Why We Need the Holy Spirit I Corinthians 2:6-16 June 15, 2014

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1 1 Why We Need the Holy Spirit I Corinthians 2:6-16 June 15, 2014 Our passage today is for fathers and mothers and students and children though it is Father s Day these are truths for all believers. These verses encourage those of us who have tried to witness to unbelievers or who have tried to reason with unbelievers. It is refreshing to understand this passage for it will help us understand why we need the Holy Spirit. The central focus of the gospel is the Lord Jesus Christ and His crucifixion. Paul has made this abundantly clear in chapter 1 and chapter 2 for indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified (I Corinthians 1:22-23). Saying again for I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. When you try to talk with people who embrace the wisdom of this world think worldly about Jesus Christ it is not what they want to hear. The gospel does not boost a sinner s ego. It doesn t make anyone feel important. The wisdom of man is like an iceberg. If you study them, looking only at the tip of the iceberg, the 100 above water, you re not understanding an iceberg. If there is 100 of iceberg above water, there is 600 of iceberg below. Such is the contrast between the wisdom of man and the wisdom of God. The wisdom of this world focuses only on which is visible today with disregard for a true understanding of life from God s perspective. Let s examine why this is and how God s wisdom is to be understood. Wisdom A DIVINE Requirement I Corinthians 2:6-7 Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; 2:7 but we speak God s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory Wisdom of this age viewing life from a limited vantage point. MATURE those who are born-again and know the Word of God The main idea of wisdom of the mature is INSIGHT, discernment of spiritual things. This is the ability to perceive things from a biblical perspective. This is God s wisdom! The wisdom of God cannot be found by the rulers of this age. These are the Dr. Phil s Oprah sociologists politicians the shapers of public opinion. They do not understand the wisdom of God because it cannot be found by human reasoning. Observations about this wisdom It is PERMANENT. NOT OF THIS AGE WHO ARE PASSING AWAY

2 2 These are permanent truths! What is true today will be true tomorrow... and next year and 100 years from now. GOD S WISDOM is a MYSTERY Mystery has the idea of secret behind it. A mystery is unknown outside of the revelation of God. For those that believe the Word of God. These mysteries are now made clear to those who have been enlightened. While it is clear to those who have been informed, it is foggy to those who haven t. It s roots are in eternity PAST. WHICH GOD PREDESTINED BEFORE THE AGES God s plan of salvation was not an afterthought. It was a plan established before the foundation of the world. The giving of this wisdom was an eternal plan. TO OUR GLORY to our benefit Our salvation brings us some kind of glory. Not exaltation but benefits on earth that extend until the day we re taken to glory. If we walk in God s wisdom, we will enjoy His blessings, which then is to our glory, the blessing of understanding life seeing life for what it is examining everything through the lens of Scripture knowing right from wrong in every area of life. This is to our glory. When you discover this wisdom you see life completely different. Illustration of the foolishness of man I Corinthians 2:8 the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory The crucifixion proves that the rulers of this age were clueless. Killing Jesus showed they did not have God s wisdom. For they wouldn t have killed Him had they had this wisdom. But their ignorance was a willing ignorance. Wisdom Not Attainable Through EDUCATION I Corinthians 2:9 but just as it is written, THINGS WHICH EYE HAS NOT SEEN AND EAR HAS NOT HEARD, AND which HAVE NOT ENTERED THE HEART OF MAN, ALL THAT GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM. This is a free quotation of Isaiah 64:4 and 65:17. This passage is commonly misinterpreted. My friends, this is not a verse about the future. It is an explanation of how wisdom CANNOT be attained today. It cannot be found with the eyes. Our eyes cannot see spiritual truth and wisdom. We learn a lot by examining things with our eyes. But spiritual wisdom cannot be

3 learned through your eyes. We learn some things by hearing but spiritual truths are not learned this way. Things that have entered the heart of man do not reveal this wisdom either. That is, things reasoned out by logic or reasoning. There are some things we cannot learn by human means. That which God has for the believer is not through the eye-gate the eargate through man s heart and feelings. I admit I have used this verse in funerals. But that s not the context here. Though it could be said heaven is going to be more glorious to our eyes, more glorious to our hearing, greater than what we could imagine, this is not what this verse is saying. Watch this! The things God has prepared for those who love Him ARE NOT DISCOVERED THROUGH YOUR EYES, THROUGH YOUR EARS, OR THROUGH SCIENCE. All this to say This truth cannot be discovered by natural processes. You will not learn it at a secular university You will not get it by taking course at any secular school You will not get it through philosophy through anything outside of the revelation of God inspired by the Spirit of God. FOR THOSE THAT LOVE HIM is saying God s wisdom God s truth God s ways are not hidden from God s children. The all-important question: How can we know anything about God? Paul s answer is, we cannot unless God discloses Himself to us! Ray Stedman You cannot find out God by searching Man by investigation of all the natural forces of life will never find his way to the heart of God. Only God Himself must disclose Himself, must open Himself to us. That He has done by means of the Spirit of God -- the Spirit has come to teach us about God. The Lord Jesus Himself appeared as a man in order that we might have a visible demonstration of what God is like. The simplest answer to the question, What is God like? is to say He is like Jesus, under all circumstances. This is what we discover in verse 10 Wisdom Sought Out and Revealed By the HOLY SPIRIT I Corinthians 2:10 For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. 3

4 That which eye has not seen and ear has not heard that which has not entered the heart of man is revealed by God! 3 aspects of God s wisdom 1 st Based upon REVELATION the Word of God You cannot learn spiritual truths by speculation. You can only get it when God reveals it to you! God reveals Himself through His Word. The Bible is the Holy Spirit s means to bring God s revelation. My friends, this is value of coming to church, or a Bible study, or studying the Bible on your own. When you come to the Word of God, accepting it as the revelation of God, letting the Spirit of God work in your mind and heart, the hidden secrets about life will be made known. (God s wisdom) 2 nd From God by way of INSPIRATION The revelation of God is inspired by God God-breathed so what the Spirit of God makes known to us is wisdom unavailable by any other means. It comes by the revelation of God by that which is God-breathed! II Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 3:17 so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (God s wisdom) 3 rd Understood by ILLUMINATION If you reject the revelation of God the Bible you will resort to guesswork. When you replace the revelation of God with the speculation of God foolishness follows. Notice that which God reveals is known because of the Holy Spirit. I Corinthians 2:11 For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. I Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God Our ability to know the things given to us by God is provided by the Holy Spirit. WE HAVE RECEIVED THE SPIRIT when and how did this take place? 4

5 5 The moment you believe the Holy Spirit indwells you. Romans 8:9 you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. His indwelling is a pre-requisite for God s wisdom. Every born-again believer is indwelt by the Spirit. So Paul is talking about all Christians anyone who possesses the Spirit of God. The presence of the Spirit of God in the individual life is what marks the difference between a true Christian and one who is not. SO THAT WE MAY KNOW THE THINGS GIVEN TO US BY GOD Notice a process The moment we believe the Holy Spirit indwells us, His presence starts our transformation becoming Christ-like. As we hear the Word of God study it and meditate on it the Holy Spirit implants the divine wisdom of God in us. Testimony after testimony is the same Many tell of being bored by the Bible, disinterested in it after reading it. But then God opens the eyes of their heart so they see Jesus as glorious and see their sin and a need for a Savior, and the Bible comes alive! The very people who were bored by the Bible can t get enough of it. They spend hours in the Bible because the Spirit of God has taken the revelation of God and illumined their heart. Think back to how the disciples did not understand Christ s teachings? He baffled them, puzzled them, He angered them, and upset them. He even embarrassed them. They didn t get Jesus until the Holy Spirit came on the Day of Pentecost. Then the light went on. Then they understood. Then Jesus became more wonderful to them for they received God s Spirit who taught them. I Corinthians 2:13 which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words. When you are not taught by the Spirit, your focus is only on this life. All choices are made on the basis of the here and now. Goals are centered around this life: pleasure, success, fame, wealth, possessions, cars, and homes. In verse 14, Paul calls these people a natural man. Wisdom Leading to A MIND Like Christ s I Corinthians 2:14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised.

6 The natural man is the unbeliever. The natural man ignores the spiritual realm. He does not even know it exists. All of his choices are based on the present. He fails to see the vast information about God and the true purpose of life. This is why a non-christian can read the Bible and consider it dull. To them there is nothing interesting nothing exciting. But when you become a Christian that all changes. It changes because you have received the Holy Spirit and He makes the Bible knowable understandable. And the Bible becomes fascinating. I Corinthians 2:15-16 But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. 2:16 For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ. The natural man has no problem with abortion. That is because the sanctity of human life is spiritually appraised spiritually discerned. When the Spirit of God indwells you you see this issue from God s perspective. You hate that innocent lives are being taken because you have become a spiritual appraiser. APPRAISED BY NO ONE not looking for man s approval only God s! Paul asks the question who has known the mind of the Lord? Or put another way what natural man can have the mind of Christ? No one! What does it mean to have the mind of Christ? This subject alone is worthy of a full sermon. But let me do my best to explain. Because we have the mind of Christ understand God s wisdom because of the Holy Spirit s presence in our lives being illumined by the Spirit we can think God s thoughts and understand God s wisdom. The two disciples Jesus met after His resurrection on Emmaus Road were given the mind of Christ. Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures (Luke 24:45) Wrap Up My friends, because God has given His Spirit to us and has moved us from rebellion to submission we see the Lord Jesus Christ and the cross as the very wisdom and power of God. That is having the mind of Christ. The big question: What are we to do with this truth? If you find yourself here today without Christ consider what a hopeless condition you are in without Christ and how perfectly suited the gospel is to your need. And look to Christ call upon the Lord believe in Him and be saved. But if you still will not put aside your sin and pride this passage is a warning. 6

7 7 That which divides all humanity comes to this point. What do you think about Christ? This is the very question Jesus posed What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He? The gospel the good news that which is of first importance Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. He was buried. He was raised on the third day. If you are one who is born-again, this passage is a reminder that your ability to receive the things of the Spirit is the GIFT of GOD.