Why We Need The Holy Spirit 6.25.23

 1 Corinthians Series The Church in Corinth June 25, 2023 Why We Need the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 2:6-12) Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God-his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God's deep secrets. No one can know a person's thoughts except that person's own spirit, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit. And we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. Introduction: Understanding this unique passage in chapter 2 requires you to know something very important about the apostle Paul. Before he was Paul, he was a man named Saul with a strong passion for the Jewish faith and an aggressive defense that led him to persecute followers of Jesus until his Damascus Road experience. His Jewish upbringing impacted the way he saw God, understood grace and taught this group of Corinthian believers. (1 Corinthians 2:6) Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. Paul was taught by the theologians of his day that the window of the world has two sides- * The present age is characterized by sin and evil and is controlled by "the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit that is now at work in those who are disobedient" (Ephesians 2:2, NLT). * The coming age, by contrast, is the age of the kingdom of God, when all God's enemies, including death, are destroyed at the return of Christ and God will be "all in all" (1 Corinthians 15). This has to do with faith and how is appropriate in light of the Gospel. * Those who believe the Gospel are citizens of the age to come * Those who don't believe the Gospel are of this present age. (He'll divide the mature again in later chapters in a more discriminating way) We must communicate with God on the same level at which He speaks. There is a lot of confusion about the Holy Spirit but here is what you need to know... * The Spirit of God indwells you when you choose to acknowledge and accept Jesus Christ as God's Son and are saved... * There is 2nd experience to be "filled" with the Holy Spirit as it happened on the Day of Pentecost and in the days of the early church. Why would such an experience be necessary? We Need The Holy Spirit Because We Live In A Corrupted World * Jesus made the distinction that His followers were IN the world but OF the world. What does that mean? * This describes the world you and I are living in today... (Romans 1:18-32) But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn't worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other's bodies. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise!...(v.28) Since they thought it foolish to acknowledge God, he abandoned them to their foolish thinking and let them do things that should never be done. Their lives became full of every kind of wickedness, sin, greed, hate, envy, murder, quarreling, deception, malicious behavior, and gossip. They are backstabbers, haters of God, insolent, proud, and boastful. They invent new ways of sinning, and they disobey their parents. They refuse to understand, break their promises, are heartless, and have no mercy. They know God's justice requires that those who do these things deserve to die, yet they do them anyway. Worse yet, they encourage others to do them, too. * In choosing Christ, we now live by the Holy Spirit who teaches us and leads us... (John 16:13-14) When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. * When you and I got saved, we changed teams. * Choosing Christ is a radical choice of life-you are not ever going back to the way you were before Jesus. We Need The Holy Spirit Because He Is The Source Of Knowledge (1 Corinthians 2:10-12) But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God's deep secrets. No one can know a person's thoughts except that person's own spirit, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit. And we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. * Paul says (as a believer) you are empowered to know the secrets of God. * The "us" in verse 10 is you and me, those persons who Paul just referred to as "mature" in that we accepted the Good News of Jesus Christ in our hearts and allowed the Holy Spirit to communicate with us. * In verse 8, Paul calls is the "mystery of God" and then says it is "God's previously hidden plan to redeem this world". Remember that the Garden of Eden fall of man altered God's eternal plan for fellowship with the created man and woman and because of sin, God was separated from mankind. But God had a plan that originated before man had a need to be reconciled. Here it is... (Revelations 13:8, Geneva Bible) Therefore all that dwell upon the earth, shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of that Lamb, which was slain from the beginning of the world. We are the privileged to have... * the fuller meaning of Jesus Christ, * His purpose in coming to earth, * the salvation He has to offer anyone who will believe in Him. When Nicodemus, the Jewish ruler, comes to Jesus in John 3, Jesus says (John 3:3, NLT) I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God. * The Holy Spirit that we have received helps us see and understand the things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:10, NLT) But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God's deep secrets. As believers... * We are able to spiritually discern what God is doing. * We discern how God is working because we are communicating with God by His Spirit. The Holy Spirit Helps Us Communicate With God, Our Father... (v.11) No one can know a person's thoughts except that person's own spirit, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit. * True human communication takes place on a spiritual level. * The only way human beings can come to understand these "God thoughts" is if we are able to have the Spirit of God in us and communicate with our spirits. Conclusion: Why would we not want to be filled with the Holy Spirit? (v.13) And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. * I'm more convinced than ever that the Holy Spirit empowerment is one of our greatest needs in the church. * We've been distracted by manifestations, experiences and outward expressions so much so that we have missed the gift of the Holy Spirit at work in our hearts and lives. * When we open our hearts to allow Him to work in us and through us, we are empowered to tell others about Jesus which is true and highest calling of life. (Acts 1:8) But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere-in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. Today's key takeaway: There is absolute need for all of us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. * It changes the way we communicate with God. * It empowers us to do the work God wants us to do on this world-be His witnesses. Again he said, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you." Then he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. (John 20:21-22, NLT) God, I'm a sinner I'm sorry for my sins I believe Jesus died for my sins I believe Jesus will forgive my sins I choose Jesus 2