100:00:00,240 –> 00:00:03,460.200:00:03,580 –> 00:00:06,540Someone raised on the Whiteflower Gospel comes to church300:00:06,660 –> 00:00:09,560and then gets involved in a Bible study400:00:09,680 –> 00:00:12,600and then says, ”Hey, I believe that Jesus died and rose.”500:00:13,180 –> 00:00:15,880They say a prayer and then they’re told, ”Wow, this is great.600:00:16,000 –> 00:00:18,219You are now forgiven and you have everlasting life.”700:00:19,000 –> 00:00:21,360So this person says, ”Marvelous. I’m forgiven.800:00:21,480 –> 00:00:24,379I have everlasting life. I believe the Gospel.900:00:24,580 –> 00:00:27,420All I’ve got to do now is figure out how to live the rest of my life.”1000:00:27,820 –> 00:00:30,040Welcome to Open the Bible with Pastor Colin Smith.1100:00:30,160 –> 00:00:31,379I’m David Pick.1200:00:31,500 –> 00:00:33,060Glad you could be with us today.1300:00:33,180 –> 00:00:35,299Colin, this is an important message,1400:00:35,419 –> 00:00:38,700that being a Christian is not just a one-time thing.1500:00:38,820 –> 00:00:40,139It’s for every day.1600:00:40,639 –> 00:00:44,220Yes, I think that the Gospel has been thought of by many people1700:00:44,340 –> 00:00:47,299as being the door that gets you into the house.1800:00:47,419 –> 00:00:49,180It is actually the whole house.1900:00:49,299 –> 00:00:50,939Tim Keller has this great phrase2000:00:51,060 –> 00:00:54,779that the gospel is not the ABC but the A to Z of the Christian life.2100:00:54,860 –> 00:00:59,340That’s why in the New Testament we keep reading about being in Christ2200:00:59,459 –> 00:01:01,619and everything that is ours in Christ.2300:01:01,740 –> 00:01:04,220Christ is our wisdom. You have Christ in you.2400:01:04,339 –> 00:01:07,540That’s the fountain from which wisdom is going to come.2500:01:07,660 –> 00:01:11,660The whole of the Christian life is lived out of this knowledge of Jesus Christ,2600:01:11,779 –> 00:01:13,180but not just the beginning of it.2700:01:13,300 –> 00:01:17,000We see that in today’s message. It’s entitled, You are Wise.2800:01:17,120 –> 00:01:21,099Open your Bible with us, if you can, at 1 Corinthians, chapter 2.2900:01:21,220 –> 00:01:22,500Here’s Colin.3000:01:22,620 –> 00:01:24,180Knowing who you are3100:01:24,300 –> 00:01:29,019is really of critical importance in living the Christian life.3200:01:29,459 –> 00:01:32,940That’s what we’ve been exploring over these last weeks together.3300:01:34,419 –> 00:01:39,580Now we’ve experienced a significant change in our family3400:01:39,699 –> 00:01:43,260over the last few weeks that I’d like to tell you about.3500:01:43,779 –> 00:01:48,620My wife has started making her own bread.3600:01:49,260 –> 00:01:51,660Now I have to tell you that for over 40 years3700:01:51,940 –> 00:01:54,900I’ve been very, very contented with white bread.3800:01:54,900 –> 00:01:57,480I like my toast. I like my marmalade.3900:01:57,699 –> 00:01:59,820I’ve eaten it that way for years.4000:02:00,559 –> 00:02:05,559So when I was told that what I’ve been eating for over 40 years4100:02:05,639 –> 00:02:08,059is made with white flour,4200:02:09,220 –> 00:02:13,500and that most of the goodness that God intended me to enjoy4300:02:13,500 –> 00:02:15,619has been taken out of this,4400:02:16,860 –> 00:02:19,419I wasn’t really quite too sure how to take it.4500:02:20,360 –> 00:02:24,960Well now we have buckets of grain, and a flour mill,4600:02:25,639 –> 00:02:29,600and I have to tell you that this new bread is fantastic.4700:02:30,539 –> 00:02:34,759One slice of this has more goodness in it4800:02:35,160 –> 00:02:38,039than five slices of the other.4900:02:38,039 –> 00:02:39,619I can tell the difference.5000:02:41,460 –> 00:02:43,199Now I want to suggest to you5100:02:44,199 –> 00:02:47,639that some of us have got used to5200:02:47,639 –> 00:02:52,580what I’m going to call the White Flower Gospel.5300:02:54,279 –> 00:02:58,320A gospel that has much of the goodness taken out of it.5400:03:00,139 –> 00:03:05,139It’s been so refined that its lost its substance.5500:03:06,539 –> 00:03:09,139And although we can live on it,5600:03:09,139 –> 00:03:13,059it lacks what God originally gave us5700:03:13,059 –> 00:03:16,619and intended us to build ourselves up on.5800:03:18,240 –> 00:03:21,460The White Flower Gospel goes something like this.5900:03:22,580 –> 00:03:24,220Jesus came into the world,6000:03:24,220 –> 00:03:26,720he died on the cross for our sins and on the third day6100:03:26,720 –> 00:03:28,160he rose again.6200:03:28,160 –> 00:03:30,320If you believe these things you will be forgiven6300:03:30,320 –> 00:03:33,080and you will have everlasting life.6400:03:33,080 –> 00:03:35,979That is true, but it is a long way6500:03:35,979 –> 00:03:38,279from being the whole truth.6600:03:39,360 –> 00:03:41,679So someone raised on the White Flower Gospel6700:03:41,679 –> 00:03:45,720comes to church and then gets involved in a Bible study6800:03:45,759 –> 00:03:49,179and then says, hey, I believe that Jesus died and rose.6900:03:49,179 –> 00:03:51,039They say a prayer and then they’re told,7000:03:51,039 –> 00:03:53,020hey this is great, you are now forgiven7100:03:53,020 –> 00:03:55,020and you have everlasting life.7200:03:55,020 –> 00:03:57,539So this person says, marvelous, I’m forgiven,7300:03:57,539 –> 00:04:00,580I have everlasting life, I believe the gospel,7400:04:00,580 –> 00:04:02,179all I’ve got to do now is figure out7500:04:02,179 –> 00:04:03,679how to live the rest of life.7600:04:05,339 –> 00:04:07,380The result is that many Christians7700:04:07,380 –> 00:04:10,039live with a deep sense that the gospel7800:04:10,039 –> 00:04:13,679is addressed to the past, it’s about our forgiveness,7900:04:13,679 –> 00:04:15,660and it’s addressed to the future,8000:04:15,919 –> 00:04:17,640it’s about our everlasting destiny,8100:04:17,640 –> 00:04:22,040but it is somehow disconnected from the real issues8200:04:22,040 –> 00:04:26,019with which all of us struggle in our lives today.8300:04:26,019 –> 00:04:30,339After all, all of us have deep wounds in our lives.8400:04:30,339 –> 00:04:31,920Where do you go from that?8500:04:33,519 –> 00:04:36,799All of us have ongoing struggles in our lives,8600:04:36,799 –> 00:04:38,440where do you go from that?8700:04:39,519 –> 00:04:41,600All of us or many of us have feelings8800:04:41,600 –> 00:04:44,019of insignificance in our lives.8900:04:44,079 –> 00:04:45,859Does my life really count for anything9000:04:45,859 –> 00:04:47,260in the vastness of this world?9100:04:47,260 –> 00:04:49,260Where do I go to work out that?9200:04:50,839 –> 00:04:52,779How many Christians have come to the conclusion9300:04:52,779 –> 00:04:56,239because they’ve been raised on the white flower gospel,9400:04:56,239 –> 00:04:59,019that the gospel simply does not really address9500:04:59,019 –> 00:05:02,359the issues with which I live today.9600:05:02,359 –> 00:05:04,200And so the gospel becomes relegated9700:05:04,200 –> 00:05:07,600to being a kind of spiritual insurance policy,9800:05:07,600 –> 00:05:08,760something you’re glad you have,9900:05:08,760 –> 00:05:10,299you wouldn’t want to be without it,10000:05:10,299 –> 00:05:11,959but in a really a lot of use or interest10100:05:11,959 –> 00:05:14,559in the practicalities of your everyday life.10200:05:14,559 –> 00:05:17,820That’s the white flower gospel.10300:05:18,920 –> 00:05:22,399Immediately, you’re going to say, well now, what’s missing?10400:05:22,399 –> 00:05:26,239What’s been taken out of the white flower gospel10500:05:26,239 –> 00:05:29,019that God originally put in?10600:05:30,220 –> 00:05:32,779What is the nourishment that God intended us10700:05:32,779 –> 00:05:35,239to enjoy in our day-to-day lives10800:05:35,239 –> 00:05:38,779that has so often been removed from the way10900:05:38,779 –> 00:05:41,420in which we understand the gospel today?11000:05:42,019 –> 00:05:43,260The answer is simply this,11100:05:43,260 –> 00:05:45,100it’s been the focus of our whole series,11200:05:45,100 –> 00:05:50,100that to be a Christian is to be in Jesus Christ.11300:05:50,940 –> 00:05:55,940If anyone is in Christ, he or she is a new creation.11400:05:57,940 –> 00:06:02,940The old has gone and the new has come.11500:06:03,260 –> 00:06:05,820And many have never really understood11600:06:05,820 –> 00:06:10,820what it is to be a new person now in Jesus Christ.11700:06:12,279 –> 00:06:15,640The gospel puts this many different ways.11800:06:15,640 –> 00:06:20,640You must be born again, John chapter three verse seven.11900:06:21,500 –> 00:06:25,660Christ saved us by the washing of rebirth.12000:06:25,660 –> 00:06:28,380The word is used in the new American standard version12100:06:28,380 –> 00:06:31,500and many other versions by regeneration12200:06:31,500 –> 00:06:33,339and renewal by the Holy Spirit,12300:06:33,339 –> 00:06:34,760an important Bible word.12400:06:34,760 –> 00:06:38,079God made us alive in Jesus Christ.12500:06:38,079 –> 00:06:41,299When you come to Christ there’s a new life,12600:06:41,339 –> 00:06:45,140there’s a new power, there’s a new identity.12700:06:45,140 –> 00:06:47,720You become a new person.12800:06:47,720 –> 00:06:52,720That’s the whole grain of the gospel.12900:06:53,920 –> 00:06:55,640Now, the purpose of our short series13000:06:55,640 –> 00:06:57,079has been to identify13100:06:57,079 –> 00:07:01,459and to recover that whole grain of the gospel,13200:07:01,459 –> 00:07:04,700to discover your new identity in Jesus Christ,13300:07:04,700 –> 00:07:07,799to put back into our understanding of the gospel13400:07:07,799 –> 00:07:11,660what has too often been taken out and therefore lost.13500:07:11,660 –> 00:07:15,279Now, our focus verse is 1 Corinthians chapter 113600:07:15,279 –> 00:07:17,579and verse 30, where we’d discover13700:07:17,579 –> 00:07:21,640that Jesus Christ is, has become for us13800:07:21,640 –> 00:07:25,480wisdom from God, that is, he is our righteousness,13900:07:25,480 –> 00:07:30,239our holiness and our redemption.14000:07:30,239 –> 00:07:31,880And so let’s take a moment just to review14100:07:31,880 –> 00:07:34,380what we’ve learned about this very substance14200:07:34,380 –> 00:07:37,760of what it is to be in Christ.14300:07:37,760 –> 00:07:42,019In Christ, number one, you are clean14400:07:43,179 –> 00:07:44,940even though you still sin.14500:07:45,859 –> 00:07:50,380How’s that possible, because Christ is your righteousness14600:07:50,380 –> 00:07:52,899and your purity lies in him.14700:07:52,899 –> 00:07:54,760That’s why nothing that happens to you14800:07:54,760 –> 00:07:56,540in this world can ever touch it,14900:07:56,540 –> 00:07:58,480that speaks to some of the deepest struggles15000:07:58,480 –> 00:07:59,899of abuse in this world.15100:08:01,579 –> 00:08:06,579You are free, secondly, though you still struggle.15200:08:06,679 –> 00:08:09,359How’s that possible, if I struggle, how can I be free?15300:08:09,359 –> 00:08:11,779I know I struggle, so I’ve assumed that I’m not free.15400:08:11,779 –> 00:08:15,940No, you are free because Christ is your redemption.15500:08:17,040 –> 00:08:18,739You used to be a slave to sin,15600:08:18,739 –> 00:08:21,459but Christ has brought you out of that position.15700:08:21,459 –> 00:08:23,720You’re not in the cage, you’re in the field,15800:08:23,720 –> 00:08:27,399you’re not a hostage, you are equipped to fight,15900:08:27,399 –> 00:08:29,100and because you’re involved in a battle,16000:08:29,100 –> 00:08:31,779you may fail, you may be set back many times,16100:08:31,779 –> 00:08:34,280but ultimately you will triumph.16200:08:34,320 –> 00:08:36,679Sin will no longer be your master.16300:08:38,739 –> 00:08:40,719You are holy.16400:08:40,719 –> 00:08:43,479You are holy even though you still live in the world,16500:08:43,479 –> 00:08:44,919and you say, how’s that possible?16600:08:44,919 –> 00:08:47,840Because Christ is your holiness,16700:08:47,840 –> 00:08:50,679what Paul is saying in 1 Corinthians 1.30.16800:08:50,679 –> 00:08:52,359You don’t belong to this world,16900:08:52,359 –> 00:08:54,960you’ve been called from this world,17000:08:54,960 –> 00:08:58,359but you’ve also been sent into this world.17100:08:58,359 –> 00:09:02,760Christ is your righteousness, your holiness,17200:09:02,760 –> 00:09:03,840and your redemption.17300:09:05,039 –> 00:09:07,119Now, of course, these things that are true of me17400:09:07,119 –> 00:09:11,200as a person in Jesus Christ, true of you in Jesus Christ,17500:09:11,200 –> 00:09:14,359they are things that are known by faith.17600:09:16,039 –> 00:09:17,840And when we talk as Christians,17700:09:17,840 –> 00:09:20,140as we talk so loosely about faith,17800:09:21,440 –> 00:09:23,960this is a large part of what we’re talking about.17900:09:23,960 –> 00:09:28,179We walk by faith and not by site.18000:09:28,179 –> 00:09:31,440It’s very easy for me to see my sins,18100:09:31,440 –> 00:09:33,260for me to see my struggles.18200:09:34,599 –> 00:09:37,419But it is by faith that I believe18300:09:37,419 –> 00:09:40,760that in Jesus Christ, I am righteous18400:09:40,760 –> 00:09:42,679because he is my righteousness18500:09:42,679 –> 00:09:44,960that in Jesus Christ, I’m free18600:09:44,960 –> 00:09:46,320because he is my redemption18700:09:46,320 –> 00:09:48,280that in Jesus Christ I’m holy18800:09:49,239 –> 00:09:51,119because he has called me out of the world18900:09:51,119 –> 00:09:53,119and is my holiness.19000:09:53,119 –> 00:09:54,940We talk a lot about faith19100:09:56,559 –> 00:09:59,419and yet some of us don’t believe the very things19200:09:59,419 –> 00:10:03,159that we say are the substance of our faith.19300:10:04,039 –> 00:10:07,900We walk by faith and not by sight.19400:10:09,159 –> 00:10:12,960So what I’m wanting to say as a pastor in this series19500:10:12,960 –> 00:10:17,960is, look, feed yourself on the whole grain of the gospel.19600:10:19,760 –> 00:10:22,559Feed this truth to yourself.19700:10:23,760 –> 00:10:26,960Don’t go around feeding yourself the Devil’s lies19800:10:26,960 –> 00:10:29,559that you’re still the same old person you used to be.19900:10:29,559 –> 00:10:33,640Feed yourself the truth of who you are in Jesus Christ20000:10:33,640 –> 00:10:36,739and as you feed yourself that truth,20100:10:36,739 –> 00:10:39,880be who you are, be who you are.20200:10:40,919 –> 00:10:41,900You’re listening to Open the Bible20300:10:41,900 –> 00:10:44,159with Pastor Colin Smith and a message called20400:10:44,159 –> 00:10:48,539You Are Wise, taken from 1 Corinthians and chapter two.20500:10:48,539 –> 00:10:51,799If you tuned in late today, or if you have to leave early,20600:10:51,799 –> 00:10:54,780or if you miss any of the messages in the series,20700:10:54,780 –> 00:10:56,440don’t forget you can always catch up20800:10:56,440 –> 00:10:59,780or go back and listen again online at our website,20900:10:59,780 –> 00:11:02,539openthebible.org.uk21000:11:02,539 –> 00:11:04,820And you can also find Pastor Colin’s messages21100:11:04,820 –> 00:11:06,900on all the podcast sites.21200:11:06,900 –> 00:11:09,340Search for Open The Bible UK21300:11:09,340 –> 00:11:11,859or follow the link from our website.21400:11:11,859 –> 00:11:13,000Back to the message now,21500:11:13,000 –> 00:11:16,619we’re in 1 Corinthians and chapter two, here’s Colin.21600:11:16,619 –> 00:11:18,599Now today, we come to the fourth dimension21700:11:18,599 –> 00:11:21,179of our new identity in Jesus Christ.21800:11:21,179 –> 00:11:24,299And in some ways, as the most important of all,21900:11:24,340 –> 00:11:29,239you are wise, though you still make mistakes.22000:11:29,239 –> 00:11:34,000Christ is our wisdom, 1 Corinthians, chapter one,22100:11:34,000 –> 00:11:35,580and verse 30.22200:11:35,580 –> 00:11:38,239Christ is our wisdom.22300:11:38,239 –> 00:11:41,739So in Christ you are wise,22400:11:41,739 –> 00:11:45,659even though you still make mistakes.22500:11:47,599 –> 00:11:50,059I want to give a very simple definition of wisdom.22600:11:51,020 –> 00:11:53,020Wisdom is, very simply,22700:11:53,020 –> 00:11:56,500the ability to put things together.22800:11:57,940 –> 00:11:59,099Now in the Old Testament22900:11:59,099 –> 00:12:02,099there was a man by the name of Bezalel,23000:12:02,099 –> 00:12:06,219and Bezalel was a very skilled master craftsman.23100:12:06,219 –> 00:12:08,419He made the furniture for the tabernacle,23200:12:08,419 –> 00:12:11,280or at least he was in charge of that project.23300:12:11,280 –> 00:12:15,539He had the ability to put things together23400:12:15,539 –> 00:12:19,500in gold, in silver and in wood.23500:12:20,619 –> 00:12:24,260And the word that is used to describe Bezalel’s skill23600:12:24,260 –> 00:12:28,700in the Old Testament is this word, wisdom.23700:12:29,840 –> 00:12:33,659You see these two things are speaking to the same reality.23800:12:33,659 –> 00:12:37,359The man who has the ability to put things together23900:12:37,359 –> 00:12:40,020is the man who has wisdom.24000:12:41,039 –> 00:12:43,260Now it takes great skill for Bezalel24100:12:43,260 –> 00:12:45,840to put the furniture for the tabernacle together,24200:12:45,840 –> 00:12:47,940it takes even greater skill for you24300:12:47,940 –> 00:12:52,479or for me to put our life together but that is what24400:12:52,479 –> 00:12:55,140wisdom is all about, it is the ability24500:12:55,140 –> 00:12:58,799to put things together.24600:12:58,799 –> 00:13:00,640Now it’s important to notice at this point24700:13:00,640 –> 00:13:03,520the difference between wisdom and knowledge.24800:13:03,520 –> 00:13:04,840This is very significant.24900:13:05,760 –> 00:13:10,340Knowledge is about gathering information.25000:13:10,340 –> 00:13:14,460Wisdom is about putting it together.25100:13:15,419 –> 00:13:19,979So for many years my father was a policeman.25200:13:19,979 –> 00:13:24,380He worked in the CID, the criminal investigation department25300:13:24,380 –> 00:13:25,820in Edinburgh, Scotland.25400:13:25,820 –> 00:13:27,820He was a detective.25500:13:28,859 –> 00:13:31,700Now the first thing that a detective does25600:13:31,700 –> 00:13:34,020is that he gathers evidence.25700:13:34,020 –> 00:13:38,179Takes fingerprints, takes photographs, takes statements.25800:13:38,179 –> 00:13:42,640He gathers the evidence and he builds a base of knowledge.25900:13:43,559 –> 00:13:46,440But the real skill of the detective, of course,26000:13:46,440 –> 00:13:49,099is to put the evidence together26100:13:49,099 –> 00:13:52,380in a way that solves the case.26200:13:52,380 –> 00:13:55,000Watch any detective series on television26300:13:55,000 –> 00:13:56,059and you’ll find this is what it’s about.26400:13:56,059 –> 00:13:58,400The formula is always the same.26500:13:58,400 –> 00:14:01,400There are various pieces of disconnected information26600:14:01,400 –> 00:14:02,940that just don’t fit together.26700:14:02,940 –> 00:14:04,380But the knowledge is assembled26800:14:04,380 –> 00:14:06,700and then the genius of the detective26900:14:06,700 –> 00:14:08,599is that at some point the light goes on27000:14:08,599 –> 00:14:10,440and he or she says, ah,27100:14:10,440 –> 00:14:13,919aah, and puts the pieces of evidence together27200:14:13,919 –> 00:14:15,580and suddenly solves the case27300:14:15,580 –> 00:14:18,760and you suddenly know whodunit, as it were.27400:14:20,419 –> 00:14:21,320Now remember then,27500:14:21,320 –> 00:14:26,200that wisdom is always based on knowledge.27600:14:26,200 –> 00:14:27,320If you don’t have the evidence,27700:14:27,320 –> 00:14:28,900you can’t solve the case.27800:14:29,780 –> 00:14:32,539You can’t form a conclusion without the evidence.27900:14:32,539 –> 00:14:34,260You can’t put the pieces together28000:14:34,260 –> 00:14:36,659if you don’t have the pieces in the first place.28100:14:38,299 –> 00:14:39,820But at the same time,28200:14:39,820 –> 00:14:43,919knowledge does not always lead to wisdom28300:14:43,919 –> 00:14:45,960and that’s equally important to remember.28400:14:47,039 –> 00:14:49,299That’s what wisdom is all about.28500:14:49,299 –> 00:14:50,140That’s why, by the way,28600:14:50,140 –> 00:14:51,479you can be in church for a very long time28700:14:51,479 –> 00:14:54,119and learn many things about the Bible28800:14:54,119 –> 00:14:56,559and never come to the wisdom of God.28900:14:58,520 –> 00:15:00,299Now how are you gonna put your life together?29000:15:00,299 –> 00:15:03,900That’s really the issue that’s at stake today.29100:15:03,900 –> 00:15:05,840I want us to see from the passage of scripture29200:15:05,840 –> 00:15:07,280in 1 Corinthians, in chapter two,29300:15:07,359 –> 00:15:08,299that there are very clearly29400:15:08,299 –> 00:15:10,960two different ways of doing this.29500:15:10,960 –> 00:15:13,059First, you can put your life together29600:15:13,059 –> 00:15:16,619through the wisdom of this age, which is in verse six,29700:15:16,619 –> 00:15:19,359or second, through God’s secret wisdom,29800:15:19,359 –> 00:15:21,599which Paul describes in verse seven.29900:15:21,599 –> 00:15:24,080Two ways of putting your life together,30000:15:24,080 –> 00:15:28,200two kinds of wisdom, that’s what wisdom is.30100:15:29,679 –> 00:15:31,179Now notice first, then, in verse six30200:15:31,179 –> 00:15:33,580the wisdom of this age.30300:15:34,500 –> 00:15:38,719The wisdom of this age is simply a way30400:15:38,719 –> 00:15:43,719of putting your life together with yourself at the center.30500:15:45,599 –> 00:15:47,260That’s how this world thinks.30600:15:48,419 –> 00:15:50,280The wisdom of this age is the way30700:15:50,280 –> 00:15:52,400of putting life together that begins with a question,30800:15:52,400 –> 00:15:54,500what do I want to get out of life?30900:15:56,059 –> 00:15:57,640What will it take to get it?31000:15:58,640 –> 00:16:01,940And how do I act and behave and position myself31100:16:01,979 –> 00:16:04,299in such a way to get what I want?31200:16:06,539 –> 00:16:08,659Now, notice that Paul tells us three things31300:16:08,659 –> 00:16:11,599about that way of putting life together.31400:16:13,200 –> 00:16:18,200Number one, that kind of wisdom will not bring you to God.31500:16:20,179 –> 00:16:22,539I’m looking at chapter one in verse 21 now.31600:16:22,539 –> 00:16:27,539Notice, the world through its wisdom did not know him,31700:16:30,059 –> 00:16:31,840chapter one verse 21.31800:16:32,260 –> 00:16:37,299The world through its wisdom did not know him.31900:16:38,880 –> 00:16:41,419In other words, if you’re putting your life together32000:16:41,419 –> 00:16:46,400simply on the basis of how can I get everything that I want,32100:16:46,400 –> 00:16:50,140you cannot come to know God that way.32200:16:51,599 –> 00:16:53,539If you come into a church environment32300:16:53,539 –> 00:16:58,380because you want to add God to the agenda of your life32400:16:58,380 –> 00:17:00,619which is essentially self-serving,32500:17:00,619 –> 00:17:03,340you just cannot come to know God that way.32600:17:04,319 –> 00:17:05,739You simply will not get there.32700:17:05,739 –> 00:17:07,479You can be religious, you can say prayers,32800:17:07,479 –> 00:17:09,660but you will not know God32900:17:09,660 –> 00:17:12,839so long as the central agenda of your life33000:17:14,660 –> 00:17:17,219is to get out of life what you want.33100:17:18,420 –> 00:17:23,439God cannot be found on the path of the world’s wisdom.33200:17:23,859 –> 00:17:25,699And if that is where you are walking33300:17:25,699 –> 00:17:28,099because he’s not there, you will not find him.33400:17:28,859 –> 00:17:33,020Believe in him and pray to him, but never know him.33500:17:34,459 –> 00:17:37,979Second, this way of putting life together,33600:17:37,979 –> 00:17:40,699the way of saying, how do I get what I want.33700:17:42,260 –> 00:17:43,739This way of putting life together33800:17:43,739 –> 00:17:47,459has no room for Jesus Christ.33900:17:47,459 –> 00:17:48,900Chapter two in verse eight,34000:17:48,900 –> 00:17:50,979the apostle Paul refers here34100:17:50,979 –> 00:17:55,579to those who crucified the Lord of glory.34200:17:55,579 –> 00:17:57,140Chapter two in verse eight.34300:17:58,140 –> 00:18:00,000They crucified the Lord of glory,34400:18:00,000 –> 00:18:02,660those who followed the wisdom of this age.34500:18:03,920 –> 00:18:08,140Because of course, if you’re putting your life together34600:18:08,140 –> 00:18:11,839on the basis of trying to get what you want,34700:18:12,780 –> 00:18:15,420you will have no room for a Jesus who says,34800:18:15,420 –> 00:18:18,079deny yourself and take up your cross and follow me.34900:18:19,540 –> 00:18:21,859The wisdom of this world and the way of Jesus35000:18:21,859 –> 00:18:23,579are like oil and water.35100:18:23,760 –> 00:18:26,599That’s why you can’t add Jesus35200:18:26,599 –> 00:18:28,500to a self-centered view of life.35300:18:29,900 –> 00:18:31,380The person who tries to do that35400:18:31,380 –> 00:18:34,619will ultimately end up like Judas.35500:18:35,660 –> 00:18:39,319The man among the 12 who wanted Jesus35600:18:39,319 –> 00:18:42,339to fulfill his agenda, and when he found35700:18:42,339 –> 00:18:44,040that ultimately that could not work,35800:18:44,040 –> 00:18:47,319he traded Jesus in to get what he thought was good,35900:18:47,319 –> 00:18:48,73930 pieces of silver.36000:18:50,040 –> 00:18:52,760The wisdom of this age, the putting of life together36100:18:52,800 –> 00:18:54,540in a way that says how do I get what I want36200:18:54,540 –> 00:18:56,699has no room for Jesus.36300:18:58,199 –> 00:19:01,180If you follow the wisdom of this world,36400:19:02,119 –> 00:19:05,439you have to crucify Christ.36500:19:07,119 –> 00:19:09,040And then thirdly, this way of putting life together36600:19:09,040 –> 00:19:10,780ultimately comes to nothing.36700:19:10,780 –> 00:19:14,099Notice verse six, Paul speaks of the wisdom of this age,36800:19:14,099 –> 00:19:18,939the rulers of this age who are coming to nothing.36900:19:20,280 –> 00:19:22,239The wisdom of this world promises you37000:19:23,160 –> 00:19:27,839everything you can be, but it comes to nothing.37100:19:29,339 –> 00:19:31,459And if you put your life together37200:19:31,459 –> 00:19:35,160on the basis of everything I want,37300:19:36,140 –> 00:19:39,540what will that be in the end?37400:19:40,699 –> 00:19:42,439So there’s one way of putting life together,37500:19:42,439 –> 00:19:45,859it is so common throughout this world.37600:19:45,859 –> 00:19:48,020How do I get what I want?37700:19:48,020 –> 00:19:49,780It’s the way of wisdom of this world.37800:19:49,780 –> 00:19:51,500You can’t come to know God that way.37900:19:51,500 –> 00:19:52,939You just can’t add God into that.38000:19:52,939 –> 00:19:54,380It just doesn’t mix.38100:19:55,260 –> 00:19:56,459There’s no room for Jesus there.38200:19:56,459 –> 00:19:59,060You have to crucify Christ if you’re going that way.38300:20:00,160 –> 00:20:02,020And it will come to nothing.38400:20:03,500 –> 00:20:05,780You’ve been listening to Pastor Colin Smith38500:20:05,780 –> 00:20:07,300on Open The Bible.38600:20:07,300 –> 00:20:09,339In the message, we’ve been looking at the differences38700:20:09,339 –> 00:20:11,300between wisdom and knowledge.38800:20:11,300 –> 00:20:14,599But, Colin, in this age of information overload,38900:20:14,599 –> 00:20:17,420how does that affect real wisdom?39000:20:17,420 –> 00:20:19,339Yeah, you know, I think that’s one of the biggest challenges39100:20:19,339 –> 00:20:20,739about being a Christian.39200:20:20,760 –> 00:20:22,439You know, there were two great novelists39300:20:22,439 –> 00:20:25,300who wrote about what the future would look like39400:20:25,300 –> 00:20:26,979some years ago.39500:20:26,979 –> 00:20:29,699One was George Orwell, the other Aldous Huxley.39600:20:29,699 –> 00:20:32,219They had very different visions of the future.39700:20:32,219 –> 00:20:34,420George Orwell thought that the future would be39800:20:34,420 –> 00:20:37,979a world in which people couldn’t find the truth.39900:20:37,979 –> 00:20:39,319Huxley thought the opposite.40000:20:39,319 –> 00:20:40,920He thought that it would be a world40100:20:40,920 –> 00:20:43,260in which people would be hearing so many voices40200:20:43,260 –> 00:20:45,599that they wouldn’t care about the truth.40300:20:45,599 –> 00:20:46,719And guess what?40400:20:46,719 –> 00:20:47,660Huxley was right.40500:20:47,699 –> 00:20:51,020Increasingly, the repressive communism40600:20:51,020 –> 00:20:56,020and regimes that have suppressed the truth have receded.40700:20:56,180 –> 00:20:58,140There has been an advance of freedom,40800:20:58,140 –> 00:21:01,459the information technology—wonderful, wonderful gift.40900:21:01,459 –> 00:21:03,060But we have to deal with the pressures41000:21:03,060 –> 00:21:04,900of living a Christian life now,41100:21:04,900 –> 00:21:06,900and we’re living in Huxley’s world41200:21:06,900 –> 00:21:08,660in which the great danger is41300:21:08,660 –> 00:21:11,660we are surrounded by information.41400:21:11,660 –> 00:21:13,579And it’s so easy to drift through life41500:21:13,579 –> 00:21:17,439without ever really having a desire for the truth at all.41600:21:17,479 –> 00:21:19,939Therefore the importance of having access41700:21:19,939 –> 00:21:21,119to the word of God41800:21:21,119 –> 00:21:24,359and giving the word of God access into my life,41900:21:24,359 –> 00:21:27,199and I don’t want to even be on information overload there.42000:21:27,199 –> 00:21:29,359I’ve read 25 chapters of the Bible.42100:21:29,359 –> 00:21:30,599That’s not the point.42200:21:30,599 –> 00:21:35,219Has the word of God found a lodging place in my life today?42300:21:35,219 –> 00:21:37,300Is there a truth that I’ve laid hold of42400:21:37,300 –> 00:21:39,000and really come to believe?42500:21:39,000 –> 00:21:42,319Is there a sin I’ve identified that I’m repenting of?42600:21:42,319 –> 00:21:45,939Is there a work of the spirit through the light of truth42700:21:46,040 –> 00:21:47,959that’s causing me to grow as a Christian,42800:21:47,959 –> 00:21:52,020in a world of being bombarded by information?42900:21:52,020 –> 00:21:54,359That’s one of the critical challenges, I think,43000:21:54,359 –> 00:21:55,680of living the Christian life.43100:21:55,680 –> 00:21:57,000It certainly is.43200:21:57,000 –> 00:22:00,979And that’s why understanding truths is so important.43300:22:00,979 –> 00:22:02,359If you missed any of the message43400:22:02,359 –> 00:22:04,060or if you want to go back and listen again,43500:22:04,060 –> 00:22:05,699don’t forget you can easily do that43600:22:05,699 –> 00:22:09,959by coming to our website, openthebible.org.uk,43700:22:09,959 –> 00:22:12,579or find us on your favorite podcast site43800:22:12,579 –> 00:22:14,760by searching for Open The Bible UK43900:22:14,939 –> 00:22:18,040or by following the link from our website.44000:22:18,040 –> 00:22:19,319While you’re on the website,44100:22:19,319 –> 00:22:21,560why not check out Open The Bible Daily?44200:22:21,560 –> 00:22:23,199That’s our series of short,44300:22:23,199 –> 00:22:25,520two to three-minute daily reflections44400:22:25,520 –> 00:22:27,000based on Colin’s teaching44500:22:27,000 –> 00:22:29,359and read in the UK by Sue McLeish,44600:22:29,359 –> 00:22:31,699that’s Open The Bible Daily.44700:22:31,699 –> 00:22:34,079Open the Bible is able to stay on the radio44800:22:34,079 –> 00:22:35,380and on the Internet44900:22:35,380 –> 00:22:37,719because of the very generous donations45000:22:37,719 –> 00:22:39,199made by our listeners.45100:22:39,199 –> 00:22:42,079So if you already give to support Open The Bible,45200:22:42,079 –> 00:22:43,579thank you so much.45300:22:43,680 –> 00:22:44,520If that’s something45400:22:44,520 –> 00:22:46,739that you’ve been considering doing in the future,45500:22:46,739 –> 00:22:49,900each month we aim to offer a special gift45600:22:49,900 –> 00:22:51,439in return for setting up45700:22:51,439 –> 00:22:54,219a new support payment for Open The Bible.45800:22:54,219 –> 00:22:56,099If you’re able to set up a new monthly45900:22:56,099 –> 00:22:59,500direct debit of five pounds per month or more,46000:22:59,500 –> 00:23:02,300or a one-off gift of 50 pounds or more,46100:23:02,300 –> 00:23:04,060we’d love to say thank you46200:23:04,060 –> 00:23:06,660by sending you a copy of Colin Smith’s book,46300:23:06,660 –> 00:23:08,339Fly Through The Bible.46400:23:08,339 –> 00:23:10,920Here’s Open The Bible’s Amanda Cunningham46500:23:10,920 –> 00:23:12,260to talk about the book46600:23:12,280 –> 00:23:14,839and also about some other exciting resources46700:23:14,839 –> 00:23:17,119which are free for everyone to receive.46800:23:17,119 –> 00:23:18,319Thanks, David.46900:23:18,319 –> 00:23:20,060Well, if you’ve been listening for a while,47000:23:20,060 –> 00:23:22,280you’ll know that we love to give away47100:23:22,280 –> 00:23:24,859a free book each month when you donate,47200:23:24,859 –> 00:23:27,359either a one-off gift of 50 pounds or more,47300:23:27,359 –> 00:23:29,420or by setting up a new direct debit47400:23:29,420 –> 00:23:31,359of at least five pounds.47500:23:31,359 –> 00:23:32,959But this July and August,47600:23:32,959 –> 00:23:35,300we’re doing something extra special.47700:23:35,300 –> 00:23:38,479We’ve launched a campaign full of free resources47800:23:38,479 –> 00:23:41,239to help you open the Bible with others,47900:23:41,239 –> 00:23:43,420because we know that can be hard48000:23:43,420 –> 00:23:45,260and we want to equip you.48100:23:45,260 –> 00:23:47,540So, yes, you will still get a free copy48200:23:47,540 –> 00:23:49,859of Fly Through the Bible when you donate,48300:23:49,859 –> 00:23:52,040but anyone can now access48400:23:52,040 –> 00:23:55,140a whole set of free tools.48500:23:55,140 –> 00:23:57,839We’ve got a video series where Colin Smith48600:23:57,839 –> 00:23:59,500walks through each session48700:23:59,500 –> 00:24:02,780of the Fly Through the Bible course on our website.48800:24:02,780 –> 00:24:03,880There’s a free app,48900:24:03,880 –> 00:24:07,500just search Fly Through the Bible in your app store.49000:24:07,500 –> 00:24:08,719And if you’re a church leader49100:24:08,719 –> 00:24:10,420thinking ahead to September,49200:24:10,420 –> 00:24:13,900head to openthebible.org.uk49300:24:13,900 –> 00:24:15,459forward slash fly49400:24:15,459 –> 00:24:19,060and download our free small group discussion guide.49500:24:19,060 –> 00:24:21,760We really pray these resources bless you49600:24:21,760 –> 00:24:25,260and those around you as you open the Bible together.49700:24:25,260 –> 00:24:27,099And what better place to start49800:24:27,099 –> 00:24:29,780than a journey through the Bible story.49900:24:29,780 –> 00:24:31,219Thanks Amanda.50000:24:31,219 –> 00:24:33,500You can access these free resources50100:24:33,500 –> 00:24:37,260at our website, openthebible.org.uk50200:24:37,260 –> 00:24:39,819and you can download the fly app50300:24:39,819 –> 00:24:42,880at the Apple App Store or Google Play.50400:24:42,880 –> 00:24:45,300Our offer to send you a copy of Collin’s book,50500:24:45,300 –> 00:24:48,680Fly Through the Bible is available all this month.50600:24:48,680 –> 00:24:52,040Full details terms and conditions are on our website50700:24:52,040 –> 00:24:54,640openthebible.org.uk50800:24:54,640 –> 00:24:56,520and you can give online50900:24:56,520 –> 00:24:57,780for Open the Bible.51000:24:57,780 –> 00:24:59,020Pastor Colin Smith.51100:24:59,020 –> 00:25:00,359I’m David Pick51200:25:00,359 –> 00:25:02,459and I hope you’ll join us again next time.51300:25:08,199 –> 00:25:09,979You want to put your life together51400:25:09,979 –> 00:25:12,319with wisdom but how do you do that?51500:25:12,319 –> 00:25:14,660Discover Jesus’ starting point51600:25:14,660 –> 00:25:17,079next time on Open the Bible.