The Church @ Corinth (082326)
Pastor Joseph Campbell
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Text: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
There were divisions in this church.
There was contention in this church.
Paul admonished them to be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment.
What caused these divisions which led to contention?
The stated cause is in verse 12:
Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
However, the underlying cause was pride which came from a lack of humility and love for one another.
Allow me to make this statement:
When there is a lack of humility and love amongst a church family then ANYTHING and EVERYTHING will cause division and lead to contention!
When there is a lack of humility and love in a church family, it’s really only a matter of time before division takes place and contention enters!
But, it’s interesting…
Paul doesn’t immediately say, “Let’s look at how we can develop love for one another.” (He’ll get to that in chapter 13 - the Love Chapter.)
He does, though, give an indirect in humility when he states, in verse 17:
For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
Paul’s statement is really this: It’s not me. It’s the Gospel; it’s the cross of Christ!
Then, in the following verses, with a focus on the preaching of the cross, Paul gives a contrast between wisdom and foolishness.
For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
In short…
As the world/the unsaved consider the preaching of the cross; it is foolishness to them.
Example: It is foolish to put your finger into an electrical socket.
Example: It is foolish to drive, at night, without your lights on.
However…
To those of us who are saved, the preaching of the cross is the most wise thing that we - or anyone can do! Why? The salvation of a soul is the very demonstration of the power of God!
For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
Ultimately, as we read the pages of the Revelation, we see that indeed God will destroy - bring to nothing - the wisdom of this world.
And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
The third plague; the plague of lice…
And the magicians did so with their enchantments to bring forth lice, but they could not: so there were lice upon man, and upon beast.
Then the magicians said unto Pharaoh, This is the finger of God…
The fifth plague; the plague of boils…
And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians.
This is the last time that we hear from - or about - the magicians in Egypt!
For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
Turn to and read Romans 1:20-22.
This is the very epitome of foolishness; to reject creation - the very real demonstration of God’s power and deity - and to instead replace that truth with the foolishness of evolution.
God, therefore determined to use the “foolishness of preaching to save” the world.
Remember what Abraham told the rich man in hell?
And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
The preaching of the cross is a stumblingblock to the Jews. In the Old Testament prophecies, they completely ignored the Suffering Savior and only focused on the Reigning King. They could not come to terms with the fact that the Messiah had to first come and suffer for the sins of the whole world.
The preaching of the cross is foolishness unto the Greeks - the Gentiles.
You can’t honestly believe that there is only one God.
You can’t honestly expect me to believer that is an eternal God Who never had a beginning and who will never have an end Who is almighty and omniscient Who created the universe! Who created me!
You can’t honestly expect me to believe that there is only one way to eternal bliss.
You can’t honestly expect me to admit that I am a sinner; I’m a good person!
But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
The power of God, though Christ - salvation, is available to any and all!
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
In Daniel chapter 2, in response to Nebuchadnezzar’s demands, the wise men of the his kingdom said:
…There is not a man upon the earth that can shew the king’s matter: therefore there is no king, lord, nor ruler, that asked such things at any magician, or astrologer, or Chaldean.
After Daniel was able to do what Nebuchadnezzar demanded, the king responded:
The king answered unto Daniel, and said, Of a truth it is, that your God is a God of gods, and a Lord of kings, and a revealer of secrets, seeing thou couldest reveal this secret.
Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Why has God chosen to work in this way?
Turn to and read 1 Corinthians 1:26-31. Emphasize verses 29 and 31.
The Corinthians were “glorying” in the fact that they were “Team Paul” or “Team Apollos” or “Team Peter.”
God responds to that type of thinking with…
I am the Lord: that is my name: And my glory will I not give to another, Neither my praise to graven images.
Paul, knowing that, responded with, “We preach Christ!”
Application…
From our point of view, we seem to be outnumbered.
We can’t all be “Charlie Kirk” type apologists who are able to quickly and effectively answer the questions of skeptics and scoffers.
We are going to be pushed and badgered into rejecting our beliefs and accepting the beliefs of the world.
We are going to be made to feel foolish for continuing to believe something that, by modern scientists and academics, has been “proven” to be wrong (or so they say).
We are going to be told that we are foolish for continuing to believe something that is so old-fashioned and “out of date.”
There might even be times when we begin to doubt whether or not what we do believe and proclaim is true.
It is at these times that we must simply, by faith, accept God’s Word as truth in spite of the hurricane force winds that are blowing against us.
Tho’ the angry surges roll
On my tempest-driven soul,
I am peaceful, for I know,
Wildly though the winds may blow,
I’ve an anchor safe and sure,
That can evermore endure.
And it holds, my anchor holds:
Blow your wildest, then, O gale,
On my bark so small and frail;
By His grace I shall not fail,
For my anchor holds, my anchor holds.
…the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
