Larry Siegle · Col. 1:10-12
Link to sermon video: The Blessing of Fulfilled Living – L Siegle
THE SEARCH FOR B.I. (BIBLICAL INTELLIGENCE)
“The BLESSING of Fulfilled Living”
(Col. 1:10-12)
Series: The SEARCH for B.I. (Biblical Intelligence)
Thesis: The EASY way is not always the BEST way.
INTRODUCTION
1. We are continuing a series of messages that explores the DEPTH of our desire to KNOW God. Christ.
2. The title of the series is THE SEARCH FOR B.I. (BIBLICAL INTELLIGENCE)
3. The title of our message today is: “The BLESSING of Fulfilled Living”
NOTHING OUT THERE
1. When we started this series several weeks ago, we introduced the concept of “Biblical Intelligence” in comparison with “Artificial Intelligence”—and so I wanted to see how far along we have come…
a. I entered “Biblical Intelligence” into the search A.I. to see what it would direct our attention to.
b. (Ding, ding, ding), the points I have made in this series are the only ones referenced by “artificial intelligence” online.
c. If we were to define “Biblical Intelligence” is would be “letting Scripture shape not just what we know—but how we live, love, and lead in discovering a practical framework for every area of our lives.”
2. God has provided both knowledge and the wisdom necessary to have a productive and fruitful life—Fulfilled Living that brings all of us joy, happiness, and satisfaction along with the desire to share this with others.
a. When God wanted to accomplish a specific work, He equipped, enabled, and empowered those He had chosen.
1) God had something very specific in mind in the construction of the tabernacle in the OT (Exod. 31:1-11).
2) There are four things that God did to accomplish this work:
a) I have called Bezalel (v. 1)
b) I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, all manner of workmanship (this man was ‘just right’ for the job God wanted him to do) (v. 3-5).
c) I have given Aholiab wisdom to assist him (v. 6)
d. I have given wisdom to all the gifted artisans to help in the work (v 6).
3) Bezalel had charge of the metal, stone, wood, and perfume work.
4) Aholiab was in charge of the textile work of the tabernacle.
3. This project is covered in Exodus 31-39 each step of the way, making it exactly as God wanted for it to be.
a. The tabernacle was completed in obedience to what the Lord had commanded (Exod. 39:32).
b. The result was the “glory of the Lord” rested on the tabernacle as a symbol of God’s presence (Exod. 40:34-38).
FAITH IS NOT AN ABSTRACT CONCEPT
1. Some people have the idea that faith is just an ‘abstract’ non-defined thought, idea, or feeling…a “leap in the dark”
2. Instead, the Bible defines faith as a “leap in the light”—stepping forward with full confidence in what God has revealed in His Word.
3. Faith begins and ends with the testimony of “it is written”—otherwise it falls into the realm of presumption.
a. God creates everything ‘from the beginning’ in precise detail within the realm of faith (Heb. 11:1-3).
b. Jesus Christ is the One through whom “all things” were created (Col. 1:15-18).
4. From the time of Adam and Eve onward, anything and everything that was accomplished by the people of God was on the basis of revelation “by faith” (Heb. 11:4-40) tells us that everything in “redemptive history” was accomplished on the basis of faith—the people knew and understood the will of God they were to accomplish in their lifetime.
BELIEVING IS ‘EXERCISING FAITH’ IN AN ACTIVE SENSE
1. The world has a notion that faith is a form of ‘mental assent’ (believing the facts and information), but the Bible defines believing as an ‘present active indicative’—not simply a once for all acceptance in the realm of knowledge
(John 3:16)—whoever “believes” and “is believing” has everlasting life—continuous faith, a ‘walk in the light’ (I John 5:7-9).
a. Hebrews were written to a group of believers living thirty years after the cross who had grown tired and weary while waiting for the fulfillment of the promises of God (Heb. 2:1).
1) The Hebrews were ‘neglecting’ their relationship with God (2:3)—“to be careless, to pay no attention to” loss of focus—being distracted by other things of lesser importance.
2) These believers had literally seen the power of God manifested (Heb. 2:3, 4).
b. David, in the midst of situations and circumstances knew the importance of active faith (Psa. 27:13).
c. The Hebrews were in danger of yielding to “an evil heart of unbelief” and told what to do to remain faithful in their walk with the Lord (Heb. 3:12-14).
d. There was a danger of coming up “short” of receiving all that God had promised (Heb.4:1, 2, 11-13).
1) Faith arises from within the Word of God (Rom. 10:17) and provides believers with the strength to remain steadfast until the very ‘end’ of our lives (Heb. 4:12ff).
2) The Hebrews had become “dull of hearing” (Heb. 5:11)
3) Lack of faith can be traced to spiritual immaturity (Heb. 5:12-14).
4) The “elementary principles” are foundational but one must “press on to maturity” (Heb. 6:1-3).
2. Those who “let go” of their active faith make it “impossible” (unable) to bring them back and to renew their lost faith (Heb. 6:4-6)
a. What these Hebrew believers experienced “in part” we today have in a completed for the fullness of what God has revealed in His Word.
b. The Hebrews ‘lack of active faith’ was not just going to result in unbelief, but in apostasy—the embracing once again the terms and conditions of the Old Covenant system that was unable to produce life and salvation.
1) Every day these Hebrew Christians looked out their windows and saw the smoke rising from the temple, the priesthood, the ongoing sacrificial system—there was a temptation to return to what they had left behind in
the acceptance of Jesus as Messiah.
2) The Hebrew believers were in danger of the abandonment of what they knew to be true about Jesus and His work of redemption (Heb. 10:26-31)—this was a unique form of apostasy that is not possible today because
the Old Covenant system no longer exists.
3. Fulfilled Living means the recognition of what we have today as a present reality—manifested in exactly the way God intended for it to be.
a. God has removed fear and given us power, love, and discipline (II Tim. 1:7).
b. God’s desire is to shape us and to make us whole (healthy) (Isa. 61:1-3; Luke 4:17-19; John 10:10).
c. God is the glory and the One who lifts up our heads in times of difficulty (Psa. 3:3, 4).
CONCLUSION
1. The testimony of the building of the tabernacle (while they were out in the desert) tells us that God provides everything that is needed to accomplish the work He gives us to do.
2. The testimony of Hebrews 11 tells us that faith provides us with all of the knowledge, understanding, and wisdom that is necessary to accomplish the work that He has given us to do in His kingdom.
3. The warning found throughout the NT tells us that God wants us to surrender and to trust in HIS ability to bring us through whatever it is we may face in our everyday lives.
4. “All to Jesus, I surrender, all to Him I freely give”—do we mean this when we sing these words?
a. “I surrender some, part, most, or all?
b. It is a decision that we never regret because of the grace, mercy, and goodness of God that we see each and every day—manifested in ways we could never imagine (every day is not routine, it is an amazing adventure).
1) There are people who profess a relationship with God and yet who never see Him anywhere in their daily lives.
2) There is never even one day since the age of 12, that I have not seen the work of God all around me, and the face of God in the world moving people through His Word to live amazing lives beyond anything they could ever have imagined.
3) This week spend some time with God and ask Him what talents and abilities He has given you to reach out and touch the lives of others—you will be amazed at what He has made you able to do for Him.
Outline (Word document): The_B.I_series_V.docx