Ever heard of a “Gumpism”? For example , “Blue clear sky”. Not clear blue sky. That was the theme of a George Strait song, but the movie , “Forrest Gump”, has several fascinating features. Remember when he returned from the war to start the Bubba - Gump shrimp company? “Shrimp cocktail, shrimp stew, shrimp creole, shrimp k- bob, shrimp salad, shrimp soup…” The way he became successful was by “riding out” the storm. All the other shrimp boats were tied to the pier and were smashed by the storm against the shore. But Forrest Gump was out on the water and he was the only boat left after the storm.
Max Lucado tells a story about when he was in college his dorm room was a small house boat that he shared with three other college guys in Florida. A storm came up and the weatherman warned of a hurricane that was about to arrive. So the three inexperienced students tied their humble abode to the dock as best they could. He said it looked like a spider web with all the rope around it. But an experienced seaman came by to check on them and told them the only hope their boat had to survive was to move away from everything it could be thrown against, and anchor out in the water and say a prayer. They anchored deep with four anchors leaving just enough slack to keep the ropes from being ripped off. The little boat survived the storm, because hurricane David never hit Florida. But not everyone is so lucky.
Forrest Gump kept his nose into the waves or the storm would have turned his boat over or ripped it apart.
Do you feel like that sometimes? Like your life is in the middle of a storm and you are not sure if you are able to handle it.
1 Cor. 1: 18-31
I. The cross of Christ is Power for Living. V. 18-23 “ dunamis = dynamite”
A. Power to live confidently. (cross confidence ) because of destroyed worldly wisdom v.19-20
1. Not - Human (worldly) wisdom = humanism = to mechanically explain life - definition - a modern non-theistic rationalist movement that holds that humanity is capable of self - fulfillment, ethical conduct without recourse to supernaturalism. To them moronic,senceless = foolishness - root word from mystery
THERE CAN BE NO CONFIDENCE IN MAN - WE MAKE TO MANY MISTAKES!
2. Not - Modernity - any of several movements variously attempting to redefine Biblical and Christian dogma and traditional teachings in the light of modern science…
THERE CAN BE NO CONFIDENCE IN SCIENCE - IT TOO MAKES MISTAKES!
a. God made fools of this philosophy already. “destroy, bring to nothing”
b. If you try to have life all figured out it will never make sense!!!
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
B The power to live correctly v. 21-23
The first step to correct living is salvation
1. A salvation that pleases God - by faith in His work on the cross!!! Read John 19:17-30
a. It pleases God to provide for us. Saving faith & keeping faith!!
But God gives us confidence in His N.W.O. .> New World Order v. 21
b. But - a Simple Salvation = foolishness of preaching the cross. V.21
The second step to correct living is selflessness
2. Powerful Christian living is not selfishly seeking something from God. V. 22 Jews- sign
a. Simple gospel - death of Christ, burial, resurrection
b. Simple faith (Eph 2:8 KJV) For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (Eph 2:9 KJV) Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Mat 12:38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
Mat 12:39 But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
Mat 12:40 For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
Mat 12:41 The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.
The third step to correct living is simplicity!
5. Powerful living is not mystical or philosophical as the Greeks thought, epicurians ect.
Sometimes at night when I couldn’t sleep a few years ago I would get up and go in one of the kid’s bedroom, when they were still in a baby crib. They always tried to stay awake. They fought sleep. They would cry for a while then sing, then ask for water, then play. Sometimes falling asleep with cubby little bare feet sticking out of the crib. They trust in their dad who to them is big and powerful and they know would give his life for them. They are still like that & I am too a little. I always have to much I want to do. >> And I still try sometimes to carry my own burdens and problems. We clearly have access to the power of the cross in this passage but we don’t believe it!!!
This is the message of the cross, a simple message! The man north of town here last month who shot himself needed this message. “Come unto me all you who labor and are heave laden, and I will give you rest.”
(1 Pet 5:7 KJV) Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
(Psa 37:7 KJV) Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass.
The cross is our only real power for living. And just as the cross provides our basic strength, it also provides wisdom for living. V24
II. The cross of Christ is Wisdom for Living. V. 24-28
(sophia) profound insight into divine matters
A. V 25 Wisdom of the cross for living is - A simple message -
1. seems to the world as foolishness, weakness -
2. because it is a mystery revealed only after simple faith.
B. v. 26 Wisdom of the cross for living is - A simple minister. O the freedom of simplicity.
1. Not worldly wise people
2. Not worldly noble
C. V. 27-28 Wisdom of the cross for living is - A simple method -
1. Foolish things - mystery to humanism, modernity
2. Weak things - no human strength involved - all power is God’s!!
3. Base things - simple, lowly, (honesty, integrity, gentleness, meekness)
4. Despised things - due to no control over the situation of eternity
5. Which are not - ( ex- hilo = Latin for out of nothing) created universe out of nothing
That’s what he does to us - takes us from nothing to something on his merit!!
Worldly foolish to eternally wise
Wordly week to spiritually strong Amen??!!!
Earthly low to a heavenly altitude and attitude Amen??!!
Self controlled to Spirit controlled Amen??!
Nothing to something
Why did God make it that way? So we can glorify God. V.29-31 We have access to a life filled with glory. The glory of God inside comes out and impacts those around us - so that the Lord is prasied…
III. The cross of Christ is Glory for Living v. 29-31
A. V. 29 The purpose of glorious living -
1. Never boast in anything -
2. All glory is due to God
B. The personification of glorious living Christ is wisdom! (love)
Wisdom is a person in Proverbs - Jesus is that person!
(Prov 4:5 KJV) Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth.
(Prov 4:6 KJV) Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee.
(Prov 4:7 KJV) Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.
(Prov 4:8 KJV) Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her.
C. The process of glorious living -
1. As you glory in your humility, simplicity, - the rewards are awesome
2. Give God the Glory for
His Power for Living
His Wisdom for Living
His Glory in Living
