WEBVTT

00:00:00.120 --> 00:00:01.260
 Good morning, church.

00:00:02.740 --> 00:00:06.360
 Turn with me in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 2.

00:00:13.540 --> 00:00:17.539
 We're looking at 1 Corinthians chapter 2, verses 6 through 16.

00:00:17.760 --> 00:00:21.000
 It's found on page 953 in your pew Bibles.

00:00:26.280 --> 00:00:28.359
 Let's read this passage together.

00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:34.700
 Yet among the mature, we do impart wisdom.

00:00:35.460 --> 00:00:41.700
 Although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age who are doomed to pass away,

00:00:42.420 --> 00:00:46.420
 but we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God,

00:00:47.179 --> 00:00:50.400
 which God decreed before the ages for our glory.

00:00:51.420 --> 00:00:54.219
 None of the rulers of this age understood this,

00:00:54.219 --> 00:00:59.060
 for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

00:01:00.000 --> 00:01:01.140
 But as it is written,

00:01:01.960 --> 00:01:04.500
 what no eye has seen, nor ear heard,

00:01:05.159 --> 00:01:06.560
 nor the heart of man imagined,

00:01:07.319 --> 00:01:10.079
 what God has prepared for those who love him.

00:01:10.840 --> 00:01:13.620
 These things God has revealed to us through the Spirit.

00:01:14.920 --> 00:01:16.980
 For the Spirit searches everything,

00:01:17.760 --> 00:01:19.200
 even the depths of God.

00:01:20.140 --> 00:01:21.719
 For who knows a person's thoughts

00:01:21.719 --> 00:01:24.079
 except the spirit of that person which is in him?

00:01:24.079 --> 00:01:28.159
 So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.

00:01:29.519 --> 00:01:32.280
 Now we have received not the Spirit of the world,

00:01:32.659 --> 00:01:34.480
 but the Spirit who is from God.

00:01:35.340 --> 00:01:39.579
 That we might understand the things freely given us by God.

00:01:39.659 --> 00:01:41.939
 And we impart this in words.

00:01:42.480 --> 00:01:43.879
 Not taught by human wisdom,

00:01:44.420 --> 00:01:45.680
 but taught by the Spirit,

00:01:46.780 --> 00:01:50.180
 interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.

00:01:50.180 --> 00:01:55.480
 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God,

00:01:55.580 --> 00:01:57.400
 for they are folly to him.

00:01:58.020 --> 00:02:00.020
 And he is not able to understand them

00:02:00.020 --> 00:02:02.680
 because they are spiritually discerned.

00:02:03.260 --> 00:02:05.720
 The spiritual person judges all things,

00:02:05.760 --> 00:02:08.260
 but is himself to be judged by no one.

00:02:09.040 --> 00:02:11.159
 For who has understood the mind of the Lord

00:02:11.159 --> 00:02:12.520
 so as to instruct him?

00:02:13.200 --> 00:02:15.300
 But we have the mind of Christ.

00:02:15.300 --> 00:02:20.860
 Reality is often far stranger than we would expect.

00:02:21.620 --> 00:02:24.620
 One of the fascinating aspects of the history of science

00:02:24.620 --> 00:02:27.620
 is that many of the most groundbreaking discoveries

00:02:27.620 --> 00:02:33.120
 came as an absolute shock to most scientists of the time.

00:02:34.160 --> 00:02:38.220
 In 1888, Simon Newcomb, an early American astronomer,

00:02:38.320 --> 00:02:38.480
 said,

00:02:38.580 --> 00:02:42.480
 We are probably nearing the limit of all we can know about astronomy.

00:02:42.479 --> 00:02:48.139
 Well, he had, in his time, large telescopes didn't exist,

00:02:48.239 --> 00:02:50.120
 so he had no knowledge of distant galaxies,

00:02:50.359 --> 00:02:52.079
 the expanding universe, dark matter,

00:02:52.159 --> 00:02:53.399
 and all sorts of other things

00:02:53.399 --> 00:02:56.099
 that astronomers study and marvel at today.

00:02:57.060 --> 00:02:59.159
 Or in 1900, Lord Kelvin, the physicist,

00:02:59.399 --> 00:02:59.579
 said,

00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:02.280
 There is nothing new to be discovered in physics now.

00:03:03.019 --> 00:03:05.539
 All that remains is more and more precise measurement.

00:03:06.539 --> 00:03:09.259
 But not too long after Lord Kelvin said this,

00:03:09.379 --> 00:03:11.919
 physicists would discover what we call quantum mechanics.

00:03:11.919 --> 00:03:15.359
 At the very small subatomic level,

00:03:15.519 --> 00:03:17.699
 there are tiny bits of matter and energy

00:03:17.699 --> 00:03:20.319
 that don't follow the laws of classical physics.

00:03:20.479 --> 00:03:22.779
 Now, I won't try to explain quantum mechanics here.

00:03:23.239 --> 00:03:24.279
 I'm not sure I can.

00:03:24.500 --> 00:03:26.239
 But I'll simply say it's mind-blowing.

00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:28.560
 According to quantum mechanics,

00:03:28.739 --> 00:03:32.259
 light behaves both as a particle and as a wave.

00:03:34.500 --> 00:03:36.239
 And depending on how you measure it,

00:03:36.279 --> 00:03:37.279
 it behaves differently.

00:03:37.280 --> 00:03:40.699
 And the more precisely you measure one aspect of it,

00:03:40.780 --> 00:03:41.979
 its position, for example,

00:03:42.060 --> 00:03:43.979
 the less precisely you can measure its momentum.

00:03:44.099 --> 00:03:45.860
 So you can never really know where it is

00:03:45.860 --> 00:03:47.280
 or what it's doing anyway.

00:03:48.340 --> 00:03:50.719
 Quantum mechanics had all sorts of unexpected implications.

00:03:51.599 --> 00:03:54.439
 It has rocked scientists' and philosophers' worlds.

00:03:55.300 --> 00:03:56.620
 Now, it's not what anyone predicted

00:03:56.620 --> 00:03:58.199
 that we would discover,

00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:01.300
 but the evidence for it is undeniable.

00:04:01.300 --> 00:04:05.480
 So the history of science is full of these unexpected discoveries,

00:04:06.200 --> 00:04:09.120
 surprising revelations that no one could have predicted.

00:04:10.260 --> 00:04:12.480
 And if the past is any indication of the future,

00:04:13.219 --> 00:04:16.000
 the future of science may yield more such discoveries

00:04:16.000 --> 00:04:18.319
 that may revise or even overturn

00:04:18.319 --> 00:04:21.600
 some of our current scientific paradigms.

00:04:22.939 --> 00:04:24.280
 But one thing is clear.

00:04:24.379 --> 00:04:26.379
 Once a new discovery has been made

00:04:26.379 --> 00:04:29.300
 and supported by clear and compelling evidence,

00:04:29.399 --> 00:04:30.819
 the old ways of thinking

00:04:30.819 --> 00:04:33.300
 are never sufficient anymore.

00:04:35.659 --> 00:04:37.579
 When Copernicus, for example,

00:04:37.680 --> 00:04:39.959
 demonstrated that the earth revolves around the sun

00:04:39.959 --> 00:04:41.420
 and not vice versa,

00:04:41.579 --> 00:04:44.019
 some people tried to hold on to the old idea

00:04:44.019 --> 00:04:46.500
 that the earth was the center of the physical universe,

00:04:46.639 --> 00:04:47.420
 but over time,

00:04:48.019 --> 00:04:50.139
 it made less and less sense to do so.

00:04:50.819 --> 00:04:51.860
 Now, in this passage,

00:04:52.540 --> 00:04:54.899
 the apostle Paul is making a similar claim

00:04:54.899 --> 00:04:57.539
 about human knowledge of God,

00:04:57.620 --> 00:04:59.739
 what he calls the wisdom of God.

00:05:00.679 --> 00:05:01.259
 And this morning,

00:05:01.319 --> 00:05:03.579
 I want to look at two aspects of God's wisdom.

00:05:04.519 --> 00:05:06.159
 First, what God's wisdom is

00:05:06.159 --> 00:05:08.159
 and second, how we can know it.

00:05:09.079 --> 00:05:11.599
 So first, what God's wisdom is.

00:05:11.659 --> 00:05:14.539
 In particular, God's wisdom is counterintuitive

00:05:14.539 --> 00:05:17.279
 and paradigm shifting.

00:05:18.459 --> 00:05:19.799
 It means it's unexpected

00:05:19.799 --> 00:05:21.719
 and it makes us think in a whole different way.

00:05:23.019 --> 00:05:24.279
 So the wisdom of God,

00:05:24.279 --> 00:05:25.579
 you might say, well, what does that refer to?

00:05:25.639 --> 00:05:27.379
 Well, I think it refers to God's character

00:05:27.379 --> 00:05:30.619
 and God's plan for his creation.

00:05:31.919 --> 00:05:33.719
 And Paul's saying that's not something

00:05:33.719 --> 00:05:36.239
 that human beings can guess

00:05:36.239 --> 00:05:40.539
 or simply project their own wishes onto

00:05:40.539 --> 00:05:43.359
 or discover by their own reasoning

00:05:43.359 --> 00:05:45.559
 or speculation or experience.

00:05:46.699 --> 00:05:47.899
 Now, Paul's not saying

00:05:47.899 --> 00:05:51.659
 that we have no awareness of God at all.

00:05:52.460 --> 00:05:53.500
 Paul wrote in Romans,

00:05:53.680 --> 00:05:55.840
 God's eternal power and his divine nature

00:05:55.840 --> 00:05:57.340
 have been clearly perceived

00:05:57.340 --> 00:05:59.020
 ever since the creation of the world

00:05:59.020 --> 00:06:00.900
 in the things that have been made.

00:06:01.920 --> 00:06:02.939
 In other words,

00:06:03.220 --> 00:06:04.460
 many people throughout history

00:06:04.460 --> 00:06:06.560
 have had some awareness

00:06:06.560 --> 00:06:08.460
 of a transcendent being

00:06:08.460 --> 00:06:10.600
 or universal moral law

00:06:10.600 --> 00:06:12.660
 or an author behind the beauty

00:06:12.660 --> 00:06:13.660
 and order in the world.

00:06:14.200 --> 00:06:15.360
 These are common perceptions

00:06:15.360 --> 00:06:17.760
 across many cultures and religions.

00:06:17.759 --> 00:06:19.420
 John Calvin said,

00:06:19.500 --> 00:06:21.139
 human beings naturally have a common

00:06:21.139 --> 00:06:24.360
 and confused awareness of God.

00:06:25.360 --> 00:06:26.500
 But what Paul is saying

00:06:26.500 --> 00:06:29.279
 is that we may have some general idea

00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:31.599
 that there's something out there.

00:06:32.099 --> 00:06:33.719
 We may have some general sense

00:06:33.719 --> 00:06:34.819
 that there's something more

00:06:34.819 --> 00:06:36.519
 than ourselves in this world.

00:06:38.199 --> 00:06:38.939
 But Paul says,

00:06:39.779 --> 00:06:40.740
 the wisdom of God

00:06:40.740 --> 00:06:42.060
 has been secret and hidden.

00:06:42.180 --> 00:06:42.680
 Verse seven,

00:06:43.519 --> 00:06:45.099
 secret and hidden wisdom of God.

00:06:45.199 --> 00:06:45.599
 Verse nine,

00:06:45.600 --> 00:06:46.780
 what no eye has seen,

00:06:47.080 --> 00:06:47.840
 nor ear heard,

00:06:47.920 --> 00:06:49.100
 nor the heart of man imagined.

00:06:49.180 --> 00:06:50.060
 It's not something

00:06:50.060 --> 00:06:52.020
 that we can guess

00:06:52.020 --> 00:06:53.520
 or discover

00:06:53.520 --> 00:06:56.980
 or expect.

00:06:57.920 --> 00:06:58.900
 But what Paul is saying

00:06:58.900 --> 00:07:00.140
 is that the wisdom of God,

00:07:00.260 --> 00:07:00.900
 God's character

00:07:00.900 --> 00:07:01.840
 and God's plan

00:07:01.840 --> 00:07:02.660
 for his people

00:07:02.660 --> 00:07:03.860
 has been revealed.

00:07:04.900 --> 00:07:07.280
 It's been revealed definitively

00:07:07.280 --> 00:07:08.920
 in the person and work

00:07:08.920 --> 00:07:09.860
 of Jesus Christ.

00:07:09.860 --> 00:07:12.740
 in chapter one,

00:07:13.340 --> 00:07:14.980
 verse 24 and verse 30,

00:07:15.120 --> 00:07:15.680
 Paul has said,

00:07:15.800 --> 00:07:19.139
 Jesus Christ is the wisdom of God.

00:07:20.300 --> 00:07:21.240
 And what that means

00:07:21.240 --> 00:07:22.680
 is in Jesus' life,

00:07:23.080 --> 00:07:23.439
 death,

00:07:23.740 --> 00:07:24.180
 resurrection,

00:07:24.379 --> 00:07:25.160
 and glorification,

00:07:25.319 --> 00:07:27.040
 God has shown us

00:07:27.040 --> 00:07:30.500
 clearly and definitively

00:07:30.500 --> 00:07:31.420
 his character

00:07:31.420 --> 00:07:33.879
 and his plan for the world.

00:07:34.980 --> 00:07:35.620
 And yet,

00:07:36.300 --> 00:07:37.220
 Paul wants to remind us,

00:07:37.280 --> 00:07:38.220
 Jesus Christ came in a way

00:07:38.220 --> 00:07:39.240
 that nobody expected.

00:07:40.660 --> 00:07:41.020
 Verse eight,

00:07:41.100 --> 00:07:41.860
 none of the rulers

00:07:41.860 --> 00:07:43.780
 of this age understood this.

00:07:45.400 --> 00:07:46.240
 Pontius Pilate,

00:07:46.680 --> 00:07:47.400
 the Roman governor,

00:07:47.840 --> 00:07:48.980
 condemned Jesus to death

00:07:48.980 --> 00:07:51.000
 even though he also said

00:07:51.000 --> 00:07:52.180
 that Jesus hadn't done anything

00:07:52.180 --> 00:07:53.900
 deserving criminal punishment.

00:07:55.340 --> 00:07:56.400
 For the most part,

00:07:56.500 --> 00:07:57.379
 the religious authorities

00:07:57.379 --> 00:07:58.259
 of Jesus' day

00:07:58.259 --> 00:07:59.879
 rejected Jesus' claims

00:07:59.879 --> 00:08:01.160
 and accused him of blasphemy.

00:08:01.280 --> 00:08:02.540
 Even Jesus' own disciples

00:08:02.540 --> 00:08:03.660
 didn't understand

00:08:03.660 --> 00:08:04.780
 what he was up to

00:08:04.780 --> 00:08:05.740
 most of the time

00:08:05.740 --> 00:08:07.340
 if you read the Gospels.

00:08:07.339 --> 00:08:09.479
 So what Paul is saying here

00:08:09.479 --> 00:08:10.500
 is that the message

00:08:10.500 --> 00:08:11.199
 of Christianity

00:08:11.199 --> 00:08:13.639
 is very counterintuitive.

00:08:14.439 --> 00:08:15.560
 That it's not just something

00:08:15.560 --> 00:08:16.359
 we would come up with

00:08:16.359 --> 00:08:16.959
 on our own.

00:08:17.060 --> 00:08:17.639
 It's not a wisdom

00:08:17.639 --> 00:08:18.639
 of this age

00:08:18.639 --> 00:08:19.319
 or of the rulers

00:08:19.319 --> 00:08:20.179
 of this age.

00:08:20.179 --> 00:08:20.879
 Verse six.

00:08:21.879 --> 00:08:22.899
 It's not just some combination

00:08:22.899 --> 00:08:24.359
 of our reason

00:08:24.359 --> 00:08:25.339
 and our intuition

00:08:25.339 --> 00:08:26.599
 and our cultural tradition

00:08:26.599 --> 00:08:27.879
 and our personal experience

00:08:27.879 --> 00:08:29.500
 all mixed together.

00:08:29.779 --> 00:08:31.339
 It's a totally new paradigm

00:08:31.339 --> 00:08:32.259
 that we would never

00:08:32.259 --> 00:08:32.899
 have come up with

00:08:32.899 --> 00:08:33.439
 on our own.

00:08:33.440 --> 00:08:35.620
 I mean consider

00:08:35.620 --> 00:08:36.700
 the central claims

00:08:36.700 --> 00:08:37.720
 of Christianity.

00:08:39.140 --> 00:08:39.780
 Number one,

00:08:39.900 --> 00:08:41.180
 Jesus the Messiah

00:08:41.180 --> 00:08:42.780
 died on a cross

00:08:42.780 --> 00:08:43.880
 for our sins.

00:08:45.100 --> 00:08:46.160
 Now many people

00:08:46.160 --> 00:08:47.320
 in Jesus' day

00:08:47.320 --> 00:08:47.840
 were waiting

00:08:47.840 --> 00:08:48.960
 for a Messiah.

00:08:49.880 --> 00:08:50.160
 Right?

00:08:50.260 --> 00:08:50.740
 A king.

00:08:51.260 --> 00:08:52.560
 A conquering king

00:08:52.560 --> 00:08:53.840
 who would come

00:08:53.840 --> 00:08:54.920
 and bring justice

00:08:54.920 --> 00:08:56.560
 and righteousness

00:08:56.560 --> 00:08:57.440
 to the world.

00:08:58.440 --> 00:08:59.860
 But no one expected

00:08:59.860 --> 00:09:02.060
 that this great king

00:09:02.059 --> 00:09:03.919
 would be executed

00:09:03.919 --> 00:09:05.599
 in a shameful

00:09:05.599 --> 00:09:08.039
 and publicly humiliating way.

00:09:10.519 --> 00:09:12.439
 In the Greco-Roman world

00:09:12.439 --> 00:09:14.079
 as Christianity spread

00:09:14.079 --> 00:09:16.559
 many people mocked Christians

00:09:16.559 --> 00:09:17.339
 for worshiping

00:09:17.339 --> 00:09:18.539
 a crucified man.

00:09:20.139 --> 00:09:22.899
 One satirist

00:09:22.899 --> 00:09:24.179
 named Lucian

00:09:24.179 --> 00:09:25.719
 of Samoseta

00:09:25.719 --> 00:09:27.539
 talked about Christians.

00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:27.859
 He said,

00:09:28.159 --> 00:09:29.599
 these misguided creatures

00:09:29.599 --> 00:09:31.579
 start with the general conviction

00:09:31.580 --> 00:09:32.500
 that they are immortal

00:09:32.500 --> 00:09:33.500
 for all time.

00:09:34.360 --> 00:09:35.160
 Which explains

00:09:35.160 --> 00:09:36.379
 their contempt of death

00:09:36.379 --> 00:09:37.860
 and voluntary self-devotion

00:09:37.860 --> 00:09:38.740
 which are so common

00:09:38.740 --> 00:09:39.240
 among them

00:09:39.240 --> 00:09:40.480
 and then it was impressed

00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:41.040
 upon them

00:09:41.040 --> 00:09:42.379
 by their original lawgiver

00:09:42.379 --> 00:09:43.379
 that they are all brothers

00:09:43.379 --> 00:09:44.000
 and sisters

00:09:44.000 --> 00:09:45.100
 from the moment

00:09:45.100 --> 00:09:45.800
 they are converted.

00:09:46.700 --> 00:09:47.320
 And they deny

00:09:47.320 --> 00:09:48.220
 the gods of Greece

00:09:48.220 --> 00:09:48.860
 and worship

00:09:48.860 --> 00:09:50.440
 the crucified wise man

00:09:50.440 --> 00:09:52.379
 and live after his laws.

00:09:54.259 --> 00:09:55.660
 That's what he said.

00:09:56.820 --> 00:09:58.080
 No one expected

00:09:58.080 --> 00:09:59.120
 the savior of the world

00:09:59.120 --> 00:09:59.800
 to be crucified.

00:10:00.180 --> 00:10:00.600
 No one.

00:10:00.600 --> 00:10:02.340
 And then

00:10:02.340 --> 00:10:03.460
 second major claim

00:10:03.460 --> 00:10:03.960
 of Christianity

00:10:03.960 --> 00:10:05.040
 is this same Jesus

00:10:05.040 --> 00:10:05.840
 who was crucified

00:10:05.840 --> 00:10:07.240
 was bodily resurrected.

00:10:07.759 --> 00:10:08.139
 Again,

00:10:08.300 --> 00:10:10.159
 no one was expecting this.

00:10:11.379 --> 00:10:12.040
 No one in

00:10:12.040 --> 00:10:12.960
 outside

00:10:12.960 --> 00:10:15.259
 outside the Jewish world

00:10:15.259 --> 00:10:16.279
 no one believed

00:10:16.279 --> 00:10:17.139
 in bodily resurrection

00:10:17.139 --> 00:10:17.800
 at all.

00:10:19.139 --> 00:10:20.000
 Some people were

00:10:20.000 --> 00:10:21.279
 materialists.

00:10:21.840 --> 00:10:22.100
 They thought,

00:10:22.220 --> 00:10:22.320
 well,

00:10:22.440 --> 00:10:23.259
 you die

00:10:23.259 --> 00:10:24.680
 and it's all

00:10:24.680 --> 00:10:25.180
 it's over.

00:10:25.440 --> 00:10:25.920
 That's it.

00:10:26.920 --> 00:10:27.600
 Other people

00:10:27.600 --> 00:10:28.440
 like Plato

00:10:28.440 --> 00:10:28.840
 said,

00:10:28.960 --> 00:10:29.080
 well,

00:10:29.200 --> 00:10:30.500
 you die

00:10:30.500 --> 00:10:31.120
 and your soul

00:10:31.120 --> 00:10:31.840
 flies off

00:10:31.840 --> 00:10:32.620
 somewhere else

00:10:32.620 --> 00:10:34.379
 to a different,

00:10:34.659 --> 00:10:35.440
 to the realms

00:10:35.440 --> 00:10:35.940
 of light.

00:10:37.259 --> 00:10:38.740
 Only the Jewish people,

00:10:39.460 --> 00:10:40.060
 most of them

00:10:40.060 --> 00:10:40.560
 at least,

00:10:40.920 --> 00:10:41.740
 believed in

00:10:41.740 --> 00:10:42.800
 bodily resurrection

00:10:42.800 --> 00:10:43.379
 that God

00:10:43.379 --> 00:10:45.180
 would raise

00:10:45.180 --> 00:10:46.740
 his people

00:10:46.740 --> 00:10:47.399
 to life

00:10:47.399 --> 00:10:48.480
 at the,

00:10:48.879 --> 00:10:49.659
 but they expected

00:10:49.659 --> 00:10:50.200
 this to happen

00:10:50.200 --> 00:10:51.040
 at the end

00:10:51.040 --> 00:10:51.600
 of the age.

00:10:51.600 --> 00:10:54.800
 at the final judgment

00:10:54.800 --> 00:10:56.159
 when all

00:10:56.159 --> 00:10:57.340
 the righteous dead,

00:10:57.840 --> 00:10:58.800
 the righteous

00:10:58.800 --> 00:10:59.620
 who had passed on

00:10:59.620 --> 00:11:00.240
 would be raised

00:11:00.240 --> 00:11:00.639
 to life

00:11:00.639 --> 00:11:01.440
 in God's new creation

00:11:01.440 --> 00:11:02.680
 but no one was expecting

00:11:02.680 --> 00:11:03.840
 a single person,

00:11:04.560 --> 00:11:05.540
 a single individual

00:11:05.540 --> 00:11:06.279
 to be raised

00:11:06.279 --> 00:11:06.720
 from the dead

00:11:06.720 --> 00:11:07.240
 in the middle

00:11:07.240 --> 00:11:07.820
 of history.

00:11:09.420 --> 00:11:09.639
 So it's,

00:11:09.840 --> 00:11:10.259
 you know,

00:11:10.279 --> 00:11:11.000
 it's one of these things

00:11:11.000 --> 00:11:11.840
 if you're,

00:11:11.940 --> 00:11:12.779
 if you're,

00:11:12.779 --> 00:11:13.639
 if you're considering

00:11:13.639 --> 00:11:14.240
 Christianity,

00:11:14.879 --> 00:11:16.000
 you have to ask

00:11:16.000 --> 00:11:16.420
 the question,

00:11:16.560 --> 00:11:17.500
 how did these early

00:11:17.500 --> 00:11:18.060
 Christians

00:11:18.060 --> 00:11:19.220
 come to believe

00:11:19.220 --> 00:11:20.100
 something that no one

00:11:20.100 --> 00:11:21.040
 had believed before?

00:11:22.519 --> 00:11:23.040
 You know,

00:11:23.100 --> 00:11:23.940
 Christianity is not

00:11:23.940 --> 00:11:25.240
 like fusion cuisine.

00:11:26.560 --> 00:11:27.040
 Okay,

00:11:27.060 --> 00:11:27.540
 it's not a little

00:11:27.540 --> 00:11:28.399
 Jewish tradition

00:11:28.399 --> 00:11:29.399
 with,

00:11:29.700 --> 00:11:30.300
 mixed with pagan

00:11:30.300 --> 00:11:31.060
 superstition

00:11:31.060 --> 00:11:31.740
 with a side

00:11:31.740 --> 00:11:32.379
 of philosophical

00:11:32.379 --> 00:11:32.879
 reason

00:11:32.879 --> 00:11:33.779
 with special sauce

00:11:33.779 --> 00:11:34.340
 on top.

00:11:35.700 --> 00:11:36.180
 No,

00:11:36.360 --> 00:11:37.159
 Christianity was

00:11:37.159 --> 00:11:38.279
 and is a revolution.

00:11:39.159 --> 00:11:40.200
 It's a new paradigm

00:11:40.200 --> 00:11:41.100
 that has the potential

00:11:41.100 --> 00:11:42.019
 of overturning

00:11:42.019 --> 00:11:43.259
 and reframing

00:11:43.259 --> 00:11:44.700
 everything else.

00:11:46.100 --> 00:11:46.500
 C.S. Lewis

00:11:46.500 --> 00:11:47.139
 said this

00:11:47.139 --> 00:11:48.220
 about Christianity.

00:11:48.540 --> 00:11:48.779
 He said,

00:11:48.860 --> 00:11:49.279
 it is something

00:11:49.279 --> 00:11:49.899
 we could never

00:11:49.899 --> 00:11:50.560
 have guessed.

00:11:51.600 --> 00:11:52.019
 And yet,

00:11:52.080 --> 00:11:52.700
 once we have

00:11:52.700 --> 00:11:53.420
 been told,

00:11:54.040 --> 00:11:55.120
 one almost feels

00:11:55.120 --> 00:11:55.960
 one ought to have

00:11:55.960 --> 00:11:56.720
 been able to guess

00:11:56.720 --> 00:11:57.540
 it because it fits

00:11:57.540 --> 00:11:58.379
 in so well

00:11:58.379 --> 00:11:59.860
 with all the things

00:11:59.860 --> 00:12:01.180
 we know already.

00:12:02.519 --> 00:12:03.220
 And he went on

00:12:03.220 --> 00:12:04.740
 in another lecture

00:12:04.740 --> 00:12:06.300
 to say this.

00:12:06.360 --> 00:12:06.560
 He said,

00:12:06.600 --> 00:12:07.220
 when I accept

00:12:07.220 --> 00:12:08.180
 Christian theology,

00:12:09.320 --> 00:12:10.659
 I may find difficulties

00:12:10.659 --> 00:12:11.360
 at this point

00:12:11.360 --> 00:12:11.779
 or that

00:12:11.779 --> 00:12:13.420
 in harmonizing it

00:12:13.420 --> 00:12:14.300
 with some particular

00:12:14.300 --> 00:12:15.240
 truths that are

00:12:15.240 --> 00:12:16.560
 derived from science,

00:12:16.560 --> 00:12:17.940
 but I can allow

00:12:17.940 --> 00:12:18.720
 for science

00:12:18.720 --> 00:12:19.360
 as a whole.

00:12:20.400 --> 00:12:20.840
 Granted,

00:12:21.000 --> 00:12:22.200
 that reason

00:12:22.200 --> 00:12:23.220
 is prior to matter

00:12:23.220 --> 00:12:23.700
 and the light

00:12:23.700 --> 00:12:24.660
 of God illuminates

00:12:24.660 --> 00:12:25.420
 finite minds,

00:12:25.480 --> 00:12:26.260
 I can understand

00:12:26.260 --> 00:12:26.940
 how people should

00:12:26.940 --> 00:12:27.780
 come to know

00:12:27.780 --> 00:12:28.380
 a lot about

00:12:28.380 --> 00:12:28.860
 the universe

00:12:28.860 --> 00:12:29.740
 that they live in

00:12:29.740 --> 00:12:30.960
 by observation

00:12:30.960 --> 00:12:31.760
 and inference.

00:12:32.920 --> 00:12:33.340
 If,

00:12:33.440 --> 00:12:34.180
 on the other hand,

00:12:34.640 --> 00:12:35.380
 I swallow

00:12:35.380 --> 00:12:36.780
 scientific naturalism

00:12:36.780 --> 00:12:37.400
 as a whole,

00:12:38.220 --> 00:12:38.980
 then not only

00:12:38.980 --> 00:12:39.940
 can I not fit

00:12:39.940 --> 00:12:40.560
 in Christianity,

00:12:40.700 --> 00:12:41.240
 I can't even

00:12:41.240 --> 00:12:42.100
 fit in science.

00:12:42.100 --> 00:12:44.320
 if minds

00:12:44.320 --> 00:12:45.779
 are just brains

00:12:45.779 --> 00:12:46.960
 and brains

00:12:46.960 --> 00:12:47.399
 are dependent

00:12:47.399 --> 00:12:48.340
 on biochemistry

00:12:48.340 --> 00:12:49.159
 and biochemistry

00:12:49.159 --> 00:12:49.960
 in the long run

00:12:49.960 --> 00:12:50.540
 on the meaningless

00:12:50.540 --> 00:12:51.600
 flux of the atoms,

00:12:52.139 --> 00:12:53.659
 I cannot understand

00:12:53.659 --> 00:12:54.420
 how the thought

00:12:54.420 --> 00:12:55.240
 of those minds

00:12:55.240 --> 00:12:55.600
 should have

00:12:55.600 --> 00:12:56.580
 any more significance

00:12:56.580 --> 00:12:57.779
 than the sound

00:12:57.779 --> 00:12:58.240
 of the wind

00:12:58.240 --> 00:12:59.000
 in the trees.

00:13:00.440 --> 00:13:00.759
 He says,

00:13:00.820 --> 00:13:01.580
 Christian theology,

00:13:01.800 --> 00:13:02.779
 the Christian worldview

00:13:02.779 --> 00:13:03.720
 can account for

00:13:03.720 --> 00:13:04.340
 science,

00:13:05.080 --> 00:13:05.440
 art,

00:13:06.160 --> 00:13:06.600
 morality,

00:13:06.920 --> 00:13:08.300
 and even the insights

00:13:08.300 --> 00:13:09.740
 of non-Christian

00:13:09.740 --> 00:13:10.200
 religions.

00:13:11.340 --> 00:13:11.980
 The scientific

00:13:11.980 --> 00:13:12.460
 point of view

00:13:12.460 --> 00:13:13.100
 can't fit in

00:13:13.100 --> 00:13:13.920
 any of those,

00:13:14.340 --> 00:13:15.240
 not even science

00:13:15.240 --> 00:13:15.800
 itself.

00:13:17.000 --> 00:13:17.639
 And so Lewis says,

00:13:17.740 --> 00:13:18.700
 I believe in Christianity

00:13:18.700 --> 00:13:20.159
 as I believe

00:13:20.159 --> 00:13:20.639
 that the sun

00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:21.100
 has risen.

00:13:22.100 --> 00:13:23.060
 Not only because

00:13:23.060 --> 00:13:23.840
 I see it,

00:13:24.560 --> 00:13:25.800
 but because by it,

00:13:26.440 --> 00:13:27.039
 I can see,

00:13:27.139 --> 00:13:27.700
 I can understand

00:13:27.700 --> 00:13:28.500
 everything else.

00:13:29.620 --> 00:13:30.080
 And that's what

00:13:30.080 --> 00:13:30.720
 Paul wanted

00:13:30.720 --> 00:13:32.259
 the Corinthian Christians,

00:13:32.539 --> 00:13:32.899
 and that's what

00:13:32.899 --> 00:13:33.840
 God wants us

00:13:33.840 --> 00:13:34.240
 to do,

00:13:34.279 --> 00:13:35.180
 is to see everything

00:13:35.180 --> 00:13:35.879
 in the world

00:13:35.879 --> 00:13:37.879
 in light of the

00:13:37.879 --> 00:13:39.240
 crucified and risen

00:13:39.240 --> 00:13:40.860
 son of God.

00:13:40.860 --> 00:13:45.720
 to let go

00:13:45.720 --> 00:13:47.759
 of the mental

00:13:47.759 --> 00:13:48.340
 frameworks

00:13:48.340 --> 00:13:48.960
 and cultural

00:13:48.960 --> 00:13:49.360
 habits

00:13:49.360 --> 00:13:49.840
 and the things

00:13:49.840 --> 00:13:50.220
 that we tend

00:13:50.220 --> 00:13:50.980
 to hold on to

00:13:50.980 --> 00:13:51.659
 so tightly

00:13:51.659 --> 00:13:52.740
 and to reexamine

00:13:52.740 --> 00:13:54.080
 and reframe

00:13:54.080 --> 00:13:54.740
 everything

00:13:54.740 --> 00:13:56.419
 in the light

00:13:56.419 --> 00:13:58.060
 of Jesus Christ.

00:13:59.399 --> 00:13:59.779
 Paul says,

00:13:59.899 --> 00:14:00.419
 because Jesus

00:14:00.419 --> 00:14:01.120
 has come,

00:14:02.180 --> 00:14:02.759
 the wisdom

00:14:02.759 --> 00:14:03.740
 of this age

00:14:03.740 --> 00:14:06.680
 and the rulers

00:14:06.680 --> 00:14:07.420
 of this age

00:14:07.420 --> 00:14:08.060
 are doomed

00:14:08.059 --> 00:14:09.299
 to pass away.

00:14:11.579 --> 00:14:11.839
 Now,

00:14:13.219 --> 00:14:13.559
 you might say,

00:14:13.619 --> 00:14:14.539
 what does that mean?

00:14:15.399 --> 00:14:15.859
 Well, remember

00:14:15.859 --> 00:14:16.879
 what Paul's been saying

00:14:16.879 --> 00:14:18.839
 these last two chapters.

00:14:19.599 --> 00:14:20.299
 The wisdom

00:14:20.299 --> 00:14:21.379
 of this age,

00:14:22.379 --> 00:14:22.899
 the culture

00:14:22.899 --> 00:14:23.899
 of Corinth,

00:14:24.979 --> 00:14:25.659
 perhaps the culture

00:14:25.659 --> 00:14:26.179
 of New Haven

00:14:26.179 --> 00:14:27.059
 in so many ways,

00:14:27.119 --> 00:14:28.519
 was self-promoting,

00:14:29.559 --> 00:14:30.559
 self-exalting,

00:14:30.779 --> 00:14:32.059
 establishing your identity

00:14:32.059 --> 00:14:33.199
 and your self-worth

00:14:33.199 --> 00:14:34.519
 through competition

00:14:34.519 --> 00:14:35.879
 and comparison,

00:14:37.100 --> 00:14:38.220
 resulting in rivalry

00:14:38.220 --> 00:14:39.220
 and envy

00:14:39.220 --> 00:14:40.079
 and quarreling.

00:14:41.079 --> 00:14:41.659
 And Paul says,

00:14:41.740 --> 00:14:42.159
 the cross

00:14:42.159 --> 00:14:43.000
 of Jesus Christ

00:14:43.000 --> 00:14:43.899
 explodes

00:14:43.899 --> 00:14:45.399
 that wisdom

00:14:45.399 --> 00:14:46.360
 of this age.

00:14:46.899 --> 00:14:48.519
 It turns it upside down

00:14:48.519 --> 00:14:49.079
 because it says,

00:14:49.179 --> 00:14:49.899
 God's power

00:14:49.899 --> 00:14:51.879
 has been manifested

00:14:51.879 --> 00:14:53.439
 in weakness.

00:14:54.860 --> 00:14:55.639
 God's wisdom

00:14:55.639 --> 00:14:56.539
 was displayed

00:14:56.539 --> 00:14:57.579
 in what,

00:14:57.939 --> 00:14:58.519
 to the world,

00:14:58.620 --> 00:14:59.519
 looks like foolishness.

00:14:59.519 --> 00:15:00.279
 foolishness.

00:15:02.139 --> 00:15:03.139
 God came to establish

00:15:03.139 --> 00:15:04.059
 his glorious kingdom

00:15:04.059 --> 00:15:05.059
 among weak

00:15:05.059 --> 00:15:06.179
 and poor

00:15:06.179 --> 00:15:07.460
 and humble people.

00:15:08.139 --> 00:15:08.860
 He came to make

00:15:08.860 --> 00:15:09.759
 his dwelling place

00:15:09.759 --> 00:15:10.539
 within everyone

00:15:10.539 --> 00:15:12.519
 who will humble themselves

00:15:12.519 --> 00:15:14.159
 and confess

00:15:14.159 --> 00:15:15.799
 their sin

00:15:15.799 --> 00:15:17.240
 and admit their need

00:15:17.240 --> 00:15:18.019
 for God's mercy.

00:15:19.819 --> 00:15:20.199
 Paul says,

00:15:20.299 --> 00:15:21.019
 the wisdom of God

00:15:21.019 --> 00:15:21.480
 has come

00:15:21.480 --> 00:15:22.240
 in Jesus Christ

00:15:22.240 --> 00:15:23.159
 and so the pride

00:15:23.159 --> 00:15:24.279
 of this age

00:15:24.279 --> 00:15:25.480
 is doomed

00:15:25.480 --> 00:15:26.579
 to perish.

00:15:27.939 --> 00:15:28.799
 Paul also says,

00:15:28.799 --> 00:15:29.759
 the rulers

00:15:29.759 --> 00:15:31.079
 of this age

00:15:31.079 --> 00:15:32.079
 are doomed

00:15:32.079 --> 00:15:32.519
 to perish.

00:15:32.679 --> 00:15:33.419
 And some people

00:15:33.419 --> 00:15:33.839
 have wondered

00:15:33.839 --> 00:15:34.399
 what exactly

00:15:34.399 --> 00:15:35.439
 is Paul talking about?

00:15:36.479 --> 00:15:36.979
 Is he talking

00:15:36.979 --> 00:15:37.599
 about governments?

00:15:37.759 --> 00:15:38.179
 Is he talking

00:15:38.179 --> 00:15:39.000
 about demons?

00:15:39.819 --> 00:15:40.319
 Both?

00:15:42.019 --> 00:15:42.379
 Well, I think

00:15:42.379 --> 00:15:43.000
 the best answer

00:15:43.000 --> 00:15:43.359
 is this.

00:15:43.399 --> 00:15:44.000
 What are the rulers

00:15:44.000 --> 00:15:44.839
 of this age?

00:15:45.779 --> 00:15:46.859
 All authorities

00:15:46.859 --> 00:15:48.159
 and systems

00:15:48.159 --> 00:15:49.759
 that are operating

00:15:49.759 --> 00:15:50.759
 in opposition

00:15:50.759 --> 00:15:52.639
 to the wisdom

00:15:52.639 --> 00:15:53.339
 of God.

00:15:54.959 --> 00:15:56.039
 Seeking to establish

00:15:56.039 --> 00:15:56.839
 their own kingdom

00:15:56.839 --> 00:15:57.620
 instead of

00:15:57.620 --> 00:15:58.759
 God's kingdom.

00:15:58.799 --> 00:16:01.120
 You know,

00:16:01.139 --> 00:16:01.659
 most of the

00:16:01.659 --> 00:16:02.399
 Corinthian Christians

00:16:02.399 --> 00:16:03.439
 as we saw,

00:16:03.559 --> 00:16:04.159
 most of them

00:16:04.159 --> 00:16:05.740
 weren't powerful

00:16:05.740 --> 00:16:06.919
 and of noble birth.

00:16:08.099 --> 00:16:08.599
 And Paul wanted

00:16:08.599 --> 00:16:09.179
 to warn them,

00:16:09.359 --> 00:16:11.339
 don't be co-opted

00:16:11.339 --> 00:16:13.459
 by influential people

00:16:13.459 --> 00:16:14.299
 just because they're

00:16:14.299 --> 00:16:15.500
 powerful in this world.

00:16:16.079 --> 00:16:16.979
 Don't crave

00:16:16.979 --> 00:16:17.899
 their approval.

00:16:18.959 --> 00:16:19.779
 Don't envy

00:16:19.779 --> 00:16:20.719
 their high position.

00:16:20.899 --> 00:16:21.699
 Don't be intimidated

00:16:21.699 --> 00:16:22.899
 by their threats.

00:16:22.899 --> 00:16:25.959
 If you are in a position

00:16:25.959 --> 00:16:26.459
 of power,

00:16:26.559 --> 00:16:27.199
 Paul would say,

00:16:27.919 --> 00:16:29.259
 don't exercise power

00:16:29.259 --> 00:16:31.000
 just in the way

00:16:31.000 --> 00:16:31.980
 that this world

00:16:31.980 --> 00:16:33.059
 always expects you to.

00:16:34.799 --> 00:16:36.079
 Don't use your power

00:16:36.079 --> 00:16:36.899
 for your own

00:16:36.899 --> 00:16:37.980
 self-promotion.

00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:40.939
 Use it

00:16:40.939 --> 00:16:43.799
 as Jesus Christ did

00:16:43.799 --> 00:16:45.659
 to serve others.

00:16:46.199 --> 00:16:47.199
 Live as citizens

00:16:47.199 --> 00:16:48.159
 of the kingdom

00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:49.220
 of Jesus Christ,

00:16:49.740 --> 00:16:50.079
 the wisdom

00:16:50.080 --> 00:16:50.520
 and power

00:16:50.520 --> 00:16:51.020
 of God.

00:16:52.660 --> 00:16:53.080
 So that's what

00:16:53.080 --> 00:16:53.500
 Paul's saying.

00:16:53.560 --> 00:16:53.720
 He's saying,

00:16:53.860 --> 00:16:54.840
 remember who you are

00:16:54.840 --> 00:16:55.520
 in Christ.

00:16:56.440 --> 00:16:57.240
 Remember who you

00:16:57.240 --> 00:16:58.220
 belong to.

00:16:59.700 --> 00:17:00.120
 You don't,

00:17:00.560 --> 00:17:01.480
 and don't follow

00:17:01.480 --> 00:17:02.060
 the wisdom

00:17:02.060 --> 00:17:02.680
 of this age,

00:17:02.759 --> 00:17:03.340
 the pride

00:17:03.340 --> 00:17:04.100
 of this age,

00:17:04.420 --> 00:17:05.340
 or the rulers

00:17:05.340 --> 00:17:06.120
 of this age,

00:17:06.220 --> 00:17:07.779
 those authorities

00:17:07.779 --> 00:17:08.380
 and systems

00:17:08.380 --> 00:17:09.059
 that are operating

00:17:09.059 --> 00:17:09.840
 in opposition

00:17:09.840 --> 00:17:10.819
 to God.

00:17:10.819 --> 00:17:13.079
 He says,

00:17:13.139 --> 00:17:13.759
 brothers and sisters

00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:14.339
 in Christ,

00:17:15.159 --> 00:17:16.339
 in God's wisdom,

00:17:17.460 --> 00:17:18.919
 in God's eternal plan,

00:17:19.539 --> 00:17:20.859
 decreed before the ages

00:17:20.859 --> 00:17:22.599
 and carried out

00:17:22.599 --> 00:17:23.779
 in Jesus Christ,

00:17:23.879 --> 00:17:24.599
 verse seven says,

00:17:24.700 --> 00:17:25.480
 we are destined

00:17:25.480 --> 00:17:27.279
 for glory.

00:17:28.740 --> 00:17:29.619
 We have something

00:17:29.619 --> 00:17:30.339
 far better

00:17:30.339 --> 00:17:31.299
 than this world

00:17:31.299 --> 00:17:32.259
 can offer.

00:17:33.659 --> 00:17:34.539
 That word glory

00:17:34.539 --> 00:17:36.059
 in both the Old

00:17:36.059 --> 00:17:36.759
 and New Testaments

00:17:36.759 --> 00:17:37.779
 is a rich word.

00:17:38.879 --> 00:17:39.460
 It means

00:17:39.460 --> 00:17:40.460
 weight.

00:17:41.640 --> 00:17:42.299
 It means

00:17:42.299 --> 00:17:43.279
 brilliance.

00:17:44.299 --> 00:17:44.880
 It means

00:17:44.880 --> 00:17:45.480
 blessing.

00:17:46.799 --> 00:17:47.340
 It means

00:17:47.340 --> 00:17:47.880
 beauty.

00:17:49.180 --> 00:17:49.500
 It means

00:17:49.500 --> 00:17:50.000
 honor.

00:17:50.700 --> 00:17:51.100
 It means

00:17:51.100 --> 00:17:51.779
 salvation.

00:17:51.980 --> 00:17:52.420
 Verse eight says,

00:17:52.539 --> 00:17:53.299
 Jesus Christ

00:17:53.299 --> 00:17:54.240
 is the Lord

00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:54.960
 of glory.

00:17:55.799 --> 00:17:56.480
 And in him

00:17:56.480 --> 00:17:57.079
 we are destined

00:17:57.079 --> 00:17:57.700
 to share

00:17:57.700 --> 00:17:59.079
 in his glory.

00:18:00.240 --> 00:18:01.120
 And this glory

00:18:01.120 --> 00:18:01.940
 that we have access

00:18:01.940 --> 00:18:02.960
 to in Jesus Christ

00:18:02.960 --> 00:18:03.779
 is far beyond

00:18:03.779 --> 00:18:04.680
 anything we could

00:18:04.680 --> 00:18:05.299
 imagine

00:18:05.299 --> 00:18:06.779
 or come up

00:18:06.779 --> 00:18:07.539
 with on our own.

00:18:08.519 --> 00:18:09.100
 What no eye

00:18:09.099 --> 00:18:09.619
 has seen

00:18:09.619 --> 00:18:11.579
 nor ear heard

00:18:11.579 --> 00:18:12.799
 nor the heart

00:18:12.799 --> 00:18:13.519
 of man imagined

00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:14.539
 what God has prepared

00:18:14.539 --> 00:18:15.439
 for those

00:18:15.439 --> 00:18:16.119
 who love him.

00:18:17.559 --> 00:18:18.439
 Paul's paraphrasing

00:18:18.439 --> 00:18:19.859
 Isaiah 64

00:18:19.859 --> 00:18:20.539
 verse four.

00:18:22.099 --> 00:18:22.939
 And in the context

00:18:22.939 --> 00:18:23.699
 Isaiah was making

00:18:23.699 --> 00:18:24.219
 the point

00:18:24.219 --> 00:18:25.659
 that God will be

00:18:25.659 --> 00:18:26.799
 faithful to act

00:18:26.799 --> 00:18:27.519
 on behalf

00:18:27.519 --> 00:18:28.019
 of those

00:18:28.019 --> 00:18:28.599
 who wait

00:18:28.599 --> 00:18:29.459
 for him,

00:18:29.579 --> 00:18:30.159
 who trust

00:18:30.159 --> 00:18:30.899
 in him.

00:18:30.959 --> 00:18:31.419
 And Paul wants

00:18:31.419 --> 00:18:31.899
 to remind

00:18:31.899 --> 00:18:32.500
 the Corinthians,

00:18:33.799 --> 00:18:34.480
 remember who you

00:18:34.480 --> 00:18:35.279
 are in Christ.

00:18:35.859 --> 00:18:36.359
 Remember what

00:18:36.359 --> 00:18:36.819
 the wisdom

00:18:36.819 --> 00:18:37.339
 of God

00:18:37.339 --> 00:18:37.759
 is.

00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:38.679
 It's

00:18:38.679 --> 00:18:39.399
 counterintuitive.

00:18:39.539 --> 00:18:39.819
 It's not

00:18:39.819 --> 00:18:40.179
 what you would

00:18:40.179 --> 00:18:40.679
 expect.

00:18:41.199 --> 00:18:41.579
 And it's

00:18:41.579 --> 00:18:42.459
 paradigm shifting.

00:18:42.659 --> 00:18:43.259
 It changes

00:18:43.259 --> 00:18:43.779
 the way you

00:18:43.779 --> 00:18:44.419
 think and act

00:18:44.419 --> 00:18:45.079
 about everything.

00:18:47.079 --> 00:18:47.839
 So remember

00:18:47.839 --> 00:18:48.179
 that.

00:18:48.579 --> 00:18:48.939
 That's the

00:18:48.939 --> 00:18:49.419
 first point.

00:18:50.559 --> 00:18:51.279
 What God's

00:18:51.279 --> 00:18:51.679
 wisdom is.

00:18:51.779 --> 00:18:52.500
 Second point,

00:18:53.459 --> 00:18:54.059
 how can we

00:18:54.059 --> 00:18:55.839
 know God's

00:18:55.839 --> 00:18:56.319
 character

00:18:56.319 --> 00:18:57.119
 and God's

00:18:57.119 --> 00:18:57.979
 plan for our

00:18:57.979 --> 00:18:58.379
 lives?

00:18:59.039 --> 00:18:59.439
 And Paul's

00:18:59.439 --> 00:19:00.219
 answer in this

00:19:00.219 --> 00:19:01.299
 section is

00:19:01.299 --> 00:19:02.539
 God has revealed

00:19:02.539 --> 00:19:03.579
 this to us

00:19:03.579 --> 00:19:05.000
 by his

00:19:05.000 --> 00:19:05.439
 spirit.

00:19:06.379 --> 00:19:06.759
 Now some

00:19:06.759 --> 00:19:07.139
 of Paul's

00:19:07.139 --> 00:19:07.659
 language in

00:19:07.659 --> 00:19:08.059
 this section

00:19:08.059 --> 00:19:08.619
 is dense.

00:19:09.220 --> 00:19:09.799
 Sort of like

00:19:09.799 --> 00:19:10.399
 a double bacon

00:19:10.399 --> 00:19:11.119
 cheeseburger at

00:19:11.119 --> 00:19:11.879
 five guys all

00:19:11.879 --> 00:19:12.339
 the way.

00:19:13.679 --> 00:19:14.119
 Right?

00:19:14.179 --> 00:19:14.559
 With all the

00:19:14.559 --> 00:19:15.000
 toppings they

00:19:15.000 --> 00:19:15.339
 have.

00:19:16.419 --> 00:19:17.559
 And you can

00:19:17.559 --> 00:19:18.259
 barely bite into

00:19:18.259 --> 00:19:18.480
 it.

00:19:19.299 --> 00:19:19.439
 Right?

00:19:19.500 --> 00:19:20.319
 So I want to

00:19:20.319 --> 00:19:20.879
 take this bite

00:19:20.879 --> 00:19:21.379
 by bite.

00:19:22.699 --> 00:19:24.879
 So one or two

00:19:24.879 --> 00:19:25.399
 verses at a

00:19:25.399 --> 00:19:25.679
 time.

00:19:27.359 --> 00:19:27.980
 Verse 10

00:19:27.980 --> 00:19:28.339
 11.

00:19:29.740 --> 00:19:30.199
 These things

00:19:30.199 --> 00:19:30.779
 God has revealed

00:19:30.779 --> 00:19:31.220
 to us through

00:19:31.220 --> 00:19:31.720
 the spirit.

00:19:31.839 --> 00:19:32.359
 For the spirit

00:19:32.359 --> 00:19:33.179
 searches everything

00:19:33.180 --> 00:19:33.840
 even the depths

00:19:33.840 --> 00:19:34.360
 of God.

00:19:34.880 --> 00:19:35.500
 For who knows

00:19:35.500 --> 00:19:36.000
 a person's

00:19:36.000 --> 00:19:36.420
 thoughts except

00:19:36.420 --> 00:19:37.039
 the spirit of

00:19:37.039 --> 00:19:37.539
 that person

00:19:37.539 --> 00:19:38.120
 which is in

00:19:38.120 --> 00:19:38.299
 him.

00:19:38.380 --> 00:19:39.000
 So also no

00:19:39.000 --> 00:19:39.620
 one comprehends

00:19:39.620 --> 00:19:40.039
 the thoughts

00:19:40.039 --> 00:19:40.560
 of God

00:19:40.560 --> 00:19:41.759
 except the

00:19:41.759 --> 00:19:42.160
 spirit of

00:19:42.160 --> 00:19:42.420
 God.

00:19:43.860 --> 00:19:44.620
 The point of

00:19:44.620 --> 00:19:45.019
 these verses

00:19:45.019 --> 00:19:45.779
 is we can't

00:19:45.779 --> 00:19:47.320
 know God's

00:19:47.320 --> 00:19:47.820
 wisdom.

00:19:48.660 --> 00:19:48.720
 Right?

00:19:48.779 --> 00:19:49.420
 God's plan and

00:19:49.420 --> 00:19:50.720
 purpose for us.

00:19:50.779 --> 00:19:51.259
 The heart of

00:19:51.259 --> 00:19:52.500
 God just by

00:19:52.500 --> 00:19:53.380
 looking in from

00:19:53.380 --> 00:19:54.019
 the outside.

00:19:54.440 --> 00:19:55.000
 Or just by

00:19:55.000 --> 00:19:55.360
 guessing.

00:19:56.740 --> 00:19:57.200
 You know maybe

00:19:57.200 --> 00:19:57.960
 you've tried to

00:19:57.960 --> 00:19:59.200
 reach out to

00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:00.640
 someone and

00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:01.200
 initiate a

00:20:01.200 --> 00:20:01.740
 friendship and

00:20:01.740 --> 00:20:02.220
 they just blew

00:20:02.220 --> 00:20:02.660
 you off.

00:20:03.180 --> 00:20:03.960
 Or maybe you

00:20:03.960 --> 00:20:04.519
 wanted to date

00:20:04.519 --> 00:20:05.799
 someone and

00:20:05.799 --> 00:20:06.120
 they wouldn't

00:20:06.120 --> 00:20:06.519
 give you the

00:20:06.519 --> 00:20:07.080
 time of day.

00:20:08.080 --> 00:20:08.320
 Right?

00:20:08.360 --> 00:20:08.960
 In order to get

00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:09.500
 to know another

00:20:09.500 --> 00:20:11.019
 person at a

00:20:11.019 --> 00:20:11.680
 deep level they

00:20:11.680 --> 00:20:12.600
 have to choose to

00:20:12.600 --> 00:20:13.720
 open themselves up

00:20:13.720 --> 00:20:14.539
 to you.

00:20:15.180 --> 00:20:16.160
 And even more so

00:20:16.160 --> 00:20:16.779
 with God.

00:20:17.840 --> 00:20:18.640
 God is infinite.

00:20:18.779 --> 00:20:19.299
 We're finite.

00:20:19.460 --> 00:20:19.920
 I mean if God

00:20:19.920 --> 00:20:20.400
 doesn't want to

00:20:20.400 --> 00:20:21.080
 show himself to

00:20:21.080 --> 00:20:21.920
 us we're hopeless.

00:20:22.480 --> 00:20:22.720
 Right?

00:20:22.759 --> 00:20:23.320
 We can't even

00:20:23.320 --> 00:20:24.080
 comprehend how the

00:20:24.080 --> 00:20:24.900
 natural world

00:20:24.900 --> 00:20:25.420
 works.

00:20:26.039 --> 00:20:26.539
 How can we

00:20:26.539 --> 00:20:27.039
 expect to

00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:27.860
 comprehend God?

00:20:28.660 --> 00:20:29.580
 The only way that

00:20:29.580 --> 00:20:30.380
 we can truly and

00:20:30.380 --> 00:20:31.340
 deeply know God

00:20:31.339 --> 00:20:32.240
 is if God

00:20:32.240 --> 00:20:33.619
 chooses to

00:20:33.619 --> 00:20:34.299
 show himself

00:20:34.299 --> 00:20:35.619
 to us.

00:20:37.199 --> 00:20:38.000
 God opens

00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:38.779
 himself up to

00:20:38.779 --> 00:20:39.779
 us personally.

00:20:40.919 --> 00:20:41.579
 The same point

00:20:41.579 --> 00:20:42.740
 that Jesus

00:20:42.740 --> 00:20:43.799
 made in the

00:20:43.799 --> 00:20:45.059
 passage which we

00:20:45.059 --> 00:20:45.740
 read earlier from

00:20:45.740 --> 00:20:46.039
 Matthew.

00:20:46.179 --> 00:20:47.000
 No one knows the

00:20:47.000 --> 00:20:47.879
 son except the

00:20:47.879 --> 00:20:48.220
 father.

00:20:48.339 --> 00:20:48.980
 No one knows the

00:20:48.980 --> 00:20:49.799
 father except the

00:20:49.799 --> 00:20:50.119
 son.

00:20:51.199 --> 00:20:52.799
 By nature only God

00:20:52.799 --> 00:20:53.759
 knows God.

00:20:55.559 --> 00:20:56.679
 Paul says no one

00:20:56.679 --> 00:20:57.199
 comprehends the

00:20:57.199 --> 00:20:57.679
 thoughts of God

00:20:57.679 --> 00:20:58.459
 except the spirit of

00:20:58.460 --> 00:20:58.819
 God.

00:21:01.400 --> 00:21:01.980
 Then the good

00:21:01.980 --> 00:21:02.519
 news is this.

00:21:02.620 --> 00:21:03.140
 Verse 12.

00:21:05.039 --> 00:21:05.700
 Now we have

00:21:05.700 --> 00:21:06.460
 received not the

00:21:06.460 --> 00:21:06.920
 spirit of the

00:21:06.920 --> 00:21:07.500
 world but the

00:21:07.500 --> 00:21:08.980
 spirit who is from

00:21:08.980 --> 00:21:10.840
 God that we might

00:21:10.840 --> 00:21:12.360
 understand the

00:21:12.360 --> 00:21:13.259
 things freely given

00:21:13.259 --> 00:21:14.019
 us by God.

00:21:14.120 --> 00:21:15.039
 So the good news is

00:21:15.039 --> 00:21:15.640
 God has opened

00:21:15.640 --> 00:21:16.680
 himself up to us.

00:21:17.460 --> 00:21:18.440
 He has drawn us

00:21:18.440 --> 00:21:19.440
 into himself.

00:21:20.660 --> 00:21:21.400
 God has revealed

00:21:21.400 --> 00:21:22.240
 these things to us

00:21:22.240 --> 00:21:23.100
 through the spirit.

00:21:23.240 --> 00:21:23.920
 Not only has he

00:21:23.920 --> 00:21:25.700
 sent Jesus to

00:21:25.700 --> 00:21:26.740
 become wisdom

00:21:26.740 --> 00:21:28.039
 from God on

00:21:28.039 --> 00:21:28.700
 our behalf.

00:21:29.579 --> 00:21:30.240
 As Paul said

00:21:30.240 --> 00:21:31.099
 righteousness

00:21:31.099 --> 00:21:32.299
 holiness and

00:21:32.299 --> 00:21:32.700
 redemption.

00:21:33.960 --> 00:21:34.900
 He has sent his

00:21:34.900 --> 00:21:35.680
 holy spirit into

00:21:35.680 --> 00:21:36.319
 our hearts.

00:21:36.920 --> 00:21:37.819
 So that we might

00:21:37.819 --> 00:21:38.660
 take that wisdom

00:21:38.660 --> 00:21:39.400
 into ourselves.

00:21:39.500 --> 00:21:40.079
 So that we might

00:21:40.079 --> 00:21:42.220
 have God living

00:21:42.220 --> 00:21:43.480
 in us.

00:21:43.819 --> 00:21:44.920
 By his spirit.

00:21:45.559 --> 00:21:46.180
 So that we might

00:21:46.180 --> 00:21:47.720
 personally know

00:21:47.720 --> 00:21:48.059
 him.

00:21:48.500 --> 00:21:49.599
 And experience his

00:21:49.599 --> 00:21:50.799
 love and glory.

00:21:53.480 --> 00:21:54.140
 This is what Jesus

00:21:54.140 --> 00:21:54.940
 promised to his

00:21:54.940 --> 00:21:56.559
 disciples the night

00:21:56.559 --> 00:21:57.080
 before he was

00:21:57.080 --> 00:21:57.460
 crucified.

00:21:57.660 --> 00:21:58.140
 He said I will

00:21:58.140 --> 00:21:59.980
 ask the father and

00:21:59.980 --> 00:22:00.460
 he will give you

00:22:00.460 --> 00:22:03.160
 another helper or

00:22:03.160 --> 00:22:04.200
 another counselor.

00:22:05.059 --> 00:22:05.779
 He's saying I've

00:22:05.779 --> 00:22:08.700
 been with you through

00:22:08.700 --> 00:22:09.779
 my life on earth.

00:22:10.480 --> 00:22:11.120
 He had been walking

00:22:11.120 --> 00:22:12.080
 with his disciples for

00:22:12.080 --> 00:22:14.180
 three years and he

00:22:14.180 --> 00:22:15.860
 said when I leave,

00:22:16.620 --> 00:22:18.059
 when I ascend back

00:22:18.059 --> 00:22:19.559
 into heaven, I will

00:22:19.559 --> 00:22:21.220
 send another helper.

00:22:22.799 --> 00:22:24.600
 Jesus Christ was God

00:22:24.599 --> 00:22:25.199
 incarnate.

00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:26.779
 When his disciples

00:22:26.779 --> 00:22:27.519
 were talking to him,

00:22:27.599 --> 00:22:28.219
 they were talking to

00:22:28.219 --> 00:22:28.980
 God himself.

00:22:31.139 --> 00:22:32.339
 But Jesus said when I

00:22:32.339 --> 00:22:33.779
 ascend into heaven, I

00:22:33.779 --> 00:22:34.819
 won't leave you alone.

00:22:35.480 --> 00:22:36.519
 I won't leave you as

00:22:36.519 --> 00:22:36.879
 orphans.

00:22:36.959 --> 00:22:39.000
 I'll send my spirit,

00:22:39.119 --> 00:22:40.279
 the Holy Spirit,

00:22:40.599 --> 00:22:41.599
 another helper,

00:22:41.740 --> 00:22:42.699
 another counselor.

00:22:44.119 --> 00:22:45.459
 God himself to be with

00:22:45.459 --> 00:22:46.219
 you and in you.

00:22:46.399 --> 00:22:47.599
 You will never be alone.

00:22:49.319 --> 00:22:50.339
 And so just like Jesus

00:22:50.339 --> 00:22:51.980
 warned and comforted and

00:22:51.980 --> 00:22:53.199
 guided his disciples when

00:22:53.200 --> 00:22:53.960
 he was on earth, the

00:22:53.960 --> 00:22:55.480
 Holy Spirit warns and

00:22:55.480 --> 00:22:56.860
 comforts and guides us,

00:22:57.420 --> 00:22:58.480
 particularly through the

00:22:58.480 --> 00:22:58.840
 scriptures.

00:22:59.759 --> 00:23:01.740
 But like Jesus went with

00:23:01.740 --> 00:23:02.980
 his disciples when he was

00:23:02.980 --> 00:23:04.220
 on earth, the Holy Spirit

00:23:04.220 --> 00:23:06.360
 goes with us wherever we

00:23:06.360 --> 00:23:06.640
 go.

00:23:08.180 --> 00:23:09.180
 Now the Holy Spirit does a

00:23:09.180 --> 00:23:09.900
 lot of things.

00:23:10.559 --> 00:23:11.460
 According to the New

00:23:11.460 --> 00:23:12.960
 Testament, he empowers us to

00:23:12.960 --> 00:23:13.900
 bear witness to Jesus.

00:23:15.059 --> 00:23:16.440
 He gives spiritual gifts to

00:23:16.440 --> 00:23:17.080
 every believer.

00:23:17.799 --> 00:23:19.140
 He is grieved when we

00:23:19.140 --> 00:23:21.080
 resist God's instructions.

00:23:21.079 --> 00:23:22.379
 He works within us to

00:23:22.379 --> 00:23:23.199
 produce good fruit.

00:23:23.299 --> 00:23:24.960
 He helps us to pray when

00:23:24.960 --> 00:23:25.579
 we feel weak.

00:23:25.639 --> 00:23:27.019
 The Holy Spirit's active in

00:23:27.019 --> 00:23:27.899
 a whole bunch of ways.

00:23:27.980 --> 00:23:29.359
 But this passage emphasizes

00:23:29.359 --> 00:23:31.919
 the Holy Spirit enables us

00:23:31.919 --> 00:23:34.299
 to understand God's

00:23:34.299 --> 00:23:36.339
 wisdom, God's character,

00:23:36.399 --> 00:23:37.359
 again, God's character and

00:23:37.359 --> 00:23:39.279
 God's plan for us as it's

00:23:39.279 --> 00:23:40.480
 been revealed in Jesus

00:23:40.480 --> 00:23:40.899
 Christ.

00:23:41.399 --> 00:23:42.279
 Now you might say, what does

00:23:42.279 --> 00:23:42.720
 that look like?

00:23:42.720 --> 00:23:44.199
 The Holy Spirit helping us to

00:23:44.199 --> 00:23:46.960
 understand the things freely

00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:48.179
 given us by God or the

00:23:48.179 --> 00:23:49.299
 blessings of our salvation.

00:23:49.299 --> 00:23:54.639
 Jonathan Edwards said, there

00:23:54.639 --> 00:23:56.359
 are two kinds of knowledge

00:23:56.359 --> 00:23:58.359
 that human beings are

00:23:58.359 --> 00:23:59.079
 capable of.

00:24:00.220 --> 00:24:01.159
 And the first kind of

00:24:01.159 --> 00:24:02.819
 knowledge is what sometimes

00:24:02.819 --> 00:24:03.839
 we might call like head

00:24:03.839 --> 00:24:04.220
 knowledge.

00:24:04.339 --> 00:24:05.839
 He says, merely notional

00:24:05.839 --> 00:24:06.539
 knowledge.

00:24:07.500 --> 00:24:08.519
 The second knowledge, he

00:24:08.519 --> 00:24:09.839
 says, that we might call

00:24:09.839 --> 00:24:11.960
 heart knowledge, that which

00:24:11.960 --> 00:24:13.339
 consists in the sense of the

00:24:13.339 --> 00:24:13.659
 heart.

00:24:14.339 --> 00:24:15.559
 As when the heart is

00:24:15.559 --> 00:24:16.960
 sensible of pleasure and

00:24:16.960 --> 00:24:19.240
 delight in the presence of

00:24:19.240 --> 00:24:20.859
 the idea of something.

00:24:21.500 --> 00:24:22.400
 There's a difference between

00:24:22.400 --> 00:24:24.640
 having an opinion that God

00:24:24.640 --> 00:24:25.980
 is holy and gracious and

00:24:25.980 --> 00:24:27.059
 having a sense of the

00:24:27.059 --> 00:24:29.180
 loveliness and beauty of that

00:24:29.180 --> 00:24:30.059
 holiness and grace.

00:24:30.140 --> 00:24:31.140
 He says, just like there's a

00:24:31.140 --> 00:24:32.680
 difference between having a

00:24:32.680 --> 00:24:33.859
 rational judgment that honey

00:24:33.859 --> 00:24:36.200
 is sweet and having a sense

00:24:36.200 --> 00:24:36.759
 of its sweetness.

00:24:38.599 --> 00:24:40.539
 You can agree that honey is

00:24:40.539 --> 00:24:41.920
 sweet without ever tasting it.

00:24:42.519 --> 00:24:43.900
 You say, oh yeah, sure, it is.

00:24:45.140 --> 00:24:46.700
 Other people say it, I believe

00:24:46.700 --> 00:24:47.000
 them.

00:24:48.580 --> 00:24:50.200
 But you can't have a sense of

00:24:50.200 --> 00:24:53.779
 its sweetness unless you've

00:24:53.779 --> 00:24:54.819
 tasted and seen that it's

00:24:54.819 --> 00:24:55.039
 good.

00:24:55.319 --> 00:24:56.340
 It's like New Haven pizza,

00:24:56.660 --> 00:24:56.900
 right?

00:24:58.519 --> 00:24:58.920
 Right?

00:24:58.960 --> 00:25:00.480
 You can acknowledge the fact

00:25:00.480 --> 00:25:02.819
 that people come from hundreds

00:25:02.819 --> 00:25:04.600
 of miles away just to go to

00:25:04.600 --> 00:25:05.880
 Worcester Street, to Pepe's and

00:25:05.880 --> 00:25:07.819
 Sally's or Bar and Modern.

00:25:08.940 --> 00:25:09.180
 Right?

00:25:09.240 --> 00:25:10.880
 And some magazine rated Pepe's the

00:25:10.880 --> 00:25:11.799
 number one pizza in the whole

00:25:11.799 --> 00:25:12.140
 country.

00:25:12.140 --> 00:25:15.040
 But if you've actually tasted

00:25:15.040 --> 00:25:18.259
 the pizza, hot from the coal

00:25:18.259 --> 00:25:20.060
 fired oven, right?

00:25:20.100 --> 00:25:21.520
 If you've personally experienced

00:25:21.520 --> 00:25:23.320
 its goodness, it's a whole

00:25:23.320 --> 00:25:24.740
 different kind of knowledge.

00:25:24.980 --> 00:25:26.560
 And you'll speak about it in a

00:25:26.560 --> 00:25:28.140
 whole different way.

00:25:29.160 --> 00:25:30.520
 And that's what Paul is saying.

00:25:30.600 --> 00:25:32.080
 The Holy Spirit enables us to

00:25:32.080 --> 00:25:36.140
 understand God, not just in an

00:25:36.140 --> 00:25:38.360
 opinion way and an abstract,

00:25:38.359 --> 00:25:41.679
 detached, distant way, but in the

00:25:41.679 --> 00:25:43.559
 second way, in a personal heart

00:25:43.559 --> 00:25:44.240
 way.

00:25:47.099 --> 00:25:49.059
 To stand in awe and reverence

00:25:49.059 --> 00:25:50.039
 before him.

00:25:50.699 --> 00:25:52.799
 To be overwhelmed by his glory and

00:25:52.799 --> 00:25:53.019
 love.

00:25:53.099 --> 00:25:54.659
 To taste and see that he is good.

00:25:54.719 --> 00:25:56.359
 To glimpse the eternal glory and

00:25:56.359 --> 00:25:57.819
 taste that eternal glory that we

00:25:57.819 --> 00:25:59.500
 are destined for.

00:26:01.199 --> 00:26:04.479
 In verse 13 through 16, show us two

00:26:04.479 --> 00:26:06.479
 results of knowing God in this way,

00:26:06.480 --> 00:26:07.839
 through his spirit.

00:26:09.279 --> 00:26:12.360
 First, Paul says in verse 13, we

00:26:12.360 --> 00:26:13.680
 have a growing capacity for

00:26:13.680 --> 00:26:14.980
 spiritual communication.

00:26:16.579 --> 00:26:16.920
 Right?

00:26:16.960 --> 00:26:18.440
 We talk about God differently, in

00:26:18.440 --> 00:26:18.779
 other words.

00:26:18.900 --> 00:26:20.440
 Second, we have a growing capacity

00:26:20.440 --> 00:26:21.759
 for spiritual discernment.

00:26:23.220 --> 00:26:25.779
 So let me look at these, those two

00:26:25.779 --> 00:26:28.420
 results of knowing God through his

00:26:28.420 --> 00:26:28.660
 spirit.

00:26:28.779 --> 00:26:29.819
 First, spiritual communication,

00:26:29.960 --> 00:26:30.559
 verse 13.

00:26:31.140 --> 00:26:33.980
 We impart this, or simply we speak

00:26:33.980 --> 00:26:37.000
 this in words, not taught by human

00:26:37.000 --> 00:26:38.620
 wisdom, but taught by the spirit

00:26:38.620 --> 00:26:41.160
 interpreting or explaining spiritual

00:26:41.160 --> 00:26:44.140
 truths to those who are spiritual.

00:26:45.680 --> 00:26:47.259
 Now, this doesn't mean that Christians

00:26:47.259 --> 00:26:49.480
 speak a weird language that nobody

00:26:49.480 --> 00:26:50.319
 else can understand.

00:26:51.680 --> 00:26:53.900
 Sometimes Christians do speak in sort

00:26:53.900 --> 00:26:54.940
 of weird ways.

00:26:55.559 --> 00:26:56.759
 But that's not the point.

00:26:57.660 --> 00:26:57.819
 Okay?

00:26:57.819 --> 00:27:02.399
 Paul wrote in normal Greek and some

00:27:02.399 --> 00:27:04.179
 of the other authors of the New

00:27:04.179 --> 00:27:05.720
 Testament, there's a whole range.

00:27:06.079 --> 00:27:06.980
 Some of them are very sort of

00:27:06.980 --> 00:27:07.240
 literary.

00:27:07.879 --> 00:27:09.319
 Some of them are very down to

00:27:09.319 --> 00:27:13.539
 earth, common language.

00:27:14.079 --> 00:27:14.179
 Okay?

00:27:14.200 --> 00:27:16.139
 So it's not about speaking in sort of

00:27:16.139 --> 00:27:16.939
 weird words.

00:27:17.720 --> 00:27:19.919
 What it does mean is that as the Holy

00:27:19.919 --> 00:27:22.980
 Spirit dwells in us, as we have this

00:27:22.980 --> 00:27:26.099
 experiential understanding, understanding

00:27:26.099 --> 00:27:27.899
 at a heart level of the blessings of

00:27:27.899 --> 00:27:30.419
 salvation freely given us in Jesus, we

00:27:30.419 --> 00:27:32.059
 speak about them in words to one

00:27:32.059 --> 00:27:32.359
 another.

00:27:34.079 --> 00:27:35.539
 You know, one of the real privileges I

00:27:35.539 --> 00:27:37.799
 have as a pastor is sitting down with

00:27:37.799 --> 00:27:40.699
 many of you and hearing how you came to

00:27:40.699 --> 00:27:43.519
 faith in Jesus or how the Holy Spirit is

00:27:43.519 --> 00:27:45.359
 continuing his work in your lives.

00:27:46.599 --> 00:27:48.959
 And so often I'll ask questions like, what's

00:27:48.959 --> 00:27:49.919
 your spiritual background?

00:27:50.659 --> 00:27:52.799
 Or how did you come to faith in Jesus?

00:27:53.339 --> 00:27:55.279
 Or what has God been doing in your life

00:27:55.279 --> 00:27:55.619
 lately?

00:27:56.460 --> 00:27:58.039
 Or what have you been learning from God's

00:27:58.039 --> 00:27:58.279
 word?

00:27:58.339 --> 00:28:01.539
 Now I realize that in some churches, it's

00:28:01.539 --> 00:28:03.639
 sort of unusual to ask those questions.

00:28:06.139 --> 00:28:07.740
 You know, sometimes you might talk about a

00:28:07.740 --> 00:28:10.779
 lot of other things, church activities and

00:28:10.779 --> 00:28:14.339
 Christian perspectives on politics and Bible

00:28:14.339 --> 00:28:14.839
 stories.

00:28:14.980 --> 00:28:17.879
 But sometimes in some Christian circles, we

00:28:17.879 --> 00:28:20.980
 rarely talk about what is God teaching you

00:28:20.980 --> 00:28:22.900
 through his word.

00:28:24.019 --> 00:28:26.720
 How did you, what is God doing in your

00:28:26.720 --> 00:28:27.039
 heart?

00:28:27.140 --> 00:28:28.519
 What sins is he exposing?

00:28:29.339 --> 00:28:30.640
 What struggles are you facing?

00:28:30.759 --> 00:28:32.059
 What joys are you experiencing?

00:28:32.599 --> 00:28:35.400
 But this is one of the privileges of having

00:28:35.400 --> 00:28:37.920
 God's Holy Spirit dwelling in us.

00:28:38.980 --> 00:28:41.599
 That we can speak to one another in words

00:28:41.599 --> 00:28:45.220
 about what Paul calls spiritual truths or

00:28:45.220 --> 00:28:46.220
 things of the spirit.

00:28:46.220 --> 00:28:49.759
 So we can study the Bible together and talk

00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:52.500
 about it and, and learn to discuss it.

00:28:52.559 --> 00:28:54.299
 And, and we all have more to learn.

00:28:55.819 --> 00:28:57.900
 We can help each other see how the Holy

00:28:57.900 --> 00:28:59.440
 Spirit continues to be at work in our

00:28:59.440 --> 00:28:59.940
 lives.

00:29:00.740 --> 00:29:02.480
 Sometimes that's a way you can encourage

00:29:02.480 --> 00:29:03.180
 someone else.

00:29:03.480 --> 00:29:04.980
 Sometimes it's hard to see how the Holy

00:29:04.980 --> 00:29:06.600
 Spirit's are working in your own life.

00:29:07.720 --> 00:29:10.299
 And sharing with someone else, this is what

00:29:10.299 --> 00:29:11.339
 I'm learning from the scriptures.

00:29:12.299 --> 00:29:13.959
 This is something I'm struggling with and

00:29:13.959 --> 00:29:16.339
 I'm praying about and sharing those things.

00:29:16.419 --> 00:29:17.619
 And sometimes you can say, you know, I can

00:29:17.619 --> 00:29:19.339
 see the Holy Spirit at work in you because

00:29:20.000 --> 00:29:22.759
 a year ago, you never would have been

00:29:22.759 --> 00:29:23.859
 concerned about that at all.

00:29:24.859 --> 00:29:28.099
 A year ago, you didn't even think that was a

00:29:28.099 --> 00:29:28.779
 problem in your life.

00:29:28.919 --> 00:29:30.639
 Now, now, now you realize it.

00:29:34.039 --> 00:29:36.659
 But now God's working in you, right?

00:29:36.899 --> 00:29:38.639
 Now maybe that's not the way to say it, right?

00:29:38.699 --> 00:29:39.980
 Now you, now you realize your problems.

00:29:39.980 --> 00:29:41.900
 But sometimes that's what the Holy Spirit

00:29:41.900 --> 00:29:46.759
 does is he shows us our sin more clearly.

00:29:47.660 --> 00:29:50.039
 But when he does that, that's good news.

00:29:50.440 --> 00:29:51.779
 It's not meant to make us despair.

00:29:52.779 --> 00:29:55.519
 It's meant to help us grow, meant to help

00:29:55.519 --> 00:29:57.700
 us turn to Christ and see that Jesus is all

00:29:57.700 --> 00:30:00.700
 that we need and all that we're facing.

00:30:02.759 --> 00:30:04.299
 So we can speak with one another.

00:30:04.579 --> 00:30:06.519
 We can share with each other all the trials

00:30:06.519 --> 00:30:08.299
 and the joys that come from being united to

00:30:08.299 --> 00:30:10.919
 Jesus. We can interpret or explain

00:30:10.919 --> 00:30:13.480
 spiritual truths or things of the Spirit

00:30:13.480 --> 00:30:15.980
 to one another who are filled with the Spirit.

00:30:17.440 --> 00:30:19.539
 So this is a growing capacity for spiritual

00:30:19.539 --> 00:30:20.240
 communication.

00:30:21.480 --> 00:30:23.079
 And so let me encourage you to pursue that.

00:30:23.139 --> 00:30:25.000
 If this feels new, if this feels awkward,

00:30:26.579 --> 00:30:28.700
 you know, if I ask you that question,

00:30:29.019 --> 00:30:30.859
 I'm not grading your answer and comparing it

00:30:30.859 --> 00:30:31.639
 to everybody else.

00:30:31.640 --> 00:30:32.720
 What's God doing in your life?

00:30:32.820 --> 00:30:34.460
 Sometimes the answer is, I don't know.

00:30:35.440 --> 00:30:37.960
 But, you know, I'm sticking with it.

00:30:39.100 --> 00:30:40.640
 And, you know, sometimes that's where you are.

00:30:41.460 --> 00:30:45.860
 And we can encourage each other to grow

00:30:45.860 --> 00:30:47.860
 in our life with Christ.

00:30:47.940 --> 00:30:48.900
 So spiritual communication.

00:30:49.440 --> 00:30:51.000
 Second, spiritual discernment.

00:30:51.100 --> 00:30:52.680
 This is verse 14 through 16.

00:30:52.820 --> 00:30:53.580
 Verse 14.

00:30:53.579 --> 00:30:57.500
 The natural person, that is a person without

00:30:57.500 --> 00:30:59.199
 the Holy Spirit dwelling in them,

00:30:59.879 --> 00:31:01.799
 doesn't accept the things of the Spirit of God

00:31:01.799 --> 00:31:03.000
 for they are folly to him.

00:31:03.500 --> 00:31:05.279
 And he's not able to understand them

00:31:05.279 --> 00:31:07.579
 because they are spiritually discerned.

00:31:08.740 --> 00:31:10.819
 Some of you can look back on a time in your life

00:31:10.819 --> 00:31:13.539
 when you heard about Christianity.

00:31:13.879 --> 00:31:15.439
 Maybe you grew up going to church,

00:31:15.759 --> 00:31:18.199
 but the message didn't hit home.

00:31:18.839 --> 00:31:20.980
 It just went in one ear and out the other.

00:31:20.980 --> 00:31:24.680
 And you heard it and you had no desire for it.

00:31:26.019 --> 00:31:27.960
 And that's what Paul's talking about here.

00:31:29.099 --> 00:31:32.380
 Apart from the Holy Spirit opening our heart,

00:31:33.339 --> 00:31:34.160
 we're stuck.

00:31:35.440 --> 00:31:37.680
 We're sort of like scientists

00:31:37.680 --> 00:31:39.980
 before quantum mechanics,

00:31:40.160 --> 00:31:41.779
 stuck in their old paradigms,

00:31:41.880 --> 00:31:43.480
 thinking that there's nothing beyond

00:31:43.480 --> 00:31:47.920
 what we've already come to know and experience.

00:31:47.920 --> 00:31:52.000
 And Paul says the Holy Spirit opens our eyes

00:31:52.000 --> 00:31:53.600
 to a whole new world.

00:31:54.640 --> 00:31:56.420
 Opens our eyes to see Jesus

00:31:56.420 --> 00:31:58.600
 in a way we haven't seen him before.

00:32:01.140 --> 00:32:02.880
 And Paul says through the Holy Spirit,

00:32:02.960 --> 00:32:06.060
 we have a growing capacity for spiritual discernment.

00:32:06.759 --> 00:32:07.660
 Verse 15 and 16.

00:32:07.779 --> 00:32:09.759
 The spiritual person judges all things,

00:32:10.140 --> 00:32:12.279
 but is himself to be judged by no one.

00:32:12.279 --> 00:32:15.200
 For who has understood the mind of the Lord

00:32:15.200 --> 00:32:16.299
 so as to instruct him.

00:32:16.379 --> 00:32:19.079
 That's a quote from Isaiah 40, 30, 40, 13.

00:32:19.420 --> 00:32:21.039
 But we have the mind of Christ.

00:32:21.200 --> 00:32:24.160
 Now, what do these verses mean?

00:32:24.460 --> 00:32:26.899
 Well, the word translated judges in verse 15,

00:32:27.119 --> 00:32:27.720
 that verb,

00:32:28.079 --> 00:32:29.920
 is the same word translated discerned

00:32:29.920 --> 00:32:31.139
 at the end of verse 14.

00:32:32.000 --> 00:32:33.639
 So verse 15 could be translated,

00:32:33.779 --> 00:32:35.500
 the spiritual person discerns

00:32:35.500 --> 00:32:37.480
 or examines all things.

00:32:37.480 --> 00:32:38.920
 One person said,

00:32:39.740 --> 00:32:43.480
 the profane person cannot understand holiness,

00:32:44.420 --> 00:32:47.039
 but a holy person can well understand

00:32:47.039 --> 00:32:48.240
 the depths of evil.

00:32:50.279 --> 00:32:51.079
 In other words,

00:32:51.140 --> 00:32:53.400
 the more we understand the wisdom of God

00:32:53.400 --> 00:32:54.799
 revealed in Jesus Christ

00:32:54.799 --> 00:32:57.059
 and applied to our hearts by the Holy Spirit,

00:32:57.120 --> 00:32:59.660
 our capacity for spiritual discernment grows.

00:33:01.779 --> 00:33:03.259
 Again, take the pizza analogy.

00:33:04.160 --> 00:33:06.200
 If you've tasted Sally's pizza,

00:33:06.200 --> 00:33:07.460
 my personal favorite,

00:33:08.080 --> 00:33:09.220
 you won't be too excited

00:33:09.220 --> 00:33:10.759
 to eat at Domino's tomorrow night.

00:33:11.759 --> 00:33:12.039
 Okay?

00:33:12.340 --> 00:33:13.900
 Now, if you only have New Haven pizza

00:33:13.900 --> 00:33:14.779
 once or twice a year,

00:33:14.920 --> 00:33:16.319
 maybe you can have Domino's

00:33:16.319 --> 00:33:17.680
 the rest of the time and be fine

00:33:17.680 --> 00:33:19.140
 and not be bothered.

00:33:19.240 --> 00:33:20.360
 But if you get into the habit

00:33:20.360 --> 00:33:22.440
 of eating really good pizza,

00:33:23.460 --> 00:33:24.900
 then that becomes your standard.

00:33:25.059 --> 00:33:25.779
 And Paul's saying,

00:33:26.299 --> 00:33:27.620
 it's the same thing with music.

00:33:28.019 --> 00:33:29.240
 I could use a music analogy,

00:33:29.420 --> 00:33:30.660
 but then I have to decide

00:33:30.660 --> 00:33:31.519
 what kind of music do I,

00:33:32.000 --> 00:33:33.980
 and everybody likes different kinds of music.

00:33:34.500 --> 00:33:36.160
 So, but you get the same idea.

00:33:36.200 --> 00:33:38.420
 If you've heard really good music,

00:33:38.920 --> 00:33:39.920
 pick your type of music,

00:33:40.640 --> 00:33:42.180
 you can tell the difference

00:33:42.180 --> 00:33:45.559
 between really good music

00:33:45.559 --> 00:33:47.880
 and mediocre stuff.

00:33:49.500 --> 00:33:50.140
 And in the same way,

00:33:50.220 --> 00:33:51.519
 when the Holy Spirit's at work in you,

00:33:51.580 --> 00:33:53.180
 when you feed on him day by day,

00:33:53.600 --> 00:33:55.019
 through prayer, reading his word,

00:33:55.059 --> 00:33:56.120
 you'll have a growing capacity

00:33:56.120 --> 00:33:57.940
 for spiritual discernment.

00:33:58.779 --> 00:33:59.920
 Discerning truth from error,

00:34:00.440 --> 00:34:02.299
 spiritual depth from spiritual shallowness,

00:34:02.440 --> 00:34:03.860
 godliness from selfishness.

00:34:04.579 --> 00:34:05.619
 Paul concludes this passage

00:34:05.619 --> 00:34:07.279
 by saying we have the mind of Christ,

00:34:07.859 --> 00:34:08.980
 which is just another way of saying

00:34:08.980 --> 00:34:10.000
 we have the spirit of Christ.

00:34:10.940 --> 00:34:13.359
 Now, maybe you read these last two verses

00:34:13.359 --> 00:34:14.839
 and you think,

00:34:15.859 --> 00:34:16.960
 but that sounds a bit,

00:34:17.159 --> 00:34:18.440
 doesn't that sound sort of arrogant?

00:34:19.519 --> 00:34:21.239
 The spiritual person judges all things,

00:34:21.339 --> 00:34:23.000
 but is to be judged by no one?

00:34:23.000 --> 00:34:26.360
 We have the mind of Christ,

00:34:26.719 --> 00:34:28.079
 the mind of the Lord himself.

00:34:29.800 --> 00:34:31.840
 But you have to read these words in context.

00:34:32.940 --> 00:34:34.659
 Look down at chapter three, verse one.

00:34:34.860 --> 00:34:36.179
 The next thing Paul says is,

00:34:36.380 --> 00:34:38.519
 but I brothers could not address you

00:34:38.519 --> 00:34:39.599
 as spiritual people,

00:34:39.719 --> 00:34:41.199
 but as people of the flesh,

00:34:41.500 --> 00:34:43.179
 as infants in Christ.

00:34:44.340 --> 00:34:44.920
 Verse three,

00:34:45.000 --> 00:34:46.039
 for while there is jealousy

00:34:46.039 --> 00:34:47.760
 and strife among you,

00:34:48.460 --> 00:34:49.579
 are you not of the flesh

00:34:49.579 --> 00:34:51.860
 and behaving only in a human way?

00:34:53.699 --> 00:34:55.079
 What Paul's doing in chapter two

00:34:55.079 --> 00:34:56.059
 is he's reminding us

00:34:56.059 --> 00:34:57.340
 of our identity in Christ.

00:34:58.739 --> 00:34:59.139
 He's saying,

00:34:59.299 --> 00:34:59.920
 in Jesus Christ,

00:35:00.000 --> 00:35:01.400
 we've received the Holy Spirit

00:35:01.400 --> 00:35:03.679
 who enables us to understand

00:35:03.679 --> 00:35:05.980
 and internalize

00:35:05.980 --> 00:35:07.259
 the blessings of our salvation.

00:35:08.299 --> 00:35:09.639
 But then in chapter three,

00:35:10.299 --> 00:35:11.159
 he says,

00:35:11.159 --> 00:35:13.759
 my dear Corinthian brothers and sisters,

00:35:13.760 --> 00:35:16.940
 you are not living as if this is true.

00:35:18.120 --> 00:35:19.420
 You're destined for glory

00:35:19.420 --> 00:35:20.260
 in the age to come,

00:35:20.320 --> 00:35:21.400
 but you're living like people

00:35:21.400 --> 00:35:23.140
 whose only hope is to be found

00:35:23.140 --> 00:35:24.900
 in your life in this world.

00:35:25.980 --> 00:35:26.860
 You've been given

00:35:26.860 --> 00:35:28.220
 the spirit of Jesus Christ.

00:35:28.360 --> 00:35:30.240
 You should be able to be discerning,

00:35:30.340 --> 00:35:32.520
 but you're living like people of the flesh,

00:35:33.980 --> 00:35:35.780
 comparing and competing with each other

00:35:35.780 --> 00:35:38.460
 and trying to establish your identity

00:35:38.460 --> 00:35:40.000
 by getting ahead of someone else.

00:35:41.200 --> 00:35:42.520
 You think you're mature.

00:35:43.760 --> 00:35:44.840
 But really,

00:35:44.980 --> 00:35:46.720
 you're infants spiritually.

00:35:47.580 --> 00:35:48.940
 That's part of Nick's sermon next week.

00:35:49.020 --> 00:35:50.440
 I won't preach any more of that for him.

00:35:52.820 --> 00:35:54.480
 But you need to see what Paul's doing

00:35:54.480 --> 00:35:55.980
 because sometimes people have taken

00:35:55.980 --> 00:35:57.400
 verses 15 and 16

00:35:57.400 --> 00:35:59.440
 or isolated verses in this chapter

00:35:59.440 --> 00:36:00.480
 out of context

00:36:00.480 --> 00:36:02.040
 and said something like,

00:36:02.140 --> 00:36:03.220
 well, I'm a spiritual person.

00:36:03.920 --> 00:36:05.440
 I have the mind of Christ.

00:36:06.140 --> 00:36:07.800
 Therefore, I won't listen to anyone else

00:36:07.800 --> 00:36:08.860
 who disagrees with me.

00:36:09.440 --> 00:36:11.000
 And I'm not willing to submit

00:36:11.000 --> 00:36:12.940
 to accountability from spiritual leaders.

00:36:12.940 --> 00:36:14.860
 That's exactly the opposite

00:36:14.860 --> 00:36:15.880
 of what Paul is saying.

00:36:17.900 --> 00:36:19.240
 Paul's saying to the Corinthians,

00:36:20.179 --> 00:36:21.960
 Jesus Christ is the wisdom of God.

00:36:22.740 --> 00:36:24.260
 And he displayed God's wisdom

00:36:24.260 --> 00:36:25.780
 by laying down his life

00:36:25.780 --> 00:36:27.599
 for others in love.

00:36:28.820 --> 00:36:30.079
 That's the pattern

00:36:30.079 --> 00:36:31.760
 of the mind of Christ.

00:36:33.760 --> 00:36:34.220
 He says,

00:36:34.219 --> 00:36:37.019
 if you have come to believe in Jesus,

00:36:37.119 --> 00:36:38.859
 the Holy Spirit lives in you.

00:36:39.279 --> 00:36:41.139
 And so you have the mind of Christ.

00:36:41.939 --> 00:36:43.099
 And so he'll call the Corinthians

00:36:43.099 --> 00:36:44.079
 throughout the rest of the book

00:36:44.079 --> 00:36:46.879
 to live into

00:36:46.879 --> 00:36:48.179
 and live out of

00:36:48.179 --> 00:36:49.599
 their identity in Christ.

00:36:51.679 --> 00:36:53.000
 As he said in Philippians,

00:36:53.139 --> 00:36:53.419
 Paul said,

00:36:53.500 --> 00:36:55.839
 have this mind among yourselves,

00:36:56.219 --> 00:36:58.719
 which is yours in Christ Jesus.

00:36:58.719 --> 00:37:03.579
 who though he was in the form of God,

00:37:03.980 --> 00:37:06.119
 did not count equality with God,

00:37:06.219 --> 00:37:07.259
 something to be grasped,

00:37:07.379 --> 00:37:08.339
 but emptied himself

00:37:08.339 --> 00:37:09.919
 by taking the form of a servant.

00:37:10.839 --> 00:37:13.039
 Being born in the likeness

00:37:13.039 --> 00:37:14.159
 of a human being.

00:37:15.359 --> 00:37:16.759
 Being found in human form,

00:37:16.839 --> 00:37:17.679
 he humbled himself

00:37:17.679 --> 00:37:19.259
 by becoming obedient

00:37:19.259 --> 00:37:20.199
 to the point of death,

00:37:20.239 --> 00:37:21.339
 even death on a cross.

00:37:22.179 --> 00:37:24.039
 Therefore, God has highly exalted him

00:37:24.039 --> 00:37:25.400
 and bestowed on him

00:37:25.400 --> 00:37:26.880
 the name that is above every name.

00:37:27.820 --> 00:37:28.980
 So that at the name of Jesus,

00:37:29.099 --> 00:37:29.940
 every knee should bow

00:37:29.940 --> 00:37:31.380
 in heaven and on earth

00:37:31.380 --> 00:37:32.199
 and under the earth

00:37:32.199 --> 00:37:33.279
 and every tongue confess

00:37:33.279 --> 00:37:34.940
 that Jesus Christ is Lord

00:37:34.940 --> 00:37:37.340
 to the glory of God the Father.

00:37:38.480 --> 00:37:40.360
 Paul says that is God's wisdom.

00:37:41.059 --> 00:37:43.420
 Jesus Christ crucified and risen.

00:37:46.480 --> 00:37:47.099
 Paul says,

00:37:48.099 --> 00:37:50.320
 remember who you are in Christ.

00:37:51.079 --> 00:37:51.960
 Remember this wisdom

00:37:51.960 --> 00:37:53.039
 that God has shown you.

00:37:53.039 --> 00:37:55.239
 Live out of that new paradigm.

00:37:57.039 --> 00:37:58.619
 And remember that God's spirit

00:37:58.619 --> 00:37:59.599
 is working in you.

00:38:01.519 --> 00:38:02.159
 Let's pray.

00:38:11.039 --> 00:38:12.159
 Father, we thank you

00:38:12.159 --> 00:38:13.860
 for sending your son Jesus

00:38:13.860 --> 00:38:17.619
 to lay down his life

00:38:17.619 --> 00:38:19.139
 on the cross for us

00:38:19.139 --> 00:38:22.219
 so that we might be brought

00:38:22.219 --> 00:38:22.920
 into your family

00:38:22.920 --> 00:38:26.420
 so that we might receive

00:38:26.420 --> 00:38:26.980
 your spirit

00:38:26.980 --> 00:38:30.420
 and have you dwelling in us

00:38:30.420 --> 00:38:31.440
 that we might know you

00:38:31.440 --> 00:38:34.920
 and be overwhelmed

00:38:34.920 --> 00:38:36.180
 by your love and glory

00:38:36.180 --> 00:38:37.900
 and peace

00:38:37.900 --> 00:38:39.920
 and joy.

00:38:41.920 --> 00:38:43.920
 That our lives might be

00:38:43.920 --> 00:38:45.220
 characterized by holiness

00:38:45.219 --> 00:38:46.939
 and truth

00:38:46.939 --> 00:38:47.659
 and integrity

00:38:47.659 --> 00:38:49.659
 and mercy.

00:38:53.599 --> 00:38:54.559
 Lord, we thank you

00:38:54.559 --> 00:38:56.439
 for what you've done.

00:38:57.059 --> 00:38:58.119
 We pray that you would help us

00:38:58.119 --> 00:38:59.239
 to remember who we are

00:38:59.239 --> 00:38:59.839
 in you.

00:39:01.139 --> 00:39:02.259
 We pray that you would help us

00:39:02.259 --> 00:39:03.319
 to live not according

00:39:03.319 --> 00:39:05.759
 to the patterns of this world

00:39:05.759 --> 00:39:06.619
 but to be transformed

00:39:06.619 --> 00:39:08.079
 by the renewing of our mind.

00:39:08.079 --> 00:39:13.019
 Lord, we pray all these things

00:39:13.019 --> 00:39:13.659
 in Jesus' name.

00:39:14.059 --> 00:39:14.259
 Amen.

00:39:14.259 --> 00:39:14.340
 Amen.

00:39:14.340 --> 00:39:44.320
 Thank you.