{"id":3381,"date":"2015-08-13T00:00:10","date_gmt":"2015-08-13T07:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/?p=3381"},"modified":"2015-08-12T23:17:08","modified_gmt":"2015-08-13T06:17:08","slug":"813-what-you-need-to-know-%e8%af%97951-11-%e6%9e%97%e5%89%8d736-813-%e4%bc%a071-912","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hoc6.org\/global\/2015\/08\/13\/813-what-you-need-to-know-%e8%af%97951-11-%e6%9e%97%e5%89%8d736-813-%e4%bc%a071-912\/","title":{"rendered":"8\/13: What You Need to Know (\u8bd795:1-11 \u6797\u524d7:36-8:13 \u4f207:1-9:12 )"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u8bfb\u7ecf\uff1a\u8bd795:1-11 \u6797\u524d7:36-8:13 \u4f207:1-9:12<\/h2>\n

What You Need to Know<\/h2>\n
\n

We lived in Oxford for three years. I was training for ordination in the Church of England and studying for a degree in Theology at Oxford University. One of the things we noticed while we were there was that, compared to London, Oxford seemed to be relatively non-materialistic. People, on the whole, were not impressed by wealth. Success was measured differently.<\/p>\n

The people in Oxford tended to be more impressed by brains than by money or beauty. Success was measured in starred firsts, distinctions, PhDs, professorships and published works. It made me wonder whether intelligence and \u2018knowledge\u2019 could be as much a false god as money and wealth.<\/p>\n

Knowledge is, on the whole, good. As Bill Hybels says, \u2018the facts are our friends\u2019. Education is good \u2013 reading, learning and discovering are all good activities. However, as Lord Byron wrote, \u2018The Tree of Knowledge is not that of Life.\u2019 We need to see \u2018knowledge\u2019 in perspective. Our knowledge is very limited. The more we know, the more we realise how little we know. God is our creator and he alone knows everything.<\/p>\n

There are also different types of knowledge, and they are not all equally valuable. In French there are two different words for \u2018to know\u2019. One (savoir<\/em>) means to know a fact, the other (conna\u00eetre<\/em>) means to know a person. God is more interested in us knowing people than facts. The most important knowledge of all is knowing God and being known by him. Even this is not the end though. As we see in our New Testament passage, it is never enough simply to have knowledge \u2013 you must also have love.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n

1. The most important knowledge is knowledge of God<\/h2>\n

Psalm 95:1-11<\/a>The psalmist begins with a call to worship, praise and thanksgiving (vv.1\u20132). We worship, not because we necessarily feel like it, nor because things are going well. In fact, sometimes we worship in spite<\/em> of difficult circumstances and hard times.<\/p>\n

Neither do we worship because it necessarily makes us feel good. Although often we feel the need to worship for spiritual refreshment.<\/p>\n

Rather we see in this psalm that we worship God because of who he is:<\/p>\n

\u2018For the Lord is the great God,
\nthe great King above all gods\u2026
\nCome, let us bow down in worship,
\nlet us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
\nfor he is our God and we are the people of his pasture,
\nthe flock under his care\u2019 (vv.3\u20137).<\/p>\n

The psalmist reminds the people of what they know of God. This is the most important kind of knowledge \u2013 knowledge of God.<\/p>\n

In the context of worship, God often speaks to us. It is not just that God has spoken in the past. God speaks today. The psalmist says, \u2018Today <\/em>if you hear his voice\u2026\u2019 (v.7b).<\/p>\n

In this psalm we also see another important kind of knowledge. God says that people go astray because they have \u2018not known my <\/em>ways\u2019 (v.10). Knowing and following God\u2019s ways is key to living life as God intended.<\/p>\n

Lord, I kneel before you today and worship you. Thank you that you have saved me. Thank you that you know me and I can know you. As I hear your voice today, help me not to harden my heart and go astray. May I know your ways and follow them and enter your rest.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

\n

2. What matters most is not knowledge but love<\/h2>\n

1 Corinthians 7:36-8:13<\/a>Although knowledge is a good thing, it has inherent dangers. It can lead to pride and a \u2018know-it-all\u2019 superiority. \u2018Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up\u2019 (8:1b).<\/p>\n

Knowledge is not in itself a bad thing. It is like underwear \u2013 it is useful to have, but not necessary to show it off! Instead of trying to impress others with what we know, we should be trying to encourage and build them up in love.<\/p>\n

Knowledge can so often lead to pride and arrogance: \u2018Those who think they know something do not yet know as they ought to know\u2019 (v.2). What really matters in life is loving God and living a life of love: \u2018But whoever loves God is known by God\u2019 (v.3).<\/p>\n

As Eugene Peterson translates, \u2018We sometimes tend to think we know all we need to know in answer to these kinds of questions \u2013 but <\/em>sometimes our humble hearts can help us more than our proud minds. We never really know enough until we recognise that God alone knows it all\u2019 (vv.1b\u20133, MSG).<\/p>\n

Paul uses the example of \u2018food sacrificed to idols\u2019 (vv.1,4). A person with knowledge <\/em>knows that it is fine to eat food sacrificed to idols because the idols are nothing: \u2018There is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live\u2019 (v.6).<\/p>\n

\u2018But not everyone knows <\/em>this\u2019 (v.7a). Some people\u2019s consciences are weak. By eating food sacrificed to idols in front of someone who feels this is wrong, we may lead them astray. What matters is not our superior knowledge, but our love for others: \u2018But knowing isn\u2019t everything. If it becomes everything, some people end up as know-it-alls who treat others as know-nothings. Real knowledge isn\u2019t that insensitive\u2019 (v.7b, MSG).<\/p>\n

Love recognises that \u2018Christ gave up his life for that person… When you hurt your friend, you hurt Christ\u2019 (vv.11\u201312, MSG). Paul writes, \u2018Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall\u2019 (v.13).<\/p>\n

Love is more important than knowledge. When God measures a person he puts the tape round the heart, not the head. It is no good just knowing <\/em>lots about God; get to know him and <\/em>let him fill you with love for him and for others. In other words, it\u2019s not what you know, it\u2019s who you know.<\/p>\n

Lord, thank you that, although the danger of knowledge is that it puffs up, love always builds up. Help me to do everything out of love for you and love for others.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

\n

3. Seek knowledge but know its limitations<\/h2>\n

Ecclesiastes 7:1-9:12<\/a>Wisdom and knowledge go hand in hand in the book of Ecclesiastes.\u00a0Wisdom and knowledge are basically good things:<\/p>\n

\u2018Wisdom<\/em>, like an inheritance, is a good thing <\/em>and benefits those who see the sun\u2019 (7:11).<\/p>\n

\u2018Wisdom puts more strength in one wise person than ten strong men give to a city\u2019 (v.19, MSG).<\/p>\n

\u2018There\u2019s nothing better than being wise,
\nKnowing how to interpret the meaning of life.
\nWisdom puts light in the eyes,
\nAnd gives gentleness to words and manners\u2019 (8:1, MSG).<\/p>\n

An example of wisdom is that wise people keep their temper under control: \u2018Don\u2019t be quick to fly off the handle. Anger boomerangs\u2019 (7:9, MSG).<\/p>\n

But, the writer of Ecclesiastes recognises the limits of wisdom and knowledge. First, however much wisdom and knowledge we have, we cannot really discover anything about the future (v.14). Second, there is a danger in being \u2018over-wise\u2019. It is possible to have an unhealthy appetite for knowledge that is divorced from God, and so becomes a form of pride:<\/p>\n

\u2018When I determined to load up on wisdom and examine everything taking place on earth, I realised that if you keep your eyes open day and night without even blinking, you\u2019ll still never figure out the meaning of what God is doing on this earth. Search as hard as you like, you\u2019re not going to make sense of it. No matter how smart you are, you won\u2019t get to the bottom of it\u2019 (vv.16\u201317, MSG).<\/p>\n

However wise, rich and powerful a person may be \u2018no one has power over when death comes\u2019 (v.8). \u2018Life leads to death. That\u2019s it\u2019 (9:3, MSG). We never know when our lives will end. \u2018People do not know <\/em>when their hour will come\u2019 (v.12).<\/p>\n

God alone knows everything. In comparison to him our wisdom and knowledge is very limited. Ultimately we are \u2018in God\u2019s hands\u2019 (9:1). We should enjoy life and make the most of our time here. Seize life!… God takes pleasure in your <\/em>pleasure!… Relish life with the spouse you love each and every day of your precarious life. Each day is God\u2019s gift… Make the most of each one!\u2019 (vv.7,9, MSG).<\/p>\n

\u2018Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might\u2019 (v.10a). We need to make the most of every moment and opportunity.<\/p>\n

Jesus said, \u2018This is eternal life: that they may know you<\/em>, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent\u2019 (John 17:3). This is the most important knowledge you can ever have. It starts now and goes on into eternity. This knowledge puts every other kind of knowledge in the right perspective.<\/p>\n

Lord, thank you that knowing you is the beginning of wisdom. Help me to make the most of every opportunity in life \u2013 to do whatever I do with all my might. But help me to do it all in love.<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

Pippa Adds<\/h2>\n
\n

Psalm 95:5<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u2018The sea is his, for he made it…\u2019<\/p>\n

I have a healthy respect (bordering on fear) for the sea. Whenever I am in a boat or swimming in the sea I say this verse to myself.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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