Scripture:
1 Corinthians 2
Vs 3 I (Paul) was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling,
Vs 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
Vs 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Wisdom from the Spirit
Vs 6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away.
Observation:
Paul is providing a huge reminder here to the Corinthian church.
The power that matters is the power of God!
Anyone who observes power from the proclamation of the gospel should observe the power of God, not the power of a person.
It’s so important that Paul even states that this is the very resting place of a person’s faith: “the power of God”.
A person’s faith simply will not last when placed on other things, particularly “the wisdom of man”.
Faith placed in the wisdom of man is “doomed to pass away”.
Application:
I am seeing three applications going on from Paul: Proclamation, Demonstration, and Impartation
Each of these must be done from a posture of humility, recognizing that it is God at work.
Proclamation, (Paul even calls them “my words”) are “not words of wisdom”.
Demonstration is “of the Spirit”.
Impartation is “not a wisdom of this age”.
So, it is a wisdom, but it is not a wisdom that will be recognized without the Holy Spirit, “among the mature”.
It is helpful to me that this is coming from Paul, a man who took so much pride in his learning, a man who had even memorized the Bible.
In the Information Age, it is easy to mistake having a quantity of knowledge for having a quality of wisdom.
I must always keep myself in check as it relates the wisdom of man versus the wisdom of God.
Yet, the fascinating thing is that God still gives me a role to play.
Even though it is all through the power of God, I still must get to work!
Paul even says it is “my speech” and “my message” and “we do impart wisdom”.
In recognizing God is a work, Paul doesn’t sit back now and say his actions are worthless or futile.
It’s just that Paul’s actions are only worthy when done from a proper understanding of “power” and “wisdom”.
God wants me to participate in the unfolding of His plan.
This is an incredible privilege!
And when I live out this privilege from a posture of humility, there will be Proclamation, Demonstration, and Impartation.
But it will all be done for what matters eternally, not what is “doomed to pass away”.
Prayer:
Thank you God, for your word and your wisdom.
Give me your maturity Holy Spirit to see and understand it.
Show me how and where to demonstrate your power.
Give me the courage to do so
In Jesus name
Amen