1 Cor. 12:4-11 Word of Wisdom & Word of Knowledge.
Intro Last Sunday night we had a general intro to the subject of spiritual
gifts. Looking at verses 1-11
A) We began by noting that Paul said that he didn’t want us to be ignorant-3 fold definition of that word IGNORANT
B) 1st Don’t
ignore – Don’t say that they don’t exist Don’t say not for today-abuses
(Paul’s approach w/Corinth – here is how they function)
2nd Don’t be unaware
– Don’t be UNAWARE Instead need to
understand – purpose function -
1)
What
they are & how they are to work
(not free for all)
3rd
Need to have a working Knowledge – Knowledge
by experience –
1)Need
to be active!!!!
Then we also noted in verses 4-6 that there is a Diversity
within the Gifts
A)There are different gifts
– they are not all the same /
VARIETY VARIOUS KINDS
B)There are different
ministries or operations of those gifts – not going to work the same
way all the time.
1) Work differently in different situations as we
will see tonight
C) And there are Different activities or expressions
of those gifts because the Vessels that God uses are Different.
1) Example in teaching of Gayle Erwin
& Pastor Chuck – same gift
A)The word MANIFESTATION = a shining forth, an expression.
C) SO Spiritual gifts are in reality a shining
forth of the Holy Spirit.
D)They are an expression NOT of man’s ability but an expression of the person and power of the Holy Spirit.
One
commentator said that the term manifestation
can literally be understood to mean that
which may be laid hold of by hand.
A)
The
OXFORD dictionary defines manifestation
as: to show plainly to the eye or mind.
B)
Interesting
because the Holy Spirit is always with us and we gather together in His
name. He is here in our midst ( 2 or more…)
1) But He is clearly revealed to the senses through
the gifts of the Spirit.
Then we talked about the PURPOSE
OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS Verse 7 But the
manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for
the profit of all:
A) Given to Bless / Build up the body of Christ
C)
Then
we talked about how we were to Desire the Best gifts – Best gift was relative
term – the one that best fits the need at hand
D)
Tonight
we want to begin to look at the gifts –
Tonight we will look at the Gifts of the Word Of Wisdom
& Word of Knowledge. (Break down
our outline.)
A)
Definition Of the Gift Seen in
OT / Seen in NT / Seen in the
Church setting seen in individual setting – (well rounded perspective.)
B) 1st THE WORD OF WISDOM 1 Corinthians 12:8 For to
one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom.
C) Before we define what a word of wisdom is – we
should note that There is a difference between KNOWLEDGE and WISDOM.
A)
KNOWLEDGE has to do with FACTS while WISDOM tells you what to do
with those facts. Wisdom is the
Application of Knowledge.
QUOTE: Myer Pearlman (One of the early Pentecostal movement’s finest Bible
expositors) - “Knowledge
is insight into Divine things, and Wisdom is the skill which regulates
Christian life according to its foundation principles.”
Aa) So Wisdom is the power
of rightly using knowledge. Wisdom is application of knowledge.
B)
That
is why these gifts often work in conjunction with each other.
C)
So
the gift of the word of wisdom is NOT a vast reservoir of wisdom that God gives
to you that you can draw upon at will.
D) It is an anointing of the Spirit that comes upon you in time of need giving to you the wisdom to rightly apply knowledge in a given situation.
1)
It is supernatural wisdom given in a certain situation / something that
didn’t come from you – (something you studied)
D)
And
as we look at the Biblical examples of the Word Of Wisdom, we see that it is a
timely word that is spoken which defuses
tension, resolves an issue, or settles differences.
1st The
Word Of Wisdom In The Old Testament
A) CLASSIC
ILLUSTRATION IN THE LIFE OF SOLOMON -
B) This man
who had received wisdom from God above any other man that ever lived
1) But in 1
Kings 3 we see a situation that took place in his life /
where a word of Wisdom was in operation
C) Problem: Two
women came to Solomon claiming to be the mother of the same child.
1) Both had
babies- one rolled over in night suffocated her baby – took the other woman’s
D) Dispute –
Mine / no she stole it / - Solomon
responded by saying, “Bring me a sword
– cut baby in two
1)
False
mom said, “Great-Divide him” / But the real mom said, “No!
Let her
have the baby.
E) Now this
was a word of wisdom – I don’t care how smart a person is, we just don’t come
up with things like this
1) What if it didn’t work? What if they
both said – OK!!! I take top half
F) POINT
God’s Wisdom always works!!!!!!
2nd THE WORD OF WISDOM IN THE NT (Turn to Acts 15
A) In Acts
15 a problem had arisen among the believers in Antioch because of certain men
who had come from Jerusalem that were legalistic Jews.
B) They saw
the liberties that the Gentile believers had in Jesus.
1) They told the believers in Antioch that they
could NOT be saved unless they were circumcised.
C) These
guys represented themselves as official representatives of the Church in
Jerusalem.
1)
So
Paul and Barnabas went to Jerusalem to meet with all of the
elders
& settle this issue once and for all.
D) Now This was a very sticky
problem. It was a very DIVISIVE issue
in the Church. There was some heavy
discussions -
E) Paul,
being the champion of Grace, said that you did NOT have to keep the Mosaic Law
to be saved,/ others insisted must keep the law ….saved
F) This dispute could have caused a
major split in the early Church. There
is a danger that at this point the Church could have split in two.
1) Peter
stood up and testified of how God had worked to save the Gentiles.
Acts
15:7-12 7 “Men
and brethren, you know that a good while ago God chose among us, that by my
mouth the Gentiles should hear the word of the gospel and believe.”8 “So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged
them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us,”9 “and made no distinction between us and
them, purifying their hearts by faith.”
10 “Now therefore,
why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which
neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
But we believe that through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ we shall
be saved in the same manner as they.”
Word
Of wisdomàDiffused a tense situation That statement
was a word of Wisdom given to Peter Don’t put yoke of bondage on them able to bear.
11 Then all the
multitude kept silent and listened to Barnabas and Paul declaring how many
miracles and wonders God had worked through them among the Gentiles.
15 V13 After they were done James arose &
spoke, V.13-22 Read
Now Notice The
response of the elders to this Word of Wisdom.
Acts 15:22 Then it pleased the
apostles and elders.
A) Those Words of wisdom given defused an explosive situation.
Now, THE WORD OF
WOSDOM in the CHURCH
1st IN
THE LIFE OF THE PASTOR TEACHER – A VITAL GIFT
A) Without a doubt, one of the most vital ministries
within the church is that of TEACHING and PREACHING the Word of God.
B) Model of the Early Church – “they continued steadfastly in the apostle’s doctrine,
teaching, fellowship, & breaking bread.”
C) It is VITAL for the spiritual GROWTH
of the individual believer and thus the growth of the Body Of Christ.
1) It is VITAL for the EQUIPPING of the saints
for the work of the ministry (Ephesians 4 ).
Apostles / prophets / evangelist / Pastor / teacher
D) And whenever the Church has given prominence to the preaching and
teaching of the word of God it has been strong.
E) But
whenever it has left this priority and replaced it with a preoccupation with
signs and wonders
1)
or
with other programs (social work or political involvement), the church has
declined in its effectiveness.
F) A gift
that is often seen in preaching & teaching is Word of Wisdom because
teaching is vital to the growth and equipping of the saints.
In the course of
a message something can be communicated that is the perfect solution to a
problem going on in your life.
A) That was exactly what you needed to hear –
You cam in with some questions – left with answers
B) Couple of
weeks ago before 2nd service – a sister said to me – Would you talk to someone else but me today
– (caught me off guard)
C) I get that every week – people saying right to me – reading
my mail – phone tapped
1)
My
favorite – We were talking about that very thing driving here &
didn’t
quite understand – You talked about that.
D) It could be application of a certain passage that
comes ALIVE!!!
1)Something
didn’t understand – That makes perfect sense now
(Really awesome-I didn’t understand it.
God imparts wisdom-
ALSO SEEN IN
COUNSELING-
A) No clue –
what to answer – God gives supernatural insight – amazing!
B) Another example in Church setting – Alan Osborn
in leaders meeting was really leading – Now that we can’t I think He is into it
THE WORD OF
KNOWLEDGE / WHAT IT IS/ WHAT IT IS NOT
1st WHAT IT IS NOT:
A) We noted
that the word of wisdom is NOT a vast reservoir of wisdom that you
can draw upon whenever you want.
B) But it is an ANOINTING OF THE SPIRIT in time of need giving the power to rightly apply knowledge in the settling of issues
1) or
in the understanding of the mysteries of
God.
C) So too, the word of knowledge is NOT a vast
reservoir of information that can be tapped into at anytime.
WHAT IT IS:
A)
The
WORD
OF KNOWLEDGE is the DIVINE IMPARTING OF KNOWLEDGE concerning a person
or a situation that you could NOT know unless the Lord gave you that
information.
B)
IT IS KNOWLEDGE GIVEN YOU
THAT YOU WOULDN’T NORMALLY HAVE
C) It is a
manifestation of the Spirit that often times operates without your even being
aware that it is in operation.
You might say something and people will ask
themselves: “Who told him?
EXAMPLE OF THE WORD OF KNOWLEDGE IN THE
OLD TEST.
A) In the life of Elisha/ In 2 Kings 5 We read of a captain of the Syrian army named Naaman, who was a leper. He was a brilliant military man
B) It was told him by an Israelite woman
(that was enslaved by the Syrians) that there was a man in Israel who could
heal him.
1) So he went – wash 7 times …. healed
C) Naaman
praised God- wanted to bless Elisha
with some gifts & payment / Elisha refused.
D) But
Gehazi later went – my master changed his mind !!!!
2 Kings 5:25 Now he went in
and stood before his master. Elisha
said to him, “Where did you go,
Gehazi?” And he said, “Your servant did not go anywhere.” The he said to him, “Did not my heart go
with you when the man turned back from his chariot to meet you? Is it time to receive money and to receive
clothing, olive groves and vineyards, sheep and oxen, male and female servants?
BUSTED !!!!!!!!
- MOTHERS HAVE THIS GIFT
!!!!!!!!!
A)
Now
Elisha did NOT possess some unlimited reservoir of knowledge. He only received such knowledge as the Lord
would impart to him.
A)
ANNANIAS
& SAPHIRA
IN THE
CHURCH – PASTOR TEACHER
A)
Direct
insight into a person’s life – Teaching:
You were describing my life to a tee!
B)
Friend
– You been telling him about me?
C)
Yet
it is a person you have never met before
D)
Describing
a situation that you knew nothing about
A) 1st in counseling – College gal – Came
to the Lord – prior to she was a real man Chaser – but no one gave her the time
of day.
C) WARNING – GUYS YOU HAVE BEEN INTERESTED IN ARE
SUDDENLY GOING TO BE INTERESTED IN YOU.
1)
SURE ENOUGH
In the Church
service – here is where often accompanied by words of Wisdom
A) Problem is presented – Word of Wisdom
B) Solution to the problem is also presented à Word of Knowledge