2 Preaching Foolishness

"Why Do We Preach Foolishness?"

1 Corinthians 1:18-25

Introduction

Read Nonsense Message – “I haversack the haulage. Mordant and exclude for exorbitant. Minnow mink with the ombudsman. Trestle innocent dewberry, but auxin tiger-eye. Krypton the bivalve for the ruffian. Swine and frolic for the cubic. Polyester field artillery echelon boycott.”
To those who aren't saved, the "preaching of the cross" doesn't make sense.
Read 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

Foolishness of the Cross (vv. 18,19)

What is the message of the Cross?

Read 1 Corinthians 15:3,4
Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again.

Foolishness is Greek word "MORIA"--where we get "moron"

Silliness or Absurdity
The world doesn't see any sense in what we believe

"For it is written"

1. Paul is quoting Isaiah 29:14

2. The wisdom and understanding of men will cease.

a. God does not save by what the world calls “Wisdom”

b. God saves through what the world calls ”Foolishness”

III.What God does with Foolishness (vv. 20,21)

A. Wise=Greeks

1. They were always seeking after wisdom

2. They were more interested in building the mind, than the heart.

3. The classic Greek learners: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle

B. Scribe=Jews

1. The pride that they had in their knowledge of the Word of God

2. “The pin through the manuscripts”

3. They also were more interested in building the mind, than the heart.

4. They let it go to their head

C. Disputer of this world=Both Greeks and Jews – Always fighting and bickering.

D. God makes their wisdom seem foolish

1. Through its wisdom, the World didn't know God...

2. ...So God uses the "foolishness" of preaching the cross to save men

IV.What They Seek (v. 22)

A. "Jews request a sign"

1. "sign"-miracle, token, wonder

2. The Jews had wanted some great sign to show that Jesus was the Messiah. But they didn't recognize what they had been given.

B. "Greeks seek after wisdom"

1. The Greeks couldn't make the gospel of Christ fit with their earthly wisdom

2. The Greek's wisdom was always from the earthly standpoint, not the spiritual.

3. “Christianity begins not with solving intellectual difficulties, but with satisfying the heart that longs for forgiveness.” - Jamieson, Fausset and Brown Commentary

V. What We Deliver (vv. 23-25)

A. WE PREACH CHRIST

1. Stumbling Block to the Jews- They couldn't get past their preconceived idea that their Messiah was going to be an earthly conqueror.

a. A stumbling block is just like putting your foot out in someone’s way.

b. It causes them to trip up and not make it to their goal.

2. Foolishness to the Greeks- Once again the Greeks couldn't understand how Christ could really have been God and Man, how He could have been raised from the dead

3. Power and Wisdom of God to those who are called- this was both Jews and Greeks

a. Their mind changed because they were called.

b. Their mind changed because the Holy Spirit was working on them.

B. Foolishness of God=Wiser than Men

C. Weakness of God= Stronger than Men

VI.Conclusion

A. What kind of Gospel are we preaching?

1. Watered-down? "To make the message interesting, relevant, and palatable to the world, the message of the gospel is often diluted when it is prepared for popular consumption."--Erwin Lutzer

a. The Gospel cannot be prepared for popular consumption.

2. Is it one where all that we do is try to answer the "Jew" and the "Greek"? "We can learn nothing of the gospel except by feeling its truths. There are some sciences that may be learned by the head, but the science of Christ crucified can only be learned by the heart."--Charles Haddon Spurgeon

a. The Gospel is not simply an intellectual exercise.

B. Whose strength are we relying on?

1. Read v. 25

2. We can't do it on our own.

3. It is only by the power of God that something so "foolish" can become so life-transforming.

a. It is transforming.

b. Look at your life and try to tell me the Gospel is not transforming.

c. We need to show it to others.

Deckerville Bible 06-06-04

FBC North Branch 05-22-05

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