The Revelation Of The Revelation
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Title- The Revelation Of The Revelation
Title- The Revelation Of The Revelation
Passage- 2 Corinthians 2:9-13
Introduction- Physics class in HS
Attention- If you find physics…or other academic exercises challenging…they are nothing compared to trying to understand life with out God and His word and understanding His Word without His Spirit
Problem- One of the problems we face is that we grab this BOOK and attempt to figure it out ourselves and apply it to our lives ourselves and it was never meant to work that way...
Historical Problem-
CPS - The Holy Spirit is essential to applying God’s Word to our lives....
Interrogative (CPS in a question) Why is the Holy Spirit so vital to our understanding and applying Scripture?
Transition- In this passage we will see several functions of the Holy Spirit in relation to God’s Word and our daily lives...
The first function is that
Slide
I. The Holy Spirit Functions As Author Of The Bible
I. The Holy Spirit Functions As Author Of The Bible
Explain
In verse 9 Paul is speaking of the Bible…namely the NT
This is similar to when he refers to the Gospel as a “mystery”
Slide
If ye have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which is given me to you-ward: How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery; (as I wrote afore in few words,
“But what is written”...Here Paul is writing about the NT revelation by way of the apostles
Could this refer to the whole of scripture, it could except Paul is referring to writings that
Slide
For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
These are writings that were not seen or heard before…these are things that “neither entered into the heart of man” until this dispensation.
Slide
Verse 10 goes on to tell us that “these things” were revealed them to the early church and also to us by the Holy Spirit.
This particular passage does not give us a full view of the Holy Spirit’s work in inspiration but we can look to a couple other passages to fill in those areas..
Slide
First we would look at
All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.
All Scripture is given by inspiration of God…literally God breathed out the words...
Slide
Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
The word Peter uses here for “moved” is often translated in the gospels as “bring”
-When Jesus would want to heal someone he would ask that the blind or crippled be brought to him.
-It is referring to a helper…not to force them or change them where they are but to bring them along.
-With this idea behind the word it helps us understand that the Holy Spirit did not dictate or force the writers to write but worked within their experiences and personalities but guided them to record God’s very words.
Slide
Illustrate- There are times as a parent that you as a sibling to convey a message to another...
Like this
“Please tell Jim Bob it’s lunch time”
Sibling says “Jim Bob, it’s time to come in for lunch”
-The truth of the message was conveyed yet not dictated.
Yes men wrote the Bible…but the Holy Spirit is the author.
Refute
Apply
Transition- The second function of the Holy Spirit in relation to God’s Word and our daily lives
Slide
II. The Holy Spirit Functions To Reveal The Bible To Us
Explain
Slide
Verse 11 asks a very easy question to answer...
For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.
1 Cor
“What man knows the mind of God”?
Job chapters 38-42 is God in essence asking Job that very question..... over and over and over
Slide
Paul says in Romans 11:34
For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counseller?
We cannot know the things of God…we need to have them revealed to us
Slide
Paul goes on in verse 12
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
We have recieved what....not the spirit of the world but the Holy Spirit who is the author of the truth we cannot fully understand.
Slide
He then goes on to give us a purpose for God giving us the Holy Spirit..... “That we might know”
Know what?....Verse 9…what is written…the Bible
Illustrate- You all know those people…they have a really good knowledge of the Bible and they know it....almost to a fault!
There are also those who seem to have their ducks all in a row in life and they too seem to pride themselves on it....
Regardless which group they are both forgetting on vital truth…if it were not for the Holy Spirit you could not have any understanding of God’s Word or how to live it out...
So don’t be prideful when the Spirit of God reveals something to you…give God the glory
In his commentary in 1 Corinthians Leon Morris says it this way
Slide
There can be no feeling of pride when it is clear that it is all of God.
Slide
Apply- I think this verse is pretty clear…if you do not have the Holy Spirit you have the spirit of the world and the spirit of the world cannot understand the things of God so therefore if you understand the things of God it is not because of you or any other man but because of God!
Refute
Let’s be real and give credit where credit is due.....
Apply
FINALLY
Transition- The third function of the Holy Spirit in relation to God’s Word and our daily lives is that
Slide
III. The Holy Spirit Applies The Bible To Our Lives
III. The Holy Spirit Applies The Bible To Our Lives
Explain
Slide
Verse 13
Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
The “things” again refers back to the Bible…the things which were written for us...
Slide
And the Holy Spirit teaches us
-The Holy Spirit like any good teacher gives us more than just facts....The Holy Spirit instructs us how to rightly use the knowledge that has been revealed to us...
But He not only teaches us in order that we live a right life before God but so that we can share with others as well...
C.K. Barrett says it this way
Slide
The Spirit thus enables inward apprehension of profound divine truths; the Spirit also provides language that makes conversation about these truths possible.
Slide
Illustrate- I’m sure you’ve been in the situation where you were discussing a spiritual truth or bible passage and someone says… “Wow…I have never thought of it that way”....neither had you until the Spirit of God opened your eyes
But He not only opened your eyes He also opened your mouth and gave you the words to speak.
The Holy Spirit allowed you to combine with another to be used by Him to enlighten them the way He enlightened you....
That’s the sense of the word “compare”…it has the idea of combining…
Refute
Apply- When we as Christians “combine” ourselves with the Spirit of God we are enlightened to the truths of God’s Word...
But it can’t stop there…we ought to be “combining” with others that have the same Spirit within them allowing Him to use us as His instruments of grace to enlighten others...
Because as we read in verse 14
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
Conclusion
The Holy Spirit is essential to applying God’s Word to our lives
He is the author…the revealer…and instructor in our lives...
Visualize Audience Implementation
How does this show up in our lives?
Do you come to God’s Word and call it that as more than a title but as a truth that is is truly God’s word
Do you come to God’s Word asking God’s Spirit to reveal to you some new truth…or to remind you of truths you may have forgotten?
Do you regularly discuss with others what God is revealing to you or ask what God is revealing to them?
Do you really see the Holy Spirit as important as He is?
When I was in that physics class I would have never passed if it had not been for the two friends that guided me through what I didn’t understand..
Closing Hymn
We not only have a friend in Jesus but we have a friend in the Holy Spirit as well and he wants to guide us and instruct us
We just need to trust Him
Closing Hymn
Closing Hymn
328 Only Trust Him