Divine Wisdom: The Reversal of Human Values
Summary
In reflecting on the profound truths of the Gospel, it becomes evident that human wisdom and pride often stand as barriers to truly knowing God. The world, in its pursuit of understanding through intellect and philosophy, has failed to grasp the essence of the divine. This is not a denouncement of intellect itself, but rather the pride that accompanies it. The coming of Christ serves as a divine intervention that scatters the proud in the imagination of their hearts, revealing the folly of relying solely on human wisdom to comprehend the infinite nature of God.
The narrative of Christ's birth and life is a testament to God's way of overturning human expectations. The mighty are brought low, and the humble are exalted. This is exemplified in the story of David and Goliath, where God uses the weak to confound the strong. Similarly, the rich, in their moral and ethical pride, are sent away empty when confronted with the true righteousness of Christ. The Pharisees, who prided themselves on their adherence to the law, found their self-righteousness dismantled by the teachings of Jesus.
The Gospel message is a reversal of worldly values. It is not the wise, the powerful, or the rich who are blessed, but those who are poor in spirit, meek, and hungry for righteousness. God reveals His wisdom to those who admit their own insufficiency and seek Him with humility. This divine wisdom, hidden from the wise and prudent, is revealed to the simple and humble, granting them a knowledge and understanding that surpasses human intellect.
In Christ, believers are exalted to a position of honor as children of God, heirs to His kingdom. This exaltation is not recognized by the world, but it is a profound truth that offers hope and assurance. The hungry, those who recognize their spiritual need, are filled with good things, while the self-sufficient are left empty. This is the transformative power of the Gospel, turning the world’s values upside down and offering true fulfillment to those who seek God with a humble heart.
Key Takeaways:
1. Human wisdom, when tainted by pride, fails to comprehend the divine. True understanding of God comes not from intellectual pursuit but from humility and revelation. The coming of Christ exposes the limitations of human intellect and the need for divine wisdom. [24:39]
2. God's way of working in the world often defies human expectations. He uses the weak to confound the strong, as seen in the story of David and Goliath. This demonstrates that true power and victory come from reliance on God, not human strength. [31:00]
3. The rich, in their moral and ethical pride, are sent away empty when confronted with the righteousness of Christ. This highlights the insufficiency of self-righteousness and the need for true humility before God. [34:56]
4. The Gospel message reverses worldly values, blessing those who are poor in spirit, meek, and hungry for righteousness. This divine reversal challenges believers to seek God with humility and recognize their need for His grace. [40:03]
5. In Christ, believers are exalted as children of God, heirs to His kingdom. This exaltation is not recognized by the world, but it offers profound hope and assurance to those who trust in God’s promises. [43:38]
Youtube Chapters:
[00:00] - Welcome
[24:39] - The Folly of Human Wisdom
[25:24] - Pride of Intellect
[26:22] - True Wisdom Revealed
[27:28] - The Stumbling Block of Christ
[28:23] - Scattering the Proud
[29:42] - Bringing Down the Mighty
[31:00] - David and Goliath: God's Way
[32:12] - The Downfall of Nebuchadnezzar
[33:23] - The Rich Sent Empty Away
[34:56] - The Pharisees' Self-Righteousness
[36:20] - The True Measure of Righteousness
[38:43] - The Reversal of Worldly Values
[40:39] - Divine Wisdom Revealed to the Humble
[43:38] - Exalted as Children of God
[45:23] - The Hungry Filled with Good Things
Study Guide
Bible Study Discussion Guide
Bible Reading:
1. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29 - "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him."
2. Luke 1:51-53 - "He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty."
3. Matthew 5:3-6 - "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."
---
Observation Questions:
1. According to the sermon, how does the coming of Christ expose the limitations of human intellect and pride? [25:50]
2. What examples from the Bible were used in the sermon to illustrate God's way of using the weak to confound the strong? [31:00]
3. How does the sermon describe the reaction of the Pharisees to Jesus' teachings, and what does this reveal about their self-righteousness? [34:56]
4. What does the sermon say about the kind of people who are blessed according to the Gospel message? [40:03]
---
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the sermon explain the concept of divine wisdom being hidden from the wise and prudent but revealed to the humble? [41:01]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that the Gospel message reverses worldly values, and how does this challenge believers? [40:18]
3. What does the sermon imply about the relationship between humility and the understanding of God's wisdom? [26:22]
4. How does the sermon interpret the exaltation of believers as children of God, and what significance does this hold for Christians? [43:38]
---
Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when pride in your own understanding or abilities may have hindered your relationship with God. How can you cultivate humility in your spiritual journey? [25:24]
2. Consider the story of David and Goliath. How can you rely on God's strength rather than your own in facing challenges in your life? [31:00]
3. The sermon highlights the insufficiency of self-righteousness. In what areas of your life might you be relying on your own moral or ethical pride, and how can you seek true humility before God? [34:56]
4. The Gospel message blesses those who are poor in spirit and hungry for righteousness. How can you actively seek to embody these qualities in your daily life? [40:03]
5. How does the understanding that believers are exalted as children of God impact your sense of identity and purpose? What steps can you take to live out this truth in your community? [43:38]
6. Reflect on the idea that God fills the hungry with good things. In what ways can you acknowledge your spiritual hunger and seek fulfillment through God's grace? [45:23]
7. How can you apply the sermon’s message of divine reversal in your interactions with others, especially those who may be marginalized or overlooked by society? [39:32]
Devotional
Day 1: The Limitations of Human Wisdom
True understanding of God transcends human intellect and requires humility and divine revelation. Human wisdom, when tainted by pride, often fails to grasp the essence of the divine. The world, in its pursuit of understanding through intellect and philosophy, has not been able to comprehend the infinite nature of God. This is not a critique of intellect itself, but rather the pride that can accompany it. The coming of Christ exposes the limitations of human intellect and highlights the need for divine wisdom. It is through humility and revelation that one can truly understand God. [24:39]
1 Corinthians 1:25-29 (ESV): "For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God."
Reflection: In what areas of your life do you rely on your own understanding rather than seeking God's wisdom? How can you practice humility today to open yourself to divine revelation?
Day 2: God's Unexpected Ways
God often defies human expectations by using the weak to confound the strong, demonstrating that true power comes from reliance on Him. The narrative of Christ's birth and life is a testament to God's way of overturning human expectations. The story of David and Goliath exemplifies how God uses the weak to confound the strong, showing that true power and victory come from reliance on God, not human strength. This divine intervention challenges believers to trust in God's unexpected ways and to recognize that His plans often differ from human expectations. [31:00]
1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV): "But the Lord said to Samuel, 'Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.'"
Reflection: Can you identify a situation where you need to trust in God's unexpected ways rather than your own plans? How can you actively rely on His strength today?
Day 3: The Insufficiency of Self-Righteousness
Moral and ethical pride are insufficient before the righteousness of Christ, highlighting the need for true humility before God. The rich, in their moral and ethical pride, are sent away empty when confronted with the righteousness of Christ. This highlights the insufficiency of self-righteousness and the need for true humility before God. The Pharisees, who prided themselves on their adherence to the law, found their self-righteousness dismantled by the teachings of Jesus. Believers are called to recognize their own insufficiency and to seek God's grace with humility. [34:56]
Luke 18:9-14 (ESV): "He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 'Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: "God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get." But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.'"
Reflection: Reflect on a time when you relied on your own righteousness. How can you approach God with true humility today, acknowledging your need for His grace?
Day 4: The Reversal of Worldly Values
The Gospel message challenges believers to seek God with humility, blessing those who are poor in spirit and hungry for righteousness. The Gospel message reverses worldly values, blessing those who are poor in spirit, meek, and hungry for righteousness. This divine reversal challenges believers to seek God with humility and recognize their need for His grace. It is not the wise, the powerful, or the rich who are blessed, but those who admit their own insufficiency and seek God with a humble heart. [40:03]
Matthew 5:3-6 (ESV): "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied."
Reflection: In what ways do you find yourself valuing worldly success over spiritual humility? How can you realign your values to seek God's kingdom first today?
Day 5: Exalted as Children of God
In Christ, believers are exalted as children of God, offering profound hope and assurance despite the world's lack of recognition. In Christ, believers are exalted to a position of honor as children of God, heirs to His kingdom. This exaltation is not recognized by the world, but it offers profound hope and assurance to those who trust in God's promises. The hungry, those who recognize their spiritual need, are filled with good things, while the self-sufficient are left empty. This is the transformative power of the Gospel, turning the world's values upside down and offering true fulfillment to those who seek God with a humble heart. [43:38]
1 John 3:1-2 (ESV): "See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is."
Reflection: How does knowing you are a child of God change the way you view your identity and purpose? What steps can you take today to live in the assurance of this truth?
Quotes
"this this is the final proof of their failure to find God do you listen to them sometimes on these programs Brain Trust any questions you hear them talking their Folly about immortality and about various other things how foolish they seem they don't know you see they have no knowledge they have no understanding they've been trying to understand the mystery and they can't of course they fail completely and they have their ideas about God but they're not satisfied how can they be how can they Define God how can a man with a finite mind Encompass the Eternal the infinite and the absolute they made to look silly aren't they well that's exactly what Mary says he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts the World by wisdom knew not God don't misunderstand me I'm not here to denounce intellect I'm not here to denounce ability I'm not here even to denounce philosophy but what I am here to denounce is this is pride of intellect pride of knowledge pride of understanding the attitude of the modern man who says I am sufficient and complete God he says very well put him on the table let me examine him I'll tell you what I think about God that's what I'm denouncing and that is what the coming of Christ spatters makes it look idiotic why well with all its wisdom and ability and learning he hasn't arrived at God he has failed completely they never get further than saying perhaps what if per chance it is possible and no more the World by wisdom knew not God he exposes them but he doesn't stop her doing it like that of course the proud in the imagination of their hearts are scattered in another way and it's this when the true wisdom confronted them they couldn't see it the Apostle Paul of course is very eloquent on this this is where the intellectually proud have been made to look ridiculous they say they are men of wisdom and when they see truth they'll grasp it they like to call themselves Seekers after truth my dear friend if you call yourself a Seeker after truth you're denying the gospel truth can never be found by you nor by any other men truth is revealed but here are the Seekers after truth they say we want nothing but truth give us truth show us truth help us to arrive at truth it's all we want suddenly truth stands before them in the person of a man and they didn't recognize him the Apostle Paul puts it like this whom the princes of this world world didn't know for had they known him they would not have crucified the Lord Of Glory monstrous they said Son of God a carpenter ridiculous Son of God an ignoramus an artisan impossible wisdom must always be in a philosopher must belong to the schools who is this fellow they ridiculed it the Jews require a sign the Greeks seek after wisdom we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling block and unto the Greeks foolishness and by saying that it was foolishness they were displaying their own Folly they were being scattered in the imagination of their hearts they didn't recognize truth when it was standing incarnate before their eyes so Mary is perfectly right he has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts and as I've already anticipated it does it supremely of course by the way in which God chose to do it when he chose to send wisdom to men he sends it Us in the form of a babe and a carpenter an ordinary man as it were and so what the Greeks and the wisdom and the wise and the proud of intellect have been totally and utterly incapable of doing God does it in this extraordinary Manner and the wise and the proud are the laughing stock of the universe at this moment they are the people above all others who in their pride of intellect are rejecting God's wisdom God's power God's way of Salvation he does indeed scatter the proud in the imagination of their hearts the second thing is that he puts down the mighty from their seats what does this mean well of course this is a great theme in the Bible you get a great deal of this in the Old Testament God is always doing this he knows that the final sin in the heart of men is the sin of Pride proud of intellect proud of position proud of power proud of status and so you see God is always fighting that and always demolishing it always throwing it down look at the how he's done it in the whole case of the nation of the Jews there were the nations of the world proud of them and their prowess and their armies God made a nation for himself out of one man called Abram and a very weak Nation it was and just a little country Palestine what a small bit of Earth it is this little Nation amidst the mighty dynasties of Assyria and Babylon and Nineveh and all the rest of them you see that's God's way and then of course he's always ridiculing and bringing down these Mighty through his own people you see it typified to perfection in the great story about David and Goliath here is the mighty on their seats the Goliath the great power that is irresistible and is threatening to demolish the whole world and a strippling of a lead comes along who hasn't a sword and who hasn't armor he's only got a sling and five stones and he just flings one of them strikes the forehead brings to Earth demolishes this Mighty Tyrant that's God's that's God's way of dealing with the world you know that's what God has always been doing that's what he's doing in his son he doesn't send a great Chieftain a great Prince he sends a babe and so it has continued look at it in the case of a man like Nebuchadnezzar he had conquered so much and he was so wealthy he sets himself up as a God tells people to worship him and you know what happened to him you look at him in a few months you'll find him like an ox eating grass in a field his nail had grown like Talons and hair had covered his body and the Dew falls upon him a maniac a raving Maniac what's happening or God is putting down the mighty from their seats but he has done it finally in the Supreme manner when the King of Kings and the Lord Lord of lords came into this world he came into a stable if you don't feel a sense of holy laughter within you I don't see that you have a right to think that you're a Christian thank God this is Gospel this is salvation God turning upside down reversing everything we've ever thought everything we've taken pride in the mighty why he will pull them down from their seats he's been doing so he's still doing so you let any man arise and say he's going to govern the whole world he's going to be the God of this world you needn't be afraid he'll be put down every dictator has gone down they'll all go down finally the devil and all that belong to him will go down to the Lake of Fire and will be destroyed forever the Son of God has come into the world to do that but then take the third thing the rich I am told Heath sent empty away now this isn't to be taken in a material sense primarily but in a moral sense what is the effect of the coming of the Son of God into this world it is to send the rich empty away that's the great story that I see in the four gospels what are you talking about says someone well look at it in the Rich Young Ruler here's a rich man rich in money yes but priding himself on his richness in Morality all these have I kept from my youth upwards how rich he is in morals and in ethics and in righteousness but you know when he stands before this son of God this babe of Bethlehem who's now become a man and is beginning to teach at the age of 30 when the Rich Young Ruler has done all this and kept the Commandments of God and is full and overflowing with righteousness he looks into the face of son the Son of God he listens to his words and what is the end of the story he went away sorrowful he came with pride he went away sorrowful his riches were made to look very TDY oh but he's only one of many instances you know this was the whole trouble with the Pharisees and that is why they hated our Lord that's why they finally conspired to crucify him and to kill him you know the effect of the coming of the Son of God upon the Pharisees was to send them empty away and they were so rich what do you mean says someone I mean this that when they listened to the preaching of the Son of God they could see their righteousness disappearing all they' boasted of all they had gloated in all they had prided themselves on their exceptional righteousness say they who' never committed adultery wait a minute says the Son of God have you ever looked on a woman to last if you have You' have committed adultery with her in your heart that's the thing that matters and their righteousness has gone they're all guilty they thought they were innocent they're not he takes them through Point by point in The Sermon on the Mount he shows to them the spiritual character of God's law and these men who thought they' kept the law of God to Perfection find their guilty at every point and they they hated him why he sent them away empty they thought they were Rich oh that is what he's always done men are very satisfied with themselves and their own lives until they look into the face of Jesus Christ but the moment they look at him and listen to his interpretation of God's law they begin to say this that there is none righteous no not one a man says I'm a good fellow I've got my code I'm better than this man I'm much better than that man I do a lot of good I'm wonderful as the Pharisees said it in the temple and then he finds that God's law is that thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and all thy soul and all thy mind and all thy strength and thy neighbor as thyself and he hasn't started he's nowhere he listens to Christ saying blessed are the poor in spirit and he's full of Pride he's damned already he goes away empty blessed are the meek and is the opposite of meekness blessed are they that who hunger and thirst after righteousness he's bursting of his righteousness he's sent away empty oh this son of God always sends the rich empty away rarely to know him to understand his teaching brings a men to see this the whole world lith guilty before for God there is none righteous no not one all have sinned and come short of the glory of God every one of us the best of us our righteousness is but us filthy rags but see it supremely in the case of that great man the Apostle Paul as Saul of tssus what a wonderful man he was Israelite of the Israelites Hebrew of the Hebrews of the tribe Benjamin and so on knowing the law better than most other people yet he suddenly meets Christ and this is what he finds he says I count it all but D the wealth he boasted of the riches in which he gloated it becomes manure refu vile it's hopeless he's gone away empty he's nothing he's been stripped he's naked he walks away empty handed I was alive once he says without the LA but when the Commandment came sin revived and I died got nothing at all the Richer sent empty away and so it is I say right through this gospel Mary seen it she's had a glimpse a flash of it he always does these things can't you see that he denounces and destroys and demolishes everything that man bursts in man bursts of his intellect his understanding he bursts of his power his social status his influence he bursts of his righteousness his morality his ethics his curled and every one of them is utterly demolished by this son of God Mary saw it you see this is the exact opposite of everything man thinks and bursts of look at it when you look at when you see it in the people whom He blesses who are those who are to be blessed well the answer is the babes them were of low degree you will see your calling Brethren says Paul to the Corinthians how that not many mighty men after the not not many mighty not many noble are called but God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound them that are Mighty base things things that are not to bring to not things that are that no flesh should glory in his presence oh are the Blessed here they are blessed are they that who hunger and thirst after righteousness blessed are they who are poor of spirit blessed are they that mourn blessed are the meek these are the people the nobody is He blesses them the world doesn't look at it like that it's the great it's the influential it's the able it's the wonderful no no God's acting and God does it in entire reverse but but notice finally the way in which he gives the blessing and this is the special Glory of this Christmas message the World by wisdom knew not God but suddenly God sends his wisdom and his Revelation these things a man can't arrive at by searching but God hath revealed them unto us by his spirit for the spirit searcheth old things yay the Deep things of God we have the mind of Christ we are made wise here is a way whereby a man can know God what Plato Socrates Aristotle and all the succession of Mighty secular philosophers have failed to find is given as a free gift to the babes those who admit that they cannot a man who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ as a knowledge of God he has an understanding of Life an understanding of himself which the ablest wisest man in the world in a natural sense is entirely lacking in I invite you almost to listen to them I know of no preparation better preparation for the preaching of the gospel than to ask people to listen to bertr and Russell and Julian Huxley and the rest ask them for an explanation of men and of life and of death and of God and they've got nothing to tell you they don't know they're bankrupt completely the simplest and the most ignorant Christian has a knowledge and an understanding that is completely denied to such people I thank thee oh Father Lord of Heaven and Earth that thou Hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and Hast reveal them unto babes even so father for so it seemed good in thy sight the people who are wisest in the world tonight are these simple Christian people they're not afraid of tomorrow they're not afraid of death they know they're in the right relationship to God they are not surprised that the world is as it is it's your great men were surprised but say we can't understand this this is 20th century and we're more learned and we're meeting one another and we're having conf why is the world they don't understand it why because they know nothing about Sin it's in them they're full of it but they don't understand it they haven't the wisdom that God gives the Revelation that has come in Christ secondly look at the way in which he exalts us he ha put down the mighty from their seats and the other side and exalted them of low degree what does it mean well it means this that it doesn't matter who you are or what you are as a Christian if you are a Christian you are a child of God you're a Son of God you won't appear in the New Year's honors list they never heard of you and the times knows nothing about you but thank God you're in the court circular of Heaven sons of God members of the Heavenly royal family he has made us says John Kings and Priests unto God or if you prefer it a kingdom of priests children of God HS of God join as with Christ exalted us blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth you're not in any great men's will it's all right you're a poor person you're an ignoramus the world doesn't know of you but you know my friend if you're a Christian you're in God's will you're in the will of God and you are a joint with Christ and you're going to enter into that inheritance with him you're going to reign with him you're going to judge the world you're going to judge angels with the Son of God here's the exaltation he hath put down the mighty from their seats and exalted them of low degree blessed be the name of God and lastly what a phrase is this he has filled the hungry with good things blessed are they that do hunger and thirst after righteousness why oh they shall be filled the rich Heath sent empty way we've seen that but look at the opposite the hungry the man who feels is a sinner vile the man who feels is a cad the man who can't understand himself the man who feels his rotten the man who says unto himself in me that is to say in my flesh dwelleth no good" [00:24:23]
Chatbot
-
I'm an AI bot trained only on this specific sermon. Do you have any questions about it?