Christ and Him Crucified Part 1 -- God's Wisdom or Man's Wisdom

1. The wisdom of the world says . . . .

1) One church is as good as another.

2) Attend every once in a while. Once or twice a year.

3) Nobody will be hurt if I don't come.

4) Too many hypocrites in the church!

2. God's wisdom says

1) One church is NOT as good as another; Matt.16:18; Acts 20:28; Jesus died for HIS church--the church that belongs to Christ.

2) Attend EVERY first day of the week; Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:1,2; they met upon every first day of the week.

3) People WILL be hurt; Heb.10:25.

a. We hurt our brethren when we don't come.

b. We hurt ourselves by robbing our souls of spiritual food.

c. We hurt God when we don't come.

d. Attendance affects us and our brethren--Story of preacher visiting and moving coal out of fire.

4) Story: "If it's fair for the church, its fair for the hogs."

3. Let us reject the world's wisdom and accept God's wisdom in these matters.

1. The wisdom of the world says . . .

1) Ask anybody for money--car wash; bake sales; chili suppers; rummage sales, etc.

2) Store up and save up as much as you can.

3) Give out of your excess.

4) Don't give a lot of money to the church because the church won't know what to do with it.

2. God's wisdom says . . .

1) Don't ask anybody for money; 1 Corinthians 16:1,2; Members of the church alone are to give to do the work of the church.

2) Don't store up as much as you can; Luke 12:15-21; one of two times in the scriptures that God calls someone a "fool" is when they lay up treasures for themselves and not for God.

3) Give out of your poverty.

a. Mark 12:41-44; widow's mite.

b. 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 Macedonians

4) Illustration: The million dollar budget. i.e. no lack of things for which to use the Lord's money.

3. Poem: Worldly Wisdom.

4. Let us reject the world's wisdom and accept God's wisdom in these matters.

1. The wisdom of the world says . . .

1) God doesn't care WHO you worship.

2) God doesn't care how we worship; worship any old way you want!

3) God doesn't care where you worship; worship any place you want!

4) I need to use my talent to worship God.

5) Applaud the preacher.

2. God's wisdom says . . .

1) Worship GOD and his Son Jesus Christ.

a. Revelation 19:10; 22:9 says "Worship God."

b. 1 Peter 4:11 "If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

2) John 4:24; Worship in spirit and in truth.

3) Worship God in God's church not in some man-made church.

a. In Hebrews 2:12 we read, "Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee."

4) Worship God in the way that God wants to be worshipped.

a. Micah 6:6-8 "Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?"

5) All worship is directed to God, not to men. Applause is acceptable when we want to congratulate someone in the secular world--but let's keep sacred things sacred and secular thing secular. (Lev.10:10).

3. Let us reject the wisdom of the world and accept God's wisdom in these matters.

1. The world's wisdom says . . .

1) All men are saved (Universalists).

2) All you need to be saved is to live a good moral life.

3) All you need to be saved is to make a mental affirmation of Christ.

2. God's wisdom says . . .

1) Some are going to be lost. Matthew 7:12, 13 "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat"

2) Morality is not sufficient. Cornelius was a good man ( Acts 10:1,2). Yet, he would have been lost if he had rejected the gospel of Jesus Christ.

3) Faith only does not save. James 2:14-26 " What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."

3. God's plan for man's salvation is . . .

1) Hear the word; Romans 10:17 "Faith comes by hearing . . ."

2) Believe with all your heart; Hebrews 11:6 "For without faith it is impossible . . . ."

3) Repent of your sins ( Acts 17:30).

4) Confess Jesus as the Son of God (Matt.16:16).

5) Be baptized for the remission of your sins ( Mark 16:15,16).

4. Let us reject the wisdom of the world and accept God's wisdom in these matters.