back to index2015-05-21 Study of 1 Corinthians Week 5
00:00:08.100 |
you guys are able to really dive into those questions, 00:00:15.740 |
setups for the major points that we are studying, okay? 00:00:21.560 |
sometimes coming up with these questions are pretty hard. 00:00:24.340 |
Coming up with discussion questions is like extra difficult. 00:00:28.340 |
as you're doing your own observation and stuff, 00:00:39.140 |
and then I'll be sure to bring them up too in the study, 00:00:52.820 |
of just kind of reviewing what's been happening 00:01:07.900 |
So these are all kind, some of them are really obvious, 00:01:11.420 |
so I want you guys to just yell it out, okay? 00:01:14.740 |
In the first section, as he opens this letter, 00:01:32.300 |
Saints, yeah, that they're saints and they're saved, okay? 00:01:39.300 |
he quickly goes into, "But," this is what I hear, 00:01:58.280 |
They have this worldly wisdom that's divisive, 00:02:01.300 |
and typically, I mentioned that the worldly wisdom, 00:02:03.840 |
typically, think about all the advice you get 00:02:08.040 |
what career to pick, and how to choose this path 00:02:10.320 |
and that path, and it's all about becoming greater. 00:02:15.000 |
And I showed you that the topic of arrogance and pride 00:02:23.680 |
And number four, Apostle Paul counteracts that 00:02:33.680 |
this is the difference between the world's wisdom 00:02:36.240 |
and God's wisdom, and God's wisdom is permanent. 00:02:42.880 |
And then, he not only talks about God's wisdom in general, 00:03:01.760 |
When you were called, what was your life circumstance, right? 00:03:04.480 |
So you can say, think about your humble calling. 00:03:13.520 |
You guys are sitting there trying to one-up each other. 00:03:16.280 |
You guys are saying, I'm of Apollos, and I'm of Paul. 00:03:18.360 |
Some of you are saying, I'm just of Jesus only, 00:03:20.560 |
'cause I don't need any of you guys and all this stuff. 00:03:32.560 |
that God functions upon completely different standards 00:03:45.800 |
his wise standards come from things of righteousness, 00:04:05.360 |
okay, think about you, but now also think about my preaching. 00:04:12.960 |
Like, how and what did I teach you when I preached to you? 00:04:28.140 |
I know, sorry, I had you guys study verses all up until 12, 00:04:34.540 |
I think we can only cover the first five verses. 00:04:37.500 |
So let's begin here by reading this section in verse two. 00:04:47.780 |
I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, 00:05:01.100 |
and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching 00:05:05.800 |
but in demonstration of the spirit and of power, 00:05:08.820 |
so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, 00:05:17.340 |
In this section, we wanna begin with verse one. 00:05:23.780 |
of the paragraph essentially gives you the punch. 00:05:31.180 |
I did not come with superiority of speech or with wisdom, 00:05:37.840 |
Now this is one of those verses where it's just plain. 00:05:44.500 |
But I would like us to try and put it in our own words, 00:06:21.300 |
I'm leaving it to you to just summarize for me. 00:06:24.120 |
If you were to put it in your own lingo, so to speak, 00:06:53.180 |
I actually haven't really been eloquent with you, 00:07:01.580 |
in terms of asking you guys to kinda give me the obvious, 00:07:11.720 |
you know, I was in the class for the book of Hebrews. 00:07:17.100 |
who do you think the book of Hebrews were written to? 00:07:20.180 |
And I went, oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, you know? 00:07:33.640 |
But the reason why I'm asking you for an obvious answer 00:07:35.940 |
is because sometimes the Bible's really plain and simple. 00:07:46.100 |
It's like, you know, I don't use the eloquence 00:07:51.340 |
And although you might seek, some of you Greeks, 00:07:53.540 |
the kind of philosophy and wisdom that your other, 00:07:56.580 |
you know, orators and articulators might practice, 00:08:03.940 |
I just gave you the truth, plain and simple, right? 00:08:08.500 |
though, as he's saying this, there is a perspective. 00:08:11.780 |
There is a, what I like to call, worldview reality 00:08:24.520 |
What sort of context do people give a testimony? 00:08:43.980 |
And that's essentially what I would like you to envision. 00:08:49.260 |
Apostle Paul, you were kind of like a privileged few. 00:08:53.900 |
You had an incredible education, you had nobility status, 00:09:00.140 |
So essentially, if you think about it in our day, 00:09:15.980 |
Well, in my mind, the why comes from him revealing the fact 00:09:24.020 |
And when you think testimony, you think courtroom. 00:09:27.260 |
As you guys know, and when I say as you guys know, 00:09:35.020 |
there's a Greek word that basically is a root 00:09:41.860 |
And that root is from the word that signifies a witness. 00:10:03.100 |
and the sound was like whoosh, you know, whatever? 00:10:16.220 |
to be wooed and wowed or the judge be impressed by you. 00:10:23.100 |
That Greek term is also sometimes used to signify a proof. 00:10:39.740 |
and perceive his reality when he is preaching? 00:10:42.280 |
Does he see himself like the leaders of their day? 00:11:02.560 |
What was his perspective, his worldview on his reality? 00:11:08.800 |
He got slapped, you know, like knocked off his horse. 00:11:14.720 |
I have a story to tell, and the story is Christ redeemed me. 00:11:33.720 |
So in this first verse, it's just a plain verse saying, 00:12:10.080 |
But I believe the vast majority of the scriptures, 00:12:13.560 |
the important thing is God repeats in our plain. 00:12:16.440 |
But isn't it true that sometimes it's hard to apply, right? 00:13:03.740 |
what are some applications that you guys can think of? 00:13:27.580 |
Why, because every single one of you are witnesses. 00:13:30.220 |
And that means you all have a story to tell, right? 00:13:37.980 |
is very not much, meaning I'm getting real shy 00:13:40.100 |
and I don't know what to say, I just mumble my words. 00:13:42.100 |
So I'm gonna give them money, I'm gonna give support, 00:13:46.020 |
You don't have to be a everyday street preacher, 00:13:51.180 |
You have a personal encounter, you have a story to tell. 00:13:53.860 |
Okay, so everybody's equipped to share the gospel. 00:13:56.700 |
You actually don't have to fear not being eloquent. 00:14:03.500 |
I think one of the greatest fears that people have 00:14:05.380 |
is getting stuck, not knowing what to say, right? 00:15:15.700 |
So there is, your question is actually pretty huge. 00:15:26.540 |
Definitely, we'll go out to lunch, we'll talk. 00:15:37.460 |
Hands down, I believe in the sufficiency of scripture. 00:15:46.580 |
you have all that is necessary to win a soul. 00:15:56.940 |
There's books that's just written on the topic 00:16:09.500 |
in order to give a good defense of the Christian faith. 00:16:44.920 |
That plays a role, but it's not the only answer to that. 00:16:50.160 |
just kind of thinking about the question, though, 00:16:53.320 |
a little bit about, you know, the application of this, 00:17:11.880 |
in preaching, almost every single sermon that I gave, 00:17:18.400 |
It was like 12 pages, and that was bad, okay? 00:17:26.720 |
how do I, you know, communicate in a way that's winsome? 00:17:31.560 |
That's important, but to me, the application of this, 00:17:51.080 |
every single argument of the guy that's talking to me. 00:17:54.160 |
I approach it with my apologics the way I do it is, 00:18:05.640 |
is going to help him be clear and accurate to scripture. 00:18:16.440 |
I want you to understand accurately what God sees. 00:18:20.320 |
My goal is not to answer all your 100 questions. 00:18:25.640 |
the little, like, wind-up, yeah, I'm not Siri. 00:18:28.800 |
So, that being the case, that's how I reconcile 00:18:36.360 |
take hold of every false thought and, you know, 00:18:39.560 |
all that kind of stuff, but my goal ultimately is, 00:18:41.880 |
I just need to have you accurately understand what God says. 00:18:45.320 |
But this one verse has a lot to say, you know, 00:18:56.840 |
And, again, Apostle Paul, through this paragraph, 00:19:11.320 |
and there is an important reason why I did what I did, 00:19:17.080 |
without eloquence and without persuasive speech. 00:19:30.120 |
and in much trembling, and my message and my preaching 00:19:34.840 |
but in demonstration of the spirit and of power, 00:19:37.640 |
so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, 00:19:47.600 |
I know it's obvious, but please answer for us. 00:19:54.400 |
Why, when he is a smart guy, you look at the scriptures, 00:20:02.840 |
As a matter of fact, if you ever have outlined his letters, 00:20:13.880 |
but there's a sense in which, in certain cases, 00:20:37.320 |
- Excellent, he wants to make absolutely sure 00:20:40.980 |
that their faith is not based on anything shaky. 00:20:46.640 |
is founded upon Christ, the solid rock, right? 00:20:57.920 |
but he repeats himself, saying about how my message 00:21:00.720 |
and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, 00:21:03.720 |
right, but in the demonstration of spirit and power, 00:21:10.240 |
that your faith is grounded on the right thing. 00:21:14.440 |
if you've been a Christian more than a year or two, 00:21:18.880 |
That your faith needs to be grounded on the right thing. 00:21:26.920 |
and participating in the membership of Berean 00:21:28.840 |
or whatever church you may go to and all that stuff, 00:22:39.600 |
that's a great example and I think it covers a lot. 00:22:42.620 |
She said there are people who experience difficulties 00:22:47.360 |
and in those moments, a lot of people turn not to God, 00:22:50.600 |
spiritual things, but perhaps just counsel from people. 00:23:00.680 |
you know, so many different counsel that people receive. 00:23:05.200 |
There are people who will counsel, get away for a while, 00:23:12.240 |
There are people who get different counsels like, 00:23:14.480 |
you know, if you, you know, wanna resolve this, 00:23:19.240 |
and you just bull those things, just get through it, 00:23:21.640 |
you know, does that really take care of situations? 00:23:32.100 |
- You feel like basing your standard based on rules, 00:23:53.760 |
that's really just faulty, and that's a key word here, 00:23:59.520 |
Remember, God evaluates on a different standard. 00:24:05.640 |
where, you know, Kevin said, maybe, you know, 00:24:08.920 |
there's co-workers, a guy goes to church once a year, 00:24:17.560 |
Well, funny thing is, you don't know how many times, 00:24:25.420 |
and they're like, yeah, right now I'm doing okay, 00:24:28.040 |
and then I'll ask them about, well, what about your past? 00:24:36.120 |
and my parents told me this was the right thing to do. 00:24:43.280 |
and make that your own, like, this is my faith. 00:24:45.560 |
I believe it, I surrender to Christ, I repent, I believe, 00:24:51.320 |
And they're kinda like, what are you talking about? 00:24:59.900 |
faith is like a house that your parents leave you 00:25:05.220 |
but this is supposed to be a reconciling with God, 00:25:10.020 |
See, sometimes the parents have taught their children, 00:25:26.720 |
or is your faith grounded on what your parents 00:25:30.440 |
Well, what I'm talking about is getting back to this idea 00:25:34.660 |
of how the world evaluates what's good for you, 00:25:38.880 |
And the world is always about self-improvement. 00:25:41.240 |
The world is always, always about, yes, you can. 00:25:52.400 |
especially when it happens in the context of religiosity. 00:25:55.880 |
And so, think about that for us for a moment, 00:25:59.000 |
and try to dig a little bit into that question. 00:26:02.660 |
What would be an example of someone whose faith 00:26:06.920 |
Perhaps individuals who are in the Christian culture, 00:26:23.460 |
Is that resting on, your faith resting on that of Christ, 00:26:29.600 |
or is your faith resting on certain ambitions, 00:26:44.140 |
But I felt like we needed to give some detail 00:27:13.400 |
you know, standout figure, a Christian celebrity. 00:27:18.960 |
has the spirits working there, 'cause it's huge, right? 00:27:32.920 |
- They'll get tired of it, and they'll go somewhere else 00:27:43.920 |
And that's something that, you know, as a young guy, 00:27:52.600 |
There are days when, because I'm a young guy, 00:27:56.960 |
Let's invest into him, and let's give him position, 00:28:14.160 |
there's an element in which you have to give things time. 00:28:30.840 |
much of what Jesus Christ says in the book of Matthew, 00:28:40.040 |
And what Christ says is, away from me, I don't know you. 00:28:54.080 |
And why is he doing this, and why is he doing that? 00:28:58.920 |
For when he says, for I determine to know nothing among you 00:29:13.880 |
Now, we have to take a moment to evaluate this verse, 00:29:23.320 |
four, five years, it's become like a significant passage 00:29:27.600 |
and a point of great debate in the Christian world, okay? 00:29:34.840 |
and stuff like that, how would you personally interpret 00:29:55.200 |
the other guy's like, yeah, but what about evolution? 00:29:57.120 |
And he's like, forget evolution, you just need Jesus, 00:30:03.280 |
There's another example, Jesus Christ and the crucifixion 00:30:06.280 |
are foundational to godly wisdom, so that's your foundation, 00:30:08.840 |
everything starts from there, so let's start from there 00:30:17.000 |
Teaching commandments, teaching expectations of holiness, 00:30:19.280 |
teaching works, teaching deeds, unbiblical, why? 00:30:21.520 |
'Cause apostle Paul determined to know nothing 00:30:32.120 |
what will save people, Jesus and crucifixion, 00:30:35.320 |
the redemptive theme, the theme of redemption 00:30:40.640 |
There are other interpretations too that can come, 00:30:49.360 |
If you guys can try to like sum it up in your own way, 00:30:56.260 |
what does he mean by determined to know nothing 00:31:08.360 |
the key aspect of the content of what he speaks, 00:31:15.360 |
because he says, I decided to know nothing among you 00:31:24.080 |
how all this other wisdom has been demolished, 00:31:27.480 |
he's saying that I'm gonna throw out this old worldview, 00:31:36.960 |
And I have to rethink everything that I believe and do 00:31:46.000 |
I hope you guys heard him 'cause it was great. 00:32:02.440 |
and this new wisdom has at its core foundation, 00:32:17.760 |
and it stumbles the Greeks and the Jews all alike, you know? 00:32:20.900 |
But by saying that the foundation is laid there 00:32:24.880 |
and by saying that the core of the wisdom of God is there, 00:32:27.240 |
definitely we do not take this to an overstatement of 00:32:36.240 |
or denounced the teaching of imperatives, okay? 00:32:39.280 |
And I am talking about there has been a movement to, 00:32:56.160 |
Everything that we teach, how we counsel Christians, 00:33:11.760 |
it can have a broad context of the truth and wisdom 00:33:23.700 |
But for me, the point of it really comes back 00:33:42.020 |
I can't even read it 'cause it's like throwing me off. 00:33:54.600 |
by determining to know nothing other than Christ? 00:34:01.040 |
that their faith would be based on his eloquence 00:34:05.720 |
And so that's why, and if you think about that, 00:34:30.120 |
Was he a guy who had a speech impediment and he stuttered? 00:34:36.080 |
when he was in front of people 'cause he was too shy? 00:34:38.760 |
I ask these questions, but we've already mentioned 00:34:57.560 |
I believe that is the reason why he is in fear and trembling. 00:35:03.640 |
to lose his own life, 'cause he just keeps going back 00:35:16.660 |
We know he's not afraid of being isolated and imprisoned. 00:35:19.600 |
He will go gladly where the gospel leads him, 00:35:22.400 |
to preach to the lost, to go where the gospel is needed. 00:35:26.280 |
He's not in fear and trembling for his own neck. 00:35:29.480 |
But something that you notice in the passage, 00:35:35.120 |
and there's a little prepositional phrase, "with you." 00:35:46.640 |
For me, I wish that my understanding of spiritual reality, 00:36:09.920 |
The weightiness and seriousness of what I preach to you, 00:36:13.560 |
and the result, if I veil the truth by my eloquence, 00:36:25.100 |
And the weakness he has is the weakness with the gospel, 00:36:36.440 |
Why would division be the first thing he addresses 00:36:46.680 |
Because as a pastor, his heart is for his people. 00:36:54.120 |
that it's causing him this great fear and trembling. 00:37:12.400 |
"and that's why I am determined to speak in such a way 00:37:17.520 |
So, how dare you guys divide amongst yourselves 00:37:26.560 |
trying, you know, being the forerunners of saying, 00:37:35.160 |
And I think that's the pastoral heart coming out 00:37:56.600 |
how deeply he was committed, devoted, and determined 00:38:05.360 |
he preached clearly and accurately the truth, right? 00:38:36.640 |
and spend all these hours practicing what you preach? 00:38:46.400 |
He says give attention to the reading of scripture, 00:38:55.560 |
But he also taught that the man who preaches, 00:38:58.960 |
he has to be able to accurately divide the word of God. 00:39:09.960 |
read the Bible, understand, and be able to share? 00:39:13.980 |
But you have to realize there is a difference 00:39:15.480 |
because God has given very specific instruction 00:39:23.680 |
Like, the pulpit, why is this the main attraction on Sunday? 00:39:35.600 |
They just gathered everybody in a huge big circle. 00:39:42.640 |
And they wanted to get rid of the high church feel 00:39:46.080 |
of like, here's the pastor on the pulpit preaching. 00:40:03.780 |
So in order to do that, there has to be training, you know? 00:40:15.680 |
but he's not talking about in broad brush stroke, 00:40:49.440 |
that was their profession in life, you know what I mean? 00:40:59.000 |
but I'm going to give to you what's true and clear 00:41:09.620 |
It sounds like Paul's kind of supportive of the church, 00:41:14.620 |
and the kids were inviting people from different faiths 00:42:10.980 |
Given the context, there's a certain way we speak. 00:42:14.100 |
But definitely, we're trying to apply a principle, 00:42:19.000 |
and we have to make sure that we apply the principles 00:42:25.120 |
and the kind of balance that scripture gives too. 00:42:43.800 |
But I like what you said, that given the context, 00:42:46.240 |
he's getting at them at the core of where they're wrestling, 00:42:48.960 |
he's getting at them at the core of their pride, 00:42:51.360 |
and he's in the moment where he's rebuking them, you know? 00:42:55.040 |
So again, context kind of dictates sometimes how you speak. 00:43:00.520 |
Okay, then I hope you guys have a good time in small group, 00:43:07.280 |
God, I pray, Lord, that for us as Christians, 00:43:14.400 |
the stuff that's attractive would not be the same thing 00:43:24.600 |
stature, physical beauty, reputation, high education, 00:43:29.600 |
and the accomplishments that, in our foolish minds, 00:43:34.640 |
think in this world and in this lifetime took a long time. 00:44:02.260 |
to accomplish the things that are spiritually weighty, 00:44:14.160 |
God, a lot of the teaching that we talked about today, 00:44:19.140 |
but applying them, Lord, we need your spirit, 00:44:22.360 |
we need your guidance, and we need your light every day. 00:44:27.160 |
through your grace, and it's in Christ's name we pray.