How to become Wise

For January 30, 2010

All scriptures are from The Message.

Everyone values wisdom and knowledge as they lay the foundations for success in the secular world. In Corinthians Paul gives us what seems to be illogical, that for a full and happy life, for a meaningful relationship with God worldly wisdom can become a stumbling block. Paul was not anti-intellectual and we should bear some things about him in mind as we read from 1 Corinthians:
· He was literate in spite of the fact that only two of ten people of his time could read.
· He was multi-lingual in Greek, Aramaic, Hebrew and probably Latin.
· Probably received training in Greek philosophy and rhetoric.
· According to Acts he received rabbinical training with a greatly respected teacher and religious scholar.

I Corinthians 1:18-21 The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hellbent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense. This is the way God works, and most powerfully as it turns out. It's written, I'll turn conventional wisdom on its head, I'll expose so-called experts as crackpots.So where can you find someone truly wise, truly educated, truly intelligent in this day and age? Hasn't God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense? Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God, God in his wisdom took delight in using what the world considered dumb—preaching, of all things!—to bring those who trust him into the way of salvation.

· How would you define wisdom? What causes you consider someone wise? Where does this wisdom come from? Can someone be wise without having an advanced university education?

· How much has the conventional wisdom about science and our world changed in the past 2000 years? Consider that at one time the earth was believed to be the center of the solar system/universe by respected intellectuals. What have we learned about the wisdom of the world that now seems foolish in the financial crisis that we are currently facing? Did that wisdom cause many to act in ways which were harmful to themselves and others? Does humankind have a long history of “conventional wisdom” being “turned on its head” and “experts” being discredited?

· On the other hand how much change has taken place in the gospel message we know today? Why do you think that it remains essentially unchanged?

· How would you present the gospel message if you were asked to give a three minute summary to someone? In what ways can that message seem to be foolish to a non-believer? What would you expect your non-Christian friends to have difficulty accepting?

· The scripture says that the Message “points to Christ on the Cross”, what does that mean to you? Is the gospel message the destination or is it a path to be traveled to the destination?

· The scripture talks about coming “to know God.” What does knowing God mean to you? Is it something we learn and become an expert on, perhaps ready to take a written test? How did you grow in your sense of walking a faith journey with God? What keeps us on the path and what can cause us to lose our way?

Now back to Corinthians
1Corinthians 1: 22-25While Jews clamor for miraculous demonstrations and Greeks go in for philosophical wisdom, we go right on proclaiming Christ, the Crucified. Jews treat this like an anti-miracle—and Greeks pass it off as absurd. But to us who are personally called by God himself—both Jews and Greeks—Christ is God's ultimate miracle and wisdom all wrapped up in one. Human wisdom is so tinny, so impotent, next to the seeming absurdity of God. Human strength can't begin to compete with God's "weakness."

· Paul seems to speak against acquiring proof and human wisdom as a way to know God. Instead he might point us to this scripture from Psalm 19 which speaks to the blessings of coming to know God:

9 The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road. The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of God are plain and easy on the eyes. God's reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of God are accurate down to the nth degree. 10 God's Word is better than a diamond, better than a diamond set between emeralds. You'll like it better than strawberries in spring, better than red, ripe strawberries

How would you describe the blessings of your relationship with God? Which of those in the Psalm have you experienced and what would you add to the list?

· Is there a difference between knowing about a person and having a relationship with him/her? How has your opinion of a close friend changed over time? How have you changed because of that relationship? Paul might use this as a way for us to understand "knowing God", how closely does our relationship with God resemble that of a good friend.

These two scriptures speak to the path to a relationship with God:

Proverbs 1:7 Start with God—the first step in learning is bowing down to God; only fools thumb their noses at such wisdom and learning.

Jeremiah 31:33 This is the brand-new covenant that I will make with Israel when the time comes. I will put my law within them—write it on their hearts!—and be their God. And they will be my people. They will no longer go around setting up schools to teach each other about God. They'll know me firsthand, the dull and the bright, the smart and the slow. I'll wipe the slate clean for each of them. I'll forget they ever sinned!"

What do these scriptures seem to say about coming to know God? How is God’s wisdom written on our hearts?

· Jesus was with his disciples throughout his three years of teaching and miracles. They could turn to him with question and learn from his actions and teaching (like us they struggled from time to time). We don’t have his physical presence with us but he promised a gift then which extends to us some 2000 years later:

John 14:15-17"If you love me, show it by doing what I've told you. I will talk to the Father, and he'll provide you another Friend so that you will always have someone with you. This Friend is the Spirit of Truth. The godless world can't take him in because it doesn't have eyes to see him, doesn't know what to look for. But you know him already because he has been staying with you, and will even be in you!

May we all be blessed with the knowledge of this presence!

Closing Prayer
O God, teach us to delight in your law and us it to guide us in your way of life. We give thanks to you through Jesus the Christ who came to show us that way. Amen.

Next Week’s Scriptures: Matthew 5:13-20, 1 Corinthians 2:1-12, (13-16), Psalm 112:1-9, (10), Isaiah 58:1-9a, (9b-12)

The Long Range Plan

For 1/2/2011

Thursday is Epiphany, celebrating the visit of the Magi to the baby Jesus. The story of their visit, in which they paid homage to him through worship and gifts, is recorded in Matthew 2:1-12. The giving of our gifts of time, talent and resources is an important part of our worship of God. But we will focus today not on the giving of gifts but instead on the many gifts we have received from God through a Lectionary scripture taken from the letter to the Ephesians.

The writer of Ephesians begins his letter with a long, one sentence in Greek, doxology of praise to God. It serves as a reminder to us of the meaning of this past Advent season; just how God’s love for us played out through the gift of Jesus Christ. Some think that this scripture might have been sung or recited as part of worship in the early church. But it is hard to see rhythms and word patterns unless one can read the original Greek which few of us can do.

Ephesians 1:3-6 How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him. Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.

• What is your reaction to this scripture? Are there things in here that surprise you or raise questions?

• Summarize the relationship God decided to establish with us, what are God’s intentions and how are they to be carried out? When was it decided that we (you and me) were to be chosen as a focus for God’s love? Does it seem that we have a choice in the matter?

• When you think about the infinity of the universe how stunning are is the assertion that we were selected as the focus of God’s love? Why would God do this? What have you added to your understanding of God from this scripture?

• The scripture begins by reminding us of the wonderful blessings God brings to us. Is there anything you want to add to the writer’s words which describe the reasons you would celebrate the blessing God is for you?

7-10Because of the sacrifice of the Messiah, his blood poured out on the altar of the Cross, we're a free people—free of penalties and punishments chalked up by all our misdeeds. And not just barely free, either. Abundantly free! He thought of everything, provided for everything we could possibly need, letting us in on the plans he took such delight in making. He set it all out before us in Christ, a long-range plan in which everything would be brought together and summed up in him, everything in deepest heaven, everything on planet earth.

• What has happened as a result of Jesus’ sacrifice? What word is used repeatedly to describe our status? What does he focus upon as that which we have been freed from? Do you have a sense of freedom because of your faith? Would you use the words “abundantly free” to describe it? What might be some things that constrain or we allow to constrain our sense of freedom?

• What picture are we given of God as this planning is done? What about the plan do you think made God particularly happy? In what ways have we been let “in on the plans he took delight in making”?

• Once again the ideas is raised that what is happening to us is part of a long range plan. Do you think that each believer was individually named long ago in the plan? If we were where is the sense that we individually have the freedom to make a choice to either believe or not believe?

• What role is Jesus to play in the long-range plan? What do these words mean to you? How do you think that this has or will come about?

11-12It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for. Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.
13-14It's in Christ that you, once you heard the truth and believed it (this Message of your salvation), found yourselves home free—signed, sealed, and delivered by the Holy Spirit. This signet from God is the first installment on what's coming, a reminder that we'll get everything God has planned for us, a praising and glorious life.

• What in your relationship with Christ has helped you understand who you are and what you are to live for? What conditions, situations or experiences have contributed to the learning experiences in your life?

• For a third time we learn that we are part of an overall plan. How do you interpret the idea that Christ “had his eye on us”? Is this a collective term or does it mean you and me specifically? Do you feel like you are part of an overall process which will lead to “glorious living”?

• Some ideas in this scripture could be seen as an endorsement of predestination; we really don’t have free will but are fated to a preplanned destiny. Another understanding is that God has a plan for an abundant life of which we can chose to become a part. Where do you see yourself, what serves as the basis for the role of your will in your relationship with God? Who does the writer see as being in charge in our relationship?

• What must happen in order for us to be ‘home free’? What sources do you feel brought you real understanding and helped your faith life grow? Have you been a source for someone else during your faith journey?

• What serves as the down payment on the promises of this plan? What role has the Spirit played in your faith life, is it a valuable down payment for you? When has this component of you faith life been particularly important to you?

Closing Litany (Psalm 150)

Hallelujah!
Praise God in his holy house of worship,
praise him under the open skies;
praise him for his acts of power,
praise him for his magnificent greatness;
Let every living, breathing creature praise GOD!
Hallelujah!

Next Week’s Lectionary Scriptures: Matthew 3:13-17, Acts 10:34-43, Psalm 29, Isaiah 42:1-9