|
Here's a snyposis of Sunday's sermon, just in case you were absent and care about keeping up with the series.
To get the background for this message, read 1 Corinthians 1:18-25:
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. for it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world throught its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolshiness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.
From reading this, and watching our world, it is obvous that God doesn't seem wise by worldly standards. He never has. When God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world, He sent Him to pay the price for the consequences of our sins. He also came to show us the Father. Jesus told his listeners, "If you have seen me, you have seen the Father." When we listen to Jesus we are hearing the words of Jesus. To the Romans, men of action, Jesus was a looser. To the Greeks, men of thought, Jesus didn't make sense. To the Jews, men of desperation, He was a disappointment.
God's wisdom has two elements: wisdom and power. Wisdom without power is pathetic and power without wisdom is frightening. (Consider Kim Jong Ill, dictator of North Korea, who has nuclear power but totally lacks wisdom.) Biblical wisdom--God's wisdom--is the practical application of His moral goodness. When we say, "God is wise," we're saying He's good and is using His power for His purpose AND that those purposes are good.
God is using His wisdom to draw men and women into a relationship of faith, hope and love toward Himself. He desires to deliver us from the power and consequences of sin and to show in our lives the power of His grace. He defends His people against the forces of evil. He desires that we join Him in spreading throughtout the whole world the good news--called the Gospel--by which He saves us from ourselves.
He doesn't work with all people in exactly the same way. Read in the Bible about the lives of the heroes of the faith and you'll see a work of God. He never started with perfect people (except Jesus), He always began with very imperfect people but did a work in their lives so that they became great men and women of faith.
God is still at work today and He's working in your life. It's a process in which He wants to:
>draw us into a relationship with Him.
>deliver us from the power and consequences of sin.
>show in our lives the power of His grace.
>defend us from the forces of evil.
>have us join Him in His work.
This is very good news for this Monday, June 15, 2009. It's also wonderful news for any day of the week. |
