GAT (W. 6) - 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Go And Tell (Week 6) - 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Welcome to Upstate Church Greenville!

What a gift today is!

Bottomline: The greatest strength to sharing the Gospel is not our performance but in the power of God.

Bring in the end of Chapter 1

Pressure of doing things right, not messing up

% of lostness in the Upstate - why it is a series thing to share the Gospel

Tie in all the excuses we make -

Illustration: Presentation that kids put together to convince/persuade parents to have a sleepover, a new phone, etc.

1 Corinthians 1:17–18 ESV

17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:22–25 ESV

22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

Paul reminds us that the gospel doesn’t need a polished messenger, just a faithful one.

1. The Message over the Messenger (v. 1-2)

Illustration

a. The Cross doesn’t need anything extra.

Preaching and sharing Jesus that pleases God. This is a message, a word, or a speech. Every believer ought to give at every opportunity to 

1. A Singular Message

- When I came to you, brethren. 

- Paul was on his second missionary journey when he came to Corinth. He came and stayed for 1 1/2 years. 

He's calling to the witness stand the ministry he had there. Acts 18:4-

2. 

What did Paul NOT do?

- Measure the preacher by what he says and what he doesn't say. 

He didn’t come with a superior speech.

He decries a worldly wisdom. (Wisdom - superior, Paul WAS an academic. He was well credentialed. He didn’t try or attempt to put that on display.)

Why? What you win them with, you win people to.

Court reporter in any case only has one job.

Their job is to accurately read the testimony!

Acts 18:9–10 “9 And the Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, 10 for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.””

b. The Cross is Greater than Excuses

The only thing I want to know about you is Jesus.

If you know Jesus and Jesus crucified, you know enough that God will be pleased in what you share!

He also preached in a selfless manner.

This is where excuses are repented of.

“I don’t have the words to say.”

“What if they ask me a question I don’t know the answer to.”

“What if they bring up dinosaurs?”

You will either bring people with you to heaven or your excuses.

Persuasion may move emotions but only the cross can change a soul.

c. The Cross is Enough

Do you have a faith?

2. What does your faith mean to you personally?

3. May I share my faith with you?

4. Is there anything keeping you from trusting Jesus today?

2. Trust God’s Power over your Presentation (v. 3-5)

Illustration.

Notice how Paul shared the gospel:

a. Paul Spoke in Weakness

Have you ever felt like you couldn’t share the gospel because you don’t know enough?

Or maybe that you need to have the right delivery

b. God Moved in Power

Why?

1 Corinthians 2:5 ESV

5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Acts 18:8 ESV

8 Crispus, the ruler of the synagogue, believed in the Lord, together with his entire household. And many of the Corinthians hearing Paul believed and were baptized.

Which would be better?

For someone to walk away thinking:

“Man, what an apologetically minded person!”

“What an incredible argument they made.”

“Wow! You don’t want to

Or, this:

“God saved me!”

Oh, what a Christ!

Oh, what a Savior!

Oh, what grace!

Obedience moves you from being exposed to the power of God to experiencing it personally.

Salvation occurs by the power of God.

He wants his preaching to model that. Only God could have done this.

Here’s what I am praying for:

Only God can do that.

Only God can transform a heart.

Only God can love a prodigal

So that your faith…