God Did It His Way

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

September 1, 2002

Piggott Christian Church

D.T.: In view of the Cross the standards for this world changed.

TITLE: ¡§God did it HIS way¡¨

My job this morning is to speak to you¡Kyour job is to listen. If you get finished before I do, let me know.

Intro: Ask them to forget about the Bible ¡V for just a moment. Pretend for just a moment that you are God and you have the desire to save the world and bring to the people of the world knowledge of you. How do you do it? How do you show people that you care and are willing to do anything to make yourself known?

Do you hang up banners?

Set up a 1-800 # (Direct line to God) ¡V 24 hour service no hold time

Do you write a book, instead of using men, you write it yourself ¡V shouldn¡¦t take you long.

Do you bring all the powerful leaders and have a conference ¡V you¡¦d be the president of course.

How do you make yourself known?

What about a political campaign? Shake hands with people, kiss the heads of babies. You could have TV ads that tell how wonderful you are.

Turn with me to 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 (read)

This text is saying: In view of the Cross the standards for this world changed.

Discussion:

Isaiah 29:14 ¡V ¡§Therefore once more I will astound these people with wonder upon wonder; the wisdom of the wise will perish, the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish.¡¨

I have been told that before I attempt to pastor a church I should go to seminary and get 3 or 4 letters behind my name ¡V Then I will truly be able to pastor the correct way. I guess that¡¦s one way to do it.

In view of the Cross the standards for this world changed. The wisdom that we seek has no value, the knowledge that we long for has no value, this is God saying, ¡§I DID THIS MY WAY.¡¨ -- Perhaps you thought that was original with Frank Santra¡Khe copied it from GOD.

Disclaimer: I am not knocking human knowledge or wisdom, there is NOTHING wrong with degrees or being scholarly in your work. There is a problem however, of that ¡§work¡¨ replacing knowledge of GOD.

3 Reasons God did it his way:

I. Standards are different for God than they are for us

a. Our standards say that we should think on our own

i. Paul didn¡¦t have a problem with education

1. He had a problem with that education taking the place of knowledge or need for God

Goes back to Genesis Chapter 3:5 --- ¡§you will not surely die,¡¨ the serpent said to the woman ¡§For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God,¡¨ knowing good and evil.

2. This is a lie Satan has been telling mankind from the beginning ¡V you DON¡¦T NEED GOD.

3. Paul¡¦s Questions: vs. 20 ¡V Where is the wise man? (of this age) Where is the Scholar? (of this age) Where is the Philosopher/debater of this age?

4. Paul¡¦s answer: Show me your wise man and I will show you someone who needs God. Show me your Scholar and I will show you someone who needs God. Show me your Philosopher/Debater and I will show you someone who needs God ¡V Not only God, but the work of God through the cross!

In view of the Cross the standards for this world changed.

b. We Are Lost Without Knowledge of God

i. We might not understand how much we are lost

ii. But it doesn¡¦t change the fact that we are lost

Story of being lost ¡V so many junctions took 10 hours to make a 5 hour trip

iii. God is there if the world believes he¡¦s there or not! Your belief in God doesn¡¦t make him there. Someone¡¦s unbelief doesn¡¦t make him go away.

The word ¡§Atheist¡¨ means I am against something I don¡¦t believe exist.

Another Reason God did it his way:

II. The Message was Different

A. Christianity isn¡¦t the best way to God that would be bragging. It¡¦s the ONLY WAY TO GOD.

a. Last part of vs. 21 ¡V God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

i. Not only is the message different, but the messenger is different!

In view of the Cross the standards for this world changed.

ii. Our message is different and our delivery is different too.

1. God somehow uses preaching

2. Sounds foolish at first

Billy Sunday ¡V ¡§preach the gospel, and if you have to use words¡¨

Allow me to poke some fun at preaching

The longest sermon on record was preached by Clinton Lacy of West Richland, Washington in February of 1955. It took 48 hours and 18 minutes to deliver it. Small wonder someone proposed the adoption of a new Beatitude: "Blessed is the preacher whose train of thought has a caboose."