Sermon: Add Knowledge Summary: In order to keep from stumbling, we need to add knowledge to our faith. Biblically, knowledge involves information, relationship, and wisdom, or skill. We need to ensure that our knowledge comes from trustworthy sources, which begins with God’s revelation, trustworthy Christians, and experience. Know: Knowledge is not merely know about facts, but is relational and active Feel: The desire to know God better beyond accumulating more facts, but the desire to have him as a real presence in life Do: Identify the sources of knowledge, which are trustworthy, and which are not, and come up with a plan to pursue the trustworthy sources Text: 2 Peter 1:5 Scripture Reading: Phil 3:10 Intro: 1. Tags on migratory birds had to be changed a. Bands on the legs used to have abbreviation for Washington Biological Survey - Wash. Biol. Surv. b. Got letter from a backwoods camper c. “Dear sirs, While camping, shot one of your birds, a crow. Followed cooking instructions on the leg and it was horrible d. Bands no longer abbreviated 2. Knowledge is an important thing - Without proper knowledge, bad 3. Text tells us to add excellence and knowledge to our faith a. What is knowledge? Specifically the knowledge of God - contect I. Knowledge involves facts A. Like the camper - Needed to know what abbreviation stood for a. There are things we simply need to know b. Not knowing could result in doing the wrong thing c. ILL: Auto-shop class in High School - Butch put log nuts on backwards - No one showed him how to do it - IF drove away like that, would have been disasterous B. So we need to make sure we know the right things 1. eg: 1 Cor 15:1 a. Paul "makes known" the Gospel b. By which we stand, and by which we are saved c. Gospel involves "facts" 2. But there is more to "know" - Bible calls this "doctrine" a. Doctrine of Man, Sin, Salvation, Sanctification, Worship b. Last things, God, Holy Spirit, Christ c. Some people use the word "theology" for these 3. But "factual" knowledge alone is seriously deficient a. (1 Cor 8:1-3, 11) b. Knowledge alone can actually be harmful - Progressive or Conservative, doesn't matter - Knowledge alone can do harm C. ILL: Chester - Hair splitting, "Sound" doctrine was his passion 1. Meanest person I knew - Threatened people not see eye to eye a. He drove many people away, some in tears b. They tried to talk to him, but he stubborn c. They eventually disfellowshipped him as factious 2. His "knowledge was harmful" 3. I believe now that his problem was warped view of God a. Strong on doctrine of church, but not doctrine of God b. God was vengeful, Felt had to "earn" God's forgiveness - He felt he earned salvation through the right "facts" - To him, faith was believing the right "facts" c. His warped view of God warped his practice 4. Most heresies and cults have warped theology/christology D. So it is important to know the right teaching - all of it 1. In Churches of Christ, focus heavily on doctrine of the church 2. Weaker on sanctification, Godhead, Holy Spirit, etc. 3. I like to emphasize doctrine of God, Bible is about him 4. Brings us to our next point II. Knowledge involves relationship A. v.3 & v.8 - Everything we need comes through knowing him 1. What does it mean to know God? 2. He is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent 3. He is righteous, loyal, just, merciful, kind, etc. 4. Does knowing a bunch of facts about God mean you know him? B. How do we “know” God? 1. Knowing God is deeper than intellect a. Our concept of "knowing" is influenced by Greek thought - Knowing often am intellectual thing, a knowing about b. In Hebrew thought, knowing was deeper than intellect - Knowing comes from a personal encounter - 2 Cor 5:21 - He “knew” no sin, not that he didn’t know what it was, but never experienced it - He “experienced” not his sin, but OUR sin c. So knowing is deeper than knowing about 2. Knowing God is personal - (Exo 6:6-7) a. You will know that I am Yahweh b. Phrase is repreated throughout scripture - Repeatedly during the 10 plagues - Exo 16:6 - Manna and Quail - Ezek 20:44; (34:27-30) c. In each case it is in a relational context 3. Knowing God involves faithfulness and loyalty to him a. Jer 22:16 - Plead cause of needy and afflicted b. 1 John 4:7-8 - Does not love does not know God c. Hos 4:1, 6 - Destroyed/ruined for lack of knowledge - Deeper than intellectual knowledge - They did not have a relationship with God - God was something they did at the temple 4. Knowing God is relational a. (Matt 7:21-23) - I never “knew” you b. Doesn’t mean he never knew you existed c. Never had a relationship with you C. ILL: First time driving to Mount Hermon - Had a Map 1. I knew the map, could write it out for you 2. But I did not know Mount Hermon yet a. Had never experienced it b. Had never been there 3. Bible is a road map to knowing/experiencing God a. (John 5:39-40) - Not just about knowing scripture b. Can know scripture, and not know God c. Scripture a tool/map to God D. As you read scripture, do the following 1. Ask the God question - What is God telling me about himself? 2. Reflect on what that means for you a. God does not like a dishonest heart, so I will be honest b. God is merciful, so I will be merciful 3. Respond in Prayer a. At camp, make prayer a lifestyle b. Pray at drop of a hat, even for small things 4. Remember that to know God involves relationship III. Knowing involves wisdom A. May sound surprising 1. Most people think of wisdom and knowledge as different 2. In proverbs, they are almost synonymns a. Prov 1:7 - Fear of Lord is beginning of “knowledge” b. Knowledge, wisdom, prudence, discernment, insight, understanding - All are nearly synonymns in Proverbs c. Wisdom begins with the Fear of the Lord 3. Wisdom in Proverbs is basically the idea of “skill for living” 4. So we are talking about a knowing “how” a. Facts - Knowing “what” b. Relationship - Knowing “who” c. Wisdom - Knowing “how” B. (Prov 2:4-5) - On gaining wisdom 1. Not enough to listen to wise words 2. Have to seek them out as hidden treasure 3. In other words, you have to want it so bad, willing to go out of your way to get it C. ILL: Man came to a sage 1. What do you wish? Asked the sage? Wisdom, he answered 2. Sage recognized the arrogance of the man 3. Went to river, dunked him, what do you want? -Knowledge a. Dunked again - What want? Wisdom a great one b. Held under longer - What want? Air! I want Air! 4. When you want wisdom like you want air, you will have it D. Seek the sources of godly wisdom 1. From God himself a. Natural revelation b. Scripture 2. From wise godly people - parents, elders, mentors, etc. a. “Wisdom is the reward you get for a lifetime of listening when you would have preferred to talk” b. Listen humbly 3. From experience - This the least pleasant way a. Experience often involves mistakes b. It often involves listening to the “wrong” sources - Friends, media, music, unbelievers, world c. Stick to what is trustworthy Concl: 1. Need to add knowledge to our excellence to our faith - Facts, Relationship, Wisdom 2. Basic facts begin with the Gospel (invitation) 3. Peter concludes with - Grow in Grace and Knowledge of our Lord Jesus... a. Are you growing in knowledge b. Facts, Relationship, Wisdom c. Takes going to the sources - God, wise people, experience