There are 2 paths of life to walk down. You get to choose. In fact you have already chosen. There are moments in any church and in any generation when correction needs to be brought because the followers of Christ are in danger of veering to the wrong path.
The Apostle is addressing the Corinthian divided church. They have taken their eyes off the path they were on and have begun to speak and behave like the world they were in. The culture of that generation was one where intellectual achievement was something to not only be desired but to be championed. It had creeped into the culture of the Church. Intellectual achievements, philosophical arguments and all the knowledge one can attain had become badges of pride. It was as if this made up for a great church. What about today? Would we say the same? Would we add other things? What is in our culture? What do we see every day? Is it entertainment to attract the masses? Is it everyone has the right to be whoever they want to be? Marketing? Make it look great and it will be more plausible. Attraction is the key. Would Paul mention these things if he was writing to the church today? What techniques are being used today that come straight from the culture we live in?
These questions are difficult to pose and even more so to answer. The reason being is that in themselves there isn’t anything necessarily wrong.
Yet Paul reminds them and therefore we are reminded too: we are people of the cross.
“Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 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. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.” (1 Corinthians 1 v 20-25)
Where are these people? Step forward. Bring the very best of the culture of the day. Whether that be signs, wisdom, teaching, philosophy, entertainment, social-media engagement, inclusivity, the list goes on throughout the generations. In themselves they are good. But God calls them foolish! Why?
- They do not bring us into relationship with God and they do not bring salvation, v21.
What does?
The Cross! (v23)
It is a complete different path to walk down.
It has a complete different set of expectations.
Victory through surrender, life through death and strength in weakness is the Wisdom of the Cross and the foolishness of the world.
This is countercultural to the world we live in. It was for Paul’s generation and it is for ours.
We are constantly being encouraged to showcase our achievements, win every argument and accumulate either knowledge, money or status. Vulnerability is to be avoided, no limitations, be independent, be you! It sounds good but the cross makes it foolish.
The Wisdom of the Cross says that the real power for living is found in sacrificial love, humility and the radical giving of our lives.
When we kneel at the cross then we see not a man or a woman, not a Jew or a Gentile, not a rich or poor person, neither do we see an individual of the 1st century or that of the 21st. We see the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, indeed God Himself.
I have seen all over the world the mutilated bodies at the cross, men, women and trans-genders at the cross, lepers at the cross, HIV and all kinds of diseased bodies at the cross. I have seen royalty and governmental officers at the cross, wealth and education at the cross and I have seen entrepreneurs and entertainers at the cross. All that I have listed are not who is actually at the cross. The genders, the bodies, the status and the achievements are not at the cross. Hearts are. Eternal spirits are. And it is there at the cross where the true transformative power of God is known. It is there at the cross where a radical reimagining of power, success and identity is known. It is there where the old becomes new. The focus is not on the outside but the inside of the person. They become clean, they become children of God and they are repurposed to live the opposite of their world. It may look limiting but it is liberating, it may sound illogical but it is a wisdom that is given not earned, it may appear weak but it is powerful and above all the priorities of our life are changed for we don’t live for personal achievement, status or decision but we live for others, we love with the love of God and we sacrifice the way Jesus did.
This is the Wisdom of the Cross.
Missions Paul 