“Unwavering Conformity”
The Mystery Revealed Series
Sunday, January 25, 2009; 1 Corinthians 4:1-2
Introduction: Illustration- I have some Play Doh here; and you can see that it is very moldable. It will conform to what ever shape I decide to mold it into! I’m not a very good sculptor, but I can try to make an animal….
As we think about our series, “The Mystery Revealed,” we need to realize that God’s mysteries can and will be revealed to us. But even more than that, our scripture this morning lets us know that we are “stewards” of God’s mysteries. So let us talk this morning about what this means, and how we are called to live this out.
I. The Mysteries of God- (John 16:7, 13, 1:12; Col. 1:18-20, 25-28;
Deuteronomy 7:8; Romans 3:24)
a. God’s revelation- The truth about God and God’s truth, is that
they are mysterious, but not hidden. That is, they are not hidden to those who have received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, and follow Jesus as our Lord, then we open ourselves to the guiding and leading of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus was getting ready to leave this earth, knowing that His time was short, knowing that He would be crucified on the cross, He tried to instruct the disciples on what all would happen. Jesus tried to help the disciples understand that it was actually a good thing that He would be leaving them.
Jesus says this in John 16:7, 13- “But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor (Holy Spirit) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you…But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” One of the important roles of the Holy Spirit is to lead us into God’s truth; God’s revelation. As the creator of all things, of the world, of you and me, of the animals and plants, rocks and trees, and the universe, God knows how everything works and how everything fits together. God has designed the plan for all things.
So, while it is a mystery to you and me for the time being, it doesn’t have to stay a mystery. God desires to share this mystery with us. God wants us to know His plan and purpose, His revelation for the world and all that is in it. The apostle Paul knew this, and that is why he tells us in Colossians 1:18-20 and 25-28, “And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross…” As I said before, it starts with us being reconciled to God by Jesus’ blood being shed on the cross for us, as a sacrifice for our sins. Once we accept this, we are then restored in our relationship to God, and can be a part of all that God has for us to know and to do.
The apostle Paul goes on to say: “I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. 27To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.” For many, the mystery was that everyone would be included in God’s kingdom; Jews and non-Jews alike. This is why God could make the promise to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, because the Gentiles would be part of this “In the New Testament we are told that the Gentiles are a part of this “many nations.” To be part of this family, which is God’s family, only requires that we accept what Jesus has done for us, and let Jesus save us. In this we become children of God, and have Christ within us.
b. God’s redemptive will- On top of this, God does not leave us to
guess at His will. God has a redemptive will for the world and for you and me. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE A REDEMPTIVE WILL? In general, we see how in ancient times, when prisoners were taken in battle, it was made known that the prisoners would be released on payment of a price. This process was called redemption, and the price was a ransom. Likewise, this process of redemption and ransom was applied to slaves as well. Slaves could be liberated; redeemed.
In the Bible, we can go back to the Old Testament and see redemption take place as well. The whole story of the Exodus is a redemption story. Israel, God’s people, have been taken into captivity by the Egyptians. They have become slaves. This slavery makes it difficult for them to follow God, worship God, and live for God. They cry out to God and God hears their cry. Through Moses, God enables the Israelites to be redeemed from their slavery. We read of this in Deuteronomy 7:8- “But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”
When we get to the New Testament, redemption is talked about more in terms of our sin; we are slaves to our sin, and in need of redemption from our sin. And so Christ died on the cross to redeem us; to pay the ransom price. That is why the apostle Paul responds to the truth of our sin with Romans 3:24- “We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
II. Being Stewards of the Mysteries- (1 Cor. 6:20, 4:1-2, 2:7-14; Ephesians 5:15-17; Romans 12:1-2)
a. What is required- Because we have been redeemed, we can know
the mysteries of God. But knowing isn’t enough. There is a responsibility that comes with our redemption. As 1 Corinthians 6:20 tells us: “You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” Our redemption needs to be understood in terms of our every day experience. As redeemed, we belong to God and are called to live as God calls us to live; as God created us to live. As stewards of God’s mysteries.
Along with redeeming us, the Bible also talks about redeeming time. In Ephesians 5:15-17 we are told: “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.” God has redeemed us to live according to His will; to make the most of our life. And this can only come through relentless and consistent pursuit of God. Often our pride gets in the way of recognizing that God’s wisdom is far superior to our own.
Once we understand this, then we are compelled to share it with others. That’s why Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:7-14, “No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"— 10but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 14The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
Did you follow that? I know there is a lot there, but let me highlight just a few things. First, we are to speak God’s secret wisdom. And yet, when we speak this wisdom, we need to understand that those who are not of God cannot understand it, because it is spiritually discerned. So, second, we need to understand that not all Christians understand God’s secret wisdom; God’s mysteries. As we understand God’s mysteries, we need to be compelled to share it with others so that they can understand as well. And then third, we need to let the Spirit of God prepare us to learn and share even more mysteries of God. This is an ongoing process!
b. Not conforming to the world- As we pursue God, and seek to be
stewards of the resources and mysteries of life, God will help to conform us to His perfect will. ILLUSTRATION: You may have heard me share this illustration before, but I want to share it again, because it fits well with our lesson. When a caterpillar is a caterpillar, it leads a very earth bound life. It cannot fly. It is not particularly beautiful. But then one day it comes time for it to turn into a butterfly. Once the caterpillar escapes the confines of the cocoon, it becomes a butterfly. As a butterfly, it is transformed. It is more beautiful, and can soar to greater heights.
Spiritually speaking, this is true for you and for me. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, and choose to let Him be our Lord, we escape our cocoon, and can fly to new heights. Be we have to allow ourselves to be transformed. As Paul tells us in Romans 12:1-2, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
To live out God’s will we have to know God’s will. But we will struggle to know God’s will until we allow God to transform us. This is part of God’s mystery. As long as we allow the world to influence our thinking, we will stay partly in the cocoon; we will not be transformed. We have to give up our earthly understanding, and our earthly desires, and begin to see things with an eternal perspective; with God’s perspective. God will use our relentless pursuit of being stewards of His mysteries to close the gap between our flawed understanding and God’s perfect will.
The more we open ourselves to the mysteries of God, the more we will see like God wants us to see, with the eyes of God. And when this happens, we will start living as God’s servants. In our scripture reading this morning, the apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 4:1-2, “So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. 2Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” We will know that we are understanding the mysteries of God and being stewards of the mysteries of God when others see that we understand the “secret things of God.” We will find ourselves understanding what others don’t understand!
Conclusion: (Go back to the Play Doh) Looking again at this Play Doh figure I made, we can see that it is not a beautiful creation. But if I allowed a real artist to put his or her hands on it, they could turn it into a beautiful creation. When we give ourselves over to God, we put ourselves in the hands of a real artist. God not only shapes who we are, from the inside out, but also shapes our minds. God transforms us by giving us the mind of Christ, and leads us to understand more and more.
Have you ever been trying to read an instruction manual, and you’re not understanding what needs to be done; And you start to get frustrated; Then you choose to read the instructions one more time, and a light bulb goes on, and you seem to understand? This understanding is a wonderful place to be. This is what happens when we allow God’s Spirit to work in and through us. We understand what life is about. We understand what our relationship with God is all about. We understand what eternity is all about. I hope you will seek “unwavering conformity” to be like Christ, in mind, body, and spirit, this day and every day. Amen.
The Mystery Revealed Series
Sunday, January 25, 2009; 1 Corinthians 4:1-2
Introduction: Illustration- I have some Play Doh here; and you can see that it is very moldable. It will conform to what ever shape I decide to mold it into! I’m not a very good sculptor, but I can try to make an animal….
As we think about our series, “The Mystery Revealed,” we need to realize that God’s mysteries can and will be revealed to us. But even more than that, our scripture this morning lets us know that we are “stewards” of God’s mysteries. So let us talk this morning about what this means, and how we are called to live this out.
I. The Mysteries of God- (John 16:7, 13, 1:12; Col. 1:18-20, 25-28;
Deuteronomy 7:8; Romans 3:24)
a. God’s revelation- The truth about God and God’s truth, is that
they are mysterious, but not hidden. That is, they are not hidden to those who have received Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. When we accept Jesus as our Savior, and follow Jesus as our Lord, then we open ourselves to the guiding and leading of the Holy Spirit. When Jesus was getting ready to leave this earth, knowing that His time was short, knowing that He would be crucified on the cross, He tried to instruct the disciples on what all would happen. Jesus tried to help the disciples understand that it was actually a good thing that He would be leaving them.
Jesus says this in John 16:7, 13- “But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor (Holy Spirit) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you…But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.” One of the important roles of the Holy Spirit is to lead us into God’s truth; God’s revelation. As the creator of all things, of the world, of you and me, of the animals and plants, rocks and trees, and the universe, God knows how everything works and how everything fits together. God has designed the plan for all things.
So, while it is a mystery to you and me for the time being, it doesn’t have to stay a mystery. God desires to share this mystery with us. God wants us to know His plan and purpose, His revelation for the world and all that is in it. The apostle Paul knew this, and that is why he tells us in Colossians 1:18-20 and 25-28, “And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. 19For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross…” As I said before, it starts with us being reconciled to God by Jesus’ blood being shed on the cross for us, as a sacrifice for our sins. Once we accept this, we are then restored in our relationship to God, and can be a part of all that God has for us to know and to do.
The apostle Paul goes on to say: “I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— 26the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the saints. 27To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ.” For many, the mystery was that everyone would be included in God’s kingdom; Jews and non-Jews alike. This is why God could make the promise to Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, because the Gentiles would be part of this “In the New Testament we are told that the Gentiles are a part of this “many nations.” To be part of this family, which is God’s family, only requires that we accept what Jesus has done for us, and let Jesus save us. In this we become children of God, and have Christ within us.
b. God’s redemptive will- On top of this, God does not leave us to
guess at His will. God has a redemptive will for the world and for you and me. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO HAVE A REDEMPTIVE WILL? In general, we see how in ancient times, when prisoners were taken in battle, it was made known that the prisoners would be released on payment of a price. This process was called redemption, and the price was a ransom. Likewise, this process of redemption and ransom was applied to slaves as well. Slaves could be liberated; redeemed.
In the Bible, we can go back to the Old Testament and see redemption take place as well. The whole story of the Exodus is a redemption story. Israel, God’s people, have been taken into captivity by the Egyptians. They have become slaves. This slavery makes it difficult for them to follow God, worship God, and live for God. They cry out to God and God hears their cry. Through Moses, God enables the Israelites to be redeemed from their slavery. We read of this in Deuteronomy 7:8- “But it was because the LORD loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt.”
When we get to the New Testament, redemption is talked about more in terms of our sin; we are slaves to our sin, and in need of redemption from our sin. And so Christ died on the cross to redeem us; to pay the ransom price. That is why the apostle Paul responds to the truth of our sin with Romans 3:24- “We are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”
II. Being Stewards of the Mysteries- (1 Cor. 6:20, 4:1-2, 2:7-14; Ephesians 5:15-17; Romans 12:1-2)
a. What is required- Because we have been redeemed, we can know
the mysteries of God. But knowing isn’t enough. There is a responsibility that comes with our redemption. As 1 Corinthians 6:20 tells us: “You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” Our redemption needs to be understood in terms of our every day experience. As redeemed, we belong to God and are called to live as God calls us to live; as God created us to live. As stewards of God’s mysteries.
Along with redeeming us, the Bible also talks about redeeming time. In Ephesians 5:15-17 we are told: “Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, 16making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. 17Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is.” God has redeemed us to live according to His will; to make the most of our life. And this can only come through relentless and consistent pursuit of God. Often our pride gets in the way of recognizing that God’s wisdom is far superior to our own.
Once we understand this, then we are compelled to share it with others. That’s why Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:7-14, “No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"— 10but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 14The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.”
Did you follow that? I know there is a lot there, but let me highlight just a few things. First, we are to speak God’s secret wisdom. And yet, when we speak this wisdom, we need to understand that those who are not of God cannot understand it, because it is spiritually discerned. So, second, we need to understand that not all Christians understand God’s secret wisdom; God’s mysteries. As we understand God’s mysteries, we need to be compelled to share it with others so that they can understand as well. And then third, we need to let the Spirit of God prepare us to learn and share even more mysteries of God. This is an ongoing process!
b. Not conforming to the world- As we pursue God, and seek to be
stewards of the resources and mysteries of life, God will help to conform us to His perfect will. ILLUSTRATION: You may have heard me share this illustration before, but I want to share it again, because it fits well with our lesson. When a caterpillar is a caterpillar, it leads a very earth bound life. It cannot fly. It is not particularly beautiful. But then one day it comes time for it to turn into a butterfly. Once the caterpillar escapes the confines of the cocoon, it becomes a butterfly. As a butterfly, it is transformed. It is more beautiful, and can soar to greater heights.
Spiritually speaking, this is true for you and for me. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, and choose to let Him be our Lord, we escape our cocoon, and can fly to new heights. Be we have to allow ourselves to be transformed. As Paul tells us in Romans 12:1-2, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
To live out God’s will we have to know God’s will. But we will struggle to know God’s will until we allow God to transform us. This is part of God’s mystery. As long as we allow the world to influence our thinking, we will stay partly in the cocoon; we will not be transformed. We have to give up our earthly understanding, and our earthly desires, and begin to see things with an eternal perspective; with God’s perspective. God will use our relentless pursuit of being stewards of His mysteries to close the gap between our flawed understanding and God’s perfect will.
The more we open ourselves to the mysteries of God, the more we will see like God wants us to see, with the eyes of God. And when this happens, we will start living as God’s servants. In our scripture reading this morning, the apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 4:1-2, “So then, men ought to regard us as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the secret things of God. 2Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.” We will know that we are understanding the mysteries of God and being stewards of the mysteries of God when others see that we understand the “secret things of God.” We will find ourselves understanding what others don’t understand!
Conclusion: (Go back to the Play Doh) Looking again at this Play Doh figure I made, we can see that it is not a beautiful creation. But if I allowed a real artist to put his or her hands on it, they could turn it into a beautiful creation. When we give ourselves over to God, we put ourselves in the hands of a real artist. God not only shapes who we are, from the inside out, but also shapes our minds. God transforms us by giving us the mind of Christ, and leads us to understand more and more.
Have you ever been trying to read an instruction manual, and you’re not understanding what needs to be done; And you start to get frustrated; Then you choose to read the instructions one more time, and a light bulb goes on, and you seem to understand? This understanding is a wonderful place to be. This is what happens when we allow God’s Spirit to work in and through us. We understand what life is about. We understand what our relationship with God is all about. We understand what eternity is all about. I hope you will seek “unwavering conformity” to be like Christ, in mind, body, and spirit, this day and every day. Amen.
posted by Logan's Blog at 1:14 PM
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