GOD’S FOOLISH IDEA
1 Corinthians 1:18-2:9
“For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” 1:18
C. S. Lewis, Mere Christianity: “[Christianity] is a religion you could not have guessed. If it offered us just the kind of universe we had always expected, I should feel we were making it up. But, in fact, it is not the sort of thing anyone would have made up.”
Paul is writing to a church that has everything —except love!
They’re divided; they’re picking favorites—each following his favorite teacher. Some Paul, some Apollos, some Peter, some are proud they “don’t follow any man, they follow Jesus!”
Paul dedicates the first 4 chapters to this problem of divisions among them.
Paul appeals to them: (v. 10) —to agree with one another
—not to have divisions among them —to be united in mind and thought
Two mistaken concepts upon which their divisions are based:
They have a mistaken idea about our message 1:18-3:4
They have a mistaken idea about our ministry 3:5-4:7
BASIS FOR DIVISIONS: A FALSE CONCEPT OF OUR MESSAGE 1:18-3:4
They view Christianity as a philosophy based on human wisdom
If the gospel is just another human philosophy,
we should find the best human teacher and follow him (or her!).
But the gospel isn't just another human philosophy!
They don’t understand that our message is different!
OUR MESSAGE IS NOT BASED ON HUMAN WISDOM 1:18-2:9
TWO KEY CONTRASTS: {referred to throughout this section}
POWER vs. weakness
WISDOM vs. foolishness
1:24 “Christ is the power (6 X) and wisdom (19 X) of God”
| |
weakness (3 X) foolishness (6 X)
(9 X) (25 X)
CHRIST IS THE POWER AND WISDOM OF GOD,
THOUGH PEOPLE SEE HIM AS WEAK AND FOOLISH!
God’s way of thinking isn't the same as the world’s
The world focuses on the person–the human leader. 1:25-28
God’s plan makes the world’s values meaningless (He renders them useless)
SEVEN FUNDAMENTAL TRUTHS CONCERNING OUR MESSAGE:
1st 3 deal with: CONTRAST BETWEEN GOD’S POWER AND HUMAN WEAKNESS 18-25
1. SUMMARY OF THE CONTRAST: 1:18 THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS:
IT IS FOOLISHNESS TO THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING
IT IS GOD’S POWER TO THOSE WHO ARE BEING SAVED.
The Gospel is based on Christ; --NOT on human philosophies.
Our perspective on the gospel isn’t reached by human opinion polls.
People didn't vote that it should be this way.
If WE’d invented it, it would look like man-made religion:
we’d include WORKS, so we could EARN our way to God!
2. HUMAN WISDOM IS FOOLISHNESS IN GOD'S SIGHT 1:19-20
People the world respects, the wise, scholars, and philosophers, don't seek God.
God's way doesn't fit their program.
They want something tangible; something you can see and feel.
They want something logical, that goes along with OUR way of thinking.
God's plan offers neither. Human wisdom can't account for God.
The cosmonauts. => “Now I know there’s no God. I can’t see Him!”
“Let them step out of the space ship! Then they’ll see God!”
3. HUMAN WISDOM WILL NEVER LEAD PEOPLE TO GOD 1:21-25
To the Jews this is a stumbling block
They expect a powerful, miracle-working king
They want someone to conquer enemies and free them from Rome
But, Jesus dies—a criminal’s death–that’s not in their plan!
To the Greeks this is foolishness
For them everything has to be logical—this plan isn’t “logical”
Why would a god die?
Why would He save us without asking anything in return? That’s too easy!
God doesn't offer people what they’re looking for.
His way of doing things is different.
Their problem isn’t preaching—preaching isn’t foolishness—it’s “the thing preached”—it’s what we preach that causes them a problem.
Their problem isn't Christ-it's a crucified Christ. A crucified Christ is foolishness!
Yet, the preaching of that gospel is God's way of reaching unsaved people (21)
4. GOD HAS CHOSEN INSIGNIFICANT PEOPLE IN THE WORLD'S SIGHT AND SAVED THEM, SO THAT HE MIGHT RECEIVE THE GLORY. 1:26-31
He has chosen: the foolish ones; the simple; the little people
Paul doesn't eliminate the possibility there might be some prominent members among them, but there aren't many: a former ruler of the synagogue
a city treasurer a couple of businessmen
The majority didn’t have educational, social, cultural, or religious credentials
It was never God’s purpose that HIS church should stand out because of the cultural elitism of its members!
1:27-29: GOD CHOSE-foolish things (moronic) by the world's standards
THAT HE MIGHT PUT TO SHAME THE WISE
GOD CHOSE-weak things by the world's standards
THAT HE MIGHT PUT TO SHAME THE STRONG
GOD CHOSE-things which aren’t of noble birth (insignificant people)
and which aren’t valued (unappreciated, considered worthless)
THAT HE MIGHT RENDER USELESS what world sees as significant and valuable
HE DID THIS SO NO ONE CAN STAND UP AND BOAST BEFORE GOD.
Pioneer leaders of the church in the 19th century came from humble backgrounds.
William Carey, translated the Bible into Hindu, was a shoemaker.
Robert Morrison, made Bible available to Chinese in their language, was a factory worker.
Edam Clark, wrote helpful and popular Bible commentary, was the son of a farmer.
D.L. Moody before he became famous, began in a little shanty abandoned by a saloonkeeper. A businessman recalls: "I had never met Mr. Moody, but when I came in, the first thing I saw was a heavyset man holding a small black boy. By the light of a few candles he was trying to read to him. Many of the words he couldn’t make out, so he skipped them. I thought, if the Lord can ever use such an instrument as that for His honor and glory, it will certainly astonish me!
1:29 God did this "so that no one may boast before God."
The only one who gets glory from this plan is God.
He gives the ability => He deserves the glory.
We must take our eyes off people—it’s not OUR message!
We must focus on Christ-HE deserves the glory. 1:30
As O.T. says: "The one who boasts ought to boast in the Lord". 1:31
They keep acting as if God loves them because THEY DESERVE IT!
[MESSAGE GIVEN TO PAUL 2:1-9] His message is different from human view. 2:1-4
5. THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST ISN’T JUST ANOTHER HUMAN PHILOSOPHY He didn’t come with one more philosophical system.
Barclay comments, "The Greeks were intoxicated with fine words; and to them the Christian preacher with his blunt message seemed a crude and uncultured figure to be laughed at and ridiculed rather than listened to and respected."
No wonder Paul says that when he stands in front of them, his knees knock. He trembles before them.
(Chafin) "Paul knew that Corinthians loved big words, clever oratory, and complex logic. He also knew there were those who gave them what they wanted. But Paul decided that this would undermine the message he brought. To match a simple gospel with a complex preacher would seem ridiculous . . . ."
Even today scholars are like that.
If you boil your message down to a simple explanation anyone can understand, you aren’t really “scholarly.” Just as, “It hurts to be beautiful!” It must confuse to be brilliant. The more complicated your message sounds, the more people are impressed!
Paul’s message is clear and simple,
He’s more concerned a few be transformed, than that crowds be impressed
He wants them to hear and understand the truth!
(Wiersbe) A church had a beautiful stained glass window depicting Christ on the cross behind the pulpit. One Sunday a guest minister, smaller than the pastor, spoke. A little girl asked her mother, "Where’s the man who keeps us from seeing Jesus?"
Elderly saint’s advice to a young preacher: "Don't try to be a big preacher. Preach a big Savior."
6. THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST IS BASED ON GOD'S POWER 2:5
Paul wants their faith established on God's power; NOT on his words.
God has to convince people of the truth; NOT oratory
God’s power is evident in transformed lives
7. THE MESSAGE OF CHRIST IS BASED ON GOD'S WISDOM [which man can’t understand] 2:6-9
To accept the gospel is not to commit intellectual suicide.
You don't stop thinking. But your intellectual resources change.
You begin to see life from another perspective—God’s perspective.
You understand a small part of God's wisdom.
-It's not the one that's popular -It's not the one famous leaders support
-It’s beyond man's imagination -Only God can totally comprehend it (2:9)
The logic behind God's wisdom presents a paradox that seems to make no sense.
Man would have never created such a plan.
We see unseen things; we conquer by yielding;
we rest under a yoke; we reign by serving;
we’re made great by becoming little; we’re exalted by being humble;
we become wise by being fools we’re made free by becoming His servants;
we possess all things by having nothing; we’re made strong by being weak;
we triumph by defeat; we find victory by glorying in our infirmities;
and we live by dying.
5 LESSONS WE OUGHT TO LEARN BASED ON MESSAGE OF THE CROSS:
1. Human logic will never lead a person to Christ.
2. Our message doesn't make sense to unbelievers.
3. Our message is based on what God has already done
It isn’t based on what we can do.
4. God's plan is designed so that He receives the glory.
5. We have nothing to brag about.
If we achieve something, it will not be because we're something special.
It will be because of what He has accomplished-so He receives the glory.
IF OUR MESSAGE ISN’T A HUMAN MESSAGE,
WE HAVE NO REASON TO CLING TO A HUMAN TEACHER!
WE SHOULD CLING TO GOD WHO GAVE THE MESSAGE
—ALL OTHERS ARE HIS SERVANTS!
There’s no room for “proud servants!” That’s an oxymoron. They contradict each other!
HOW SHOULD THESE PRINCIPLES AFFECT US?
We're not saved through human logic
No man came up with this idea. Therefore, we don't follow a great teacher.
We don't have any reason to brag about our understanding.
We're not saved because of OUR importance: leaders, scholars, or wealthy.
No one has cause to say, "God is so lucky to have me!!"
God chose insignificant people—NOT great ones!
We have what we have because God gave it to us.
Therefore, all of us come gratefully to Him and give Him the glory.
Gratitude should be our number 1 characteristic–NOT pride or self-centeredness.
We’ll NEVER stop fighting to have our own way
until we understand this fundamental concept of the gospel:
We aren’t saved because of who WE are or what WE have done!
We don't deserve anything from Him!
We ARE saved by God’s grace.
This isn’t a man-centered thing We didn’t design it—We didn’t deserve it!
God chose us in spite of who we are.
He turned us around => God deserves the glory.
It’s NOT about US! It’s about GOD’S GRACE!