 Welcome back everyone. So we continue from where we stopped in verse 6 and 7 of chapter 2. So we see here that all is contrasting between the current position of these people, the rulers of this age are coming to nothing. And he says, so don't, don't seek the wisdom of this age because those who are in power, those who are the influencers in the current time are going to come to nothing. So their end will be that they will be destroyed and their wisdom will be destroyed. So the wisdom that these people are pursuing, that is being pursued within the culture and within the church is something that is short-lived and will pass out with time. But the wisdom of God is eternal. And so he says the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages. So this is a wisdom that that surpasses time. So before creation, before anything was made, the wisdom of God was in existence. And this wisdom of God is what has been revealed to us now and is what Paul says is what I'm preaching to you is that wisdom that surpasses time. So when he's talking about the rulers of this age, there are two groups of people that he could be referring to. Most likely, based on the context within which he's preaching, it seems that he's talking about the leaders of that time and the people who were in places of influence, the people who were in places of power. We can see actually if we look at the book of Luke and Acts that whenever it's talking about Jesus crucifixion, it's referring to the rulers and the leaders of that time and saying that they were the ones who crucified Jesus. So when we go into verse 8, it says, none of the rulers of this age knew, for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. So where he's talking about the rulers of this age, some people take that to mean even principalities and powers that the powers in the heavens or demonic powers that this is referring to that. But most likely from this context, he's talking more about the human leaders in that time. So we look at a few verses. We can someone read Acts 317. And then I'll have two more verses that you can read after that. And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of my spirit on all flesh, your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams. Okay. Sorry, sister. What was the reference that you read? Acts 2.17. Okay. Acts 3.17. Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance as did also your rulers. Okay. So we see here the same thing that Paul is talking about that the rulers of this age didn't know. And if they had known, they would not have crucified Christ. So here Peter in Acts 3.17 is saying the same thing that you all acted in ignorance. And, sister, can you also read Acts chapter 4 verses 26 and 27. The kings of the earth took their stand and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against his Christ. For truly against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed both Herod and Pontus Pilate with the Gentiles and the people of Israel were gathered together. So we see within this, all of these leaders, it was not only political leaders, it was religious leaders as well. So these were the people who acted in ignorance. These were the people who didn't understand the wisdom of God and they didn't recognize who Christ was. And so because of that, they, in their ignorance, they crucified Christ. Right. And so they didn't recognize the wisdom of God. Although they were the people in power, they were the people who looked up, especially the religious leaders, right? They were looked up to by the people as the people with wisdom, the people with understanding of the scriptures, with an understanding of who God is. But these are the people who didn't recognize Christ and they didn't recognize God's wisdom being displayed in and through Christ. And so they crucified, they crucified what they described as the Lord of glory, but Paul describes the Lord of glory. So when Christ, when Jesus is described as the Lord of glory, he is being described as someone who has the power to both have glory as well as share glory with others. And what we can see before this is Paul talking about glory as something that people were seeking, right? When they were seeking to identify themselves with a certain leader or they were seeking the wisdom of the world, they were looking for glory in those things. But what Paul is saying is Jesus is the Lord of glory. And so true glory belongs to him. And if we are to have glory, we must be in Christ because he's the one who can give us glory. And we shared in his glory. Let's go on to verse 9 says, But as it is written, I has not seen nor year third nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love him. Now this is a quotation from Isaiah 64. We have that in our notes. If someone can read Isaiah 64 for you can read it from the notes or from your Bible, Isaiah 64. But as it is written, I has not seen nor year third nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love him. Yes. So Paul is quoting this verse from Isaiah 64. And this chapter in Isaiah actually is a cry of the Israelites asking God to restore them and forgive their sins. So if you read the whole chapter, it's asking God to come back and act on their behalf like he has acted in the past. So in the past, God had rescued them. God had responded to their cries. He had responded to their prayers. And so he's saying, once again, come and restore us from this place of brokenness that we have entered into because of our own sin. And so when Peter, but Paul is quoting this verse here, we also take into account the context of Isaiah 64 where they are calling out for someone to save them from their sins and restore them. And we find that answer in Jesus. And it is through the Holy Spirit that we know that Jesus is the one who fulfills that cry for restoration. And so as we go into verse 10, that is what Paul will go into. God has revealed them to us through his spirit for the spirit searches all things. Yes, the deep things of God. So this understanding of who Christ is and what the cross has to offer us comes through the Holy Spirit. So it is not the wisdom of this world. It is not those who are considered wise in this world who can understand these things. It is through the Holy Spirit that these things are understood because the Holy Spirit reveals to us the deep things of God. And so not only in coming to salvation, but also as we continue to live as believers, we can depend on the Holy Spirit to reveal to us the deep things of God so that we are continuing to grow in faith. We're continuing to grow from grace to grace in Christ. So there's a little prayer here. It says, Dear Father, reveal to me by your spirit the things you have prepared for me. Help me to receive revelation of your plans and purposes by your spirit. So this is something that we can be praying daily as we walk in Christ, as we walk in the spirit, asking the Holy Spirit to reveal the things that God has prepared for us. Asking the Holy Spirit to reveal God's plans and purposes for us as the Holy Spirit is in us, that the Holy Spirit would enable us to know what our God's plans and purposes for us. And then the last two verses. Oh, actually, this is not what we read, right? In some degree, verses 11 and 12, please, of Chapter 2. Verse 11, for what man knows the things of the man except the spirit of the man which is in him. Even so, no one knows the things of God except the spirit of God was tough. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God. So again, here Paul is reminding them that his understanding comes through the spirit of God who is in us. And that's the beautiful thing, that the Holy Spirit lives in us and the Holy Spirit reveals truth to us. The Holy Spirit enables us to understand and perceive things of God. And so it is not by our own wisdom. So that thought is constantly repeated here. Paul is constantly telling them, don't depend on the wisdom of this world. Don't depend on your own wisdom or Cuban wisdom. It is the Holy Spirit who will enable you to know the things of God. Just as our own spirit is within us, know what our thoughts are, know our heart, what's in our heart. Just like that the Holy Spirit comes from God and reveals to us the thoughts and the heart of God. So there's a little line here on page 23. This is something that we can all say together if we can all turn to page 23 in your notes. Yep, everyone on page 23. We can say this together. I have received the spirit of God so that I might know the things God has freely given to me. Maybe you can say that once again just in case you didn't know where to look. Let's read that together. I have received the spirit of God so that I might know things God has freely given to me. And so as we walk in Christ, as we have been saved, we also have the confidence that the Holy Spirit will continue to reveal the things of God to us and continue to give us discernment of what is of God and what is not of God, what is of human wisdom and what is of divine wisdom. And we can distinguish between those things and we can choose the things of God over what is considered as wise in people's eyes. Let's go on to verse 13 to 16. Someone read those verses please. Verse 13. These things we also speak not in words which means with them teaches us which the Holy Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual works working. But the natural man does not receive the things of the spirit of God for they are foolishness to him nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned. Verse 15. But we have, but he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. Verse 16. For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him, but we have the mind of Christ. Thank you. So Paul is saying not only do we understand the things of God by his spirit, but we also impact the things of God by his spirit. So when I am teaching you, when Paul was preaching, we are only able to teach because of the Holy Spirit giving us the understanding and giving us the words to speak to be able to teach you spiritual things. So not only the receiver, but also the giver has to do it by the spirit of God. So this is another thing that Paul is shifting their attention or their gaze from they were looking at Paul's accomplishments or Paul's abilities as a creature. Paul is saying, listen, the only reason I'm able to share these things with you is because the Holy Spirit taught me and the Holy Spirit gave me the words to speak to you. So it's not, it's not my words. It's not my skill. It is the Holy Spirit who enabled me to teach you and so that is where your gaze should be. It should be on God, recognizing that God himself is the one teaching you. Whoever is standing before you, whoever the teacher is, it is God who is your teacher and God may use anybody, but you keep your eyes fixed on God, not on the human being that is standing before you. And then it was 14, he says, just like the Holy Spirit is the one giving me the words to teach you. The Holy Spirit will be the one who will give you the ability to receive what is being taught and will help you to discern what is true, what is right and what is not. So somebody may come to you with a lot of wisdom or a lot of persuasiveness, a lot of gifting in the area of preaching or maybe they're even doing miracles. There are signs and wonders, but that does not necessarily prove that what they're saying is true. Anyone miracles were performed even by the sorcerers in Egypt. So it was not, it's not the signs and wonders that draw us to God. It is the Holy Spirit revealing to us, this is true. This is of me and when what is being taught resonates with what is in the Word of God and the Holy Spirit shows you that, then you can accept what is being taught as something that is coming from God and something that is true and something that you can accept and receive for yourself. And so verse 15 says, he who is spiritual judges all things, but he himself is rightly judged. And when we are receiving these messages, we are able to judge what we are hearing because of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the teacher, the Holy Spirit helps the person receiving it and the Holy Spirit enables you to judge whether what is coming to you is true, whether it is of God. But the one who is spiritual is not judged by anyone else. Now Paul is saying this almost to them like, you cannot judge me because you are judging on human standards. Whereas I am someone who is speaking by the Spirit. So he is saying the spiritual person cannot be judged by anybody because who can instruct the Lord. So when I am a spiritual person, when I am filled with the Holy Spirit, I am speaking by the Spirit of God. So you cannot judge me by human wisdom because human wisdom has no place in the presence of God. There is no place for human wisdom to judge the wisdom of God. So verse 16, who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him, but we have the mind of Christ. Verse 16 is from Isaiah 40 verse 13. So that is a quotation from Isaiah 40. Here in that chapter in Isaiah 40, the Israelites are complaining that God doesn't see them. God doesn't recognize their suffering. And Isaiah says, God is so much greater than all of creation. He is the one who holds creation together. So how can you come to God and question God, instead put your trust in him. And when you put your trust in him, you will find supernatural strength to carry you through the things that you are suffering. So in that same way, we as humans cannot judge God. But only through the Spirit of Christ is when we can judge between what is right and wrong. So it is the Holy Spirit who gives us the ability to judge. So with that, we've come to the end of chapter 2. We'll move into chapter 3. Here again, we have this chapter divided into four sections. And the first part he's talking about what he sees within the church, within these believers. He's calling them immature because of the divisions that exist within the church. And then he calls them to unity because we are all co-authors with God. The third part he says, as we are working with Christ, we should be careful what we are using to build the things that we are doing. So the kind of work that we're doing, the quality of the work that we're doing. We should be careful and make sure that the work that we are doing is truly filled with God's Spirit. And then the last part is to call them back to unity because the division that is in the church is not of God. And it's actually defiling the temple of God, which is the body of Christ. So we look at as much as we can today. Can someone read verses 1 to 4 of chapter 3 please? And I, brethren, would not speak to you as to spiritual people but to as to cardinal, as to the babies in Christ. I fed you with milk and not with salty food. Until now you were not able to receive it. And even now you are still not able. For you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife and divisions among you, you are not carnal and not believing like me I mean. For where anyone says I am of Paul and another answers I am of Apollos. Are you not carnal? Thank you. So previously in chapter 2 Paul said we do speak a word of wisdom but we speak that word of wisdom to those who are mature. He says the reason why I didn't come to you with that kind of message is because you were still babies and in fact you are still continuing in the same day. You are still immature in your faith and the evidence of the immaturity is the division that exists between them. The division that exists based on who their leaders are in the church. So James in the book of James we actually see a very similar kind of teaching if someone can read James 313 to 18 just to see what James talks about similar to what Paul is saying here. James 313 to 18. Who is wise and understanding among you, let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the making of wisdom. But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts do not boost or lie among the truth. Amongst the truth, this wisdom does not descend from above but it is but is earthly, sensual and demonic. For where envy and self-seeking exists confusion and every evil thing are there. But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, willing to yield full of mercy and good fruits without partiality and without hypocrisy. Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. Thank you. Thank you. So we can see what James says. Such wisdom does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual and demonic. Right? So it's the same kind of teaching that Paul is saying here. When you are dividing over your human leaders whom God has sent to you, you are not walking in the spirit. Rather you are walking in the flesh. That is you are acting like the rest of the world. Not like people who are filled with the spirit of God. And so even as believers, even though we have God's spirit in us, if we are not allowing God to sanctify us and if we are walking in the flesh, if we are walking in envy or in jealousy or there's division amongst us, then we are revealing our own immaturity in Christ. So we might be filled with the spirit but we are revealing that we are not walking in the spirit, rather we are walking in the flesh. So this is possible even for believers. All of these people in the Corinthian church were believers but allowing all of these things to come into the church had made them immature and had made them walk in their own flesh in the things of the world, rather in the wisdom of God, rather than in the wisdom of God. So in this culture in that time, in the Greek culture, it was very common for people to be defied. So to treat someone like they were God or to view someone as if they are divine. And this was based on their wisdom, based on their virtue, based on their power as leaders. These kinds of things would make people worship them or treat them like God. So Paul is saying you're living in a culture where this is common and in fact that is what they were doing with Paul and Apollos, right? When they were putting Paul, Apollos, Cephas, Christ, they're fighting over all of these people. They're actually defying Paul and Apollos and saying like, I'm choosing Paul over Christ, I'm choosing Apollos over Christ. Paul is saying you are on the other extreme. On one side you are making people divine but you yourself are acting completely fleshly, completely foolish and acting in complete human thinking rather than in divine thinking by entering into this kind of division over your leaders. Verse 5-10, anyone want to read that? Verse 5-10, who then is Paul and who is Apollos but minister through whom you believe as the Lord gave to each one? I planted Apollos but God gave the increase so then neither he who plants is anything nor he who waters but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one and each one will receive his own reward according to his own label. For we are God's fellow workers, you are God's field, you are God's building. According to the grace of God which was given to me as a wise master builder, I have laid the foundation and another builds on it but let each one take it how he builds on it. So you see here that Paul is laying some foundations for the way we are to minister when we are placed in opportunities or given a position where we are ministering to people and how we are to respond to those who are ministering to us. So he says, the Lord gave you these people, Paul and Apollos was sent by God to you to do the work that he wanted. And we were just carrying out the work that God had entrusted to us. So what we did is nothing. We just did that work that was entrusted to us. But God is the one who gives us the increase. God is the one who causes what we have done to bear fruit. And so he is the one who should receive glory. We are simply working with God and working with one another for the purposes of God. So this is where our unity comes in. That all of us are working towards a common goal. As ministers of God, we are working together towards a common goal. And as fellow believers, we are moving towards a common goal. And so that is where our unity should be as ministers and as a body of Christ. All of this is done for the glory of God, for the kingdom of God to be established. And that is our primary purpose. That is the goal towards which we are all moving. And then he says each of us is given a grace and each of us is given specific work that is entrusted to us. And the grace to carry out that work. So all we are doing is doing the work that God has given to us and God has called us to. And that is our responsibility. Now two things that he calls the church. He calls the church God's field and God's building. So in the work of ministry, what we are doing is nurturing the seeds that are sown and enabling them to grow and bear fruit. And we are also building people up so that they can grow and become more mature in Christ. We see John 4 verses 35 to 38 that Jesus talks about this in a very similar way. He says, do you not say there are still four months and then comes the harvest? Behold, I say to lift up your eyes and look at the fields, but they are already white for harvest. And he who heaps receives wages and gathers fruit for eternal life. That both he who sows and he who heaps may rejoice together. We see that there's one person reaping. There's one person sowing. But at the time of harvest, they both rejoice. There's no competition between the people who are working because they're both working towards the same goal. For in this, the saying is true. One sows and another reaps. But I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored. Others have labored and you have entered into their labors. This is something for us as we do all kinds of ministry. There is a sense of comparison that happens between different ministers, different ministries. How many people are going to this church? How many people are being saved? What is the kind of response you're getting? There's so much comparison, there's so much competition between churches, between ministries. Sometimes even within ministries in the church. But this is a call to say, we are not here for ourselves for our individual goals or for our individual glory. We are all here working towards building of God s kingdom and towards building of God s church. And that is our format goal and our one purpose. There's no place for competition, there's no place for comparison, there's no place for jealousy or envy. We should be rejoicing with one another. When we are seeing fruit being born, when we are seeing our labor being off, there should be rejoicing together. Even if you were not the one to reap the harvest. If you were just the one sowing, you can still rejoice with the harvest because you are all working towards the same end goal. And we see Paul saying that he was given the grace to be the wise master builder. So Paul was given the grace for a very specific purpose. That was to lay the foundation as someone who was gifted as a kind year to go and start new churches. That was the gift and the grace that had been placed on him. And Paul was gifted in another way. He was gifted to preach and to encourage the believers to help them grow in their faith. So each person has a grace based on their calling and what God wants to fulfill through them. And we are able to press in and rely more on God's grace and do more things for God based on our willingness to go there. So as far as we are willing to go, rely on God's grace, try out things that God is calling us to. We are able to see God's grace, bear more fruit in our lives. But for our specific calls, God has given us grace to fulfill those calling us. Let's go to verse 11 to 15. Somebody give that for us. 11. For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear. For the day will declare it because it will be revealed by fire and the fire will test each one's work or what thought it is. All if anyone's work which he has built on it and yours, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss. But he himself will be saved yet so as cool fire. The foundation for all our ministry is Jesus Christ. So that is the foundation that will be laid. There is no other foundation that will last. If we are building it on people, if we are building it on our own gifts or on our own charisma, anything else that is the foundation of our work, if it is not Jesus, it will not last. When challenges come, when there is any kind of persecution or anything that comes against that foundation will break down. And so it is important to keep that in mind that Jesus Christ is the foundation and so that is whom we will preach to people. We will preach Jesus to people. We will constantly point people back to Jesus because we want people to be trusting in Jesus. We want people to be always looking at Jesus, always recognizing that Jesus is the one they are following. They are not following the ministry, they are not following the minister or the leader, they are following Jesus. And when that foundation is very clear and is firmly based, then everything else that is built upon that, even if it is not us building, somebody else comes in and builds, it will hold together because everyone is basing whatever they are doing on Jesus. But if it is based on a leader, once that leader goes away, the work stops. There is no further building that can happen on it because everyone will follow that leader wherever they go. Or if the leader falls for some reason, they have turned away from what they believe or they have sinned or whatever, they have turned away from the faith. Something like that happens and people had come to faith based on that leader. As soon as that leader falls, the whole ministry and everything that they were doing will fall with them. So for all of us, as we are ministering in whatever context we are in, the foundation is Jesus. And that is whom we will preach, that is whom we will point people to. That is whom we will constantly go back to. Throughout our ministry, we will constantly turn people back to Jesus, not to ourselves or to anyone else. And then whatever is built on that foundation, anything can be used to build on that foundation. So Paul talks about different material that can be used. So it can be used gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw. But whatever it is that's used to build on that work will be revealed when Jesus comes to judge. So it's not for human beings to judge the work that is being done. So the church in cotton was standing in judgment of Paul and saying things about the work that he was doing, saying things about the work that Paul was doing. So they were standing in judgment on his work. But he is saying it is not for any of us to judge because we don't know the material that this person has used. We don't know how good the quality is. The day we will know what method was really work that was of good quality is when Jesus comes. Because he is the one who will judge the work. And when it is passed through the fire of his judgment, it will prove to be something that was of God or something that was of human wisdom. So if it was of God, it will last. If it was of human wisdom, it will be destroyed. Because like we read earlier, the wisdom of God is before time began. But human wisdom will pass away. The rulers of this age are coming to nothing. So the wisdom of this age is coming to nothing. The wisdom of God is before time. And so the work that is done will be proved for what it is when God comes, when Jesus comes to judge us. And each of us will receive a reward according to the work we did. So if we did work that was spirit-filled, that was spirit-led, spirit-motivated, that was what God wanted, then there will be a reward for us. But if we did things in our own wisdom that was to fulfill our own fleshly desires, if we were looking for praise, if we were looking to satisfy our own heart's desires, then when that work is tested, it will be destroyed and there will be no reward for us. We will still be saved because our faith was in Jesus, but there will be no reward for us beyond that salvation. Any thoughts that you would like to share, any insights from these passages that we've read so far? Anything that you've learned, anything new that you saw in these chapters that you've put it in? Members 13. Yes. Now verse 12, which says, now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, gays, straw, just curiosity, like why gold, why silver, precious stones, and what does it represent? Okay. So I don't think each of those things, there's any like specific significance to each of the materials that he mentions. The main thing he's trying to say is gold, silver, costly stones are things that are of high value and things that would withstand testing. Whereas wood, hay, or straw, if they are passed through the fire, they will burn them. So that's the main difference that he's trying to highlight. So it says in verse 13, it will be revealed with fire, the fire will test the quality of each person's work. So based on what this person has done, how good is the work that they did, their reward will be accordingly given. But if it is of low quality, if they use cheap material, it was something that is completely of human wisdom, then it will not last. And it will only be proved on the day that Jesus comes. Nobody now can judge. So you can all look at so many things, it may be going really well, it may look very impressive, but we don't know the heart of the person who's doing that ministry. We don't know what is their goal. We don't know what is motivating them. And so if all of this work is being done for their own glory or being done with their own agendas, then Jesus is the only one who will be able to judge and be able to give them their just reward. Thank you, Ma'am. You're welcome. So in chapter 2 verse 8, it says, none of the rulers of this age recognized and understood this system. I just want to note this, rulers, I think you've told us, actually I didn't get it right. What the rulers of this age actually mean? Does it talk about who crucified Jesus on the cross or does it influence everyone through our actions? We are crucifying the Lord. What does this face actually mean, the rulers of this age? Yes, so that's chapter 2 verse 8, none of the rulers of this age understood it. For if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. And what Paul is talking about is none of the rulers of this age understood God's wisdom. So it was said and he's talking about that, right? He declared God's wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and God destined for our glory before time began. So no one understood God's wisdom and its mystery that was being revealed in Jesus. So God's wisdom that was before time was being revealed in Jesus and none of the rulers of that time were able to understand it. And so they crucified Jesus. So the rulers of this age, again, Paul is doing two things with this. One is he is bringing down the people who are elevated in the minds of this church, right? So they are pursuing the wisdom of that age. They are pursuing the wisdom of the philosophers, the wisdom of those who said like you should be able to preach in a way that is impressive. You should be able to present your view or the truth that you are proclaiming in a way that satisfies our intellect, right? So those were the things that the rulers of that time were pursuing. So here he's saying you're pursuing this kind of wisdom, but that wisdom wasn't able to understand who Jesus is and they couldn't understand Jesus. That's why they crucified him. So when you are pursuing it, you are rejecting the wisdom of God and trying to go after human wisdom. So that is one aspect of what Paul is saying. The other aspect is the actual physical humans that crucified Jesus. So we looked at Acts 3 and 4. Okay, Acts 3 and 4 talks about their Peter repeatedly goes back to when Peter's preaching to the people in Acts 2. He talks about rulers of this age did not recognize which Jesus was. They acted in ignorance and they crucified him. And then in 3 and 4, it's the same thing. Talking about the rulers and the leaders of that time, dealing with people who had crucified Jesus. So Paul is kind of using the same language. So these are the human leaders and they didn't understand it and that's why they crucified Jesus. Okay, I think we are out of time. If anyone has any questions, we will look at it when we gather next week or you can post it on Google Classroom and we will answer it. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you ma'am.