In our current world, people in general tend to think to too highly of ourselves and others. This past week I’ve been reading about Kobe Bryant, who died in a tragic helicopter crash last Sunday, near Los Angeles California. Many will miss him and many talked of his greatness. Everything I read, talked about not only what a swell basketball player he was for the Los Angeles Lakers, but also what a great dad he was as well. Let me tell you one thing, no matter how good a basketball player he was, no matter how good a dad, or how much money he had made or how much he gave away or how many multi-million dollar homes are owned, unless He knew Jesus personally as Lord and Savior (and I really hoped he did), it was all a waste, as far as he is concerned.
Intelligence, abilities and talents, power, and wealth, all the things that matter in the eyes of the world, do not matter with Almighty God. Today, we will consider what matters in the eyes of God.
1 Corinthians 1:26–31
Illustration: Our world has plenty of knowledge and education, but it didn’t necessarily bring along much wisdom. In fact, wisdom can often be learned from the fairly uneducated. Take children for instance.
• Patrick, age 10, says, “Never trust a dog to watch your food.”
• Michael, age 14, says, “When your dad is mad and asks you, ‘Do I look stupid?’ don’t answer him.” Wise man that Michael is, he also said, “Never tell your mom her diet’s not working.”
• Randy, 9 years of age said, “Stay away from prunes.” One has to wonder how poor Randy discovered that bit of wisdom.
• Lauren, age 9 says, “Felt markers are not good to use as lipstick.” Noami can tell you from experience with her son that finger nail polish does not make good lip stick either.
• Joel, 10 years old, says, “Don’t pick on your sister when she’s holding a baseball bat.” and
• Eileen, age 8 says, “Never try to baptize a cat.” [1]
Praise God that He never called me because of the wisdom I have to offer. God never called me to salvation based on what I had to offer. He did not call me because of who I was, He called in spite of who I was. God did not call me to preach because I was qualified to do so. He called me and He equipped me to preach. The old saying is quite true: God does not call the qualified, He qualifies the called. We’re going to look at why that is. Paul, writing to the church at Corinth, reminded them where they were in life.
1 Corinthians 1:26 (NKJV) For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.
In the church at Corinth, many were slaves, most were lower class. Perhaps this is why many of the downtrodden and lower classes of the world are drawn to Jesus, is the discovery, that while we may not be much in the eyes of the world, we are quite valuable in the eyes of God. Many of the Corinthians had not come from the upper crust of society. They were not reached with high-sounding philosophies, but they were reached with the simple Gospel of Jesus. “For you see your calling, brethren” I like the NIV which translates to say “Brothers, think of what you were when you were called.” Then Paul reminds them that “not many” were wise, or mighty or noble." Paul did not say “not any” but “not many.” Yes God does call those who are wise, mighty, and noble. But there are problems with those that are wise, mighty, and noble. Not as many respond – why? Jesus said:
Matthew 19:23–24 (NKJV) Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. 24 And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”
It is for the same reason, few of the pharisees responded to the Gospel. Look at the Apostle Paul when he was called. God had to greatly humble Him. Remember Paul, when he was called Saul, in his own mind, he was God’s mighty man (and God was lucky to have him!) after the heathen called Christians. God had to humble Paul in order to use him. Paul had to give up all that he had and all that he was to be used of God. Not many are willing to endure humbling and to surrender to God all that they have and all that they are.
William Barclay in his commentary had this to say about slaves:
“It was precisely this that was the glory of Christianity. In the Empire there were sixty million slaves. In the eyes of the law a slave was a “living tool,” a thing and not a person at all. A master could fling out an old slave as he could fling out an old spade or hoe. He could amuse himself by torturing his slaves; he could even kill them. For them there was no such thing as marriage; even their children belonged to the master, as the lambs of the fold belonged not to the sheep but to the shepherd. Christianity made people who were things into real men and women, more, into sons and daughters of God; it gave those who had no respect, their self-respect; it gave those who had no life, life eternal; it told men that, even if they did not matter to other men, they still mattered intensely to God. It told men who, in the eyes of the world were worthless, that, in the eyes of God they were worth the death of his only Son. Christianity was, and still is, the most uplifting thing in the whole universe." [2]
This is all so backwards as far as the world is concern. But God has other ways. But God what chooses is different from the world. Who are the ones the world would choose?
Wise men, enlighten people (in the eyes of the world).
Mighty men – powerful men (in the eyes of the world).
Noble men - the upper crust, those from the higher social classes.
But what does God choose?
1 Corinthians 1:27–28 (NKJV) But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are
What does God use?
Foolish things to confound the wise, the enlighten.
Weak things to shame the mighty and powerful.
Base things or lowly and insignificant things, things that are despised and things that are not or nothing in the eyes of the world, instead of the higher class, wealthy nobles of the world.
Is it any wonder that the slaves and the lowly of the world run to Christ? Jesus, in working of His miracles prayed:
Matthew 11:25–26 (NKJV) At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. 26 Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.
James tells us:
James 2:5 (NKJV) Listen, my beloved brethren: Has God not chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom which He promised to those who love Him?
Why does God do this?
1 Corinthians 1:29 (NKJV) that no flesh should glory in His presence.
It is not about us. It is all about Him. It is all about what Jesus did for us on the Cross. It is all about God’s love for us. The fact is, we must humble ourselves before Almighty God and realize we are nothing compared to Him and all that we are we owe to Him. Paul, later in His letter tells the Corinthians:
1 Corinthians 3:18–23 (NKJV) Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness”; 20 and again, “The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.” 21 Therefore let no one boast in men. For all things are yours: 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas, or the world or life or death, or things present or things to come—all are yours. 23 And you are Christ’s, and Christ is God’s.
Do not glory in ourselves or even in others, no matter how godly they may seem, that include the likes of Paul, Apollos or Cephas (Peter). If you are here today because of me, you are here for the wrong reason. As a mere man, I will fail you at some point. Not if, but when. We are all here to follow Jesus together, and give him the glory.
1 Corinthians 1:30 (NKJV) But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—
I like the NASB which says: “But by His doing you are Christ Jesus.” The fact that we are saved and in Jesus was not by anything we had done. We could not go to Him, so He came to us. It is only by His drawing that we are able to come.
Ephesians 2:8–9 (NKJV) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.
So when it comes to wisdom, Jesus is our wisdom; “who became for us wisdom from God.” I don’t have to understand it all. All I need to do is trust Jesus. He has it figured out, and my limited mind does not have to comprehend it all. Jesus is my wisdom from God.
And not only that, Jesus is our: “righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” Right here at the end of verse 30, we have the three tenses of our salvation.
We have been saved (past tense) from the penalty of sin by Christ’s atoning death on the cross, we have been justified or made righteous.
We are being saved (present tense) from the power of sin by our sanctification – we are in the process of being made holy.
We shall be saved (future tense) from the presence of sin by our redemption, which is the transforming or our minds, bodies, and souls when we are called to be with him.
1 Corinthians 1:31 (NKJV) that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”
It is all about glorifying Him. This is a quote from Jeremiah:
Jeremiah 9:23–24 (NKJV) 23 Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; 24 But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the LORD.
It is all about glory to God and glory to His only begotten son Jesus. Ask the questions: Is our coming to Jesus about what we do, or about what He has done? Who gets the glory?
God has confounded the wise, the mighty and the noble of this world. It is really quite simple. I learned the basic truths of God as a child. I learned, not what the enlighten world had to say, but i learned this simple truth at my mother knee: “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”
It is truly all about Jesus, and nothing about me.
[1] www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/the-wisdom-of-god-matthew-kratz-sermon-on-wisdom-147909?ref=SermonSerps
[2] William Barclay, ed., The Letters to the Corinthians, The Daily Study Bible Series (Philadelphia, PA: The Westminster John Knox Press, 1975), 21–22.
