SPIRIT PROVIDES WISDOM

Spirit Provides Wisdom
(1 Corinthians 2:1-16)

Question:
     How would you compare worldly wisdom to Godly wisdom?
          Worldly:
               Education; intellectual knowledge
               achieved through human resources;
               often driven by selfish ambition (leads to pride);
               involves human reasoning and past experiences.

          Godly:
               From God; revealed in God’s Word; leads to humility;
               includes a self-giving love; focused on reality;
               includes a way of living (lifestyle);
               requires assistance from the Holy Spirit.

The Corinthian church was on the brink of division
and Paul had just spoke to them about wisdom.
(1 Corinthians 1:10-13)

VERSES 17-25:
The message of the cross shows God’s wisdom
and the world’s foolishness.

VERSES 26-29:
The humble status of most of the members showed
how God used the weak things to confound the worldly wise.

VERSES 30-31:
Jesus Christ is the heart of divine wisdom.

1 Corinthians 2

VERSES 1-5:
“brothers”
     – Even though he had some harsh things to say to them,
        he still considered them his fellow Christians.
        Look at how he referred to them. (1 Corinthians 1:4-9)

Paul reminded them of how he first came to them (Acts 18:1-17).

“eloquence”
     – There was nothing wrong with eloquence, but Paul felt the
        good news should be presented in a simple and truthful manner.

        He didn’t think the message should be overshadowed
        by a the speaking ability of a mere human.
             – This would take the focus off of Jesus
                and put it on the speaker.

Note:
     Apollus was an “eloquent man”, but he also had
     a great knowledge of the Scriptures (Acts 18:24).

     He was also humble enough to let others help him
     understand the Word of God better (Acts 18:26).

     He used his eloquence to testify about Christ (Acts 18:27-28).

     He went and Paul both went to Corinth (Acts 19:1).

     Both Apollos and Paul had followers. (1 Corinthians 1:12)
     Note:
          Some may have been impressed
          with the eloquent style of Apollos.
          They may have been like “preacher worshipers”
          who gravitate toward charismatic speakers.
          Note:
               Some people today are more concerned with the
               preacher’s style than they are with his message.

          Others may have preferred Paul’s rustic and simple approach.
          Note:
               Paul was not an eloquent speaker
               and he didn’t impress any with his looks.
               Look at how his critics described him.
               (2 Corinthians 10:10)

“persuasive”
     – Paul may have been thinking about the Sophists
        (a group of Greek speakers who sounded believable,
        but they were often false and misleading).
        Note:
             In one of his first letters, Paul said he never used deceit,
             flattery, or greed to gain favor, or to get money from them.
             (1 Thessalonians 2:1-6)

As far as Paul was concerned,
the core message was “Jesus Christ and Him crucified”.
Note:
     He also felt the message included the resurrection of Christ.
     Note:
          The world rejected the idea of resurrection from the dead.
               – Many of the philosophers of Athens laughed. (Acts 17:32)
               – Roman Governor Festus reacted strongly
                  to the idea of resurrection. (Acts 26:23-25)

     Note:
          Still Paul preached this message because he knew it was
          the power and wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18, 22-24)

“in weakness and fear, and with much trembling”
     – Paul’s critics probably made a big deal
        over Paul’s confession of weakness.

     – Paul mentions one of his criticisms. (2 Corinthians 10:1)
        Note:
             His point was that as a human, he was weak, but this
             allowed God to be strong through him. (2 Corinthians 12:10)

     – His fear and trembling was not a concern of being persecuted,
        but a concern about the responsibility of preaching the gospel.

     – His humility enabled his preaching to show the presence
        of the Spirit and the power only God could provide.

     – His preaching also allowed people to develop a faith
        based on God’s plan, and not on man’s wisdom.

Summary:
     – The core of the message of Godly wisdom
        is Jesus Christ and His death for sinners.
     – The message of the good news should be simple and direct.
     – The power of the message is from the Holy Spirit.
     – We should listen to the message and not be focused on
        the personality and speaking ability of the messenger.

VERSES 6-10:
“however”
     – Paul wanted to clarify what he had written.
     – He didn’t want anyone thinking that God’s way
        was irrational or anti-intellectual.
     – God’s wisdom is hard to understand with human reasoning
        alone, but in truth it is simple and profound
        (when the Spirit provides understanding0.

“mature”
     – Opposite of those called “infants”. (1 Corinthians 3:1)

     – Being an infant in Christ is okay,
        but they need the milk of God’s Word.
        (1 Corinthians 3:2, 1 Peter 2:2-3)

     – Believers should be constantly maturing.
        (1 Corinthians 3:1-3, Hebrews 5:12-14)

     – The mature were the ones Paul
        could talk to about the wisdom of God.

“secret wisdom”
     – Hidden from those who reject God’s wisdom;
        revealed to those who want His wisdom revealed.

     – Before time began, God planned for us to understand His wisdom.

     Note:
          In Paul’s day there were many so-called “mystery religions”.
          They were secret societies that guarded their secret ways
          from those outside of their religion.

          In contrast, Christianity didn’t try to hide God’s wisdom;
          their goal was to share the good news with everyone.

“rulers of this age”
     – They lived by the wisdom of the world.
     – They are coming to nothing (doomed to perish).
     – They didn’t know about God’s wisdom.
     – As a result, they crucified the Lord.
     – They acted out of ignorance (Acts 3:17-18);
        but they were still guilty (Acts 2:36).

Verse 9:
     – What God has prepared for them that love Him
        is more wonderful than anything humans have
        seen, heard, or even considered.
     – In our own strength and wisdom, we can’t perceive
        what God has prepared, but (Verse 10) the Spirit
        makes it possible for us to grasp it.

Summary:
     – God’s wisdom is for mature Christians.
     – God’s wisdom is a truth that was unknown,
        but was later revealed…by God.
     – Those who crucified Christ came to nothing.
     – Without the help of the Spirit,
        believers cannot conceive what God has prepared for them.

VERSES 11-13:
Paul says that the Spirit knows what’s in the heart of God,
just like man knows what is in his own heart.

He contrasts the worldly and the Christians:
     – The worldly receive the “spirit of the world” (worldly wisdom).
     – Christians receive the “Spirit from God”.
       Question:
             What do we get with the “Spirit of God”?
                  – An understanding of what God has freely given us
                    (salvation, spiritual gifts, the Holy Spirit, mercy, grace).
                 – What to say when we speak of God’s free gifts.
                 – An insight into the truths and words given by the Holy Spirit.

VERSES 14-15:
Question:
     What does the man without the Spirit get?
          – He doesn’t receive the things from the Spirit of God.
          – The things of God seem foolish to him.
          – He can’t understand the things of God.

        The Spiritual person:
             – Can discern all things (with the Spirit’s help);
                in particular, the things that relate to salvation.
             – Is not subject to judgment by any man.
                Note:
                      Paul explains in 1 Corinthians 4:3-4.

VERSE 16:
Paul starts with a quote from Isaiah 40:23.

Believers, with the help of the Spirit, have been given
an ability to understand the mind of Christ.
     – To the world, many of Christ’s actions don’t make sense,
        but to believers, all His actions make sense.

Note:
     Paul was concerned that some of the members of
     the Church of Corinth considered themselves
     more spiritual than others;
     Paul wanted to bring them all into harmony.

Summary:
     – The Spirit reveals the deep things of God (to mature Christians).
     – The Spirit teaches believers spiritual words and truths.
     – The natural man lives without the things of the Spirit,
        does not understand the Spirit,
        and considers the things of the Spirit to be foolishness.
     – The Spirit provide believers with discernment
        and reveals the mind of Christ.
     – The spiritual person answers to the Lord, and not man, as Judge.

Summary:
     – Paul preached the good news to glorify God
        and not to call attention to himself.
     – The Spirit enabled him to preach with power.
     – The Spirit creates spiritually mature believers
        who understand the revealed wisdom of God.
     – The Spirit helps us to live as mature Christians.
     – We know how to communicate the good news
        in a way that people will see Christ.