God's Foolishness pt. 1: "The Plan"
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Introduction
Let’s take our Bibles and turn once again to 1 Corinthians, chapter 1, where we worked through verse 17 last Lord’s Day.
Today, our focus will be upon verses 18-25. However, I want to read verse 17 again, because in our text today, Paul is expounding upon a statement in verse 17, not only through verse 25, but through chapter 2 verse 5, and possibly through verse 16 of chapter 2.
So…in reality…you can say the next 4 sermons at least, will be part 1, 2, 4, and 4…as they are expressing the same point on deepening levels.
And this particular text, we’re dividing up into 2 weeks....I had so much in the sermon I felt needed to be said in these early verses…and I didn’t want to keep you here for 2 hours..so we’re going part 1 and 2 on this particular passage as well.
Let’s read our text then pray...
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.
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.
For a few decades, the church faced what became known as “the church growth movement.” It was a way of “doing church,” that grew out of a sense that the church in our nation was dying. Attendance everywhere was on the decline and churches were constantly closing their doors.
The growing conviction became, “we must do something to convince the world around us that the church is still relevant.”
So, the church modified its style, changed its appearance, made the services more comfortable for a visitor walking in off the street.
New, innovative evangelistic strategies were developed, and people were flocking to churches. When these churches were criticized for the new methods, the response from people like Rick Warren was, “Don’t ever criticize any method God is blessing.” Phrases were frequently used like, “If it only reaches one person, it’s worth it.” Rick Warren would even go as far as to say, “We must be willing to adjust our worship practices when unbelievers are present. God tells us to be sensitive to the hang-ups of unbelievers in our services.”
Of course, you’d be very hard pressed to try to find such sentiments in the Bible, so if God tells us that, I don’t know where that message from God is found.
The church growth movement as it was, is in many areas dying out. But pragmatism in the church, the mindset that we do whatever causes more people to get engaged, more people to attend, more people to want to join, is sadly still prevalent.
And I think it’s safe to say, that the ONLY way a person can grow to be convinced of a pragmatic approach to worship and/or evangelism, is to be without the conviction of Sola Scriptura. The idea that it is Scripture Alone that is our final authority, and our sufficient guide, for worship and evangelism.
And I’m becoming more and more convinced, that those who are wishy washy on Sola Scriptura, are such because deep down they’re not convinced, the Bible is God’s Word. They aren’t convinced, really convinced, that when the Bible is read aloud, God Himself is speaking to us.
What does that have to do with Corinth? Well, in one sense...it has everything to do. Paul has begun to deal with the first problem in the Corinthian church, and he will be dealing with it through at least chapter 4...and that is the problem of division.
Specifically, division that is caused by polarizing personalities. My favorite preacher, or a particular style of ministry, that I’m going to give my allegiance to...which causes me then to be divided from my brother or sister, even though I’m still gathering with them to worship God together.
Paul has asked some stinging questions of rebuke...Is Christ torn to pieces? Have you been baptized in the name of Paul? No...Christ is the Head of the church. And I wasn’t sent to baptize, but to preach the gospel.
Paul is expressing how absurd it truly is for believers to be divided over leaders…all of which God had to summon to be in fellowship with Christ.
Then Paul, in the second half of verse 17, tells them HOW he was to preach...or really, how he WAS NOT to preach this gospel.
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.
Verse 17b
Now, in verse 18, Paul begins to unpack in greater detail, what he means here in the latter part of this verse.
And if I was to sum up our main thought for this passage, it would be like this: THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS, DESTROYS THE WISDOM AND STRENGTH OF MEN
But before moving there, it’s necessary to understand a bit more of Paul’s terminology in verse 17. So, we can ask a few questions of this verse…like...
What ‘power’ is in the cross of Christ?
What ‘power’ is in the cross of Christ?
SIMPLY STATED: it is the power of God to save sinners from God’s own wrath
SIMPLY STATED: it is the power of God to save sinners from God’s own wrath
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.
You can see that in verse 18, the word of the cross....IS the power of God
You can see it in verse 24, to those who are called…Christ is the power and wisdom of God
24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
It’s what Paul taught the Romans....
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
What are “words of eloquent wisdom?”
What are “words of eloquent wisdom?”
Simply stated, it is dealing not with the content being spoken, but the manner in which it is spoken
Simply stated, it is dealing not with the content being spoken, but the manner in which it is spoken
It is skillful rhetoric; sophisticated speech
Paul is not saying he’s opposed to finding sound arguments for the gospel, or attempting to persuade an audience to believe the gospel
But to speak with “words of eloquent wisdom,” means to speak in a way that is only concerned about winning over the audience’s opinion of the speaker....it is to seek applause for the cleverness of the speaker, instead of seeking to convince them of the content of the message itself
The goal is to have people say, “Wow, what great speaker!” Instead of saying, “Wow, what a great Savior!”
Of course, this was prominent in Corinth. People made professions out of giving speeches on whatever content, just to show off their skill of winning over crowds by their great oratory abilities
The church is certainly not immune to this today....how quickly do we elevate preachers who can capture the attention and emotion of the crowd with his style, and yet the content is either wrong, or very shallow?
How does this empty the cross of its power to save?
How does this empty the cross of its power to save?
The very fact that something has such an ability should cause us GREAT concern
We should be stopped in our tracks, with perked ears, to hear what else the apostle would have to say to these brothers and sisters in Corinth
SHORT ANSWER: by attempting to replace God’s power, with man’s power; and replacing God’s wisdom, with man’s wisdom.
And you can sum up Paul’s point from verse 18, to chapter 2 verse 5, in that manner.
CPT: That the content of the Gospel, with the cross at its center, is designed intentionally by God, to display His wisdom and power in such a way that destroys man’s wisdom and power.
Or, as I’ve already said in shorter form…THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS, DESTROYS THE WISDOM AND STRENGTH OF MEN.
And God alone then, receives the glory, for the Gospel.
How is that so? Well…we must answer the question firstly....
What are words of eloquent wisdom?
Now that would be the shortened, summed up version. But Paul doesn’t just give them, or us, a shortened summed up version. He gives the entire logical argument to show why this is true. To explain WHY words of eloquent wisdom, would empty the cross of its power.
And the first point of two, for us this morning that is, in this argument is this:
What are words of eloquent wisdom?
1. The message of the cross, divides humanity into two groups
1. The message of the cross, divides humanity into two groups
How would it empty the cross of power?
Short answer: replacing God’s power with man’s
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.
More complete answer: 1:18-2:16
For: because
The cross will be emptied of its power if we present it in a manner that simply seeks to win the applause of the crowd....because.....
The cross IS folly (foolish) to those who are perishing, and it IS the power of God to those being saved.
At the most fundamental level, humanity exists in two groups. Those in Christ, and those not. Those in Christ, or those in Adam. Those saved, and those not. Christians and non-Christians.
And at the most fundamental level, these two groups are divided, based upon their response to the message of the crucified Messiah. The message of the cross, divides humanity, into two primary groups.
Paul identifies group number one, as the “perishing.”
There is something of note first of all, just by that title
They are perish-ING…not perished
We all know that humanity is dead in trespasses and sins. That they ARE dead, and need to be brought to life. And that in a spiritual sense. But Paul seems here to be pointing to the greater eschatological reality....or their final destination at the end of it all
That in reality, that although His wrath is currently revealed from heaven against all ungodliness (), it is also true that men and women are storing up God’s wrath to be poured out upon them on Judgement Day ().
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.
5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
They are PERISHING!
What is the distinguishing characteristic of this group? Their negative response to the message of the cross.
And this group includes ALL humanity.
Paul will say in verse 22 that it’s both Jew and Gentile. All mankind fall under this heading. That they come at it from different perspectives, and have different reasons of rejecting it, but it ultimately boils down to the same result. All walks of life in humanity, reject the gospel.
This group that is perishing, both Jew and Gentile, hear the message of the gospel as something foolish, silly, and weak.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”
13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.”
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
This group that is perishing, both Jew and Gentile, hear the message of the gospel as something foolish, silly, and weak.
Paul identifies group number two as, “those being saved.”
Again, noteworthy from the title itself, is the present tense in which it is written. They are saved yes, but they are also being saved.
The Corinthians had an over-realized eschatology. Meaning, they thought, probably because of their gifts, “THEY HAD ARRIVED!”
Paul keeps telling them…”we’re not there yet!”
See that clearly in verse 7-8
We too can say of ourselves, if we’re in Christ, that we are saved, we are being saved, and one day we will be saved.
Notice here…the contrasting characteristics of these groups....
For the perishing, it’s both Jew and Gentile, in verse 22. It’s rejecting the gospel message as foolish, in verse 18.
So in the perishing, the implication is, they DO NOT BELIEVE…but in those being saved, the message of the cross is recognized as God’s power to save sinners
THEY DO BELIEVE.
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.
Their distinguishing characteristic, is their positive response to the message of the cross.
Now, Paul also adds another descriptor to this group “being saved,” he distinguishes them from the unsaved by labeling them, “called”
24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
Those being saved, are those who believe the Gospel. Those who believe the Gospel, are those who are called by God.
Both groups, HEARD the Gospel. Both groups HEARD a call to respond to the Gospel from the preacher. One said no, the other said yes. One said it’s foolish, the other said, it’s God’s power to save.
Again, Paul’s point is to establish the absurdness of divisions based upon people, and the intentions of the gospel to eliminate boasting in men, so that God alone can be glorified for His own wisdom and power.
Paul says, the ones that said yes, didn’t say yes because they chose it of their own abilities and others decided not to....they said yes, because GOD called THEM through that Gospel call.
Paul distinguishes these two groups by the CALLED and therefore the NOT CALLED
He does this also in Romans....
Romans 8:
29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.
29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
The effectual call of God, separates humanity into two groups.
It is God’s Word going forth, that produces faith in the heart (Romans 10:17) of those who, as words it, “are appointed to eternal life.”
It is God’s Word that has always had creative powers ()
It is God’s Word, that has always had intentional creative powers (Let the sun rule the day…not the sun for the galaxies far far away)
God’s people have never created God’s Word…God’s Word has ALWAYS created God’s people (think of Abraham in , minding his own business, living in idolatry and hating God like everyone else…then comes the call of God)
We have the whole of Scripture given to us, testifying to this reality, that God has always revealed Himself through His Word, and calls His people to Himself through His Word…and of course, the greatest fulfillment of this, is the Word made flesh, Jesus Himself.
God called them…and that’s WHY they believed.
Now....that’s from God’s perspective…we can’t ignore it, nor should we want to. It should cause us to praise Him even more. It should humble us. It should make us stand in awe at the wisdom and power of God, just like Paul at the end of the section dealing with election and God’s eternal plan of salvation in .
But, we must also ask, what about from our perspective? We can’t “see” God’s call…we can’t even “hear” God’s call. So we give the “general call,” to all…knowing that God will give His effectual call, to those who are His.
In other words, the main distinguishing characteristic from what we can see, is THE RESPONSE TO THE GOSPEL
So we urge EVERYONE....EVERYWHERE....to listen to the gospel and believe it....because we’re convinced THAT’S THE ONLY WAY God calls people to Himself.
Those being saved: This is God’s power to save sinners. The ones who respond this way, are also to be categorized, according to Scripture, as “the called.”
Apply
I myself must urge you to consider this reality even this morning. That everyone here, is in one of those two groups. You can’t be neutral…and you can’t be in both.
You are either in the process of perishing....headed towards your eternal doom under the wrath of God. OR…you are in the process of being completely saved from sin, and from God’s wrath.
That includes everyone here: from the oldest, to the youngest; yes even you children who are barely old enough to listen to me. You are either headed for hell or heaven.
And with God’s Word as my authority, I urge you to consider this point, where you will spend eternity is completely dependent upon HOW YOU RESPOND to this message about Christ.
The message of the cross, says that Jesus is God who has become a human; that He lived perfectly, yet died the death of a criminal and the death that was a sign of God’s curse
He died this death, because He had taken upon Himself the sins of His people
And His people, includes whosoever will turn from their sins (their constant rebellion against God) and trust in Him
Trust that He died in your place…trust that He rose from the dead…begin today to follow Jesus in faith, and you will be saved!
And if you’re of the other group.... then do as Paul, and give God thanks for calling you into the fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ, as verse 9 states!
Paul says, we can’t present the gospel with eloquent words of wisdom, because this message divides humanity into two groups…but his logical point continues.
2. This divisive message, was always God’s plan
2. This divisive message, was always God’s plan
Some may say, “Well, it just kind of worked out that way. God developed a plan, He then presented the plan to creation, and then some said yes, some said no, that’s what causes the divisions.”
And again, from our perspective, that’s not necessarily wrong....however, it’s only half the story.
Paul draws from the OT…to show that God intentionally packaged the power of salvation from His wrath, in a message that seemed weak and foolish to His creatures.
Why?
19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”
For: or because
It is written. Here, Paul draws upon the OT Scriptures. Showing that this is not some response to humanity…that God’s eternal plan all along was to save sinners through such a way that would “DESTROY” man’s wisdom and man’s “INTELLIGENCE” and exalt His own.
Here, he quotes from
The point is to show that the gospel, is the climactic chapter, in the progressive revelation of God, that completely destroys the self-exalting position of rebel humanity.
Man rebels against God in , and by their rallying together in a display of their proud arrogance, attempting to build a tower stretching to the heavens. God destroys their wisdom and thwarts their intelligence, by confusing their languages.
Here, Paul says, that the message of the cross has a similar effect
He even asks questions next....
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?
“Made foolish” not made their wisdom to appear foolish…but literally made it foolish.
It’s the same word as in
22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Paul is not against wisdom. He is pitting MAN’s wisdom against GOD’s wisdom.
He is saying that what MANKIND calls wisdom, is in fact foolish. And God made it so, through the message of the cross. When mankind hears the gospel, and considers it foolish, they in their wisdom are calling the power of God weak…and the wisdom of God foolish.
Man, in the height of his intellectual prowess, misses the most obvious fact in all the universe…God Himself. And even that, is not outside the intentional ordination of God.
Two groups being created, was not just what happened. It was God’s intention.
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.
So Paul says, God, in His great wisdom and with His great power…packaged His salvation in this way, with great intention.
Two groups being created, was not just what happened. It was God’s intention.
Has not God made their wisdom foolish? Why and/or how?
Because, in God’s wisdom, the world didn’t know God by their wisdom, God was pleased through the foolishness of this message of the cross, to save those who believe.
God was pleased, to save people through a message, that both Jew and Gentile would consider foolish.
ILLUSTRATE
- Those who view God as up in heaven, hoping people will come to Him for salvation, will have a hard time with these verses
Because they will say, “God will do whatever it takes to save you.” We even sing songs in church today that say, “He didn’t want heaven without you.”
- It’s not hard to discern who is at the center of that universe
But God intentionally packaged the message in a way, that His own creation would consider foolish, silly, oxymoronic. And He did so intentionally so that His own wisdom and power would be revealed through both responses to His message.
To show you I’m not just drawing this idea from this one passage out of context, Jesus Himself praises the Father in one instance, for this same reality.
25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;
The thanksgiving is not only for the revelation of truth....but also for the concealment of truth. God is glorified in both responses!
Jesus conveys something similar to His disciples at another point.
11 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables,
11 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables,
12 so that “ ‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.’ ”
The Gospel being the message of the cross, and its effect creating two groups of people....is no accident. It is God’s intention.
So then, it’s becoming even more clear, why Paul understood the dangers of presenting the gospel in eloquent words of wisdom. To do so would empty the cross of its power, because it would attempt to replace its actual power with man’s power.
It is to aim at a different intention than God’s.
It is to agree with the wisdom of fallen man, that the message of the cross is missing something....it’s missing that which would make more people believe it.
So we must package it differently; we must present it in a way that gains their assent.
But in reality, we are stripping the cross of its power to save.
So what must we do instead? We must do as Paul was commanded, simply, “…preach the gospel. And not with words of eloquent wisdom.”
This is why Paul instructed Timothy in the manner he did in
1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom:
2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
Surely, preaching the Word is good....but we must have more right? How could this ancient book be all we need
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.
The Word of God, as we’ve noted in Biblical Theology class, can be summed up in the message of the Gospel. This whole book is teaching both the need, the eternal plan, the actual event, and the implications of the event, of the cross of Christ.
And Paul is clear in all his ministry....THIS IS ALL WE NEED.
And that is exactly why he didn’t cave to the pressure of presenting this gospel with “words of eloquent wisdom.” The gospel doesn’t need my cleverness with the goal of gaining the applause of the audience. The gospel is God’s power to save.
God INTENTIONALLY packaged it in this manner for His own glory.
AND FOR THE CORINTHIANS, PAUL IS CHIPPING AWAY CONSISTENTLY AT THEIR PRIDE
Apply
Assuming you are being obedient to Christ, and you are going out making disciples for Him....how often do you feel pressured to change up the message to be liked by the other person?
Apologize for God’s eternal outpouring of wrath in hell
All disciples are to be making disciples, and as you go doing so you’ll run into people who claim they could never believe in a God like the One presented in the Bible. That they could never accept that what a man did 2,000 years ago could have any bearing on their life at all.
Or that they are saved, even though their lives preaches an entirely different message.
Make excuses for His annihilation of entire people groups in the OT
And if this is a co-worker, or a friend, or a family member, or even one of your children…the temptation will be to package the gospel in such a way that it is easier for them to accept.
Or the fact that He drowned all the earth, including men, women, and children....saving only 8 people
Maybe I won’t deal with hell; or perhaps I’ll skip past the whole, “Jesus dying FOR us thing.” Maybe I should tell them to trust that God has a good plan for their life, go to church, pray, read the Bible.
Tempted to tiptoe around the accusation, “For God to allow the death of His Son in order to satisfy His own justice, is cosmic child abuse.”
At least that gives them something TO DO…at least then, they have a course trajectory
I’m not advocating for brash, rude, harshness with the lost. But I’m advocating for clarity, boldness, and truth.
To alter the truth out of a fear of man…out of a desire for others to still like you....is to strip the gospel of its power. It is to replace God’s wise, intentional, and powerful plan of salvation…with our own.
And we ARE NOT GOOD SAVIORS!
We aren’t successful if we get a bunch of people to like us…we are “successful,” if we gather together and God’s Word goes forth
We are “successful,” in our evangelism, if the Gospel is preached
Great Awakening of the 1700’s…brought about by common preaching
Attempted copy of it in the 1800’s....brought about by man’s methods (Charles Finney and others).
Only, the simple Gospel can save. Only the message of the cross, of the crucified Savior, can effect the eternal destiny of the human soul.
Don’t give in to the wisdom of this world, brother or sister....trust God…preach Christ crucified. And God receives glory from both responses
This message divides humanity into two groups
This divisive message was intentionally planned by God to display His wisdom and power.
This is why Paul preached it…and preached it without words of eloquent wisdom.
He says as much in his ongoing argument....we’ll have to pause here in the exposition, but let me read the next four verses and then give you a conclusion.
22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom,
Again, Paul begins this sentence with “for,” or because.
The Jews demanded signs; miraculous signs from God that this message was indeed from God
They were consistent in this demand
38 Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, “Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.”
Greeks (Gentiles in v.24), so all non-Jews…they seek wisdom. Again, this is their own wisdom. Their exalted wisdom. And because of the way in which wisdom, rhetoric, and apparent intelligence was tied to social status in Corinth, it even had that as a root cause as well.
The pragmatist would look at it and say, “That’s what they’re looking for....let’s give it.”
And indeed, that’s what takes place quite often today. Not only in the preaching, but also in the entirety of the worship service.
Gordon Fee:
“These, then, are the two basic idolatries; and they are ever with us. The demand for power and the insistence on wisdom, always for us or from our point of view, are still the basic idolatries of our fallen world.”
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.
In other words, we still live in a world where these two thing are sought and demanded.
That which man in his wisdom deems as foolish, is actually God’s wisdom
“When I come to church, I want something powerful. I want to sense the true presence of God. I want a seen or felt sign He’s present.”
Or....give me something relevant, something that is going to be in line with what I need at the moment. Preach a series on having a healthy marriage, or better financial discipline, then I’ll come to church.
Paul has already stressed, the fact that they demand these things is the very reason God packaged the powerful saving message in the manner He did. To destroy the wisdom of the wise and the discernment of the discerning.
And with that conviction firmly within him, Paul expresses to the Corinthians
23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,
They demand this…they seek for this....but it doesn’t change our ministry approach. We know what they’re seeking, but we intentionally do not give them that.
We intentionally give them the message that causes Jews to stumble
We intentionally give the message that is considered folly to the Gentiles…because we know that THIS IS God’s power to save.
We know, that out of the Jews and Gentiles, God will call a people to Himself through this message
24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
To those, Jews and Greeks, that God calls....this message is no longer a stumbling block, and it is no longer folly....it is now recognized for what it truly is. God’s own power and God’s own wisdom.
Apply
Of course, this has obvious implications and application for our own local congregation
It’s not hard to get people to come to your church. It’s not even that hard to get people excited about the preacher. A little bit of psychological manipulation, intentional or unintentional. A little bit of emotional sway....and everything can go smoothly. But our task is similar to Paul’s.
We aren’t successful if we grow a big church. If that happens, then praise God.
We are “successful,” if we preach God’s Word.
God’s wisdom, and power, are revealed…and God receives glory....when His Word goes forth.
THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS, DESTROYS THE WISDOM AND STRENGTH OF MEN
So then Paul concludes for now, at least in reference to the message itself:
25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
That which man in his wisdom deems as foolish, is actually God’s wisdom
That which man deems as weakness, is actually God’s strength.
So then, the highest man can achieve in his own thinking, doesn’t come to the knowledge of their own Creator…therefore, their Wisest wisdom, and the strongest strength, is foolish and weak by the working of God.
Conclusion
This is why pragmatism is foolish. Not because it doesn’t work, but because the goal is wrong.
Do we have a goal to reach the lost? Yes. Do we want to present the gospel in clear ways that are simple to comprehend? Yes.
But our ultimate goal in all of it, is the glory of God!
So if everyone receives it, or everyone rejects it, SOLI DEO GLORIA!
I read you the quotes by Rick Warren. Now consider someone else in closing.
William Carey, the father of modern missions, desired to evangelize the places of the world that had never heard the gospel. To which he received the reply from his denomination, “Sit down, if God wants to save the heathen He will do so without us.”
Carey went anyways. He faced much hardship. There was much opposition to the message in many forms. His five year old son died. His wife died. Yet, William Carey continued working in gospel work.
I’m not raising him up on a pedestal so as to create a super saint out of a man, but to show forth an example of one who trusted the power of the gospel. You see, he would work in India for seven years, before he would see the first convert to Christianity. Seven years of preaching. Seven years of witnessing. Seven years of building relationships.
What kept him going? Was it trying to find THAT ONE THING he knew India was looking for, so he could offer it along with the gospel? So he could package the gospel in it, winning their affection and applause? No. It was his confidence in God and in God’s Word
“When I left England, my hope of India’s conversion was very strong; but amongst so many obstacles, it would die, unless upheld by God. Well, I have God, and His Word is true. Though the superstitions of the heathen were a thousand times stronger than they are, the example of the Europeans a thousand times worse; though I were deserted by all and persecuted by all, yet my faith, fixed on that sure Word, would rise above all obstacles and overcome every trial. God’s cause will triumph.” ~William Carey
Our God is wise and powerful. Our God’s gospel is THE power of God and THE wisdom of God. We must proclaim it, and it alone!
As Luther wrote, in the midst of his battle for the gospel:
“And though this world with devils filled, should threaten to undo us; we will not fear for God has willed, His truth to triumph through us. The prince of darkness grim, we tremble not for him. His rage we can endure, for lo his doom is sure; one little word shall fell him.”