We preach Christ Crucified

Words of thanks

I want to begin this morning by saying how exciting it is is to be with you all this morning. I also on behalf of myself and my family would like to say thank you for your gereousity with food and gift cards they have been more than helpful. After 6 months of waiting I am sure that you are ready for us to be here and I want you to know that we are ready to be. Ready for us to lay our hands to Gods work together. So lets begin by asking God for help.

Lets Pray

Illustration: One of my favorite preachers HB Charles, tells a story of a church in the deep south. Early on in the life of the they painted on in very large letters on the side of the church. We preach Christ Crucified. Over the years the grounds around the church were lacking in attention and intentionality and ivy began to grow up the walls of the church. After some years of lack of attention, all that could be seen where the words we preach Christ. Then after more years it simply read we preach!

This is very much how the church goes. At it’s founding it is build upon truth it is build on the gospel, so many have gotten off on a good foot, however over time they become distracted by other things. Things that seem important at the moment that eventually we loose focus on what is most important so much focus that we forget what is important. And then if we do this long enough then eventually all aspects of who we once where will pass away. I know that Calvary has had a rich history of Gospel integrity, I know that the Gospel has consistently been proclaimed and lived by this church. However as I begin my tenuor as Pastor, I want for us to begin by making the main thing the main thing. I want begin by putting before you the gospel.

This morning I want to be in a passage of Scripture that will hopefully set the tone for the rest of my years of ministry with you. That passage is in 1 Corinthians chapter 1:18-31. So if you have a copy of the scriptures please turn here with me. If you don’t no worries the passage will be on the screen for you to read along.

1 Corinthians 1:18-2:2

1 Corinthians 1:18–2:2 (ESV)

Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

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. 19 For it is written, 

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, 

and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” 

20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 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. 

26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” 

Proclaiming Christ Crucified

2 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Main Idea: The message of Christ crucified is the means by which God saves sinners and builds His church.

As we look the passage naturally lays out the two audiences.

First, there are those who look at the cross and see utter foolishness.

Second, there are those who look at the cross and see ultimate power.

The Foolishness of Worldly Wisdom 17-21

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. 19 For it is written, 

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, 

and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” 

20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.

As Paul begins his dialog with the church at Corinth he lays out the main thing first. Now the church at Corinth had a lot issues. Of which I really don’t have enough time to get into, however if we where to summarize why those issues became a problem and why they continued to be a problem, it is simple to see that the church made other things more important than the Gospel. That church seemingly moved past the gospel. They began to try and understand the gospel through worldly wisdom.

In order to understand the what they where missing we must understand what the Gospel is>

 The word gospel simply means good news. The good news begins with the bad news: because of Adam's sin, all people are born sinners, separated from God, unable to save themselves, and deserving of His righteous judgment.

So what is the good news? God did not leave us in our hopeless condition. He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to live the perfect life we could never live, die on the cross as the substitute for our sins, and rise again from the grave, conquering sin and death. Now, everyone who repents and believes in Christ is forgiven, declared righteous before God, reconciled to Him, and given the gift of eternal life.

The world evaluates the Cross through worldly wisdom. Notice what verse 18 says “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.”So when Paul writes back to this church that he started we see there is a problem It has moved on from the gospel to debate. In Greek and Roman culture ones ability to speak with elequent speech and to be clever, and sophisticated and impressive, often gained them status in society. It made the influential and it could allow them to come to a place of power. This wasn’t a greek or roman thing either is was a Jewish thing. How often do we see in the gospels the times that the Pharisees, Saducees and the Scribes would argue over the means of Scripture.

Imagine trying to convince someone that solution to the worlds greatest problem was the execution of man that was a poor jewish carpenter. Surely salvation must come through power, politics, military strength. philosophy or the like.

In our culture it is not offensive to wear a cross. It is socially acceptable. But, what if you wore a mushroom cloud pendent as you walked through Japan, or a swasditca as you walked through Israel. You would be seen as a fool. The cross is folly to those who are pershing.

But, Gods says that these things are folly or foolishness. The word Folly refers to a severe lack of good judgment, or an extremely foolish and irrational action, idea, or undertaking.

really what this passage is getting at is that God intentionally exposes the frailty of human wisdom. The World evaluates the Cross through worldly wisdom, God rejects that wisdom, So therefore worldly wisdom cannot save.

Paul Goes on to egg them on by saying “ Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” What we see is God saying bring your best and your brightest. Bring it on! Which your brightest have been ever able to come to salvation the wisdom of humanity?

God’s Wisdom Triumphs Through the Cross 22-25

1 Corinthians 1:21–25 (ESV)

21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 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.

Notice the words Paul uses in this passage. It pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. You see the world wants it is way. This has been our sin since the beginning. To want things your way is pride and pride was the first sin. You only get to come to God his way and his way, doesn’t make sense to our way.

I have heard so many people over the years say to me, well I know God in my own way. IT doesn’t work that way.

Some will say like the Jews give me a sign. God says I gave you a sign, Gave you my son. The Greeks say I want wisdom. God says I will give you my Spirit. You only get to know his way. His way is thought the Gospel being preached. His way is through word and through his Spirit. The world wants signs, they want intellect. He gives them a crucified savior. Because trusting Christ is the power of God unto salvation. Christ is the wisdom of God unto salvation.

The message of the cross is so simple that is it is profound. Notice what Paul says in verse 25… The foolishness of God is wiser than men, The weakness of God is stronger than men. What the apsotle is trying to say here is that even if God could possess fooshiness he would still be wiser than men and even if he could be weak. His weakness is still greater than even our greatest strength.

God Calls the unlikely 26-29

1 Corinthians 1:26–29 “For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.”

If we notice Paul uses some pretty specific language in the text. God called and God chooses. 4 times we see that this language is used in the text. Salvation is the work of God alone. Those who are wise by worldly standards don’t get it but those who are not powerful not of noble birth those who the text are foolish get it, why? Because it is only somethat God can do.

The people of God are made up of pretty ordinary people. Just about any body who becomes some body in the bible started out as a no body! One of my favorites is Abraham. He was a shepherd in Ur. His family were a bunch of pagan idolators. Yet God called him, drew him unto himself and redeemed him. Better yet think about the people that Jew surrounded himself with. The men that he called to follow him were fishermen and tax collectors.

HE calls us to himself, he draws us to himself and he causes us to be born again. Why so that we cannot boast. So why does he do it this way. So that he alone can receive the glory.

Our Boast is in Christ Alone 30-2:2

1 Corinthians 1:30–2:2 ESV

And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Paul goes on to say that this foolish message does so much for those impacted by it. When we are transformed by the Gospel, that message of Christ Crucified. it changes everything about us. That is the beauty of the weakness of man and the power of God. We cannot change ourselves, only he can, and he does. That is the beauty of the wisdom of God and the foolishness of men. We don’t have eyes to see or minds to comprehend, but he does and he changes our mind, he give us the the ability to know him. He has become our salvation when we were unable to save ourselves. And if that isn’t enough he does so much more than only he can do……

It makes us wise…. We are transformed from being foolish to being wise. Wisdom is the right application of knowledge. We are made wise in that we know how to please God. We know how to love God.

Rightousness- We are made rightous. Being right or in right standing with a standard. In Gods eyes this foolish message has made us right with God. Our sin is no longer held to our account.

Sanctification- Being made holy or perferct. Salvation s a 3 fold process. It means that I have been saved from my sin, The sins of my past, Salvation means I am being saved from sin. I am becoming more like God. And one day I will be completely saved from my sin. Meaning that there will be a day when I am completely saved from the power and presence of sin.

Redemption- I am brought back in relationship. In NY we had redemption centers, these are not wildly theological or anything. Basically it means that when you bought soda, they charged you a nickel for every can. And when you brought that can back they would give you a nickel back. You got back what was taken away from you. Redemption means that sin took you away from God but the Crucified Christ brings you back.

So with our deep in ability we have absolutely no reason to boast in less we boast in him. Many times in Pauls writting he tells us, if I must boast I will boast in the Lord. Boasting not in what we have done by boasting in the lord. It was God’s love, drawing us out of our stupidity and causing us to see and to believe.

APPLICATION-

I chose this passage for my first message for several reasons.

One- the farther we depart from the message of Christ crucified, the more we depend on our own intellect. This means we will depend on something other than the gospel. As I began this sermon I told a story. Church’s are generally founded on Preaching Christ and him crucified. Churches that Grow are growing because they are preaching Christ and him crucified. However when they turn to their own reasoning, when they lean on their own understanding, when the fail to tend to this very simple message, then

Two- I want you to know I have no flashly skeems for you. I have only Christ Crucified and that is enough. The very thing that stood as the foundation of this church will be the very thing that continues to grow and build this church. Under my watch and under my tenure as the Shepherd of this folk this will be our aim, this will continually be our mission. Because this is what makes a people, establishes us as a church and causes us to make kingdom impact.

Three- The tighter we cling to the Gospel personally and corporately the healther our church and our people we be!