Okay guys, so 1st Corinthians chapter 2 starting from verse 1
And I brethren when I came to you came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom
Declaring unto you the testimony of God
Okay so Paul here obviously under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit
He's continuing on from chapter 1 verse 17 really where he's kind of expanding on this
So from verse 17 chapter 1 he said
For Christ sent me not to baptise but to preach the gospel
Not with wisdom of words lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect
So he expanded didn't he and he's reminding them again
And he's saying here that you know you might not be the most articulate
You might not be you might think oh I'm not
I don't really have the gift of the gab or whatever you want to call it
I'm not so good at speaking to people etc but
That's not what it's about it's not about excellency of speech or wisdom
It's about preaching the gospel
And when you're saved and you understand like we talked about earlier this morning
When you understand like at least those salvation verses
You should be able to preach the gospel
And what he's saying here is yeah look you might not
It's not that you have to come with all these great speeches
And you know it makes me think because we were talking earlier about
People like Ravi Zacharias people like this who are
Oh they're so intelligent they're so clever they're wicked people anyway
But regardless that excellency of speech or wisdom is not what it's about
It's about the gospel it's about the word of God
Now here when he's talking about the testimony of God that's the witness or evidence
But in particular if you turn to Psalm 19
So turn over to Psalm 19
Just to make that point Psalm 19 and verse 7
The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul
The testimony of the Lord is sure making wise a symbol
The statutes of the Lord are right rejoice at heart
The commandment of the Lord is pure
Enlightening the eyes and testimony is used interchangeably with the word of God
It's a witness the evidence of God through the word of God
Right verse 2 back to 1 Corinthians verse 2
For I determined not to know anything among you
Save Jesus Christ and him crucified
And that's a good reminder isn't it when we're soul winning
To keep it on topic keep it on the gospel
Because people love to take you off we talked about this a bit this morning
And to other angles and just keep keep it on to the gospel
Get back to the gospel that everything else
You know having discussing with unsaved people about end times
Or about you know our thoughts on certain sinful
You know certain sins and everything else
Is it really what we need to be talking about when we're out preaching the gospel
It's preaching the gospel everything else can can take a backseat
And they do they they want to talk about all sorts don't they
And often it does cause contention doesn't it
I don't know if you've noticed this before you could be trying to give the gospel to someone
And then they just want to and if you get led into that little discussion
Next thing you know you're in a debate and that's not what we want
We want to preach the gospel don't we
Okay now verse 3
And I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling
So what's he talking about if you turn over to Acts 18
Acts 18 this is when Paul's in Corinth
Okay Acts 18 and from verse 6
And when they opposed themselves in blasphemed he shook his raiment
And said unto them your blood be upon your own heads I am clean from henceforth I will go on to the Gentiles
Okay so here he's been in the synagogue here in Corinth
And he departed theirs and entered into a certain man's house named Justice
One that worshipped God whose house joined hard the synagogue
And Crispus the chief ruler of the synagogue believed on the Lord with all his house
And many of the Corinthians hearing believed and were baptized
Then spake the Lord to Paul in a night by a vision
Be not afraid but speak and hold not thy peace
For I am with thee and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee for I have much people in this city
And he continued there a year and six months teach the word of God among them
And when Galio was the deputy of Achaea the Jews made insurrection with one accord against Paul
And brought him to the judgment seat saying this fellow persuadeth men to worship God contrary to the law
So I think here he's probably talking about maybe from verse 8 to 9
You know when they believe then after God's having to speak to him and say to him be not afraid
Maybe verse 12 he's been brought isn't he that they made insurrection against him
And obviously you know it's kind of gone over quickly in Achaea
And that must have been a pretty scary time when you're being pulled to the judgments
That you've been taken by a group of Jews who are hating your guts
And there's some scary times that Paul had in Corinth there
And he's saying this to them he's saying when I was with you I was in weakness and in fear and in much trembling
He's being quite humble here isn't he
And he's showing that yeah look we know that we shouldn't be scared but at times it's hard isn't it
And Paul isn't claiming to be perfect here and he's saying I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling
And this is all to God's glory really isn't it
Sometimes we can just be a bit too much kind of actually as if we literally don't have any sin
And like I said before it's not that we have to be constantly naming everything that we do that we think is sinful
But on the other hand we don't have to try and pretend that we're these perfect people that we're not
And he said in verse 4 back to 1 Corinthians chapter 2 verse 4 he says
And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom
But in demonstration of the spirit and of power
And man's wisdom can be enticing can't it
And probably we've all listened to some of these people and a lot of them like with us maybe since you've been saved
You're probably I hope not going to start listening to you know the world's so called
You know they're like quite people I don't know this guy recently that people used to tell me about Jordan Peterson
I've seen the odd clip of these guys on YouTube and they sound so clever and they're a bit conservative
And it kind of gives people a middle ground that's not quite really what the word of God says
Obviously he's unsaved but it's not it's kind of like a fight back from the ridiculous liberalism we're seeing now
And it can be enticing but maybe amongst Christians it's for example like I said the Zachariases or people that claim to be men of God
And there's a lot of these Calvinist type scholars and doctors of religion and stuff
Which can pull you in and can make you can easily just start to be a bit impressed by the way they talk in these long words and everything else
But Paul's preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom and especially when we're trying to give the gospel
We're not trying to persuade people with our own words are we? We're preaching the word of God
And it's a demonstration like I said demonstration of the Spirit and it's the Holy Spirit here
We're going to get onto the Holy Spirit in a minute obviously the second half of this chapter
Okay the understanding of the Scriptures needs a Holy Spirit doesn't it? We talked about that obviously earlier
And the power here when he's talking about the power here he's talking about the preaching of the cross as seen in chapter 1 verse 18
Which we covered last week where he says for the preacher of the cross is to them that perish foolishness but unto us which are saved
It is a power of God it is powerful when you get a chance to preach the gospel to someone it's powerful
Now verse 5 that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God
So again here the power of God it's both the cross and Jesus I think here and he says this in chapter 1 verse 24
Where he says but unto them which are called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God
Okay so your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men but the power of God our faith is in Jesus Christ and the gospel
Okay that's where it stands that way it rests not on the person that gave us the gospel not on the person we heard it from
Not from the greatest preacher we've heard who explains it well our faith is in the gospel and the word of God
It shouldn't stand in someone else's wisdom because men will always fail won't they they'll always eventually you'll see fault in them
And when people are really hung up on a certain preacher a certain person when they start to see the holes in them
They start to see the sinfulness which everyone has a lot of the time that really shakes their faith
And that's where we shouldn't be our faith has to be in the word of God and in Jesus Christ particularly in the gospel
And it's very different to the world isn't it where everything they believe comes back to a man doesn't it
It comes back to a man's teaching it might have gone through a few different men
Brother John a couple of months about spiritual Calvinism where originally came from Gnosticism
And then it from there it went to remind me the name of in the second century
I'll put him on the spot here
Not Constantine they call him the great don't they
But yeah it went anyway so it went to like Catholic teaching and then it got reordered by John Calvin
And now we've got people now who sound really intelligent and clever trying to basically then build upon that
But it's all just come for men ultimately it's all come for men isn't it and that's not where we want to be
We're not we're everything that we want to preach and believe has to come from our final authority the word of God
Okay verse six how be it we speak wisdom among them that are perfect yet not the wisdom of this world nor the princes of this world that come to know
Okay so when it's talked about people here that are perfect perfect here is meaning complete
So how do we become complete how do we become complete in God if you turn to Ephesians chapter four
Ephesians chapter four and verse eleven Ephesians four eleven
And he gave some apostles and some prophets and some evangelists and some pastors and teachers for the perfecting of the saints
For the work of the ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ
Till we all come in a unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ
So basically preaching and teaching edifies us resulting in unity and a knowledge of Christ making us more complete
And this wisdom that we're then able to speak isn't worldly wisdom is it when we have that knowledge when we've been taught by the Bible by men of God preaching the Bible
Then it's not worldly wisdom and when you see the Bible speak your princes here by the way
Princes here are leaders rather than don't think like sons of kings think principality okay princes are leaders
And yeah the princes of this world claim that the world is billions of years old don't they
Our leaders claim this whether or not they really believe that or not
The princes of this world claim that we're overpopulated even though you could literally fit the whole of the population of this world with a square meter to each other in England
But apparently we're overpopulated say the princes of this world and they claim that climate change is going to kill us
Don't they and that we should all be taking drastic action and everything else just happens to raise taxes as well
And it seems to make a lot of people a lot of money but they claim that
They claim that injecting yourself with known toxins is somehow sensible
And just on that note I know like sometimes it can be tempting to really get into
If that's your interest call the science and all of that
For me I don't even bother anymore because it's just such a pointless debate
Because it's just ridiculous it is actually ridiculous isn't it
All you have to do is look at an ingredient list
You don't have to go into all the mechanisms of just the ingredients
The ingredients alone that is not sensible putting that in your body
And that's it really that's kind of case closed let alone the lack of faith it shows when you inject yourself with things
But the world says that these things are sensible don't they
And that we evolve from monkeys absolutely ridiculous isn't it
Absolutely ridiculous
And yet this is what the princes of this world that people are in awe of these people
The leaders intellectual leaders believe this junk
Everything I listed there pretty much I mean to be elevated by the word
You kind of have to pretty much believe in all of that don't you
You're not really going to get any whether column inches or media time or anything else
Verse 7 verse 7
But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery even a hidden wisdom
Which God ordained before the world unto our glory
Okay so the wisdom of God in a mystery now as well as other complete Christians
That's what it's talking about here complete Christians we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery
Now this is the gospel if you turn to Romans 16 turn to Romans 16
Well I read Ephesians 6 19
Ephesians 6 19 says
And for me the utterance may be given unto me that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel
The mystery of the gospel it's often called a mystery
And it's quite when you think about it is quite a mystery isn't it
And it has been and we'll see why in a second because Romans 16 25 to 26
Romans 16 verse 25 26 says
Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my gospel
And the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began
But now is made manifest and by the scriptures of the prophets according to the commandment of the everlasting God
Made known to all nations for the obedience of faith
Okay so they could still find God if they sought him
And we see that with examples in scripture Ruth Queen of Sheba and many many others
But it's now made manifest that sort of plain open clearly visible
By the scriptures of the prophets
And that's talking really Old Testament now I believe
It was always there and salvation we know is always by faith
So it's now though now being from this time
That it's going out to the rest of the world it's sent out to all nations
So it was a mystery but it was there if you wanted to look for it but now it's actually actively going out
And people are going out across the world rather than people having to come to what was the nation of Israel and then Judah to hear the gospel
Okay verse 8 there verse 8 back to 1 Corinthians verse 8
Which none of the princes of this world knew for had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory
Okay so the leaders of the Jews of Rome you know obviously Pilate was acting under the leadership under the prince of this world
He was representing the Romans and they didn't know it didn't they they didn't know the mystery of the gospel they wouldn't have killed Jesus
Oh it depends how you look at it maybe they wouldn't maybe really as princes of this world
Or really as we know the God of this world is the devil maybe they definitely would have done it for that reason rather than the fact that they're thinking
Oh no we don't want to kill God in the flesh I don't know
But says here that had they known it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory
Okay verse 9 but as it is written I have not seen nor ear heard neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for them that love him
Right now this is from Isaiah 64
Isaiah 64 and verse 4 so if you go back to Isaiah chapter 64
And verse 4
For since the beginning of the world men have not heard nor perceived by the ear neither have the eye seen O God beside thee what he had prepared for him that waiteth for him
You can see that's a little bit different wording here but it's meaning the same thing so what it's saying here
So perceived by the ear or entered into the heart of man means understood doesn't it
So it hasn't been here it says here I have not seen nor heard neither entered into the heart of man or perceived by the ear so it hasn't been understood
And it says here him that waiteth for him but there it says for them that love him so what God has prepared for him that waiteth for them that love him
And they're the saved aren't they the saved are waiting for God and them that love him are the saved
So these things are prepared for the saved why why have they not understood why is the eye not seen the ear heard
Neither have entered into the heart of man as we saw in verse 9 there or how it was worded in Isaiah 64 perceived by the ear
Okay why have they not understood back to 1 Corinthians verse 10 we're just going to do a few verses here
But God had revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God
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
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
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
Okay so verse 10 there it said but God has revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God
So the Holy Spirit was given to us a moment we believed okay the second we believe we were sealed with the Holy Spirit I think everyone here gets that
Okay it wasn't obviously of some prayer for it it wasn't that someone had to lay their hands to give us the gift of the Holy Spirit
Okay we were indwelt by the Holy Spirit the second we believe if you turn to Ephesians chapter 1, Ephesians 1 and verse 13
It says here talking about Jesus Christ in whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the word of truth the gospel of your salvation
In whom also after that ye believed ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise
Okay so number 1 there we heard the truth didn't we number 1 was after that ye heard the word of truth number 2 the gospel of your salvation
So the word of truth the gospel is salvation in whom also after that ye believed so number 2 we believed yea we got saved number 3
So after that in whom after that ye believed ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise then we were indwelt with the Holy Spirit
So we are sealed it's a sealed deal and amongst many many other places it's just more evidence of eternal security which as we all know here is what the truth is isn't it
Okay so the Holy Spirit indwells us now now 1 Corinthians 6 19 says what know ye not that your body is a temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you which ye have of God and ye are not your own
So we I think we understand that we have the Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost inside us and as well as making us alive again what else does the Holy Spirit do
And there are a lot of misconceptions aren't there with the Holy Spirit and there's a lot of bad teaching out there and obviously you know if you're thinking about the Charismatics or I've heard them called Charismaniacs I quite like that
Well the Charismaniacs teach and wow some of that stuff and I don't know if you've had any exposure to that behind the videos but these people like rolling around on the floor barking like dogs
They do some real crazy stuff and what they have going around this country I speak to someone last night actually who had done about 3 Alpha courses and it's different where they do them
But this comes originally from this guy called Nicky Gumble and he at the end of it he tries to encourage something he took from this I think it was this it wasn't his Holy Trinity in Brompton I think it was a church out in Toronto they call it the Toronto Blessing
And they try and then get them to let them lay their hands and then to give them the Holy Spirit and especially the gift of tongues isn't it they love that gift of tongues don't they
Which they think is evidence of salvation speaking mumbo jumbo and everything else and this stuff is it's amazing how big that stuff has got and obviously they're taking scriptures out of notice out of sorry out of context thank you
And you know they sign gifts and things and everything else but it's satanic isn't it and what a surprise that all these Charismaniacs that I've ever spoken to are unsaved
Everyone believes they'll repent of your sins or something else like that they're all unsaved and what a surprise they all have some weird so called spirit dwelling I think half of them just get off on the whole feeling like they could better join in as well and the worldly music and everything else but it's crazy
But now that's not that's not the Holy Spirit of the Bible okay let's see what the Bible says what are things the Holy Spirit does okay what does he really do okay
First Corinthians 12 there are gifts of the Spirit aren't there now I'm not going to go fully into these because that's going to ruin my first Corinthians 12 sermon
But just to mention obviously there are gifts of the Spirit verses 7 to 11 talk of some of these
It is good for them if they abide even as I but if they cannot contain let them marry for it is better to marry than to
Sorry guys I'm going mad here first Corinthians 12 okay let's start again
To another the work of miracles to another prophecy to another discerning of spirits to another diverse kinds of tongues to another the interpretation of tongues
But all these worketh that one in the self same spirit dividing to every man severally as he will okay I got there in the end sorry about that
Okay so gifts of healing work of miracles divers kinds of tongues so languages there obviously were sign gifts okay they were sign gifts they don't that's not what we have anymore
Now there are other gifts and like I said we'll cover that fully and I'll try and actually get to the right chapter when we do that properly
I'll tell you the thorns in the flesh and everything else the gifts of the Spirit okay but what else what else does the Spirit do fruits of the Spirit we see in Galatians 5 turn to Galatians 5
Galatians chapter 5 verse 22
Okay so these fruits of the Spirit here and we talk we hear of this a lot and some people try and confuse us to talk about the fruits of the Spirit and somehow that if you're not showing fruits of the Spirit you're not saved
No but the Spirit should produce fruits but again if you're you need to be you need to be living in the Spirit don't you to do that and how do we live in the Spirit how do we walk in the Spirit to show fruits of the Spirit if you go to Ephesians 5
Ephesians 5 verse 18 says and be not drunk with wine wherein is excess but be filled with the Spirit speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ
Okay so here it verse 19 speak to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord that's a good way to be walking in the Spirit and obviously denying the flesh is a big part of that as well and there's many many places we could go
But you know really honestly it really does help if in your life you know if you're having hard times you're finding you're a little bit feeling like you're in the flesh a bit you know get some hymns going get get you know speak to yourself in psalms and hymns spiritual songs sing and make melody in your heart to the Lord and it really does help
Okay now when we're in the Spirit so when we're walking in the Spirit the Spirit can lead us so if you look at Acts 8 and there are many many examples of this in Scripture and I'm not going to all of them because this sermon will take a long time but Acts 8 and verse 29
We spoke about the story of Philip in Acts 8 29 says and the Spirit said unto Philip go near and join yourself to this chariot now I'm not saying you're going to necessarily or you're going to hear the Spirit actually speak to you but we do get guided by the Spirit we see Jesus guided by the Spirit into the wilderness at the beginning of his ministry and we do get guided by the Spirit we do get guided in life by the Spirit again when we're walking in the Spirit you're going to be able to feel that guiding of the Spirit
Some of you might have examples of this when you've kind of just felt the need to maybe just approach someone at a certain time you just feel like you're almost drawn there or whatever else they end up getting them saved I've had that happen maybe when I'm getting out of a van to go solvending the other the other week in fact and just you know I didn't even have anything else out and just something just made me want to talk to this guy before I'd even started getting prepared and stuff and got him saved right next to the van you just have to be beside your past and that does happen the Spirit does guide us now we are conservative Christians here so
we don't you know we don't want to start going too far I want the Spirit's guiding me to go and do a lot of stuff which clearly is a biblical but the Spirit does guide us again if as long as it's within what the word of God tells us to do
Okay the Spirit can lead us and but the Spirit can also stop you going places Acts 16 9 sorry 16 7 says after they were come to to Missia they are saved to go into Bithynia but the Spirit suffered them not and their Spirit can can again can guide you away from situations and you sometimes you heard of like terminology like you know the Spirit's being vexed in you or you're just feeling something triggering you not to do certain things not to do certain things
not to go certain places and that is biblical the Spirit will stop you going places as well and again you need to be walking in the Spirit can guide our mouths Mark 13
Mark chapter 13 and verse 11 but when they shall lead you and deliver you up take no thought beforehand what you shall speak neither do you premeditate but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour speak ye for it is not you that speak but the Holy Ghost
of course let's talk about your tribulation there but regardless the Spirit does guide us so we'll you'll you'll probably find sometimes when you're given the gospel for example that's just some scripture will come in your head maybe have someone who's a bit awkward at a certain time and just something that you don't usually use will just come into your head or in conversation maybe when you're trying to counsel another Christian or something else and the Spirit does does can help you put words into your map but we're going to talk about how he does that in a minute
and Romans 8 turn to Romans 8 Romans 8 26 he can help our prayer life likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities for we know not what we should pray for as we ought but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered and he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit because he maketh intercession for the Saints according to the will of God
the Holy Spirit basically praying for you and things that you should be praying for that doesn't mean oh well I don't need to pray the Holy Spirit's going to cover it but the Holy Spirit does groan and pray for you and God knows what we need through the Holy Spirit so he helps our prayer life he comforts us turn to Acts 9 31
Acts 9 31 well I read John 14 verse 16 and I will pray the Father and he shall give you another comforter that he may abide with you forever so he's called there the comforter and in Acts 9 and verse 31 the Bible reads
then had the church's rest throughout all Judea and Galilean Samaria and were edified and walk into fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost were multiplied so we can receive comfort from the Holy Ghost I think knowing that you have the Holy Ghost inside you indwelling you helping you understand Scripture help you with all these other things will comfort you anyway but there is a ministry of comfort there right here and by the way you notice it here I'm calling him a he here because he is a person of the Godhead the Holy Spirit
he's not just a force or he is the Holy Spirit he and he's referred to as he in the Bible a lot Acts 4 31 well you're an access back to Acts 4 31 it's a Holy Spirit that gives us boldness
Acts 4 31 and when they had prayed the place was shaken where they were assembled together and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they spake the word of God with boldness so when you're filled with the Holy Spirit you'll speak the word of God with boldness and for people preaching and preaching the gospel it's that Holy Spirit that helps you to be bold to do that because I bet a lot of you if you look back to how you were especially before you were saved I bet you probably think wow you can never have seen yourself
knocking on people's doors and just preaching the Bible to them boldly like a lot of us do here let alone getting up behind a pulpit and everything else it's the Holy Spirit which does that gives us a boldness
okay he reproves evil Acts 13 verse 9 Acts 13 9
and thou shalt be blind not seeing the Sun for a season and immediately there fell on him a mist and a darkness and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand and when the deputy when he saw what was done believed being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord sorry a big sorry believed being astonished at the doctrine of the Lord okay so here with big field of the Holy Ghost he's reproving evil and if you notice here in verse 10 few insults there aren't they
Oh full of all subtlety and all mischief thou child of the debt of the devil thou enemy of all righteousness that's a spirit filled Christian telling someone who's a child of the devil what they are and that comes from the Holy Ghost that's not a fleshly thing which people try and accuse Bible believing by people who stand the word of God preach the word of God and calling out sin and calling out sinners that they're somehow in the flesh and they're so mean and it's so worldly
no it's not according to it and many other places in the Bible okay and it's a Holy Spirit which gives you the boldness to do that it's a flesh which tells you oh well it'd be a bit mean oh well I don't want to offend people or anything else that's the flesh this is a spirit this is Paul filled with the Holy Ghost
okay but one of the most important things I would say probably is the most poor thing the Holy Spirit does for us is he he he teaches us and in in our past you in first Corinthians two we see this we see what he does God reveals to us things which the world world can't understand by the spirit and we're going to see that in a second the deep things of God where are they they're in his Bible okay and in verse 11 we see for what man not only is he the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the Holy Spirit the
Knoweth the things of a man save the spirit of man which is in him so this is first Corinthians 2 11
himself well in the same way the Spirit of God knows God fully so the Spirit of
God knows everything of God which is why then with the Spirit of God we're able
to understand Scripture and he teaches us if you turn to John 14 26 John chapter
14 verse 26
but the comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my name he
shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I
have said unto you okay whatsoever I have said unto you so we need to know
what Jesus has said unto us for the Holy Spirit to bring all things the words of
God this is whatsoever I have said unto you to our remembrance so if we're not
reading our Bibles we're not you know we're not hearing the Word of God then
how do we expect the Spirit to bring to our remembrance that and he and like I
said we probably all know examples when the Holy Spirit has put scripture into
our mind when we suddenly thought wow maybe we're about to do something that
we shouldn't be doing it and something comes into your mind scripture does but
it's whatsoever he has said unto us and we he's not going to do that if you
haven't read your Bible and you have to read it regularly as well and you know
you can't stress this more because it's such a big thing that the Spirit does
when you're out and you're trying to preach gospel to people who claim to be
Christian I just don't get the Word of God at all it's a holy spit this
translators but we need to feed the Word of God we need to have that for him to
be able to bring it into remembrance Ephesians 6 17 calls the Word of God the
sword of the Spirit you don't have to turn there and if we're gonna have a
sword a weapon a weapon we need to we need to know it we need to understand it
we understand it through the spirit that's his sword how's that gonna happen
if you're reading the Bible you know five minutes a day if that you're
missing days oh well I'm a bit too busy how can anything be more important we
have such a gift of blessing we're indwelt by the Holy Spirit and then it's
well a little bit of Bible okay great you're gonna hear some Bible when you're
listening to your favorite preachers but but it's the Word of God that's what
we should be we should just be in the Word of God the Word of God I spoke
about this before don't get me wrong the preachers we listen to some great
preaching and you know praise God that they go to a lot of scripture because
the old independent fundamental Baptist preaching sadly if you've heard some of
it a lot of it was kind of one like they call it a one verse springboard so they
they read a read a verse and then they preach for an hour with hardly quoting
another verse and there were some famous preachers that used to do that
and if they're in the word and they're in the Word of God and they might preach
the good godly stuff so they preach you a lot of heresy or all man's wisdom it
might be all based on biblical knowledge and biblical things but but even the way
that we listen now and there's a lot more scripture and what we listen to
preached even with that there's still so much less of what you get if you actually
sat there read your Bibles now I'm not saying stop stop listening to preach
listen to preaching but stuff for example we were talking about this
earlier when you're at work a lot of guys at work might listen might have a
chance to have headphones or not everyone does depending on what they're
doing maybe ladies at home when they're doing certain jobs chores certain other
things when you're when you're doing that by all means listen to preach it
gets great but don't base everything on the preacher you should be listening to
audio Bible as well I would say if you I said this years ago that I I would try
in a day it has to be whatever I've listened to there has to be more Bible
than there is sermon for me so for me that's just a great rule of thumb because
then I'm getting I'm getting flooded by the Word of God and then like back to
what we're saying before my faith is in the Word of God and in what the Bible
says and not what my favorite preachers say and we can all be guilty of this
where people they want to know something so they look for the sermon and they
look for the sermon on it and then sit there well well he said this and he said
that what his pastor said that okay don't get me wrong nothing wrong with
with with having respect to listening to good men of God but you should you
should especially pretty much everyone here you know a good few years along in
faith if not longer should really be able to go and try and look for it in
the Bible in the Word of God okay and that's how we're going to grow as
Christians listen a good preaching for sure but it should be more and more
should be on the Word of God and and again like say it's a sword of the
Spirit and the sword of the Spirit is not that it's the sword of the Spirit
is the Word of God isn't it and the Word of God isn't just in preaching we
should be reading reading listening toward your Bible if you get that
chance as well just constantly flooding yourself with the Word of God and then
the Spirit is just it's going to constantly be bringing things to your
remembrance and I've had this many times especially the more I'm in the Bible the
more I'm in the Word then just you know when I'm talking to people when I'm
chatting to people just verses coming in my mind be a bit annoying for the
unsaved when I used to work and try and like counsel people when I was coaching
them and just constantly giving them scripture and verses because the spirits
is you know and it's sometimes it could be pearls to swine but you're not going
to change it are you because that's where the true wisdom is okay turn to
John 16 John chapter 16 so just over the page if you're in John there John
chapter 16 verse 13 how be it when he the spirit of truth is come he will
guide you into all truth for he shall not speak of himself but whatsoever he
shall hear that shall he speak and he will show you things to come he shall
glorify me for he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you all things
that the Father have the mine therefore said I that he shall take of mine and
shall show it unto you okay so verse 13 here whatsoever he shall hear whatsoever
he shall hear that shall he speak so again he has to hear it and I'm not I
think here is you don't literally have to have audio Bible or someone talking
it to you he's going to hear it with you reading it but what's over here and back
to that original point you have to be in your Bible you have to be regularly
reading your Bible and for me routine routine is the one if you try and go
well I'll try and fit in this at some point in a day you're going to get to
the end of the day and and for a lot of people if you if you're busy it's hard
at night you could be tired you to the year so it's difficult sometimes to read
you've set a goal I'm going to read this many chapters in your eyes are going in
the middle of it and and that's not you know this is this is the Word of God the
Lord Jesus Christ the gift he's given us in this and with the Holy Spirit to
understand it for me that should be the first thing you do in the day so for me
I would encourage everyone set your alarm half hour earlier than you need to
get up or more now whatever you could you know realistically fit in and read
your Bible read the Word of God read it without commentaries without I personally
I do my reading without notes and then I do study with notes but again that's not
that's my own personal thing but just just read it read your Bible read it on
your own now that could be hard for some with families and other things but make
that effort to have that time set aside when you read the Word of God and and
then what likes to see what service are here whatsoever he shall hear that shall
he speak and he will show you things to come so he will teach you the prophecies
you don't have to go to and give me one that's our great seminar sermon series
or prophecy we've all learned a lot from that but the Holy Spirit can teach you
everything can teach you will teach you everything that you're learning from
from good preachers now good preaching is good and good preaching focuses
a certain thing sometimes they put the study in everything to things that maybe
you don't have the time to put the study into rewriting a sermon takes a long
time you're studying things are looking at things you look you work different
scriptures that apply and that's great to listen to that but the Holy Spirit
can teach you all of that and will teach all that put them to the test and you
know what when you're studying and I've noticed this a lot more recently
obviously when you're studying for things sometimes you're sitting at a
verse and looking at it and just the Holy Spirit just just starts to show you
what something means it gives you shows you just you know expands it a little
bit or just shows you bits and gives you an idea of a scripture to go to which
will help you understand that more it is amazing if you give it that try and
that's not just from skim reading that's just sitting there and sit on script
scripture you don't understand look don't just don't just straightaway just
go right sermon got to find a sermon where's Pastor Anderson telling me what
this means I don't you don't have to do that sit take your time and pray ask God
to help you ask the Spirit to help you and he will do that but still listen to the
good service as well because that's a great preacher David okay verse 14 here
in still in John John John 16 14 he says he shall glorify me for he shall receive
of mine and shall show it unto you so he glorifies Jesus because he shall receive
of mine I think that's Jesus's words so you've received of mine and he shall
show it unto you so he's receiving Jesus's words and that's glorifying
Jesus really isn't it he's receiving his words showing them to you and that's
glorifying Jesus verse 15 all things that the Father hath of mine therefore
said I that he shall take of mine and shall show it unto you so all the things
of the Father the words are Jesus words aren't they because he's given all
things to the Son and vice versa we know that it's that they're you know all
three of God so Father Son Holy Spirit and all things are of Jesus as well it's
not just God the Father's words and it's only the ones that he's written it's
only like the red letter edition Bible they're not only Jesus's words the whole
Bible is Jesus's words and he'll show them to us so the Holy Spirit will
teach us as long as we spend the time reading and hearing the words of God
yeah okay verse 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 so these words are freely given to us we're freely given you what
have you paid for your Bibles you didn't even probably have to you you could have
got well you could have got one free from our room in there if you want a
little paper that one but I'm given to us like what an amazing gift and the
more you read it the more it's just and you know what it does doesn't it half
increase your faith as well because when you're reading through the Bible is
studying things it's just it is absolutely amazing isn't it it's
mind-blowing this book and we'd be freely given it so and the Holy Spirit
to even help us understand it so let's learn them so verse 13 which things
also we speak not in the words which man's wisdom teaches but which the Holy
Ghost teaches comparing spiritual things with spiritual so we speak these words
yeah don't we of the Bible man's wisdom just always gets it wrong doesn't it so
all these so-called clever people I had a guy today on the door well this guy
it's like we talked on the door and he was he said oh he said yes well
actually I'm a was it a Japanese Taoist or something Shinto or something yeah
but he's like I've I said oh well would you like to know what the boss huh I
know what the Bible says I've studied the Bible I didn't have many years of a
theological degree and I've studied this I've studied all religions and say that
the words start getting longer and he's all puffed up and you know it's chins up
in the air and and it was just ridiculous because when I just said well
okay so do you know how the Bible says just asked him you know I didn't try to
be a tag in this it just okay so how do you think what do you think the Bible
says about how you can be saved and he was like well it depends depends on and
he's just starts trying to go off on these tangents you just got come on man
let's give a straight answer so I said to him I said something else to him and
he either went on does it he tried to be all clever again and then we just say
anyway point being what big this guy had ready he was sure he had studied out
the Bible you hear this a lot don't you peace and they've read it out I did have
a bit of a laugh with someone a while back which made Russian but he said he
said to me he did that voice it was a it dark for the few a couple of months ago
said I've said I've read all the Bible many times okay what's your favorite
book said I said I said I said what about the book of Abraham he said there
is no book of Abraham he was kind of quite a jovial guy so I thought this
isn't gonna turn up in a fast I said I smell a rat there is no such liars are
they but but even so there are people that have read the Bible and and they
have studied it and he scholars and and and and they don't have a clue do they
and they don't get it at all and it's not in the words which man's wisdom
teaches and man's wisdom ends up with rationalizing God's words doesn't it and
we saw that I think they call it German rationalism that was quite a big movement
wasn't it a couple of hundred years ago they really try to rationalize God's
words and then it creates these bizarre doctrines how man would understand it
and things like Calvinism and the reason I talk about a lot because it's
massive isn't it in this country and it's really big and even the few
churches you find Baptist churches which claim not to be Calvinist they are
massively infected by it aren't now think so we're saying this recently as
well they're just kind of they haven't really ever come away for the
reformation and and obviously Calvinism was it was big with that as well and
it's massive and they come up with this stuff don't know you because it's
unsaved people trying to make sense of God's words and they just come up with
all this stuff that as a saved man how do you how do you come up with this how
do you get there but they do and like liberal Christianity like the liberalism
like again it's it's man's wisdom isn't is the words which man's wisdom teaches
comes up with then all this liberalism where they just start picking and
choosing bits of Bible and taking out other bits to decide you know well that
must have meant that and this and false Bibles again that's man's wisdom where
the false Bibles are using their so-called dynamic equivalent so they
just decided what the Bible should have meant actually should have said this you
know so we're just we're just translating like that it's just nuts but
um but when we study we should be comparing scripture with scripture
shouldn't we and and we see this a verse in sorry verse 13 we're saying
comparing spiritual things with spiritual and again even light so even
when you study then there is a temptation a lot of the time to just
jump to the dictionary of words and that could really mislead you on things as
well because again the dictionary is written by men and yeah sure there's
something wrong with looking at that but really our first thing should be going
to see where it's used in the Bible and seeing where those words are used and
I'll give dictionary definitions but I want to make sure that's how it's being
used in the Bible and that's what we should be doing because there is a
temptation isn't there just I don't know that word dictionary dictionary
dictionary and then you that's that's man's wisdom isn't it and it's funny
that inbuilt dictionary in the Bible a lot of the time with first uses of words
you'll then see an equivalent word you straightaway after is to show us what
what the Bible means by that word and we should be studying comparing scripture
with scripture to get to the bottom of scripture like I said instead of going
to sermon try and find where similar things are used similar terminology
compare it with other parts of Ireland the more you read the more you'll start
to understand where to go and start to start to have an idea in the spirit will
start to give you an inkling you start to get verse and for me we were talking
about this I think I was doing a brother John about this is if you could just get
part of that verse praise God nowadays that we have you know things like the
Bible search things that you'll get on apps and other things to be able to then
find the rest of that verse because without that that's got to be that's
got to be tough and though and it means that yeah that you do you can find a
lot of verses without knowing the full verse and knowing exactly where it is
and where it is reference but you should be comparing with the Bible you should
be comparing scripture with scripture and that's how we get to get a better
understanding you know what I've noticed as well people who get their teaching
solely off people solely off sermons they have very little Bible reading to
back it up a lot of the time they they really find it hard to really explain a
doctrine or to know where verses are because really they they've only learnt
it from someone they haven't really learned it themselves and we should be
like it would be a good thing in your life as well as your Bible reading time
however often you can do it go home and think right I want to really understand
this doctrine you know kind of what the doctrine is go and look and look for the
verse and do your own study because it gives you such it will give you so much
more confidence in that doctrine and teach it rather than when it's like oh
well my favorite preacher says that this is a case so that's good enough for me
okay verse 14 but the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit
of God for their foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they
are spiritually discerned so this is why lifelong Bible scholars lifelong Bible
scholars you see if you've ever seen this stuff alive where they'll have like
they have all what all the scholars of the day say about a certain passage it's
hilarious some of it absolutely hilarious these guys decide their
full-time job yeah they're the scribes aren't they of our day and and they
can't even understand John 3 16 or Ephesians 2 8 and 9 is still it still
think it's works it's just amazing but again it's because a natural man
receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God their foolishness unto him so
they'll almost mock that why oh yeah you know you know the the one saved always
saved type like we're just like these fools you know these idiots that just
happen to believe what the Bible says you know and they do it's foolishness
to them isn't it and it's not just the gospel either so much of it so
much of the Bible the natural man doesn't understand they sound clever oh
and they got a knowledge of it name but they just don't get it and and that's
why obviously when we're out giving the gospel it that's why like I said early
it's really important we explain what those verses mean and we can all do it
just gloss over start reading off the verses because in your mind you
understand it you thought you must understand it and you've really got to
slow down explain explain those verses to people because a natural man receive
it not the things the Spirit of God yeah they're foolishness unto him and
that's why people they some people will just go no no I had a guy recently I
gave him the full full he went through the full plan of salvation in Tagalog
which is the language of the Philippines okay wasn't me I should just leave it
there no we're just for you what joke you cut this bit well I explain what it
really is yeah yeah so I just gave the gospel in Tagalog no so I played on an
app yeah and his English was was pretty bad so I thought okay that this is
gonna be hard work and I got out the Bible the faithful word app played in
the full gospel in Tagalog and and he's going through the hole and it's a I mean
it's quite on that app that was pretty long it's the best part it was best part
of 20 minutes it felt more like half now because when you don't understand
literally hardly a word of it and you just kind of listening thinking I wonder
where we are you just kind of standing there silently without I think I was
with Ella wasn't I with my daughter and I'm just holding this phone and it was
cold it was the last week just hold this fire hope it's fine the guys this is the
whole thing I'm just praying away praying away in my head got to the end
of it and I've got okay great time yeah and he's just gone oh pray pray forgive
not yeah like for him foolishness that's what he thought so foolishness you know
and now that had been explained as well but it was still foolishness and we get
that don't we give the gospel to people a no no child no well you can't don't
have to do anything don't be ridiculous and for the for the natural man it is
foolishness unto him okay why that's why isn't it why someone can't just read the
Bible and get saved and and also why unsaved lifelong so-called Christians
just don't have a clue do they and why they don't know why they say they so
angry at us aren't they they're so angry at us for standing on the Word of God
they're so angry at us for what we believe what the Bible says about so
many things and then they get angry don't know they get angry that we
believe that you that you can yes go out show someone a gospel and they get saved
on the spot and and these these so-called Christians it's why they're
Christians like for example we're brother Ben where they literally are
walking into the house of their neighbor to rebuke a soul hit Christian forgive
them the gospel having just said they're an elder of a church I mean it's
just amazing isn't it and we've all got stories like that of so sometimes the
most the most animosity we come across the people that claim to be Christians
and it's wicked isn't it and they're not they're not they're not according to the
Word of God obviously you know I think if obviously it comes down to what they
believe in and nine times out of ten probably 99 out of a hundred they don't
believe in gracefully faith today okay verse 15 but he that is spiritual
judges all things yet he himself is judged of no man okay so with here when
it's not that judges here it's talking about discerning okay so with the Holy
Spirit we have the ability to discern all scripture but he that is spiritual
basically discerns all things and that's the Word of God the things being the
Word of God yet he himself is judged of no man that's all that we are not
understood by men okay so so we discern the Bible we discern the scripture yet
people just don't get us tonight they don't get us they they look at us and
they just think what on earth and the more we grow as Christians the more they
just don't understand us and they don't understand you know any of what we do
and if you talk to unsaved family and friends and and it's just a bit confusing
for them isn't it but that's the life of Christian isn't it so get used to it
guys but especially a bible-believing Baptist who's going out and giving the
gospel and standing on the Word of God and and believing what this Bible says
about everything they just don't get you they don't understand you but hey who
cares at least we know each other we understand each other don't we okay
verse 16 for who have known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him but we
have the mind of Christ okay they can't understand the mind of the Lord because
it's spiritually discerned so they don't get it they don't get any of it
okay but don't let that annoy you don't let that upset you but don't go to the
worldly wisdom to try and explain it to them it goes back to the Word of God it
and give them the chance and that's what you know relationships do get strained
don't they with time with with unsaved family unsaved friends but try and keep
them going where you can they're still still try and give them the gospel but
yeah we you know it's the Holy Spirit is in the Holy Spirit that we we have that
mind don't we we have that mind of the Lord if you turn to Romans 11 Romans 11
verse 33 I love this little passage of Scripture in it it kind of goes from
this oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God how
unsearchable were his judgments and his ways past finding out for who have
known the mind of the Lord or who have been his counselor or who had first
given to him and it shall be recompense unto him again for of him and through
him and to him are all things to whom be glory forever amen praise God that we
have the Holy Spirit to show us to show us that and show us like it says here
the depth and the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God and we have
the ability to discover that so let's let's let's do that let's let's use it
use the Holy Spirit read the Word of God and come to a better understanding of our
Lord and Savior let's pray heavenly father thank you for thank you for you
for the gift of the Holy Spirit you know the earnest of our expectation the first
fruit and and thank you that that we can we we can know all things in this
Word of God through the Holy Spirit thank you for guiding us thank you for
teaching us please continue to do so help us to want to learn more to know
more to just have a love for the word and really a love for you help us to go
forward this week now to have have a good week a week that's focused on you
a week that's based around reading your word and living for you and help
everyone with their journeys time to be so in Jesus name I pray amen