A Man's Trash, God's Treasure
Notes
Transcript
We began our year with the Theme: United
Thus we look into the book of 1 Corinthians where Paul was calling the people together to be “united”
The letter of 1 Cor. begins with Paul’s address of the church at Corinth, more specifically the letter from “Chloe’s people”.
The people were at odds as to who they should follow, meaning which former preacher/apostle/missionary/pastor/evangelist/etc.
Paul has no intention of getting into the argument as to which “man” is better.
His desire is to reveal his disgust with the disunity and point them back to “the Truth”. The Gospel
27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
Preposterous
Preposterous
“what is foolish”
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.
The King James Version uses the words “by the foolishness of preaching”
The technique whereby me are drawn to the Cross, Jesus, and salvation is stupidity in the eyes of the world.
We can look the Greek word “moros” which is where we might find the foundation of our word “moron”
“1910, medical Latin, "one of the highest class of feeble-minded persons," from Greek (Attic) mōron, neuter of mōros "foolish, dull, sluggish, stupid," a word of uncertain origin.” www.etymonline.com
All of this to say, the wold finds Christianity, the Cross, belief in Jesus, belief in the Divine, Creation, God’s choosing, Faith, and all of the like to be —Preposterous
Before you think I am calling you unintelligent or anything of the sort…Paul is trying to communicate that Christ does not draw men/women based on the IQ or whit.
The World finds the follower of Christ to be all of the descriptions of “moros” - Foolish/Preposterous
Powerless
Powerless
“weak in the world”
24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
Those without great situation, those without social/governmental status, those without financial position, …those without.
The message seems foolish…but it is powerful.
18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
The message seems moronic or idiotic, but it is God’s purpose.
The message seems without ability, but it is has immeasurable strength.
There was disunity in the midst of the Corinthian church. In part because they were concerned with men rather than the message.
In essence, who delivered the message was their battle.
They were trying to argue the point of this man or that man.
The reality is the significance is not the man, but the message and its ability.
What Paul is not saying...
He is not saying no one has intelligence
He is not saying that none of position
He is not saying all are broke
He is not saying all impotent.
What Paul is saying...
It is not for any of the above that God chose to call the men/women within the Corinthian church.
In essence, Paul was saying:
“it’s not about me or your”
Paul’s purpose was to work on their unity.
Plugged In
Plugged In
27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
The purpose was to make sure the church and those external could see who/what it was about.
“It’s about Jesus/Gospel!”
The unity was to be in the message.
Salvation has not changed today.
It does not rest in the ability or wisdom of men.
It is not in our strength to achieve it.
It’s not in our DNA to deserve it.
It’s in His grace to give it.
28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,
29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.
30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
You see it is all the work of Christ...
The only thing we bring in the work of salvation is the broken vessel needing to be mended.
Walking Away, But In...
Walking Away, But In...
For the believer: do not taunt over the world that you have something they do not, but humbly proclaim the Good News. Be united in His work not ours.
For the unbeliever: as preposterous as it may seem the way to God is simply Faith in Life/Death/Resurrection of Jesus. It is a free gift for us to believe and receive.