Foolish Wisdom

Introduction:

· Voices at a funeral

· I wondered later: is what Paul had in mind when he talked about the “foolishness of the cross.”

THE CHRISTIAN MESSAGE *IS* FOOLISHNESS – LET’S LOOK AT WHY. PAUL OPENS BY SIMPLY STATING THAT THE WORD OF THE CROSS IS FOOLISHNESS.

I) The Logic of the Cross Challenge Human Wisdom (vv. 18-20)

A. Understanding The “Logic” of our world

i. Discerning he Wisdom of the world (vs. 18, 20)

1. Contrasting the “logic” of the cross with a culture of wisdom/philosophy

2. Our culture’s wisdom: (grocery store/academia/workplace orientation)

ii. The Problem with the wisdom of this world (vs. 20b)

1. Some of us get swept up in ideas that seem life-changing…

2. BUT: The danger of chronological snobbery

B. The Logic of the Cross Makes Foolish the Wisdom of the World

i. From Isaiah, to Corinth, to today: God undoes worldly wisdom (vv. 19, 20b)

1. “Morons” don’t realize that God is in control of human events

2. Isaiah/Corinth/now: many live as fools – practical atheists (Is. 29)

ii. APPLICATION:

1. A freshman in philosophy class: Expect ridicule, but doesn’t mean not true

2. When your peers raise their eyebrows: Acknowledge that it IS “foolish”

THE LOGIC OF THE CROSS CHALLENGES HUMAN WISDOM; LET’S GET MORE SPECIFIC.

II) The Message of the Cross Challenges a View of Salvation (vv. 21-24)

A. The world can’t know God through Wisdom:

i. Does human wisdom lead us to God? (see vs. 21)

1. All worldviews have a vision for salvation: Moral? Social?

2. How to bring about? Political means? Reason? Hard work?

ii. Competing Visions of salvation: (vv. 21-23)

1. Jews: a sign-performing political hero (so NO Roman victim!)

2. Greeks: The Philosopher King (so NO shamed “hero”!)

3. QUOTE: Cicero’s quote

B. The World Knows God through a Suffering Savior

i. The Foolishness of the incarnation:

1. God “gets his hands dirty” in the incarnation

2. God, in Christ, endures the shame and humiliation nof the cross

ii. Power of Salvation is Found In the Cross (vv. 18, 24, vs. 30)

1. THIS is how the power of salvation is released!

2. “You’re a sinner, a mess…but through Christ, God loves you anyways”

SO, THE QUESTION BECOMES – HOW DOES THIS CHANGE US?

III) The Purpose of the Cross Redefines How We Seek Honor (vv. 25-31)

A. What Do We Boast In?

i. The Corinthians: Boasting in Big Britches (vv. 26)

1. Many of the Corinthians were of the slave class – yet boasting

2. Forgetting God had judged them by Grace, they judged by worldly

ii. What is “wise, and strong” in the eyes of the world?

1. Driving in traffic, walking through the grocery store: We’re making judgments and boasting all the time…based on worldly criteria.

2. EXAMPLES: High School Senior

B. We Must Only Boast in Christ

i. If God doesn’t use these criteria we must not either (vs. 27)

1. God doesn’t call us because we possess worldly wisdom, but Christ!

2. EXAMPLE: A senior citizen at the end of their life: A life well-lived?

ii. The Joy of Boasting in Christ (vs. 30-31)

1. So, our boasting must be always and only in our identity in Christ

2. EXAMPLE: This humbles/affirms;

Transition:

Conclusion

We boast in Christ!