The Foolishness of God

(Part 3 of 3)

“When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. “

                                                                                                            2 Corinthians 2:1-3

Paul emphasizes here, at the beginning of Chapter 2 that he did not come to them with the typical trappings of a man armed with the latest in human wisdom. Instead, he came broken and humble. Paul understood his own limitations, inadequacies and inner fears, but rather than focus on his weakness; Paul chose to focus only on the message of the cross and depend only on the Spirit’s power.

“My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.”

                                                                                                            2 Corinthians 2:4-5

God chose Jesus’ death on the cross as the message to demonstrate His power and wisdom to the world. Paul was convinced that the message of the cross was in and of itself powerful to save the lost, which is why he wrote in Romans 1:16:

“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”

This is as true today as when Paul penned it! There is tremendous power in the Gospel message. It is the simple message of Christ’s sacrificial death, burial and resurrection that can bring people into a right relationship with God; if they will receive it by faith.

As believers, we are going to encounter people smarter and more eloquent than we are. We will encounter instructors, professors, students, co-workers, neighbors, friends and family who will try and convince us that the “cross” is foolish. That the message is foolish, the method is foolish and the messengers are foolish!

In an effort to try and combat these perceived shortcomings, too often, we attempt to construct fine sounding arguments and create superior messages that will sway those we are trying to reach.

However, in the end, God chose the foolish things of this world to confound the wise and the weak things of this world to shame the strong. The message of the cross is all we need! When the message is preached the power of God to save is released; but we must do our part and share the good news with others.  

           

Pastor Scott Burr                                                                    

http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com/

 

The Foolishness of God

(Part 2)

“For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified; a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

                                                                                                1 Corinthians 1:21-23

Wherever the message of the cross is preached, people typically fall into one of three groups…intellectuals, doubters or those who believe.  Intellectuals reject the message because it does not line up with what they have already chosen to believe. Doubters always need more proof, although there is already a tremendous amount of evidence. The “called” or “those who believe” receive the message of Christ as the power and wisdom of God.

Adding to the difficulty for many is not only the foolish message, but the foolish method by which God chose to communicate truth. God chose to use normal, everyday people to preach and teach His eternal life-transforming message.

“Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things-and the things that are not-to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.”

                                                                                                1 Corinthians 1:26-29

Why would God choose such a foolish message, foolish method, and foolish people? He did so that no one may boast before Him!

“It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God-that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

                                                                                                1 Corinthians 1:30-31

It is only in God and through Christ that we can do anything. In this way the message always focuses on Christ and not on us. It is a spiritual revolution; a foolish message, foolish method, and foolish messengers through whom God is using to nullify the wisdom of the world.

           

Pastor Scott Burr                                                                    

http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com/

 

The Foolishness of God

(Part 1)

“For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.”

                                                                                    1 Corinthians 1:25

What is the foolishness of God? Five times in 18 verses the Apostle Paul refers to the message of God as foolishness; a message that destroys the wisdom of the wise and frustrates the intelligence of the intelligent. It is the message of the cross!

“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 Corinthians 1:18

The world we live in sees the message of the cross as foolish. The cross is mocked and depicted as polarizing causing even many churches to take down their crosses and stop singing about the cross of Christ in order to be more appealing to the world. However, the very message they are removing is the message that God has chosen through which to save us:

“For since in the wisdom of God world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.”

                                                                                    1 Corinthians 1:21

The idea that a man had to die on a cross to save us from the penalty of sin, simply, frustrates our human thinking. It runs counterintuitive to what the world teaches us. The world teaches that we do not need God. It emphasizes self-sufficiency and refuses to recognize God’s revelation of Jesus Christ to us.

God calls the wisdom of this world foolish, because through it mankind has yet to find truth or come to know God. This makes the gospel message incompatible with human wisdom. That is why we should never equate the message of the cross with philosophy, science or human wisdom.

 “Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?”

                                                                                                            1 Corinthians 1:20

 God chose a method and message so starkly different to worldly wisdom so that we could clearly see the contrast between the wisdom of God and the wisdom of man.

 

Pastor Scott Burr                                                                    

http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com/

 

Saving the Sabbath

Part 3 of 3

“The Lord said to Moses on Mount Sinai, “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘When you enter the land I am going to give you, the land itself must observe a Sabbath to the Lord. For six years sow your fields, and for six years prune your vineyards and gather their crops. But in the seventh year the land is to have a Sabbath rest, a Sabbath to the Lord. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. This land is to have a year of rest.”

                                                                                    Leviticus 25:1-5

The Sabbath was established by God for our good, our rest and renewal, but it was a principle that extended beyond just people. By allowing the land to rest and refresh every seventh year, the other six years would be more fruitful!

This is precisely the reason we are to set aside one day out of every seven. So we, too, can be refreshed and renewed both physically and spiritually. So we, too, may be more productive with our lives.

 Some contend that observing the Sabbath then is simply about rest and relaxation; a day to do as we please in order to rest and refresh. We can spend it watching television, spending time with our family, boating, sleeping in; as long as we are resting from our work.

That would be a sound argument if not for a couple of things. First, the Sabbath is Holy unto God, not unto you. Meaning that the Sabbath day is a day set apart unto Him. We are to observe and keep it. It is a day to gather and honor the Lord. Leviticus 23:3 declares:

“There are six days when you may work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of rest, a day of sacred assembly. You are not to do any work; wherever you live, it is a Sabbath to the Lord.”

Did you catch that? It is a day of sacred assembly. Anything that was devoted to God and declared holy could not be used for other purposes. This day was set aside for our benefit, but it is certainly not about us! It is about the Lord:

“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob. The mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

                                                                                    Isaiah 58:13-14

 

God calls the Sabbath “My holy day”. It is day to refrain from work and gather together with other believers to honor God. It is not a day to do as we please and go our own way. It is a day to delight in. God says that when we choose to honor it, we will find our joy in the Lord and be blessed. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy!

 

Pastor Scott Burr                                                                    

http://faithandworshipseries.blogspot.com/