Meeting God in Jesus - Session 5: The Wisdom of God in Christ

1. Introduction

Leader's Script:

Say: "Welcome back! Last week we talked about the immense, universe-creating power of God revealed in Jesus. But power alone can be scary. A powerful person without wisdom is dangerous. So, our ground verse, 'Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father,' leads us to ask: What does Jesus show us about God's wisdom?"

Ask (Icebreaker): "When you hear the word 'smart' or 'wise' today, who do you think of?

What kind of people does our culture celebrate as being the most intelligent?"

Note these are tied to success, logic, and self-advancement.

"Our culture values a wisdom that leads to success and strength. But the Bible presents a completely different picture. To understand God's wisdom, we first have to see how radically it clashes with our own way of thinking."

The Problem: The Failure of Fallen human Logic

ESV BIBLES PG: 953

1 Corinthians 1:18–21 ESV

18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” 20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.

what is Paul saying here?

God will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and there “discernment” will be used against them

those that are “wise, scribes, debaters” made foolish. God is calling the “wisdom” of this world foolish

so things like the stoic mindset, the feminist movement, the conservative movement, the liberal movement; all foolishness in light of the wisdom of Jesus

Yet how does the world view the message of the Cross?

foolishness, nonsense

why does the idea of a crucified savior seem and in some degree is foolish?

what does it represent??

shame, weakness, and total defeat

WHY DID GOD MAKE IT THE SIGN OF SALVATION?

so that thought weakness and foolishness christ might be made known

2 Corinthians 12:9–10 “9 But he (jesus) said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

Big Question

How has sin effected our minds?

Big Idea!!

this is the core problem: “the world did not know God through wisdom”. (VS 21)

the conclusion: God the Father is reveled in and through Jesus, this is not the problem, but the tools by which we see and understand is the problem

the Tools: “wisdom and/or rationality, logic” they are broken tools effected by sin

our minds on there own, are not able to think pathways to God, actually our logic, reasoning and thinking can and are the biggest hindrances

this is called the noetic effect of sin (how sin affects the mind)

the CORE question driving our fallen logic isn’t “what is true” but rather “How can I be god”

this was the sin of the garden after all

our thinking is always selfish, self-serving

our minds, and thinking needs not to be given new information but “redeemed”

salvation is not a new idea, or set of philosophy

it needs to be crucified and resurrected in Jesus just like every other part of us

as Colossians 1:21-22 ESV BIBLES PG: 983

Colossians 1:21–22 ESV

21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him,

this is why paul then also warns and tells the chruch in romans to

Romans 12:2 ESV

2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

big question

what is the Solution the the effect of sin on our minds?

i have said: we need our minds to be redeemed, yet how does that look practically

Solution: Christ, Our New Logic

christ our new Logic, our new way of thinking, new way of having a value system

lets look at this as in example of how Jesus in his wisdom, invites someone into this new logic

ESV BIBLES PG: 846

Mark 10:17–22 ESV

17 And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’ ” 20 And he said to him, “Teacher, all these I have kept from my youth.” 21 And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 22 Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

question

from a worldly perspective, what is the “logical advice for this successful, moral man?

answer

keep up the good work, use your influence for good

what does Jesus say?

It describes that Jesus that he “loved him”

“you lack one thing”

based off the text what was it that he lacked?

how does this defy human Logic?

it is foolish, extreme, counterproductive,

Jesus “foolish” command was actually the wisest and most loving thing he could say. he sees the problem in the young man, the idol of his heart, the core problem: his logic was built on the foundation of his own wealth and righteousness, not on God

the wisdom of God is not built on the things we as humans deem valuable, but God reorients our desires, values and structures of value for his glory.

Jesus is the king of the Upside down kingdom,

when explain to his disciples why he said what he said to this young man Mark 10.31 Jesus says the “first shall be last, and last first” this is why he told the young man to sell everthing. Jesus kingdom doesn't operate on the principles of the human logic for they are foolishness

this is the logic of christ being played out in actual peoples experience, yet it makes no sense to us, for it is literally not of this world

we have shown that our wisdom, or what we would think is wise, is actually foolishness, but what does God call wisdom and what is the Logic of Christ.

what is the wisdom of God

ESV BIBLES PG: 953

1 Corinthians 1:26–31 ESV

26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

the wisdom of God is the weakness of the cross

what are you thoughts on this?

how is this Wisdom? (ask then give answer)

it Destroys Human Pride

if salvation is was a reward for being smart or good, we could say look how smart i am, i am saved. but its no of us, not of our minds of abilts it comes thought a crucified Savior all we can do is depend on Jesus

Redefines Everthing

1 Corinthians 1:30 “30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,”

How can person be Wisdom?

only if that person, is also God, Jesus, True God and True man.

this is our righteousness, holiness and redemption: our wisdom is not just a list of rules; our wisdom is a Person

don't believe me yet? lets look a Colossians 1.24-29

ESV BIBLES PG: 983 (keep you finger here)

Colossians 1:24–29 ESV

24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, 25 of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, 26 the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints. 27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. 29 For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me.

Paul is working extremely hard why? so you might know the mystery hidden for ages and generation which is Christ in you the hope of glory

NOw look few verses down Colossians 2.2-3

Colossians 2:2–3 ESV

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, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Paul is saying Jesus is the wisdom of God, and therefore he redefines everthing, we know things not by our sense or logic, but by Jesus, he is the one that gets to tell us how life is, who we are, and what the world is

because he is true God, and true man

gives us a New Logic

The bible call Jesus “Logos”- the divine Word, the very logic and reason of God (John 1.1)

when we are united to Christ, our fallen, self-centered minds begin to be renewed as we have read in romans. we are brought into a new way of thinking- in the way of Jesus

ESV BIBLES PG: 980

Philippians 2:1–5 ESV

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

first before we get to the application, does this make sense?

Application

the Core of Christian life is a NEW LIFE ALL AND ALL.

for we are dead, a dead person cant think, cant know, or reason, they must be brought to life

yet this is the out working of spirit and only the spirit. NOT reason, or your power.

we are united to christ, we become ONE, as a man and a women are one in marriage.

not just merely a legal statues, but a real life participation in his life, which include sharing in his mind

yet how is this played out practically

I am not saying its trying harder to think “good thoughts”, or have “good reason”, it about reorienting our entire framework form our own logic, our own strenght to the Lords strength. here's a few example of this

in decision-making

worlds Logic: what is the safest, most profitable or more most popular choice?

Christ logic: what is the path of Love, sacrifice and obedience, regardless of the worldly cost

we saw this exemplified in story of the the rich young ruler

In How we see others:

worlds Logic: what can this person do for me? Are they useful or successful?

Christ Logic: This person is made in the image of God. How can i serve them and love them as Christ does

In How we see Ourselves:

World’s Logic: My world is based on my achievements, my intelligence, or what others think of me, or even the opposite

Christ’s Logic: My identity is secure because I am United to Christ. His righteousness is my righteousness

where do you have default thinking that is not according the the mind of Christ

how can you intentionally pause and ask “what is Christ logic in this situation”

Our fallen reason sees the cross as foolishness. But for those of us being saved, it is the very wisdom of God. It’s the only plan wise enough to save us from ourselves and powerful enough to give us a new mind, the mind of Christ Himself.