The Cross Is A Foolish Message Series

WELCOME & INTRODUCTION

- We are beginning a new series on the Cross of Christ this morning.

FOOLISH CROOKS

Donald Murray’s fifteen minutes of fame began December 2019 when he showed up on an episode of the TV show Live PD. As cops pulled him over for driving without headlights, he crashed into a tree and escaped on foot. The fugitive evaded capture until the following February, when he led police on a high-speed chase that ended with charges including “felony resisting, reckless driving, possession of methamphetamine, maintaining a common nuisance, and auto theft.” Aiding in Murray’s capture…and the reason his Live PD appearance went viral…was the large tattoo on his forehead that reads “Crime Pays.”

What a foolish message and a foolish criminal.

In this series we will be exploring aspects of what the Cross of Christ means for us. Both the blessings and the socially awkward curses today.

Over the course of the next 8 weeks, we will talk about how the cross gives us endurance to continue running this life race. The cross comes with blessings but the cross still has enemies. We will spend a Sunday talking about the cross that we take up today. We will also talk about the power of the cross of Christ. The cross also comes with a curse as I’ve mentioned. Then we will lead into the sign of the cross—and I don’t mean the hand movement some people do. Of course, we will end with the truth that the cross leads to salvation.

Today, leading in with Mr. Murray’s foolish criminal fame, we are going to explore the idea that the cross is a foolish message. Stick with me.

Let’s turn to 1 Corinthians 1:17-31 (7 Slides):

17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. 18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” 20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Crucifixion is a method of capital punishment in which the victim is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross, beam, or stake and left to hang until eventual death from exhaustion or asphyxiation. It was used as a punishment by the Romans among others. Crucifixion has been used in parts of the world as recently as the 20th century.

Being crucified in the first century was most certainly considered to be a sign of evil deeds either of yourself or someone in your family. People took crime seriously and would mete out punishment in this cruel way. Jesus took on this punishment so we would not have to.

Today, we see crosses everywhere. We wear them as necklaces, earrings, or tattoos; we use them to decorate our houses; and most churches usually place a cross front and center. Some people make the sign of the cross to show their faith outwardly. In fiction, Vampires are repelled by the mere sight of one. At the center of Christian faith, the cross has become woven into our cultural fabric, becoming a symbol for who it is we follow. The abundance of crosses expresses and enables an indifferent familiarity with Jesus’ own crucifixion that was entirely foreign to the first Christians.