Foolishness For Some Salvation For Many

1 Corinthians 1:18-25 “18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” 20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

INTRODUCTION

Has anyone ever looked at you strange when you started talking about Jesus?

Has anyone ever bluntly told you they didn’t want to hear about Jesus and the Salvation He died to give us?

Have you ever tuned certain parts of the message of the Gospel out, dismissing it as something man made up and wrote?

If you have had any of these experiences then you encountered unbelief.

Verse 18 - The Message Of The Cross Is Foolishness

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing.

The ones who are perishing are unbelievers who won’t accept the message of the Gospel.

Unbelievers think it is absurd, unreasonable, illogical, and ridiculous that the Son of a God, the Savior of mankind would die on a cross like a criminal.

To them any talk of Jesus’ death on the cross is foolishness.

As for the believers and those who have a relationship with Christ we have experienced the power of God.

The power of God is received when one accepts the message of the cross, the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We learned in last week’s message what Paul said in Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

Paul had to endure being scoffed at, beaten and imprisoned by the same ones who were perishing for preaching the Gospel.

Stephen was stoned to death by those who were perishing for preaching the good news of the Cross - the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Verse 19-21 - A Message From God About Mankind’s Wisdom

There is a message about the wisdom of man in the 19th-21st verses. Paul uses Isaiah 29:14 to emphasize God destroying the wisdom of the wise, which opposes the message of the cross.

Isaiah 29:14 reads: “Therefore, behold, I will again do a marvelous work Among this people, A marvelous work and a wonder; For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, And the understanding of their prudent men shall be hidden.””

There isn’t a comparison between the wisdom of God and man. Paul is using this passage from the Old Testament in New Testament times to show there is no comparison and the wisdom of God is superior.

Paul is using this passage to show that the wise will perish with their wisdom.

Paul is asking questions directed at the church of Corinth. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer/debater of this age?

All of these people were regarded as the wise in Paul’s day. People saw their wisdom and ability to debate as being a high position in society.

But no matter how well versed they were in the word of God, no matter how well or eloquently they spoke, their wisdom was no match to God’s because their wisdom couldn’t save anybody.

It isn’t how much a person know, how much self-confidence one may have, how well they can expound on the scriptures, it is a spirit of humility that doesn’t draw attention to oneself, and faith that allows people to be saved.

Verse 22-25

(22) Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom.

The Jews constantly tested Jesus using their wisdom, to get proof. They requested Jesus to give them a sign from heaven that He is the Messiah. (Matt 12:38; 16:1; John 2:18)

“Teacher we want to see a sign from you” - Matt 12:38. “Show us a sign from heaven” - Matt 16:1. “What sign do you show us since You do these things.”

The Jews had no faith

The Greeks weren’t seeking more wisdom to know and understand the power of God through Salvation. They were seeking more wisdom to debate the message of the Cross because they didn’t have faith.

(23) Paul let it be known that (in my paraphrase) “you’re looking for proof when the proof have lived among you and you didn’t believe. And some of you are seeking more wisdom, trying to match the wisdom of a God you have yet to understand. But we preach Christ crucified.”

They thought it was foolish to believe a man who they considered a blasphemer and a crook could be the Son of God and die a shameful death between two thieves.

To the Jews the message of the Cross, The Good News of the Gospel was a stumbling block. Christ’s crucifixion blocked them from believing. How could the Messiah die a despicable death?

To the Greeks and Gentiles the idea of a crucified Savior was foolishness to them. That the Son of God would come to earth and be executed as a criminal. This was ridiculous to them.

(24) - But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, those who believe in Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

Believers are those who have been called by God and accept the call.

The crucified cross is not a sign of weakness in Christ or foolishness. It is the power and wisdom of God.

Remember what was preached last week from Romans 1:16 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

(25) - “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

Paul isn’t saying God sacrificing His Son was foolish, he is using the unbelievers’ term to describe the finished work of the Cross/The Crucifixion of Christ.

Even if God is foolish, and we know He isn’t, His foolishness would be still be greater than man’s wisdom. Even if God were weak, His weakness would be stronger than man’s strength!

Conclusion

We are living in perilous times and our faith is challenged everyday...

Be careful not to get caught worshipping power, fame, influence or wealth.

Be careful not to worship a political party or agenda.

Be careful not worship thoughts of being well known.

Be careful not to be so caught up in making money that you forget to make peace with God.

It takes faith to believe the Message of The Cross.

The wise in this time want to debate whether it was an actual cross or a tree. It shouldn’t make any difference because He died for our sins.

The wise in this time want us to believe there are many ways to the Father, but Jesus said in John 14:6-7 that He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

The wise and the disputers want us to believe God has changed His mind about sin and He will welcome us without being cleansed by the blood of the Lamb of God.

The wise and the disputers want us to believe there is no need for church because the church is within us. But Hebrews 10:25 gives us the truth regarding this matter.

Invitation

Communion