The Church: Wisdom of God

-Alexa

Elmer hat

Introduction - Not always wise

It may come as a shock to some of you, but I have not always walked in the austere wisdom that you see before you today.

ILLUST - Examples of my lack of wisdom:

using a fire hose to water grass

hiding water guns

Zapping friends with ignition coils - 40,000 v

Launching everything from filled soda cans to frozen peaches with water balloon launcher

When that wasn’t enough - attached water balloon launcher to sunroof of car

(ironically, most of this was done with the PK)

All that to say I have not always been wise and the debate still rages as to whether or not I have found said wisdom.

Wisdom is what we need today:

Wisdom is different that being smart.

There are smart people who might be very unwise, and wise people who may not be academically smart.

Whether a mom or dad, husband or wife, single and seeking, single and cool with that, elementary / middle / high school / college.

1 Corinthians 2:6–16 (ESV)

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.

14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

True wisdom comes from God. (6-9)

World’s wisdom (wisdom of this age) = false wisdom - will pass away.

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.

God’s wisdom is different than the world’s. It will last. It is the unfolding of God’s plan which is the story of the gospel.

The gospel is an open secret.

open secret 1 - Professional wrestling is fake

open secret 2 - Delta Force - everyone knows about them but what they know and do is a secret

The gospel is open to everyone - the heart of the gospel is that Jesus died on the cross for your sins to offer you forgiveness and eternal life.

The world cannot give you anything like this and this wisdom will change your life.

“secret and hidden” - doesn’t mean God was keeping it from us but it was not able to be know by natural / human means.

God’s wisdom is guaranteed for your glory.

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

The Corinthians had let the culture around them tell them how to find or learn the wisdom that would help them in life.

They were trusting in wisdom that would eventually fail.

Paul was reminding them of where true wisdom is found and how to receive it.

God reveals His wisdom through His Spirit. (10-16)

How does the Spirit give us wisdom? Paul gives four ways:

(grateful to Warren Wiersbe in The Bible Exposition Commentary for his description of how Spirit gives us wisdom. I will be borrowing some of his outline.)

The Spirit indwells believers (v. 12).

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.

Spirit of the world - fear, self-centered, arrogant

“Spirit who is from God” - i.e., God the Holy Spirit, the third Person of the Trinity.

Sometimes we treat the Holy Spirit like the crazy uncle we have in our family.

He is actually an invaluable gift to the believer.

that we might understand the things freely given us by God.

i.e., wisdom

Received

Holy Spirit is not achieved or attained, which means we receive this wisdom - it’s from the inside out.

When do we receive the Holy Spirit?

When we trust in Christ.

Acts 2:38 (ESV)

38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit then indwells us (walks with us)

Seals us

Empowers us

Fills us

ILLUST - What did we do before Google?

- Or before Alexa? “Alexa, what will the weather be today?” Alexa, how many feet are in a mile?” “Alexa, what is my greatest fear?”

- The Spirit is like having an Alexa (but even better)

- “Holy Spirit, give me wisdom as I go to talk with this person.” “Guide me as I go to school today to avoid temptations and problems.”

- with one difference. Alexa serves us, we serve God.

>>The question is, how many of us talk to Alexa more than we talk to the Spirit? Could it be that we somehow really think Alexa is more useful than the Holy Spirit?”

The Spirit searches everything (vv. 10–11).

Scary thought yet comforting truth.

Scary - can’t hide our sin

Comforting - you are known.

Romans 8:26–27 (ESV)

26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

ILLUST - Mind-reading Trick

In this trick, you ask your spectator to pick any number between 1 and 9 and multiply it by 3. Then, ask them to add the answer to 6 and divide the answer the get by 3. Finally, ask your subject to subtract the initial number they had picked from the final number. The answer is always 2. For example, 2 x 3 = 6, 6 + 6 = 12, 12 ÷ 3 = 4, 4 – 2 = 2.

Not only does the Spirit know our heart and mind, but the Spirit knows God’s heart and mind. (v11)

The Spirit teaches the truth (v. 13).

Jesus promised that the Spirit would teach us (John 14:26) and guide us into truth (John 16:13)

John 14:26 (ESV)

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 16:13 (ESV)

13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

How? Primarily through God’s Word.

Revelation, Inspiration, Illumination.

The Spirit inspired God’s Word in history

2 Peter 1:21 (ESV)

21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit Illuminates God’s Word to us today

Ephesians 1:17–18 (ESV)

17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,

The Spirit helps you mature (vv. 14–16).

Natural Person = unbeliever (not saved)

Spiritual Person = believer (saved)

(not because we are smarter - remember, it is all God’s work)

The natural person cannot understand the things of God because they do not know God.

ILLUST - inside joke with my wife - we get it because we have a relationship

Why is a mouse when it is spinning?

But we have the mind of Christ.

ILLUST - “Thinking Cap”

we - plural - the church

have - it is not something to attain - it is something we have to use

mind of Christ - we discern daily life like Jesus would - with the wisdom of the Spirit.

Revelation, Inspiration, Illumination, Application

Stop turning on your phone to follow natural wisdom.

Instead,

Put on the mind of Christ by the Spirit through God’s Word.