Sermon – 5/25/03 –
The
Klingons - 1 Corinthians 2:14-16
Audio
Sermon
The Klingons
"A natural man does
not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness
to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually
appraised. But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he
himself is appraised by no one. For who has known the mind of the
Lord, that He will instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ"
(1 Corinthians 2:14-16)
A recent Associated Press news clip contained
an interesting article about mental health patients. We've had some
experience with them and found the article - fascinating! It seems
that some patients who previously knew English, now refuse or are no
longer able to speak it. As a result, the administrators of the
Multnomah County Dept. of Human Services, in Oregon, are looking for
interpreters for a variety of languages. One of the languages
caught my eye - It was “Klingon”.
They are looking for "Klingon-English"
interpreters!
That's amazing, for "Klingon"
is a pretend language. "Star Trek"
has been a popular science fiction TV show since the 1960's, and an
“alien race” presented within Star Trek episodes is the "Klingon
Empire". It doesn't exist. It's fictional. There is no "Klingon"
race, planetary system or language, but the producers of the show,
in an attempt to make the episodes authentic, made the language of
these "Klingons" as believable as
possible. Too believable!
Many people become so frightened by, or angry
at the reality of this world, that they choose to mentally enter a
world that simply is not there. In this instance, some have begun
speaking a language that never has been. Just to – escape! They
find reality to be “negative” and therefore make believe that it no
longer exists for them. Many retreat from reality in a variety of
ways.
Excessive use of anything can be an escape from
reality, including a television set, the computer, drugs, alcohol,
promiscuity - even work or participation in sports can become so
obsessive that it is a retreat from reality. Religion itself,
without the love of God which is in Christ Jesus, is an escape from
reality.
Most (perhaps all) people have in mind an
“easy” life, in which troubles melt away, everybody really likes me
after all, somehow death won't knock at my door, and so on. But
what we don't realize is that “trouble” is often what we really need
in order to grow up in the Lord; and chronic or acute “difficulties”
may actually be answers to prayer.
Here are some surprising answers to prayer, as
listed in the book, “Streams in the
Desert” ---
·“We pray for patience
and our Father sends those who tax us to the utmost, for 'tribulation worketh patience'” (Romans 5:3)
·“We pray for submission(to Him)
and God sends sufferings, for we
learn obedience by the things we suffer”
(Hebrews 5:8)
·“We pray for
unselfishness, and God gives us opportunities to… lay down our
lives for (others)” (Luke 9:23)
·“We pray for strength
and humility, and some messenger of Satan torments us until we
lie in the dust crying for its removal”
(2 Corinthians 12:7-9)
·“We pray, 'Lord,
increase our faith,' and money takes wings, or the children are
alarmingly ill… or some hitherto unknown trial calls for an increase
of faith along a line where we have not needed to exercise much
faith before” (Luke 17:5)
·“We pray for gentleness and there comes a perfect
storm of temptation to harshness and irritability”
(Philippians 4:5 NKJV)
·“We pray for quietness
and every nerve is strung to the utmost tension”
(1 Peter 3:4)
·“We pray for love
and God sends peculiar suffering and puts us with apparently
unlovely people, and lets them say things which… lacerate the heart”
(1 John 4:21)
A problem is that we like to be sovereign. “I
want to do things MY way” is not only a song that was sung by Frank
Sinatra, it’s the way of the human race. God’s real intention for
you is that you will give up “My Way” and respond to the Spirit of
God.
It can be argued that all in humanity are
“nuts” - Otherwise, in the light of a holy God who loves us enough
to die for us, why would we sin? Scripture says that “ALL
have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans
3:23). Sin against God is universal for all people of all time.
But, why would people run away into sinful thoughts and behavior,
unless there is something terribly wrong with humanity?
Some run away more than others, and that's why
Metropolitan Multnomah County needs a “Klingon-English”
interpreter. Are you running away from loving and serving God? To
be a part of and serve Jesus Christ is the purpose for which you
were created. Your restlessness will never be satisfied until you
trust in Him.
In our Scripture for today, we see that "a
natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for
they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because
they are spiritually appraised" (1 Corinthians 2:14). None
of us can "see" Christ through human effort. A member of a Russian
space crew some years ago laughed at God, because they were in outer
space and did not see Him "up there". Well, yes He is "up there",
but He is also right here. He must be "spiritually
appraised" to be "seen."
We need the Word of God and the Spirit of God.
The Word of God is spiritual, because the Holy Spirit
Authored it. The Word of God is historical, revealing
history not only in the past, but in many instances, before it
happened (in prophesy). The Bible will lead you to Christ,
and His Spirit will enable you to "see" God in your understanding.
The Russian Cosmonauts had good perspective, but poor understanding.
When you reject Him and His Word, you have only
one choice - you must invent something or someone in His place. You
might believe in atheism, agnosticism, false religion, simply fall
into bitterness, or have a sad fantasy like the Klingon Empire. But
you will believe in - something! Jesus Christ changes you, enabling
you to believe in the truth (He IS the truth). He is offering you
the "mind of Christ."
Father, we receive Jesus Christ right now. We
have indulged enough in one kind of fantasy or another, and it’s
over – we want You, Lord! Save us. Forgive us. Fill us with Your
Spirit and give us the “mind of Christ”,
that we will understand “the things of the
Holy Spirit of God.” Thank You. In Jesus Name. Amen.
