Season 3
The verse discussed today and the other verses we have referenced convey that the kingdom of God is not merely a futuristic concept but a present reality to be experienced daily. In his letter to the Corinthians, Paul reminds them of their identity, their Spiritual dwelling amid this world, and the abundant blessings bestowed upon them by God. The world's system and order are at odds with God and His kingdom. But those who have bowed their knee to the one who claims to have all rule and authority, to them, they have received the Spirit, which is of God, that they might know by experiencing the things that have been freely given to them by God!
From our passage this morning we can recognize that just as the spirit of man provides insight into our own thoughts and experiences, we need the Spirit of God to understand the deep things of God. May we foster a personal relationship with the Holy Spirit through prayer, meditation, and studying God's Word, and today, may we invite the Holy Spirit to guide and reveal God's truth.
We can see from the text of scripture that the Spirit is described as helping, interceding, and having a mind, indicating personal attributes. These passages, among others in the New Testament, provide evidence for the personhood of the Holy Spirit, including personal actions, characteristics, and interactions with believers.There is much more to be discussed regarding this passage, but we must postpone it for another day. However, we understand today that the Holy Spirit is undeniably a person. Jesus Himself promised to send the Holy Spirit to be among us and dwell within us. This is wonderful news for those who have undergone conversion, meaning they have humbled themselves and, as the old hymn asks, have been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. Have you truly been freed from your passions and pride? Have you experienced that transformative cleansing at Calvary's cross? If so, your spirit has testified and united with God's Spirit, and as a result, the Holy Spirit resides in you. Today, have you listened to the promptings of the Holy Spirit? Have you communicated with the Holy Spirit? Lastly, when was the last time you can recall being actively guided by the Spirit?
According to Paul, there is no greater mystery coming! We are not saying there are no other mysteries, for even later in this same letter, Paul speaks of a mystery stating that “we shall not all sleep,” in which the word sleep is a euphemism for death. However, the greatest mystery in history has happened.God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself. That is to say, God entered the world as a man and became one of us, but he was not honored – He was humiliated, not Loved - He was Laughed at, not crowned as king, - He was killed as a criminal. Jesus, the Father of creation, experienced hatred, brutality, disrespect, final mutiny, and rejection. He was brutally executed, buried, and on the third day, He rose from the dead.
Those with spiritual insight understand the profound meaning behind this statement, while the simple-minded may only perceive it as a license for anything. However, the clear teaching of the New Testament is that love should be our motivation. We love God because He loved us first. The essence of the law lies in loving God and our neighbour. Adding the phrase "and your neighbour" is redundant because to love God is to love others. If we truly loved God, we would love what He loves, not just principles and precepts but people. God did not love the law so much that He sent His only begotten Son to uphold it! Rather, God loved the world and its people and sent his son to save it and them! Yet, the question remains, do we love Him in return?Yes, there are wonderful blessings in store for those who love Him, but even if there weren't, would you still choose to love Him?
When Paul refers to "the rulers of this world," is he referring to the worldly or human authorities, powers, leaders, or spiritual ones?
Paul was like a one-sermon wonder; his message was as predictable as a one-hit wonder on repeat. Christ and Him Crucified was his greatest hit, and he couldn't help but sing it every chance he got. He was a walking billboard for the cross, spreading the gospel like a catchy tune you couldn't get out of your head!After attending church for 45 years, we've experienced sermons that cover all sorts of topics. We thought we had seen everything from unravelling the mysteries of animal choir rehearsals in heaven to tales of miraculous gold dust showers. But then came the sermons so profound in their revelation that we imagined God in heaven, scratching His head and exclaiming, 'Wow, that's deep! I never thought of that before!' We can only hope angels took notes for future reference!We, as preachers, should take a page out of Paul's playbook. I mean, he had it all figured out! During our sermons, let's ditch the temptation to go on tangents and rabbit trails. Just like Paul, our main act should be preaching Christ and Christ alone. No detours allowed!For all sermon enthusiasts, let's be discerning listeners. Seek out those sermons that give you the pure, unadulterated dose of Christ, His crucifixion, and the power of God in his subsequent resurrection, for that's where the real power of God is unleashed. Refrain from settling for half-baked Christian self-help sessions or a collection of stories that barely relate to the text.
In this lighthearted scenario, even the great apostle would receive “constructive” feedback from the Toastmasters at the meeting. However, Paul was not interested in being known for his gifting, calling or talent. Paul says, “And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom… that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”If Paul were to receive feedback from a Toastmaster in ancient Corinth. Although the evaluations may offer valuable insights, such as using shorter, impactful sentences, incorporating visual aids, or simplifying complex concepts, Paul would remind us that his focus was not on being an eloquent or charismatic speaker. Instead, he recognized that his strength came from relying on the power of the Spirit to convey the message of Christ.
We can imagine the scene: Paul, with a hammer in one hand and the scroll of the Prophet Isaiah in the other, expertly crafting tents while discussing theology and spreading the Gospel. Now, that's some multitasking right there! Ministry didn't give him a free pass to quit being a productive member of society. He needed to rely on something other than some divine tithes delivery service to sustain himself. No, siree!Let's clarify: Paul didn't mooch off people's tithes like it was a free slot machine that always landed on triple diamonds. He didn't sit back and wait for a heavenly paycheck to magically appear in his mailbox. Nope, he put his skills to work, literally. Paul knew that the gospel wasn't about making a quick buck but rolling up your sleeves and getting your hands dirty. And in Paul's case, those hands were dirty from crafting tents, not counting stacks of money.
Do you see yourself as the least likely candidate? Perhaps you feel overlooked or perhaps others have doubted your potential. Well, guess what? Here's some fantastic news: You just might be the next addition to a remarkable lineage of "least likely" individuals who have done extraordinary things for God.