First, We Need Spiritual Eyesight
Summary of the Message
Despite the good faculties God has given human beings as his image bearers, human giftedness and wisdom are not sufficient faculties for understanding God's values and aims in this world. We can only adequately understand the gospel and its implications for us through the enlightening and teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Despite the good faculties God has given human beings as his image bearers, human giftedness and wisdom are not sufficient faculties for understanding God's values and aims in this world. We can only adequately understand the gospel and its implications for us through the enlightening and teaching ministry of the Holy Spirit.
Key Sermon Points
1. The gospel and spiritual truth are only communicated by the Spirit, not by good human insight and intelligence
Not only are good human faculties insufficient to grasp the gospel and spiritual truths, sometimes they seem in conflict, e.g., what we would naturally consider helpful and wise may conflict with the dynamics of discipleship. An example of that is Christ's call to self-denial. However, the words the Spirit gives connects us to rich realities of grace such as the love of God, his mercies, and the empowering presence of his Spirit.
2. Discernment is about developing a holy taste and preference for the things of the Spirit
Gospel truths make no sense at all to those who lack the Holy Spirit. So, is discernment simply the ability to see spiritual things rightly? It's more than that. Discernment is the proper spiritual valuation of things. Finding the things of the Spirit to be immensely valuable and attractive. So, discernment is having the right spiritual appetite which then determines what we value and how we interpret everything and everyone we encounter.
3. The scope of spiritual discernment is wide as the world
Since the Spirit searches all things, in our text Paul explains that "the person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things." In other words, the scope of spiritual discernment is not limited to what some would consider "spiritual things," but discernment interprets all things spiritually.
1. The gospel and spiritual truth are only communicated by the Spirit, not by good human insight and intelligence
Not only are good human faculties insufficient to grasp the gospel and spiritual truths, sometimes they seem in conflict, e.g., what we would naturally consider helpful and wise may conflict with the dynamics of discipleship. An example of that is Christ's call to self-denial. However, the words the Spirit gives connects us to rich realities of grace such as the love of God, his mercies, and the empowering presence of his Spirit.
2. Discernment is about developing a holy taste and preference for the things of the Spirit
Gospel truths make no sense at all to those who lack the Holy Spirit. So, is discernment simply the ability to see spiritual things rightly? It's more than that. Discernment is the proper spiritual valuation of things. Finding the things of the Spirit to be immensely valuable and attractive. So, discernment is having the right spiritual appetite which then determines what we value and how we interpret everything and everyone we encounter.
3. The scope of spiritual discernment is wide as the world
Since the Spirit searches all things, in our text Paul explains that "the person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things." In other words, the scope of spiritual discernment is not limited to what some would consider "spiritual things," but discernment interprets all things spiritually.
Discussion Questions
- Does it concern you that you can be genuinely impressed by things that do not impress God? How do we assess our impressions if they don't always lead to spiritual impact?
- Since we know that Paul's comments about human wisdom is not elevating ignorance or pushing against the importance of things like theology, how do we spiritually discern theology and other disciplines of the human mind?
- How can we improve our tastes for spiritual things, which is the path to discernment?
- Think about your job, business, school, or home vocation - what does discernment look like for you in those places?
Posted in Grow & Discern
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