Download - The Gift of the Spirit: The Spirit of Wisdom

Transcript

The Gift of the Spirit: The Spirit of Wisdom 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, 12:7-10, and others (Oct. 24, 2021)

Begin with Prayer

In silence, invite the Holy Spirit to guide you. Suggested prayer: Empowering God, send your Holy Spirit to move us to understanding; to help us to believe the gospel; to give us strength and wisdom to live by it. Amen. (Worship Sourcebook Q.3.5.8)

Reconnecting and Debriefing Take a moment to check in with one another (2 minutes each). • How have you sensed the Holy Spirit leading you this week? • What has helped you make the right decisions in key moments of your life?

Introduction Whether we gather in person or online, our goal remains the same: to be a people apprenticed to the life of Jesus. His life and teaching is our example and our source of truth. Remember the commitments we make to each other to foster safety and freedom as we pursue spiritual growth together: • Whenever possible, please listen to the sermon prior to gathering (Sunday or online). • While we are meeting (even online), commit to focussing rather than multitasking. Be all here. • Give every person an equal opportunity to share, even if it takes time to form or finish their

thoughts. • Be respectful and non-judgmental. • Honour sharing boundaries (only what you have permission to share, no gossip) and guard

confidentiality (what we share here stays here). • Don’t try to fix, problem-solve or rescue; keep pointing one another to the truths of the gospel

for our lives.

Listening to God’s Word No matter how big or small the matter we are considering, wisdom and discernment are needed to make a good decision. But, where can we find them? Reading books or seeking experienced advisers are good steps to take. But one Person should not be left out of your decision-making! This week we will discover some ways in which the Source of all wisdom provides guidance, comfort and encouragement in our lives as his people.

Small Group Discussion Optional: Read Proverbs 3:13-19. • How do you see the benefits of wisdom described here in your own life? • Where do you see the wisdom of God displayed in creation? In “new creation” (2 Cor 5:17)? • What does it look like to heed wisdom in our own “making” and “creating”? • How could you grow in your delight for and attention to the wisdom of God around you?

Read 1 Corinthians 2:6-16, then discuss together.

• What catches your attention when you read this passage? • What questions do you feel God might be asking you through this passage? • How is God’s wisdom different from the “wisdom of this age”? (v.6-8; see 1 John 2:16) • How does knowing that God has “prepared good things for those who love Him” impact

your desire to seek a close relationship with Him? (v.9-10) • What does it mean for the Holy Spirit to “reveal the deep things of God” to you? (v.10-12)

Read 1 Corinthians 12:7-8, 10 (word of wisdom, knowledge, distinguishing of spirits).

• Is there a time when you believe the Spirit gave one of these gifts to you, either through someone to you, or through you for someone else? How did you know it as God’s voice?

• God’s wisdom is for those who are mature, who have trained their palates to appreciate it (vv.6, 13-14; see Hebrews 5:14). How could you seek to grow in your walk with the Spirit?

Dallas Willard encourages those who want to hear from God to become familiar with the weight (Matthew 7:28-29), the spirit (James 3:17), and the content (1 John 4:2-3, 1 Cor 12:3) of God’s voice (Hearing God, 2012; see also 1 Thessalonians 5:19-22).

• Read the above passages, and reflect together on what they teach us about preparing us to receive a word of wisdom, knowledge or discernment from God.

• What practices help you be familiar with God’s voice? Where would you like to grow?

Read Ephesians 1:13-19a. Take some time to respond to God in thanks and prayer for the gift of his Spirit, especially in wisdom, knowledge and discernment. Have those who desire share any areas where they are in need of a word from God, and pray for them. Encourage one another to voice the thoughts, impressions, Scriptures that come to mind as you pray.

• Practice: Examen Ignatius Loyola, an apprentice of Jesus in the 16th century, wanted to teach the missionaries in his society how to distinguish between God-given and misguided desires in their lives. He developed the practice of the examen to help them with this. Many Christians have found it helpful in learning to sense God’s leading from moment to moment.

In the examen, we listen to our internal self to help us discern how God has been at work in our external comings and goings. We pay attention to feelings of “consolation” (where do we sense ourselves drawing near to God and God’s purposes) and of “desolation” (where do we sense ourselves pulled away from God and God’s purposes). For example…

• For what moments am I most grateful? Least grateful? • When did I give and receive the most love? When did I fail to love? • When did I feel connected with God, others and myself? When did I feel distant? • When did I follow the Spirit’s leading? When did my Self take charge? • How is God inviting me to pray as you nestle into his arms and fall asleep? • What might God want to teach me as I reflect on my day or on this choice

Combined with general biblical principles about recognizing God’s voice, this practice provides a framework for reviewing your day, for making a personal or team decision, or spontaneously when you notice “something’s off” or “something special is happening.” For more, see https://scepterpublishers.org/blogs/scepter-blog-corner/14-rules-for-the-discernment-of-spirits-by-st-ignatius-of-loyola

You can do this with your Life Group or Apprentice Group!

• Reflect out loud in the form of a prayer. Begin with a pause and a deep breath. Become aware that you are in the presence of the Spirit of God. Then, pray the answers to these questions: What consolations are you thankful for? How would you invite God to change what brings you desolation? What is your response to what God is doing in your life?

Caring for One Another • Thank God for his mercy and for the guidance of his Holy Spirit in your life. • Do you or your family have a need that the Life Group can help meet?

Use the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13) as a guide, based on what you’ve shared together, and spend some time listening to God and praying for one another.