Part 5

FLYING CLOSER TO THE FLAME

Study Five

The Spirit Who Surprises

1 Corinthians 2:1–13

1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom.

2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling,

4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,

5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away.

7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory.

8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

9 But, as it is written,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,

nor the heart of man imagined,

what God has prepared for those who love him”—

10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.

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.

-Pray

PREPARE YOUR HEART

Perhaps you are at an impasse in a relationship or at a crossroads regarding an important decision.

Maybe you need insight from Scripture or clarity about God’s will.

James wrote,

If you need wisdom, ask our generous God, and he will give it to you. ( James 1:5)

Jesus surprised His disciples when He told them, “It is best for you that I go away” ( John 16:7).

But then He reassured them that only by His leaving could the Holy Spirit come to indwell and empower them.

The Holy Spirit would be the wind beneath their wings as they went out as witnesses.

He would be the divine power giving flight to the disciples’ mission, convicting “the world of its sin” (John 16:8), and leading sinners to Christ.

Jesus’ promise about the Holy Spirit was fulfilled in Paul and modeled in his ministry.

In 1 Corinthians 2:1–13,

Paul described his total reliance on the Holy Spirit’s power in his missionary work in Corinth, and the results that followed were remarkable.

Let’s take a closer look.

Observation: Paul’s Example of the Holy Spirit’s Inner Ministry

Paul had just come to Corinth from Athens, where he had the opportunity to speak to Greece’s elite philosophers, the Council of the Areopagus.

Paul delivered a superb explanation of the gospel, but the

response was mixed.

Take a moment to read what happened in Acts 17:32–34.

“32 Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked. But others said, “We will hear you again about this.” 33 So Paul went out from their midst. 34 But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them.”

As far as we know, Paul never planted a church in Athens.

Perhaps this experience confirmed what Paul

already knew—the success of the gospel didn’t depend on human powers of persuasion.

Silver-tongued philosophers were a dime a dozen in Greece, and people expected a good show whenever one

came to town.

So, when Paul arrived in Corinth, he presented himself as just the opposite, a working-class tentmaker (Acts 18:1–3).

Let’s observe in 1 Corinthians 2:1–13 four workings of the Spirit that characterized Paul’s life and ministry.

The Spirit Demonstrates God’s Unique Power—1 Corinthians 2:1–5

“1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”

What did Paul determine not to do in Corinth, according to 1 Corinthians 2:1? No lofty speech or wisdom…

Instead, in 2:2–4, what did Paul say he did?

What reason did Paul give for his approach with the Corinthians, according to 2:5?

Why is this mind-set toward ministry so important in our day as well?

“The Spirit empowered Paul’s message, his leadership, and his style of ministry.

As a result, the awesome presence of God was felt.

—Pastor Chuck Swindoll

The Spirit Searches God’s Hidden Wisdom—1 Corinthians 2:6–10

“6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written,

“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,

nor the heart of man imagined,

what God has prepared for those who love him”—

10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.”

Not only did Paul refuse to rely on his power of persuasion, he also refused to preach what kind of wisdom, according to 1 Corinthians 2:6? Not a wisdom of this age…

Why not?

Instead, Paul preached God’s plan to offer salvation to the whole world through Christ.

What did Paul say about the nature of this wisdom in 2:7–8?

“7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.”

From whom was the wisdom of God hidden? Worldly leaders rulers, those not in Christ…

According to 2:9–10, to whom was the wisdom of God given?

Those believers, mature, etc.

What essential role did the Spirit play in

Paul’s ministry?

We can’t learn from books the depths of God’s truth.

“God’s truth must come from a member of the Godhead, and the one appointed to that task is the Holy Spirit, who lives within every child of God.” —Pastor Chuck Swindoll

The Spirit Reveals God’s Deep Thoughts—1 Corinthians 2:11–12

“11 For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.”

According to 1 Corinthians 2:11–12, what treasure does the Holy Spirit offer only to believers? Thoughts of God…

What makes it possible for us to receive this treasure?

Holy Spirit

At the moment of salvation, we were given the Spirit of God.

“The Holy Spirit came to live within us, ready to reveal to us the wisdom of God, the deep things of God when we need

them.” —Pastor Chuck Swindoll

The Spirit Teaches God’s Profound Insights—1 Corinthians 2:13

Paul knew that the wisdom and power in his ministry didn’t come from him.

What was Paul’s role, according to 1 Corinthians 2:13?

-Interpreting spiritual truths…

Because the Spirit works behind the scenes, Paul didn’t need to put on a show to convince people to follow Christ.

All Paul needed was the Paraclete—the name for the Holy Spirit in the New Testament to express His vital role in our lives.

Let’s take a closer look at this important word.

The Meaning of Paraclete

Word studies help unlock the meaning of a passage and inform our understanding of a theological concept.

Read the five verses in which the Greek word, parakletos, appears in the New Testament, all written by John.

Summarize what John said about the Paraclete, which referred not only to the Spirit but also to Christ.

Note how various Bible versions translate the word, as well as the alternate translations.

Verse Summary

John 14:16

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever,

John 14:26

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

John 15:26

“But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me.

John 16:7–8

7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:

1 John 2:1

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

Finding an English equivalent for parakletos is difficult!

The Greek word is made up of para, which means

“alongside,” and kletos, which means “called.”

So, the Paraclete comes alongside to help and counsel, but if

we had to choose one meaning to describe the Paraclete’s central function it would be advocacy—a function

that describes the work of both Christ and the Spirit and on which Paul totally depended.

Why did Paul intentionally preach “in weakness—timid and trembling” (1 Corinthians 2:3)?

What did Paul count on the Spirit to do on his behalf?

What does the Spirit do for you as your “behind-the-scenes” Paraclete?

In place of weakness, the Spirit brings power.

In place of ignorance, He brings knowledge.

In place of human understanding, He brings divine wisdom.

In place of superficiality, He brings the depths of God’s plan. —Pastor Chuck Swindoll

Correlation: The Unfathomable Depths of God

The wisdom Paul preached was not found in books or taught him by rabbis.

His wisdom came from the

Spirit, who dives into the depths of God to bring us His hidden treasures of truth through God’s Word.

What praise did Paul offer to God in Romans 11:33–36 about the lofty nature of God’s wisdom?

Without the Spirit’s help, the deep wealth of God would forever be out of our reach.

So, join Paul in praise.

“Come boldly and confidently into God’s presence” (Ephesians 3:12), seeking His wisdom for your situation.

Application: Relying on the Spirit’s Surprising Ways

In his book, Embraced by the Spirit, Pastor Chuck Swindoll lists some surprising moments in which he has

received the Holy Spirit’s wisdom.

• Biblical insights I would otherwise have missed

• A sudden awareness of God’s will, the presence of danger, or a sense of peace in the midst of chaos

• A surge of bold confidence in a setting where there would otherwise have been fear and hesitation

• A quiet, calm awareness that I was not alone, even though no other person was actually

with me

• The undeniable, surrounding awareness of evil . . . including the dark sinister presence of demonic forces

Can you identify with Pastor Chuck’s experiences? Which inner ministry from the Holy Spirit have you experienced?

As we saw in this study, Paul relied completely on the working of the Spirit in his life and ministry.

What aspect of Paul’s example stands out as a guide for you in your situation?

Write a prayer inviting God’s Spirit to act as your Paraclete in your situation.

Perhaps now you can better recognize the Spirit’s subtle movements in your life and work.

When you sin,

Jesus is your advocate, pleading “[your] case before the Father” (1 John 2:1).

When you pray, the Spirit is also your advocate—teaching, reminding, guiding, and disclosing the wisdom you need at just right time you need it.

Look for evidence of the Spirit’s gentle movement in your heart this week. He may surprise you!