音频：
视频：
哥林多前书：14；1-5: 1你们要追求爱，也要切慕属灵的恩赐，其中更要羡慕的，是作先知讲道。（原文作是说预言。下同）2那说方言的，原不是对人说，乃是对神说，因为没有人听出来。然而他在心灵里，却是讲说各样的奥秘。3但作先知讲道的，是对人说，要造就、安慰、劝勉人。4说方言的，是造就自己；作先知讲道的，乃是造就教会。5我愿意你们都说方言，更愿意你们作先知讲道，因为说方言的，若不翻出来，使教会被造就，那作先知讲道的，就比他强了。
我必须承认，我不太喜欢以拉丁语为特色的唱诗班音乐，尤其是当它只有六个词，用一百种不同的方式唱出来的时候。我知道这是艺术，但我们能有什么收获呢？几个世纪以来，拉丁文一直是“教会的语言，”普通百姓根本听不懂教会讲的是什么。路德为教会做了一件大事，他不仅将圣经翻译成德文，还为教会的会众提供了德文版的敬拜仪式。如果只听歌词和曲调却无法理解其中的含义，又有何益呢？
关于说方言，保罗给出同样的意见。如果只有说方言的人自己知道自己在说什么，但教会却得不到造就，又有什么益处呢？保罗说作先知讲道（就是传讲上帝的话语）比说方言强。为什么？因为我们能明白他说的话。因为教会能藉着上帝明白无误的话语得到造就。
因此今天早晨我也问自己这样一个问题：“在我讲道和主持敬拜仪式的过程中，有什么妨碍了上帝清晰的话语吗？”一方面我应该认真准备我的读经和证道，这样会众才能理解我说的是什么。另一方面，敬拜和讲道绝不应该以我为中心。如果是这样，我就妨碍了上帝的话语，哪怕是以最细微的方式。我可能会忍住不去说那些本该说的话。或者我可能花更多的时间在一张精美的插图上，只为追求艺术效果，却没能清楚地传讲上帝的话语。当我们敬拜的时候，无论我们做什么，我们都应该清楚地宣讲上帝的话语。祷告：主耶稣，我祷告上帝的话语永远在你的教会里得到清楚的宣讲，使神的百姓得以被建造，基督的身体被建造。我如此祈求是奉你的名。阿们。
1 Corinthians 14: Keep on pursuing love, and eagerly seek spiritual gifts, but especially prophecy. 2 For the person who speaks in a tongue speaks to God, not to people. For no one understands him, but he speaks mysteries in the Spirit. 3 However, the person who prophesies speaks to people things that edify, encourage, and comfort. 4 The one who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but the one who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I would like all of you to speak in tongues, but I would prefer that you prophesy. For the person who prophesies is greater than the one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets so that the church may be built up. (EHV)
I have to confess that I am not a big fan of choir music that features words in Latin, especially when it is only six words sung a hundred different ways. I know it is artistic, but what do we gain from it? For many centuries Latin was the “language of the church,” and the average person had no idea of what was really being said. Luther did the church a favor by not only translating the Bible into the German language, but by giving his people a worship service in German as well. What good is it just to hear the words and music, but not understand them?
Paul says the same thing about speaking in tongues. What good is it if only the person speaking in tongues knows what he is saying and the church is not edified by it? Paul says that prophesying (which was speaking God’s Word) was better than speaking in tongues. Why? Because we can understand the words. Because the church will be edified by those clear words from God.
Which makes me ask the question this morning, “Is there anything in my preaching or conducting worship that stands in the way of God’s clear Word?” On the one hand, I should prepare my readings and my sermon so that people can understand what I am saying. On the other hand, worship and preaching should never be about me. When it is, I will always get in the way of God’s Word, even in subtle ways. I may hold back from saying what has to be said. Or I may spend more time on a cute illustration, just for art’s sake, than on speaking God’s Word clearly. In whatever we do in our worship, God’s Word should be clearly proclaimed.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I pray that God’s Word will always be clearly proclaimed in your Church so that God’s people may be edified and the body of Christ built up. I ask this in your name. Amen.