back to index2015-05-07 1 Corinthians Bible Study Week 3
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So if you get done reading, again I wanted you guys to read up until the end of Chapter 00:00:15.560 |
Do you realize that the section actually goes much longer, but I stopped it there because 00:00:22.960 |
But once you guys finish reading that, please try to write out a summary and then you guys 00:00:39.560 |
So if you guys didn't get a chance to write a summary, please be in the habit of trying 00:00:50.000 |
Just by way of thinking through our own devotions. 00:00:54.880 |
It is always good to look at things in great detail and it's always good to wrap your mind 00:00:59.200 |
around that detail so that you have something to take away. 00:01:03.120 |
Something that will last, something that you can meditate on, right? 00:01:06.200 |
And writing summaries for different sections is good. 00:01:09.220 |
It's kind of like actually sometimes talking with somebody, you know? 00:01:12.600 |
You can be in a conversation with somebody and talk to them over coffee for about an 00:01:17.080 |
Sometimes they'll say things and they're a little disconnected and you're kind of like, 00:01:23.400 |
And you want them to kind of boil down it by saying, wait a minute, so what you're saying 00:01:26.600 |
is and then you summarize it for them and we do that because we want to understand. 00:01:31.800 |
So likewise, get in the habit of summarizing sections and paragraphs so that you can retain 00:01:40.040 |
Now I had you guys read up to the end of chapter two for the sake of summary, but if you notice, 00:01:47.080 |
if you look at chapter three, notice how he says, "And I, brethren, could not speak to 00:01:52.020 |
you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ." 00:01:59.080 |
So you think, okay, he's talking about now fleshliness. 00:02:01.440 |
So rightly in my Bible, it talks about, or it has this title heading, Foundations for 00:02:05.920 |
Living, but he references again the same thing that we mentioned at the very beginning. 00:02:10.800 |
Look at verse four, "For when one says, I am of Paul and another, I am of Apollos, are 00:02:17.080 |
Oh, so now he's going back to where we started. 00:02:20.520 |
So you realize he's been saying so much already, but actually this section continues. 00:02:26.020 |
So how to outline this whole thing is difficult. 00:02:29.020 |
From one commentary to another, the outlines are really different. 00:02:32.060 |
But I would again recommend you guys be observant of these things to see what is Apostle Paul's 00:02:40.260 |
That being the case, I want to at least summarize section by section for us, and I think verses 00:02:46.460 |
10 to the end of chapter two is a good chunk. 00:02:50.920 |
It's pretty broad, but it's not so small that we're kind of disconnecting his thoughts. 00:02:55.580 |
Let me ask you guys, what are some summaries you came up with for chapters 1-10 through 00:03:16.020 |
Unity is essential because of the unity of Christ and the power of the gospel through 00:03:18.020 |
The bigger part is, "God has totally upended the normal order of the world and its value 00:03:20.020 |
Now the wisdom of the world, the strength of the world, means nothing. 00:03:21.020 |
The wisdom of God is revealed in Christ by the Spirit of the Holy Spirit. 00:03:22.020 |
Only those he has called can use the wisdom of the Spirit of the Holy Spirit to do such 00:03:25.020 |
Unity is essential because of the unity of Christ and the power of the gospel through 00:03:27.020 |
The bigger part is, "God has totally upended the normal order of the world and its value 00:03:29.020 |
Now the wisdom of the world, the strength of the world, means nothing. 00:03:30.020 |
The wisdom of God is revealed in Christ by the Spirit of the Holy Spirit. 00:03:54.020 |
Only those he has called can use the wisdom of the Spirit of the Holy Spirit to do such 00:03:56.020 |
So we no longer rely on wisdom or strength of persuasion from our God. 00:04:01.020 |
But there are other things to notice and other things to summarize. 00:04:31.580 |
I'm going to call on a few people just so that, you know, to keep you on your toes. 00:04:39.500 |
I kind of took questions from the first six and that one. 00:05:20.500 |
So, you guys can see that, obviously, perhaps, again, 00:05:21.500 |
sometimes I compare how I used to think about things 00:05:23.500 |
Let's say when I was a young Christian in college 00:05:26.500 |
And I compare that to how I used to think about things. 00:05:27.500 |
And I compare that to how I used to think about things. 00:05:28.500 |
And I compare that to how I used to think about things. 00:05:29.500 |
And I compare that to how I used to think about things. 00:05:30.500 |
And I compare that to how I used to think about things. 00:05:31.500 |
And I compare that to how I used to think about things. 00:05:32.500 |
And I compare that to how I used to think about things. 00:05:38.500 |
And I compare that to how I used to think about things. 00:05:39.500 |
And I compare that to how I used to think about things. 00:05:40.500 |
And I compare that to how I used to think about things. 00:05:41.500 |
And I compare that to how I used to think about things. 00:05:42.500 |
And I compare that to how I used to think about things. 00:05:43.500 |
And I compare that to how I used to think about things. 00:05:44.500 |
And I compare that to how I used to think about things. 00:05:45.500 |
And I compare that to how I used to think about things. 00:05:46.500 |
And I compare that to how I used to think about things. 00:05:47.500 |
And I compare that to how I used to think about things. 00:05:48.500 |
And I compare that to how I used to think about things. 00:05:49.500 |
And I compare that to how I used to think about things. 00:05:50.500 |
And I compare that to how I used to think about things. 00:05:51.500 |
And I compare that to how I used to think about things. 00:06:17.500 |
And I compare that to how I used to think about things. 00:06:46.500 |
in verse 18 for the word of the cross is foolishness. 00:06:52.380 |
so from your summary and from looking at this next section 00:06:59.660 |
what do you think is the logical connection for him 00:07:03.320 |
from going to talking about unity in their vision 00:07:07.180 |
to now talking about the foolishness of the cross? 00:07:14.860 |
He uses the word for, which is a connecting word, 00:07:23.460 |
So the word of the cross is foolishness, okay? 00:07:27.440 |
What would be the logical connection for him to say for, 00:09:01.800 |
Good, were you guys able to hear what he said? 00:09:14.520 |
If you actually notice, looking down at our passage, 00:09:27.280 |
where is the wise man, all this kind of stuff. 00:09:31.680 |
verse 19, there's for, verse 20, there's the question, 00:09:34.040 |
verse 21, there is for, verse 22, there is for, 00:09:42.460 |
and you notice that he's really building up a case, okay? 00:09:46.860 |
And so it's important for us to follow the logic. 00:09:50.380 |
And Matt was really getting at to the right focus 00:10:21.420 |
He's seeing it as a much bigger category, right? 00:10:29.620 |
he was pointing to the fact that there is already then 00:10:32.800 |
a contrast between worldly wisdom and God's wisdom. 00:10:43.140 |
which is their understanding of what is at the core 00:10:45.560 |
of who they are, the gospel of Jesus Christ, right? 00:10:57.860 |
but come back to the core of the gospel, okay? 00:11:14.660 |
sorry, for the word of the cross is foolishness 00:11:36.880 |
Because it's giving us the spiritual position 00:11:39.920 |
or the spiritual principle that he sees working in them 00:12:06.760 |
like the world sees the cross as foolishness. 00:12:15.840 |
that it wasn't so foolish when we go evangelize. 00:12:24.500 |
but that's the spiritual reality we have to accept, right? 00:12:47.200 |
So there's, you know, that the spiritual truth 00:12:49.360 |
of our destiny, whether we're going to heaven or hell, 00:12:55.220 |
Does that kinda summarize what you're saying? 00:13:14.900 |
You notice also how it's talking about, you know, 00:13:45.980 |
'cause I think there's more structure to be seen 00:13:49.860 |
Just for your blank there, the logical layout 00:13:55.260 |
because I noticed that there was this repetition 00:14:01.300 |
I had a way to kinda outline the passage for me. 00:14:08.620 |
for something, as in this is for the purpose of, 00:14:17.940 |
This is just, I'm gonna go through it quickly, okay? 00:14:19.940 |
So the first one was, for could mean purpose. 00:14:29.300 |
But as you guys know, for could also mean because. 00:14:36.540 |
And I think that's what Apostle Paul is doing. 00:14:41.660 |
the superiority, or at least the crucialness, 00:15:03.900 |
as a layout of the passage from verse 18 through 25, okay? 00:15:19.780 |
And we're gonna observe it by way of just kinda, again, 00:15:25.860 |
So Apostle Paul has said, I look at your dissension, 00:15:32.440 |
but I see a division of the way that you're thinking. 00:15:35.940 |
You are thinking according to worldly wisdom. 00:15:41.140 |
basically the foolishness, or the cross is foolishness 00:15:44.580 |
but to those who are being saved is the power of God. 00:15:48.320 |
as to why the power of God, the wisdom of God, is greater. 00:15:54.500 |
so I'm taking that for as to say because it is written, 00:15:59.820 |
and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside. 00:16:06.780 |
Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 00:16:11.100 |
My first question to you is, as we observe verse 19, 00:16:14.740 |
what is God's attitude towards the wisdom of the world? 00:16:27.000 |
what is God's attitude towards the wisdom of the world? 00:16:38.060 |
Now, what's really interesting about that is this, 00:16:51.040 |
And wouldn't he want them to exercise critical thinking 00:16:54.440 |
and analysis and to exercise the use of their brain? 00:17:02.960 |
That he's going to destroy the wisdom of the wise 00:17:11.760 |
is that this quotation comes from Isaiah chapter 29, 00:17:27.780 |
The northern kingdom is constantly under threat 00:17:33.200 |
Remember, the Assyrians are a nasty group, pagan group, 00:17:36.740 |
and they ultimately destroy the northern kingdom. 00:17:39.200 |
Well, Sennacherib, who is the king of Assyria, 00:17:43.200 |
"I'm gonna destroy you, I'm gonna destroy you." 00:17:52.760 |
"They're gonna fail, they're gonna fail miserably." 00:17:55.700 |
But what's really interesting about the whole story 00:18:04.000 |
and they're not going to fail because you're strong. 00:18:07.060 |
You're not going to win because you have lots of advisors. 00:18:11.480 |
but you are going to win because I am with you. 00:18:18.000 |
of Sennacherib, the Assyrians, get destroyed, 00:18:25.120 |
The reason why I say that's really interesting 00:18:36.560 |
He wasn't necessarily speaking and addressing Sennacherib. 00:18:41.840 |
And if you know Hezekiah, he was a good king, 00:18:45.000 |
but at the tail end of his life, he fell to his pride. 00:18:50.640 |
And so here, what we have, again, is this thought for us. 00:18:59.260 |
our own understanding, to scenarios and situations, 00:19:18.900 |
"but here's what I would have to say to that." 00:19:21.280 |
God says, "No, not only is it not acceptable, 00:19:27.140 |
"I am going to destroy whatever you place above my wisdom." 00:19:36.680 |
whether it be Old Testament stories or New Testament stories, 00:19:43.160 |
their understanding, their wisdom, their ingenuity, 00:19:49.600 |
What are some biblical examples of people going outside 00:19:54.520 |
of what God was trying to do to accomplish their ends? 00:20:29.080 |
Yeah, Peter, he's got a lot of moments, like in the Bible. 00:20:34.080 |
Where he's like, Jesus is like, ah, you're not shaking his. 00:20:55.000 |
Rebecca and Jacob, where Rebecca is trying to fool Isaac 00:20:58.520 |
by dressing her son up as Esau and making him all hairy. 00:21:03.280 |
And he's all worried, like, I'm smooth, though. 00:21:06.920 |
And so the mom is thinking, like, just trust me, son, 00:21:10.120 |
And then he's like, it forces him to do all this stuff. 00:21:15.580 |
Now there's family strife, now Esau hates him. 00:21:21.460 |
And then, you know, they're at odds and all that stuff. 00:21:27.800 |
- Esau would be an offended, often sacrificed, 00:21:41.240 |
That role of the priesthood was only appointed by God. 00:21:45.000 |
And Esau, because he wanted to make sure he has a blessing 00:21:51.760 |
so I'm just gonna go ahead and do it, you know? 00:22:06.160 |
what's really interesting about this scenario 00:22:13.280 |
it wasn't like the people were trying to accomplish 00:22:40.000 |
they were pursuing a completely different ends than God was. 00:22:48.480 |
that even for us, when we think about our lives, 00:22:51.680 |
when we think about situations and circumstances, 00:22:56.540 |
yes, are we supposed to apply discernment and wisdom 00:23:02.560 |
But we have to make sure that we never cross that boundary, 00:23:07.400 |
where we all of a sudden apply our ingenuity, 00:23:28.460 |
for the vast majority of the people in this age? 00:23:34.980 |
and I'm gonna try out this, you know, Catholic girl, 00:23:40.980 |
Whether it's your job, whether it's your school, 00:23:54.500 |
you're completely, completely overriding God, 00:24:02.940 |
So, one of the things I want you to jot down is this. 00:24:09.180 |
an interesting truth, a principle we have to realize is, 00:24:20.980 |
You don't say, okay, I understand God's wisdom, 00:24:23.380 |
and I'm just gonna apply mine on top of that, no. 00:24:41.340 |
But part B, we observe, he starts asking these questions, 00:24:54.980 |
has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 00:24:57.540 |
Through these questions, what truth is he trying to conclude? 00:25:02.560 |
Through these questions, what truth is he trying to 00:25:47.940 |
the things that you guys say are really insightful. 00:26:03.660 |
the wisdom of the world, the debaters of the age, 00:26:17.500 |
The reason why God's wisdom is so much more powerful, 00:26:22.420 |
the reason number one is because it's exclusively permanent. 00:26:28.060 |
Nothing else lasts generations upon generations 00:26:32.140 |
Nothing else lasts forever, like God would say. 00:26:43.820 |
God's word, his truth is exclusively permanent. 00:26:58.580 |
as to be so wise and so academic, so to speak? 00:27:07.820 |
I feel like it was a really bad decision in my life. 00:27:24.620 |
because I started learning about things like metaphysics. 00:27:29.020 |
just actually to start even broader than that, 00:27:33.740 |
Philosophy is questioning all these various things. 00:27:40.020 |
Epistemology, that's the study of like your knowledge 00:27:44.940 |
And then I started learning the metaphysical stuff, 00:28:03.380 |
Has that caused me to be a more moral and upright man? 00:28:13.620 |
And then, you know, I realized there are certain areas 00:28:21.180 |
We should excel in learning, you know, who we are. 00:28:30.660 |
And for me, as, you know, someone who went to seminary, 00:28:33.420 |
I considered, do I go to, you know, get a PhD in this? 00:28:36.580 |
And I'm gonna just throw out a couple things for you guys. 00:28:52.060 |
And so they'll look at the book of Deuteronomy 00:28:53.740 |
and say maybe it had a, you know, a priestly source 00:29:01.860 |
Or did they piece together different mythologies 00:29:06.340 |
So they're sitting there learning and learning 00:29:09.300 |
and studying, and I'm gonna tell you honestly, 00:29:13.940 |
if you don't understand that, they look at you as stupid. 00:29:17.500 |
And they're like, oh, you don't know the broader discussion 00:29:24.340 |
'cause I don't trust my Bible, call me stupid. 00:29:33.940 |
and at the end of it, you're just gonna doubt the Bible. 00:29:41.680 |
There's no godly wisdom, you have no knowledge of God. 00:29:45.460 |
And so I see a vain pursuit of earthly wisdom, 00:29:50.860 |
vain pursuit of new ideas and new systems and new theories. 00:30:05.900 |
But you have to realize there is a question in all that is, 00:30:11.660 |
And I wanna say to you guys, just as Apostle Paul 00:30:16.060 |
you guys have to be wise, you guys have to be discerning, 00:30:19.900 |
because there's so many pull, there's so much luring you 00:30:23.660 |
to apply worldly wisdom to your circumstances, right? 00:30:37.980 |
how to choose jobs, what to do in certain circumstances, 00:30:48.880 |
there is either a worldly philosophy to apply, 00:30:52.340 |
or there is a biblical godly philosophy to apply. 00:31:17.420 |
Please let them tell you, and let them understand 00:31:19.920 |
what the Lord of hosts has purposed against Egypt. 00:31:29.880 |
The Lord has mixed within her a spirit of distortion 00:31:48.260 |
So again, just kind of summarizing that point though, 00:31:53.020 |
he's again pitting against worldly wisdom and godly wisdom. 00:31:56.820 |
And he's saying godly wisdom is exclusively permanent. 00:32:13.020 |
I'm gonna smash together then verse 21 and 22. 00:32:20.560 |
the world through its wisdom did not come to know God. 00:32:26.820 |
of the message preached to save those who believe. 00:32:33.860 |
But we preach Christ crucified to Jews a stumbling block 00:32:41.420 |
So, in this, there's another reason to be observed. 00:32:52.860 |
the world through its wisdom did not come to know God. 00:33:04.340 |
There's what's called a classical apologetic. 00:33:15.220 |
of why the different philosophies of apologetics existed. 00:33:52.020 |
Good, good, Romans chapter one and two has a lot to say. 00:33:55.260 |
It does say that they are without excuse for, 00:34:00.280 |
the things that are to be known about God are known, 00:34:07.820 |
And through the testimony that's in our heart, 00:34:15.340 |
And so that's why they're absolutely without excuse, okay? 00:34:26.920 |
Pastor Mark, I think the verse kind of says it. 00:34:30.600 |
It says, no, it cannot come to a knowledge of God. 00:34:34.480 |
Well, what's really interesting to me about this is, 00:34:39.000 |
he mentions that according to the desire of God, 00:34:47.760 |
that through the foolishness of the message preached 00:34:52.720 |
it was pleasing to God, this wasn't God's plan and design, 00:34:59.480 |
and then start climbing the ladder to the Lord. 00:35:08.320 |
You can deduce that there exists a higher being, 00:35:18.720 |
of all the universe, but you cannot come to a knowledge 00:35:21.800 |
to understand God and have a relationship with the Lord. 00:35:37.880 |
so what if somebody can study all their life, 00:35:42.960 |
so what if somebody can really kind of pinpoint 00:35:49.440 |
and maybe they're the master at understanding 00:35:56.200 |
when an individual gains knowledge but has no power, 00:35:58.760 |
whereas God, he does as is well-pleasing to him? 00:36:24.880 |
In the wisdom of man, it could not know God, restricted. 00:36:54.520 |
but we preach Christ crucified to Jews a stumbling block 00:37:04.680 |
So let me read it in kind of unison here, okay? 00:37:08.520 |
So again, Jews seek for signs, Greeks seek for wisdom, 00:37:15.680 |
but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, 00:37:18.440 |
Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God. 00:37:22.320 |
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men 00:37:24.880 |
and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 00:37:30.480 |
At the very beginning, this is the power of God. 00:37:38.260 |
Verse 25, because the foolishness of God is wiser than men 00:37:40.960 |
and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 00:37:44.800 |
again, the main theme is God's wisdom is greater. 00:37:49.000 |
Now, in thinking through the middle part of it, 00:37:52.520 |
I wanna hit upon just a convicting portion for all of us. 00:38:12.000 |
And for the Greeks, why are they keep seeking wisdom 00:38:25.080 |
And all throughout various moments in history, 00:38:33.600 |
But the thing about it is, God gave them signs. 00:38:52.960 |
even in an instance when Jesus healed the blindness 00:39:05.080 |
Look, I was blind from birth, but look at me. 00:39:19.280 |
And so, there's a sense in which you think about it, 00:39:27.360 |
They're definitely not seeking a sign that God would give. 00:39:31.400 |
They're seeking a sign in which would satisfy 00:39:35.840 |
The sign they wanted was triumph and victory. 00:40:09.120 |
the reason why he denounces the wisdom of man, 00:40:16.160 |
is because the wisdom of man is not really wisdom, is it? 00:40:26.000 |
It's just seeking after the things they want in the moment. 00:40:30.440 |
And so although they say, yes, I want a sign, 00:40:32.680 |
great God signs, that's not really what they wanted. 00:40:34.840 |
Yes, oh, I want wisdom, I want knowledge and revelation, 00:40:49.280 |
is because underneath all this pride and arrogance 00:41:03.240 |
When we think about the practice of our wisdom, 00:41:09.640 |
our ingenuity, our cleverness that I mentioned earlier, 00:41:13.240 |
you dig deeper down into why we pursue those things, 00:41:36.560 |
a crucial moment when they need to set their eyes straight, 00:41:43.440 |
where you guys are in strife with each other, 00:41:47.800 |
where you guys aren't connected with true spiritual truth, 00:41:51.320 |
where you guys aren't really thinking in biblical wisdom, 00:42:00.880 |
is seeking after that which God has not blessed. 00:42:09.720 |
or not kind of, but continue studying the passage in context, 00:42:15.200 |
with some discussion questions and thoughts for yourselves. 00:42:18.840 |
And, oh man, can you read for me question number one? 00:42:31.800 |
in respect to biblical wisdom and human wisdom? 00:42:41.920 |
practices of the church at large, mainstream Christianity, 00:42:45.040 |
okay, or practices that you see in more personal lives. 00:42:54.080 |
- Are there things that you want God to put you in charge of? 00:42:57.800 |
- Okay, I did want you guys to ask more personal questions. 00:43:02.040 |
So, there are times in which life circumstances, 00:43:13.480 |
And sometimes, you expect God to show himself, 00:43:16.720 |
to prove his wisdom, to show his way before you act. 00:43:23.880 |
Are there things where you want God to prove himself, 00:43:30.760 |
Last question, Eugene, can you read that for us? 00:43:40.960 |
pitting against worldly wisdom and biblical wisdom. 00:43:51.480 |
If I sit down and ask one of you guys for advice 00:44:09.040 |
and you guys can get into your discussion groups. 00:44:22.920 |
that every single one of us would learn to think 00:44:43.560 |
God, that in moments where there's a decision to be made, 00:44:50.200 |
For the Bible itself says that we are able to discern 00:45:29.640 |
I pray, Father God, that we would exercise great control 00:45:41.720 |
to make applications into our own specific life scenarios.