The Speaking Gifts - How to speak words of Life - Part 5 - Words of Wisdom and Words of Knowledge
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GREET EVERYONE-
Good morning loved ones!
If I have not had a chance to meet you; My name is Scott and I am a follower of Jesus and have the privilege of serving Jesus as the Lead Pastor among the people of Stonewater Fellowship.
Our Vision:
We Desire see every follower of Jesus well equipped and fully deployed on the mission of Jesus.
What mission? - This questions leads us to articulate His mission for His church in a simple way.
Our Mission:
Is to engage people into a multiplying relationship with Jesus!
INVITATION
1- Welcome Home
2- New Members Class
3- Prayer
PRAY FOR TONYA AND HER MOM BEVERLY!
LETS GRAB OUR BIBLES IF YOU HAVE ONE AND
Open it to Colossians 2 as we will un-pack and un-wrap verses 1-10 today as we come to the conclusion of our current Series on The Speaking Gifts - understanding how to speak words of life.
and How the Holy Spirit uses God’s spirit filled, super natural church to Speak word of Life in every conversation we have.
PRAYER OVER SERIES
is and has been that as we are Exposing What God says, through the scriptures about the Speaking Gifts of the Holy Spirit that are given God’s people;
My prayer is We would become more and more and more a people who speak words of life to a lost and dying world. Especially in the season we are in and will be for several months.
PRAYER OVER MESSAGE
over this mornings message is that we would come to know Jesus in a deeper and more abiding way.
That we would know the Jesus of the Bible
The Jesus of both old testament and new testament and how he is the center of all things and that we would abide in Him and Him alone and as we do His promise is that our lives would bear fruit for His kingdom and his glory.
For Jesus is all sufficient!
ENGAGEMENT –
As I was thinking about the message these last several months and weeks
There was this question that kept running through my mind and the more I thought about it the more I had to realize that there are and were so very easily -flaws in my thinking.
In this message and in this series we have been navigating the Gifts of the Spirit and a Category of the Gifts that can easily be identified as the speaking gifts.
10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: 11 whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
So God Speak through the Apostle Peter and says that Jesus followers who are saved by grace through faith and as such have been regenerated by the Holy Spirit Each of those has recieved a gift.
And whoever receives the speaking gift would speak as one who speaks the oracles of God.
Paul in His letter to the Corinthian Church says that there are a couple of those kinds of speaking gifts that are manifested in two ways -
Words of Wisdom and Words of Knowledge.
8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,
and what kept rolling though my mind was “wisdom” and “knowledge” that these are gifts from the Holy Spirit.
ONE of the things that dawned on me was, we can all observe that in many many ways God has certainly granted mankind with wisdom and knowledge.
When we look around we can see the result of God given wisdom and knowledge that is evident Through - Human flourishing that we all enjoy.
And what downed on me and maybe it will strike a chord with you, is that I had really just assumed that the Gifts of Knowledge and the Gift of Wisdom were simply there to enhance our life -
to make us more wise, good stewards, and to make us more knowledgeable about things we did not know about so we could flourish more.
Wiser of more practical application of enjoying an increase of the flourishing that God has blessed us all with!
and Knowledge of how to be more knowledgeable, obtain more knowledge and put to use more knowledge again for practical things so that human flourishing can be enjoyed, enhanced and improved!
And what began to dawn on me is that God has bestowed what seems to be an increase of wisdom and knowledge that on a whole lot of people in the last several hundred years!
And what is even more interesting is that many of those people do not now trust in Jesus, They are not filled with the Holy Ghost!
They are not regenerated by Him unto knew life!
They are not saved by grace through faith as children of God.
They are still dead in their trespasses and sin!
And through out the ages there are many many many in the past who had great knowledge and wisdom that God had granted them-
And they Did not give thanks to God - nor acknowledge Him as God and they suppressed the Truth in Unrighteousness and are therefor very very possibly currently being recipients of God's wrath for all eternity in Hell.
And what dawned on my was these words of Wisdom and Knowledge, that Paul is speaking of is Divine wisdom and divine knowledge.
Only Given to those whom God makes new in Christ, regenerated by the Spirit unto new life.
These are gifts of the Holy Spirit, given to the Spirit Filled, Spirit regenerated bride of Christ - The Church.
And I began to ask: well are there examples of this in Scripture? - This wisdom and knowledge that is differentiated becasue it is a specific kind?
The Answer is YES there is a different kind!
TENSION
You see the problem that we have in thinking that these gifts of wisdom and knowledge are given to the church for our own individual improvement and individual flourishing and our individual advancement in the practical things of this world is that it can so easily can push us towards idolatry.
We are so very easily wooed away from Jesus.
Here is why that is - The more we believe that the gifts of Knowledge and Wisdom are there, given to us, to be used by us and for us we can then so easily begin to believe that the blessing of God are measured by, and reduced to, us achieving Comfort, Convenience, Safety and Security in this world.
Loved ones these are the 4 idols of our culture!
When we believe that the Gifts of the Spirit are to be used primarily to achieve these things? we very soon forget what the Gifts are given in the first place.
The Gifts of the Spirit are given to Bring Glory to God and not to man.
For the Common Good of all not for the advancement and possessions of any individual!
They are given to Build up the Church- and as we know Building up the Church God adding to the number every day those who are being saved.
Anything else other than those for purposes and we have been wooed away form Jesus and into the Idolatry of our culture -
When that Happens, the Gospel gets moved and and influenced and ultimately twisted into what we now can know it as the Prosperity Gospel or the Name it and claim it Gospel, in its many forms.
Loved ones Me and John Piper are in agreement about the Prosperity Gospel in any form it comes in.
It is worthless.
When is the last time any american person has said that Christ is all sufficient becasue I drive a BMW?
NEVER
Remember the Only Reasons the Gifts are given to the Church - To build it up by adding to it. For the Common good - Gods Glory.
Now don't get me wrong loved Wisdom is used in the practical - Knowledge is used in the Physical - God uses those to do marvelous and wonderful things.
But those things cannot be the limits of our understanding of the words of Knowledge and words of Wisdom that are given the Church.
Which ultimately leads us to our Passages of Scripture this morning.
BACKGROUND
Jennifer Read for us probably one of the most interesting Proverbs this morning and so a little background of what is happening in around this proverb.
Solomon wrote the proverbs and Solomon was a rich man, I mean a very rich man.
In fact Solomon was the richest man that Ever lived.
In today’s dollars - 2.1 trillion dollars.
For the first 7 chapters what Solomon is doing is sharing with His son the Importance of navigating this world with wisdom -
Wordy wisdom - And the Book of Proverbs is a great book to read every day with your children when they are old enough to understand the language. there are 31 proverbs and usually 31 days in the month.
A proverb of Solomon a day - Keeps foolishness away.
And one could so easily assume that if we were to acquire the wisdom of Solomon we could amass the wealth of Solomon.
But Something very interesting happens here is chapter 8.
I want you to notice - after 7 chapters, talking about wisdom.
Wisdom begins speaking in the first person!
But Pastor what do Proverbs 8 and Colossians 2 have to do with Each other?
The Answer is Jesus!
COLOSSIANS
Paul writes to the Colossian Church.
This gathering of believers, This assembly of the called out ones AKA the Church in Colossae is a place that Paul did not go to.
Paul, spent over three years in a Place called Ephesus which was about 120 east of Colossae and while he was there God used Paul to save a a guy and make him a disciple of Jesus named Epaphras
Epaphras was from Colossae and After his salvation he traveled the 120 miles and went back to his home town, started sharing the Gospel, Making disciples as he went and those disciples began gathering together while they were also making disciples and when thy assembled together they were called the Church in Colossae -
Paul write this letter specifically to the Saints and Faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae.
In the first Chapter - Paul give thanks to their faithfulness to the Gospel and reflect on the fact that their faith is legendary and well known throughout the community of believers.
He prays for them.
He recaps the Gospel to them recounting the Goodness and the work of Christ.
He then unpack the preeminence of Christ and talks about His own heart for them.
UNPACKING
As we get to chapter 2 Paul begins to share the anguish that He has for them and the Struggle.
Colo 2:1
1 For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face,
You see what Paul is struggling with is He cannot be with them and the other community right next door to them which is Laodicea about 9 miles away.
Another Community Paul did not go to.
Because He is under house arrest in Rome at the time. Awaiting a hearing before Caesar!
One of the possibilities that exists in this letter is that disciples of Jesus were made by the disciple making, Gospel Proclaiming work of Epaphras and others including a lady named Nympha who was a wealthy woman who owned a home big enough to ave a church that assembled together in Her house.
Epaphras can’t be in two places at once so there is certainly some co-laboring around the Gospel that is happening in this area.
One of the things that Paul desires to be is a encouraging Church builder.
Paul's overall desire is to preach Christ and Him Crucified and through that work to encourage people through the goodness of God, seeing people come to faith through repentance, follow Jesus and the church is built up.
and Paul begins to share His heart for them
Colo 2:2
2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ,
In verse two His desired outcome form His visit.
That people be encouraged in their hearts,
United together in Live -
Achieving what He calls “all the riches of the Fullness of the assurance of understanding their salvation.
Along with that assurance - Knowledge -
Knowledge of God’s mystery which is Christ -
3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
and then in verse three - He makes this stunning statement
In Christ are Hidden ALL the treasures of wisdom and knowledge!
Some of the Treasures of wisdom?
Some knowledge-
No!
The Scriptures tell us - God reveals to us - through the Apostle Paul as He writes this letter that ALL of the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge are Hidden in Christ Jesus.
This then Answers a very important question!
Remember Loved ones - The Apostle Paul’s resume -
He was educated at the very highest level of Jewish scholarship - Like the Harvard or Yale of his time.
He was a pharisee - in fact a pharisee of pharisees.
So when Paul says that All of the treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge are Hidden in Christ Jesus the question that He is answering is When Wisdom begins to Speak in the first person in Proverbs Chapter 8 -
Who is speaking?
Jesus - The Eternal Son of God - The only brought forth, in other words begotten of the Father. Jesus - the word that was in the beginning with God and was God -
Jesus the word that became flesh and dwelt Among us as Emanuel - God with us.
That is who is speaking in Proverbs Chapter 8 - Jesus the pre incarnate Son - the eternal Son of God is speaking.
Lets look and Hear what is happening n Proverbs 8
4 “To you, O men, I call, and my cry is to the children of man.
5 O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense.
6 Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right, 7 for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them.
9 They are all straight to him who understands, and right to those who find knowledge.
Lets Look –
Vs 4,5,6,7,8
Who calls to men and insists that the children come? –
Who speaks to the simple and not to the wise?
who speaks of the Nobelist things, only the things that are right?
who speaks only truth and who despises wickedness?
Who is the Only one who can declare that ALL of his words are righteous with no twisting manipulation or malice in them?
Who is the only one who can claim that His words are the only ones that make sense and are right when people understand and find the knowledge of them in his sermon on the mount?
Jesus!
VS10
10 Take my instruction instead of silver, and knowledge rather than choice gold, 11 for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her.
Whose words are more valuable that Silver and Gold, Jewels and whose words are incomparable to anything else?
Jesus!
VS 12-15
12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.
13 The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.
14 I have counsel and sound wisdom; I have insight; I have strength.
15 By me kings reign, and rulers decree what is just; 16 by me princes’ rule,
and nobles, all who govern justly.
Who said we should not fear the one who can kill the body but the one who can kill the body and the soul in hell?
Who speaks against pride and arrogance and perverted speech?
In whom is hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge?
Who has insight? Who has strength? Whose decrees are just and whose ethics enable men to rule themselves Justly?
Jesus!
VS17-20
17 I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently find me.
18 Riches and honor are with me, enduring wealth and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness, in the paths of justice, 21 granting an inheritance to those who love me, and filling their treasuries.
Who loves those who love Him?
Who is revealed to those who diligently seek Him?
Whose riches and honor and wealth and righteousness endure forever? Who walks only in the way of Righteousness and is Just and the Justifier? Who grants and eternal inheritance to those who love Him and Serve him and who fill peoples treasuries in Heaven?
Jesus!
VS22-31
22 “The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.
23 Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
24 When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth, 26 before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.
27 When he established the heavens, I was there; when he drew a circle on the face of the deep, 28 when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep, 29 when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth, 30 then I was beside him, like a master workman, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, 31 rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man.
Who was in the possession of YHWY at the beginning of creation?
Who was brought forth, the only begotten of the Father, (thats what begotten means, brought forth) when there were no oceans, no springs, no water, no mountains no Hills, the earth of the fields or the first dust?
Who was there when the Heavens were established?
When YHWY drew the shoreline of the Oceans?
The firmness of the skies above?
The fountains of the deep and assigned the seas their limit all of which do not pass by his command?
Who was there when the foundations of the earth were marked out by God?
Who was beside Him like a master workman?
Who is the Fathers daily delight, through whom He delights in the Children of Man?
JESUS!
VS32-36
32 “And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.
34 Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates,
waiting beside my doors.
35 For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord, 36 but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.”
BY Who’s ways are men blessed if they keep?
Whose instruction should we never neglect?
Who blesses when we listen to Him?
In whom do we find life and favor from God?
And in whom is the Standard of Life and Death as Lord?
For He says Those who love me will keep my commands and will find life and those who don’t will not find life for the wrath of God still abides on them?
Jesus!
You see loved ones – It is Jesus who is peaking in Proverbs Chapter 8 when wisdom Begins to speak in the First person.
What does Proverbs have to do with Paul's letter to the Colossian saints?
Jesus!
LANDING AND WORSHIP TEAM
and What what Paul does in Colossians 2:4 is HE explains the importance of this knowledge and understanding.
4 I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. 5 For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ.
He says : This is important so that no one will be deluded in the faith with arguments that seem to make sense coming from people who do not believe.
and His desire is that their faith is firm in Christ
Paul then undoes Any and Every Idea that true and eternal Wisdom and Knowledge are for this world an the benefit of anything in our practical lives.
6 Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, 7 rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.
8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
and What Paul says to them through the power of the Spirit he declared to all of us this morning
SO as you have recieved Christ as Lord and Master of your lives.
Walk in Him - Live your life in Him is what He just said.
what does that look like?
A life that is Rooted in Christ - Established by Trust in Christ faith for without faith without trust it is impossible to pleas God.
And we are to do this, just as Jesus taught us to do through His word -
Over flowing in thanks giving for Him saving us and sending us to declare His salvation to the world.
In verse 8 Paul then give the ultimate rejection of any wisdom that seems to focus on the practical and not the eternal and He speaks to us this very moment.
You see lived ones - Any philosophy of human tradition is empty deceit becasue it is based on the elemental spirits of this world and not on Christ.
and we can be held Captive by it -
We are to be held only by one person - We are to be held captive by Christ and Him only.
WHY -
Because in Christ Jesus all of the Fullness of the God head dwells -
Jesus the eternal Son of God - Filled with the spirit - The one who said - You see me you see the father - You know me your know the Father?
Jesus is the one who proclaims to the world and sent the Church into the world to proclaim the inclusiveness and Exclusiveness of Following Jesus.
I am the Way and the Truth and the Life - No one come to the father but through me.
And the scripture declares:
That God so loved the world that He sent me His only begotten Son so that Who ever believes, Whoever trust in my will not perish but have eternal life.
You see the Gospel changes Everything!
The Good news is that Jesus can take us from being dead in our trespasses and Sin - Captives to the Elementary principles of this world that are based on human traditions and empty philosophies that deceive us in darkness.
and through faith, through trust - A gift from God - WE can be made new - Alive in Christ- Transferring people from the kingdom of darkness and into His marvelous light.
Becoming Children of His adopted and regenerated unto knew life by the power of the Holy Spirit - The very same power that created all things and raised Jesus from the dead -can also raise all who call upon His name.
INVITATION IS STILL OPEN TO ALL
This world is divided into two groups of people and two groups only -
Those who have heard the call of God to faith and repentance - surrendered their life to Jesus, love Him with all their heart soul mind and strength and are saved by grace through faith - Children of God by adoption of God - Who will be eternally recipients of his presence and love for ever in heaven.
And those who have not - Who, if they are called into eternity by death, not trusting, not believing, not repenting by faith by trust in Christ and his finished work on the Cross - Who when eternity comes they will be objects of the Wrath of God in Hell.
The invitation of God is here - Believe the Gospel - Repent - Turn your life over to Jesus - Surrender to His goodness and His grace - he did the work on the Cross - He paid the price for you sin and mine -
He is the only means and his finished work is the only of being saved from the wrath of God.
The invitation is open while there is still time - But there will be a day when no one knows - A day of Judgement - when the last breath of this life is taken - One appointment with death -
Hear the wisdom of Jesus - Come to him and surrender!
COMMUNION
NEW COVENANT MEMBERS
PRAYER TEAM
