1 Corinthians 2:6-16 MSG
“We, of course, have plenty of wisdom to pass on to you once you get your feet on firm spiritual ground, but it’s not popular wisdom, the fashionable wisdom of high-priced experts that will be out-of-date in a year or so. God’s wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of His purposes. You don’t find it lying around on the surface. It’s not the latest message, but more like the oldest—what God determined as the way to bring out His best in us, long before we ever arrived on the scene. The experts of our day haven’t a clue about what this eternal plan is. If they had, they wouldn’t have killed the Master of the God-designed life on a cross. That’s why we have this Scripture text: “No one’s ever seen or heard anything like this, Never so much as imagined anything quite like it— What God has arranged for those who love him.”(Isaiah 6:4) But you’ve seen and heard it because God by his Spirit has brought it all out into the open before you.
“The unspiritual self, just as it is by nature, can’t receive the gifts of God’s Spirit. There’s no capacity for them. They seem like so much silliness. Spirit can be known only by spirit—God’s Spirit and our spirits in open communion. Spiritually alive, we have access to everything God’s Spirit is doing, and can’t be judged by unspiritual critics. Isaiah’s question, “Is there anyone around who knows God’s Spirit, anyone who knows what he is doing?”(Isaiah 40:13) has been answered: Christ knows, and we have Christ’s Spirit.”
Are you content with your life as it is right now? Why? Or why not? I would like to speak to those who profess faith in Jesus Christ. As we just read, there’s nothing in the Kingdom of God that is superficial. You always have to go deeper. This takes time and effort on our part. Whenever you meet someone for the first time, can you walk away and confidently say, “I know him/her?” Unless you’re God, the answer is no! In order to truly get to know someone you’ll need to spend quality time with them. Would you marry someone you didn’t know? Well most wouldn’t, but in the year of fast hookup I’ll have to reconsider my question.
Those types of relationships generally don’t end well. But even though we may “date” for a while, there’s no guarantee that relationship will pan out either. It takes sacrifice, time and a commitment to the relationship, to truly appreciate and enjoy fellowship with each other. If we’re serving Jesus on the surface, the relationship won’t end well either. You don’t know Him because you said a prayer, you don’t know Him because you attend church regularly, you don’t know Him because you keep the law perfectly, you don’t know Him because you tithe and you certainly don’t know Him because you read a few scriptures and pray. Mostly what church folks call relationship with Jesus is actually a casual dating game.
Growing in our relationship with Jesus requires a lifestyle of searching and going deeper into our commitment to Him and His Word. I know I just said reading and praying doesn’t imply knowing Him. I’m speaking to just reading enough to say you did or praying to fulfill your duty. That’s not fellowship. The deep things of God are never experienced in a hookup. God does not, and neither will we, reveal our deepest thoughts and secrets to strangers. Intimacy is only shared with one other person, prayerfully it’s your spouse 🤦♀️. Intimacy with God works in the same way. He said in Revelation 3:15 that He would rather we were hot or cold, because He can’t tolerate lukewarm. A tepid relationship is a drag on the emotions, it’s a drag spiritually as well.
If we’re not growing in our walk with Jesus, if we’re at the same place spiritually as we were even a year or month ago, we’re a spiritual drag. We can’t receive what is being taught because we’re still at the baby stage, trying to understand spiritual things with the natural human nature, when they can only be received by the renewed mind. Listen to these words: The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:7-8. In order for us to get the mind of Christ, we need to empty ourselves. The Holy Spirit has been given to us to teach us all things that pertain to godly living. Living not to ourselves but to God. Spending quality time, reading, reflection and prayer. I know I’ve covered this in another message; but it bears repeating.
We cannot date God. He is not good at one night stands, He’s not a part time lover. He enjoys intimacy. Spending time with Him, getting to know Him, requires sacrifice. If we invest that much time in earthly relationships that are here today and gone tomorrow, how much more should we invest in that which is eternal?
“What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.” Verse 12 of 1 Corinthians 2
We won’t know or understand what we’ve been given by remaining on the surface of our relationship with Jesus Christ. The Bible speaks a lot about seeking and searching. There’s a reason for that. We will always seek and search for what is important to us-What we consider priority.
Jesus famously said “Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also,” Matthew 6:21. So won’t you join me in going deeper? Don’t you want to know His secrets? The greatest love story is yet to be written: Your love story. The one you’ll find only in sweet intimacy and fellowship with Jesus. God started it by sending the Bridegroom and Lover of our souls, but your chapter will only be complete when you make the decision to go deeper. See His nailed scarred hands outstretched, grab it! Won’t you?
Heavenly Father in the Name of Jesus
I desire to go deeper. I understand that what you have for me goes beyond the surface of my human understanding. All things are given by Your Spirit to be received by my spirit, so we can be one. Reveal Yourself to me as I dedicate my life to knowing You better through fellowship and time spent in Your Word. I’ve only scratched the surface of all you have in store for me. Thank you for this great adventure called faith in Jesus Christ. Amen.
You are my treasure and my reward. Let nothing ever come before 🎼
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant