“Where is the wise man? Where is
the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the
wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its
wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness
of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for
signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a
stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called,
both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because
the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger
than men.” (1 Cor. 1:17 – 25).”
“…but we preach Christ crucified.”
In 2:2 Paul writes, “For I
determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.”
I wonder if we are ashamed of the
otherworldliness of Jesus Christ? He is not an entertainer, flashing signs and
wonders to appeal to our fancy. Nor is He seeking to curry favor with the intelligentsia
of our age, as a professor might when seeking tenure. Jesus is unimpressed with
our military, our politics, and our economies and He is not seeking entrance
into their inner circles. Jesus does not seek a chair at the G7 or the Federal
Reserve, nor has He been seen auditioning in Hollywood.
What about preachers and pastors
and church leaders? How does He fit in with us? How do we fit in with Him? Is
the eye of Jesus on the offering plate? Is it on providing a high-powered Sunday
morning “experience”? Is it on retaining members whether or not they are taking
up their crosses daily and following Him? Does Jesus have an interest in
dumbing down Bible translations until they dull our minds and lull us into
thinking that “life is good” without repentance, confession, and obedience to
Him?
Surely we can do better than
preach “Jesus Christ and Him crucified”? Let’s pretty-up the Cross and make it
attractive and paint over the blood of the Lamb – oh…and would someone please
take that crown of thorns and put it in the broom closet – it doesn’t belong in
our nice sanctuary. Speaking of sanctuaries, have they become sanctuaries from
the Cross of Christ and the Christ of the Cross? Do we assemble on our terms or
on the terms of Jesus Christ?
Tickle our emotions or pander to
our intellectual egos, do what you must, just leave the foolishness of the
Cross out of the message.
One group looks at the Cross and
sees a stumbling block, another group looks at the Cross and sees foolishness –
but then a third group looks at the Cross and sees the power of God and the wisdom
of God.
The Cross cost Jesus Christ His
life, and following Jesus Christ will cost us our lives – why cannot we simply
state this to others? How can we live in Christ if we refuse to die in Christ?
It will soon be Advent – what will
we see? A baby? A baby born to die? Can we visualize nails being driven into His
body? Can we see a crown of thorns pushed down upon His head? Is the baby
crying, “My God, my God…why!?” Please, let there be no little baby in a feeding
trough unless the Cross is casting it shadow – not only over Him, but over us.
What is our gift to the Christ-child?
We in our sins have brought Him not playthings, nor gold or silver or frankincense
or myrrh….our sins have given Him the gift of the nails of the Crucifixion.
Is He not worthy that we should
live and die for Him? That we should give our lives to Him in worship and
obedience? Jesus Christ surrendered His life for us – ought not we to surrender
our lives to Him?
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