September 9-
It was exactly what the Apostle did in Corinth when he established the church there. He made sure those believers were taken care of and that they had the tools they needed to survive on their own. He could have just mandated a list of laws, but he wanted them to experience Jesus and the freedom found in Him for themselves—much more difficult. He didn’t want them to be weighed down under the law once again.
In 1 Corinthians, Paul works to correct the pride and divisive spirit that characterized this new church. The Christians were to set their gaze firmly on Jesus and find unity in the gospel but instead, the Corinthians had formed antagonistic parties, and they justified their dissension by claiming that they followed one hero or another.
“What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas ”; still another, “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?” 1 Corinthians 1:12-13 NIV
Then there was the stumbling block of too much knowledge.
“Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,”
1 Corinthians 1:22-23 NIV
Power and wisdom have always been revered, but they are not gracious gods. Take wisdom, for example. The god of human wisdom rewards only the educated elite. But these “wise” ones never found God through their intellect. Instead, they fashioned gods that resembled themselves (vv. 19–21; Rom. 1:21–22). Both wisdom and power are gods of human self-sufficiency.
The gospel is the opposite. It presents Jesus, slain in weakness, raised in power. He is a state criminal who, by his death, defeated death, the Devil, and sin. This defies all conventional wisdom and no human would conceive of such.
“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 NIV
To the Jew, a crucified Messiah was a contradiction. The Messiah, they thought, would be triumphant and blessed, but the crucified were cursed and humiliated. To the mighty Romans, a crucified man was evil and weak. To Greeks, the hope of resurrection was absurd, for they viewed the body as something to be shed and left behind upon death.
But “the foolishness of God is wiser than men” (v. 25), for the crucified Lord atones for our sin and the risen Lord gives us the richest hope.
The church reflects the gospel’s inversion of worldly values. Few Corinthians were wise, powerful, or noble when God called them. He chose the foolish “to shame the wise” and the weak “to shame the strong” (vv. 26–27).
The church reflects the gospel’s inversion of worldly values. Few Corinthians were wise, powerful, or noble when God called them. He chose the foolish “to shame the wise” and the weak “to shame the strong” (vv. 26–27). The gospel says the only thing we contribute to our redemption is the sin that made it necessary. So no one, however mighty, “might boast in the presence of God” (v. 29). The gospel makes all of us—regardless of economic status, or ethnicity, or gender or age—equal in our sin. We all need the healing blood of Jesus.
Lord Jesus, we lift your name up and we praise you Father. Bless you. So many times we, like these Corinthians, fail you and get it all wrong. Forgive us Lord and help us to start again and to do better. We all need your blood to cover our sin and short fall. Help us to have our hope in the resurrection and to preach Christ and Christ alone. What a wonder you are. Thank you for all you have done for us and for al you mean to us. You are great and you are holy. Go before us this week in what we have to do and make our way clear. Surround us Lord. Amen and amen.
Love you dear one,
Pam
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