Gennilassem Ablebb (Meaningless Babble)

If you told a group of young children---let's say a kindergarten or first grade class, that each of them could pick one gift to bring home---any gift, from any place---I suspect you would end up with a few puppies, maybe some soccer balls...a pony, a baby elephant or a panda. Now the child's family might be in genuine need of a new refrigerator, stove or mini-van, but it would be a rare child who would desire a gift that would be of most benefit to the entire family---and have the discernment to know what that gift should be. The church of Corinth was comprised of young believers, and they were earnestly desiring gifts, but Paul perceived that they seemed to have some misunderstanding of the purpose of the gifts, and they had a tendency to be drawn to the gifts which were not nesessarily of most benefit to the entire family. In particular, they seemed to be fascinated with the gift of tongues---the ability to speak in languages they had never learned. The problem was, they were utilizing this gift in the church, without interpretation, and the result was "meaningless babble." This sermon addresses the gift of tongues, why it was given, and for whom.