Saturday, July 29, 2006

1 Corinthians 2:6 - 8 (NASB) 6Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; 7but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; 8the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory;

Jesus said in John 10:27-28 (NASB) 27“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; 28and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand.

It would appear that Paul is showing the church a principal. When he first came to the Corinthians he preached only Jesus Christ (v. 2). Now he is telling them that to those who are in Christ, to the more mature, to the “called out ones” he speaks with “God’s wisdom in a mystery.”

The church is to be evangelistic, reaching out to non-believers and preach “Christ and Him crucified.”

The church is also to unfold the “mystery of God” to it’s members. Teaching, discipling and growing it’s members to become more mature in the things of the Lord. Not just staying in the “basics” of Christ and Him crucified, but diving in to the Word, searching for His will for us today, searching for a deeper relationship with Him. Everything we ever wanted to know can be found in His Word!!!! The scriptures say, “By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life.” (2 Peter 1:3, NLT)

As the Lord brings each of us closer to Himself through prayer and study, wouldn’t it be great if we shared that with each other?

1 Corinthians 2:6 - 8 (TMSG) 6We, of course, have plenty of wisdom to pass on to you once you get your feet on firm spiritual ground, but it’s not popular wisdom, the fashionable wisdom of high-priced experts that will be out-of-date in a year or so. 7God’s wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of his purposes. You don’t find it lying around on the surface. It’s not the latest message, but more like the oldest—what God determined as the way to bring out his best in us, long before we ever arrived on the scene. 8The experts of our day haven’t a clue about what this eternal plan is. If they had, they wouldn’t have killed the Master of the God-designed life on a cross.
1 Corinthians 2:1 - 5 (YLT) 1And I, having come unto you, brethren, came—not in superiority of discourse or wisdom—declaring to you the testimony of God, 2for I decided not to know any thing among you, except Jesus Christ, and him crucified; 3and I, in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling, was with you; 4and my word and my preaching was not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power— 5that your faith may not be in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

The faith of the church, all of those who call on the name of the Lord, should rely only on the POWER OF GOD. It should not be influenced by apparent intelligence, charisma or persuasiveness of men. Once again we’re drawn to the same point that we have seen before…the FOCUS of the church is to be on JESUS CHRIST and GOD the FATHER.

I mentioned last night that I heard a message that I had to download (gbible.org, message #330) because it struck me…This morning I remembered the one point that stood out and it was this, too many churches get caught up in thinking that ministering to each other is what it’s all about. That in itself is not bad, but when you put God in the number 2 position and think that “you are doing something,” it’s wrong. GOD is to be the focus of our love and attention. People are second. Return to your first love. Return to Jesus Christ and rest in Him. Let Him carry you, direct you for He alone is your righteousness, your holiness and in Him alone you have redemption. Have a blessed day!