Christ, the Power of God

A Living Faith
Who Understands Faith?
Simon Wants to Buy Power

1 Corinthians 1:18-25

The Message

^18-21 The Message that points to Christ on the Cross seems like sheer silliness to those hellbent on destruction, but for those on the way of salvation it makes perfect sense. This is the way God works, and most powerfully as it turns out. It’s written,

I’ll turn conventional wisdom on its head,
I’ll expose so-called experts as crackpots.

So where can you find someone truly wise, truly educated, truly intelligent in this day and age? Hasn’t God exposed it all as pretentious nonsense? Since the world in all its fancy wisdom never had a clue when it came to knowing God, God in his wisdom took delight in using what the world considered dumb—preaching, of all things!—to bring those who trust him into the way of salvation.

^22-25 While Jews clamor for miraculous demonstrations and Greeks go in for philosophical wisdom, we go right on proclaiming Christ, the Crucified. Jews treat this like an anti-miracle—and Greeks pass it off as absurd. But to us who are personally called by God himself—both Jews and Greeks—Christ is God’s ultimate miracle and wisdom all wrapped up in one. Human wisdom is so tinny, so impotent, next to the seeming absurdity of God. Human strength can’t begin to compete with God’s “weakness.”

For Reflection

"You can't see what's right by looking at what's wrong."  is a line from a Willie Dixon blues tune. Some times we see just what we want to see.  Those that are hawkish will only accept hawkish options.  Turning the other cheek, requires great confidence, conviction and trust in the Lord and is done at the risk of being mocked.  Christ was no weak mamby pamby.  But He was compassionate and loving. And those characteristics were not only the mark of His ministry, but also His guiding principles.  To what extent does love and compassion overtake your fear of performing unconventionally?

Pray

for courage and trust God.  Pray that you, like Stephen, will overcome your fear and speak truthfully and act as an authentic Christian.