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The Mystery, Among the Gentiles:
Christ in You, the Hope of Glory!

June 8, 2008
Evening Service

ICor. 2

 

Review:

  1. Greetings to the church in Corinth.
  2. A prayer of thanksgiving.
  3. A report of divisions from the household of Chole.
  4. The gospel is not earthly wisdom.

 

Chapter two;

1Co 2:1-16  And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God.  (2)  For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 

  • We know Paul’s life story.  He could’ve boasted.  He was a very learned person.  He tells us in the 22nd chapter of Acts, while making a defense of his faith, that he was brought up at the feet of one Gamaliel, one of the best teachers of their time.
  • Paul was a Roman citizen.  You might say he was a lot like Moses in that he turned his back on all the Roman Empire had to offer, to become a servant of Jesus Christ.
  • One of the best places to get a compact look at what the Apostle taught is found in the 15 chapter of ICor. Verses 1-11.

(3)  And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 

  • This is the same Paul that told Timothy, “we have not been given the Spirit of fear, but of love, power, and a sound mind.”    Contradictory, not really.  There are many times we find ourselves just like the Apostles in the boat.  We know Jesus is with us, but we are still doubtful at times.  The storm rages high, and we know He is with us, but we doubt.
  • Paul had every reason to feel this way.   Read ahead in IICor. 11.  you will see what I mean, all the trials, and punishments he had gone through.  He had reason to fear.

(4)  And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 

  • You see a lot of this today on TV.  Silver tongue preachers that take advantage of widow homes, Paul said in 2Ti 3 Paul says “This know that in the last days perilous times shall come,”  then describes the men who will be taking advantage of people; “For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts,”
  • While in the Ephesus area, Acts chapter 19;  in verse 11, it is said; “And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:”   DEMONSTRATION OF THE SPIRIT, AND OF POWER.

(5)  That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. 

  • Paul is showing us very clearly what God thinks of the wisdom of men.
  • And the power of God is twofold. 

1.       The miracles He allows His servants to perform in His name.

2.      And the Gospel, the good news concerning Jesus of Nazareth.  Rom. 1:16 “For the Gospel is the POWER OF GOD unto salvation, to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, and then to the Greek.”   JESUS IS THE WORD, THE POWER OF GOD, THE GOOD NEWS FOR MANKIND.

(6)  Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect:

  • Perfect in most cases means complete:  I relate this to being in tune with God.

1.       I have put God first in my life.

2.      I have a hunger for the Word of God.

3.      I pray, and ask for His help before studying His Word.

4.      I will accept “Thus saith the Lord”, no matter what.

  • The Word of God is wisdom.  Those who understand what we are saying are in tune with God. 
  • For example:  In Mat 15:10  And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:  Jesus opened their understanding of His teachings.  He will open every sincere heart to learn His will.
  • On the road to Emmaus, it is said, “Luk 24:32  And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the Scriptures?  He will open every Scripture that is freely given to us of God.
  • In the Revelation Jesus says, “He that hath an ear,  let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”  Being in tune with God. 

yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to naught: 

  • Again we see what God thinks of the wisdom of this world.  It will come to naught.

(7)  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: 

  • Rom 16:25  Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, Rom 16:26  But now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith:
  • Listen to Paul in the letter to the Colossians;  Col 1:26-28  Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:  (27)  To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:  (28)  Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
  • These are some of the things that are freely given to us by God, but not to the generations in the past.  Jesus said, “search the Scriptures for in them you think you have eternal life, and They are They which testify of Me.”   He was hidden to many of the Old Testament people, oh yes, they had scriptures that were freely given to them of God also, but not the revealing of Jesus Christ.

(8)  Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 

  • Many would have not, because of love, many because of fear, but it wasn’t time yet.

(9)  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 

  • Isa. 64:4;

(10)  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.  (11)  For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.  (12)  Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. 

  • There is the phrase, freely given to us of God.  Many, many wonderful promises have been revealed to God’s people, however there are still some things that are hidden, and not given to us as yet.  We will be patient, and wait until the Lord reveals even these things to us.

AND NOW PAUL GIVES US  THE COMPARISON OF THE NATURAL MAN, AND THE SPIRITUAL MAN:

(13)  Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth;

  • This is why you ask God for the help of understanding the Scriptures before you study.  He will faithfully give you the right understanding if you but ask.

comparing spiritual things with spiritual.  (14)  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  (15)  But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man.  (16)  For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

 

AGAIN, THIS IS THE MYSTERY THAT HAS BEEN HIDDEN FROM TIME PAST:

To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: