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1 Corinthians Lesson 2
Copyright 1999. John Creamer. All rights reserved.
What value do we place on communication skills in our
society? Lesson 1 addressed the phrase in verse 5… ‘in
him you have been enriched in every way’… First…the disclaimer about knowledge without
God… Even though knowledge is one of the ways God enriches
those who call on the name of Jesus Christ, what did Paul tell the believers
at Corinth to remember about their ‘knowledge? Knowledge requires a diligent search…it doesn’t
just happen… What motivates a person to search for the knowledge of
God? (A discerning heart.) (Proverbs 2:1-11 NIV) My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you, {2} turning your ear to wisdom
and applying your heart to understanding, {3} and if you call out for
insight and cry aloud for understanding, {4} and if you look for it
as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, {5} then you
will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.
{6} For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and
understanding. {7} He holds victory in store for the upright, he is
a shield to those whose walk is blameless, {8} for he guards the course
of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones. {9} Then you
will understand what is right and just and fair--every good path. {10}
For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to
your soul. {11} Discretion will protect you, and understanding will
guard you. What are some of the key verbs and verb phrases in verses
1-4 describing how a person needs to search for knowledge, wisdom and
understanding? What will the search produce according to verse 5? What benefits are listed in verses 6-11 for those who
seek wisdom, knowledge and understanding from God? Note: These ‘benefits’ are more than just
catchy phrases to fill in the white spots on the pages of Scripture…they
are true, and real, and can be ours if we access the truth in them Perhaps
we would do well to read them again in the next few days in our quiet
time. …even though the search should be with diligence
on our part, when we find knowledge and wisdom, we understand it is
a blessing from God… Some don’t like the ‘try-to-please’ concept
of a relationship with God, but this verse indicates God is pleased
by some and not by others. What does He give those who please Him? (Daniel 2:21 NIV) He changes times and seasons; he
sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge
to the discerning. What do you think is the significance of wisdom and knowledge
being listed in the same verse as setting up and deposing kings as the
important works of God? (Shows the incredible value of knowledge and
wisdom.) Increased knowledge from God begins to affect our speaking…(hopefully.) How does wisdom ‘show up’ in a person? What do you think the opposite of this verse would be? (Ecclesiastes 10:12 NIV) Words from a wise man's mouth
are gracious, but a fool is consumed by his own lips. What are the ‘gracious’ words of the wise person?
See the next verses. (Colossians 4:6 NIV) Let your conversation be always
full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer
everyone. What does salt do to food? (Enhances the flavor of the
food.) What, then, do wisdom and grace do to the words we speak?
(Proverbs 17:27-28 NIV) A man of knowledge uses words
with restraint, and a man of understanding is even-tempered. {28} Even
a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds
his tongue. How does knowledge affect a person’s speech? (Cuts
back on the number of words spoken.) “If you find yourself in a
hole, stop digging.” (Matthew 5:33-37 NIV) "Again,
you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not break
your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' {34} But I
tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne;
{35} or by the earth, for it is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, for
it is the city of the Great King. {36} And do not swear by your head,
for you cannot make even one hair white or black. {37} Simply let your
'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from
the evil one. Sometimes we try to increase our integrity by speaking
‘more powerful’ statements—like vows, promises or oaths.
What does Jesus recommend instead? (Even a simple ‘yes’ or
‘no’ will work if you simply keep your word.) (James 3:1-10 NIV) Not many of you should presume to
be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be
judged more strictly. {2} We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is
never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his
whole body in check. {3} When we put bits into the mouths of horses
to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal. {4} Or take ships
as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds,
they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to
go. {5} Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes
great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small
spark. {6} The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts
of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of
his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. {7} All kinds of
animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and
have been tamed by man, {8} but no man can tame the tongue. It is a
restless evil, full of deadly poison. {9} With the tongue we praise
our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in
God's likeness. {10} Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing.
My brothers, this should not be. (Proverbs 25:11 NIV) A word aptly spoken is like apples
of gold in settings of silver. What is the potential upside of our words? (Ecclesiastes 9:17 NIV) The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouts of a ruler of fools. About knowing God… Our commitment should be more than “I know the Lord.”
It should be “I know the Lord, and I want to know the Lord more.” (Jeremiah 9:23-24 NIV) This is what the LORD says:
"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast
of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, {24} but let him
who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that
I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on
earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD. What does God want us to ‘brag’ about? The knowledge of God is eternal life… (John 17:3 NIV) Now this
is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus
Christ, whom you have sent. …and it comes through the Scriptures… (2 Timothy 3:14-17 NLT) But you must remain faithful
to the things you have been taught. You know they are true, for you
know you can trust those who taught you. {15} You have been taught the
holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to
receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. {16} All
Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true
and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us
out and teaches us to do what is right. {17} It is God's way of preparing
us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to
do. The lack of knowledge of God… Many religions ‘cover up’ their lack of knowledge
with zeal… ‘A fanatic is a person who, when he loses sight
of his goal, re-doubles his efforts.’ (Jeremiah 4:22 NIV) "My people are fools; they
do not know me. They are senseless children; they have no understanding.
They are skilled in doing evil; they know not how to do good." (Jeremiah 8:4-7 NLT) "Jeremiah, say to the people, 'This is what the LORD says: When people fall down, don't they get up again? When they start down the wrong road and discover their mistake, don't they turn back? {5} Then why do these people keep going along their self-destructive path, refusing to turn back, even though I have warned them? {6} I listen to their conversations, and what do I hear? Is anyone sorry for sin? Does anyone say, "What a terrible thing I have done"? No! All are running down the path of sin as swiftly as a horse rushing into battle! {7} The stork knows the time of her migration, as do the turtledove, the swallow, and the crane. They all return at the proper time each year. But not my people! They do not know what the LORD requires of them. Prosperity thwarts the desire for the knowledge
of God… Lack of knowledge vs. pursuit of knowledge… Knowledge makes us ‘complete’ly ready
to do what God wants us to do… (John 7:16-17 NIV) Jesus answered, "My
teaching is not my own. It comes from him who sent me. {17} If anyone
chooses to do God's will, he will find out whether my teaching comes
from God or whether I speak on my own. Knowledge of the truth brings freedom… Freedom from what?… Profound Truths to know—and believe… (Romans 8:26-28 NLT) And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don't even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. {27} And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will. {28} And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT) That is why we never give
up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day.
{17} For our present troubles are quite small and won't last very long.
Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever!
{18} So we don't look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we
look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will
soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever. (2 Corinthians 5:1-9 NLT) For we know that when this
earthly tent we live in is taken down--when we die and leave these bodies--we
will have a home in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself
and not by human hands. {2} We grow weary in our present bodies, and we
long for the day when we will put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing.
{3} For we will not be spirits without bodies, but we will put on new
heavenly bodies. {4} Our dying bodies make us groan and sigh, but it's
not that we want to die and have no bodies at all. We want to slip into
our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by everlasting
life. {5} God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he
has given us his Holy Spirit. {6} So we are always confident, even though
we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with
the Lord. {7} That is why we live by believing and not by seeing. {8}
Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these bodies,
for then we will be at home with the Lord. {9} So our aim is to please
him always, whether we are here in this body or away from this body. (1 John 3:2 NIV) Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. |