Lesson 3

The Foolishness Of God

I Corinthians 1:17-2:5

Have you heard the saying, "A bad day fishing is better than the best day at work"? Well, in our text for today's message, I Corinthians 1:17ff, Paul makes a similar kind of contrast. He says "the foolishness of God is wiser than men and the weakness of God is stronger than men" (1:25).

Corinth was a Greek city. The ancient Greeks were known for their philosophers - Aristotle, Socrates, Plato and others. Even in Paul's day, the Greeks loved to discuss and debate philosophy. The word "philosophy" means "the love of wisdom." In this text, Paul talks about wisdom, both human and heavenly. In fact, he uses the word "wisdom" or "wise" 15 times in 20 verses. The Greeks glorified wisdom. In would be tempting for the Corinthian Christian congregation to get sucked into that culture of intellectualism which elevated human wisdom, logic and reasoning.

There were also a significant number of Jews in the church at Corinth. After all, Paul went to first to the synagogue to proclaim Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah. There were many Jews who believed, including the chief ruler of the Jewish synagogue. While the Greeks glorified wisdom, the Jews sought after supernatural signs as proof. Matthew 12:38-39 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it. Matthew 16:1 The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would show them a sign from heaven. John 2:18 Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign showest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? John 6:30 They said therefore unto him, What sign showest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee?

The Corinthians would have been tempted to worship at the altar of Greek intellectualism and/or Jewish miracle seeking. And so, having called to church to spirit of unity (vs. 10-17a), Paul goes on to write about the simplicity of the gospel's message and method. He wants to protect the church from getting caught up in the intellectualism of the Greek Corinthian culture.

Our Primary Method : Preaching

In this section of scripture (1:17-2:5), Paul uses the word "preach" or "preaching" five times. It begins with Paul declaring that Christ has sent him to preach the gospel (1:17). That is the church's great commission. Mark 16:15 "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."

Now, a lot of people don't understand preaching. They just don't get it. Verse 18 - To those who are perishing, the preaching of the cross is foolishness.

The world thinks that truth can be discovered, that the ultimate meaning of life can be found through human wisdom. But please notice, God's perspective on the human intellect. In verse 19, Paul quotes the Old Testament (Isaiah 29:14) where God promised to destroy the wisdom of wise men and to hide the understanding of prudent men. The quotation is followed by questions, verse 20. It's hard to see in the Bible, but there is a hint of sarcasm in these four questions. Where's the wise guy? Where's the scholar? Where's the philosopher, the great debater? The world's wisdom in foolishness to God. Verse 21a says that the world will not know God through human wisdom, human intellect, human philosophy. What is wise to man is foolish to God and what is wise to God is foolish to mankind. Notice what it says in verse 21b - "it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."

The Jews demand a sign. The Greeks seek wisdom, Paul says in verses 22-23a, but we preach. Preaching seems foolish to many. They mock it and laugh at it. In fact, there is a subtle effort to somehow phase preaching out of the church and replace it with some other way of communicating. Preaching is being replaced with drama and dance, with the fine arts, with multi-media. Now, I'm not saying that there is no place for drama or multi-media, which can be used, like music, in a support role. But I am saying that these things must not replace preaching. You can't improve on God's methods. And it "hath pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save those who believe." To those who are being saved, it says it verse 18, the preaching of the cross is the power of God. Our primary method is through preaching.

Our Primary Message : The Cross.

It isn't enough that we preach. It is very important what we preach. Our message is vitally important. Notice, what Paul says our message is. Verse 17 - "to preach the gospel; the cross of Christ"; verse 18 - "the preaching of the cross"; verse 23 - "we preach Christ crucified"; 2:1-2 (read).

We preach a lot of things at church about loving and living and giving and going. But our primary message is the cross - Christ crucified - the gospel - G-O-S-P-E-L - God's Only Son Purchased Eternal Life by His death on the cross.

The world things that our message is silly and foolish, see verse 18a. The Jews, Paul says in verse 23, trip over the cross. The crucified Christ is the chief corner, the stone which the builder's rejected, and over which they now stumble. The cross is foolish to the Greeks. The cross was too shameful for the Jews and made no sense to the Greeks. C.S. Lewis says that "Christianity is a religion you could not have guessed." "It is not the sort of thing anyone would have made up" he writes in Mere Christianity. He's right! If you were making up a religion, if you were logically and reasonably and intellectually trying to figure out how man could have eternal life, you would not have come up with God's Son hanging on a cross for your sins. According to verse 17b, human wisdom negates the cross of Christ. But beloved, though that message makes no sense to the intellectuals, it is a stumbling block, it is foolishness, to those who are respond to the summons of the Spirit to salvation - whether Jew or Greek - the cross of Christ is power and the wisdom of God, v. 24. Because God is on a different level than man, v. 25.

Our method is preaching - our message is Christ crucified ...

Our Primary Appeal : Common People, 1:26-31.

There aren't many who are famous, wealthy, highly intellectual, powerful or influential who come to Christ.

That's exactly what Paul says here - Not many wise, mighty, noble. Paul did't say not any but he did point out that there were not many. God is not looking for Phi Beta Kappas to save so that He can do His work more effectively. He is not looking for millionaires or famous athletes or entertainers or statesman. His salvation is open to them just as surely as to others, but only on the basis of faith. The fact is that when God uses common people, He gets the glory instead of men. In fact, the very things that put men ahead in this world may put them behind when it comes to being saved. It's the feeling of inadequacy that makes people aware that they have need and often draws them to the gospel.

Every once in a while, in one of those carnal moments, I get to wondering why we can't seem to reach the elite of this world. I get to thinking that it would be wonderful in such-and-such a great athlete - or brilliant scientist, popular entertainer, or world leader - would become a Christian. But Jesus did not think that way when He chose His disciples. He did not choose them on the basis of their wealth or influence. Christians for the most part are the commonest of people.

In the year 178 A.D., the philosipher Celsus mockingly wrote this about Christians: "Let no cultured person draw near, none wise and none sensible ... but if any man is ignorant, if any man is wanting in sense and culture, if anybody is a fool, let him come boldly to become a Christian ... We see them in their own houses, wool dresses, cobblers, the worst, the vulgarist, the most uneducated persons ... They are like a swarm of bats or ants creeping out of their nest, or frogs holding a symposium around a swamp, or worms convening in mud."

The simplicity of the gospel and the humility of faithful believers is incomprehensible to the world; it seems to be utter foolishness. but the Lord planned it that way! That way, He gets the glory! "But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."

Our Primary Power : The Holy Spirit

Four times in these verses Paul refers to the power of God - 1:18, 24; 2:4, 5. The preaching of the cross is the power of God (1:18), Christ is the power of God (1:24). In those first five verses of chapter 2 notice how Paul contrasts his personal weakness with the Holy Spirit's power. "My speech, my declaration of the testimony of God to you was not with excellence nor with particular wisdom" (v. 1). "I was weak and fearful and trembling terribly" (v. 3). "My words were not powerful and persuasive because of my intellect" (verse 4a). "But they were empowered by the Holy Spirit. Thus, your faith does not rest in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God" (verse 5).

Beloved, as Christians our power is not in our intellect nor human ability. We cannot persuade people to come to faith in Christ with human wisdom. It requires the power of the Holy Spirit. "No man can come to me except the Father draw him", Jesus said in John 6:44. Doing the Lord's work, the Lord's way requires the power of the Holy Spirit. Acts 1:8 "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be my witnesses ..."

Here is one of those mid-course corrections to help keep the church on target. We must always make sure that the most important things are the most important things. We must not get caught up in the culture of intellectualism and human wisdom. Our primary method is preaching. Our primary message is the cross of Christ. Our primary appeal is to the common folks. Our primary source of power is the Holy Spirit. It may seem foolish from the human standpoint. But it is, in fact, "the wisdom and power of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men."