February 1, 2015
Evening Service

We are looking at Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth.  In chapter 1, Paul confronted the problem of division within the church.  It was as Jerry said this morning a case of “preacher religion.”  As we read this letter, and see the things that are addressed, we need to examine ourselves to be sure we are not unknowingly making the same mistakes.  We are complete in Jesus alone.  We should be able to be fed by anyone who is speaking God’s Holy Word in the authority given rightfully to them.  It is okay to have a certain speaker who you can really relate to, but don’t place that person within your life as an idol.  Anyone speaking in the authority of God will point you to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, deflecting or reflecting any attention to our Savior.

  Paul went on to talk of the difference in God’s wisdom and the world’s wisdom.  The world looks at God’s wisdom as foolishness.  Tonight in chapter 2, we will revisit both of these issues.

1Co 2:1 And I, brothers, when I came to you, did not come with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring to you the testimony of God.

·         Paul did not come to Corinth to impress them with his speaking abilities or to entertain or amuse them.  He came to declare the “testimony of God.”  Paul instructed Timothy to:

2Ti 4:2 Preach the Word, be instant in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine.

 

1Co 2:2-5 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  (3)  And I was with you in weakness and in fear, and in much trembling.  (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,  (5)  so that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

·         The simple gospel message does not need a dynamic orator or an impressive presentation to be received.  Paul spoke in weakness, fear, trembling and humility, none of which would be exhibited by trained speakers.

·         God does not call the best orators to preach His Word, He empowers the men who are yielded and surrendered to His Will.  He doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called.  We are called to “preach the Word” and it is God, through the Holy Ghost, that the results come from.

·         Personally speaking, this was sometimes a self-imposed burden I put upon myself.  I wanted to say just the right thing in just the right way to get the maximum impact.  I now simply trust the Holy Spirit to move my preparation in the direction He wants it to go and believe God’s Word given to Isaiah:

 

Isa 55:11  so shall My Word be, which goes out of My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall certainly do what I sent it to do.

·         I will speak what God has given me and I will trust Him to do the rest.  It is not my speaking that is powerful it is the power of the message and the working of the Holy Spirit.  Paul explains now that not everyone will understand.

 

1Co 2:6-9 But, we speak wisdom among those who are perfect; yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the rulers of this world, that come to nothing.  (7)  But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, which God has hidden, predetermining it before the world for our glory; (8) which none of the rulers of this world knew (for if they had known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory).  (9)  But as it is written, "Eye has not seen, nor ear heard," nor has it entered into the heart of man, "the things which God has prepared for those who love Him."

·         The mystery he speaks of has been revealed to the church through the teachings of Jesus and the revelation and writings of the Holy Spirit in the New Testament.  Paul summed it up as he wrote to the Colossian church:

Col 1:26-27 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.  (27)  For to them God would make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the nations, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory,

·         We often tie verse 9 into our description of heaven, which is very accurate, but here he speaks of the truths that have been revealed to the New Testament church.  Without the Spirit, we would not be able to perceive with our eyes, ears, or heart the depth of God’s love and His plan for those who accept it.

 

1Co 2:10  But God has revealed them to us by His Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God.

·         Joh 6:63 It is the Spirit that makes alive, the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit and are life.

·         The mystery we now are able to understand come through the wisdom given to us through the spirit.  Paul explains further:

 

1Co 2:11-13  For who among men knows the things of a man except the spirit of man within him? So also no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.  (12)  But we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit from God, so that we might know the things that are 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.

·         It is only through the gift of the Spirit of God that we are able to understand the spiritual things of God.  Jesus spoke of it like this:

John 14:26  But the Comforter, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in My name, He shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance, whatever I have said to you.

·         John repeats the same thought in his letter.

1Jn 2:27 But the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true and no lie, and as He has taught you, abide in Him.

As we read the scriptures we need to pray for the Holy Spirit to grant us the understanding we need.  As the Jews were blinded of Jesus’ true identity, the world has similarly been blinded of their understanding of the Bible.  You cannot truly understand it without the help of the Spirit.  To the natural man it seems like foolishness.

 

1Co 2:14-16 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  (15)  But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is 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.

·         God has endowed us with the same disposition of Christ, being born again by His Spirit; therefore we are capable of knowing His mind and receiving and understanding His teachings. The Spirit also empowers us to be able to share these truths with others.

 

We are so blessed to be living in this dispensation of Christ, where everything we need for life and Godliness has been given to us.  The Spirit gives us the ability to know and understand the mystery of God; “Christ in you the hope of glory.”

 

Lord, may we always be in tune to the Spirit’s teachings and be willing to follow them.