Foolish Wisdom-1(2024)

FOOLISH WISDOM-I—1Corinthians 1:18(:18--2:5)

Previously in the first chapter of 1Corinthians, we’ve examined...

‘Our PRINCIPLE ASSETS’—1Cor. 1:1-9

A Principle Asset of the Christian Church is...

1. APPROPRIATE APOSTLES(:1)

2. SANCTIFIED SAINTS(:2)

3. GOD’s GRACE & PEACE(:3)

4. GOD’s ENRICHMENT(:4-7a)

5. A CARRYING CONFIRMATION(:7b-9)

AND we’ve examined the Church’s ...

‘FREEDOM From DIVISION’—1Cor. 1:10-17

Freedom from division thrives in A Unified Christian...

1. UNITY(:10-12)

2. MINDSET(:12-13)

3. PURPOSE(:14-17)

Attention:

2 Timely Misinterpretations:

(1.) At the beginning of our worship service(11/17/2024), I am charged with welcoming people from the pulpit. I also make the morning announcements & make mention of additions to the prayer list. Every Sunday morning the prayer list is compiled from all the prayer concerns brought up in each of the Sunday School classes.

The new additions are then written on a sheet of paper & placed on the pulpit for me to announce. I announce them without elaboration as to the detailed need. And I don’t usually see the list until I step up to the pulpit.

This morning I read out loud the two new additions to the prayer list faithfully recorded in front of me. Underneath the two new names was written in different handwriting, ‘Brotherhood.’ Our ‘Brotherhood’ of Christian men was scheduled to meet Tuesday evening, & I hadn’t heard of any concerns. So I thought adding our ‘Brotherhood’ was a little odd, but I announced it anyway without elaboration. Then underneath ‘Brotherhood’ was written in the same handwriting, ‘Mike Cook.’ So I announced that we need to add ‘Mike Cook’ to the prayer list. I didn’t know a ‘Mike Cook’ but that is not unusual. And I knew someone would fill-me-in after the service. Right after the announcement, I noticed that the congregation was buzzing about something, but I didn’t know what.

What I had done was completely misinterpret the written note! There should have been a separate note, for an intended reminder during the announcement time, but instead it got written on the prayer list. What the note intended, was that I should announce that the ‘Brotherhood’ were meeting, & that Brother ‘Mike’ was going to ‘Cook’ the meal!

*A timely misinterpretation!

(2.) Also, during Sunday morning worship(11/17/2024), we set aside a time for the church to receive the tithes & offerings of our members. I usually sit on the front row, while the ushers, walk the aisles & ‘pass the plate’ among the congregation.

Unanticipatedly, I had forgotten that this morning was ‘pay day’ for me(I get paid every few weeks during each month). The treasurer as usual, had simply handed me the check before the service began. I folded the check & put it into the left front pocket of my shirt, where I usually carry my tithe check for the church.

When the offering time arrived, & the ushers had turned to the congregation with their offering plates, I caught the eye of the usher, reached in the left front pocket of my shirt & unintentionally placed my paycheck in the offering plate!

A couple seconds after I had done it, I realized what I had done & stopped the usher, reached into the offering plate, & retrieved the paycheck.

As soon as I was in the pulpit, I had to laughingly explain what I had done. I made sure that everyone knew that I was NOT taking money out of the offering plate! I further explained that I am entirely ‘hands off’ when it comes to the money received by the church!

*A timely misinterpretation!

Likewise, ‘God’s wisdom’, can be mis-interpreted!

Need:

The apostle Paul related that the wisdom in the Cross-work of Christ, was seen as foolishness by those who were perishing.

The wisdom of the Cross can be misinterpreted.

By What means is the wisdom of the Cross interpreted?

9 means of interpreting the wisdom of the Cross.

The title ‘Foolish Wisdom’ is intentionally indefinite. If something is foolish, it cannot be described as wise! And if something is wise, it cannot be described as foolish!

1—Foolish Wisdom is interpreted thru...

The MESSAGE Of The CROSS(:18)

Explanation:(:18)

:18—“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.”

There is a “message”(logov) declared thru “the Cross.”

“Message/Word”(See :17—“Words/Speech”)—logov—Noun Nominative Sing. Masc.—1) of speech--1a) A word, uttered by a living voice, embodies a conception or idea, 1b) What someone has said, 1c) Discourse, 1d) Doctrine, teaching, 1e) Anything reported in speech; a narration, narrative, 1f) Matter under discussion, thing spoken of, affair, a matter in dispute, case, suit at law, 1g) The thing spoken of or talked about.

“The message of the Cross” includes, encompasses, & comprises what God’s people call ‘The Good News’ or ‘the Gospel’!

•Technically, ‘Gospel’ is an old British/English word meaning ‘good news.’