Feb, 26 Lent 1, 1 Corinthians 1:18 IS THE MESSAGE FOOLISH? Jesus tells the story about a farmer who worked hard to have a great crop and built barns big enough to handle the abundance of crops he was expecting. The problem was, he neglected lots of other things. His priority was the crops and thinking this was the year that he would hit the jackpot and he would be able to retire and enjoy his life. For him it was a hallelujah moment. He poured his heart and soul into his business and spent hours on end building those barns but he neglected everything and everyone around him, even it seems, his faith. In the parable Jesus said of this man, Fool, tonight you are going to meet your maker. That which you thought you d enjoy will now be someone else s. At times we think there are many foolish things in this world. For an example people plunging into an ice cold lake this time of years for the joy of it. Or someone like the former first President Bush jumping from an airplane on his 80 th birthday years ago. Then again on the following year. Or how about the guy who has received permission from Canada and the U.S. to walk a tightrope across Niagara Falls? We would say they were doing foolish things. Jesus gave another parable at the close of the Sermon on the Mount about the wise and foolish men who built houses. The wise one built his house on the firm foundation while the foolish one did what..built his house of the sand. Jesus point wise is the person who hears God s voice and follows what he says foolish is the person who hears God s voice and fails to do it. We think God s word seems foolish at times. I mean, it didn t make sense that those early disciples Jesus called just dropped everything to follow him. They gave up homes, families, jobs, to go with him. Foolish? We might think so, but God didn t. It didn t make sense that the leader of the Jewish teachers, Nicodemus, came by night to talk to Jesus but you know he got an earful of what it would take to be born again from above in order to even understand the things of God. Or how about
when Jesus came to the disciples during the storm and Peter wanted to walk on water with him. Do you think the other disciples might have called out to Peter and say he was crazy, don t be foolish for if you get out of the boat you are going to drown. I bet their eyes went big when not only did he not sink but walked a few steps toward Jesus and remained walking on the water until the wind and rain got more of his attention than Jesus did and he began to drown. This morning on our journey to Jerusalem, our journey through the cross that leads home, one of the roots that we cling to is the cross. For some the cross is a necklace worn around their neck and signifies their faith. Some wear the cross and it is just another ornament. Some wear clothing with crosses on them, but once again it is just apparel and has no meaning. Others do wear shirts with crosses which allows them to share their faith. Some like myself, carry a cross in our pockets to remind us that Jesus loves us and died for our sins. And I wear a cross around my neck most times that I preach to remind me to let the people see Christ crucified, victor over sin and death. In our world there are those who believe the cross is a hindrance. One thing for sure, many who are seeking forgiveness need the cross. We have two crosses to think about. One the cross with the crucified Jesus upon it reminding us of his suffering on our behalf. And the empty cross of victory. We might ask why didn t God do it another way? Why did Jesus have to suffer and die at all? Why didn t he just zap Satan like when the wicked queen in the land of Oz was melted down or crushed by a house. Why didn t God just begin over and over again until he got it right? Can t answer those questions. Only God can. But I can tell you if he did it any other way the world would not have appreciated it. It cost God his son in order that we might have life. Just like many watch the suffering a loved one often goes through, the pain someone in your family goes through when a relationship goes sour, God suffers too, when his son is rejected, for you really are rejecting God himself. He loved the world and offered his son so that we would
know his love. But the world rejected him for a long, long time. And you know what? They still reject him. Blinded by their believes, even his own people, the Jewish faith who had the Scriptures knew one day the Messiah was coming, could not accept him for who he was and many still wait for their Messiah. Even with all the miracles and healings they witnessed they said it was the devil working in him that was doing them. So why do we have to think about the cross during Lent? I believe it is to remind us how much God loved and still loves us. And to add to that, to remind us Jesus lives today and offers to those who follow forgiveness, courage, hope, peace, and the grand gift, his presence by living in the hearts of those who invite him in. Sure God could have started over again and again. But there wasn t anything wrong with his creation until they made the wrong choice. When Adam and Eve sinned he didn t really wipe out all his creation but he did send them on their way into the world as we know it now. They had a choice to make.follow God follow sin. We never know what happened to them except they had a couple of kids and one murdered the other and well, it looks like the world made wrong choices for many, many years. Finally in the day of Noah God saw what? He saw the wickedness of his creation. They weren t following him at all. They did their own thing. They could care less about salvation, holiness, grace and all those things. They just enjoyed doing whatever they were doing. One day God looked down and saw how far his creation had wandered from the truth and decided it was time to do something about it. It was time to start over. But should it be a clean make over? Maybe. But just when he was about to strike, one man came to his mind. One man on this earth was doing all the right things. His name was Noah. And so God called Noah to build the ark, gather the animals two by two, and be ready when the time came so that God could deliver he and his family and all those creatures for another time. Noah s friends laughed at him. The news was full of the stories of Noah and his ark because it was going to rain whatever that was, and God was going to
flood the earth. The late night TV hosts made him the butt of their jokes. And for days, for years, Noah stayed true to God not knowing what was going to happen when he got his project finished. Finally the day came when the last nail, the last board was in place and God called to Noah, Okay, it s time to round up the animals two by two. The call went out and all the animals came and the people laughed and laughed as Noah ushered them into the boat. Some posted signs outside Noah s boat. Man has lost his way. Another said, Foolish man believes earth is going to be destroyed. While they laughed he kept to his work until every animal came that was called. Finally after who knows how long, while his neighbors and friends and the TV crew watched, Noah waved to the crowd and in mock fashion they waved back, and he and his family entered the boat and God closed and sealed the door behind them. The people waited. They waited on a clear and sunny day. They kept watch, laughed at him, sold ice cream and milk shakes at stands while they waited for who knows what to happen. He was their entertainment for the day. All of a sudden there was a puff of a cloud that appeared and many perhaps wondered what that was. Then another, and another, and another and before they knew it, the sky was cloudy and it was getting dark and cold. They stood around not knowing what to think. Then it happened. Something fell from the sky, a drop of water. They didn t know what it was. Then another, and another and then more drops until the sky opened up and thunder could be heard and lighting seen across the sky. They ran for their homes and for safety while Noah and his family rested inside the ark. Day and night it rained. It rained so much that the waters started to flood their homes and people came knocking on the door of Noah s ark for help and safety. But Noah was not able to open the door even if he wanted to because remember God sealed it. Finally after 40 days and 40 nights the flood stage was so high it lifted the ark from its place and their journey began to another place, a new beginning as God washed and cleansed the earth of all that had rebelled against him. In reality he was starting over. When the rain stopped and the flood waters began to recede, the ark came to rest and after about a year Noah opened the doors and came out to a new
world and he and his family worshiped God. The foolishness of the people left them behind. But the faithfulness of Noah and his family brought new life. But, here is the sad part, God knew that it wasn t over. For the problem wasn t in the creature he created, it was in their hearts, a heart that given a choice was bent on sinning not always on doing right. When given the choice, man didn t follow his heart..he sometimes followed his eyes his mind.his own will. And does even today! Many years later we come to another time. Jesus has come. Jesus has died. Jesus has risen. And his disciples have taken up his message to spread it to the world, that God so loved the world that he gave us his son. And the message of the cross was carried throughout Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and wherever the disciples were sent. Is the cross foolish? Listen to Paul this morning. For the message of the cross is foolishness to(who?) to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. If you agree, can I have an amen? No, the cross isn t foolish. It was God s eternal plan. Our salvation came with a cost. It didn t cost you or me anything. It is a free gift from God. The only thing we have to do is receive it. Many have tried to purchase it, many have tried to earn it, but to no avail. The free gift of salvation is for us to receive and walk in its way. So no, the cross is not foolishness for those who are on the road to eternal life. The cross is the power of God for us to understand his amazing love. Foolish are those who think God turns his back on our continued sinning. Foolish are those who think everyone is going to make it to heaven. Foolish are those who think that those who accumulate the most toys in this life are the happiest. That s foolishness, my friends. Salvation cost God his son. He paid the ransom that we might be made free. We best never forget that. He paid the price. He took the pain. He stood in our place. The man who had no sin in his life became sin that we all might find salvation. Some might think that s foolishness. I
think it is love. Yes, you know the verse. You ve heard it over and over again. You best never forget it. FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE US HIS SON SO THAT WHOEVER WILL BELIEVE IN HIM. CAN HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. Let me hear an amen! Paul understood what it meant that the message of the cross is filled with power. Because at the cross he went from being blind to seeing eternity through the eyes of Jesus. For at the cross salvation happened to him and the whole world. The release from the bondage of sin happened. No more waiting for the Messiah, he is here. At the cross where we first saw the light we became free. The blood of Jesus washed away all our sins. From Calvary s mountain came the greatest gift one could ever receive, freedom.forgiveness of our sins. So the cross isn t foolish. It s the power of God to defeat Satan and to give us new life on this earth, a life where we can fight to the end because we belong to God and we are an heir of salvation purchased by the blood of the Lamb. It might sound foolish to others. But we who are being saved it isn t foolish. It s pure joy. Amen! Sure Noah s friends and neighbors thought he was foolish spending time building the ark because they didn t believe the message Noah was bringing. Is it possible is it possible that if one person during Noah s time stopped and asked Noah to explain why he was building that ark, and about his God, is it possible that person could have joined him on his journey? I think so. But not one person, throughout that time who watched him at work asked why,, they only thought he was foolish they couldn t see God. In the end who were the foolish? George Bernard in 1913 wrote a hymn that explained the foolishness of the cross found in 1 Corinthians 1:22-25. Many of you know it well. On a hill far away, stood an old rugged cross the emblem of suffering and shame; and I love that old cross where the dearest and best for a world of lost sinners was slain.o that old rugged cross so despised by the world, has a
wondrous attraction for me; for the dear Lamb of God left his glory above to bear it to dark Calvary..In that old rugged cross stained with blood so divine, a wondrous beauty I see, for twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died, to pardon and sanctify me.so I ll cherish the old rugged cross till my trophies at last I lay down; I will cling to the old rugged cross, and exchange it someday for a crown. The cross. It s a symbol of our faith. The Choir sang today about The Weeping Tree. Look at your copy of the song as I read it once more because you be the judge if the cross on which Jesus died is foolish or not. Upon the wind there comes a call, a whisper soft and low, a lonesome cry that fills the night and echoes through the soul. It stirs the seekers tender heart. It bids them come and see, to kneel in shows cast by grace, to touch the weeping tree. Against the sky the timbers rise, a silhouette of grace, a rugged throne for heaven s own, the sinner s hiding place. Its burdened arms reach out to all, they draw the world to see the price of love is paid in blood upon the weeping tree. O come to the place where promise lives and rest where hope begins, where crimson leaves adorn the ground, a gift from graceful winds, O come and walk the winding path that leads to Calvary. Come lay your burdens down and rest beneath the weeping tree. Come lay your burdens down and rest beneath the weeping tree. The writer of our Cantata writes, Come and see the weeping tree. Her once towering limps now lie discarded on the ground, never again to feel the embrace of children as they climb. Once the most beautiful tree in the garden, she has been stripped, her bark peeled away in large ribbons. Her magnificent trunk sawed in two, she stands transformed into a cross. Surrounded by angry shouts and the cries of mourners, she awaits the cruel embrace between wood and flesh. And now, cut from her roots, the weeping tree slowly begins to die along with the Man whose hands cursed upon her. He redeemed us by becoming a curse for it is written, Cursed is the one who is hung on a tree.
This first Sunday in lent The Weeping Tree bids you to come to lay your burdens down at its roots and rest at Calvary s fountain. So may it happen!