1 Corinthians 1:18-31
18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness;
but unto
us which are saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, I will
destroy the
wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the
prudent. 20 Where is the wise?
where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God
made
foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For after that in the wisdom of God
the
world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of
preaching
to save them that believe. 22 For the Jews require a sign, and the
Greeks seek
after wisdom: 23 But we preach
Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks
foolishness; 24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks,
Christ
the power of God, and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of
God
is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For
ye
see your calling, brethren, how that
not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are
called: 27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to
confound the
wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the
things which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things
which are
despised, hath God chosen, yea,
and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 29 That no
flesh
should glory in his presence. 30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who
of God is
made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and
redemption:
31 That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in
the Lord.
Introduction:
One of the greatest things about the human race is our ability to
reason. We
have learned to speak, write, and invent things. We have come a long
way.
We have developed the ability to analyze abstract thoughts. In short, or
ability
to reason has been
the greatest thing to happen to us.
Really...?? In our "deep" thought, we have thrown out the concept of
absolute
truth. We rationalize and try and convince our aching consciences that
our sin
is not hurting anyone. We try hard to swallow the lie that a baby is a
parasite
until it becomes
"viable" outside the womb. Our intellect stumbles our ability to take
God at His
Word. Our wisdom dictates that there must be a more logical path to
atonement than accepting the free gift Jesus offered us on the cross. In
short,
the most dangerous thing to our
spiritual well being is our self proclaimed wisdom.
I am so glad that I do not rely on man's feeble wisdom for my eternal
salvation
and security! I have had the chance to talk to many who were blinded by
their
own self importance. They were miserable! There was no clear direction
in their
lives. All of this was because the truth of God seemed foolish to them.
Sometimes even Christians can be stumbled by their own flawed reasoning.
We take in all the information that we can see on the surface, run the
data
through our finite minds, and then become arm chair critiques of
Almighty God!
Then we wonder why God is so far from reach!
If you are one who has been stumbled by your own perceived intelligence,
this
message is for you. You may have reason, but it was God who built your
mind
from dirt! You may have intellect, but it is God that is the source of
all wisdom.
You may be a student of theology, with all of your theories of self
atonement,
but it was God who wrote the Book in order to reach you! We may seem
proud, smart, and deep, but the foolishness of God eclipses man's
greatest
wisdom. It is this foolishness of God that will give us great and
lasting wisdom
in the next few minutes. Get ready as we uncover the
wisdom of God's foolishness.
I. God Has a Foolish Plan Of Salvation.
1 Corinthians 1:18-19
18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness;
but unto
us which are saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, I will
destroy the
wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the
prudent.
To the soul that is on his way to a Christless eternity, the second
death, the
cross is foolishness. Oh sure, many hold it as an idol on their wall or
around
their neck, but the message is lost. It does not make sense to us that
we are
hopelessly lost. We know the
verses, but it seems foolish. Romans 3:10,23 As it is written, There is
none
righteous, no, not one: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the
glory of
God; It can't be! There must be something we can do! So... in our flawed
wisdom we come up with a
better plan. We clutch rosaries, keep Old Testament Jewish laws, invent
new
ones, imitate the pagan practice of drinking blood, all in order to
somehow
merit salvation. Here is where our wisdom is dwarfed by God's
simplicity!
Rather than calling on the name of the Lord, some try to talk to His
dead
mother, maybe He will be more reasonable if His mother talks to Him
first! Oh
my friend, man's logic is flawed! Listen to the perfect foolishness of
God.
Romans 6:23
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life
through
Jesus Christ our Lord.
Romans 5:8
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet
sinners,
Christ died for us.
Romans 10:13
13 For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
Yes, this simple message seems foolish to those who refuse to believe
it. My
friend, if you have come to Christ in simple faith, then this message of
the cross
is the power of God to you! It is the power to set you free from sin and
guilt. It
is the power to
redeem your sinful soul out of the slave market of worldliness! It is
the power
that gave spiritual sight to your blinded eyes. It is the power to adopt
you
away from your natural father, the Devil, and into the family of God
where you
can cry Abba (daddy) Father! It is
the power to make you a bold testimony for Jesus! It is the power to
seal you
until that great day of redemption. This seemingly foolish message set
the
forces of Hell screeching back in retreat. This message is your only
hope, the
foolishness of the cross.
God will not share credit for this salvation. Man's ideas are destroyed.
The
pitiful display of man's intelligence is nullified. Paul quotes from
Isaiah:
Isaiah 29:14
14 Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this
people,
even a marvelous work and a wonder: for the wisdom of their wise men
shall
perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.
II. God's Foolish Lesson Plan
1 Corinthians 1:20
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this
world?
hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
A word study of the parties involved in this verse is very interesting!
The term
wise, or wise man seems to refer to those taught in spiritual thought.
In short,
Paul is referring to theologians. The scribe is a student and teacher of
the Old
Testament law. A disputer is a philosopher, one who knows all of the
secular
assertions of human born wisdom. Think about it! The plan of God has
silenced
the liberal theologians. The plan of Grace accessed by faith has stumped
those
who would enslave you to Jewish laws. The truth of Jesus Christ has
confused
the philosophers!
1 Corinthians 1:21-24
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God,
it
pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
22 For
the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: 23 But we
preach
Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks
foolishness; 24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks,
Christ
the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
Look at those beautiful words! God uses the foolishness of preaching! It
is
God's plan to have someone called by the Almighty, under the authority
of the
inspired Word of God to publicly pound out the truth of the Book! It
seems
foolish to the "learned" theologians. They would rather postulate than
preach.
They would rather sing those projector type song with a chorus repeated
70
times than to open the blessed old Book and let her rip for about 45
minutes...
It seems foolish to preach for results. You know
what?? It IS! That is why God uses it! It must be accepted by faith.
Once you
do, then you receive the power of the gospel.
Simple truth, Jesus saves sinners. Believe in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ
and thou shalt be saved. This is so simple it stumbles. The Jews are
looking for
some kind of tangible sign. Now, there were over 300 specific Old
Testament
prophecies fulfilled in the life of Christ, but of course, it wasn't
enough. The
need another sign. The Greeks and gentiles seek some kind of deep
wisdom. I
remember attending the church that my unsaved mother in law does, They
were ordaining a new minister. The theme of the night, the commission
given
by the head bishop was "Use the truth, and smoke and
mirrors." You see, he taught that one will never find truth, so it is
the job of the
minister to use smoke and mirrors to create the illusion and comfort of
truth
when truth does not exist! God deliver us from this foolishness!
1 Corinthians 1:25
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of
God is stronger than men.
I guess that I will chose to be smart enough to listen to the
foolishness of God!
God's foolishness will silence the greatest Yale professor! God's
weakness will
destroy man's most advanced and powerful invention. I will stay with
Him. I
choose not to trust
in man's feeble knowledge!
III. God's Foolish Recruiting Policies
1 Corinthians 1:26
26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after
the
flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
Wow! God does not pick people like we would. Of course, now you can feel
better! God had a reason to pick you! He did not pick many people with
great
natural teaching abilities. He created those abilities later! He did not
pick many
mighty, or able people. God lovingly imparted ability to those who had
nothing
to offer! Not many noble, or, well born, people were picked. He took a
bunch of
misfits and made us children of the King! et us look at who God did
decide to
pick for His army.
1 Corinthians 1:27-28
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the
wise;
and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things
which are mighty; 28 And base things of the world, and things which are
despised, hath God chosen, yea,
and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
This choosing is for service. Some of us fall back into the worldly
"wisdom" and
decide that we don't have any natural abilities that God can use in His
service.
Great! Then you are the perfect candidate to do something beyond all
imagination for God. He uses foolish things. The word is speaking of
dull and
sluggish people. You say, I don't have an outgoing personality. Great!
Moses
didn't have one either! This is an example of God's wise foolish choices
in
recruitment. He chose the weak, or the feeble ones. Johathan Edwards
read a
manuscript word for word in a mumbling monotone voice. The sermon was
"Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God". God's power fell from heaven.
Sinners
clung onto the pews fearing the earth would swallow them up before they
had
a chance to trust Christ! God chose the base things, that is, the people
of low
birth, or with
no reputation. Who would have thought that the Savior of the world would
be
the son of a carpenter!
1 Corinthians 1:29-31
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence. 30 But of him are ye in
Christ
Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and
sanctification, and redemption: 31 That, according as it is written, He
that
glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
God has chosen the things that defy man's wisdom in order not to share
the
credit with sinful creatures. Listen, if God would not tolerate His top
angel
taking credit and usurping authority, He sure will not take it from you!
Isaiah 14:12-14
12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how
art
thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! 13 For thou
hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my
throne above
the stars of God: I will sit
also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: 14 I
will
ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.
God has given us many great things. He has given us His wisdom.
John 8:12
12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the
world: he
that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light
of life.
He gave us His righteousness!
2 Corinthians 5:21
21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might
be
made the righteousness of God in him.
Romans 3:21-25
21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being
witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God
which is by faith of Jesus
Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no
difference: 23 For
all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified
freely by
his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25 Whom God
hath
set forth to be propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his
righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the
forbearance
of God;
He has given us sanctification. He has set us apart from the world!
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
9 Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?
Be
not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor
effeminate,
nor abusers of themselves with mankind, 10 Nor thieves, nor covetous,
nor
drunkards, nor revilers,
nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. 11 And such were
some of
you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in
the name
of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
2 Corinthians 5:17
17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things
are
passed away; behold, all things are become new.
John 17:17
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
God has redeemed or, paid the penalty for us, by His grace from the
penalty of
sin!
Colossians 1:14
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of
sins:
Galatians 6:13-14
13 For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but
desire
to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. 14 But God
forbid
that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom
the
world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
Since we have received all of these gifts by the hand of God, do not
even try
and take credit for the good that comes from your life. You have been
chosen
in order for God to get glory through you! He will! This is the wisdom
of God's
"foolish" choices!
