The Wisdom of God Romans 16:25-27: 1 Cor. 1:21-31

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The Wisdom of God Romans 1625-27 1 Cor.
121-31

• Wisdom Defined
• One main statement will dominate the next several
  minutes in my speaking. I call you to let it take
  hold in your thoughts first, and then, by the
  Holy Spirits enabling, in your heart as well.
• The statement is simple and deep
• God is infinitely wise.

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The Wisdom of God Romans 1625-27 1 Cor.
121-31

• Let me start with a definition Wisdom, in the
  Bible, is knowing the greatest goal in any
  situation, and the best way to achieve that
  goal.

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The Wisdom of God Romans 1625-27 1 Cor.
121-31

• Listen to the psalmist say of God, His
  understanding is infinite (Ps. 1475). Listen to
  Jeremiah pray to the great and mighty God whose
  name is the Lord of Hosts, the One great in
  counsel and mighty in deed, whose eyes are on all
  the ways of the sons of men in order to give to
  each person according to his ways and the result
  of his deeds. (Jeremiah 3219).

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The Wisdom of God Romans 1625-27 1 Cor.
121-31

• When Daniel described Gods wisdom, he wrote, He
  changes the times and seasons He removes kings
  and establishes kings. He gives wisdom to the
  wise and knowledge to those who have
  understanding. He reveals the deep and hidden
  things He knows what is in the darkness, and
  light dwells with Him. (Dan. 221-22) Nothings
  ever a mystery to God. He is never puzzled or
  confused or uncertain.

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The Wisdom of God Romans 1625-27 1 Cor.
121-31

• Paul tries to talk about the wisdom of God, and
  when he does, it moves to praise Oh, the depth
  of the riches both of the wisdom and the
  knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments
  and untraceable His ways! For who has known the
  mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?
  Or who has ever first given to Him, and has to be
  repaid? For from Him and through Him and to Him
  are all things. To Him be the glory forever.
  Amen. (Rom. 1133-36)

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The Wisdom of God Romans 1625-27 1 Cor.
121-31

• What the apostle is saying is that Gods wisdom
  is very deep--so deep that His judgments are
  unsearchable. I cant get there from here its
  beyond me. Gods wisdom is so deep that His ways
  are untraceable. I cant follow what Hes doing
  without being hopelessly over my head. It is so
  deep that no one has been or could be His
  counselor, ever.

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The Wisdom of God Romans 1625-27 1 Cor.
121-31

• God is constantly synthesizing billions and
  billions of strands of data, drawn from all
  possible fields of knowledge and realms of
  experience, so that He holds every relevant
  factor in every situation with total and perfect
  knowledge. He constantly weighs the facts,
  implications, costs, consequences, and how it
  fits into His purposes with flawless skill, so
  that what He does or wills is always the best
  possible move that can be made. And God does this
  all the time, without the least strain and
  without crashing a hard drive.

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The Wisdom of God Romans 1625-27 1 Cor.
121-31

• One Life-Altering Implication
• of the Wisdom of God
• The wisdom of God tells us that God will bring
  about the best possible results, by the best
  possible means, for the most possible people, for
  the longest possible time.
• (Charles Ryrie, quoted by Chip Ingram in God As
  He Longs For You To See Him,

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The Wisdom of God Romans 1625-27 1 Cor.
121-31

• Let me ask you something Would it change things
  for you if you firmly believed that the problem
  in your life that is pressing and difficultthe
  one you dont understand, that you chafe against,
  that makes you feel overwhelmed and ready to give
  upwas orchestrated or allowed by an all-wise,
  loving Father to bring about the best possible,
  longest lasting results for His glory and your
  good?

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The Wisdom of God Romans 1625-27 1 Cor.
121-31

• Would it make a difference if you understood that
  your life is not Gods Plan B or Plan Cthat it
  is always and only Plan A, designed specifically
  for you while you live in this fallen world?
  What if everything in your life was a part of His
  wise plan? What would happen to your anxiety
  level? How would that affect your confidence in
  God?

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The Wisdom of God Romans 1625-27 1 Cor.
121-31

• Remember that our experience of the wisdom of God
  comes in a fallen world
• Remember the wisdom of God in securing your
  salvation

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The Wisdom of God Romans 1625-27 1 Cor.
121-31

• But the most foolish move of all was the
  crucifixion. I Corinthians 121-24 connects this
  for us For since, in Gods wisdom, the world
  did not know God through wisdom (In other words,
  God rejected the possibility of salvation by
  human intellect and wisdom. We will see why in a
  moment.) God was pleased to save those who
  believe through the foolishness of the message
  preached. For the Jews ask for signs and the
  Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ
  crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and
  foolishness to the Gentiles. Yet to those who are
  called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is Gods
  power and Gods wisdom.

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The Wisdom of God Romans 1625-27 1 Cor.
121-31

• In Gods infinite wisdom, He chose a way of
  salvation through Christ that looks totally
  insane to us. No one on earth would have come up
  with a plan involving the brutal murder of the
  Son of God for sinners. Yet at precisely the most
  foolish-looking moment, Gods wisdom triumphs.
  And at the point of His greatest weakness, Gods
  power is unleashed. Verse 25 because Gods
  foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and Gods
  weakness is stronger than human strength.

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The Wisdom of God Romans 1625-27 1 Cor.
121-31

• In Gods all-wise plan, this was the perfect way
  to achieve the greatest goal. What goal? Skip to
  v. 31 Therefore, as it is written, The one
  who boasts must boast in the Lord." This is
  what His wisdom was aiming at. God chose us,
  purchased us, called us, and given to us
  everything else involving our salvation in such a
  way as to strip us of all self-congratulation and
  replace it with glorying only in the Lord.

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The Wisdom of God Romans 1625-27 1 Cor.
121-31

• God simply points out that in the grand scope of
  things, we know nothing. Suggesting our better
  plan to help God out is like proposing 1 1
  to Einstein. When it comes to divine wisdom, we
  havent been there and we havent done that.

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The Wisdom of God Romans 1625-27 1 Cor.
121-31

• 1. Wise Living Starts With Fearing the Lord.
• Prov. 910 The fear of the Lord is the
  beginning
• of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is
• understanding.
• 2. Wise Living Grows by Receiving Gods Word.

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The Wisdom of God Romans 1625-27 1 Cor.
121-31

• 3. Wise Living Requires that We Ask for It
  Specifically. James 15-6
• Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask
  God, who gives to all generously and without
  criticizing, and it will be given to him. But let
  him ask in faith without doubting. For the
  doubter is like the surging sea, driven and
  tossed by the wind.

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The Wisdom of God Romans 1625-27 1 Cor.
121-31

• Most of us go through life praying a little,
  planning a little, jockeying for position, hoping
  but never being quite certain of anything, and
  always secretly afraid that we will miss the way.
  This is a tragic waste of truth and never gives
  rest to the heart.
• There is a better way. It is to repudiate our
  own wisdom and take instead the infinite wisdom
  of God God has charged Himself with full
  responsibility for our eternal happiness and
  stands ready to take over the management of our
  lives the moment we turn in faith to Him.
• (A.W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy,