1 Corinthians Ch2v1-5 - Mission: Possible

So, turn in your Bibles, please, to 1 Corinthians, chapter 2.

1 Corinthians 2 · chapter mention

1 Corinthians, chapter 2. I'm going to read the first five verses.

1 Corinthians 2 · chapter mention

This is the Apostle Paul writing to the church in Corinth.

And this is what he writes. And it's a word for us today as well.

1 Corinthians 2.

And so it was with me, brothers and sisters, when I came to you, I did not come with eloquence

or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.

For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you, except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

I came to you in weakness, with great fear and trembling.

My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words,

but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power,

so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God's power.

Let's pray before we look at this word together.

Father, you've given us food to eat today.

You've given us drink.

You nourish us.

And you sustain us physically.

But how much more are we desperately in need for your Spirit?

And so we pray that as we look at these words together and think about them,

that it would be a demonstration of your Spirit's power at work amongst us today,

so that you would cause us to lean upon you,

to trust you,

depend upon you,

so that you would do an effective and eternal work

in the lives of people causing them to trust in you too.

So help us now.

In Jesus' name.

Amen.

Well, I'm sure you're all familiar with the TV show, The Apprentice.

The host, Mr. Lord Sugar himself,

invites 15 or so people to compete against each other

in a series of business tasks.

And the winner gets to receive, in case you're interested,

£250,000

and becomes Lord Sugar's apprentice.

But I wonder if you've also noticed that the winners of this show

are always charming and clever.

They're already very successful in their own little businesses

and very wealthy.

It seems to be that they are the best and the brightest.

And above all, they have an extraordinary self-confidence

in themselves and in their message.

They don't just sell snow to the Eskimos,

they can sell rain to the Irish.

Now, in many ways, that just reflects the values of our society

and it mirrors our culture.

You see, we live in a world

where the weak are disregarded

and the foolish are despised.

There's only room for the best and the brightest.

We want winners and not losers.

But when it comes to God's plan and purpose,

as we've been thinking about this morning,

to create a kingdom from every nation,

to love him,

well, those values of the world

are turned completely upside down.

Because what we're going to see from the text that we read today

is this.

And I've just suddenly thought,

I always get mixed up how to spell chooses and chose.

So if I've got that wrong anywhere,

please forgive me.

God chooses weak people,

sends them with a foolish message,

fills them with extraordinary power,

so that lives are changed.

How different that is

to the standards of the world.

Weak people,

with a foolish message,

give an extraordinary power,

so that lives are changed.

That's what we're thinking about today.

So let's take each part in turn.

God chooses weak people.

Look at chapter 2, verse 1.

So it was with me,

says Paul, brothers and sisters,

when I came to you,

I didn't come with eloquence or human wisdom,

as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.

When I came to your town and city

and I preached to you,

I was nothing special.

In fact, he's saying,

I was just like you.

Beginning of verse 1,

so it was with me,

brothers and sisters,

I was just like you.

So what were the church like?

Well, we're told in the previous section,

go back to chapter 1, verse 26.

Brothers and sisters,

think of what you were when you were called.

Think about, for a moment,

what you were when you became a Christian.

Not many of you were wise by human standards.

Some, but not many,

were leading professors in the world of academics.

Not many of you were influential.

A few,

but not many were powerful politicians

influencing the nation's economy.

And not many of you were noble birth.

One of two,

one or two of you,

but not many of you were born with great wealth

and status and privilege.

He's reminding them that,

well,

they were a bunch of nobodies.

And that's really a picture of us.

It's a picture of Amy.

As far as the world's elite and the standards go,

well,

we're nothing.

We have an education

and we may have a few qualifications

and letters after our name,

but we're not being chased up

to have our thoughts published

to the world.

You see,

when God looked at us,

we weren't standing out in a crowd.

We weren't spotted by God on Instagram

because we had so many followers.

We were people who had nothing to offer.

In the eyes of the world,

nothing special.

Now,

isn't that incredibly humbling?

Because we all like to think

we are somebody special,

or at the very least,

that we're somehow better

than the person sitting next to me.

So,

if we're nothing special,

how did we ever become a Christian

in the first place?

Well,

look at verse 27,

chapter 1,

verse 27.

We're told that God chose

the foolish things of the world

to shame the wise.

God chose the weak things of the world

to shame the strong.

God chose the lowly things of this world

and the despised things

and the things that are not

to nullify or cancel

the things that are.

You see,

God didn't choose us

because we were special.

Maybe you can remember

back to your school days,

standing in the playground,

being lined up,

being picked for a particular football team

or a game of tag

or whatever it was.

Always the sporty and the fastest.

They always got chosen first.

And then the rest were ignored or rejected.

You can go and play on your own,

do your own thing.

Well,

it's no different today,

is it?

The world picks the beautiful,

the wealthy,

the clever.

But God doesn't choose

by the standards of this world.

God isn't influenced

about anything about our exterior

or anything good we do

or anything bad that we do.

God is driven by his grace

because he loves us.

Verse 27,

God chose the foolish,

the weak,

the lowly,

the despised.

God chose nobodies

just like us.

You see,

he seeks a people

who know

they are not qualified.

People like Amy

who have come to see that,

well,

Amy knows that she has nothing

to offer God

except for her failure

and her brokenness.

One author puts it like this.

Here we go.

In the kingdom of God,

the one thing that qualifies you

is knowing that you don't qualify

and the one thing that disqualifies you

is thinking that you do.

God chooses weak people.

So why?

But why does God choose those

who are weak?

Now I've gone and messed up a bit here.

Oh dear.

Never mind.

Why does God choose those who are weak?

Well, look at verse 29.

So that no one

may boast before him.

If ever I could say

I'm a Christian

or Amy,

you could say

I'm a Christian

because

because I

because I

obeyed

because

I went to Sheffield

because

well

we have reason for boasting,

don't we?

It's something I've done

that qualifies me.

No, we're only qualified

because of

Christ.

Verse 30.

It is because of

God

that you are

in Christ Jesus

who's become for us

wisdom from God

that is our righteousness,

holiness

and redemption.

Christ

took your

unrighteousness, Amy

and gave you

his righteousness

so that you are

acceptable to God.

He took your

unholiness

and gave you

his holiness

so that you are

treated as

blameless.

He's redeemed us

from a life of

slavery,

setting us free

so that we can

live a new life

to please him.

All this

has been given

to us

freely

because God

loves us.

None of us

on our own

qualify.

He makes us

his people

righteous,

holy

and redeemed.

He qualifies

you, Amy.

He qualifies

us

for the task.

Verse 31.

Therefore,

as it is written,

let the one

who boasts

boast

in the Lord.

Amy,

as you go,

always remember

that you are

weak

and your

boasting

is in

Christ

because he

qualifies you

to do

what you

could never

do

on your

own.

So,

God chooses

weak people.

Second,

God

sends

with a

foolish

message.

Paul's

message was

very simple,

wasn't it?

He explains it

like this,

chapter 2,

verse 2.

For I

resolved to

know nothing

while I was

with you

except Jesus

Christ

and him

crucified.

Imagine,

he was sent

with a

message

about a

person

called

Jesus

who was

put to

death

as a

criminal.

That's the

message.

And the

problem is

people

don't

always

like it.

For

some,

it's a

nonsense.

Look at

chapter 1,

verse 18.

Do you

see it

there?

Chapter 1,

verse 18.

The message

of the

cross

is

foolishness

to those

who are

perishing.

Professor

Richard Dawkins,

who's a

leading scientist

and atheist,

said this,

you cannot

be an

intelligent

scientific

thinker

and still

hold

to

religious

beliefs.

Don't

know if

you agree

with that,

but what

he's saying

is you

can't be

an educated

person,

an intelligent

person,

and still

believe in

the cross

of Jesus

Christ.

You see,

for many,

the cross

is foolish.

We don't

need anyone

to save

us.

We save

ourselves.

Salvation

for humanity

is found in

the wisdom

that we

have and

that we

can learn.

And Amy

is being

sent to

Sheffield

with a

foolish

message.

A message

that some

people will

think is

completely

daft,

and some

of your

friends will

think you're

daft.

But listen

to what God

says.

Verse 18.

Let's read

it all.

For the

message of

the cross

is foolishness

to those

who are

perishing,

but to

us who

are being

saved,

it's the

power of

God.

For it

is written,

I will

destroy the

wisdom of

the wise,

the

intelligence

of the

intelligent,

I will

frustrate.

The very

thing that

the world

counts as

foolish and

nonsense,

God says,

I will show

the world

that this

is actually

the means

of salvation.

The world's

wisdom says,

we can go

it alone,

we don't

need God,

we don't

need a

cross,

but God

in his

wisdom used

the very

thing that

was foolish

to save

the world.

Look at

the end

of verse

21,

chapter 1,

end of

verse 21.

God was

pleased

through the

foolishness

of what

was preached

to save

those who

believe.

You see,

the wisdom

of the

world has

achieved great

things.

We can do

amazing things.

We can send

rockets to the

moon.

India did

that recently

to see if

there was

ice.

I don't

know what

they'll do

with the

ice if

they find

ice there,

but maybe

there is.

We can

write books

and plays

and I've

even discovered

you can

write sermons

using the

use of

artificial

intelligence.

This sermon

wasn't AI,

don't worry.

We can

slow down

and cure

degenerative

diseases

and prolong

life.

We've done

amazing things

through our

wisdom,

but the

world is

still broken.

The human

heart is

still selfish

and it's

still sinful

beyond our

ability to

fix or

cure or

heal.

And God's

answer to

this is the

good news of

Jesus Christ

crucified.

A loving

God who

comes to

us in the

person of

Jesus Christ

to reach

us where

we're at.

Verse 22,

we're still

in chapter

1.

Jews demand

signs or

if you like

religious people,

well they want

miracles and

all the

razzmatazz

and wonderful

things.

Greeks look

for wisdom,

for knock

down arguments

and philosophy.

But we

preach Christ

crucified,

a stumbling

block to

religious folk

and foolishness

to those who

are not

religious.

amy, your

task, your

calling is

to bring

people to

the foolishness

of the

cross,

to see the

broken body

of Jesus

beaten,

crushed

and naked,

to see nails

driven into

his hands and

feet, ripping

and tearing

flesh,

to see

crown of

thorns

crushed

into his

skull,

blood

blinding

his eyes

and dripping

down his

side,

hearing the

agony and

the pain,

the grasping

for breath

as life

edges away.

Watch at the

cross as

crowds jeer

and taunt

and spit

and laugh.

the cross

of Christ

is a picture

of weakness,

it's a

bloody mess,

foolish,

stupid,

pathetic,

but look

at verse

24,

to those

whom God

has called,

whether Jews

or Greeks

or from

wherever they

come from,

Christ,

the power

of God

and the

wisdom of

God.

Amy,

we're sending

you to

proclaim a

foolish message

that has

the power

to save

anyone.

So tell

the good

news of

the cross.

Let the

women see

that Christ

has died

for all

of their

sin,

past,

present and

future.

Show them

that they

can be

forgiven

and no

longer have

to live

with fear,

guilt or

shame.

declare that

they are

loved and

treasured

by God,

that they

can be

beautiful

daughters of

Father God

who is not

just great

but good

and personal

and gracious.

Teach them

nothing less

and nothing

more than

this simple

message of

Jesus Christ

and him

crucified.

again as

one writer

put it

on the

cross

the one

person who

ever truly

qualified

allowed

himself to

be

disqualified

so that

you and

I who are

naturally

disqualified

can qualify

free

of charge.

so why

does God

use such

a foolish

message?

Well to

humble the

proud.

Look at

verse 25.

For the

foolishness of

God is

wiser

than the

human

wisdom

and the

weakness

of God

is stronger

than human

strength.

You see

God is not

seeking those

who rely on

their own

wisdom

or their

own

strength.

The saying

we all

know it

God helps

those who

help

themselves.

It's not

a Bible

verse.

It's false

teaching.

If we are

to experience

God's work

in us and

his salvation

we come in

humility.

We admit

that my

wisdom

my wisdom

from myself

is foolish

and my

strength is

complete

weakness.

Amy

preach the

cross to

others

but preach

the cross

to yourself

every day.

It will

keep you

humble.

So

weak

people

with a

foolish

message

equipped

with

extraordinary

power.

Paul came

in weakness

didn't he?

He was sent

with a foolish

message.

But look

in verses

chapter 2

verses 3

and 4

he was

equipped

by God's

power.

Do you see

it there

verse 3?

I came

to you

in weakness

with great

fear

and trembling.

Did you

write those

words Amy?

My message

and my

preaching

were not

with wise

and persuasive

words

but with

a demonstration

of the

Spirit's

power.

The people

God uses

are weak.

The message

we have

is foolish.

But it's

the means

by which

God works.

Amy if

you're to

lead someone

to Christ

it's not

because of

your ability

it's a

demonstration

of the

Spirit's

power.

If

Carigaline or

Christ Church

Central were

to plant

a church

it's not

our

greatness

it's a

demonstration

of the

Spirit's

power.

If any

good were

to come

from us

or from

our church

it's all

down to

the power

of God

working

through a

simple

people

with a

simple

message.

It doesn't

happen by

our wisdom

or our

persuasive

words.

It's not

our method

or our

technology

our slick

presentation

the dynamic

speaker

the strength

of our

faith

or the

length

of our

prayers.

It's all

down to

God's

power.

Later on

in the

letter Paul

speaks of

God's

power like

this.

He says

God's

power

raised the

Lord Jesus

from the

dead and

he will

also raise

us also.

That is

the power

at work

in Amy

and through

Amy

and in

us

and through

us.

It's

supernatural.

It's

extraordinary.

And so

as we

go

we depend

on

God.

Look at

verse 5.

We need

the Spirit's

power,

verse 5,

so that

your faith

might not

rest on

human wisdom

but on

God's

power.

power.

We don't

want people

trusting in

Carigoline

Baptist

Church.

We don't

want followers

of Johnny

Grant or

any program.

We want

people who

will follow

Jesus and

people who

will proclaim

the cross.

You see,

if we depend

on our

strength,

we make

followers of

us.

People will

become dependent

on you if

you are the

strength.

Their faith

will be in

you.

In

Johnny

Grant we

trust.

No,

don't trust

me and

don't trust

yourself.

When we

are weak,

we depend

on God

and people

become followers

of him.

People will

become dependent

on him.

Their faith

will be in

Jesus.

So Amy,

depend on

God and

you will

experience the

Spirit's

power.

Which brings

us right

the way

through to

the end.

God

chooses

weak people,

sending them

with a

foolish message,

giving them

extraordinary

power so

that lives

are changed.

This is how

the church

in Corinth

came into

being.

It's how

Carragaline

came into

being.

It's how

Christ Church

Central came

into being.

This is the

way God

works.

It's the

way of

ministry for

all of

God's

people.

God

chooses

weak people

like you

and me.

He sends

us with a

foolish message,

equips us

with extraordinary

power so

that lives

are changed

for God's

glory.

Let's pray

together.

Let's pray.

Let's pray.

as we pray,

I'm going to

read a

couple of

lines from

an old

hymn.

amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

We rest

on thee,

our shield

and our

defender.

We go

not forth

alone

against the

foe,

strong in

thy strength,

safe in

thy keeping

tender.

We rest

on thee,

and in

thy name

we go.

we go

in faith,

our own

great weakness

feeling,

and needing

more each

day thy

grace to

know.

Yet from

our hearts

a song of

triumph

pealing,

we rest

on thee,

and in

thy name

we go.

Father,

thank you

that you

have reached

people like

us as

weak as

we are.

Thank you

for the

wonderful

message of

Jesus Christ.

Thank you

that you

have given

us your

spirit's

power so

that we

might go

as your

people so

that others

are changed

for their

good and

for your

glory.

And it's

in Jesus'

name we

all pray.

Amen.

We are

going to

sing together.

Let your

kingdom come,

let your

will be

done so

that everyone

might know

your name.

As we

conclude

this

chapter 20

chapter 20

chapter 20

chapter 20

Hebrews

chapter 21

chapter 20

Charlie

Andrew