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weekly sermon 3-22-09 It Is Alive! This past couple of weeks we have been going over the word and how we are to dwell in it daily. This will be the last of a three part series concerning how we are to dwell in the word daily and how our souls are to grow in the knowledge of the word.
We have been dwelling in the scriptures daily, we have made our minds obedient, and now we will understand this new knowledge that we have discovered and what it truly means. By following the first message in this series, we will dwell deeper into the scripture to understand why we are to keep our minds there and keep them obedient to the Gospel.
Turn with me to 1 Corinthians 2:1-16, "And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with Excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. (2)For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. (3)And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. (4)And my speech and my preaching [was] not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: (5)That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. (6)Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought: (7)But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, [even] the hidden [wisdom], which God ordained before the world unto our glory: (8)Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known [it], they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. (9)But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (10)But God hath revealed [them] unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. (11)For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. (12)Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. (13)Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. (14)But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned. (15)But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no man. (16)For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ."
Paul is talking to the people of Corinth and trying to make them understand how the word affects them spiritually and their growth in Christ. Notice here how Paul is coming to them humbled in the presence of man and more especially God. Paul says that he does not come to them with excellence in speech or wisdom. This is a very humbling statement. Paul states this as a man, but as a spirit Paul was very excellent in the wisdom. He states next that he does not know any other knowledge or doctrine except that of Jesus Christ and the cross. Paul stated he was there with them in weakness, fear, and trembling. Know here that Paul had been stoned and was very weak from the stoning, and was trembling with fear, NOT because he was stoned, or in fear of being stoned again, but because he was afraid he might let God down in his efforts to be the Christian God wanted him to be.
This next verse is something that is very near to my heart. Paul states in verse 4 that his speech and preaching was not with enticing words of man, but demonstrating the spirit and it's power. Why is this so dear to my heart you may ask? This is a perfect example of something I have stated on many occasions. Many folks in this day and age, as well as back then obviously, were impressed by fancy words to excite them into something. This Gospel is NOT about men, what they think, or how they want to think it. This book was breathed, by God, into existence and is therefore nothing of man. Why man wants to turn the Gospel into something of flair for his benefit is beyond me. Religion is of man and NOT of God. I know this is a bold statement, but it is a true one. Do NOT believe in religion but believe in Christ and the saving grace from the cross. Religion is a man made thing and therefore of man. Believe in the God that made man and take your mind away from man thinking and put it into God thinking.
Why did Paul tell them his words were not fancy and his wisdom was not man wisdom? He wanted them to understand that his thoughts were that of the spirit of God. He wanted them to have this same mind set so that their faith would not be of man, but in the full power of God. There is only one thing that will take us from this world to spend eternity with a Holy God, and that is our spirit in the full power of God.
Next we see that Paul says that although he speaks wisdom to the perfect that it is not the wisdom of this world or any man, even powerful men, of this world, as he mentioned princes here. This word perfect is the Greek word "Teleois", meaning matured; complete, and thoroughly instructed and deeply experienced. This does not mean the folks here were old, in age, but they were mature in the word, that they were complete in their knowledge and experienced deeply in the word. You can see, now, how all this is coming together. How keeping our minds in the word will bring our spirits into the body of God and make our minds like the mind of Christ.
Not only do we dwell into the word daily for the purpose of keeping our minds obedient, but also to gain the knowledge that can only be gained by constant study of the word. It states in verse 7 that the word has mystery and hidden wisdom. The only way to understand the mystery and open the hidden wisdom, is to put on the mind of Christ and study daily in the word. Had the folks back then understood this, they would have seen the real meaning of the words of God and never would have crucified the Lord of the world. If we keep our minds in the word of God daily, studying and gaining understanding, God will reveal His Spirit to us and we will know the deep things that God wants us to understand.
If we are wise to the world, then we only have the wisdom of man, but if we allow the Holy Spirit to take over then we become the true Christian that God wants us to be. Paul shows us here that we receive NOT the spirit of the world, but the spirit of God, that we may know the things that are freely given to us by God. He shows us here that the knowledge of man will only judge us by man, but we are to be judged ONLY by God, and not of man and that the only way we can receive the instruction, known as the mind of the Lord, is to have the mind of Christ. The only way to have the mind of Christ is to keep daily in the word of God, as Christ did, fully understanding what God is trying to teach us.
Colossians 3:16-17, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (17)And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, [do] all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."
As we can see from Paul's teaching in Colossians, we are to let the word of Christ dwell in us in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing us and one another singing grace in the hearts of the Lord. This shows us that after we dwell in the word and admonish one another we are to do all things, in the word, or in our actions, in the name of Jesus Christ, giving all thanks to God.
Lastly let us look at one other passage that will tie all of this together. Turn with me to Ephesians 6:13-17, "Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (14)Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; (15)And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; (16)Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. (17)And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:"
I understand we are talking about our minds and staying steadfast in the word of God. What does this passage have to do with what we are talking about here? If we put on the whole armour of God we can stand against the evil in the last days. Dress in truth, righteousness, preparation, faith, salvation, and spirit. What does this have to do with what we are studying? I want us to focus on the preparation, salvation, and spirit parts that are quoted here. We are to have preparation with the Gospel. Does this sound familiar? We are to take the salvation and the spirit, which is the word of God.
Notice out of the six things we are to put on, three of those have to do with the word of God. This is why it is so very important to keep in the word and fully understand God's teachings. This is very important to see here, that we are to study and understand so we can withstand evil in the last days so that we may spend eternity with our Saviour. As you can see here, the word of God is definitely alive. Since the word is alive, we MUST be alive in the word.
Are you alive in the word? Is your mind fully clothed with the whole armour of God? Is your mind like the mind of Christ? If you can not say yes to these questions then you should really consider changing clothes. To change from the old you into the new child of Christ, all you have to do is say a simple prayer with me.
Say this simple prayer with me, Dear Lord, I want you to be the Lord over my life, forgive me of my sins, and give me the gift of everlasting life. Amen.
If you have said this simple prayer, then we believe that you have received salvation. We would love to rejoice with you, so please drop us a note, in our link, to let us know and confess Jesus before man, so that we may send you a few things that we hope will help you in your new Christian walk.
With Love in Christ,
Pastor Stone
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