wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age who are coming to nothing.
No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God
destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it,
for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. However, as it is written,
no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who
love him. But God has revealed it to us by his spirit. The spirit searches all things,
even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the
man's spirit within him? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the
spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world, but the spirit who is from God,
that we may understand what God has freely given us. This is what we speak, not in words taught us
by human wisdom, but in words taught by the spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.
The man without the spirit does not accept the things that come from the spirit of God,
for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment.
For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.
Thank you.
Thanks, Thelma.
We're going to pray.
Let's do that now.
we have not received the spirit of the world
but we have received the spirit who is from God
that we may understand what God has freely given us
Father we need your help
we need that transforming changing work of the Holy Spirit
to take these words that are written on this page
so that we do not just understand with our heads
but that we are motivated afresh in our hearts
to love you, follow you and serve you
so please Father be at work among us
and we ask this for the building up of your church
so that we become the holy church that you call us to be
and it's in your name we ask these things
Amen
Well I've been doing some thinking
What we need in this church
is a pastor who's a little bit more educated and qualified
someone who's able to debate with the best
I think we could do with getting in some big name speakers
who are slick in their delivery
successful in their ministry
in fact if we want to see people come to faith
if we're a church that's going to plant another church
then we need to make our message more appealing
we need changes
we need programs that are energetic and dynamic
we need to get ourselves a youth worker
and a worship leader
we need to move out of this old barn that we're in
and get ourselves something more tasteful
something that's going to draw in the crowds
what do you think the church needs
well some of these things may help
but they do not by themselves make people Christians
and they do not cause churches to be planted
in fact Paul has reminded us of how the church in Corinth did start
and how they first became Christians
have a look at chapter 2 verse 4
remember what he said
chapter 2 verse 4
he says when I came to you
my message and my preaching
were not with wise and with persuasive words
but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power
so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom
but on God's power
you see we didn't become Christians
through clever arguments and wise words
this church didn't start because of somebody's skill or technique
it's not about presentation and style
it's all about
in verse 4
you see I think like this church in Corinth
we can fall into this trap of relying on what we call the wisdom of the world
rather than trusting in the power of God
and we can look at our church and we can go
oh that's great
or this has happened
this person has come to faith
wasn't it great what I did
and we can feel a little bit elitist
and a little bit superior than other people
and that's what was happening in the church
they were looking at the things they did
and the things that had happened
and it was well
it was all down to me
and what I could do
but Paul wants to bring a bit of humility back to the church
and we need to remember that our salvation
and the works that we do
never come about through our own efforts
and our own abilities
but look at chapter 2 verse 10
God has revealed it to us by his spirit
Christian faith and church growth does not happen through presentation and style
it's not about programs and status
it happens through a revelation of the Holy Spirit
so let's see how that is true
first
the message of Christ
is revealed by the power of the Holy Spirit
Paul makes this extraordinary claim doesn't he in verse 6
he says we do
he says yes we've been preaching
we've been speaking
but we do however speak a message of wisdom
among the mature
among those who are believing
he claims to have this special word
and he even tells us where he got this message from
verse 6
we speak a message of wisdom among the mature
but not the wisdom of this age
or of the rulers of this age
who are coming to nothing
my message doesn't come from listening to professors and psychologists
I didn't learn it from scholars
or from scientists
no
look at verse 7
we speak of God's secret wisdom
Paul is making an extraordinary claim that he's heard a message from God
and he is now speaking that same message to other people
he didn't discover it through his own reading or research
he claims to have got this word
this message
directly
from God
look at verse 7 again
we speak of God's secret wisdom
a wisdom
that has been hidden
and that God destined for our glory
before time
began
this message that he was speaking
the message that he's received from God
is the message that's about Jesus Christ
let's remind ourselves of what that is
in chapter 1
verse 23
this is what he keeps coming back to
chapter 1 verse 23
he says
we preach Christ crucified
it's a stumbling block to Jews
because they're looking for the power and the miraculous
it's foolishness to the Gentiles
because they're looking for something new
something they can discover for themselves
but to those whom God has called
to those who God has saved
whether you're Jewish
or Greek
or whatever nationality
Christ is the power of God
and Christ is the wisdom of God
you see the message of Christ and his cross
is God's wisdom
and power to save people
and this is the message he's received
and this is the message he teaches
now I don't know about you
whether you've met anybody
who's ever claimed
to have heard God speak to them
well that is exactly
what Paul is saying here
he claims that God has spoken to him
three
simple things
first the spirit reveals the wisdom of God
let's read verse 7 again
he says we speak of God's secret wisdom
the message of Christ
it's a wisdom that's been hidden
and that God destined
for our glory before time began
the message of Jesus
the message of the cross
was once hidden
no one had discovered it
nobody really knew what it was all about
it existed we are told
look at the end of verse 7
before time began
so it was in God's plan
he knew it
but it remained a hidden secret
but
verse 10
God has revealed it to us
by his spirit
the Holy Spirit
has revealed
the wisdom of God
that message of Christ
Christ
to us
because
secondly
the spirit knows
the mind of God
look at verse 10 again
God has revealed it to us
by his spirit
the spirit searches
all things
even the deep things
of God
let me ask you a question
does anybody know
what I'm thinking
right now
it's a dangerous place
to go into my thoughts
I tell you
hmm
well I don't even know
what you're thinking
look at verse 11
for who
among men
knows the thoughts
of a man
except the man's
spirit within him
only
only I know
what I'm thinking
and only you know
what you're thinking
my wife thinks
she knows
what I'm thinking
but it's actually
not true
only I know
what I'm thinking
let me ask you
another question
what's God thinking
what's he thinking
right now
well look at the rest
of verse 11
in the same way
no one knows
the thoughts
of God
except the spirit
of God
you see
it's only
the Holy Spirit
who knows
the mind
of God
not me
not you
and nobody else
can ever say
this
is what God
is thinking
the spirit
knows the mind
of God
therefore
the spirit
teaches us
the truth
about God
look at verse 13
this is what
we speak
not in words
taught us
by human wisdom
but in words
taught by the
spirit
expressing spiritual
truths
in spiritual
words
Paul's making
it clear
listen guys
that the message
we have here
isn't made up
what we speak
didn't come
from anybody else
God
taught us
his message
by the Holy Spirit
he taught us
and now we are
able to teach you
as he says
at the end
of verse 13
expressing
spiritual truths
in spiritual
words
now let's just
stop there a minute
and get this right
look closely
at verse 13
he says
this is what
we speak
not in words
taught us
now the we
and the us
there
is not
everybody
Paul is referring
to himself
and to the
other apostles
so what was
hidden
and what
was secret
the Holy Spirit
has revealed
to these
chosen people
to the
apostles
and what
was revealed
to them
by the
spirit
they wrote
down
which is
what we
now have
the Bible
let's just
have a look
at this a little
bit closer
you can turn
to 2
Peter
chapter 1
2 Peter
chapter 1
so keep
your finger
in 1st
Corinthians
and just
go on a
little bit
to 2nd
Peter
I haven't
got a
page number
I'm sorry
2 Peter
chapter 1
verse 20
have you got a
page there
1222
so Peter
was an apostle
and this is
what he
says
he's saying
the same
kind of
thing
as Paul
so 1
Peter
chapter 1
or 2
Peter
chapter 1
verse 20
above all
he says
you must
understand
that no
prophecy
of scripture
came about
by the
prophet's
own
interpretation
for prophecy
never had
its origin
in the
will of
man
but men
spoke
from God
as they
were carried
along by
the Holy
Spirit
and that's
what Paul
is saying
he's saying
it was
revealed to
us by the
Spirit
and we're
now passing
this on to
you
we've written
it down
and this
is what
we have
and that
process
is now
completed
it's not
ongoing
and it
isn't
repeated
either
the Spirit
does not
speak
anything
new
to us
today
about
Jesus
there's
not a
new
message
out there
that is
undiscovered
that God
somehow forgot
to tell us
and now he's
speaking it
through somebody
else
no
we have
all of
God's
truth
all of
God's
perfect
wisdom
that has
been revealed
to us
has been
written down
and we now
have it
in God's
word
the Bible
so you
see we
don't need
a new
message
to attract
in the
crowds
we don't
need to
be trying
to change
things
we just
need the
simple
message
of Christ
our job
is not to
come up
with something
more appealing
or something
more acceptable
our job
like Paul
and the
other
apostles
is to
preach
to teach
to explain
to talk
to
to share
about
Christ
and his
cross
and God's
power
and wisdom
to save
people
and of course
the problem
is that we do
want to change
it because
well look back
at chapter 1
verse 18
here's the
temptation
we want to
change it
because
chapter 1
verse 18
for the message
of the cross
is foolishness
to those
to those who
are perishing
verse 22
Jews demand
miraculous signs
Greeks
look for
wisdom
but we
preach
Christ
crucified
the only
way people
will become
Christians
the only
way churches
are going
to be planted
the only
way our
hearts are
going to be
changed
and transformed
is through
the simple
message of
Christ
and his
cross
which has
been revealed
by the
Holy Spirit
and has now
been written
down and
recorded for
us in the
words of the
Bible
if we are to
become a
holy church
we need this
message to be
at the centre
of all of our
programs
every teaching
we do
our Sunday
school
the rock
polo
home groups
Sunday mornings
this is what
we need
that's
what's going
to change
lives
so we
need the
message of
Christ
which is
revealed
by the
power of
the Holy
Spirit
second we
see that the
message of
Christ is
understood
by the
power of
the Spirit
look back
at verse
8 so
back to
Corinthians
chapter 2
verse 8
so remember
the background
we have
these
elitist
superior
people
thinking
that they
have it
all
they know
it all
and it's
through their
reasoning
that they
have
understanding
but look
what he
says
verse 8
none of
the rulers
of this
age have
understood
it
for if
they had
they would
not have
crucified
the Lord
of glory
however as
it is
written
no eye
has seen
no ear
has heard
no mind
has conceived
what God
has prepared
for those
who love
him
no one
on this
whole earth
and in the
history of
time is
able to
comprehend
or discern
the message
of Christ
by themselves
no eye
can see it
it doesn't
matter where
you look
no eye
can hear
or no ear
can hear
it no matter
who you
listen to
no mind
can conceive
the wonders
of all that
God has done
no matter
what you
do
we can have
all the
learning
and all
the education
in the
world
but by
itself
we will
never
ever see
what God
has prepared
for you
in Christ
so where
do we get
this understanding
how on earth
do we see
Jesus for
who he
is today
well he
tells us
the spirit
is the one
who enables
us to
understand
have a look
at verse 12
if we are
Christians
verse 12
we have not
received the
spirit of the
world
but the
spirit who
is from
God
that we
may
understand
what God
has freely
given us
you see
the spirit
of the
world
all of
our own
thinking
in our
own minds
and the
thinking
of others
it can't
enable us
to understand
what God's
word means
we can read
it as we're
reading it
now
somebody can
explain it
as I'm
doing now
but we
will never
ever see
our need
of Christ
without the
spirit
we can
have all
the
understanding
intellectually
but we
will never
hear how
it applies
to us
day to
day
without
the
spirit
our
heads
can have
all the
knowledge
but our
hearts
will remain
unchanged
we could
pass an
exam and
get a
hundred
percent
we could
explain
every
single
doctrine
but never
actually
experience
its
truth
you see
the spirit
of God
is the
only one
who enables
us to
hear
and see
and experience
the saving
and transforming
message
of Christ
so the
spirit
enables us
in our
minds
and our
hearts
to understand
he also
moves us
or enables
us to
accept
Christ
and all
that he
has done
have a
look at
verse 14
the person
without the
spirit
does not
accept the
things that
come from
the spirit
of God
why
for they
are foolishness
to him
he cannot
understand
them
because they
are spiritually
discerned
that explains
so much
doesn't it
without the
spirit
the message
of Christ
and his
cross
will be
foolish
to you
that's
why
some
people
believe
and some
people do
not believe
that is why
some people
will hear it
and go
that is
stupid
that Jesus
nothing but a
fraud
an invention
of mankind
but with the
spirit's
enabling
it changes
everything
verse 15
the spiritual
man makes
judgments
about all
things
those who
have the
spirit of
God
are able to
make true
and right
judgments
because their
eyes have been
opened
their ears
have been
unblocked
their minds
have been
informed
so that
they can
make
right
judgments
and see
that this
Jesus
is true
and real
and we can
believe him
and accept
him
and of course
those without
the spirit
will think
that you're
foolish
and deluded
for believing
it
but look at
the rest of
verse 15
but he
himself
that is
the person
with the
spirit
of God
is not
subject
to any
man's
judgment
in other
words
we're not
judged
by the
opinion
of the
world
it doesn't
matter
what people
think
when you
go to
school
or college
tomorrow
and you're
a believer
and perhaps
they're not
it doesn't
matter
what they
think
of you
what matters
is that
we have
accepted
Christ
what counts
is that
the spirit
of God
has invaded
our lives
to help
us see
and to
accept
and cry
out
and say
I need
Jesus
verse 16
for who
has known
the mind
of the
Lord
that he
may instruct
him
what a
daft thing
for us to
think that
we could
tell God
what to
do
or that
we could
say
we don't
need him
if there's
anything
to know
about
God
I can
figure it
all out
by myself
who are
we to
think like
that
but we
have
the mind
of Christ
with our
own minds
we'll never
grasp
we'll never
accept
the Holy
Spirit
is essential
in understanding
Christ
and accepting
Christ
so you
see
we don't
need a
new method
to draw
in the
crowds
we don't
need to
kind of
boost up
our
programs
what we
need is
the power
of the
Holy Spirit
at work
in people's
lives as
they hear
the message
of Christ
and his
cross
let me
try and
give you
a picture
here so
you can
grasp
what we
need the
spirit to
do
if you
picture a
stained
glass
window
with all
the bright
colours and
the images
that there
are
you see
that stained
glass
window at
night and
it's
well it's
all dark
what you
need is for
a light
from the
outside
to shine
through that
stained glass
window
and then you
see all
the colours
and that's
what we
need we
need the
Holy Spirit
to shine
his light
through
onto the
message of
Christ
so that
we see
Jesus
in all
his beauty
in all
his power
and when
we see
him on
the cross
we don't
see foolishness
we see
power
we see
wisdom
we see
God's
saving
king
you see
without the
spirit
these words
on the
page
in this
bible
it's
just ink
on a
page
it's
just a
book
about a
man
apparently
who
lived
2000
years
ago
just
an
interesting
story
it's
kind of
nice
for you
but not
for me
and it
will never
change us
never
transform us
never be
the people
of God
that we're
meant to
be
but ask
God
ask him
for the
power of
his Holy
Spirit
and he
will speak
to you
that doesn't
mean to
say we're
going to
hear an
audible
voice like
you can
hear me
right now
instead the
Spirit takes
the message
of Christ
that he
has revealed
to his
apostles that
they have
written down
and he
takes that
message and
he inspires
our minds
and he
informs our
hearts
so that we
love him
and that we
trust him
what's it
going to
be
for this
church
is it
the wisdom
of the
world
that we
need
or is
it the
power
of God
you see
the problem
is we can
so quickly
rely on the
wisdom of
the world
rather than
trust in the
power of
God
we can
look at
ourselves
our gifts
and our
abilities
and think
I did
that
or my
church
did that
and we
can maybe
feel a little
bit better
and a little
bit superior
but if we
understand the
Spirit's work
it should bring
nothing but
humility
it's not about
presentation and
style
it's not about
the people at
the front or
the status that
they have
it doesn't
matter how
good our
programs are
how great
our pastor
is
it doesn't
matter whether
we are able
to get a
brand new
building and
have all the
latest technology
all of those
things yes they
can be good
they can be
helpful but
by themselves
they will not
make one
person a
Christian and
they will not
plant one
single church
and it will
not change
one heart
what we need
is the power
of the Holy
Spirit to be
at work through
helpless
weak
foolish people
like you and
me who
come before
God with
our open
hands and
we say yes
I do need
help I
desperately need
help I
need you
father God
to work in
my life and
change me I
need you to
work in my
children's life
I need you to
work in my
colleagues life
I need you to
work in my
friends life and
in their families
because I
cannot do it
I can share
the message of
Christ and his
cross and we
can pray for the
Spirit of God to
come in power and
change people's
lives the
wisdom of the
world or the
power of God
hefold
so we
let's pray
Thank you.