We all Need Spiritual Truth, Whether We Believe it or not (2)

1 Corinthians 2:10-16; 3:1-11

To say that man can exist apart from God is to say that a watch can exist without a watchmaker or a story can exist without a storyteller. We owe our being to the God whose image we are made in (Genesis 1:27). Our existence depends on God, whether we acknowledge His existence or not.God does many things for us let me share a few with you this morning to open your mind to our discussion this morning. As the Sustainer, God continuously confers life (Psalm 104:10-32). He is life (John 14:6), and all creation is held together by the power of Christ (Colossians 1:17). Even those who reject God receive their sustenance from Him: “He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45). To think that man can live without God is to suppose and Sister French you make sure I’m saying this correct, is like a sunflower continuing to live without light or a rose without water or to breathe without air

As the Savior, God gives eternal life to those who believe. In Christ is life, which is the light of men (John 1:4). Jesus came that we may have life “and have it to the full” (John 10:10). All who place their trust in Him are promised eternity with Him (John 3:15-16). For a man to live—truly live—he must know Christ (John 17:3). I’ve given you time to locate I corinthians 2:10 the bible reads as follows

The spirit searches all things even the deep things of God, for who knows a person's thoughts except there own spirit within them. In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God, except the spirit of God what we have received is not the spirit of the world but the spirit who is from God so that we may understand what God has freely given us

that is a powerful and to me scary to try and think of all the things that God gas freely given to me. I was baptized in 1984, some have been baptized longer. Next year it will be 40 years and Gid is still revealing things to me. Wow. So look at what this text says. Have you heard the phrase You don’t know me is a pretty old cliché by now, but it is true. I can guess what a person is thinking, but the better I know the person the more accurate I can be. The only person I can truly know is myself, unless someone chooses to reveal themselves to me and the same is true for God. We can’t know the mind of God unless he chooses to reveal himself to us and that is what the Holy Spirit does in our lives. We can know the mind of God because He’s given us His Spirit. Every believer has the spirit of God dwelling in them and can understand the truth of the gospel of Jesus and that is great news. The spirit of God is active in every believer, teaching us, guiding us, and revealing himself to us. But the same cannot be said for those who don’t believe.

We depend on people who we trust. We struggle with trusting people. We are careful what we say or do wondering if that person will keep your trust. But when you finally have that person that you trust and is always there we lean hard on them for everything. We will call them for plumbing, banking, car repair and many other things. We treat what they say as gospel. The Spirit of Truth wants to be that person. He wants to be your first call not your last. He wants to guide you and direct you into all truth. He wants to heal your wounds and place your course on a better journey with benefits. Even though He knows us, Created us and insured that His spirit dwells in us for immediate access. He still gives us the option to use it or not.

1 Corinthians 2:13 (NKJV)

These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual.

Verse 13” The Holy Spirit teaches: Paul emphasized that the intellectuals of this world could not teach the knowledge he was given to the Corinthian believers. Paul wants to make is clear is not what I got from Gamaliel, its not what my momma or daddy taught no its straight from the Spirit of God. Note that the spirit did not simply dictate words to Paul, and the other apostles, he taught them. The apostles relayed it with their own vocabulary and style what they had learned from the spirit. The spirit wants to teach us all things, but we must be willing to trust His teaching methods. Question, Do we trust the Spirit of the Lord? Do you trust me? I need to say do I trust you? We need to ask these questions. If we can’t trust the spirit of the Lord we cannot trust each other. This all stems from the two greatest commandments and will never change. If you love God with all your heart he will teach you how to love so that you know how to Love one another. It’s not your love way or my way it’s God’s way.

So what type of things will he teach me?

Spiritual things with spiritual, there are a few different interpretations of this phrase, but from my time in study it speaks as though the spirit of truth speaks to the spiritual person sharing with them spiritual words that will empower, reveal and create a stronger spiritual mind. In other words, the phrase teaches that the spiritual truth of God are combined with the spiritual vocabulary of the apostles ( see 2 Peter 1:20-21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

2 Timothy 3:16.)All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,

The spirit helps us honor the past, but makes sure we don’t be a prisoner to it. The Spirit will teach us how to do extraordinary things while being an ordinary person.

I was at a leadership conference last week that had some amazing speakers. I was able so see some amazing Spiritual things that God made possible. one of our speakers was Condoleeza Rice the former United States Secretary of State. She shared the story of when she was sworn into office. She she was sworn in at the white house in the Benjamin Franklin room under his portrait. She looked up and said what would he think that a black women from Birmingham Alabama being sworn in by a Jewish women judge. He would have never mentioned or imagine it. That’s when she came to the realization of How the spirit of the Lord made all this possible. Never tell God what He can and cannot do.

5785 It is extraordinary how things fall off from a man like autumn leaves once he comes to the place where there is no rule but that of the personal domination of the Holy Spirit.

Oswald Chambers

when are we going to allow the spirit of the lord to do His job? When are we going to allow our spirit to see His wonders and signs?

Verse 14 the person without the spirit does not accept the things that come from the spirit of God, but Considered Them foolishness, and cannot understand them, because they are discerned only through the spirit. A person who does not have the spirit of God walks through life without the guidance of God. They have their conscience to guide them

Without God, man has physical life only. God warned Adam and Eve that on the day they rejected Him they would “surely die” (Genesis 2:17). As we know, they did disobey, but they did not die physically that day; rather, they died spiritually. Something inside them died—the spiritual life they had known, the communion with God gone, the freedom to enjoy Him gone, the innocence and purity of their soul gone—it was all gone. And today the only way man can get it back is to become a baptized believer of Jesus Christ.

The word “receive” here means “ to welcome”. The person without the spirit lives a life only in the natural world. The natural world is where we live eat, sleep, work play. We all live in the natural world, but the believer also lives and function in the spiritual world. God isn’t displeased with our eating, work or play. But His wisdom should guide us, in how we interact with the material world. That is why it’s wonderful, that Paul ends this chapter, reminding us that we have a mind of Christ. The question there is are we spending enough time with Christ to ensure we have His mind flowing in us? Phillipians 2:5 speaks more about the mind of Christ

1 Corinthians 3:5–11 (NKJV)

Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building. According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Apollos and Paul were given their ministries by Christ (Eph. 4:11). They were the means, not the cause, whereby the Corinthians believed (cf. 1 Cor. 2:4–5). I planted Paul uses an agricultural metaphor to explain that different leaders have different roles in the growth of the church. Paul was responsible for founding the Corinthian church (2 Cor 10:14). Since these ministries are interdependent, each one is important. watered Refers to the instruction of the church community (Acts 18:27–28). So lets understand Apollos who watered in Acts 18:24-26

Acts 18:24–26 (NKJV)

Now a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man and mighty in the Scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord, though he knew only the baptism of John. So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.

27, 28. Apollos had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things of the Lord. Vs. 28 he greatly helped those who had believed through grace; 28 for he vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ.

(3:6). Therefore God alone should get the credit. As servants, Paul and Apollos were not competing against each other but were complementing each other’s ministries.Their purpose was to bring the church to maturity, In accord with their faithfulness to that task would come their reward (cf. 1 Cor. 4:2–5). For though a minister served the church he was basically responsible to God. Paul and Apollos were fellow workers who belonged to God and worked for Him in His field, the church (3:9).God was causing it to grow Identifies God as the source of maturity in the faith. Paul directs the Corinthian believers to God, the source of life and unity. In doing so, he casts himself and Apollos as servants of God. God alone produced results. God made the seed grow. That Source is the Spirit of Truth

Now lets bring this to a close, In verse 11 there is a few things we need to expose. the first word is

Foundation

Foundation Figuratively refers to Jesus Christ (2:2; 3:11), who is essential the stabilizer of the church community. BE CAREFUL How he is building upon it Refers to instruction for the believers’ growth in being Christlike (see Acts 18:27–28).

The foundation is clearly critical. With the right foundation a building may well withstand the severest testing.

Leon Morris

So here is how it sums up. Paul Planted the church, Apollos gave the instruction and god gave the increase. so the people have a foundation inside of them and the word building refers to christian spiritual growth. He warns us to be careful how we learn to grow and that we should use the spirit of truth when ever necessary to ensure what you build is based on Jesus Christ. Be Careful what plant in your mind body and soul.

Closing

Here is our application; We are wanting the forest Park church to be known as a plant not a split. A church built on the foundation of Jesus Christ and that we are willing to trust the Spirit of the Lord to lead us. This goes back to the 3 questions I want us to all need to answer os this series. Question 1 was to ask God to Speak to who we are? So here is the answer

We are Spiritual beings, who have been charged to build on a foundation that promotes the ministry of Jesus Christ by trusting the teachings of the Holy Spirit.

whats that saying church? Won’t He do it?