Sermon Tone Analysis

THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS

I Corinthians 1:18-2:5

 

“The message of the cross is foolishness to the unbeliever,

but it demonstrates the power and wisdom of God to the believer”

 

Robert Fulton in a move known as “Fulton’s Folly” tried to launch a steamboat in the Seine River in France in 1803.

It sank because the engine was too heavy.

Fulton was laughed and called a fool.

It wasn’t until 1807 that Fulton was successful in sending his steamboat down the Hudson River in New York.

In a similar way, the message of the cross has been and is today laughed at and seen as foolishness to unbelievers.

Yet… to those of us who believe… it demonstrates the power and wisdom of God.

 

(Give the two major parts of the message and the sermon in a sentence)

 

I.

THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS APPEARS AS FOOLISHNESS TO THE UNBELIEVER (1:18-25)

 

(Relate to context here – divisions see v. 17.

Draw circle with cross in middle)

 

A.

The Weakness of Human Wisdom (v.

18)

 

The problem then (as today) is the problem of looking for answers to life’s big questions from philosophy (man’s wisdom) The result?

Man’s wisdom is not enough.

It is limited, partial wisdom.

T.

S. Eliot: “All our knowledge only brings us closer to our ignorance,

And all our ignorance, closer to death.

But closer to death, no closer to God. [And then he asks this haunting question:] Where is the life we have lost in living?”

Is there NO value in knowledge, in education?

No, of course not.

There have been tremendous accomplishments over the past centuries, especially over the last 50 years.

And it is also true that once you become a Christian you don’t know all the answers to everything – science, math, etc.

If you need your car fixed, you go to the best mechanic, if you need a Dr., go to one that has the best experience, education and reputation.

When used properly, the field of medicine, technology, & science can be of great value.

But – problem is when human philosophy tries to answer the big questions of life – where we come from, where we are going, why we are here, what’s right and what’s wrong.

Human wisdom oversteps its bounds and bites off more than it can chew when it tries to tackle those questions.

If we want to know the ultimate meaning & purpose of life, the source of happiness, joy, fulfillment & peace – we look beyond human wisdom.

No matter how much “philosophizing” is done, human wisdom falls short in giving us the answers to life.

C.S. Lewis: “No clever arrangement of bad eggs will make a good omelet.”

Human philosophy & wisdom – when trying to talk about the important truths – about human nature, sin, God, morality, ethics, our future…

Human philosophy is bankrupt – 0

 

Look what human philosophy, human wisdom, says about the cross (v.

18)

 

 

 

 

 

“Foolishness” = moria, from which we get the word moron.

To the unbeliever, the cross is moronic (absolute nonsense) Why?

Because it conflicts with his own wisdom.

That God would become a man, be crucified on a cross, be raised to life in order to provide for man’s forgiveness of sin & entrance into heaven is such a simple idea that it appears foolish & far too humbling for natural man to accept.

That one man (Son of God) would die on two pieces of wood on an insignificant hill in a very common and ordinary city & as a result determine the destiny of every person who has every lived seems stupid to the natural person.

There’s no place for our pride, for our understanding, for earning a prize, for our accomplishments.

Human wisdom cannot understand the cross.

To the natural mind, it is offensive and unacceptable.

BUT… to the one being saved (believers) it is the power of God.

Why have a cross in church?

The natural person would say that it’s like having an electric chair or guillotine in church.

To the natural man it seems foolish.

To the Christian – we know that it shows the power of God.

Listen: How you view the cross determines your destiny!

(The perishing = foolishness.

The ones being saved = power of God)

Transition: In contrast to human wisdom is God’s wisdom (vv.

19-25)

 

B.

The Superiority of God’s Wisdom (vv.

19-20)

 

Paul uses quotation from Isaiah 29:14 to illustrate his point.

When Isaiah made his prophecy, Sennacherib (King of Assyria) was planning to conquer Judah.

The Lord told Isaiah not to worry, God would protect them – not because of the strength of Judah’s army, or King Hezekiah’s strategy.

No. God promised that Judah would be saved solely by God’s power, with no human help.

He destroyed 185,000 Assyrians with just one angel!

(Isaiah 37:36) (Read about it in II Kings 19) All Israel had to do was trust & obey.

Natural for us to try to solve our own problems, fight our own battles in our own strength.

In terms of salvation, if we try to “help God out” we get in His way & seal our doom.

God wants us to simply believe the message of the cross – the simple gospel.

Yet it’s so hard for some to believe, because they trust their own wisdom rather than God’s (see v. 20)

 

This verse teaches us that human wisdom is not only unreliable, but it is impermanent.

Another way to ask the three questions Paul asks would be to ask, “Where are all the smart people that have the answers?”

How much closer to peace is man than he was a century ago – or a millennium ago?

How much closer are we to eliminating poverty, hunger, ignorance, crime, and immorality than they were in Paul’s day?

We are more educated than our forefathers, but we are not more moral.

We have more means of helping each other, but we are more selfish.

We have more means of communication, but we do not understand each other any better.

We have more psychology & education, yet more crime and more war.

No, we have not changed, except to find more ways to express and excuse our own sinful nature.

You look throughout history and you will find that human wisdom has never been able to solve the basic problems of man.

\\ \\ God’s wisdom, however, is not only superior to human wisdom; it is also very powerful (vv.

21-25) \\ \\ C. The Power of God’s Wisdom (vv.

21-25) \\ \\ With all the human wisdom & knowledge we have today, you’d think that most of our problems would be solved, right?

Wrong! \\ Man’s increased knowledge tends to increase problems, not solve them.

Hatred increases, misunderstandings increase, mental breakdowns increase, wars increase, drunkenness, crime, family problems.. all increase.

Not only in numbers, but also in seriousness.

The more you try to depend on yourself and your knowledge, the more your problems increase.

\\ \\ Listen to what John MacArthur says about this: \\ “Human wisdom never solves anything.

It’s nice to sit around and talk about it, but it can’t do anything.

People don’t get changed lives from it, it doesn’t transform people, it doesn’t forgive sin, it doesn’t make new creatures, it doesn’t usher people into the presence of God, it doesn’t do anything like that.

It gives people satisfaction by playing little intellectual games, and builds their ego by telling people what they know.”

\\ \\ Man can’t solve his problems because he won’t recognize the source of his problems = SIN or the solution = SALVATION.

Human wisdom doesn’t have the power to change the problem.

BUT… \\ GOD HAS THE POWER! (Amen?) \\ \\ When we are willing to recognize our own bankruptcy & turn to Christ by faith, He can exchange our poverty for His riches, our sin for His righteousness, our despair for hope, death for life.

That, my friend, is GOOD NEWS! \\ \\ It’s a simple message we preach isn’t it?

It’s the message of the cross.

It’s the message that Christ was crucified on the cross.

That He took our sin on Himself.

That He rose again on the 3rd day to prove Who He was.

That’s the gospel.

It’s so simple, but so many stumble over it.

So many see it as foolishness.

\\ \\ But that’s the only message any Christian has to tell… the message of the cross.