Biblestudy 3/31/21

1 Corinthians 1:18–2:5 AV

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

I. The message of the cross is foolish to those headed for destruction.

a. The logos, the message, the preaching, the narrative of the cross is foolish, it sounds silly to those who are headed for destruction. Why? Paul says in the following chapter 1 Cor 2:14 “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” This is why sometimes you have a hard time trying to convey deep spiritual truths to unbelievers....their carnal mind cannot comprehend it. This is also why you have those who have never truly received the spirit of God get deceived.....because they don’t have the Spirit and when you do not have the Spirit it is impossible for you to understand spiritual truth. Paul says their unbelief is causing them to head toward destruction. Their rejection of Christ is causing them to head toward destruction.

b. To us who are saved, to us who are being saved, to us who are being preserved, to us who God is keeping, it is the power of God. The power, the capability, the strength of God, the authority of God, it is the miraculous power of God, What is the power of God? The preaching/logos/doctrine of the cross is power to us! The cross is the power of salvation! We are just not talking about any cross, we are talking about the one who was on the cross, Jesus died on the cross and shed his blood to atone for our sins. Jesus died so that the New Testament could be activated. Jesus who was without sin, took on the sins of the world and paid the penalty of sins for us. He carried our sins away. It sounds foolish to the unbeliever that the cross has the power to save. God exerted or exerts his power through the preaching of the cross. This power is so powerful that it causes people to be delivered, it causes people to get healed, it causes people to turn from sin, it causes people to inherit eternal life.

c. Throughout scripture God always used things that seemed foolish to bring salvation. Ex 15:25, 2 Kings 2:21.

d. Look at verse 8, 1 Cor 1:8: it is the preaching of the cross, the preaching of Jesus dying on the cross, the preaching of the resurrection of Christ that has the power to save and preserve us. This is why Paul says in the 8th verse “Who shall also confirm”......in other-words you cannot confirm yourself.....Christ is going to do it. How? Because of the preaching of the cross, because of his death and resurrection, because he died to make you blameless. Because through his death, resurrection, and ascension he gives us the power to be blameless.....it is not really us doing the work....it is Christ within us that does the work.....it is Christ within us that makes the change.

II. God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish.

a. The world thinks of salvation as something foolish.

III. Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

a. True power does not come from human wisdom or knowledge.

b. You can never truly get to know God through human wisdom, the only way to know God is through the power of the cross.

c. True power comes from God and Christ is the power of God.

i. The power of salvation does not come from your own ability. The power of salvation does not come from human knowledge. The power of salvation derives from the wisdom of God and that wisdom is Christ crucified. Salvation comes from the preaching of the cross! deliverance comes from the preaching of the cross, healing comes from the preaching of the cross. Our relationship with God comes from the preaching of the cross!

d. Christ is the wisdom of God.

e. The Jews ask for signs from heaven, the Greeks look for human wisdom.

i. Remember during Jesus’ earthly ministry that the Pharisees wanted Jesus to prove to them that he was the Messiah. Jesus gave them a reply in Luke 11:29-30, Matt 12:40.

IV. God’s foolish plan is wiser than human plans.

V. God choose things that the world deems foolish to confound the wise.

VI. Through God’s wisdom, Christ made us right with God.

VII. Paul uses simplicity to articulate the wisdom of God.

VIII. God gets glory in weakness.

a. Paul says in chapter 2:3 “And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.” This wasn’t some faux behavior that Paul was displaying.....Paul was literally weak, he was literally in fear, and much trembling”. Why? Because often times he didn’t know what the results of his preaching would be. Many times in his preaching he had people that rejected him and sometimes the rejection was so intense that he had people trying to take his life. He was weak, he was fearful, and he trembled, but God got the glory out of his weakness. Paul spoke of the weakness of Jesus himself by saying in 2 Cor 13:4 “For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you”. God gets glory in our weaknesses! When we can’t help ourself.....God’s strength will give us power. When we feel we can’t make it.....God’s strength will give us power. When it seems as if our bodies are falling apart God’s strength will give us power.

b. Jesus told Paul on one occasion (2 Cor 12:9) that each time Paul asked the Lord to remove the thorn from his side that “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” or my grace is all you need, my power works best in weakness”.