The Foolishness of God

There was a snake in the Garden of Eden too. The snake was a nasty trickster and he tricked Eve into disobeying God. He brought sin, and death, and sadness into the world. He is God’s enemy. God promised to send a hero into the world to defeat the snake!! A long time ago that hero came to earth to fix the brokenness, and take away the sting of death, and to crush the head of that snake! What happened in that battle? Who won? The snake or the Hero?

One of them got beaten up and died. It was the hero. WHAT!?

Did everything go wrong? Did God lose? Did the snake win?

Victory in defeat.

Pause and look up at sound man

Text: 1 Corinthians

Title of Sermon: “The Foolishness of God”

Three main points:

1. The Foolishness of the Cross

2. The Foolishness of Preaching

3. The Foolishness of God

Introduction

1. The Foolishness of the Word of the Cross (vv.18-19)

A. The Cross seems like losing

i. Worldly wisdom would say, “The Hero wouldn’t die.”

ii. This would empty the Cross of it’s power. In other words there would be no atonement for sins without the death of Jesus, no forgiveness of sins, no reconciliation with God, no eternal life. Sin and death would still reign.

B. BUT the Cross is actually winning! “to us who are being saved it is the POWER of God”

i. to the ones who ARE and CONTINUE to be save

ii.

iii. * “the WORD of the Cross...”

a. not just the Cross, but also the Word of the Cross “the power of God to us who are being saved.”

b. This “Word” contains everything from Christ’s sacrificial death on the Cross and it offers it, and gives it.

C. God’s War on Wisdom:

“FOR It stands written, ‘

Quoted from...

Isaiah 29:14 ESV

therefore, behold, I will again do wonderful things with this people, with wonder upon wonder; and the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the discernment of their discerning men shall be hidden.”

Context of the Quote:

The Lutheran Study Bible (Notes) Chapter 29

In Isaiah’s day—when faced with the approaching Assyrian army—the common wisdom was to form an alliance with Egypt (30:1–3), to rely on their horses, the multitude of their chariots, and in the great strength of their horsemen (31:1).

The Interpretation of St. Paul’s First and Second Epistles to the Corinthians II. The Foolishness of Preaching the Cross of Christ, 1:18–31

In the days of King Hezekiah, God declares in regard to the political cunning and the secret, tricky plans of this king’s advisers, by which they hoped to escape the Assyrian danger, that he would deal wondrously with his people by at last saving it by his own great deeds so that the wisdom of the wise would perish and be forced to hide itself.

Transition: God promised to destroy wisdom. Now we see that He has done it… in the most peculiar, no, foolish way… through preaching.

2. The Foolishness of Preaching the Word of the Cross (vv.20-22)

A. But first, A taunt:

i. “Where is the one who is wise?”

Paul here alludes to

Isaiah 19:12 ESV

Where then are your wise men? Let them tell you that they might know what the Lord of hosts has purposed against Egypt.

The Interpretation of St. Paul’s First and Second Epistles to the Corinthians II. The Foolishness of Preaching the Cross of Christ, 1:18–31

In Isa. 19:12 the prophet asks concerning Pharaoh’s supposedly wise counselors: “Where are thy wise men?” The very question implies that they have been made fools.

ii. “Where is the scribe?”

Paul alludes to

Isaiah 33:18 ESV

Your heart will muse on the terror: “Where is he who counted, where is he who weighed the tribute? Where is he who counted the towers?”

The Interpretation of St. Paul’s First and Second Epistles to the Corinthians II. The Foolishness of Preaching the Cross of Christ, 1:18–31

In Isa. 33:18 the prophet describes the peace which shall follow after the terrors of the Assyrian danger are past. Men will then ask in astonishment, “What has become of the scribe, γραμματεύς, who was to tabulate the tribute that had been forced from the Jews?” They will also ask what has become of the man who was to weigh the money, and of the man who was to count the towers of the walls which the Assyrians had planned to capture: “Where are all of them!” Isaiah says, “All of them will be gone.”

iii. “Where is the debater of this age?”

The Greek people of that day wanted to be experts in philosophy, great debaters, and known for their eloquence and fine arguments.

He is addressing all who think that they are wiser than God, all who think they have mastered God’s Word, those who think they can pick and choose what is right and good from what God has said.

None of these work.

“For since, in” (sphere) “the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom...”

A commentator named Lenski says,

God placed men, the whole world of men, into this sphere which was entirely filled with his wisdom, and yet despite all this they did not know him. Here is a grand universe of wisdom spread out before the eyes and the hearts of men and surrounding them on every side: all the wonderful, incomprehensible thoughts of God in the whole round of nature, the works of his creation and his providence, the whole course of history, the wondrous constitution of man himself, and, in the case of the Jews, even the Old Testament revelation in addition. All this substance of divine wisdom lay before the world of men and normally should have had the effect that they should know the true God who was thus gloriously revealed, Acts 14:15–17. But the very opposite resulted, Acts 17:23, etc. Why? Because men applied their own foolish, worldly wisdom to this wondrous sphere of divine wisdom.

The Interpretation of St. Paul’s First and Second Epistles to the Corinthians II. The Foolishness of Preaching the Cross of Christ, 1:18–31

Even the Jews read the Old Testament, not in its own light, but in the light of their own notions and their own desires and thus failed utterly to see the God of grace.

… In our day we have those who mock the Gospel, and those who point in another direction. I think of

Stephen Hawking, Richard Dawkins, and those who say only a fool would believe in God.

And those like the Dalai Lama and others who claim some spiritual truths that God has not spoken.

And supposed “christian” movements like the Word Faith Movement, the Prosperity Gospel, and any who prefer power, glory, and “your best life now” to the Word of the Cross.

The Interpretation of St. Paul’s First and Second Epistles to the Corinthians II. The Foolishness of Preaching the Cross of Christ, 1:18–31

The astronomer gazes at the miracle of the stars for years and then tells us with an air of finality that he has found no God. The natural scientist announces that the brutes are his ancestors and declares that all life has evolved from a tiny cell that was found in the primordeal slime. Pantheism proclaims: “God is all, and all is God.”

The world did not and does not, and will never be able to know God through this worldly wisdom. How foolish is that?

This was all a part of God’s wisdom. He destroyed their wisdom by showing it to be complete and utter foolishness. He exposed it for what it truly is, rubbish.

“it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.”

B. God chooses to work through weakness:

Clay pots/earthen vessels

Instead of great shows of power, instead of just attacking His foes and conquering them in battle, instead of working through really good and pious people, instead of glory, He chose Message of the Cross, a story about a humble man who was shamefully killed. God chose to speak this message not by continuing to send terrifying angels, or flashes of light and earthshaking thunder, or by splitting open the clouds and yelling down at you, but through a bunch of simple fisherman, uneducated simpletons, social rejects, dirty sinners, and weaklings.

C. Worldly wisdom would say, “Show me incredible signs and reasonable things. I will only believe if I see it with my own eyes or if it seems good to me.”

i. The Jews demand signs...

a. They had the OT and the promises that God would do miraculous signs

b. but in their arrogance and blind-hearted-ness they were not convinced by the multitude of Jesus’ miracles. They had not believed God’s Word but had foolishly thought they had a better idea. They wanted a political savior. A mighty warrior who would vanquish sinners. What they didn’t realize is that if the Messiah came in this way He would strike them down as well! Praise Jesus that He came in humility and hung on that Cross so that sinners could be offered forgiveness.

ii. the Greeks seek wisdom.

a. The Greeks thought it would be unreasonable for God to die, so that must not have been true.

b. Besides, they supposed, it would be a filthy thing for God to put on flesh and die. That must have been a mirage or something.

D. But the foolishness of God works through a simple announcement. Where the whole world failed through their great efforts and brilliant thoughts, God provides something that is best received by a little child.

3. The Foolishness of Believing the Word of the Cross (vv.23-25)

A. Worldly wisdom would say,

“Those bad people need to be punished, but I’m not as bad as them.”

Or

“Only good people go to heaven, so I need to be good enough to make God happy with me.”

Or

“I need to be spiritual enough, religious enough, strong enough, sorry enough, believing enough, surrendered enough.”

B. The foolishness of God says,

“I am enough. I’ve done it all for you. Just receive my free gift. You don’t need to do anything. You can’t add to what I’ve done. It is finished. It is paid in full.”

He even chose to have this powerful, soul-saving Word received by something as humble as FAITH. Not by great and righteous deeds, or by self-discipline, or by philosophizing with the great minds of the world, nor by speculating with brilliant scientists about the origins of the world, or even by super religious people and their impressive spirituality, BUT by humbly trusting God’s Word.

You may feel like only a fool would believe some 2000 year old words about a man who died. I say to you, “Then be a fool. Believe that Jesus died in your place. Believe that the Son of God shed His own blood so that your sins would be washed away and you would be reconciled with God the Father. Be a fool and believe this foolish message from God, because the foolishness of God is wiser than men. Nothing else can save you. But the Word of the Cross is the power of God and it saves those who believe.

2 Corinthians 13:4 ESV

For he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but in dealing with you we will live with him by the power of God.

1 Corinthians 1:27–31 ESV

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. 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.”

Pastor Jason Holt shared this story,

Over 20 years ago, a gathering of pastors, missionaries, and church leaders were singing the chorus “Jesus, Name Above All Names” in the United States. This popular praise song focuses on a few of the biblical names of Christ. In the second line it states, “Beautiful Savior, Glorious Lord.” This group sang that line the way I first learned it with a reflective three-step down tone on the word “Lord.” At the session, a woman commented to the worship leaders that she was appreciative they used this song, but informed them that the second line was supposed to be sung differently. The term “Lord” was to be a high, celebratory declaration…without the step-down shift. The worship leaders that day thanked the woman for the feedback, but assured her that they would be going forward with the customary way of singing it. “No,” explained the woman. “I’m afraid you don’t understand…I wrote the song.” When I was going through college, my pastor told me this account because he was there. Naida Hearn, the writer of the text and tune, knew how it should be sung. She created it. When the creation tries to tell the Creator how things should go, we have a problem. When the poem tries to reorder itself apart from the Author, we are quickly and correctly quieted. When the art tries to claim something separate from the Artist, well…you get the picture. The creation’s only legitimate boast is in the Creator. “Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD.” – Jeremiah 9:23-24

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