Jews demand miraculous signs, and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:22-24).
He just refuses to be what you demand of him.
Instead, he is so much more.
Happy Thursday, Beloved.
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? For since in the wisdom of God the world in its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe (1 Corinthians 1:19-21).
God doesn’t play tricks.
I don’t think he sat on his throne and thought, “Oh, this’ll be hilarious! I’ll make redemption so illogical that most people will reject it as foolishness. It’ll only make sense to utter morons! I shall build my kingdom upon the backs of idiots! WooHoo!!”
Man, I hope it wasn’t like that.
God is not saying that we have to abandon our brains in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. After all, he gave us our intellect, and we honor him when we use it for his glory. But, like everything else in creation, our minds have been corrupted by sin, so that now we look at everything through the egocentric lens of Pride. This distorts the wisdom of Almighty God and makes it look like foolishness. That’s why, in his letter to the Romans, Paul says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing, and perfect will.” You see, God’s plan makes sense only when we see it in the light of faith and not of flesh.
So as you move into your Wednesday, don’t expect the world to understand. They can’t. Instead, ask the father of all wisdom to renew your mind, so that you can use it for his glory.
Happy Wednesday, Beloved.
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those of us who are being saved it is the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:18).
What could possibly seem foolish about it?
“You see, there’s this All-Powerful Being who has full control over all space and time and matter and life–you know, ‘cause he made ‘em. So, anyways, this God had everything just perfect, and then he made people, but he gave people the power to choose whether they would believe in him or not and whether they would follow his really rather pretty simple rules or not. He also gave them the spark of individuality, because he didn’t want automatons but interesting souls that he might call friends. Well, you know, people chose not to follow him, because we have an Enemy who stoked people’s egos and gave them the idea that they could do a better job of running things than the One who made them. So we walked away from God–ran actually–and broke pretty much all his rules and messed things up so badly that we couldn’t have loved him properly even if we had wanted to. God knew that there was only one way to fix this. All the bad choices and evil things we had done would have to be washed away so that there could be a relationship between us. Which, really, was what God wanted more than just about anything. Of course, this would take a level of punishment that we could never endure, so God sent his Son–closer, more beloved, more part of himself that we can ever hope to understand–and let him take that punishment on our behalf. The most powerful being ever chose to lay all his glory aside and become a man. Then he chose to allow other men to hate him and torture him and nail him to a piece of wood and leave him to die in utter loneliness. He did all that to clear the slate, so that we could come back to God. Then he broke Death itself into a million pieces by rising from the grave. So, now we can have fellowship with God, and we are called to model our lives after His. We are his Beloved, and we will live forever with the One who loved us enough to die for us. And live for us.”
The World calls you a fool for believing this.
Let ‘em.
Happy Tuesday, Beloved.
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel–not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross be emptied of its power (1 Corinthians 1:17).
See, this is why Paul is Paul and I am just Michael.
Paul gets it. He totally understands, right from the start, that you can’t convince someone into Heaven.
You can’t argue them in.
You can’t debate them in.
You can’t meme them in.
It’s gotta be the cross.
There’s power in sacrificial love, and the greater the sacrifice, the greater the power.
Hence the cross.
The gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, mind-numbing, veil-tearing power of love that infinitely transcends my feeble words and useless arguments.
Oh, Father, how could you do it? How could you give your Son over to such pain, such disgrace, such emptiness? How could I possibly be worth that, when you and I both know what goes on inside this pathetic excuse for a heart?
You see, Beloved? That there’s the power that will change a life and save a soul.
Spend a little time at the foot of the Cross this morning, will you?
Happy Monday.
My brothers, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul;” another, “I follow Apollos;” another, “I follow Cephas;” still another, “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized into the name of Paul? I am thankful that I did not baptize any of you… (1 Corinthians 1:11-14)
How many times have we seen it? A shepherd falls, and the sheep are left confused and angry and bitter and disillusioned. Sometimes they walk away from the faith, saying that they have been “burned” by the Church. They complain about the hypocrisy of Christians. The damage can take years to heal, if it ever does.
How many times?
Way more than four.
Hey, there are great church leaders out there, godly people who minister in the name of Jesus and who spend their lives bringing others closer to God. We should respect them, honor them, admire them.
But we follow Christ.
Who do you follow, Beloved? Don’t answer too quickly. This is important. Think twice and take three deep breaths before you answer.
Now…who do you follow?
Happy Friday, Beloved.
I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought (1 Corinthians 1:10).
I know.
I know.
Some people are just so wrong about so many things. I mean, just because they’re believers doesn’t mean they aren’t wacked out when it comes to points of doctrine, or social issues, or political parties.
Of course, if they’re believers, I guess they’ve got the most important thing right.
You see, Beloved, that’s Paul’s point. If they’re believers, then nothing else really matters. If we allow any peripheral fluff to cause division, to ruin our fellowship, then the world says, “Look, they’re no different” and the enemy wins.
And you know they’re watching.
So maybe you don’t agree on that point of doctrine, or that social issue, or that political party. God’s not calling you to abandon your brain. But we can agree that we are one in Christ, we can stand together, and we can let our love for each other demonstrate the power of God’s grace in our lives.
Besides, you may be the one who’s wrong.
Or, worse yet…
I may.
Happy Thursday, Beloved.
God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful (1 Corinthians 1:9).
Yeah, I remember when I decided to go searching for God. I figured, you know, if there’s a God out there, I’d better find him and figure out some way to have a relationship with him. Seemed like the least I could do, what with him being so busy running the universe and all…
What? That’s not the way it happened?
Oh, yeah…right.
Beloved, this fellowship with God thing was his idea, not ours. He called you, not the other way around. God knows how to make it work. He doesn’t need us to instruct him or advise him.
Just to trust him.
God is not like that friend who calls you to come over, and then when you get there says, “I dunno; whadda you wanna do?”
He knows what he wants to do, and he has called you to be part of it.
Because he loves you.
Happy Wednesday, Beloved.
He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:8).
Sometimes I wonder if the Bible even applies to me.
Because I don’t feel strong, and I know I’m not blameless.
Peek into my heart and you will see.
Yeah, on second thought…don’t.
Those are the times when I have to remind myself that this passage really isn’t about me at all.
It’s about him.
It’s about the power of his grace to be strong in my weakness, to take my overwhelming blame and make it his, then make it gone. It’s about God’s unfathomable ability and promise to create in me the man he has called me to be, so that I will–no might, no should–be ready when he returns for me.
So, this passage rings false if I make it about me, but makes complete sense if I make it about him.
Kinda like life.
Happy Tuesday, Beloved.
Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed (1 Corinthians 1:7).
You have all that you need to live the life Christ has called you to live until he returns.
Stop and soak in that for a moment.
All the wisdom
All the vision
All the faith
If you are living in his grace, you already have the whole package; there’s nothing to hold you back.
Except you
That’s so comforting
and challenging
and terrifying
and true.
Go get ‘em, Beloved.
Happy Monday
I always thank God for you, because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way–in all your speaking and in all your knowledge–because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you (1 Corinthians 1:4-6).
Do you see what Paul is telling the Corinthians here? He says, essentially, “You people are proof that all that stuff I’ve been teaching about Jesus and grace and forgiveness and transformed lives is true! God’s grace has made you awesome!”
I mean, you know, that’s a paraphrase, but I think it’s kind of his point.
The same is true of you, Beloved. God’s grace is at work in you, proving the power of his love and redemption. You are a living example of the truth of Christ’s death and resurrection and saving grace.
I know, right?
What? You don’t feel like an example of grace? You feel more like a pathetic lump of flesh and hair and sloth and sin? Yeah, I know those feelings.
Feelings lie.
Do you belong to Jesus? Have you knelt before him and confessed your sin and accepted him as lord of your life and savior of your soul? Then his Holy Spirit is at work in you, and the results are there for the world to see.
No matter what your feelings say.
Hey, look! It’s that grace again.
Walk in it.
Happy Friday, Beloved.