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False teachings – beware of the worldy wisdom… (2 things)
All our sins were paid for in full on the cross – we are untouchable in Jesus!
1st – Worldly wisdom… vs. 8 (3 things)
Paul warns the church to beware of world wisdom…
We are to beware so we are not ‘cheated’ – literally made a slave of – worldly wisdom!
There are three ways in which the world tries to being us into bondage…
1st – Through Philosophy – ‘the love of knowledge’ – only used here in the NT…
If you attend a university today – schools of ‘higher learning’…
You are not taught about the consequences of a life of sin…
Instead you are told there is no right or wrong – it is all relative…
There is no sin – as long as you think it is ok – it is good…
Judges 21:25 – “Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.”
You are not taught about the hope of God – the saving power of the cross…
In fact you are not even taught about God – you are taught there is no God…
You are a product of 18 billion years of evolution – you are an accident…
Because they want no accountability – no judgment – no heaven or hell…
Romans 1:22 – “Professing to be wise, they became fools…
This is the wisdom of men – if we listen we will be blinded – and we miss Jesus!
2nd – Through deceptive ideas – that in the end leave us empty…
The wisdom of this world does all it can to convince us it has everything we need…
All we need is more money / better job / more possessions / a different relationship…
Everywhere we look we see the standards of the world – TV / radio…
The world tells us relationships make us happy – Solomon had 1000 wives…
The world tells us money makes us happy – Solomon had 17 trillion pesos!
Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 – “Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure, for my heart rejoiced in all my labor; And this was my reward from all my labor. Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for
When we chase after the things of this world – conform – it brings momentary bliss
It is a shallow fulfillment though – every bought something new – does not last….
Solomon put it best – it is like grasping for the wind….
It is not a matter of striving for the impossible – you are reaching for nothing…
It is an empty – pointless life – it brings us into bondage – and we miss Jesus!
James 3:15 – “This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic.”
3rd – Through the traditions of men…
We follow lots of traditions – they dominate our daily lives
The traditions of Christmas / New Years / birthdays / weddings / funerals….
Traditions about church on Sundays and school or work Monday-Friday…
Some traditions are helpful – some are harmful…
Helpful traditions – help us to remember important events/people…
Harmful traditions – based in superstition – tie a branch at the well…
Do not sweep after the sun goes down – close your windows before 6pm…
Mark 7:8 – “You ignore God’s laws and substitute your own traditions.”
The problem comes when we fear traditions more than we fear God…
The problem comes when put our trust in our traditions rather than God…
The problem is when our traditions contradict the Word of God…
If we follow traditions rather than God we are in bondage to them – and miss Jesus!
2nd – Godly wisdom… vs. 9-15 (5 things)
1st – Godly wisdom comes from Jesus Christ… vs. 9-10
If you want to know how to live a happy life – how to be blessed in life…
The answer does not come from the world – it only comes through knowing Jesus…
In fact the only way we will ever ‘be complete’ is in Jesus Christ…
In this world we will never be content – never feel complete…
We think the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence…
We float from one idea to the next – but never seem to find happiness…
We buy a new cell phone – and are happy for a week / a day / an hour…
We get a new job – in a different city – and it great – for a week / a day / an hour…
No matter what we do – no matter where we go – we are not content!
Because we are looking to the wrong answer – the wisdom of this world…
The reality is we do not need a new cell phone or new job…
We NEED a relationship with Jesus Christ – we NEED to be to know Him!
Only when we look to the wisdom of God – look to Jesus Christ…
Ephesians 3:19 – “Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from God.” – we will finally be content!
We are complete in God – because He is the Lord over all…
Jesus is the authority over everything – Matthew 28:18
Jesus is the boss – He is the one in charge – He is in total control…
So if we are not following His instructions / wisdom – life is going to be miserable!
Since the world does not know Jesus – they do not know how to be content…
They just exist from day to day – with no idea why they are alive…
But God has given us an instruction manual so we can know Him – the Bible…
It is through hearing the Word we get to know and have a relationship with God…
It is in the Word we learn about God’s expectations / will for our lives…
It is through hearing God’s Word we learn how to enter eternal life!
2nd – The wisdom of God deals with the heart…
We are circumcised in Jesus – not outwardly but the circumcision of the heart…
According to the command God gave to Abraham in Genesis 17:7-14…
Every Jewish male had to be circumcised on the 8th day – symbol of God’s Covenant…
A strange sign for a covenant/promise with God – but it was symbolic…
It was a picture – showing the cutting away the sinful desires of the heart…
Before we came to Jesus we were slaves to the wisdom of this world…
But when we accepted Jesus Christ – we were freed from the wisdom of the world…
Our old sinful nature was ‘cut off’ – so we would follow after the wisdom of Jesus!
Romans 6:6 – “Our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin.”
Did you ever wonder why sins bother you now when they did not used to…
It used to be if you lied / or cheated / or were mean to others – it did not matter…
Yet now these things bother you – cause you have been circumcised in your heart!
3rd – The wisdom of God comes from a new life… vs. 12
There are two views as to what Paul is talking about…
First view – Paul is not talking about the act of ‘water baptism’ – Romans 6:4…
Water baptism shows the change that occurred inside when we believed…
We are buried with Jesus – taken under the water – a picture of our death
We are raised up with Jesus – taken out of the water – a picture of new life!
The idea being our old man / sinful nature – was crucified and buried with Jesus…
We were then ‘raised from the dead’ – no longer the old sinful man we once were…
The wisdom of God is we were given ‘new life’ – so we should live for God!
II Corinthians 5:17 – “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
Second – Paul is talking about being obedient in Baptism…
I Peter 3:21 – “Baptism is not a removal of dirt from your body; it is an appeal to God from a clean conscience.”
Baptism is commanded – Acts 2:38 – though we are not saved by baptisms…
Since it is commanded – the wisdom of God is that we obey God’s commands!
We want to go our own way – live our own life – follow our own path…
But we do not know what is best for our lives – and just end up getting in trouble…
The wisdom of God says – He knows what is best – listen to and obey Him!
4th – The wisdom of God is found in forgiveness… vs. 13-14
Whether we realized it or not – before Jesus we were the enemy of God…
James 4:4 – “Friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.”
And because God was opposed to us – we were under the wrath of God…
The only thing we deserved – was to be sent directly to hell…
With every sin we sank deeper into ‘debt’ – a debt we had no way to repay…
Only living to please ourselves – destined to face the wrath of God…
This is who we were before Jesus came into our lives!
The ‘Good News’ is God did not leave us in are sinful / fallen state…
No one else could save us – there was nothing we could do to save ourselves…
It was only God who could step in and change our fate – save us from our sin!
Instead of the judgment we deserved – God gave what we did not deserve – Grace!
He gave everyone the chance to be forgiven of their sin – a chance to be saved…
Jesus wiped out the charges against us – nailing them to the cross…
The charges against us came from the Law of God – it required perfection…
But we failed the Law – because we are not perfect – we are sinners…
So Jesus did what no one else could– He fulfilled the requirement of the Law…
Then Jesus – the only perfect man – paid the price for our sin…
Then came one of the great mysteries of the ages – God gave us Jesus’ righteousness!
II Corinthians 5:21 – “For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”
In Jesus – we have lived a perfect life – we have fulfilled the requirement of the Law
Now when God looks down on us – He does not see our sinful mistakes/flaws
He instead sees the perfect life of His Son Jesus – He sees us as perfect/flawless!
5th – The wisdom of God – means we win… vs. 15
Satan is not Gods equal – God has no equal – God has absolute power over satan…
Jesus saw the fall of satan from glory – kicked out of heaven – Revelation 12:9
He fell like a flash of lightning – so quick if you blinked you missed it –
And one day satan will bow his knee to Jesus – Philippians 2:10
Jesus had given His power and authority to us – Luke 10:19…
Isaiah 54:17 – “No weapon formed against you shall prosper…”
I John 4:4 – “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”
With God on our side we have nothing to fear from satan – our enemy…
Satan seeks to accuse us – Revelation 12:10 – wants to see us condemned to hell…
He has all the ‘evidence’ he needs – all our sins / our immoral thoughts…
But Jesus destroyed the power of satan – so that he has nothing to accuse us of…
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