Knowledge

1) In 2 Pet. 1:5 the apostle Peter spoke about the need for “virtue” (excellence).

2) Last week we showed how Jesus was excellent and we have this same responsibility.

3) From excellence we move to a topic (subject)—Peter spoke of knowledge.

a) Just as virtue is associated with God, such is also the case with knowledge.

b) Several passages in the Bible tell us about God’s knowledge.

c) In the Old Testament (Ps. 147:5) the writer said, God’s “understanding is infinite.”

d) How much does God know? This passage says God knows it all.

e) On any subject at any time, God knows everything.

4) Does God know the number of hairs on our heads? Jesus said heaven has this information (Mt. 10:30).

5) Whether something is small or great, God’s knowledge of the matter is complete in every way.

6) This is why the Bible often speaks about God “remembering” something.

a) In Gen. 30:22 it is said God “remembered Rachel” and she conceived.

b) Sometimes we may temporarily forget things and then later “remember” what we temporarily forgot.

c) For a little while we may forget where we put something. We may forget about a task.

d) This is not what the Bible means when it says God “remembered.”

e) God did not forget; rather the time was finally right and then God did what was right or necessary.

7) God’s knowledge is amazing in that it applies to the most mundane things of life.

8) Who here knows how many steps he or she took this morning since getting up out of bed?

9) No person can answer that question correctly; deity can.

10) Job 31:4 has Job saying God “counts every step man takes.”

11) God is not writing this down on a ledger; rather, a quality of deity is being all-knowing.

12) This information lays a foundation for an important conclusion.

13) If man knows anything at all, every bit of his knowledge is something God already knows.

14) Stated another way, we cannot learn anything God does not know.

a) Man will never know all things because that is a quality of deity.

b) We can know some things. In 2 Pet. 1:5 Peter says an important quality of Christianity is knowledge.

c) The Bible tells us several things about knowledge.

d) First, in the Bible we find that not all knowledge is good.

e) Some knowledge is detrimental to us and or others.

15) In the final verse of Eccl. 1 the wise man said “knowledge increases sorrow.”

a) This principle is exactly right.

b) Many children get to grow up and their biggest worries in childhood are a few cuts and scrapes.

c) They older they get and as they begin to see the world for what it is, they realize what life really is like.

d) When that realization occurs, there is usually some level of sadness.

16) Some knowledge certainly brings us unfavorable news but we need to hear it.

17) Other knowledge comes with bad consequences and we should try to avoid it.

18) In Gen. 3:22 we read of how Adam and Eve came into possession of new knowledge.

19) They learned about “evil” and how it was different from “good.”

a) Before they obtained this knowledge, everything was fine.

b) After they got this knowledge, everything was not fine.

c) Solomon’s principle in Eccl. 1 is still very relevant to life.

d) Peter tells us to get knowledge, but we want to be sure we pursue the right type.

20) The New Testament is a book of knowledge (learning).

21) When the Old Testament was in effect Jeremiah the prophet set forth a prediction.

22) In Jer. 31:31-34 he said a time would come when the Old Testament system would be replaced.

23) In Jer. 31:34 we find that part of the New Testament would be “teaching” (the transmission of knowledge).

24) Stated another way, we cannot become a Christian without knowledge.

a) Jesus spoke about people “coming to Him.”

b) Coming to Christ is a common expression in today’s society.

c) What does it mean to come to Jesus? We sing about that in some of our songs.

d) Listen to what Jesus said in Jn. 6:45 – READ.

e) This is what Jeremiah had predicted many years before—people would be “taught of God.”

f) Knowledge is a key part of Christianity.

g) We can only come to Christ if we have learned about Him (we have received a knowledge of Him).

25) Two chapters later in John’s gospel (Jn. 8:32), Jesus said, “ye shall know the truth.”

26) What is truth? Simply another way of describing knowledge.

27) What does knowledge or truth do? Listen to what the Lord said, - READ.

28) We are freed by knowledge and our obedience to it.

29) These facts imply why knowledge is so vital to Christians. Knowledge is a tool to bring us to refuge.

30) Knowledge that is truthful frees man; knowledge that is false enslaves.

31) People look for knowledge and truth in a lot of places.

32) Where is true?

a) Where should we go to find knowledge that is accurate and useful?

b) Jesus gave us the answer in Jn. 17:17 – quote.

c) If we want spiritual knowledge, there is only source: the Word of God.

33) For many years a high percentage of school children have fallen into some pretty basic categories.

34) There are children who have brilliant minds and seem to get good grades with ease.

35) At the other end of the stick are troublemakers.

36) Often the kids who seem to be the most influential are the bullies, not the kids who really study.

37) Although youthful punks may seem like they are the ones who are strong, this is really not true.

38) God says bullies are not the strong.

a) In Prov. 24:5 God says a “wise man is strong.”

b) At the end of the verse the text says, “a man of knowledge increases might.”

c) This statement is in the context of conflict (verse 6).

d) Who is the person who is really mighty and strong? It is not the bully.

e) It is not the soldier on the battlefield who is equipped with in the latest military battle gear.

f) The strong are those who have chosen to pursue knowledge.

g) If strength is possessed, that is great. A man with knowledge has the upper hand.

39) This is a great lesson for children.

40) When we find young people who are not the tallest, strongest, or biggest, we have a message.

41) True strength is found in knowledge, and we especially mean a knowledge of God.

42) Paul made a similar point in 1 Tim. 4:8 – he said “bodily exercise profits a little.”

43) There is some value (profit) in being physically strong.

44) What if we are not the track start, the captain of the football team, or something else in school?

45) The apostle added, “godliness is profitable for all things.” Spiritual knowledge has lasting value.

46) Knowledge is a very important part of life, and an essential part of Christianity.

47) Shortly after I had completed this information I saw a news brief on fox news.

a) A reporter was speaking with someone who runs a very peculiar on-line dating site.

b) This site is just for “beautiful people” (only 10-15% of all who apply are accepted).

c) The key criteria for this web site is having an appearance the world considers physically attractive.

d) The world likes to stress things like beauty, but God tells us people to purse spiritual knowledge.

EARLIER I MADE REFERENCE TO SOLOMON. GOING BACK TO THIS MAN’S LIFE WE HAVE SOME FASCINATING INFORMATION IN 1 KINGS 3.

a) God appeared to Solomon and said, “What would you like”?

b) This was done at night and through a dream.

c) Some of us may have had some very strange dreams, but probably none have been close to this one.

d) Imagine God saying to us, “Pick whatever you want and it will be yours.”

e) Solomon knew he had already been appointed king (verse 7).

f) Solomon therefore asked for an “understanding heart” (verse 9).

g) He wanted knowledge which in a fuller form is wisdom.

2) Solomon’s understanding of things was so great, the queen of Sheba came to listen to him.

3) What if Solomon had asked God to be the world’s biggest weight lifting champion?

4) Had this been his request, God would have granted it.

5) A queen would probably not have traveled to see Solomon how much Solomon could lift.

6) Knowledge results in strength and power.

7) Even knowledge this is essential, not everyone accepts it.

a) One well known passage in this regard is found in the 4^th chapter of Hosea.

b) God’s prophet said Jehovah had a “controversy” with the land (this is legal imagery).

c) It is like God was taking His people into court. A lawsuit had been brought against Israel.

d) God charged His people with several sins, including a lack of truth.

8) Hos. 4:1 – READ.

a) Is it possible for “no knowledge to be in a nation”? Such happened in this case.

b) Other sins are listed in verse 2 – READ.

c) When a nation rejects a knowledge of God, it is ripe for trouble.

d) This seems to be the point our nation has reached, but it will not wake up and see the truth.

e) Our culture stresses global warming over God and dollars over deity.

f) In Hos. 4, God charged the priests with people not teaching the people (verse 4).

g) Then these famous words come from verse 6 – READ.

9) Peter said to Christians in 2 Pet. 1, “add to your knowledge.”

10) Why do that Peter? If we do not, we will likely find that we ultimately perish.

11) We will lose our way, and others likely will as well.

12) Fools hate knowledge (Prov. 1:22), and that is reflected in our world time and time again.

13) Knowledge benefits us in way after way if we will pursue it and then apply it.

14) Peter says this is a key part of the Christian life. Is this what we are doing?

15) Have we set ourselves to acquire spiritual knowledge and then obey what we learn?