LISTENING TO GOD
1 Corinthians 2:10-3:4
How do we respond to God’s Word?
Differences in how people respond to what God says:
Parable of the soils (Sower) Matt. 13:3-9, 18-23
FOUR WAYS PEOPLE RESPOND TO GOD’S WORD Matt. 13:3-23
Good seed is sown . . . In each case, the focus is NOT on the sower, NOR on the seed.
The sower sows GOOD seed–it’s all God’s Word. It doesn’t matter WHO is sowing!
What matters is the message! It’s not true that all messages are equal.
We ARE talking about proclaiming GOD’s Word.
Beside the road/devoured by birds/=> never receives the seed 13:3-4, 19
Soil is hardened–so the plant never has a chance.
It doesn’t produce life.
On rocky soil/hard beneath surface/=>apparent reception 13:5-6, 20-21
It looks good. It appears to be life-producing–but the seed never takes root.
It never produces real life–the soil was hard underneath from the beginning!
On thorny land/choked by surroundings/=>unfruitful reception 7, 22
On fruit-bearing soil/produces healthy plant/=>fruitful reception 8, 23
Parable of the wheat and the tares
TWO KINDS OF PEOPLE Matt. 13:24-40 13:24-30, 36-40
Wheat => Productive plants–bear fruit
Tares (weeds) => Non-productive plants
Non-productive ones mixed in with the protective plants–debilitates the harvest.
Both in Christ's parables and in Paul's problem,
The critical issue: their reception of the Word of God.
The symptom at Corinth: lack of love and disunity.
Biblical "experts"-Commentators, etc. –Great minds with lots of knowledge
Only God’s Spirit can reveal God’s truth to us.
Understanding this principle will help us to understand Paul’s message in 2:10-3:4.
CONCERNING DIVISIONS IN THE CHURCH 1:10-4:21
Basis of the division: Misconception concerning our message 1:18-3:4
1st corrective: realize that our message isn’t based on human wisdom.
Therefore we don’t seek and exalt the best human teachers.
2nd corrective: realize that our message comes from GOD, not man!
In Paul’s concern about the divisions over human teachers at Corinth, the issue isn’t over WHO is teaching the Word.
It’s about how we respond to the good seed–to the message God has given!
Are we paying attention to what God says?!
Seminary professor’s wife to student wives: “When your husband stands up to preach on Sunday morning, he is God’s messenger to you. It doesn’t matter if you’ve had a rough morning, and he wasn’t kind before you went out the door. When he stands up to proclaim God’s Word to God’s people, he is God’s spokesman to YOU! We must be willing to listen to what GOD says! That’s a serious responsibility for anyone who stands in this pulpit!
It’s not about the messenger! It’s not about ME! It’s about what God has said!
Our message is based on God's wisdom, which man can't understand (2:6-9)
To understand divine wisdom, we must be taught by God’s Spirit.
God’s truth must be taught by God’s Spirit.
If someone understands God’s truth, because a human teacher taught it,
it's not the human teacher who deserves the credit.
The One who really communicates it
is the same One Who produces unity in the body of Christ.
Unity is lacking at Corinth because they haven’t been taught by God’s Spirit!
THE SOURCE OF UNDERSTANDING 2:10-11
Only God’s Spirit is able to reveal God’s wisdom.
Therefore, understanding spiritual truth depends on listening to the Holy Spirit.
THE REQUIREMENT FOR UNDERSTANDING 2:12-16
Since we’ve received the Spirit, we can understand spiritual truth 12-13
People who listen to God’s Spirit understand God’s wisdom,
which the natural man can't understand. 14-16
The only way to know the Word of God is to know its author-the Spirit who reveals it.
God’s Spirit teaches us God’s truth.
Natural people [people without God’s Spirit] can’t understand God’s truth.
Spiritual people understand spiritual truth.
Natural people can’t understand spiritual truth.
People who don't listen to Him may know a lot about God and about His Word
but they can't know them.
OBSTACLE TO UNDERSTANDING 3:1-4
People who listen to truth show different levels of understanding. 3:1-4
Because of their spiritual condition, the Corinthians aren’t being taught by the Spirit.
Since they aren’t being taught by the Spirit, they’re in an immature spiritual condition
In either case the solution is to establish active communication with the Spirit;
TO BE TAUGHT BY HIM!
4 KINDS OF PEOPLE 2:14-3:4
(1) NATURAL PEOPLE 2:14 (At bottom of the chart)
Don't understand spiritual truth
It's foolishness to them.
(4) SPIRITUAL PEOPLE 2:15 (#4–at top)
Spiritual people show discernment.
They listen to God's Spirit and therefore understand spiritual truth.
No one understands them.
Lifestyle is different from the world; no one understands it. It doesn’t make sense!
(2) FLESHLY INFANTS (#2) 3:1-2a ( = newborn babies)
3:1 [sarkinos]-fleshly-made of flesh
Like a newborn: Brings joy Drinks milk Doesn't walk Doesn't talk
What's wrong with being a newborn? It's the only way to start out in life.
(3) FLESHLY OLD PEOPLE (#3) 3:2b-4 (=big babies; grown up babies)
3:3-4 [sarkikos]-fleshly-fleshlike-characterized by flesh
–demonstrate traits like a spiritual “newborn”
Never grow up-goes on the same old way
Still need milk
Baby ways become a lifestyle; no longer natural part of growing up.
3 DIFFERENT KINDS: (introduced in Scripture)
1) 1 Cor. 1-4-SQUABBLING (Fighting) CHILDREN
-Caused by their fleshly nature
-Doesn't mention their conduct-no list of taboos violated
-Unable to eat spiritual "meat"
-Want to fight when the rest don't do things their way.
Issue often doesn't seem important enough to warrant a fight.
(Chafin) "Any problem that has to be dealt with by people who are spiritually immature can divide a church, no matter how small it may appear."
E.g., who can play the piano for a worship service,
who serves on what committee,
where a certain class will meet,
who should clean up the kitchen, etc.
When a church is characterized by spiritual maturity, it can face huge obstacles and problems and resolve them.
They become stronger and more united as a result.
2) Eph. 4-UNEDUCATED CHILDREN (Doctrinally Unstable) 4:11-15
-Tossed here and there by the waves
-Carried about by the winds
-Don't know what they believe nor why they believe it
3) Heb. 5-WEAKLING CHILDREN (Don't Practice the Truth) 5:11-14
-Don't understand spiritual truth 5:11
-Need food (12c-14) -Need exercise (14b)
-Should be teachers on the basis of time in the church
-Need another review of same old principles they’ve heard before (12b).
Children don't know right from wrong.
Children when they don't get what they want, raise cane.
Children-the less mature, the less they like to be told they’re immature (children)
Less mature have to act like they’re older (that they're something they aren't)
“My little girl” (or boy)
When they’re little, they deny it.
When they’re teens, they hate it, but tolerate it. [“Oh brother!”]
When we get older, we just smile and understand
Because of their condition, they aren't taught by the Holy Spirit.
They don't understand God's will nor His message.
In Corinth, the divisions give testimony to their worldly orientation (rather than spiritual)
They’re like those who don’t know the Spirit.
They imitate the world and its methods.
They act like angry children.
They don't understand what God is doing, because they aren't in harmony with Him.
WHAT KIND OF PERSON ARE YOU? WHAT DO YOU NEED TO DO ABOUT IT?
Natural? You need to trust Christ.
Infant/Child? Don't worry about it!
Eat well. 3:1b-2 (1 Pet. 2:2; Heb. 5:11-13; 6:1)
Exercise (Heb. 5:14) With time you’ll grow up to be healthy and mature.
Fleshly?It's time to submit to God's Word, and start to grow up!
Spiritual?Thank God; move on toward perfection, to same measure as Christ Himself.
If we want to grow up to become strong and mature people of God, we must LISTEN to what God says, and start living in accordance with His Word.
God’s Spirit must teach us God’s truth, and empower us to live by it.
The only way to really understand God's Word is to know the Author
-to be in intimate relationship with Him.
It’s a matter of perspective!
Do we see things from a human perspective?
Do we see things from God’s perspective?
Are you satisfied with where you are? We don't have to leave the same as we came in!
The issue is how WE will respond to God’s Word.