The Power And Wisdom Of The Cross - 1 Corinthians 1:18 Series

The Power and Wisdom of the Cross - 1 Corinthians 1:18

Key Verse: “The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18, NLT)

Introduction: Transformed by Truth

The cross is central to the Christian faith. It’s the symbol of God’s redemptive work, His love, and His victory over sin. Yet, for many, the cross seems absurd, irrelevant, or offensive - the cross is misunderstood and even mocked.

Paul’s declaration in 1 Corinthians 1:18 divides humanity into two groups: those who see the cross as foolishness and those who recognise it as the power of God. Today, we will explore how the message of the cross transforms lives and why it remains the ultimate source of hope, power, and wisdom.

I want to focus on three key points:

1. The World’s View of the Cross.

2. The Power of the Cross.

3. The Wisdom of the Cross.

I pray that this sermon will enable us to see the cross for what it truly is: the ultimate display of God’s power and wisdom, calling us to live transformed lives.

Point 1: The World’s View of the Cross

Paul begins by addressing the perception of the cross among those "headed for destruction.”

"The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction..."

Paul wrote to a divided Corinthian church surrounded by a culture that valued human wisdom and power.

In Paul’s time, the cross was an instrument of execution—violent, shameful, and reserved for the worst criminals. To the Roman Empire, it symbolised defeat. To the Jews, it was a curse. (“Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree,” Deuteronomy 21:23, NLT).

To the Greeks, the idea of a crucified saviour was ludicrous. The Greek word for "foolish" (moria) is where we get the word "moronic." To many, the cross was absurd because it represented weakness, shame, and defeat.

Isaiah prophesied this rejection centuries earlier in Isaiah 53:3 (NLT): “He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.”

Isaiah foretells how humanity would view the Messiah: rejected and insignificant. The cross was an instrument of humiliation, reserved for the worst criminals. To embrace a crucified Christ as Saviour requires a humility that many resist.

The Jews sought a powerful political Messiah; the Greeks prized human wisdom. But Jesus didn’t fit either expectation. The cross challenges human pride, reminding us we cannot save ourselves.

Human pride blinds us to the truth of the cross. The world seeks salvation through self-effort, intellect, or status, but the cross shatters human arrogance by offering grace through faith alone.

Do you struggle with the idea of surrendering control? The message of the cross confronts our pride and invites us to embrace God’s way, not our own.

A drowning person cannot save themselves; they must allow the rescuer to intervene. Similarly, salvation comes only when we recognise our helplessness and trust in Christ.

Timothy Keller said, “The cross is the ultimate demonstration that God does not save us because we are strong but because we are weak.”

The world’s view of the cross hasn’t changed much. Some see it as irrelevant, others as offensive. But the cross exposes our need for grace. Will you lay aside pride and embrace God’s way of salvation?

Point 2: The Power of the Cross

Paul contrasts the world’s view with the reality for believers: "But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God."

For believers, the cross is not a symbol of weakness but of divine power. The Greek word for "power" (dynamis) implies active, miraculous strength. The cross is the means through which God accomplished victory over sin, death, and hell. The cross is not a symbol of defeat—it is God’s victory over sin, death, and hell.

Through the cross, Jesus accomplished what no human could. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT) explains:

“For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.”

On the cross, Jesus bore the penalty for our sin, exchanging His righteousness for our guilt. The power of the cross lies in its ability to reconcile us to God.

The power of the cross lies in this divine exchange: Jesus bore our sin and gave us His righteousness. It is the ultimate act of love and justice.

Colossians 2:14-15 (NLT) paints a vivid picture of this victory:

“He cancelled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.”