With a Demonstration

Psalter

Psalm 112:1–9 NRSV

1 Praise the Lord! Happy are those who fear the Lord, who greatly delight in his commandments. 2 Their descendants will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. 3 Wealth and riches are in their houses, and their righteousness endures forever. 4 They rise in the darkness as a light for the upright; they are gracious, merciful, and righteous. 5 It is well with those who deal generously and lend, who conduct their affairs with justice. 6 For the righteous will never be moved; they will be remembered forever. 7 They are not afraid of evil tidings; their hearts are firm, secure in the Lord. 8 Their hearts are steady, they will not be afraid; in the end they will look in triumph on their foes. 9 They have distributed freely, they have given to the poor; their righteousness endures forever; their horn is exalted in honor.

Opening Prayer

Invisible God, you have revealed yourself to us in Jesus Christ, sharing your own Spirit in communion with our spirit. As we come to worship disclose yourself more fully as we hear your written word and pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Pastoral Prayer

Almighty and everlasting God, you have revealed yourself in words and ways that we can see and hear. We, your people, thank you for opening our eyes and our ears that we might receive your salvation. Because you did not come in mystery but with power and might, we praise your holy Name and we proclaim your glory.

Through your prophets you have shown us the way of righteousness. You call us to share our bread with the poor, and to act justly in all our doings. You have called us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. But we do not share freely from what you have provided. We do not let our light shine in witness to your grace. We receive from your mercy, but keep it a secret from those who also need a share of your Good News. We have not lived as you have called us, and we pray you to forgive our sin and restore our lives.

We live so much by the spirit of this world. Pour out upon us your Holy Spirit so we may understand the gifts you have bestowed upon us. Put back into us the savor of salt. Rekindle in us the fire of your light. Give us the words so we might interpret the things which we have learned, for the upbuilding of your Church.

There are people of our community of faith whom we have named, and who struggle under the yokes of disease and despair; there are those who hunger for release from pain and mourning; there are others who have no home in which they feel safe or loved. Receive them into your care and free them from those things which keep them bound; help them to know that when they cry to you, you are there.

We seek to be happy in your righteousness. Bless us now as we pray these things in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, who taught us to pray by saying...

Children’s Message

Children will make little sense of this passage as it is read, but within it are two points about wisdom ("being smart") that they need to hear. To children, "wisdom" is being able to understand what is going on around them and knowing what to do in all situations—"street smarts" for their particular streets is the wisdom they crave.

Paul's point in verses 6-11 is that there is a specifically Christian "wisdom" that is different from what many people today think is wise. Others may suggest that it is wise to cheat, be nice only to people who can help you, grab the things you want and need, and even steal when necessary. But Paul says that wise Christians tell the truth, share, and treat everyone lovingly—especially those who have nothing to give.

In children's words, Paul's message in verses 1-5 is, "I am not a smart person who figured out all this about God on my own. Everything I have told you comes from God. God's wisdom is better than any ideas people have ever come up with."

Scripture Lesson

1 Corinthians 2:1–16 NRSV

1 When I came to you, brothers and sisters, I did not come proclaiming the mystery of God to you in lofty words or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3 And I came to you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. 4 My speech and my proclamation were not with plausible words of wisdom, but with a demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom but on the power of God. 6 Yet among the mature we do speak wisdom, though it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to perish. 7 But we speak God’s wisdom, secret and hidden, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written, “What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the human heart conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him”— 10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For what human being knows what is truly human except the human spirit that is within? So also no one comprehends what is truly God’s except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. 13 And we speak of these things in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual things to those who are spiritual. 14 Those who are unspiritual do not receive the gifts of God’s Spirit, for they are foolishness to them, and they are unable to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 Those who are spiritual discern all things, and they are themselves subject to no one else’s scrutiny. 16 “For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

Introduction

In a church's worship center a cross was prominently displayed behind the pulpit and choir loft. One Sunday when the pastor was on vacation a man, who was much taller than the pastor, preached the sermon. After the service a little boy who usually sat near the front with his family mentioned to his father that he liked their pastor a lot more than the visiting preacher. "Why?" his father asked. "Because he's small enough for me to see the cross."

The child said more than he knew. In order for Jesus to be visible in us, the self-life must be invisible. In order for him to increase, we must decrease ( ) . No one can impress people with fleshly, or natural, ability and at the same moment present Jesus as the mighty to save. In the second chapter of his letter to the Christians in Corinth, Paul wrote of his practice of remaining small so that Christ would loom large.

The saints of God have the task set before them of focusing our attention and the world’s attention on Christ. As we mentioned a few weeks ago, our job is to point to the One who died on our behalf for the world to see. It is not about us; it is all about Him! So this morning, we look to another purpose of the saints, making sure Jesus is glorified over and above all things in our world. Our question is how do we do this effectively in a world that is filled with so many other messages and honestly, shiny things to look at. How do we truly point to the crucified Messiah?

1. Saints proclaim Christ. (v. 5)

Matthew 10:7 NRSV

As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’

1. Saints proclaim Christ. (v. 5)

Paul commented on the style, content, and purpose of his preaching. His style was intentionally devoid of "lofty words" (v. 1) and "plausible words of wisdom" (v. 4), but included the elements of "weakness," "fear," and "much trembling" (v. 3). Every person who has stood before a crowd to speak knows what Paul is talking about, but professors don't teach this style of delivery in seminary. Apparently, Paul did not mind appearing nervous; it probably accentuated the importance of his message ("this makes me so nervous that I wouldn't be doing it at all if it were not so important"). It was not the beauty of presentation that made his message so powerful; it was the depth of his conviction.

As to the content of his message, he preached the Cross (v. 2). Paul had come to Corinth from Athens where he had tried to meet the philosophers on their own ground. Perhaps his limited success there convinced him to keep his content simple and straightforward.

Matthew 10:7 NRSV

As you go, proclaim the good news, ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’

When a student athlete made four F 's and one D on his report card, his advisor asked the coach what his problem was. The coach said, "Well, it looks as if he's been concentrating too much on one subject." The same accusation could have been made about Paul, and that one subject was Jesus. He exalted Jesus so that the faith of the people "might not rest on human wisdom but on the power of God" (v. 5).

2. Saints demonstrate the power of the Spirit. (v. 5)

Acts 3:6 NRSV

But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have I give you; in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, stand up and walk.”

Paul's life and ministry were living examples of what the Holy Spirit could do (v. 5) in and through the life of a human being. People need a demonstration of the Spirit even more than they need an explanation. They need to see the transformation that he has made and is continuing to make in us.

3. Saints receive revelation from God.

Ephesians 1:17 NRSV

I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him,

God's wisdom is a mystery to those who do not know God (vv. 6-9, 14). But to the saints, it is a mystery that has been revealed (vv. 10-16). Agnostics claim that God is beyond our ability to know or understand. Christians agree, but we add the important qualification that God has revealed himself. Paul argued that no one can know God except the Spirit of God, but it is God's Spirit that we have received! Since God's Spirit is in us, we "may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God" (v. 12). In fact, that is the beginning point of being a Christian.

Paul made his points in logical order, but they should be reversed to be in chronological order. First comes revelation, then demonstration, and last proclamation.

Benediction

You have called us, O God, to embrace the mission of Jesus as our own. Our sight is not equal to this vision, and our strength is not equal to this task. But you, O Lord, are a merciful God. You give light to those who walk in darkness, and you grant strength to those who carry heavy loads. As we return to the workaday world, let us see your light before us and feel your strength within us.