FOOLISH COMMUNICATION
1 CORINTHIANS 1:18-31
INTRODUCTION: As we continue our study in the book of First Corinthians, we approach a fundamental tenet of Paul’s’ writing, namely the inability to comprehend the wisdom of God through the wisdom of man. Aptly applied to the church, the apostle wants us to understand that human wisdom is not the answer to the needs of the church, the cross of Christ is the answer to the needs of the church. So together, lets look and see what the Bible says to us today about the kind of church we should be ………….
I GOD COMMUNICATED A FOOLISH MESSAGE – 1:18-20
A The Message of the World Today
1 We have a self-centered world that gives us a very self-centered message.
2 We have a performance-based world that values us based on our performance.
3 We have a dying world.
a Dying things do not produce life
b Products of dying things are dead themselves
WE CANNOT LOOK FOR ANSWERS TO A LIVING CHURCH FROM A DYING WORLD ………….
· World has been and continues to be corrupted by sin
· Ruler of the world is Satan – he is the “prince of the power of the air”
· Bible declares that things will get worse for believers, not better until Christ comes for us!
B The Message of God Today
1 God’s message defines man’s greatest problem – Self-Preservation
2 God’s message deals with man’s biggest issue – Self-Centeredness
a Used to be an honor to come in second, now second place has been reduced to first loser. What a shame!
3 God’s message offers man a complete solution – Spiritual Transformation
Romans 12:2 (NIV) 2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
C The Rejection of God’s Message
1 Man believes he can conquer evil
a Philosophically – thinks we can compromise, and negotiate a better world
b Technologically – thinks that we can invent a way to subdue evil
c Human Effort – thinks that there is enough submerged good will to rid the world of evil
2 Man sees no power in a “dead man”
For the Roman the most absurd thing one could as him to believe was that a man condemned to death on a cross was capable of having any power at all.
a We associate power with influence
b We associate power with wealth
c We associate power with intelligence
3 Bible calls this “perishing”
a Literally this word means to be lost; to be in the process of being destroyed or ruined, corrupted and put to death; to be wasted; to be executed.—Practical Word Studies in the New Testament
b Whenever we choose human wisdom over the divine instruction of God.
c The choice propels us in the direction of perishing
4 God’s message is simple
a Renounce yourself
b Obey God
5 God’s message is salvation – the highest exhibition of His power
ONLY THE CROSS CHANGES LIVES.
WE WILL NOT COMMUNICATE WHAT WE DO NOT BELIEVE
Isaiah 55:8-9 (NIV) 8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. 9 "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
WE are the biggest obstacle to the gospel:
ü We have a hard time believing that God has a plan
ü We have a hard time accepting a plan we cannot see
ü We have a hard time believing that God wants us involved in His plan
ü We have a hard time appropriating the reality of hell
o This above all else condemns our comities
II GOD COMMUNICATED WITH A FOOLISH MEDIUM – 1:20
A God’s chosen medium is the proclaimed Word
1 WE cannot know God apart from revelation
a Faith comes by hearing
b Hearing comes from the Word of God
B Preaching is the communication of God’s self-revelation about Himself.
1 What God wants us to know about Him
2 What God wants us to know about His message
C Preaching declares one simple foundational truth
1 Relationship with God does not begin by solving the difficulties of the world.
2 Relationship with God begins with satisfying the need of our heart
MAN IS TRYING TO SAVE THE WORLD
GOD IS SAVING LIVES
MAN IS TRYING TO DEAL WITH SUFFERING
GOD IS DEALING WITH DEATH
III GOD MADE SOME FOOLISH CHOICES – 1:21-28
A God chose to do what He did without a gimmick!
1 Jews wanted a sign – a token from heaven
2 Greeks wanted a philosophical demonstration of Christianity
3 God said they would get neither
B God did not choose the wisest, most influential, or noblest
1 Possessing earthly knowledge, influence, or nobility does not make one acceptable to God
2 The cross makes one acceptable to God
C God chose things without influence or position
1 What is important is that God knows why He chose who He chose and what He chose.
2 God made sure no man on the planet could figure out redemption for Himself
3 God made sure no man could ever achieve redemption for himself
a WE only achieve redemption through Him
b We do not receive redemption in front of Him
1 Redemption is not argued like a court case
2 Redemption is received as a gift
IV GOD GAVE A FOREVER GIFT – 1:29-31
A The gift of salvation
B A gift given on His terms
C A gift given regardless of station or achievement
D A gift received identically by all
E Man will only find what he needs on God’s terms
So as we seek to be the kind of church we should be coming to, we need to address the issues of our “foolishness”.
ü As a church we need to be a community of believers who understand that it is not anything special about us, but something special about God that changes hearts and grows believers.
ü As a church we need to make it a priority that God’s message is the foremost reason for our existence.
A Powerppoint presentation is available for this message, please email for file
