Why People See Christians as Weak (5 of 7)
Series: Rethinking Your View of the Church
Scott Maze
1 Corinthians 1:26-31
''For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.''' (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)
Paul has us focusing on the cross prior as we prepare our hearts for Easter. Last week we looked at verses 18-25 and we saw that the cross of Christ divides all of human race into two. And the words just before the text we've read this morning are important for us here. I want to call your attention to them. Last week we dealt with ''Why People see the Cross as Useless'' and this is still an idea in front of us - is there power of the cross of Christ. The cross' power is not that of sheer force or a big battalions that forces itself upon you. Instead, the power of Christ's cross is effective for transforming lives by God's grace. God has chosen to use the cross as a tool to transform people. And it's an unexpected tool for the majority of the human race.
The cross is full of irony. Irony expresses meaning by using what normally means the opposite of what is actually being said. The cross is ironic because the King who is mocked as King is the King. On the cross, people hail Him as the King of the Jews (Matthew 27:27-31). The cross is ironic because the Man who is Utterly powerless is ultimately Powerful. The practice of Roman crucifixion was to leave the vertical bea ...
Series: Rethinking Your View of the Church
Scott Maze
1 Corinthians 1:26-31
''For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, 'Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.''' (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)
Paul has us focusing on the cross prior as we prepare our hearts for Easter. Last week we looked at verses 18-25 and we saw that the cross of Christ divides all of human race into two. And the words just before the text we've read this morning are important for us here. I want to call your attention to them. Last week we dealt with ''Why People see the Cross as Useless'' and this is still an idea in front of us - is there power of the cross of Christ. The cross' power is not that of sheer force or a big battalions that forces itself upon you. Instead, the power of Christ's cross is effective for transforming lives by God's grace. God has chosen to use the cross as a tool to transform people. And it's an unexpected tool for the majority of the human race.
The cross is full of irony. Irony expresses meaning by using what normally means the opposite of what is actually being said. The cross is ironic because the King who is mocked as King is the King. On the cross, people hail Him as the King of the Jews (Matthew 27:27-31). The cross is ironic because the Man who is Utterly powerless is ultimately Powerful. The practice of Roman crucifixion was to leave the vertical bea ...
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