TEXT:  1 Cor. 2:1-5

INTRODUCTION:

A.      CONSIDERABLE MISUNDERSTANDING.

          1.       About how God chooses to manifest his infinite power.

          2.       About the working of the Holy Spirit.

                   - Aaron Knight's talk:  God too small. personal testimony

                   direct operation and indwelling of the Spirit.

                   - general reaction.

B.      THE QUESTION'S NOT "WHAT CAN GOD DO?" IT'S "HOW DOES HE

          CHOOSE TO DO IT?"

I.      WHERE DOES GOD MANIFEST HIS POWER?

        ( Rom. 1:16 )THE GOSPEL!

A.      IT IS GOD'S POWER TO SAVE( James 1:21 ).

          1.       God draws us( John 6:44-45 ).How?( 2 Thes. 2:14; 1 Cor. 1:21 ).

          2.       The saving power of the gospel( Rom. 1:16-17 ).

B.      IT IS GOD'S POWER TO PROTECT FROM SIN.

          1.       God provides a way( 1 Cor. 10:13 ).

          2.       That way is our faith( Eph. 6:16; 1 Pet. 1:5 ).

          3.       Rom. 10:17;  John 20:30-31.

C.      IT IS GOD'S POWER TO TRANSFORM( Titus 2:11-12; 2 Tim. 3:16-17 ).

D.      GOD'S POWER TO PREACH.

          1.       Can we wait for the Spirit to move us?( Mat. 10:19-20 ).

          2.       That's the apostles. What's said to preachers & teachers?

                   a.       2 Tim. 2:2. Where'd Timothy get his message( 3:14f. )

                   b.       2:15. Study, Study, STUDY!( 1 Tim. 4:7-8 ).

                   c.       1 Tim. 4:13-16. Neglect not!( Phil. 4:13 ).

II.     CONTEXT OF 1 Cor. 2:1-2.

A.      CONTRAST OF HUMAN WISDOM AND GOD'S PLAN.

          1.       What does man desire?( 1:22-23 ).

          2.       What does man respect?( 2:1 ).

          3.       Why?( Rom. 14:17 )...Gratification of the flesh.

B.      IN CONTEXT, WHAT IS THE WISDOM & POWER OF GOD?( 1:22-23 ).

          1.       What else did Paul say?( 2:2 ).

          2.       Upon what is the church founded?( 3:11;  Acts 18:4-5, 11 ).

III.    "IN" PASSAGES IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.

A.      PASSAGES TO NOTE:  Rom. 8:9, 11;  1 Cor. 6:19;  2 Tim. 1:14; 

          Eph. 5:18;  John 14:16-17 .

B.      NOTE ALSO: Eph. 6:18;  Rev. 1:10;  1 Cor. 12:3, 13.

C.      LITERAL MEANINGS & W.L.'S RATTLESNAKES.

D.      2 PASSAGES THAT HELP:

          1.       John 14:10. Working fellowship.

          2.       John 17:20-21. How are we to be one?( Eph. 4:1-16 ).

E.      EXPRESSES UNITY( 1 John 3:24 ). NOTHING MORE THAN 1:3-7.

F.      FELLOWSHIP WITH JESUS IN HIS DEATH( Rom. 6:3-4 ).

IV.   IN ANY FELLOWSHIP THERE IS A POINT OF CONTACT.

A.      INDWELLING RECEIVED UPON OBEYING THE WORD

          ( Acts 5:32;  Gal. 3:2 ).

B.      OUR POINT OF CONTACT WITH THE SPIRIT IS THE REVEALED WORD.

          THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF THE WORD THE SPIRIT DWELLS IN US.

          1.       Parallel passages( Eph. 5:18-19;  Col. 3:16 ).

          2.       The Bible itself is not the Spirit, but the means by which the Spirit

                   operates on us( Rom. 8:12-17;  Rev. 2:17 ).

          3.       We know we are saved when we obey( 1 John 2:3-5;  3:24 ).

                   a.       Rom. 8:16, The Spirit bears witness "with," not "to," our spirit.

                   b.       Eph. 1:13-14;  2 Cor. 1:22; 5:5,  "Sealed" with the "earnest" of the

                             Spirit.  God's pledge.  What is God's pledge to us?

                              ( Heb. 6:13-20;  2 Tim. 2:11-13 ).

          4.       The "fruit of the Spirit" is seen in our conforming our character to the

                   teaching of the word( Gal. 5:22-26 ).

IV.   THE GIFT OF THE SPIRIT.

A.      OFTEN ASKED, "DON'T YOU BELIEVE IN THE GIFT OF THE SPIRIT?"

B.      YES, BUT WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT TILL ANOTHER TIME( see #416 ).

CONCLUSION:  WE PERISH IN OUR IGNORANCE!