our Lord in prayer but I thought I thought I would read apart from A Hymn this morning it kind of struck me as something good a good little meditation before our prayer and it's from him 154. oh Spirit fill our hearts this day with Grace to hear and Grace to pray and I know we've heard that before but I thought irrelevant because in uh uh in our brother Porter's message he reminded us this morning that not only preaching and is a spirit wrought exercise but also hearing so as we pray I just hope we can remember we also need the grace to hear the words of the Lord to penetrate our inner being and also affect change upon us and so to that end let us pray our great God and Heavenly Father we come before you this day thankful thankful that you have given us a day of rest a day where we can come into this place and we can set our mind on on you we can come out of the world and our worldly Endeavor that so easily entraps US Weekly and we can be reminded Lord God that you are our Sovereign King you are glorious You Are Holy and above all else you are worthy to be raised and at this day we seek to praise you in spirit and in truth Lord God we know you are a holy God and we we know that you will be treated we ask that you might be pleased with our worship Lord God we come here and we acknowledge that we are sinful and wretched people and it is only by your work that we can come into your presence we thank you for the mediator we thank you for access to you through Christ Jesus and Lord God we ask we ask that you might equip the preacher to to speak spirit and Truth to ours to us and that we might hear we might be diligent hearers to receive your truth Lord God we thank you for those in our midst to to preach to us to lead over us and we thank you for them we just ask that you continually equip them for the ministry that you have given them we thank you for pastor Butler we thank you that his faithfulness is a sign of your faithfulness that your your faithful to keep us and to preserve us we thank you for that we ask for your continual Grace in this regard we also thank you for those who preach that we're in association with for pastor maljar for pastor Kirkpatrick for those in Dryden and all the way even on Honduras with our our brother Curry we just thank you for these men we ask you to continually upkeep them to give them the grace is needed to help encourage the Saints and we thank you for them as well we thank you Lord God that you are able to raise up men among us to lead us and to continually encourage us to build us up in in the truth Lord God we ask that all over this nation you you raise up men that can preach your truth unashamed and more God we we look at our lands we look at our Nations and and we are drawn to the wickedness and perversion that that our leaders the direction that they're taking us and and we mourn for that we ask that you give us leaders that you uh that you spiritually change the direction that they are taking us that they might lead us in righteousness they might lead us in truth that we might no longer be so Brazen to think that man would have the power of life in his hand to take it as he Wills to the infirm to those the UN yet you're not yet born to those handicapped or ill Lord God we look at this and it is a terrible thing we ask to give us leadership to change to change our culture of death and change it into Marvelous Light and Truth and Lord God I just thank you for this church I thank you for all those present here I thank you that you have brought us together and that we have a wonderful place to worship boy is it sweet to have Fellowship of the Saints Lord God we thank you for this Grace as well we ask that you might be with those in our congregation that are ill either chronically or at this time Lord God you are the great physician and we ask that even in these trials that you might you might reap the spirit of Joy within them that they might know Lord God ultimately with all the trials and temptations that we face in this that our Heavenly hope is sure that you have overcome the world and this brings us great peace we pray that you might continue with us in our worship Lord God and may you be glorified in what we do here I pray in Christ's name amen all right so the next hymn and if you don't mind standing again will be him four six zero 460 and stand if you are able thank you [Music] please [Music] all right now let's see this summer good night [Music] foreign [Music] sit I guess I'm very much reminded how beautiful it is to be in a church that sings boy you can really hear it up here okay we're continuing our scripture reading of the Old Testament we find ourselves in Deuteronomy number seven we'll read the whole chapter seven okay when the Lord God brings you into the land which you go to possess and has cast out many nations before you the Hittites and the gergisites and memorites and Canaanites and the parasites and the hivites and the jebusites Seven Nations greater and mightier than you you you shall conquer them and utterly destroy them you shall make no Covenant that nor show Mercy to them or shall you make marriages with them you shall not give your daughter to their son nor take their daughter for your son for they will turn your sons away from following me to serve other gods the Lord will be aroused against you and destroy you suddenly but thus you shall deal with you shall destroy their altars and break down their sacred pillars and cut down their wooden images and burn their carved images with fire you are a holy people to the Lord your God the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for himself a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the Earth Lord did not set his love on you nor choose you because you were more numbered than any other people and redeem you from the house and the judgments chooser then it shall come to pass because you listen to please judgments the increase laugh s I'll be blessed Above All Peoples there shall not be a male or female burden among you or among your lawns and the Lord will take away from you all sickness and will afflict you with none of the terrible diseases of Egypt which you have known but will lay them all to lay them on all those who hate you also you shall destroy all the peoples from the Lord your God delivers over to you your eyes shall have no pity on them nor shall you serve their gods for thou will be a scenario if you should say in your heart these nations are greater than I how can I dispossess them you shall not be afraid of them but you shall remember well what the Lord your God did prepare into all Egypt the great trials which Europe I saw the signs and the Wonders the Mighty Man and the outstand by which the Lord your God so shall the wonder God due to among among them until those who are alive Who hide themselves from you are destroyed you shall not be terrified of them for the Lord of God the great loss of God is among you and the Lord of God will drive out those Nations before you little by little you will be unable to destroy them at once unless the beasts of the field that the Lord your God will deliver them over to you and will inflict defeat upon them until they are destroyed and he will deliver their case into your hand and you can join their name from under heaven no one shall be able to stand against you until you have to score again you shall burn the carved images of their dog with fire you shall not lest It Be snared by it for it is an Abomination to the Lord of God nor shall you break an Abomination into your house lest will be due to destruction like it you shall utterly detest it entirely Immortal it for it is an accursive thing amen Lord God again to come before you thankful thankful for the word brought down from us thankful in all ways that I will condescended to us and have met us where we in our understanding and encourage us as we go through the weekend I praise until the final M will be 219. please [Music] praise [Music] embrace yes foreign [Music] I'll give us something very soon Mercedes realize through the Stars [Music] everybody foreign in your Bibles with me again if you were here this morning to Acts chapter 2. in particular it may be primarily focusing on songs as we see that In this passage but also prophecy and words of knowledge I'm going to read two texts this evening one is Acts 2 1-21 and then First Corinthians 13 8-13 so this is once again word of God first the reading from Acts 2 beginning at verse one when the day of Pentecost has full they were all with one Accord in one place and suddenly there came a sound from Heaven as of a rushing Mighty Wind and it filled the whole house where they were sitting then there appeared to them divided tongues as a fighter and one sat upon each of them and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues as the spirit gave them utterance and there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews devout men from every nation under heaven and when this sound occurred the multitude came together and were confused because everyone heard them speaking a speech in their own language then they were all amazed and marbled saying to one another look are not all these who speak galileans and how is it that we hear each in our own language in which we were born parthians and needs and elamites those dwelling in Mesopotamia Judea Cappadocia pontus and Asia phrygia and pamphilia Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Serene visitors from Rome both Jews and proselytes cretans and arrows we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God so they were all amazed and perplexed saying to one another whatever could this mean others walks others mocking said they are full of new wine but Peter standing up with the eleven raised his voice and said to them men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem let this be known to you and heed my words for these are not drunk as you suppose since it is only the third hour of the day but this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel and on my the men's servants and on my main servants I will pour out my spirit in those days and they shall prophesy I will show wonders of Heaven above and signs in the earth beneath blood and fire and Vapor of smoke the sun shall be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord and it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved and now if you'll turn with me to First Corinthians 13 First Corinthians 13 beginning in verse 8 this wonderful chapter speaking with respect to love continues and contains the portion of dealing with the cessation that is in the end of the ceasing of it so the temporary nature of tongues prophecy and knowledge first Corinthians 13 beginning at verse 8 Love Never Fails but whether there are prophecies they will fail whether there are tongues they will cease whether there is knowledge it will vanish away for we know in part and we prophesied in part but when that which is perfect has come then that which is in part will be done away when I was a child I spoke as a child I understood as a child my I thought as a child but when I became a man I put away childish things for now we see in a mirror of dimly but then face to face now I know in part but then I shall know just as I also am known and now Abby faith hope love these three but the greatest of these is love amen let us pray God we rejoice it again in this opportunity a second time when your Lord's day to gather for worship we pray that you will once again bless us in worship we pray for the ministry of the Holy Spirit as was prayed earlier mentioned earlier not only for the preacher but also for the hearer that we might that Lord God honor you and glorify you in this act of worship and we do pray for your help from on high that we make glory in your truth that we might rejoice in Father Son and Holy Spirit and rest upon the glories of Jesus Christ at his perfect work and we pray in his name amen what we have in Acts chapter 2 much going on we noted this morning some things with regards to the blessings of the ascended Christ as the Apostle Peter brings forth uh the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ the proclamation of the Lord Jesus Christ and then we have a narrative of those things that obtained by virtue of the preaching of Christ and the spirit of the Living God and we back up now to proportion that led up to the uh the text that we read this morning and here we see the pouring out of the spirit that the blessing of the spirit or the ministry of the spirit in the giving of other tongues to speak to particular men gathered at Jerusalem for the celebration of Pentecost and as this particular instance has its confinement within a particular place in Redemptive history it's a good place to to come and to examine what the Bible says with regards to the temporary nature and now then the ceasing of the revelatory gifts those being summed up in First Corinthians 13 as tongues prophecy and words of knowledge and we want to focus perhaps primarily on tongues but as I say those things you can also attached to that prophecy and knowledge and what we're talking about is revelatory gifts so we're talking about God who at a time in history and time in history blessed particular recipients of the holy spirit with that spirit with direct Revelation that they might convey the uh the truth concerning Christ to particular audiences and that before the completion of the New Testament Canon which supplants the revelatory gifts previously given so we're going to do two things this evening first look at tongues in the Bible and then secondly the biblical witness to the cessation or the end or the ceasing of tongues so first off tongues in the Bible we want to know first off under this head that tongues were actual discernible languages understood by those to whom the words were spoken and we say that because in our modern Christian landscape there are those that Define tongues or demonstrate tongues as different than what I just said that is they believe it to be a particular unrecognizable Holy Spirit language known only to the person who is speaking those particular tongues and we want to know that they are actual discernible languages understood by those to whom the words were spoken notice the language that we have beginning at verse 6 in Acts chapter 2 and when this sound occurred that is this this whole uh captured instance of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the speaking of tongues when this sound occurred the multitude came together and we're confused because everyone heard them speak in his own language and they were all amazed in marbled saying to one another look are not all these who speak galileans and now are speaking in our own particular language and then later on we see we see in a little bit of a preview of what is coming notice the purpose of the giving of tongues inverse inverse 11. we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God so tongues in the Bible temporary as they were were given and given in such a manner that those who were receiving the tongues those who were speaking the tongues were given this revelatory power from our mind to speak in another language the wonderful works of God and those who were receiving this particular Proclamation were able to understand simply it's given these tongues were given in this context because we have at the celebration of Pentecost in Jerusalem as the text says all of these people coming from different areas of Asia Minor in the surrounding area they're they're coming by pilgrimage for this celebration in Jerusalem for the the recognition and celebration of the day of Pentecost and so they not speaking the native language they coming into for this celebration in Jerusalem the apostles were empowered from come on high to speak to them in their languages because what an opportune time for the glory of the Gospel to go forth in a punctuated manner at this particular time in history again 50 days after the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ 50 days after the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and all of these hundreds of people are gathered together in Jerusalem is it Divine Providence worries that at this time it's not only jerusalemites that are gathered together but it is people from every nation under Heaven gathered together in Jerusalem so these Apostles are powered from on high to speak in other languages the wonderful works of God that is simply the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ so actual discernible language was spoken for a particular Divine Purpose Gentry notes tongues for foreign human languages spoken under a miraculous movement of the holy spirit so they were actual spoken languages as well there is an obvious coherency to the languages being spoken you can turn with me to First Corinthians 14. First Corinthians 14 it is not unrecognizable Holy Ghost language it is not some sort of angelic or Heavenly language unrecognizable but rather recognizable tongues and it is not a moment of ecstasy on the part of the recipient of the revelatory gift but a point and a a point and a moment of sobriety as a recipient of divine revelation is clearly receiving and then communicating things with respect uh with respect to the Lord Jesus Christ so in First Corinthians 14 notice at verse 10. there are it may be so many kinds of languages in the world and none of them is without significance therefore if I do not know the meaning of the language I shall be a foreigner to him whose peace and he who speaks will be a foreigner to me even so you since you are zealous for the spiritual gifts let it be for the edification of the church that you seek to excel so we have the fact that they are actual languages and that they are coherent in their giving and this comes as a stark contrast to and again want to love everyone together and we need to we need to navigate the landscape of this topic with gracefulness with a neatness here because we have our you know brothers and sisters according to the according to Grace and also perhaps some of our brothers and sisters according to the Flesh in certain contexts where they believe in the abiding validity and reality of tongues broad knowledge so we don't want to beat them up with the truth but it's good to know the truth that we might encourage our brothers and sisters to adhere to that biblical and abiding Protestant reality of Sola scriptura that the completion of the scripture scriptures we have all that is needed for Revelation there is no ongoing need or abiding need for Revelation from on high because we have it given to win some scriptures and so we want to note then the contrast between much of what we see in modern Christianity where tongue speaking is ecstatic and it's marked by frenzied response amongst the congregation there is a remarkable remarkable similarity to bailism and to paganism on the part of those uh much of what goes on in those circles in modern Christianity with regards to ecstatic or frenzy tongue-speaking things that are not recognizable to anyone in the congregation in fact just a few examples from history from a particular study win them on a worshiper of the Egyptian god Amon reported to have been overcome by the god in a frenzy of religious emotion and spoke in some ecstatic language where Plato records religious ecstatics Rapture is Delight overwhelming emotion under the control of gods who spoke in an unknown language Apollo and Dionysus worshiper the the Oracle at Delphi perhaps you've heard of that before a python access Crystal calls her this same python s instead being a female to sit at times upon the tripod of Apollo a stride and thus the evil spirit ascending from beneath and entering the lower part of her body fills the woman with Madness and she with disheveled hair begins to form at the mouth and thus begin a frenzy to utter the words of her Madness and then lastly dancing delirium in Pagan and neo-pagan religion where they conjured the presence of the deity to enter them into so speak in unrecognizable the biblical approach or the biblical declaration and Revelation concerning tongues are that they are actual Discerning playing discernible languages spoken by those marked by sobriety and Common Sense who preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those in need secondly under tongues in the Bible we want to note the Divine Purpose or the giving of tongues so what was the Divine Purpose for the temporary giving of tongues first off they were proclamational that was a word that we used this morning the giving of tongues the Divine Purpose firstly was that tongues were proclamational that's what we see here in Acts 2 11 we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God so tongues are in the first place Proclamation tongues are secondly validation at the end of the Gospel of Mark notice what we have there with regards to the Great Commission of the Lord Jesus Christ in Mark chapter 16 uh at the end at the end of Mark chapter 16. notice what we read in the Great Commission given there later he appeared to be eleven as they sat at the table and he rebuked their unbelief and hardness of art because they did not believe those who had seen him after he had risen and he said to them go into all the world and preach the gospel to Every Creature he who believes and is baptized will be saved but he who does not believe will be condemned and these signs will follow those who believe in my name they will cast out demons they will speak with new tongues they will take up serpents and if they drink anything deadly it will by no means hurt them they will lay hands on the sick and they will recover so these Revelation or revelational gifts or spiritual gifts or gifts of the holy spirit at that time tongues prophecy knowledge signs and wonders were given they validational nature thirdly they were juridical that simply means that they were marked by the dispensation of divine Justice or the the the delivery of tongues the reality of tongues the signs of tongues signaled the the promised Covenant curse in fact if you turn with me to Deuteronomy 28 there's a link between Deuteronomy 28 and First Corinthians 14 on the subject of tongues so Deuteronomy chapter 28 on this reality that tongues temporary in their nature were juridical they signaled the promised Covenant curse notice in Deuteronomy 28 at verse 29. excuse me uh 28-49 the Lord will bring a nation against you from afar from the end of the Earth as Swift as the eagle flies a nation whose language you will not understand now turn with me to First Corinthians 14. keeping in mind that in Acts chapter 2 the citizens or the men and the men of Israel say mocking they are full of new wine not understanding the language that is given so in First Corinthians 14 notice the language there that we have at verse 21. First Corinthians 14 and verse 21. in the law it is written with men of other tongues and other lips I will speak to this people and yet for all that they will not hear me there is a connection in the context between tongues as assigned to unbelievers mind you which will be uh which we'll note shortly but as a connection between the Covenant curse and the giving of tongues in this first century context deal notes the tongues of foreigners I.E the Assyrians being heard in Israel would indicate that judgment on the nation was commencing as the foreigners were invaded to desolate the nation likewise the same judgment appears with the tongues at Pentecost though this time it indicates Israel's definite destruction together with her Temple the voices Israel hears are not those of the Assyrian soldiers preparing to destroy their land but galileans proclaiming that the establishment of a new Temple had begun so you see the connection between the Covenant curses and finally this last time where the Roman armies would come and destroy the temple marking in a punctuated manner the Advent of the New Covenant and the end of the Mosaic institutions we have tongues given at that particular time temporarily to Mark the reality of that juridical and promised Covenant curse fourthly we have the reality that the Divine Purpose of the giving of tongues are Redemptive historical you've often perhaps heard that we see in this in this Pentecostal in this Pentecostal narrative a reversal of the curse of the Tower of battle remember at that time all of those nations were cast out and dispersed and they were given different languages as as a curse for their uh as a curse for their uh temerity to try to mount up to the to the Mount of God to the position of God and so their cast out and they're dispersed and they're given other languages here we have a reverser reversal of the curse of battle men from every nation under Heaven being brought together now a rehearsal of dispersion but rather now a gathering where they're all given the gospel of God from those speaking in their own particular language United around the truth of Jesus Christ the one who reverses the curse Bill notes these cloven tongues cannot but bring to mind the division and confusion of the tongues or languages at Battle which give which gave rise to different nations and different religions but these divided tongues give rise to the spreading of the gospel and setting the True Religion among the nations of the world and you see isn't that a blessed thing that we have in Christianity is the uniting of every tribe every tongue every people and every nation under the banner of the king of kings immortal Awards a reversal of the curse a reversal of battle pronounced and announced at Pentecost by virtue of these globen tongues start notes on this particular Point very very briefly at Battle Earth proudly tried to ascend to Heaven whereas in Jerusalem Heaven humbly descended to Earth what a beautiful reversal and that that is what we have in the giving of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Advent of the Gospel Heaven humbly descending to Earth um also thirdly under tongues in the Bible we want to move along here they were Apostolic they were Apostolic in their nature turn with me the second Corinthians 12 12 and as you're turning there you'll simply note that since they are Apostolic and since the apostolic Ministry that the uh the office of the fossil ends so then too ends the revelatory gifts of Prophecy tongues and knowledge they were Apostolic what is second Corinthians 12 at verse 12 truly the science of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance in science and wonders and mighty deeds and connected to that is again the Great Commission given by Jesus Christ to the apostles that signs uh would accompany their particular Ministry Calvin notes in commenting on Mark 16 17 and connected to Second Corinthians 12 12 though Christ does not express the state whether he intends this gift to be temporary or to remain perpetually in his church yet it is more probable that Miracles were promised only for a time in order to give luster to the gospel while it was new and in a state of obscurity it is possible no doubt that the world may have been deprived of this honor through the guilt of its own ingratitude but I think that the true desire for which Miracles were appointed was that nothing which was necessary for proving the doctrine of the Gospel should be wanting at its commence and certainly we see that the use of them ceased not long afterwards for at least that instances of them were so rare as to entitle us to conclude that they could not be equally common in all ages and so they were Apostolic with the cessation of the apostolic office so too comes the cessation of the revelatory gifts fifthly that is worthy in fact they were for unbelievers one of the things that we see in the modern landscape with regards to the so-called speaking of tongues is that they are for the tongue speaker or they are for the church and oftentimes you'll see that you will you know see a preacher saying give me that Holy Ghost language and someone stands up and starts babbling and then the congregation just starts to act in a frenzy and dance around and it's such that these tongues are in essence given for the so-called edification of Believers but tongues are specifically stated as being given for unbelievers not only do we see that in Acts chapter 2 with unbelievers having come from All Nations under heaven but we see that explicitly stated in second Corinthians in First Corinthians 14 you can turn there with me first Corinthians 14 the reality that tongues are not for the tongue speaker they are not for believers but they are specifically given temporarily to Apostles in the first century and for unbelievers notice in uh excuse me First Corinthians 14 verse 21. again the language there in the law is written with men of angels and other lifts I will speak to this people and yet for all that they will not hear me therefore tongues are for a sign not to those who believe but to unbelievers but prophesying is not for unbelievers but for those who believe so we see that tongue speaking again is given for unbelievers at that particular time prior to the completion of the academic so that those outside of Christ might be given the gospel of Christ and Believe by the power of spirit and lastly under tongues in the Bible we want to observe here that they were temporary and we're going to we're going to postpone uh something of the opening up of that in until the end of the last point but notice affirmations work because the text is First Corinthians 13 8-13 and that's the text we're going to close with when we close this evening but athanasius on the temporary nature of tongues prophecy and knowledge when did Prophet Envision cease from Israel was it not when Christ came the Holy One of police it is in fact a sign of notable proof with the coming of the word that Jerusalem no longer stands neither is Prophet raised out more Vision revealed among them and it is natural that it should be so for when he that was signified had come what need was there any longer and into signify him and when the truth had come what further need was there of the Shadow on his account only they prophesied continually until such time as essential righteousness had come who was made the ransom for the sins of all and so we move now then to the biblical witness to the cessation of tongues and just as we launch into this just to open us up and to frame our minds what our confession of faith says with regards to that because our confession of Faith summarizing theologically concluding from the holy scriptures our confession of Faith argues for in states the cessation of tongues as the scripture sets it forth the Holy Scripture the confession was through is the only sufficient served man infallible rule of all saving knowledge faith and obedience although the light of Nature and the works of creation and Providence do so far manifest the good goodness wisdom and power of God as to lead men inexcusable yet they are not sufficient to give that knowledge of God and His will which is necessary unto salvation therefore it pleased the Lord at sundry times and in diverse manners to reveal himself and to declare his will unto his church and afterward for the better preserving and propagating of the truth and for the more sure establishment and comfort of the church against the corruption of the flesh the malice of Satan end of the world to commit the same holy unto right now notice which makes the holy scriptures to be most necessary those former ways of God's revealing his will unto his people being now ceased and 1 6 the whole Council of God concerning all things necessary for his own Glory man's salvation faith and life he's either expressed and set down or necessarily contained in the Holy Scripture unto which nothing at any time is to be added whether by new revelation of the spirit or the traditions of so where then would we find this in the Bible the biblical witness to the cessation of tongues we're going to spend most of the time in the New Testament but back up with me to the Old Testament for a moment to the book of uh to the Book of Daniel in the Book of Daniel there is a particular prophecy given that ties together the cessation of revelatory gifts with the Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ that advent essentially culminated in the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in A.D 70. but notice in Daniel chapter 9 beginning at verse 24 70 weeks are determined for your people and for your Holy City to finish the transgression to make an end of sins to make reconciliation for inequity to bring in Everlasting righteousness to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy the text goes on to speak more pointedly with regards to with regards to judgment by this Christ but notice this language that with the first Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ comes the stealing up of vision and prophecy so when we get to the New Testament we ought to then anticipate the end the sealing up of vision and prophecy the cessation of revelatory gifts given for a time and we see that in the New Testament already in Acts chapter 2 1-21 that we read this morning the historical fulfillment of Joel's prophecy some some set Joel's prophecy in our future because he uses the language of the last times or the latter days and the language being spoken as Peter clearly brings forth though is touching upon the first Advent of the Lord Jesus Christ because Peter says at verse 16 this is that this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel this is what was what is was that was spoken by the prophet Joel it is the giving of the tongues the speaking in other languages to others gathered in Jerusalem the wonderful works of God Peter says this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel so what you now see and hear what now is being poured out is what the prophet Joel was speaking about when he said and it shall come to pass in the last days says God that I will pour out my spirit on All Flesh your sons and daughters shall prophesy your young men shall see visions and your old men shall dream dreams and it's all punctuated by this command this summons This Promise verse 21 and it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved so there is a historical fulfillment to Joel's prophecy testifying to the cessation of tongues that the particular prophetic fulfillment is attached to the first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ secondly in the New Testament the foundational utility of the gifts of the Spirit are connected again to the apostles in Ephesians chapter 2 we notice some key things there with respect to the apostolic Ministry so in Ephesians chapter 2 at verse 20 we read this having been built while backing up to 19. now therefore you are no longer strangers and foreigners but fellow citizens with the Saints and members of the household of God having been built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Jesus Christ himself being the Chief Cornerstone and then verse 11 of chapter 4 and he himself gave some to the apostles some prophets some evangelists and some pastors and teachers for the equipping of the Saints for the work of Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God to a perfect man to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ now this is awkward that language is often applied to the Perfection of the church at the the eschatological consummation at the end of days when the church is brought into Glory by uh by Christ at his second coming but the language is really speaking to the maturity of the church the perfect man one who is complete one who is mature so at the point of the maturity of the church or the completion or the Perfection of the church there is an end to the apostolic Ministry and those things that accrue by virtue of their foundational role thirdly in the New Testament we see the coordination of the gifts with the first Advent of Christ and the apostolic era once again if you turn with me to Hebrews once again that reality that they're connected to uh the first coming of Christ and the apostolic era notice Hebrews 1 verse 1 to verse 4. God who at various times and various ways spoken time passed to the fathers by the prophets passing these last days spoken to us by his son but you see it continues connected to the speaking of the of the sun with the ministry of the Apostles in verse 1 of chapter two therefore we must give the more Earnest Heap we have heard lest we drift away for if the word spoken through angel's Brute Bruce desk and every transgression and Disobedience received the just reward how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed To Us by those who heard him God also buried witness both with signs and wonders with various Miracles and Gifts of the Holy Spirit according to his own will so we see that connection to the first Advent of Christ and then the apostolic era that followed but then no further we also want to note fourthly under the New Testament the Pastoral epistle exhortations the exhortations given in Paul's Pastoral Epistles you can turn with me to First Timothy and as you're Journey there what do we mean by this when we say that the biblical witness to the cessation of tongues is seen in the Pastoral epistle exhortations well if tongue speaking was vital to the spirit and the character of the church if tongue-speaking prophecy and knowledge the seeking after them the engendering of them the the culturing of these particular revelatory gifts were vital for the church and in some circles even vital for salvation than we ought to see in Paul's exhortation his dying words to his friend and child in the faith Timothy we ought to see something with regards to the importance of these things but we don't see that in first Timothy 2 and verse 1. notice what we see therefore I exhort first of all that supplications prayers intercessions and giving of thanks be made for all men we we in eight uh at first we see at verse eight I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting in like manner also that the woman Adorn themselves and modest apparel Etc there are particular exhortations given notice in the same book at chapter 3 and verse 1. this is a faithful saying if a man desires the position of the bishop he desires a good work and then Paul goes on to speak with respect to the qualifications of a bishop and then following that the qualifications of deacons with no word specifically on revelatory gifts and the importance or possession of them but rather with respect to character in other things related to teaching the word of God we notice as well in first Timothy 3 notice at verse 15. but if I am delayed I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God which is the Church of the Living of God the pillaring ground of the truth and then he goes on to set forth what is important what is primary what is the key points of all Revelation that is the Gospel of Jesus Christ his incarnate condescension and without controversy greatest of History godliness God was manifested in the flesh justified in the spirit seen by Angels preached among the Gentiles believed on in the world up in glory notice that four one now the spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith giving the heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons speaking lies in hypocrisy having their own conscience here with a hot iron forbidding to marry and commanding to abstain from food God created to be received with Thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth now notice verse 7 reject profane uh reject profane and old wise fables and exercise yourself for godliness for bodily exercise profits a little but godliness is profitable for all things notice at verse 10 or to this and be both labor and suffer reproach because we trust in the Living God who is the savior of all men especially of those who believe these things command and teach and there are other passages in second Timothy chapter 1 verse 13 2 1-2 and 360. the point being that as Paul before his dying breath writes to Timothy in order to order the church in order to for Timothy to go about the the mission of the church in this lower World those things that it touches upon are absent of the revelatory gifts because of their near cessation they were boat to die away with the end of the apostolic era and punctuated by the destruction of the 10 people of the city and the Temple of Jerusalem notice fifthly we have First Corinthians 13 8-13 and we'll close with this because here we have I believe that the the most clear the most perspicuous the most obvious biblical declaration to the end of tongues prophecy and knowledge so First Corinthians 13 beginning at verse 8 and we'll close with this well we'll close after this with the uh the recognition and the application of the abiding Ministry of the holy spirit because we're not saying we want to know that there is a difference between the cessation of spiritual revelatory gifts and the cessation of the spirit's activity when we say it we believe in the cessation of tongues in Prophecy and knowledge we are not saying that we reject the abiding mission of the Holy Spirit the abiding power of the Holy Spirit the abiding work of the Holy Spirit in fact we lift up and uphold the most glorious Miracles the most glorious things that the Holy Spirit does and those things touch upon bringing a dead center to life in Christ the most glorious miracle that the Holy Spirit ever does is making a dead sinner believe on the Lord Jesus Christ by the power of Victoria is an Amazing Grace notice in First Corinthians 13 though with regards to the biblical witness to the cessation of tongues we see as Gentry says this points to the providential completion of the NT Canon as that which renders tongues and other revelatory gifts inoperative so I just want to read the passage again make four particular notes and then we'll close very briefly notice First Corinthians 13 beginning at verse 8 Love Never Fails this is going to be important as we look at this passage Love Never Fails but whether there are prophecies they will fail whether there are tongues they will cease whether there is knowledge it will vanish away for we know in part and we prophesy in heart but with that which is perfect has come then that which is in part will be done away when I was a child I spoke as a child I understood as a child I fought as a child but when I became a man I put away childish things for now we see in a mirror dimly but then face to face now I know in part but then I shall know just as I also am known and now by faithful love these three but the greatest of these is love so you see the language of cessation given here and it's perhaps a common understanding or a common approach that what the Apostle Paul is talking about here is the cessation of revelatory gifts at the end at the end of days at the consummation when Christ comes to judge the living and the dead and the church is brought into Glory well we want to note four things and uh as we observe that Paul is speaking with regards to the near and the near cessation of these revelatory gifts and the first thing we want to note is these three gifts tongues prophecy and knowledge have a design and determine and in View and love doesn't notice the the emphasis here isn't really on the cessation of Thomas prophecy and knowledge but it's on the importance of Christian love in the congregation perhaps what was going on was you know there's this there's this Obsession uh with regards well not perhaps what's going on if we read verses one to seven we see that Paul is wanting to emphasize the the um the vanity of revelatory gifts if love does not Prevail and abide and then he says Love Never Fails but goes on to say that Tom's prophecy and knowledge will fade away but love never fails love abides it abides forever the greatest of these is love love never fails and so Paul wants them to to cultivate to be encouraged in to engender and to cultivate love and not focus on Tom's prophecy and knowledge because those are going to come to a near-end but love never fails and it always remains so there these three gifts have been designed and determine end of thee love doesn't love never fails but prophecy these will fail that doesn't mean a prophecy giving will not come to fulfillment it's just speaking to the piecemeal nature of Prophecy not bringing the fullness of Revelation captured later by the perfect it has the Securities the same weight as will cease or will vanish away so love never fails but prophecies will fail tongues will cease and knowledge will vanish away not the simple fact of knowing things but God immediately by Revelation giving to an apostle particular knowledge that he might communicate to the church for the good of the church and the glory of God our revelatory gift from God to communicate the works of God not simply knowing by the spirit the propositions of the word of God which of course abides to our own day but all of that to come back to this prophecy tongues knowledge these three gifts have a design and determined end and view in the text is clear on that secondly these three gifts have designed and determined piecemeal nature that is they are incomplete and they are partial notice notice the language here for we know in part and we prophesied in part but when that which is perfect has come then that which is in part will be done away you see the giving the temporary giving of tongues and prophesy prophesying the knowledge were not the full breadth and weight of Revelation that would come after but until that time they served that Divine revelational Purpose to Proclaim Jesus Christ and him crucified once the perfect has come that is the New Testament Canon the fullness of divine revelation captured and inscripturated than those partial things those peaceful things are done away with in fact that's the third Point these three p yes tongues prophecy prophesying and knowledge give way to something complete or perfect and that being the New Testament Canon and why wouldn't we say that because these gifts are clearly revelational tongues prophesying and words of knowledge are clearly Divine and revelational and they're being compared with something by contrast that is also then Divine and revelational they wouldn't they wouldn't be comparing or Paul wouldn't compare these things to other things that will supplant or super if it wasn't something of the same category but rather he's speaking with regards to revelational things those that are piecemeal and then that which is perfect in the inscripturated New Testament this is Gentry on this particular note though Christ does not express the state whether he attends this gift to be temporary or to remain perpetually in his church right did I copy the here bear with me okay uh yet it is more probable that Miracles were promised only for a time in order to give luster to the gospel that's the Calvin quote it is possible no doubt that the world may have been deprived of this honor through the guilt of its own in gratitude here you here I go to Regina Galvin again okay well I'll have to email you the quote but suffice it to say uh suffice it to say that what the Apostle Paul is doing here is comparing revelational categories and so tongues prophesy and knowledge those things that are partial in peaceful are being compared to that which is perfect and whole and fourthly then notice the analogies used a child and man something temporary until maturity arrives and then the mirror dim viewing giving way to clear viewing notice the language beginning at verse 11. when I was a child I spoke as a child I understood as a child I thought as a child but when I became a man I put away childish things and so what Paul is doing by this analogy he is comparing the childish things for the child reality of tongues prophesying the knowledge with the perfect reality of a fully grown man so these piecemeal aspects of Revelation and then this whole given Revelation in the scriptures of the New Testament and so then he goes on to use another analogy for now we see in a mirror dimly but then face to face that is when the perfect comes but then face to face now I know in part but then I shall know just as I also have known now this language has Often by by Great Men been used to speak with regards to the end of times in heaven when we see Christ this language of for now we see in a mirror dimly but then face to face something um uh something that uh something that with regards to this language of viewing or this language of seeing is used to argue that first what is being seen is something other than Christ and then latter price is being seen with regards to this language of the perfect that comes but what do we see when we look at an error we see ourselves so now we see in a mirror of dimly that is what this partial with this piecemeal with this incomplete Revelation in John's prophesying in knowledge we don't yet see with perfect clarity because the entire capturing of the will of God and the word of God in the 27 books of the New Testament that has not yet been given but then that is when the perfect comes the text says face to face so then we're seeing we're seeing not Christ in the mirror hopefully when you look in the mirror you don't see Christ that would be a that would be a well that would you know that would be a glorious thing but that isn't what happens when we see in a mirror we see ourselves so dimly with the piecemeal Revelation but then face to face that is with perfect clarity when the fullness of Revelation comes in the New Testament scriptures so Tom's prophesying knowledge fade away they cease and then the perfect comes that is the revelation that we have given to us by the grace and condescension of God in the books of the New Testament and of course the Old Testament as well and so hopefully we see in a in a very short time what tongues were in the Bible and then the biblical witness to the cessation of tongues if you have more questions on this particular text this particular passage you can you can ask me but hopefully we can observe and appreciate the measure of clarity it brings with regards to cessation and the glory we can close with a couple of things uh pertaining to this the glory that we have in the completed revelation of the word of God you see when we when we remark negatively that is negatively like with regards to a denial of something when we say the cessation of tongues and prophesying and knowledge we're conversely impossible positively exalting the completed word of God to the Perfection that it is from God to communicate the will of God in the gospel of Christ and so the negative assertion of the cessation of piecemeal and temporary gifts is to then lift up the reality that we have in the word of God 66 books which page after page chapter after chapter disclosed to Christ to whom those piecemeal gifts pointed prior to this perfect that we have and we ought never to to take it for granted that we have the completed word of God and never to take it take it for granted in the Western World we take everything for granted I think we can sort of we look at ourselves in a year clearly we can see ourselves as those who take a walk for granted and as Christians we should be instructed by spirit and word to not take anything for granted because it is God who gives us these things and certainly not his word certainly not the word that men and women have died for certainly not this completed word that God brought forth progressively to the point of completion that we might know two thousand years after the Advent of his precious son that his son came into the world with Sinners to say what a glorious thing we have and as reformed Christians who observe the cessation of tongues and prophesying and knowledge we certainly observe at the same time though the abiding power in Ministry the Holy Spirit what a blessed thing we have in our Triune god father son and spirit and appropriated to the spirit the reality that he comes with power and with great conviction to dead Sinners to bring them forth to life in Christ there is no greater Miracle there is no greater work of the experience connected to the very power of divine creation in the Bible by the Apostle Paul as well in his next letter that the salvation that God brings us by the power of the holy spirit is that same power that God brought forth all things from nothing in the space of 16 very good and we should glory and rejoice in the fact that not only is the holy spirit active in bringing forth dead Sinners to life but he's also active and continually communicating to us Grace that he's active and community and continually communicating to us illumination Opening Our Eyes continually as we grow in the grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ what a blessed thing that we have in the abiding Ministry of the Holy Spirit to open our uh our our weary and our cold and our langerous eyes as we go about this lower World in our remaining corruption we should pray for ourselves and the ministry of the spirit that he would lift us up from our off laziness and open up the word that we might Avail of the completion the Perfection of Revelation that God has given us so as we go about our Christian walk we are to glory in the Holy Spirit not seeking after those things that had a temporary and Divine Purpose but have ceased but glory in those abiding things that declare to us the power of God in the salvation of Sinners the edifying of the Saints the empowering of preachers and the the rousing of those who hear the preaching to they're trying God and the Christ of our blessed salvation Salvation let's pray Heavenly Father we thank you for your truth we thank you for your word we rejoice in the completion and the Perfection of it we thank you that it declares to us the whole counsel of God that it declares to us Jesus Christ him crucified resurrected and ascended and The Giver of multitudinous blessings and we do pray that you help us in this lower world to reflective great joy upon the abiding power and Ministry of the holy spirit that we would pray for the spirits Ministry in the church that we would rejoice in the fact that our Triune god father Son and Holy Spirit Works without a helper bringing dead Sinners to life that they need to hold the son of Glory we pray that you go with us into this week that you help us to conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ and that we would honor you here in this little world we pray in Christ's name amen but we'll have a brief time of meditation when the prayer when the pianos completed your dismiss thank you