Christ, the Wisdom and Power of God

Okay. Well, good morning, everyone. Before we jump into 1st Corinthians a little bit of lead in let's pray together.

Father God we we are humbled that you have brought us together today to look at your word to praise your name to give you thanks for your goodness toward us your kindness toward us your generosity toward us that it would fall on fertile soil today. Then we all would be moved by what you want to tell us that we would take it with us in applying this week father. I praise your name and thank you for the body at redeemers for the people here for their desire to serve you too. Love you and thank you for the elders lift them up to your father. We ask your protection and blessings on them and their families. And we ask your protection and blessing in particular on Brad and Jessica and their kids and I we just appreciate them so much and thank you father for bringing us together and that we offer this. Amen. Well couple things first first. I really do count it a privilege and an honor to be able to speak with you this morning. I am not a professional speaker by any means nor a theologian. So you're expecting breakfast morning. I apologize first and foremost several weeks ago. Brett came to me. We were staying together having a coffee and this will just shortly after we had let James go and he was he was stressed. He was it was a tough time very very tough time and I asked Brett how Lori and I my wife could help him and Jessica and he came up with a brilliant idea to do this. So here I am and I'm glad to do it for him because they absolutely do deserve a rest this week, and I'm glad that they can have some time. All together for those of you that don't know me or we haven't met my name is Todd Coulter and my wife Lori and I have been a part of redeemers. I've been three and a half years for years Lori about two years. We made the move from Seattle. I made the move first Lori came afterwards. I was working there for a large Trucking Manufacturing Company in Bellevue and Lori was finishing up her degree in counseling in Theology and she had two years to go and so we kind of had a split relocation for that. I move first and then she has come later. I'm in she has a a counseling a Christian Counseling Services. Well, she has just started up and she would be embarrassed if I told that to this group, I don't say that as advertisement. I say that to let you know about Lori and her heart for people in general. I work for Les Schwab.

Busy out through the week. We have three children three boys grown two are married one is not and the oldest has a granddaughter who were really pleased with me see pictures and videos every single day of her and that's that's very special 1st Corinthians the first chapter. I'm not going to get out of the first chapter yet and I'm going to hit this at a bit of a higher level because I'm not near as as bright as breath. I have to try to take this out of really high level and then we'll talk about the little deeper level does Brett's really good about getting into some of the really detailed passages here and topics out of the word. We're going to take a look at it first Corinthians 1 The first 18 and I'm going to go through to five. Let's read this together. And this is titled as is the the lesson is titled Christ the wisdom and power of God to keep that in mind in the two verses that I really want you to take home with is the very first first. We're going to read Verse 18 the last verse we're going to read into five. So keep that in mind as well as we as we go through this. For the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God for it is written. I will destroy the wisdom of the wise the intelligence of the intelligent. I will frustrate. Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age is not God made foolish the wisdom of the world for sensing wisdom of God. The world did not know him. God was pleased to through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs in the Greeks look for wisdom But we preach Christ crucified a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to gentiles. But to Those whom God has called both Jews and Greeks Christ the power of God and Christ the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's Wisdom and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength Brothers think of what you were when you were call the keepers think of what you were when you were called not many of you were Wise by human standards that many were influential not many were of noble birth that God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise God chose the weak things of the world to shame the straw. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things and the things that are not to notify the things that are so that no one may boast before him is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus. Who has become for us wisdom from God that is our righteousness our Holiness and our Redemption. Therefore it is as it is written. Let him who boasts boast in the Lord. When I came to you Brothers, I did not come with elephants or superior wisdom as I proclaimed you the testimony about God for our resolve to know nothing while I was with you accept Jesus Christ and him crucified. I came to you and weakness and fear in as much trembling my message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with Ed with the demonstration of the spirits power so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power. I want to kind of Bacchus up a little bit. It's sometimes easy with all of the weakness in the strengths and what the foolish see and what the other see to get in a lost. I don't want us to do this to go back a little bit about 1st Corinthians. Paul is riding to address a specific issue here in the Corinthian Church that Paul wrote to the Corinthians. His first letter is referenced in 5 9 in chapter 5 verse 9 where he's actually talking about sexual immorality and he dresses that again later on here in 1st Corinthians. So this is the second letter to the Corinthians and he's addressing in this particular. He's addressing divisiveness. He's addressing Unity of the church summer wanting to follow Palace Summer Wind follow Paul some cephas. And he addresses this specifically say it's none of those guy you guys have been so influenced by your culture so influenced by your the Greeks by their Philosophy by the culture of the day that they are going a separate path from what Paul originally taught them about four years ago to this point that Jesus Christ crucified he is the basis is the foundation of their faith and why they are together, but I appreciate about this in Corinthians. Paul doesn't lambaste them with with criticism. He doesn't kill them initially with you guys have it all wrong. You've lost the plot and I'm tossing you out. He didn't do that. He opens with love you opens with respect with greetings. It's really amazing more recently. I send you know that we live in an association homeowners association and I saw a note I happen to be on He's not here this morning. Anyway, I saw a note from the president to to one of the staff members because this particular staff member was not doing their job. He had reports that things were not right in this particular person was not on track. And I mean he gave him both barrels. I was shocked. I send it all back with email back to the present without copying me. But you also said what is going on that you have before you even sit down with the person you're just killing them here in this email. That's now enough for all times sake put away electronically. Why did you do that? And I talked to him last night for the Gathering and he said I was upset emotional upset. I appreciate so very much pulse heart here to address things in the Corinthian Church that were absolutely problematic. Absolutely full of evil and sin and we'll get into that later on. We won't I won't today, but I'm sure Brett will later on but in this initial look this young church, it's less than like 4 years old Paul. It's been about a year-and-a-half with them about three and a half years earlier. He's writing this letter from Ephesus to them. He's heard from the a family in the church there that things are not right. It's a Paul responds to that. I want to set that stage for us because while we may not have a major divisive problem here or we're not following Perry or following Britain or following Matt. That's not our issues here. I don't want us to think about if we were to write a letter to Paul. What would that look like? What were the concerns that redeemers might have with the body here? How did Paul respond to that? So as if we look at that, you know Paul he really set the foundation and and here's the Crux of the matter. He set the foundation around Jesus Christ crucified. That's where the power and the wisdom of God Reigns and that's what our power and where are wisdom should come from the Corinthian Church. They were confused this with this is a test City much like Press Portland OR Seattle lots of trade lots of wealth lots of poverty. I'm sure as well. They were markets everywhere. There were synagogues everywhere. It was a busy busting place was also a place where the philosophy and philosophers of the day would come and speak and you can go pay and listen to those philosophers ask yourself in society. Had an amazing spot mazing place. So the influence though that the Corinthians had was from a very very roller perspective culture had absolutely been a part of the church here. And that was that was the issue that they had. So I say all that to say what is it from a society point of view or from a cultural point of view that has influenced us or perhaps some of the issues we have and I do not claim to call all these out today. That's not my job. But I do want to point out a few things that prep practically here might be an issue. Where were influenced from society for influence from our busy lives were influenced from the technology perhaps that we have today. And what's that look like Would you say when you write this letter to Paul would you say that we are a loving and caring Church? I think in many ways is my observations. There's many that contact one another are involved in one of those lives. Could we do better with Paul call that out and he might he might you know, I think back to a preacher who was influential in our lives and he always said the three tees Time treasure and talent So, how are you bringing your time your treasure and talent to the body? Is that something that Paul might call out today to us? I don't know maybe operationally speaking we know that bread often times ask for help for children's classes. There's help needed for just the upkeep of the building. I know there were five folks this week downstairs painting trying to help keep up with some of the maintenance someone did the work and pay the money to get the paint to get the brushes to show off on a Friday and paint the room downstairs and have a look afterwards if you would someone every every Sunday puts together the communion And so I guess what I'm asking is what is it in your own mind that Paul might call out here for redeemers. How are we influence on a regular basis? Are we so busy that this is the time just to come in you consume and you leave is that an issue? Looking on we know we need more Community groups. We know there's more people than really they the number of community groups that we have today that can handle comfortably. What about missions outside Central, Oregon? Is that something Paul my call out? What about Outreach to our neighbors evangelism as a whole? And what about support for the poor for the marginalized in our community would call call that out? And what about perhaps our own division is a lot of families here lot of connections and I can imagine that is we get to know each other better. You'll be disagreements. It's just a fact there are people in here that have failed like me and like you and there will be disagreements. I don't list all those things for Guilt Trip. I don't list all those things to say. You're not doing it. I list those things for us to provide and provoke thought about what Paul might say to us.

And you know, I think Paul would say maybe some of those things are true. But how do we solve those? And this is where I believe Paul would say I saw those with my same response. I gave to the Corinthian Church that we're so divided and we're having such as shoes and that is really to look at the power and the wisdom of the Cross of Christ. What's that mean for us every day? How do I look and study and understand the power of God and the wisdom of God, what does that mean to us?

No in verse 30. Paul writes it's because of him that you are in Christ Jesus. How is who has become for us wisdom from God.

God is the one that's provided our faith. It's not because of her own wisdom. It's not because you studied and you read and You Were Somehow really clever and you figured this out and now you're saved it was God through Jesus Christ that provided it the other thing that called us here in verse 26. He says

Starting in in 25 for the foolishness of God is wiser than man's Wisdom and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength Brothers. Think of what you were when you were called, so that would be my my I guess my encouragement to you today, but to think back when you were called to Jesus, what were you then? What was your thought what was your position? What was the pain or the suffering right that you were going through that turned you to Christ? I think if we think back to what we were at that time and what Jesus has done for us to bring this back to the foundation that Foundation of who Jesus is and his death on the cross and comes back then to what is my response to that police think that Paul might be talking about to us might be asking about the redeemers church that that Foundation then motivates us out of love out of Thanksgiving to step in and maybe Do some of these things where I have talent where I have ability run call. I think that's absolutely key.

It's interesting when we let the world take over for us and we listen to the world the things that can go wrong. In 2011, Lori and I and Ryan was still at home or youngest I was working for a large company called paccar a car is the manufacturer of Peterbilt Class 8 trucks. I was in an executive role there or CEO. It called me into his office along with the president of the company and he said Todd. You are going to go to India for a year to set up our technical offices. And I didn't sound like I had a choice and he actually unfortunately he threatened that he would downgrade near respectively. I can lose my job. If I didn't go you say he was under pressure because the board had pushed him the CEO to expand pacarctic spend Class 8 truck business in Asia in China and India other parts of the world pack are actually sells and in Australia, but they did not sell it. I didn't really have an opportunity to talk to Lori about it. He said you got 24 hours to think about it and I expect you to get on the plane next week and go.

I talked to Lori. Ryan the time was 16. Ryan is going through difficult time. It was not a good time to go without a good time for our relationship to go but I was listening to the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of the world said you can do it. You are an executive you're the breadwinner you can go out and you can make this happen. Absolutely you can and you will deal with the family. That'll work out. And unfortunately, I felt threatened with my job threatened with the position and I said yes, Lori asked me not to go. And looking back is absolutely by mistake. I was listening to the wisdom of the world and not relying on the foundation and the power of Jesus Christ and him crucified. They got us into big trouble. The business the work that aspect of it was a big success there over 200 engineers and other folks were there was a lot of work. What is a. Of isolation was a. Of loneliness a. Of time when our youngest son truly suffered and he needed a father at home. He didn't need somebody 6000-8000 miles away that came home once every eight weeks for a few days and then went back and I did that for nearly a year. It was devastating devastating Glory devastating to Ryan and we suffered and she suffered they suffered as a result. The thing I'll say about about that is all that was a shameful time. That was an absolute failure on my part. I was listening to the wisdom of the world. I'm not basing my decision on listening to my wife through whom God was speaking and listening to my son who was calling for help. The great news about that is I probably never would really have realized the true tenacity and grace of God because of the Forgiveness that Lori gave the Forgiveness that Ryan our son gave to me and frankly the forgiveness and Grace that God gave as a result of that failure. It was a low time in our lives and absolutely I don't wish that on anybody but the blessing out of that is God's good. Grace God's goodness that he would reach down. Allow me to hit a bottom like that and pick me up and continue to love me and he did that. How do I share my family but through men at church Who would take time for me to pray with me? And I thank God for that to this day. That's the power of the Cross. That's the power of the Cross to change and I'm so thankful for that. I share that with you not because it's about me it's about Jesus. It's about what God does in our lives when we hit a bottom when we hit a pit to see his grace and his goodness and I'm telling you the Corinthians. I hit a pit. If you look and you go through the rest of this book and you look at what they were going through the world had absolutely infiltrated that group. And Paul is absolutely is addressing this concern in this issue. What are the what are the things that help sustain me after I hit that bottom after my mistake and my failure and there's a course you can imagine there's more to this story than just what I heard with you. But this one of the things that sustain me was this song written by Casting Crowns. I want to read this to you the lyrics to you. I think I can pull that up and I'll read this to you. Because this when you see the word truth here. The Voice of Truth, this is the Cross of Christ. This is the same thing. This is what we're talking about here. I want to read this out loud and the course you'll recognize it. If you listen to it to popular Christian music The Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns. Oh, what I would do to have the kind of faith. It takes to climb out of the boat. I'm in. On to the crashing waves to step out of my comfort zone into the realm of the unknown where Jesus is and he's holding out his hands but the waves are calling out my name and they laugh at me reminded me of all the times. I've tried and failed. The waves they keep on telling me time and time again boy, you'll never win. You'll never win. But the Voice of Truth tells me a different story. The Voice of Truth says Don't Be Afraid The Voice of Truth says this is for my glory Out of all the voices calling out to me. I will choose to listen and Believe The Voice of Truth.

What I would do to have the kind of strength, it takes to stand before a giant with just a sling and a stone surrounded by a sound the sound of a thousand Warriors shaking their armor wishing they've they've had the strength to stand. But the Giants calling out my name and you lasted me reminded me of all the times. I've tried and failed. The giant keeps on telling me time and time again boy, you'll never win. You'll never win. But the stone was just the right size to put the Giant on the ground and the ways they don't seem so high from on top of them looking down. I will soar with the wings of eagles when I stop and listen to the sound of Jesus singing over me. I will choose to listen and Believe The Voice of Truth. The Voice of Truth is Christ crucified that's where the power is that's where the wisdom is and if you're seeking wisdom if you're seeking power because of Affair like the one I've described to you or your seeking power and you're seeking wisdom because of something that's happened to you. It's Jesus Christ. It's the Cross of Christ. That's where it lies. And that's where the true power in the true wisdom comes from not from some University thinks he's got to push the bottom line a little further and abused people to do it. It comes from Jesus. I know, you know that. I know you believe it or you wouldn't be here, but I think it's always good to go back to the basic basic tenets of what Paul's talking about here to the Corinthians. It's Jesus Christ and him crucified. He's the one that's called us and don't forget what you were when he called you.

I hope that helps that this morning. I hope that's part of this message. Again. It's a ten thousand foot level. It's not into the nitty-gritty of one of those purses, but I think it is encouraging to me and I appreciate actually bread asking me to speak because it forces me to dig into it and to read it again and again and again and that's a blessing to do that and I would encourage you to do the same the two verses. I want you to remember 18. We're going to be that one more time. For the message of the Cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved. It's the power of God chapter 2 verse 5.

So your faith may not rest on men's wisdom that I'm God's power. That's the message. That's the message. Hang on to that clean to that you pray for that every day as you reach out to neighbors as you reach out to the marginalized as you paint a building or wall downstairs as you prepare communion as you do the work that you need to do and should be doing for the body here for his glory not for yours. Not for mine.

Ruby taking communion here in just a little bit and what a great opportunity to look at Jesus face-to-face as we think about the cross we think about what he's done for us. Concentrate on that pray over the bread and over the cup will let Matt I guess come up and do that now if you would but thank you for your time. I appreciate the opportunity looking First Corinthians read to that book. It's amazing. It's amazing what Paul is dealing with with a Corinthian Church here and I would say to you. What are we dealing with? How are we faced with the the culture the society in which we find ourselves in have we brought that here into this body? Go back to the basis of Jesus Christ crucified.