The Power Of The Cross

Good morning, my name is Sosthenes. I have been invited to speak to you today about a letter that Paul and I wrote, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to the churches in my city. Your pastor invited me to come speak with you today because he felt you ought to know more about my story

But first I must tell you how I came to know Paul; which is an important piece of information you should know. As I recollect the events of the time, I met the messenger of Jesus Christ, named Paul, when he showed up in my hometown of Corinth as a visitor at the place of teaching which I was responsible for leading. Now our place of teaching was where we gathered regularly to learn about the LORD God. Now this Paul, messenger of Jesus Christ, he introduced himself as an envoy, an ambassador, a missionary of Jesus Christ.

Now this was an unusual form of introduction I must say because most people of any significance in life during my time of existence, introduced themselves in a way that promoted their own agenda, their own ambitions and goals. Many people during my time sought ways to exalt, to lift up, themselves; to make their own self look big or important, even at the expense of the little guy. But Paul was different.

Paul promoted the agenda of Jesus Christ, not his own resume, not his own personal desires or personal ambitions, but the personal desire of Jesus Christ his LORD. Paul’s ambition was to make this man named Jesus famous. And I must admit that Paul’s presentation and message was kind of strange.

How can I say it? Paul was talking about a man named Jesus Christ, who was God, who was born in flesh by a virgin Mary, who had died on a cross, for the sins of the world, who was our long awaited savior. Did you hear what I just said? Many people had died on crosses during my lifetime, but Paul had been proclaiming boldly that Jesus Christ, was the son of God, born into the world in human flesh- God with us had died on a cross. Foolishness many of us said at the time.

Now this portion of Paul’s teaching was strange that in itself. Because at the time, many of my fellow citizens in Corinth did not believe God got too involved with people. The we humans were all by ourselves and it was up to us to save ourselves. Have you ever felt that way? That God was too busy for us little humans; that God could not possibly be concerned with your personal issues. Paul was talking about a God so great that He created everything on earth, in the sky, and in heaven, the earth was His and all of it’s fullness, a God who had a cattle on a thousand hills, a Great and powerful God, while at the same time this same God, who was Jesus Christ, was willing to lower himself for a little while to hang out with us humans.

And there were others who believed that you only needed to gain a higher knowledge of yourself so that you taught yourself how to behave properly i.e. you did not need God in order to learn how to act right. You just needed to follow the rules that were taught at the place of teaching. Have you ever tried to fix yourself, fix your problems your way, without the counsel of the Holy Spirit, without depending on God’s WORD; being the captain of your own ship and the master of your own soul; pulling yourself up by your own bootstraps. That’s what we were like when Paul showed up on the scene in our city of Corinth.

But then Paul started talking, how can I say it, without sounding too arrogant. Well Paul started speaking what I thought at the time was some foolishness. Not only was he saying Jesus Christ, the son of God, had died on a cross, but that this same Jesus Christ had been raised from the dead- foolishness, illogical, many of us thought at the time!

Now at this point, many of the people at our place of teaching, wanted me to do something about Paul. Get rid of him, Paul was a troublemaker that needed to be silenced. You know how people get sometimes, when they are not used to a new thing; they resist it, they fight change. But “Papa Had a Brand New Bag” for my city of Corinth! God was doing a thing, and many of us did not perceive or understand it.

Then something stranger started happening. People started worshipping God, the LORD Jesus Christ! My predecessor and his entire family started believing in Jesus Christ as their LORD and savior. Then many other people within my city started believing in Jesus Christ too, after they heard Paul his messenger. Paul had turned our whole city upside down!

You know if you just faithfully walk with Jesus, give your life to Jesus, be obedient to Jesus Christ, be holy as God is holy, and tell people about Jesus the Christ- you can turn your own family and city upside down and help change things for the glory of God. Be faithful with a little bit, which is your testimony and witness of Jesus Christ, humble yourself under the mighty hand of the LORD and he will lift you up. Glory! Hallelujah! Praise the LORD!

Then I became the leader at my place of teaching and the people wanted me to do something about Paul. But there was something about Paul and the Power of the Cross message that he preached. And after I was unable shut Paul up, the people turned against me. Then Paul stayed in Corinth for 18 months teaching the WORD of God to us. And many more people in my city began to dedicate their lives to following Jesus Christ.

Then I became the leader at my place of teaching and the people wanted me to do something about Paul. But there was something about Paul and the Power of the Cross message that he preached. And after I was unable to shut Paul up, the people turned against me. Can you believe that? The people took their anger out on me and beat me up over the matter of Paul persuading the people to follow God in a different way. Perhaps some of you in here today have problems with following God in a different way, than you were taught. Perhaps you have a problem with following Jesus Christ, who is God, with your whole heart, and living a life worthy of the sacrifice Jesus Christ has made on your behalf, being grace filled, kind, patient, less sinful, and showing love to everybody. Well keep listening to my story!

So then Paul stayed in Corinth for 18 months teaching the WORD of God to us. And many more people in my city began to dedicate their lives to following Jesus Christ, as the WORD continued to be preached with power. It was something about Paul’s dedication and commitment to Jesus Christ that was different than other preachers, people I heard before.

After hearing Paul preach to good news of Jesus Christ a few times, I accepted Jesus Christ into my heart. Then Paul and I departed Corinth to spread the good news in other places. And later on, we received word that the church in Corinth was not doing well. There was a lot of problems in the church Paul had planted.

The people were arguing over who was the best preacher.

They were not dealing with sin within the church. They possessed an any and everything goes mentality towards sin and turning a blind eye- even sin within the church.

Taking one another to court

Looking for ways to get rid of their spouses

Or live and sleep with their girlfriend or boyfriend without committing to marriage.

Diminishing one another’s God given gifts of the Spirit and competing against one another for who had the best spiritual gifts; who had the best leadership position within the church, who could act and sound the more holier; trying to outdo one another in everything but love.

The people were not only in the world, but of the world. By now some of you are probably thinking Corinth was just not a good place to plant a church in the first place. I know sometimes, you think it is just the location. The city where you live just isn’t a fertile place to share to good news of Jesus Christ. The culture is just too resistant to Jesus. But the problem was not that the church was in Corinth, rather there was too much of Corinth in the church.

Corinth, my city was a place where people sought to be seen favorably and held in high regard. People used relationships in order to gain access, power, and prestige among their peers. Hunger for power had even begun to permeate the church in Corinth. The preachers of the day were even paraded around for a fee in order to make the people within the church look good and feel good about themselves. They were judged by their eloquence instead of their substance and the power of the Holy Spirit to to speak and work through the good news preacher.

So the Holy Spirit of God, guided Paul and I as we wrote this love letter to the church in Corinth. Because you know it takes love, to cover a multitude of sins. It takes the love of God to patiently guide God’s people even they continually wander off in the wrong direction.

As the Holy Spirit began to guide our hands, there was one central point that God wanted us to tell his people. God wanted us to let them know that the church finds it’s true power in the cross! It is the power of the cross that does all of the work in the life of the believer.

I stopped by here today to tell you a few things you need to know about about the power of the cross; that if you understand these God given, Holy Spirit inspired, principles about the power of the cross, then God can use you for his glory in all you do, both individually and as a church collectively.

It is the Power Of The Cross that:

Supplies Spiritual Gifts

Illustrate: Problem with use of spiritual gifts within the Corinthian Chuch

Luke 24:49 ESV

And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Luke 24:49

1 Corinthians 12:7 ESV

To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

Sustains Your Sanctification

Illustrate: Problem with holiness in Corinthian Church

1 Corinthians 6:19 ESV

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,

1 Cor

Supernaturally Saves Sinners

Illustration: Example of Paul’s eloquence (weakness) so that God is made strong

1 Corinthians 1:10 ESV

I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

1 Corinthians 1:11 ESV

For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers.

1 Cor 1

1 Corinthians 1:12 ESV

What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.”

1 Corinthians 1:

1 Corinthians 1:13 ESV

Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

1 Corinthians 1:17 ESV

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.

1 Cor 1:17

I had learned through the life and ministry of Paul that:

God is not looking for impressive people

God does not need the wisest person

Instead God is seeking submissive people.

God is looking for a man or woman after His own heart

Those who will submit themselves to the will and ways of God, Jesus Christ

Those who know God’s most foolish ways are wiser than man’s best wisdom.

Those who can stand bold in their convictions concerning Jesus Christ: Crucified, Died, Buried, and Raised from the dead!

2 Cor 4

2 Corinthians 4:7 ESV

But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.

Come here Abraham & Sarah

Come here Moses

Come here Rahab

Come here Ruth

Come here David

Come here Elijah

Come here Isaiah

Come here Jeremiah

Come here Daniel

Come here Esther

Come here Mary

And then came Jesus!

And his Disciples: Peter, James, John, & Andrew

Then Paul who use to be Saul was called

Conclusion

Come here Noah

Come here Abraham & Sarah

Come here Moses

Come here Rahab

Come here Ruth

Come here David

Come here Elijah

Come here Isaiah

Come here Jeremiah

Come here Daniel

Come here Esther

Come here Mary

And then came Jesus!

And his Disciples: Peter, James, John, & Andrew

Then Paul who use to be Saul was called

1 Corinthians 15:3 ESV

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

1 Cor 15

Isaiah 53:1

Isaiah 53:1 ESV

Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?

Zechariah 13:7 ESV

“Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, against the man who stands next to me,” declares the Lord of hosts. “Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered; I will turn my hand against the little ones.

John 1:29 ESV

The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

1 Corinthians 15:3 ESV

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

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