The Foolishness of the Cross 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

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1 1 Natalie Bell January 29, 2017 The Foolishness of the Cross 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart." 20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 23 but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength. 26 Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, 29 so that no one might boast in the presence of God. 30 He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 in order that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." The context of Paul s words in 1 Corinthians is especially important, because in many ways it mirrors our context today. The church in Corinth was divided into different factions, each claiming to know the truth, and arguing against the others opinions. Even though these people were all one church, they were completely polarized in their beliefs about truth and wisdom.

2 2 Underneath this whole issue was really just one of those sneaky seven deadly sins can you guess which one? Pride. The one that many believe is the root of all other sin. Pride. Each group thought they were right, and the most wise, and they ridiculed those who thought differently. Any of this sounding familiar? Their wisdom if you can call it was in the words of a wise pastor, a wisdom that is not wise. Pastor Brian Cole says, The wisdom that is not wise is the kind that points to self, that seeks to humiliate the other, that treats knowledge as a weapon Boy if that doesn t sum up the problems in our world today, right? We each tout our wisdom, but so often it is a wisdom that points to self, humiliates our opponents, and treats knowledge as a weapon. "Foolish Wisdom," the Rev. Canon Brian Cole, Day 1, Paul comes in saying, wait a minute. This is not an issue of who s right and who s wrong. None of you is truly wise, in God s eyes. For what God offers us in Jesus Christ is a true wisdom a unifying wisdom a wisdom that looks foolish in the eyes of the world, because it is found in humility, self-sacrifice, even death on a cross. While all these people are saying we have it right and they have it wrong, Paul says to all of them why are you concerned with who s in charge, or who is more eloquent, or who is supposedly wise? The real question is are you proclaiming Jesus Christ, crucified? For that is the true wisdom of God, the power of God. The only boasting, should be in the work of Christ on the cross! Wow. Can you imagine?

3 3 What if we were to lay down our claims to be right all the time, and instead humble ourselves, admit we don t know it all, but God does, and commit our lives to following and sharing Jesus Christ, crucified? What if that s the wisdom that we really need? Because we are sinners. We are imperfect human beings. We are proud, and we take pride in being right. Which is the exact opposite of the God we serve, and the salvation we claim! I was reading a story about Chuck Colson, the one sentenced to prison after Watergate, the founder of Prison Fellowship ministries. He was at a speaking engagement where he was asked about sin by a group of businessmen. When he started talking about our human depravity, our sinful nature, our propensity to choose the wrong thing people shifted in their chairs, some coughed, one got red faced, and then some protested. Oh, that s just back country preaching, you surely don t believe that do you? That we are all sinners? That we are totally depraved human beings? To which Colson replied that not only did he believe it, but he believes that is exactly whey we need Christ crucified. We need the cross. Because each of us in this room are more like Hitler than Jesus. Wow. Charles Colson and Ellen Vaughn, Being the Body (Nelson, 2003), pp Paul is saying something very similar in 1 Corinthians. He s drawing us back together by reminding us of our need for Jesus, the one who died to save us from sin, on a cross. He s telling us that the wisest thing we can do is believe in that live for that and live like that. He says something very similar to believers in Philippians 2: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. 5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form,

4 4 8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God also highly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Paul is reminding us that we have been called to die to ourselves, that we might live in Jesus Christ. Death is the way to life. Don t we see that in Christ on the cross? The cross is the pathway to resurrection. We can t have new life without death! And yet, it seems absurd when you think about it-- a cross? Why would anyone think that a cross is the best symbol for life? Isn t it foolish to follow a God whose only Son died on a cross? Do you realize what a shameful, sorrowful, painful death it was---to die on a cross? We hang crosses, wear crosses, decorate with crosses but the cross is really a symbol of suffering, and sacrifice. But that big cross up there is why we re all here. It s the real wisdom in this world. In the worlds of Paul, it is the power of God, the wisdom of God. For God s foolishness is wiser than any human wisdom, and God s weakness is stronger than human strength. Aren t we here because of the person who died on that cross? Aren t we here because we have a relationship with Him? And we want to learn to be like Him? But following Jesus means dying to yourself, which for Christians, is the way to life. The Gospel of John 12:24 says unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains a single grain, but if it dies, it bears much fruit. The cross is a symbol of death, the kind of death that leads to new life. It s a symbol of Jesus death, but not just his. It s a symbol of OUR death.

5 5 Our death to self, so we might live for Jesus Christ. Did you know that s what baptism has meant for centuries it s something we miss a little by not immersing people in a pool of water. In baptism we symbolically die to ourselves, to our sins, and then we are raised to new life. Paul says in Galatians 2:19-20: I have been crucified with Christ; 20 and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. The cross of Christ is the foundation of our faith and new life as Christians. We sinners want to proudly fight about who s right, who s powerful, who s the best. God wants us to see the humility and self-sacrifice of our Savior on the cross, And live like that. What if the cross is the real foundation of our faith? I was reading about the flag that flew over Fort McHenry when Francis Scott Key wrote "The Star Spangled Banner" in Visitors to the Smithsonian Museum of American History can see the giant flag, which measured 42 by 30 feet. It was the immense size of the flag that allowed Key to see it from his position 10 miles out to sea, following a night of gunfire. But how did such a large flag fly on a pole 189 feet in the air? Well, the answer to that is on display at Fort McHenry on Baltimore's inner harbor. There, in one of the barracks, are two oak timbers, 8 foot by 8 foot, joined together in a cross. The National Park Service discovered this cross-shaped support near the entrance to Fort McHenry in 1958, buried nine feet below ground. Not only did the cross help rangers locate the original site from which the star spangled banner flew, but it answered the mystery of how such a large flag could fly in stormy weather without snapping the pole. This unseen wooden device provided a firm foundation for the symbol of our national freedom. Similarly, the cross of Christ provides the foundation of our faith.

6 6 Greg Asimakoupoulos, writer and speaker, Naperville, Illinois in preachingtoday.com. Pastor and author Max Lucado has written something very similar about the foundation of the cross. He describes the cross as history s hinge: It rests on the time-line of history like a compelling diamond. Its tragedy summons all sufferers. Its absurdity attracts all cynics. Its hope lures all searchers. History has idolized and despised it, gold-plated and burned it, worn and trashed it. History has done everything but ignore it. How could you ignore such a piece of lumber? Suspended on its beams is the greatest claim in history. A crucified carpenter claiming to be God on earth. Divine. Eternal. The death-slayer. Never has timber been regarded so sacred. No wonder the apostle Paul called the cross event the core of the gospel. It's bottom line sobering: if the account is true, it is history's hinge. Max Lucado, The Cross, (Multnomah, 1998), p. 5. What does the cross mean to you? Is it your faith s foundation? Do you believe that Jesus died on it for you? That it was an act of humble, self-sacrificing love for each one of us? There was no pride on the cross. It was a humiliating death. And to believe in Jesus as Lord while he was on the cross, and especially when he died on that cross, That was considered foolish. But really it is the power and wisdom of God. It s the kind of power and wisdom that we need. Not pride in our own ways, our own words, our own accomplishments. Pride in what God has done for us giving us new and eternal life. What if believing in that foolish cross, is the best thing we can do for our polarized, divided world? What if following the way of the cross is best thing we can do for our churches, which are just as divided as our country?

7 7 Because in Christ, as one wise pastor put it, divisions are a contradiction. Edith Humphrey, Feasting on the Word, Year A, Vol. 1, pg If we follow the way of Christ crucified, we are united, not divided. And isn t that unity of belief, and purpose and power what really makes the body of Christ strong? Isn t that the most powerful witness to a world that is divided? To see us coming together? All of us, different in our social views, our politics, our backgrounds, our social status but all believing in Jesus Christ, who died for us, on the cross. And believing in the body of Christ here on earth, the church. That seems foolish to plenty of people. But what if it s just the wisest thing any of us could do? Following the way of the cross? Following this humble Savior, Sacrificing our pride, Coming together in our faith and our family of faith? Most people don t invest in their faith, Most people don t invest in the life of a church today-- But what if this is where we find new life? What if church is where our salvation is made real, and relevant to daily life? I sure think so! What if we were to lay down our pride, humble ourselves, admit we don t know it all, but God does, and commit our lives to following and sharing Jesus Christ, crucified? What if we rediscovered the foundation of our faith the cross? What would happen in your life? In the life of our church?

8 8 What if we tried to live out those words in Philippians 2, be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not to your own interests, but to the interests of others. 5 Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, 7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, 8 he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death even death on a cross. And what if we believed Paul s words in 1 Corinthians? For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. I think that s some Good News of the Gospel, For each one of us, And Good News for the world today. May God lead us in the pathway of the cross, Amen.

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