Temple Baptist Church - 5-19-2024
Acts 4:13; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31
Introduction:
A. What man thinks impresses God normally does not!
1. We do not see as God sees nor what God sees! Therefore, our “Measuring Stick” must be the Bible!
2. In Acts, chapter 2, we find the amazing portion of Scripture that records the fullness and power of the Holy Ghost that fell upon, indwelt, and impowered men to finish the word of the Messiah, Christ Jesus.
John 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
B. We are making a short study of the word “ignorant” in the Bible.
1. The word “ignorant” is found 17 times in your Bible: 3 times in the Old Testament and 14 times in the New Testament. I guess that the Old Testament saints were not as ignorant as the New Testament saints.
2. Ignorance defined: a lack of knowledge or information. In our days, the word “ignorance” has become a word for lack of intelligence.
3. The Bible does not use “ignorance” in that way. Ignorance can be importance if the ignorance is not willful.
4. Ignorance is the foundation for discovery and invention. Without ignorance, there would be no desire to learn and obtain knowledge.
C. Our verse for this morning tells us of the astonishment of these highly revered and educated men: the Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, and Lawyers. There amazement in that God would use “ignorant and unlearned men” is found in Acts 4:13.
1. God could not use these men who prided themselves as “students of the Word of God” who MISSED the coming, death, burial, and resurrection: the sacrifice of the Lamb of God, their MESSIAH, and our LORD Jesus Christ.
2. God could not use these men of great knowledge and education but rather chose the men in question who had no formal education. They “marvelled” at them! This morning, I want to take a biblical look at the people that God chooses to use in the Bible.
3. Though they saw the power of God upon these men and knew that they had been with Christ, their education and pride still would not accept the words that these chosen men of God spoke.
4. As often as not, education has become a “stumbling block” with men and women, not a “steppingstone.” Look at the results of this in secular colleges and universities of our day. Anti-God, anti-Israel, and anti-America. Let me be political for a moment. Look at the difference between Blue and Red states or the “fly over states.” The ruckus is being found in the Blue states, not the Red ones.
5. Look at this in so-called Bible Colleges and Universities of our day. Many mock Bible believers, calling us cultic while correcting and changing the Word of God without knowledge of what they are doing or no care for what they are doing!
6. I am not just “going off” on people this morning, but we need to see that God has never used many wise, noble, or mighty people in the Bible.
7. If God did not use them in the New Testament, I believe that we can justly say that He does not use many in our day either.
D. In I Corinthians 1:18-31, we find that the wisdom of the world is foolishness to God and the wisdom of God is foolishness to the world.
1 Corinthians 1:18-31 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. (19) For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. (20) Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? (21) For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. (22) For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: (23) But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; (24) But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. (25) Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
(26) For ye see your calling, brethren, how that a) not many wise men after the flesh, not b) many mighty, c) not many noble, are called:
(27) But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
(28) And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
(29) That no flesh should glory in his presence. (30) But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (31) That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
E. I want to look at these three classes of people in reverse this morning.
1. Verses 26, 28. God chooses to use the “base things of the world” instead of the “noble.”
a. The “noble” are people of social and political status that cause them to rise above the “base” people. The words “base things” in the underlying Greek mean “without kin” or “without descent.” There is an old saying, “The rich get richer, and the poor get poorer.”
b. Believe it or not, America is quickly developing a “caste system” such as is found in many third world counties.
c. God has chosen to use the baser sort of people because the socially and politically elite believe that their social and political elevation trumps the poor and hard working people of this world.
d. God chooses the baser sort of people. The “noble” people choose the “First Churches” instead of the smaller Bible believing churches that are “getting the job done.”
2. Verses 26, 27. God chooses the “weak things of the world” instead of the “mighty.”
a. By “mighty,” we are not talking about physical strength but rather powerful clout. You would think that the rich would be thankful to God for the possessions, but they are not. They normally use their financial clout to leverage their will over others.
b. By “weak,” we are talking of people without the financial means or political pull of the “mighty.” There are not many millionaires in small, Bible believing churches. But Gods uses the tithes of the poor and the offerings of the faithful to do the work of the church and missions!
Matthew 19:23-24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. (24) And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.
Luke 21:1-4 And he looked up, and saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury. (2) And he saw also a certain poor widow casting in thither two mites. (3) And he said, Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all: (4) For all these have of their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath cast in all the living that she had.
c. I often tell people of how God has used a small church in Laurens, SC to support almost 200 missionaries and put millions of dollars on the mission field. It amazes the church going people, but they never come to our church to see and have a part of such an amazing work.
James 2:5-6 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? (6) But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
3. Verses 26, 27. God chooses to use the “foolish things of the world” instead of the “wise.” In our text, God used “ignorant and unlearned men” to confound the wise men of that day.
Matthew 23:7-8 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi. (8) But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
a. Rabbi, Rabbi! Doctor, Doctor! These are used to show the education of men and tend to elevate these men over the uneducated. Today, we find many who precede their names with this title, Doctor. Our Lord said, “But be not ye called!”
1) Education is not to Exalt Position.
2) Education is there to Enhance Preaching.
b. In the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, we find the “deeds of the Nicolaitans” turned into the “doctrine of the Nicolaitans” during the Church Age. This “doctrine” simply explained is the clergy over the laity. The elevation of the clergy in the human sense is to bring division between the pulpit and the pew!
c. Secular so-called Wisdom. Secular Colleges teach Evolution instead of Creation. God calls their wisdom foolishness. The Fool
d. Spiritual so-called Wisdom. Seminaries today teach Errancy instead of Inerrancy. Multiple “bibles” teach lack of inspiration through preservation which makes ALL “bibles” the work of men. They are all different which teaches of errancy instead of inerrancy.
1 Peter 1:23-25 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (24) For all flesh is as grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away: (25) But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you.
e. These liberally educated people do not believe these verses. I do! Their teachers want them to have confidence in them as to what the original autographs said or meant when they do not own one and have never seen one. All that they correct are preserved documents. I do not want your confidence in me but rather in the precious Word of God, the King James Bible! It is your final Authority for both faith and correction.
f. The wisdom of the least esteemed in the church. 1 Corinthians 6:4 If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church.
Conclusion:
1. Many people are ignorant of whom God chooses as the want to fill the church with the wise, mighty, and noble. I have heard it said that these are the kind of people that we want in our churches. These are not the people (though God can use those of them who get saved and right with Him) that God has chosen to get the work of the ministry done.
God has always used small things such as the woman with the cruse of oil in the Old Testament and Mary Magdalene who anointed the feet of her Lord with oil in the New Testament.
(26) For ye see your calling, brethren, how that a) not many wise men after the flesh, not b) many mighty, c) not many noble, are called: (27) But God hath chosen the d) foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the e) weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; (28) And f) base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: (29) That no flesh should glory in his presence. (30) But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: (31) That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
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