[The following is the full manuscript of my sermon delivered on the 3rd of January, 2016. Today's service also included observance of Holy Communion. Look for the video on our Vimeo channel, http://vimeo.com/pilgrimreformedchurch.]
Have you ever heard or even worse said something like, “Don’t be foolish!”, or “Stop acting like a fool!”? I used to hear that a lot when I was growing up. I was always into some foolishness or another, and always getting into trouble. I think my Daddy just wore himself out over praying for me so much.
A good bit of all this is at least partly due to how I was raised. You see, I just never got the message of the cross, at least not until I finally came to my senses as an adult. For the cross of Jesus indeed carries a very important message for us all.
Listen and follow along to how the Apostle Paul describes this critical message to the church in Corinth, in his 1st letter to the Corinthians, the 1st chapter, verses 18 through 31, and this is from the Contemporary English Version of our Holy Bible…
A good bit of all this is at least partly due to how I was raised. You see, I just never got the message of the cross, at least not until I finally came to my senses as an adult. For the cross of Jesus indeed carries a very important message for us all.
Listen and follow along to how the Apostle Paul describes this critical message to the church in Corinth, in his 1st letter to the Corinthians, the 1st chapter, verses 18 through 31, and this is from the Contemporary English Version of our Holy Bible…
18 The message about the cross doesn’t make any sense to lost people. But for those of us who are being saved, it is God’s power at work. 19 As God says in the Scriptures,
“I will destroy the wisdom
of all who claim
to be wise.
I will confuse those
who think they know
so much.”
20 What happened to those wise people? What happened to those experts in the Scriptures? What happened to the ones who think they have all the answers? Didn’t God show that the wisdom of this world is foolish? 21 God was wise and decided not to let the people of this world use their wisdom to learn about Him.
Instead, God chose to save only those who believe the foolish message we preach. 22 Jews ask for miracles, and Greeks want something that sounds wise. 23 But we preach that Christ was nailed to a cross. Most Jews have problems with this, and most Gentiles think it is foolish. 24 Our message is God’s power and wisdom for the Jews and the Greeks that He has chosen. 25 Even when God is foolish, He is wiser than everyone else, and even when God is weak, He is stronger than everyone else.
26 My dear friends, remember what you were when God chose you. The people of this world didn’t think that many of you were wise. Only a few of you were in places of power, and not many of you came from important families. 27 But God chose the foolish things of this world to put the wise to shame. He chose the weak things of this world to put the powerful to shame.
28 What the world thinks is worthless, useless, and nothing at all is what God has used to destroy what the world considers important. 29 God did all this to keep anyone from bragging to Him. 30 You are God’s children. He sent Christ Jesus to save us and to make us wise, acceptable, and holy. 31 So if you want to brag, do what the Scriptures say and brag about the Lord.
--1 Corinthians 1:18-31 (CEV)
Let us pray… Father God, we’re embarking on a new year in our journey through this life on earth. Help us see the path You wish us to follow. Speak Your message to us this morning through the power and wonder of Your Holy Spirit to guide us through each day. In the beautiful name of our Savior Jesus we pray. Amen.
A college physics professor testified that he came to that university believing he had all the answers. He said this: “An avowed evolutionist, I knew all about cause and effect. I could begin with the present and work back. Behind every natural effect I found a natural cause.
“One day I was studying a specimen under a microscope. Suddenly I noticed a particle of dust on the lens. I asked whence came that dust. That dust was an effect for which I could find no natural cause. I had to admit that behind the dust was not a cause but the Cause. A speck of dust led me to God!”
In our scripture reading this morning, the Apostle Paul quoted from the prophet Isaiah, when he spoke for God. Listen to what Isaiah said in chapter 29 verse 14, which includes the part Paul shared with the church in Corinth…
A college physics professor testified that he came to that university believing he had all the answers. He said this: “An avowed evolutionist, I knew all about cause and effect. I could begin with the present and work back. Behind every natural effect I found a natural cause.
“One day I was studying a specimen under a microscope. Suddenly I noticed a particle of dust on the lens. I asked whence came that dust. That dust was an effect for which I could find no natural cause. I had to admit that behind the dust was not a cause but the Cause. A speck of dust led me to God!”
In our scripture reading this morning, the Apostle Paul quoted from the prophet Isaiah, when he spoke for God. Listen to what Isaiah said in chapter 29 verse 14, which includes the part Paul shared with the church in Corinth…
14 Because of this, I will once again astound these
hypocrites with amazing wonders.
The wisdom of the wise will pass away,
and the intelligence of the intelligent will disappear.”
--Isaiah 29:14 (NLT)
Now to me, this perfectly describes that college physics professor. He came into the university all knowledgeable and full of man’s wisdom. And then God used a speck of dust to confuse and confound him, to destroy that form of wisdom, and bring the professor around to believing the truth.
Now I know that last week I said that I didn’t want us to make any New Year’s resolutions, because we tend not to take them very seriously. Even if we do try to be serious about keeping them, we fail miserably in our attempts more often than not. But if you read your bulletin and the title of this message, you’ve probably noticed that I am asking us to resolve one thing this new year. It’s kind of a backwards resolution, though, so maybe it will be easier to keep.
I’m asking us to resolve to not be foolish in the coming years, or in all the years ahead, for that matter. There’s a catch, though, and it depends on whether we are looking through the eyes of the world, or as God would see us. For Paul tells us that God sees the wisdom of the world as mere foolishness. But those who the world consider foolish, because of their faith and their belief, God will use them to put the wise of the world to shame. So in this respect, it is better to be seen as foolish by the world, but only in regards to our belief in Jesus as the Christ, the one true Son of God.
Of course we need to remember how we were when God chose us, as Paul reminds us. I know that many of us here today were raised in families of great Christian faith and strength, and you knew Jesus from the very start and never wavered in your faith. But many of us came to Christ in more circuitous ways. We know what we were before Jesus came to us and saved us. Even some that grew up knowing Jesus as Savior have still received that wondrous shock of the Holy Spirit moving in them, as we saw last week. We know the condition we were in before God’s grace settled upon us and brought His salvation to us.
We were foolish – there’s no better way to put it. We were foolish. And to be foolish in that manner is what we need to resolve to not ever be again!
In a few minutes we are going to remember our Lord’s last meal on this earth as we observe Holy Communion. Today’s message and scripture may seem a rather odd choice to couple with Communion. But what happened shortly after this Last Supper? Jesus was arrested, beaten, tried, convicted, and executed.
This is the message that Paul talks about in verse 18 of our scripture reading, the foolish message about the cross that makes no sense to non-believers. This is what Paul preached in verse 23, and what I preach: that Christ was nailed to a cross on our behalf.
How crazy is that, that Jesus would take the punishment that we deserve?!? Don’t a whole lot of people think that to be utterly foolish of Him? Like Paul notes in verse 22, people look for miracles. They look for something that, to them, appears wise.
And they have problems with what we know to be true, we who they consider foolish. For we know that this message about Jesus and His cross is an awesome and wonderful demonstration of God’s power at work, just as Paul says in verse 18. This is the same power that God used to raise Jesus from the grave and death’s cold grasp. This is the same power that Jesus sent to live within us, that you witnessed here at this altar last week, at the foot of Jesus’ cross. This is the power of God’s Holy Spirit.
And this is the message of the cross, the message that Jesus wants us to remember when He says, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you. This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Let’s resolve not to be foolish in God’s eyes. Let’s be sure never to forget the message of the cross. Let’s always keep that power of God at work within us by giving ourselves over to His Holy Spirit. Don’t be foolish. Jesus is Lord. Amen.
Let us pray… Father, God, You sacrificed Your only Son to give us the chance of believing in Him and being saved for all eternity. The world thinks us foolish to believe such a thing. But Father, we know that You destroy the wisdom of this world, and that You can use the most foolish things, in the world’s perspective, to lead a person to Jesus. Father we pray that You might use us in this way, to help bring the lost back to our Savior’s loving arms.
Jesus, the world thinks it foolish that You would take a crushing beating then allow Yourself to be horribly, painfully, slowly executed when You did nothing to deserve it! You took the punishment we deserve, just so we might be saved. This too is the message of Your cross – Your and our heavenly Father’s great love for us all.
Hear us now, Lord God, as we come to You in the silence of this place, to give You our thanks and to seek Your help in our struggles through this life…
Heavenly Father, may we never forget what Jesus did for us. Help us to never take Your great love for granted. Help us to never appear foolish in Your eyes. Use us to show the world the truth of the message of the cross. This we pray in the blessed name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and our Redeemer. Amen.
Now I know that last week I said that I didn’t want us to make any New Year’s resolutions, because we tend not to take them very seriously. Even if we do try to be serious about keeping them, we fail miserably in our attempts more often than not. But if you read your bulletin and the title of this message, you’ve probably noticed that I am asking us to resolve one thing this new year. It’s kind of a backwards resolution, though, so maybe it will be easier to keep.
I’m asking us to resolve to not be foolish in the coming years, or in all the years ahead, for that matter. There’s a catch, though, and it depends on whether we are looking through the eyes of the world, or as God would see us. For Paul tells us that God sees the wisdom of the world as mere foolishness. But those who the world consider foolish, because of their faith and their belief, God will use them to put the wise of the world to shame. So in this respect, it is better to be seen as foolish by the world, but only in regards to our belief in Jesus as the Christ, the one true Son of God.
Of course we need to remember how we were when God chose us, as Paul reminds us. I know that many of us here today were raised in families of great Christian faith and strength, and you knew Jesus from the very start and never wavered in your faith. But many of us came to Christ in more circuitous ways. We know what we were before Jesus came to us and saved us. Even some that grew up knowing Jesus as Savior have still received that wondrous shock of the Holy Spirit moving in them, as we saw last week. We know the condition we were in before God’s grace settled upon us and brought His salvation to us.
We were foolish – there’s no better way to put it. We were foolish. And to be foolish in that manner is what we need to resolve to not ever be again!
In a few minutes we are going to remember our Lord’s last meal on this earth as we observe Holy Communion. Today’s message and scripture may seem a rather odd choice to couple with Communion. But what happened shortly after this Last Supper? Jesus was arrested, beaten, tried, convicted, and executed.
This is the message that Paul talks about in verse 18 of our scripture reading, the foolish message about the cross that makes no sense to non-believers. This is what Paul preached in verse 23, and what I preach: that Christ was nailed to a cross on our behalf.
How crazy is that, that Jesus would take the punishment that we deserve?!? Don’t a whole lot of people think that to be utterly foolish of Him? Like Paul notes in verse 22, people look for miracles. They look for something that, to them, appears wise.
And they have problems with what we know to be true, we who they consider foolish. For we know that this message about Jesus and His cross is an awesome and wonderful demonstration of God’s power at work, just as Paul says in verse 18. This is the same power that God used to raise Jesus from the grave and death’s cold grasp. This is the same power that Jesus sent to live within us, that you witnessed here at this altar last week, at the foot of Jesus’ cross. This is the power of God’s Holy Spirit.
And this is the message of the cross, the message that Jesus wants us to remember when He says, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you. This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
Let’s resolve not to be foolish in God’s eyes. Let’s be sure never to forget the message of the cross. Let’s always keep that power of God at work within us by giving ourselves over to His Holy Spirit. Don’t be foolish. Jesus is Lord. Amen.
Let us pray… Father, God, You sacrificed Your only Son to give us the chance of believing in Him and being saved for all eternity. The world thinks us foolish to believe such a thing. But Father, we know that You destroy the wisdom of this world, and that You can use the most foolish things, in the world’s perspective, to lead a person to Jesus. Father we pray that You might use us in this way, to help bring the lost back to our Savior’s loving arms.
Jesus, the world thinks it foolish that You would take a crushing beating then allow Yourself to be horribly, painfully, slowly executed when You did nothing to deserve it! You took the punishment we deserve, just so we might be saved. This too is the message of Your cross – Your and our heavenly Father’s great love for us all.
Hear us now, Lord God, as we come to You in the silence of this place, to give You our thanks and to seek Your help in our struggles through this life…
Heavenly Father, may we never forget what Jesus did for us. Help us to never take Your great love for granted. Help us to never appear foolish in Your eyes. Use us to show the world the truth of the message of the cross. This we pray in the blessed name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and our Redeemer. Amen.
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