1 CORINTHIANS 2 // "A Pastors Request"
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· 4 viewsPaul the apostle had one request from the Corinthians. One thing that he desired. A mentality that would change the course of every decision. What could be so important? Corinth, Jesus, Wisdom, Crucifixion, Paul,
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LAST WEEK
LAST WEEK
We finished 1st Corinthians Chapter 1
We looked at the Wisdom of men and how it compares to the wisdom of God
We saw how God has put to shame the wisdom of this world through the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Not just to save His people, but to disarm humanities authority to boast in anything.
Paul finished the chapter by making one thing clear
If there is something that humanity can glory in,
It is, and can only be, what the Lord has done for us
Everything else we glory in, we GLORY in vain.
THIS WEEK
THIS WEEK
We are going to continue looking at the topic of wisdom
One thing I want us to understand is how simple the Gospel is.
The Gospel of Jesus Christ
The Good News that the Son of God has brought to this world is fascinating, yet simple enough for children to understand.
It is unlike any story ever told
Unlike any life that has ever lived on this earth
Unlike any God that there is to chose from.
Paul, continues using this word “Wisdom”
But it’s a different wisdom than what the Greeks were used to
It was unlike the wisdom of the present age
Unlike the Wisdom promoted by people who don’t know the Lord
It is a wisdom that goes beyond the cerebral capacity of carnal man, but is able to be understood by the person humble enough to admit that they are sinful and God is Holy.
TURN TO
1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
6 However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written:
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
PRAY
1 And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Paul the Apostle was on another level.
He knew what the Corinthian Culture craved, but he also knew what they needed
When Corinth screamed for Heady Theological pontifications
Paul didn’t bring excellence of speech or excellent wisdom in explaining the specifics of the crucifixion of Jesus
He made it so simple
That the Greeks thought it was too simple
Too Basic
Too tangible
Because it wasn’t profound, they deemed it foolish
In all Paul did for this Church, His one goal remained the same
You need basic Christianity
The one thing he desired from this church
The one thing he sought to see flourish
The one thing that he deemed “Most Important”
Was the continual remembrance of what happened on the Cross
He said:
“I determined to know nothing among you, except for one thing, and that was Jesus Christ and Him crucified”
Paul wanted the church to allow this truth to marinade
He wanted this cornerstone to be the reference point of every decision
However, this goal came with much criticism
To provide value to his presentation of the Gospel, he goes granular.
Paul knew that in order for his care for the people to stand out, he needed to bring to light a few things.
Check out what he says:
Look, I’ve been with you
I’ve been among you
In weakness, in fear, and in much trembling
I’ve stood by you all
I’ve been a shepherd to you
I’ve put my life on the line for you
Though I could have come with an extensive command of syntax
Though I could have come in excellence of speech
Excellence in wisdom
I chose not to give you what you wanted but what you needed.
Not persuasive words of human wisdom
But in demonstration of the Spirit and its power.
Why did Paul choose to do it this way?
Verse 5
5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Friends,
In Chapter 1 we learned about the Wisdom that comes from above
How wisdom came in the form of a Crucified Savior on behalf of Sinful Humanity
We concluded that this Wisdom trumps the wisdom of men.
So my question is this:
Why having found the greatest wisdom, do we revert to a lesser wisdom?
Having found Salvation in Christ
Having found such a profound Love
Having looked to and fro, and found no one in comparison to the Lord
Why do we seek validation from things, and relationships, and status, while the Lord is left on read . . .
OUR FAITH SHOULD NOT BE IN THE WISDOM OF MEN
BUT IN THE POWER OF GOD
WHAT IS THE POWER OF GOD?
THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST
THE POWER OF GOD UNTO SALVATION FOR ALL WHO BELIEVE.
FRIENDS, WE OFTEN TRADE THE WISDOM OF GOD FOR THE WISDOM OF MEN
WE OFTEN MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON FEELINGS, AND NOT THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
IN DOING SO, IN ALL HONESTLY, WE RIP OURSELVES OFF
WE ROB god from the opportunity to bless us.
If we only knew what God had in store for us, we would probably act in faith rather than in the flesh.
VERSE 6
6 However, we speak wisdom among those who are mature, yet not the wisdom of this age, nor of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9 But as it is written:
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”
:6-
Paul wasn’t going to let the culture dictate his speech
He wasn’t going to let the wisdom of this age be his guide
He wasn’t going to let the rulers of this age, who were coming to no conclusion when it came to life and the meaning thereof, mess with his perogative.
Instead, Paul was going to speak the Wisdom of God in a mystery
He was going to speak to the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory
Something that the rulers of this world had no knowledge of.
This is a prime example of choosing man’s wisdom over God’s wisdom.
It didn’t shock God
In fact, the prophets had spoken to this very thing
Jesus was prophecied to be the stone that the builders rejected
He was prophecied to be beaten by His own
To be condemned and handed over by His own people
Here is what the Corinthian Culture and the world today didn’t/doesn’t understand.
That what God had/has in store for them is greater than anything they can put together.
If we would just consider it
If we would just venture into faith a little bit
If we would muster up the faith to see the miraculous come to pass
We would be blown away by all that God has for us
Things unknown to the common man
Miracles that only God can make happen
Words of encouragement from God’s own mouth
That penetrate the heart of those who love Him.
FOR THOSE OF US WHO CHOSE TO LIVE BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT
WHO CHOSE TO VENTURE INTO THE UNKNOWN
THESE KINDS OF THINGS WILL BE THE NORM
GOD WILL ACT UPON HIS PROMISES
GOD WILL DO THE UNBELIEVEABLE THROUGH HIS SPIRIT
VERSE 10
10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. 11 For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
:10-
THE THINGS THAT NO EYE HAS SEEN
THE THINGS THAT NO EAR HAS HEARD
THE THINGS THAT HAVE NEVER ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN
THE THINGS THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM
GOD WILL REVEAL THROUGH HIS SPIRIT.
THE SPIRIT WHO SEARCHES ALL THINGS, YES THE DEEP THINGS OF GOD
QUESTION:
Is there anyone here who knows the deep things within me?
No, only the spirit within me knows me.
Is there anyone here who knows the
In the same manner, we can only know the things of God, through the Spirit of God
It is something designated to those who have the Spirit of God within
It isn’t a passive, cerebral knowledge
But a knowledge that changes our mindset and our decision making.
For those of us who have received the Holy Spirit
Will encounter Jesus and a relationship with the Father on another level.
The secret things shall be revealed
The Mystery will begin to unveil itself
The question is, are we who have received the Holy Spirit, searching for these things?
Is the Holy Spirit a Living entity within us?
Is He free to convict us
Do we know the beauty of his role as individuals and as the Church?
VERSE 13
13 These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. 16 For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
Church we cannot expect the carnal to understand the spiritual.
We cannot expect our culture to understand what the Gospel does to the sinner.
The natural man does not receieve the things of the Spirit of God
They are foolishness to him
He can’t know them
They are undiscernable to them because they are void of the Spirit.
But to those who are spiritual can discern the decisions of man