The Importance of Understanding

Introduction

1 Kings 3:5–13 KJV 1900

5 In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. 6 And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day. 7 And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in. 8 And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. 9 Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? 10 And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. 11 And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; 12 Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. 13 And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days.

Body

Comment on feedback I’ve received on Genesis 1-11.

The people of God are NOT stupid and I get sick and tired of hearing the people of God say that!

“Awww, I’m just a plain, average Joe. I can’t understand all that stuff”

“I’m just an ordinary guy, I can’t understand that mumbo-jumbo”

“I’m just....so you can’t expect me to move beyond where I’m at right now!”

Why do you think I’m teaching this stuff?

Sometimes I think people believe I teach this stuff just so I can look smart

I speak as a fool...

I’m as smart as I am, whatever that is, because that’s how God made me - no reason to get proud over it

No, I’m teaching this stuff because I feel in the Holy Ghost that it’s important for us to get this stuff!

I don’t get up here and teach stuff because I like it - this message should be an indication of that!

I teach those things that God lays on my heart

If that’s true, then we need to apply ourselves to whatever God is trying to show us

And if God wants us to know these things, He will give us the ability to learn them

Colossians 2:2–4 KJV 1900

2 That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding, to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; 3 In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 And this I say, lest any man should beguile you with enticing words.

Colossians 2:2–4 (NASB95) — 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument.

When we apply ourselves to know the Word of God:

We have a complete understanding of the revelation of God in Christ

We understand that we can’t really know anything else apart from our understanding of Jesus

We will be capable to recognize and to resist false teachings

When we fail to apply ourselves to know God’s Word:

We cannot understand who Jesus is

We cannot understand anything else because everything is understood only in light of who Jesus is

We will eventually succumb to false teachings

Colossians 2:8 KJV 1900

8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Exhortation to leave off worldly philosophies and to base our knowledge, our philosophy, our worldview, in Jesus Christ

Psalm 8:3–4 KJV 1900

3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, The moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; 4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the son of man, that thou visitest him?

Two sources of revelation: General and Specific

Why did God make the universe so big?

Because God can?

Because God was trying to show us something about Himself (revealing the unknown using the known)

There are things we can learn about God by observing and studying His creation

I would weigh scripture as more important than creation in my studies, but I believe both were given by God for a reason, and we can, and we should, avail ourselves of both.

Unless, of course, you’re completely satisfied with your very small aspect of who God is and have no desire to expand your understanding of Him at all

Approaching God’s creation from a proper foundation (the Bible), results in correct conclusions

Approaching God’s creation from an erroneous foundation (humanism), results in wrong conclusions (evolved over billions of years, no God required)

The Apostle Paul

I Corinthians 2:1-4 “1 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. 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:”

Acts 17:2 “2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures,”

Acts 18:4 “4 And he reasoned in the synagogue every sabbath, and persuaded the Jews and the Greeks.”

Acts 18:19 “19 And he came to Ephesus, and left them there: but he himself entered into the synagogue, and reasoned with the Jews.”

Acts 24:25 “25 And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee.”

Paul reasoned and persuaded the Jews from the basis of their worldview!

in Acts 17 Paul argued and reasoned with the Greeks from an entirely different worldview

Hebrews 5:11 (NIV) — 11 We have much to say about this, but it is hard to make it clear to you because you no longer try to understand.

The material is not difficult because you can’t understand, but because you won’t understand

Reasons why we are able to understand

You’re created in the image and likeness of God

God doesn’t make knowledge available and then close it off from specific individuals

[Scripture text]

God is pleased when we ask of Him wisdom and understanding

God will give us wisdom and understanding if we will ask Him, as He did for Solomon

Expound on scripture text

James 1:5 “5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

Reasons why we should desire to understand

Children are being introduced to these concepts in pre-school

Your grandchildren are learning reasons every school day why the Bible cannot be trusted

I Peter 3:15 “15 But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

1 Peter 3:15 (NASB95) — 15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;

Proverbs 4:5-9 “5 Get wisdom, get understanding: Forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. 6 Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: Love her, and she shall keep thee. 7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: And with all thy getting get understanding. 8 Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: She shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. 9 She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: A crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.”

If we’re going to be effective in reaching this generation, we’re going to need a different strategy

Door knocking, street evangelism, etc. won’t be effective like it was in years gone be because of the shift in our culture

Where most people were fundamentally Christian in their worldview before, they are now fundamentally non-Christian in their worldview, even some who attend church!

Because of this, we must be able to demonstrate two things

The errors and contradictions of their worldview

The consistency and the power of the Christian worldview

Think of it as “continuing education”

We need to learn how to pray, how to worship, how to teach a bible study, we didn’t know how to do any of that before we came to God. We can learn how to minister to those who have different worldviews than we do.

We do this by allowing God to confirm His Word with signs following, and

Learning how to reason with people from their own worldview with the express purpose of leading them to Truth. Leading them to Jesus Christ.

Conclusion

Moving forward, I will be challenging this comfort zone we have of “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”

You need to know who you are in Jesus Christ, and you need to accept it, and you need to walk in that knowledge

Get ready to stretch and to grow

I do realize that, perhaps, some more fundamental knowledge will be needed before we can move on to other topics, but we’ll keep moving forward

As the needs of our society change, our methods need to change, and that means our understanding needs to continue to grow and improve. Living things grow. Only dead things stagnate and rot.