Have you ever felt the Wellington wind on your face? …Of course you have! We all have!
You can’t see it, but you know it’s there. You see its effects — trees bending, waves crashing, umbrellas turning inside out, even the way it nearly knocks us over outside here on the Main Road. That’s often how people think of the Holy Spirit — unseen, powerful, a kind of force in the background. But is that all The Holy Spirit is?
Many, maaaany years ago, (back in the 1970s), I had a workmate. I often shared meals with his family, and we became good friends. But over time, Jehovah’s Witnesses began visiting his home. His wife became deeply involved, and before long, my workmate was drawn in too.
Because I was a Christian, our conversations often turned into debates. And one of the topics that kept coming up was the Holy Spirit.
Jehovah’s Witnesses see the Holy Spirit as nothing more than an impersonal force, like electricity, or gravity. They reject the Trinity altogether, saying it’s unbiblical or even pagan. For them, God or Jehovah is supreme, Jesus is acknowledged as a creation of God, and the Spirit is simply His power at work.
That made me wonder: how many people today — even in our churches — have a clear picture of who the Holy Spirit really is? So, who is the Holy Spirit?
The truth is, there are many different ideas. Judaism insists on the Shema: “The Lord is one.” Islam recognises the Spirit, but not as we do. Let me just take a few minutes to dive into these ideas a little more.
Judaism and the Spirit
In Judaism, the Shema is absolutely central:
Deut. 6:4 says: “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one”
Devout Jews recite this morning and evening — it’s almost their declaration of identity.
So you can imagine, any talk of God being “three-in-one” feels to them like a betrayal of God’s oneness. To Jewish ears, the Trinity sounds like polytheism — as if we were worshipping three gods instead of one.
Now, in the Hebrew Scriptures, the Spirit — Ruach Elohim — certainly appears. In Genesis 1:2, the Spirit of God hovers over the waters of creation. Throughout Judges and Kings, the Spirit comes upon people like Samson or David to empower them. But Jewish teaching doesn’t treat the Spirit as a separate divine Person. Instead, He’s usually understood as God’s power or presence at work in the world.
So when Christians say, “The Holy Spirit is God Himself, personal and active,” that’s a radical difference.
Can you see why the idea of the Trinity is such a stumbling block for them?
Islam and the Spirit
Islam also acknowledges the Spirit — but very differently. The Qur’an speaks of Ruh al-Qudus (the Holy Spirit) and Ruh Allah (the Spirit of God). But in Islamic teaching, the Spirit is not God, nor a person within God.
Some Muslims believe this “Spirit” is actually another name for the angel Gabriel. Others see the Spirit as God’s life-giving breath, as when Adam was created.
And just as in Judaism, Islam strongly rejects the Trinity. The Qur’an says: “Say not ‘Three’ — desist. Allah is but one God.”
So while Judaism and Islam both acknowledge the Spirit in some form, their understanding is very different from the biblical picture. Can you see how different this is? The Spirit is not a distant force, or remote entity, but He is the very presence of God living in us. We proclaim the Spirit as fully God — personal, active, and living in us today.
These alternate views of the Spirit aren’t just ancient or foreign. Even among Christians today, confusion about the Spirit is common.
The 2022 American LifeWay “State of Theology” survey reports that 55 percent of evangelicals in America believe the Holy Spirit is just a force. I’m not aware of a similar survey for New Zealand — but it raises the question: What might the numbers look like here among our Christian communities, or in fact, here in our church?
This isn’t just a modern misunderstanding. In the 4th century, leaders like Saint Basil of Caesarea wrote entire books defending the Spirit as fully God, co-equal with the Father and the Son.
So let me ask: what about us? Do we see Him as a power… or as a person?
The Scriptures are clear. The Holy Spirit is the third Person of the Trinity — fully God, not a “some-thing,” but a “some-one.”
Jesus Himself promised the Spirit. In Acts 1:4–5 He told His disciples,
“Wait for the gift my Father promised… you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.”
And at Pentecost that promise came… A rushing wind… Tongues of fire. Suddenly the disciples were empowered. From that moment, the Spirit’s work was unleashed in a new and powerful way.
The Bible describes Him as breath, wind, fire — but He is more than a symbol… He speaks. He can be grieved. He teaches, comforts, convicts, and guides. He has a mind and a will. In Greek, He is called the Paraclete — the one who comes alongside us, like an advocate or helper.
Isn’t that good news? Jesus has not left us friendless. His Spirit lives in us.
How does He guide us?
So, how does He guide us?
Think of Paul in Acts 16. He and his companions planned to preach in Asia, but the Holy Spirit stopped them. Then Paul had a vision of a man from Macedonia, pleading, “Come and help us.” The Spirit was leading them step by step.
Have you ever had your own plans interrupted, only to find God had something better in mind? The Spirit guides us too. Sometimes it’s through Scripture, when a passage suddenly comes alive. Sometimes it’s that “still small voice” prompting us. Sometimes it’s through another person’s encouragement, or even a dream or vision. In all these circumstances it’s essential they align with God’s word.
He brings peace in the middle of storms. He stirs us to acts of kindness. He gives spiritual gifts — wisdom, healing, prophecy — and produces His fruit in us: Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
I’ll never forget a service with Father John Rea, a Catholic priest who travels New Zealand holding healing meetings. Christians from many denominations around Tawa met in the Linden Community Centre. There were Catholic, Anglican, Baptist — it didn’t matter.
What mattered was the Spirit’s love binding us as one. It was so strong I just wanted to hug everyone. That’s the Holy Spirit — breaking down barriers, creating unity, pouring out God’s love.
How should we respond?
So, how should we respond?
The Holy Spirit is a gift. Not something we earn or merit, not something we buy. If we trust Jesus, the Holy Spirit lives within us.
But here’s the question: are we listening to the Spirit?
Jesus said in John 10:27
“My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”
So do we hear His voice? Do we follow His lead?
Friends, we are privileged to live in this era of the Spirit’s work. He comforts us, empowers us, draws us closer to Jesus. He whispers in our hearts, nudges us into obedience, and transforms us from the inside out. So let’s be attentive. Let’s be sensitive. Let’s be willing to follow wherever He leads.
The Holy Spirit speaks. The only question is: are we listening?
A couple of years ago, in the rather isolated village of Hrastovlje, in western Slovenia, Nicky and I were shown a building that looks like a small castle with a tower. Close up, it looked a bit forbidding, but after we got through the gateway, we could see that the tower is actually attached to a very plain little Christian church. No-one’s sure when the church was built, but probably in the thirteen or fourteen hundreds. The tower was added later. The castle-like wall was built in 1581, to give villagers a refuge from Turkish invaders.
The church is nothing to look at on the outside, but as soon as we got inside, it was obvious why my sister-in-law, who grew up in the area, wanted us to see it. Just about every part of the interior is covered by colourful frescoes painted in 1490 – we know the date because the artist signed and dated them. The pictures are mostly scenes from the Bible, aimed at telling the stories to a mainly illiterate congregation.
These frescoes were once doubly hidden – not only inside a nondescript building, but at some time long ago they were completely hidden by a thick layer of white plaster. They were only rediscovered in 1949.
So my first impression of the church, from the outside, was one of disappointment. But this was a case of “appearances can be deceptive.” It was only on looking inside that a beautiful treasure was revealed.
The phrase “appearances can be deceptive” can apply to people too.
Relating to people, the term ‘appearance’ covers a wide range of things – the way a person is dressed, things they own or don’t own, things they say and the language they use, their apparent age or culture, their manner (such as being talkative or quiet, rude or polite, using facial expressions and hand gestures) and so on.
When we meet a person for the first time, we sometimes let their appearance either encourage us to get to know them, or put us off. Perhaps we try and get to know them whatever their appearance.
Imagine a conversation going on between two people next Sunday at church.
“Did you hear the sermon Neville gave last week?”
“No. I’m new here, which one’s Neville?”
“Oh, he’s tall, bald and wears glasses. Probably in his late 60s and has an English accent.”
“Thanks, I should be able to spot him.”
The facts of this description are probably quite accurate. ‘Tall, bald and glasses’ are obvious features about my external appearance. Late 60s and English accent – they are both part of my appearance too, but they could lead to questionable judgements about the inner person. Someone in their late 60s might be expected to have certain attitudes and prejudices associated with their age, which they may be judged on. An English accent might suggest a particular cultural background, and all that implies. You’d need to look past these appearances to get to know me and be able to judge my real character. That’s just an example, not a challenge!
The Bible has many examples of how God looks beyond external appearances to see the heart of the person beneath the skin. Obviously we can’t see as God sees, but we can learn from some of the things he looks for.
For example, in 1 Samuel 16: 6-7 we read of how God wanted to replace Saul as king of Israel, because of his disobedience. He sent Samuel to Bethlehem to search among the sons of Jesse. When he arrived in Bethlehem:
“Samuel noticed Eliab and said to himself, “Surely, here before the Lord stands his chosen king.” But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t be impressed by his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. God does not view things the way people do. People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
After God had rejected seven of Jesse’s sons, his youngest son, David, was brought in from looking after the sheep. God looked into David’s heart and chose him to be anointed.
The Israelites hoped God would pick a strapping hero, a brilliant and successful person. But God chose ordinary David for the potential he saw in his heart. We know that David went on to do great things, and very bad things too. But God had chosen him for his nature – at heart, he was devoted, obedient and thankful to God.
Some key words from the passage are “God does not view things the way people do. People look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
People look at the outward appearance – it’s what they do.
God looks at the heart – it’s what He does.
So what are some of the things God looks for in our hearts?
Here are just a few to give us an idea.
In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Matthew 5:8
God looks for a pure heart, free from sin and devoted to Him.
In Acts 15:8-9 we read: “God, who knows the heart, showed that he accepted the Gentiles by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as he did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for he purified their hearts by faith.”
God looks for a genuine faith in Him, regardless of ethnic origins.
Romans 12:1-2 urges believers to “offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”
God looks for sincere worship.
John 7:24 says: “Do not judge by appearances, but judge with righteous judgment“.
God looks for discernment, through truth and righteousness.
That’s just a small selection. Much of what God looks for is concerned with the relationship between God and that person. And that’s not for us to know, and even less to judge. We cannot look at the heart in the way that God does.
But we can still make the effort to go beyond appearances. I think we tend to look for two main categories of things – character and needs. We look for character traits that affect our relationship with the person, even if it’s a fleeting one. We might look for honesty, integrity, compassion, kindness, fairness and trustworthiness. And people look for the same things in us too. By looking beyond appearances, we can also get to understand people’s needs that are not obvious on the surface, or that we miss because of our initial judgements.
This is not to say that we should totally ignore appearances. After all, Jesus showed that he cared about physical appearances when he healed people of various diseases and disfigurements, although even then the results were often internal as well.
Proverbs 27: 19 sums this up – “As in water the face is reflected as a face, so a person’s heart reflects the person.”
Jesus knew what it was like to be misjudged because of his appearance. He didn’t have the appearance of the powerful king the Israelites were expecting. So he was continually having to prove who he was, that his authority came from within, not from what he looked like. Jesus often wanted people to look for his inner self.
Getting people to look at his inner being was a hard lesson that did not always sink in. Towards the end of his ministry on Earth, Jesus’ disciples looked for reassurance about what was going to happen next.
In John 14:8-10 we read that
“Philip said “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be content.” Jesus replied, “Have I been with you for so long, and you have not known me, Philip? The person who has seen me has seen the Father! How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me?”
In other words, Philip had not really looked beyond appearances.
Jesus wanted people to see his inner self, but not all humans are so open. Many people have barriers which can prevent or delay others moving beyond appearances. These could be barriers of language, culture or social difference, or they could be things like shyness, rudeness, poor social skills, anxiety, the need for privacy. Some people even go so far as to deceitfully create false impressions, with the aim of causing harm.
As part of the Sermon on the Mount, (Matthew 7: 15), Jesus warned “Be on your guard against false prophets; they come to you looking like sheep on the outside, but on the inside they are really like wild wolves.” We should look out for people, not just false prophets, who appear harmless on the outside, but are actually dangerous and deceitful inside.
Jesus encountered many barriers like this. He had constant run-ins with the Pharisees, who were an influential group big on tradition and external display, rather than on inner belief.
Jesus didn’t hold back when he said
“Woe to you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of the bones of the dead and of everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you look righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” Matthew 23: 27-28.
As well as encouraging us to look out for hypocrites and wolves in sheep’s clothing, Jesus modelled other ways to look at the heart rather than the appearance. And what we do with what we find there.
Just for example, Mark 12 41-44 tells us
“Then Jesus sat down opposite the offering box, and watched the crowd putting coins into it. Many rich people were throwing in large amounts. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, worth less than a penny. He called his disciples and said to them, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the offering box than all the others. For they all gave out of their wealth. But she, out of her poverty, put in what she had to live on, everything she had.”
One thing he was saying was not to look at and judge the appearance of a small offering, but consider the sacrifice and heart behind it.
In John 4 we read of an encounter between Jesus and a Samaritan woman at a well. She was a female in a society that held women in disregard, she was from a culture despised by Jews and she lived in shame, a social outcast. Outer appearances did not look good. But Jesus looked at her heart, spoke with her and offered eternal salvation. She went on to give testimony to her whole town.
Verse 27 tells us “And at this point His disciples came, and they marvelled that He talked with a woman; yet no one said, “What do You seek?” or, “Why are You talking with her?””
The disciples looked at the appearance, but did not think to look any further.
This reminds me of a news item I saw a couple of weeks ago. Georgia Evans was playing rugby for Wales in the Women’s Rugby World Cup. During the competition she was subjected to considerable online abuse – not for her playing, but for her appearance on the field. Her reply was “The bows in my hair, the eyelashes and full-face makeup I choose to wear – none of that affects my ability, passion or fight for this game.”
That’s just the attitude we’ve been talking about in Christians – look past the appearance at the passion, the belief.
I said earlier that what God finds in a person’s heart is part of a relationship that we are not meant to see. It’s okay to keep this inner self hidden from other people, if that’s what we want, but there is one thing that God does want other people to see in our hearts.
God wants people to see our belief in Him, to see our Christianity. In fact, Jesus tells us that people shouldn’t have to see into our hearts – our faith and Christianity should shine out anyway.
In Matthew 5:14-16 Jesus said
“You are like light for the whole world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl; instead it is put on the lampstand, where it gives light for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine before people, so that they will see the good things you do and praise your Father in heaven.”
So, people shouldn’t have to look inside us to see that we are Christians, that should be part of our outer appearance.
In some parts of the world, shining out your Christian belief can get you into serious trouble. That’s not the case here in New Zealand, for which we are thankful, but there is a level of opposition to Christianity. There are many people who love God, but for various reasons tend to shy away from revealing this to strangers. There are also people who are happy to walk into a room of strangers and almost the first thing they say is “Hi, I’m a Christian.”
Whatever we feel comfortable with (or sometimes not!), God expects other people to be able to recognise us as Christian by the way we live our lives. We shine our light by exemplifying the Christian qualities of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These are all aspects of character we can develop through the presence of the Holy Spirit. We can also shine our light when God calls us to use the spiritual gifts He has given us – and again, we have the Holy Spirit to help us do that.
And we need to show those qualities all the time, not just when we feel like it. In that sense we are lamps on a lampstand, shining continuously – not like lamps totally hidden under a bowl, or even lamps under a colander letting bits of light leak through the holes, and definitely not like a torch, switched on and off to suit.
How much is being a Christian part of your external appearance, as well as your inner character?
I’d like to finish by going back to the decorated church in Slovenia. There is a sequence to the frescoes, and they end with what is known as ‘The Dance of Death.” There are eleven skeletons, each leading a person towards an open grave. There’s a child, a man with a wooden leg, a young man, moneylender, merchant, monk, bishop, cardinal, queen, king and a pope.
The message of this image is simple – When God looks in our hearts, we are all equal in his eyes, regardless of appearance or how important we think we are in our worldly life.
Both my grandfathers had a shadow board for their tools. A shadow board is normally hung on a wall in a garage with an outline of the tools on it so you can see where the tools go and whether a tool is missing.
My shadow board is much less impressive than my grandfathers’ ones. The tools that get used often look in good condition. But the tools I don’t use all that much have gathered a bit of rust over the years.
Today we begin a new sermon series on spiritual gifts. Spiritual gifts are like tools, given by God to help the church. Different jobs require a different tool. Of course, if we don’t use the tools God provides, they tend to gather rust.
Over the years, I have not paid much attention to the topic of spiritual gifts in my preaching. This series is overdue. My aim is simply to explore what the Bible says about the gifts of the Spirit and let God do with that whatever he wants.
In First Corinthians 12, Paul lists nine spiritual gifts. Paul’s list is not exhaustive; it is an ad hoc sample. There are any number of ways in which the Holy Spirit equips the church. We come across other spiritual gifts in other parts of the Bible too. I’m starting with Corinthians 12 because that’s as good a place as any to start. From verse 4 we read…
4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.
5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 8 To one there is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues.11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.
May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.
Our message today does not cover all those verses. I read that passage from Corinthians 12 to give you some context. In a nutshell, what Paul is saying here is this: the one Holy Spirit of God distributes a variety of different gifts for the common good of the church and by extension the world.
So, as we consider each of these gifts over the coming weeks, we need to keep that in mind. There are many gifts which all come from the one Spirit to be used for the common good.
Our sermon today focuses on the first two gifts in Paul’s list: wisdom and knowledge, or more accurately the word of wisdom and the word of knowledge. We will begin with the gift of wisdom, before considering the word of knowledge.
The gift of wisdom:
Wisdom is slightly different from knowledge. Knowledge is about knowing facts and information. While wisdom is about how you handle life and people. True wisdom always serves justice, the kind of justice that leads to genuine peace.
King Solomon was known for his wisdom. He asked God for wisdom and God gave it to him. Earlier in the service I read an account of Spirit inspired wisdom from First Kings chapter 3.
Two women were living in the same house. Each of them gave birth to a baby just days apart. One of the babies died during the night. Now the two women were arguing over whose was the living child. They wanted Solomon to decide.
When Solomon ordered the child to be cut in two, one of the women said to the king, “Please, your majesty, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!”
But the other said, “Don’t give him to either of us; go ahead and cut him in two!”
Then Solomon gave his ruling: “Do not kill the child. Give him to the first woman; she is his real mother.”
That is an example of the spiritual gift of wisdom. Solomon knew how to handle the situation so that justice was done and peace was restored.
Some people think of the gifts of the Spirit like a superpower. You know, Superman has the ability to fly, Wolverine can recover from mortal wounds, and Spiderman climbs buildings and spins webs.
But with spiritual gifts it’s different from that. The gift is not necessarily your possession to keep forever. It’s not a power you can pull out to use whenever and however you want. The exercise of a gift depends on the presence and activity of the Holy Spirit, more than it does us.
The Spirit of God clearly gave Solomon wisdom to deal with certain problems, but the king did not always act with wisdom. He did a lot of things that were unwise, including marrying hundreds of women and oppressing his own people with heavy taxation.
Spiritual gifts are not a reward for good character. The Spirit is pure and holy, but the gifts are given to imperfect human beings, and we are full of contradictions.
We find another example of Spirit inspired wisdom in Mark 12, when Jesus responds to some Pharisees who try to trap him in his words…
The Pharisees begin by flattering Jesus. They say: “Teacher, we know that you are a man of integrity. You are not swayed by others, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth.
Then, after coating the bait in honey, they ask: “Is it right to pay the imperial taxto Caesar or not?” 15 …But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. “Why are you trying to trap me?” he asked. “Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.”
16 They brought the coin, and he asked them, “Whose image is this? And whose inscription?”
“Caesar’s,” they replied.
17 Then Jesus said to them, “Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s and to God what is God’s.” And they were amazed at him.
Jesus exercised the gift of wisdom by the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit enabled Jesus to see what was really going on and gave him the right words to handle his opponents, without getting himself into trouble.
Not sure about you, but I don’t usually think of the wise thing to say until a few days later. The wisdom of hindsight is not the same as the wisdom the Spirit lends in real time.
Okay, so there’s a couple of examples of what Paul means when he writes about the gift of wisdom. What about the word of knowledge? What does that look like?
The word of knowledge:
Some of you probably watch the Chase on TV 1 before the six o’clock news. Although the Chasers have a great general knowledge, they are not exercising the gift of knowledge when they play the Chase. The kind of knowledge Paul has in mind here is not acquired by reading books.
In Corinthians 12 the gift of knowledge probably refers to a supernatural endowment of factual information, that could not otherwise have been known without the Spirit’s help. [1]
Last Wednesday the photocopier in the church office was playing up. I opened the copier door to find a paper jam. Now you have to be very careful when removing paper jams because, if you rip the paper, it can be very difficult to get all of it out. You need to take it slow and remove the paper in one piece.
There I was carefully removing the paper when I noticed a component of the hardware was not sitting right. It was loose. I tried to put the component back properly, but it would not stay in place.
After a few failed attempts I began to feel a bit annoyed. I had a lot to do and did not need another hold up. I wish I could say my first thought was to pray, but it wasn’t.
Eventually though, after taking a few deep breaths, I did pray. My prayer went something like this: ‘God, please help me to see the problem’. No sooner had I prayed and a thought came into my mind: ‘You are looking at the wrong end. Look at the other end.’
So, I turned the component over and noticed a piece of plastic was missing. The component would not sit right because the piece of plastic which held it in place was broken. The copier repair guy had to come and replace the part.
The information I needed to remove the paper jam did not come by a word of knowledge. I learned that knowledge through previous experience.
But the information I needed to identify the problem with the hardware, that came the moment I prayed. Was the thought that came to mind as I prayed a word of knowledge or was it just common sense? I’ll let you decide.
What about when you lose your keys and after rushing around for 20 minutes in a panic, you finally pray (in desperation) for God to help you. Then, within seconds, you are reminded of where you left your keys. Is that a word of knowledge or just blind luck? I’ll let you decide.
We come across people giving words of knowledge in the Bible quite a bit.
Like when Jesus was talking with the Samaritan woman at the well, in John 4. Without knowing the woman at all, Jesus received a word of knowledge that she had been married five times and the man she was currently with was not her husband.
This word of knowledge established Jesus’ credentials as a prophet and helped the woman to trust Jesus.
But it seems Jesus did not always possess this kind of supernatural knowledge. On a different occasion, when a woman with a bleeding complaint touched the fringe of Jesus’ cloak, Jesus knew power had gone out from him, but he did not appear to know who had touched him. He kept looking around and asking, ‘Who touched my clothes?’
We come across another instance of a word of knowledge in Acts 10. From verse 19 we read: While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three men are looking for you. So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them.”
Peter obeyed the Spirit and went with the men who took him to the home of Cornelius the Roman Centurion. Through that word of knowledge, Peter was directed by the Spirit to preach the gospel to the gentiles with the result that Cornelius and his household believed in Jesus and were saved.
You may be wondering, how do we know when a word of knowledge is from the Holy Spirit? How can we tell the difference between the Holy Spirit’s thoughts and our thoughts? Well, in John 16, Jesus said this…
13 …when the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. 14 He will glorify me because it is from me that he will receive what he will make known to you.
These verses show us that a Spirit inspired word of knowledge is true and it glorifies Jesus. If a word of knowledge proves false or if it does not glorify Jesus, then it is not the real deal.
We could add a third test also. In Corinthians 12, Paul says the gifts of the Spirit are given for the common good. Therefore, we need to ask if the word of knowledge serves the common good. Is it helpful to others in the church?
We know a word of knowledge is genuinely Spirit inspired when it is true, it glorifies Jesus and it serves the common good.
The problem with these tests is that the results may only be known after the fact. How did Peter know the word of knowledge he had received was true beforehand? Indeed, how can we be confident to act on a word of knowledge?
Hmm. I expect this kind of sensitivity to the Spirit is developed through faith and experience. Peter was able to recognise a genuine word of knowledge because he knew the Holy Spirit personally. He spent time in prayer and study of the word, so he was tuned in to the Spirit.
Ultimately though, Peter had to take a step in faith and act in obedience to the word of knowledge he was given. Proof follows obedience.
Knowledge needs wisdom:
Although Paul lists the gifts of wisdom and knowledge separately, they tend to work better together. Wisdom and knowledge need each other like a right hand needs a left hand.
Have you ever tried to cut a piece of steak with just one hand? It’s really difficult. You need both hands; one to hold the steak with a fork and the other to cut the steak with a knife.
What about tying your shoe laces with one hand? How hard would that be?
You need two hands to tie laces. Knowledge needs wisdom like the left hand needs the right hand.
You may know the story of David and Bathsheba. While Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, was away fighting in the war for Israel, David slept with Bathsheba and Bathsheba got pregnant. Wanting to hide what he had done, David arranged to have Uriah killed on the front line, making it look like Uriah was just another casualty of war.
But the thing David had done displeased the Lord. God, in his justice and mercy, could not turn a blind eye to David’s abuse of power. Therefore, the Lord sent the prophet Nathan to confront David over his sin.
This means Nathan must have received a word of knowledge from the Lord. How else would the prophet know David had committed adultery and murder? David had kept his wrong doing well hidden.
Knowing this inside information about David was one thing, but communicating it to David, without getting his head chopped off, was another thing altogether. David was a soldier king, he was a man of power and violence, and he had a lot to lose. Nathan needed to approach David with wisdom.
In Second Samuel chapter 12, we read the wise way in which Nathan handled the king. Nathan began by telling David a parable…
When Nathan came to David, he said, “There were two men in a certain town, one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had a very large number of sheep and cattle, 3 but the poor man had nothing except one little ewe lamb he had bought. He raised it, and it grew up with him and his children. It shared his food, drank from his cup and even slept in his arms. It was like a daughter to him.4 “Now a traveller came to the rich man, but the rich man refrained from taking one of his own sheep or cattle to prepare a meal for the traveller who had come to him. Instead, he took the ewe lamb that belonged to the poor man and prepared it for the one who had come to him.”5 David burned with anger against the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this must die! 6 He must pay for that lamb four times over, because he did such a thing and had no pity.”
7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man!
Nathan then went on tell the king how God was not pleased with the way David stole Uriah’s wife and had Uriah killed. Nathan also spelled out the consequences for David. The king would reap what he sowed.
To his credit, David admitted his fault and the Lord took away David’s sin, but he did not take away David’s consequences.
Conclusion:
A word of knowledge from the Lord is always true and truth is sometimes difficult to receive. A word of knowledge needs to be given with wisdom.
Let us pray. Gracious God, thank you for the gifts you bestow. Help us to tune in to the truth of your Spirit, to be quick to listen and faithful to obey, for the glory of Jesus and the common good of your people. Amen.
Questions for discussion or reflection:
What stands out for you in reading these Scriptures and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
Why does God give spiritual gifts to people?
What does Paul mean by the gift of wisdom? How is the gift of wisdom different from the word of knowledge? How do we see the gift of wisdom at work in the Bible?
What does Paul mean by a word of knowledge? How is a word of knowledge different from general knowledge or learned knowledge? Have you ever received a word of knowledge? What happened?
How do we know when a word of knowledge is from the Holy Spirit? How might we tune into the Holy Spirit?
Discuss / reflect on the interaction of wisdom and knowledge in the story of Nathan confronting David. Why does knowledge need wisdom?
[1] Refer Gordon Fee, ‘NICNT, The First Epistle to the Corinthians’, page 592.
Today is Father’s Day. You might wonder when and where Father’s Day originated. Well, it depends on what part of the world you come from.
The Eastern Orthodox church has been celebrating Father’s Day for centuries. However, in their tradition it is not a celebration of your own dad. It is called Sunday of the Forefathers and commemorates the ancestors of Christ, listed in Jesus’ genealogy near the beginning of Matthew and Luke’s gospels.
In the Catholic countries of Europe, Father’s Day has been celebrated since the 1500’s. Although again, it’s different from the way we celebrate Father’s Day. The focus is on Joseph, the step-father of Jesus.
Our modern version of Father’s Day, which is about honouring our own dads, comes from a movement among Christian women in early 20th Century America.
Saint Matthews Church in Auckland first celebrated Father’s Day, as we know it, in 1929. By the early 1930’s other kiwi churches began adopting it as well.
People these days have mixed feelings about Father’s Day. For some it is a day of joy and coming together as a family. For others it is a day of sadness or regret, perhaps a day to avoid coming to church.
Our reading this morning comes from First Thessalonians chapter 2, verses 7-12. In this passage, the apostle Paul describes his parenting style. From First Thessalonians 2, verse 7, we read…
7 … Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, 8 so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. 9 Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.
May the Spirit of Jesus illuminate God’s word for us.
As I said earlier, in this reading Paul describes his parenting style. But before we get into the detail, I need to clarify; there is more than one way to be a parent.
The weight of Biblical and historical evidence strongly suggests the apostle Paul did not have a wife or biological children. Paul chose singleness as this freed him to do the work of an apostle. Although Paul did not have children of his own, he was a spiritual parent to many.
In First Thessalonians chapter 2, Paul is not giving advice to parents specifically, although what he writes here is helpful to parents. Rather, Paul is describing how he was a like a mother and a father, in a spiritual sense, to the new believers in Thessalonica.
There is more than one way to be a parent. Like Paul, you may not have children of your own, but if you provide pastoral care for others, then you are a spiritual parent to those you care for.
Maybe you serve as a leader in kids’ church or youth group or run a Bible study, or otherwise support, nurture, feed and protect someone in their faith. This sermon is for you, as much as it is for mums and dads with young children at home.
Three verbs to describe Paul’s parenting style: love, model and coach.
Paul loved the Thessalonians. He modelled a good example for them. And Paul coached the Thessalonians in the Christian faith. Let us begin with love, because that is a very good place to start.
Paul’s love:
TheSound of Music tells the story of a young woman, Maria, who is sent to be a nanny for seven children who have lost their mother.
The children’s father, Captain Von Trapp, is a retired naval officer and a strict disciplinarian. He controls his children with a whistle. Since loosing his wife, the captain has become distant and cold. Fraulein Maria is quite the opposite.
She is kind and warm, fun but also firm.
One of my favourite scenes in the movie is when Fraulein Maria has a stand-up argument with Captain Von Trapp in which she tells him off for being such a grump. Maria says to the captain…
Maria: Children can’t do all the things they’re supposed to if they have to worry about spoiling their precious clothes.
Captain: They haven’t complained yet.
Maria: Well, they wouldn’t dare! They love you too much. They fear you too much!
Captain: I don’t wish you to discuss my children in this manner.
Maria: Well, you’ve got to hear from someone! You’re never home long enough to know them.
Captain: I said I don’t want to hear anymore from you about my children!
Maria: I know you don’t, but you’ve got to! …Friedrich, he’s a boy, but he wants to be a man and there’s no one to show him how.
Captain: Don’t you dare tell me about my son.
Maria: Brigitta could tell you about him if you let her get close to you. She notices everything… And Kurt pretends he’s tough not to show how hurt he is when you brush him aside, the way you do all of them… and the little ones just want to be loved. Oh, please, Captain, love them! Love them all!
Eventually, Captain Von Trapp comes round to seeing it Maria’s way. Through love and music, something inside the captain is healed and the father is restored to his children once more.
In verse 7 Paul describes his way of relating with the Thessalonians. Paul is much like Fraulein Maria. Paul says: Just as a nursing mother cares for her children,8 so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.
There is a real tenderness in Paul’s words here. The Thessalonian believers were brand new Christians, toddlers in the faith. Paul, Silas and Timothy cared for their spiritual needs like a mother nursing young children.
One of the characteristics of a true parent is that they know their children and the child knows them as well. Personal knowledge goes hand in hand with love. One of Fraulein Maria’s points was that Captain Von Trapp did not know his children and they did not know him. There was a distance between them.
This was not the case with Paul, for he not only shared the gospel with the Thessalonians; he shared his very life with them. They knew him as a real person and he knew them as a mother knows her children.
Love, in a Christian understanding, is a commitment to another person’s wellbeing. Love is not out for what it can get. Love wants to give.
In verse 9 we see the evidence of Paul’s love. Paul, Silas and Timothy worked night and day to support themselves in order not to be a burden to anyone while they preached the gospel to the Thessalonians. Paul’s love was the real deal.
We are talking about Paul’s parenting. Paul loves the Thessalonians like a mother and one of the ways he expresses that love is by modelling a good example for them.
Paul’s model:
Years ago, before we had children, Robyn and I had a dog, a little Jack Russell we called Chip. He was a good-natured dog, full of beans.
Chip had been abused as a pup by his previous owners and consequently would hide under the house if he could, whether he was in trouble or not. Although we were quite soft with Chip, his first owners had left an impression of fear on him by the way they had behaved.
I remember one sweltering hot summers day in Papamoa, when a swarm of flies came into the house. I rolled up a newspaper and went around swatting the insects. After a few minutes, we noticed Chip was cowering under a chair.
The poor little dog was trembling all over, scared out of his wits.
I had never used a newspaper on Chip, but we guessed his original owner had. Swatting the flies seemed to trigger Chip’s PTSD. I quickly stopped my fly killing spree and gave Chip a cuddle to calm him down and show I wasn’t angry.
The model Chip had been given, as a young pup, was one of cruelty and anger. Consequently, he lived in fear and interpreted otherwise benign actions as a threat.
People and dogs are similar in that both are shaped by the example they are exposed to. If a child is given the model of fairness, consistency and kindness, they will learn to feel secure and be more likely to make better choices in life.
But if a child is treated like Chip was as a puppy, well they need to be shown a better model.
In verse 10 of Thessalonians 2, Paul writes: You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed.
Paul is talking here about the example he modelled for the Thessalonians.
Holiness is about being whole, being one, having integrity, being the same on the inside as you are on the outside. Righteousness is about relating to other people in a right way and being blameless is about doing no harm.
The three go together. They speak of treating God and the people around you with fairness and respect. Paul provided a good model for the Thessalonians in the way he lived his life and related with others.
Paul’s model, his regular pattern of behaviour, created a pathway for the young Thessalonian believers to follow. They learned how to be Christians by imitating Paul.
So, when Paul was abused or treated unfairly because of his testimony for Christ, they learned how a Christian responds in a situation like that, by observing Paul’s example. Paul did not retaliate with violence. But he did defend himself with words of grace and truth.
The question for us is this: What are others learning about Jesus from our example? Are they learning Jesus is someone to be trusted? Or are they put off by our example?
This question applies whether we have children of our own or not.
If you are a leader in kids’ church or youth group, know that the children and young people you work with are watching your example and learning from you. Some will be leaders themselves in another 5 or 10 years.
For those of you who are a bit older and maybe have less energy to serve in programmes these days, let me ask: what are those in their 30’s or 40’s or 50’s learning about Jesus from the way you live your life and relate with others?
The older people in our congregation model a wonderful example of what it looks like to provide pastoral care and support for one another. You check in on your neighbours, your church attendance is great, you have lunch together regularly and you pray for others.
We are talking about what it means to parent well, whether you have kids of your own or not. Paul loved the Thessalonians. He modelled a good example for them and Paul coached them.
Paul’s coaching:
Being a father is a bit like being a coach. The coach does not do everything for his players. He teaches them to do things for themselves. After all, the coach cannot be on the field with the players. He can only watch and cheer from the side lines.
Like a coach, a father believes in his children. You show your kids you believe in them by trusting them with responsibility; this builds confidence. Giving kids responsibility is a bit like adding salt to food. Too much and you ruin the meal. Too little and the meal lacks taste. A father’s trust ought to bring out the best in his kids.
One of the most important roles of a father is to be there for their children, in a good way, to remind them they are not alone. Like a coach, a father comes alongside his kids when he is needed, to lend strength and understanding.
Or simply to share the experience.
The right kind of fatherly presence is like being handed a torch when you are lost and in the dark. It is light for your mind.
The right kind of fatherly presence is like coming inside to sit by a fireplace when you have been outside in the freezing cold. It is warmth for your spirit.
The right kind of fatherly presence is like being served your favourite home cooked meal when you are famished. It is nourishment for your soul.
The right kind of fatherly presence is like crawling into a freshly made bed at the end of the day when you are exhausted. It is rest for your whole being.
Who is there for you, when you need it? Who can you be there for?
From verse 11 Paul says: For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children,
Notice here that Paul dealt with each of the Thessalonians personally.
Paul came alongside them and got to know each one in a fatherly way.
How do fathers come alongside their children? How do they get to know them? By playing with them of course. The father / child relationship is not a formal relationship. It is a fun relationship. The father / child relationship is not an awkward or cold relationship. It is an affectionate, warm relationship.
By the same token, the father / child relationship is not a permissive relationship, in which the child can do whatever they want. It is a safe relationship, in which the father protects the child by putting reasonable boundaries in place.
The next thing we notice (in verse 12) is the three verbs Paul uses to characterise the way in which he relates as a spiritual father to his Thessalonian children: encouraging, comfortingandurging you to live lives worthy of God…
There’s quite a bit of overlap with encouraging, comforting and urging.
They are not three separate things. They offer three lenses on the same thing.
Encouraging, comforting and urging are done by teaching, believing in and being there.
To encourage literally means to put courage into someone. Children need courage to face the world; they don’t need fear. We put courage into children by speaking good words into their life and soul.
We also put courage into children by believing in them; trusting them with an appropriate amount of responsibility (when they are ready for it) and rewarding them when they do well.
Children need comfort from their fathers too. Comfort is not about spoiling your kids. Comfort is about showing kindness and tenderness, especially when a child has gone through a hard time. We comfort children by being there for them, being reliable. This makes our kids feel less alone, more brave.
Setting reasonable boundaries also creates a sense of security and comfort.
Last Friday’s Our Daily Bread devotional talked about boundaries. Elisa Morgan writes…
“A team of landscape architects studied the effects of providing fencing around a preschool playground. On playgrounds without fences, children tended to gather close to the school buildings and their teacher and didn’t stray away. But on fenced-in playgrounds, they enjoyed the entire area. The researchers concluded that boundaries can create a greater sense of freedom.”
Urging is about pointing children in the right direction, teaching them to find the right path for themselves. Urging is quite different from controlling or forcing or driving. Urging is about providing internal motivation to achieve a particular goal.
One of the best ways to urge children in the right direction is to tell them stories. Stories of redemption and hope. Stories where the hero wins against the odds. Stories that motivate the child to live the values of God’s kingdom. Gospel stories.
The main goal with all of this is to live lives worthy of God. In other words, practice justice, mercy and humility. Practice living now how you will one day live when God’s kingdom is realised in its fullness.
Conclusion:
Whether you have natural children of your own or not, you can still be a parent to others in the faith by loving them, modelling a good example and coming alongside to provide comfort and encouragement.
Let us pray…
Father God, we thank you for loving us. Lord Jesus, we thank you for modelling the best example for us. And Holy Spirit, we thank you for coaching us to live lives worthy of God. Amen.
Questions for discussion or reflection:
What stands out for you in reading this Scripture and/or in listening to the sermon? Why do you think this stood out to you?
Discuss reflect on the various ways one can be a parent. In what ways have you been a parent to others?
What might love look like in a parenting relationship?
Why is the example we model for others important? What example did Paul model for the believers in Thessalonica? What are others learning about Jesus from your example?
How might we come alongside someone and get to know them?
In the context of 1 Thessalonians 2, what does it mean to encourage, comfort and urge others in the Christian faith? How might we do this?
Who has God used to encourage, comfort and urge you? Give thanks for them. Who can you encourage, comfort and urge to live a life worthy of God?
Tawa Baptist 