Two Types Of Evangelism (1 Corinthians 2:1-15) Series

I'm finding it impossible when working in 1 Corinthians to offer you any kind of introduction each week. There's something about reflecting on human wisdom, and Spirit wisdom, and Paul's criticism of human eloquence and rhetorical nicety that just stifles that. This week, in particular. And I don't think that's what Paul is even talking about, exactly-- I think introductions can be helpful for getting people into the place where they can listen. But I just can't right now.

So. 1 Corinthians 2:1:

(1) And I, when I came to you, brothers, I came not with excellence of speech or wisdom,

proclaiming to you the testimony of God.

(2) For I decided not anything to know among you except Jesus Christ

and this one having been crucified,

(3) and I, in weakness and in fear and in much trembling I came to you,

(4) and my word and my preaching [were] not with persuasive wisdom

but with a demonstration of the Spirit and power,

(5) in order that your faith would not be in the wisdom of men

but in the power of God.

It's hard to picture Paul as being scared to proclaim the good news. We don't think of Paul as being human, really. But Paul knows that when he proclaims the good news, bad things happen to him. And how many times, in how many cities, can bad things happen to you before you dread opening your mouth? When you have a message that you know is going to make some people angry, it's a terrifying thing to start talking. You know what's going to happen to you. You know some people will hear the good news as good news, absolutely. Some people will give their allegiance to King Jesus. And you are grateful for that. You praise God for that. But many people, when their the good news, are going to simply reject you as being an idiot. They are going to persecute you. You are going to suffer. The only question, really, is how? What will they do to you? Jail? Beatings? Ridicule? Slander you? Force you to leave town?

And the thing about sharing the gospel with people you don't know, is that you have no way of knowing who will do any of that to you. You can't look at a person, and know, this guy is a guaranteed convert. But that guy is hopeless. A person's demeanor, and appearance, and relative wickedness, tell you nothing about what how they will respond.

So when Paul began telling people the good news about Jesus in the city of Corinth, he didn't sound like Obama, or JFK. He was no great orator. He was proclaiming Jesus fearfully, dreading what comes next.

Then why did some people hear the good news about Jesus, as good news? How is it, that the Corinthian church came into being? Paul says that his proclamation came with a demonstration of the Holy Spirit and power. Paul doesn't unpack this here, because the Corinthians remember what he did. I assume that there were healings, and miracles. There were changed lives. God was very obviously, very powerfully at work through Paul.

And this was how Paul normally shared the good news:

1 Thess. 1:4-5:

4 For we know, brothers[b] loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.

Acts 14:8

8 Now at Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet. He was crippled from birth and had never walked. 9 He listened to Paul speaking. And Paul, looking intently at him and seeing that he had faith to be made well,[b] 10 said in a loud voice, “Stand upright on your feet.” And he sprang up and began walking. 11 And when the crowds saw what Paul had done, they lifted up their voices, saying in Lycaonian, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” 12 Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 And the priest of Zeus, whose temple was at the entrance to the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates and wanted to offer sacrifice with the crowds. 14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their garments and rushed out into the crowd, crying out, 15 “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. 16 In past generations he allowed all the nations to walk in their own ways. 17 Yet he did not leave himself without witness, for he did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness.” 18 Even with these words they scarcely restrained the people from offering sacrifice to them.