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Corinthians 1:18-25
18 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.
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.
§ Paul’s message could be seen as rather upsetting. He focuses on the
cross of Christ and leaves a lot of other things behind. He tell the Christians
in Corinth that he’d rather focus on Christ’s cross than on any other thing.
§ Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom… In Paul and Jesus’ time, the Jewish authorities rejected Jesus because
he didn’t fulfill all the points on their “Messianic check-list.” He didn’t do
or match up with their required signs. Paul was jailed and beaten and run out
of town because he did the same thing in proclaiming a crucified Christ. The
so-called Greeks, actually people who accepted the Greek or Hellenistic culture
of the Mediterranean world, sought out what they called “wisdom” and a
crucified man would not be seen as wise,
§ …we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness
to Gentiles Paul says the preaching of “Christ crucified” is
unacceptable to either Jews or Greeks. Such a thing was foolish to the Greeks
(“Can you imagine a suffering god who gains nothing for himself?”) and a
scandal to the Jews. (In Greek, a scandal or skandalon is a stone to stumble over, like the bar of concrete at
the end of a parking space.)
§ Since the mercy and grace of God shown in Jesus Christ does not fit into
either way of thinking, it is rejected by those who think that way. It becomes
clear that both the desire for signs or for wisdom flow from the demand that
the self should always be right and be the center of the world. Simply put,
like planets orbiting the sun, everything has to revolve around “me.” (or you
or him or her.)
§ In our own time and place, this still happens. Some look for power,
others for riches, still others for righteousness, for fame, for absolute
security, or for so many other things. Worlds are measured according to these
rulers. The cross continues to be rejected because it does not appear to lead
to fame and fortune, to an easy life, or to a morality that dazzles everyone.
§ The cross of Jesus Christ cuts through all of those measures, all of
those supports, and even cuts away the self. As Paul’s preaching of Christ
crucified became foolishness to some and a scandal for others, it is the same
in our day. It does not show power as humans know power. It does not generate
riches; who wants to hear about death and dishonor? It does not bring about
security as the world around us knows security, namely the safety for all our
belongings, our status, our good name, and even our lives and livelihoods.
§ Some in our day demand proof of what their faith proclaims, showing it
to be purer, and ‘right-er.” Others demand facts to show that science and
experimentation prove them to be in charge. Both desire to be ‘right’ and show
the other to be ‘wrong.’ Both point to “ME.”
§ We also need to ask ourselves if we feel that the Cross allows us
special insight or a better vision, unclouded by the messiness of life. These
too can be expressions of a desire to be in charge and on top. It’s the same
sin we’ve heard of before when …the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will
not die; for God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened,
and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ A few years ago, I knew a rabbi who said that the First Commandment ("I am the Lord your God...") was primary and the other nine were commentary, showing how we always try to be God.
§ The Cross of Christ lays bare all of our schemes and plans to be God.
The Cross of Christ leaves us powerless before God since it reveals the power
of God in a way we’d never expect… or deserve. For those who have come to realize
that they cannot save themselves, this is nothing less than the Good News. We
might be fools in the eyes of the world around us. If so, let’s all be fools
for Christ together.
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.
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