But We Have The Mind Of Christ

2-8-26

Hoonah-Hadley

1 Corinthians 2:1-16

Call to Worship Psalm 112:1-9

Daily Verse 1 Corinthians 2:16

But We Have The Mind Of Christ

“But who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.” The New Geneva Study bible has the first portion of this verse italicized, that is because it is a direct quote from elsewhere in the bible, in this case, Isaiah 40:13, Old Testament. There is also a reference from the New Testament, not a quote, but a reference in John 15:15 “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things I have heard from My Father I have made known to you.” If we read on there in John 15 through the end of the chapter, all red letters the stage sets itself for our lesson in 1 Corinthians chapter 2. That is to say, the Master paints His portrait one stroke at a time and the picture becomes more and more clear as we meditate, meditate, meditate on His word day and night. If you will allow me to indulge myself in a recent funeral, perhaps, I will feel better about the matter and we both will be enlightened to God’s message for us today, I trust His word will not return to Him void. I shoveled enough snow yesterday to confirm Isaiah 55:10-11 that says, “As the rain comes down and the snow from heaven and does not return there but waters the earth…” We can trust that when God sees fit to melt all this snow, the river will rise, the ponds will be topped off and His will, purpose and plan will be accomplished, it will prosper in the thing for which He sent it. As in most funerals, they passed the mic around for those that had something to share, for whatever reason, I didn’t seize the day, but I will here.

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Funerals, as weddings are opportunities to share the love of Christ with both believers and non-believers. I’ve done both at a moments notice for that very reason. You have some old churches that have a dozen or so folks worshipping on Sundays, but a funeral or wedding will fill the sanctuary bringing many to the light, the saving grace of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. This particular funeral was no different, light and darkness, heaven and hell, life and death, blessing and cursing, all biblical, all written in the Book of Life. When I say it was my brother’s mothers funeral, that is, for those that are “in” Christ, he is your brother as well. And for those of you who weren’t able to be there, herein some insight revealed by the Holy Spirit. Long before the mic was passed the love of Christ was apparent in the place, God was there, Christ was with us. Yes, funerals are partly sad occasions, but as my brother preached on this day, this one was a celebration, a victory song, a hard fought hallelujah! At 96 years old, born in 1929, his mother had seen some things, to say she lived a full life is a massive understatement, her cup more than overflowed. Knowing the family and many in attendance, it was a reunion of sorts, what might be called a hillbilly gathering of biblical proportions. As any gathering there is light and darkness, some of it is blatantly apparent, some of it hidden, this day was no different. Two points of interest I want to bring attention to. One story was shared about Fran teaching her grand-daughter how to properly operate the dishwasher, the other was a story about a guest that only got half a paper towel. It occurred to me later that this wasn’t necessarily Fran being particular in her teaching, but in her sharing the proper way to do a thing. This is a sermon I hope to preach one day, but if you don’t know how a thing works, you’ll spend your life wondering why everything is broken. Fran’s life sheds light on a broken world.

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That light, namely, the love of Christ and the mind of Christ. 1 Cor. 2:1-2 “…declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.” At funerals the mic is passed so folks can share their testimony about a loved one, herein the apostle Paul has the mic and shares not his testimony, but “the testimony of God.” Spurgeon calls his sermon on these verses, “The Man of One Subject”. On another occasion Paul said, “This one thing I do…” His was a holy calling, a high calling and he was single minded and determined in the matter. I’ve seen it, you’ve seen it, at the end of our lives things get real simple, our eternal dwelling at stake, have we let the dear Christ enter in? Romans 10:9 “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Vs. 13 “For whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” 2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is…not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” Herein the love of Christ manifested in our life and death, Philippians 1:20-21 “…so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”  Paul said that his speech and preaching “were not…of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit…that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” Our life and death are spiritual matters, as it is written in 1 Cor. 2:9-10 “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard…the things which God has prepared for those who love Him. But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit teaches all things, yes the deep things of God.” There is a spiritual presence in our life and in our death. Vs. 12 “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God…” There are two spirits, one with a small “s” and one with a capital “S”.

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The question is set before us here, which spirit/Spirit have we received? Now remember Paul is declaring “the testimony of God…not human wisdom…not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God.” We are repeating ourselves here purposefully because this is a massively profound moment in our lives, a time to reflect on our spiritual dwelling, and should it be with a small “s”, we will beg God to make it a large “S” less we perish. Two types of wisdom, earthly and heavenly. Earthly is demonic and temporary, heavenly is Spiritual and eternally focused. The wisdom of humanity reflects a partial, fallen view of things, the wisdom of God reflects a complete, perfect, holy view of things. These two kinds of wisdom operate in two kinds of people, natural and spiritual, it’s how we operate, Spiritual people operate in Spiritual wisdom, natural people in natural wisdom. It can also be seen as the wisdom that explains each one. Adam and Eve for example, fallen by deception, by choice operated in natural wisdom. The Spiritual person operates in the wisdom of God that is manifested through salvation, redemption, i.e., my brother’s 96-year-old mother. Vs. 13-14 “These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy Spirit teaches…But the natural person does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to them; nor can they know them because they are spiritually discerned.” Fallen people identify with the wisdom that brought about their fall, saved people identify with the wisdom that brings about their deliverance. 2 kinds of wisdom, 2 kinds of people, no middle ground. Listen to Jude vs. 19 “These are sensual persons who cause divisions, not having the Spirit.” Sensual: having no moral or spiritual interest. The Spirit and the flesh, the natural, are contrary, one to the other. See Galatians 5 for more on the matter.

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As my brother said, he tends to get a little long winded, so it is today, but then again the apostle Paul was that and more. At the end of the movie Jeremiah Johnson, Bear Claw asks, “What’s you cooking pilgrim?” To which Jeremian replied “Grown particular?” “Not about what I eat, just the company I keep.” To be long winded for Christ sake is keeping pretty good company, I mean, lets face it, 96 years is pretty long winded. Let us conclude the matter for now. Vs. 16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.”  It occurred to me at the funeral that Frans correction at the dishwasher and giving of only half a paper towel was not worldly wisdom but the proper way to do a thing, the right way. God has given us to be good stewards over all He has given us and to use a whole paper towel when only half is necessary is to be wasteful. When God sets before us life and death, blessing and cursing, (Deut. 30:19) and then tells us to “choose life”, that is Godly wisdom, Spiritual, eternal. For the Spiritual minded the funeral is not the end of the matter but the beginning. Funerals are in part sad occasions, but as my brother said, this one was a celebration. Philippians 1:6 “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” January 14^th, 2026 Frans work was completed, a good work, it manifested itself in countless lives for generations to come. 1 Peter 1:9 “receiving the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” There are two kinds of spirits, one with a small “s”, one with a capital “S”. There are two kinds of people, natural and Spiritual. “The natural person does not receive the things of God…But we have the mind of Christ.” Frans life was a testimony to the goodness of God, His love expressed through her life, at her funeral, because love has a proper way of expressing itself, it is Spiritual. Spirit with a capital “S”.  Amen!