First Baptist Church

THIS WEEKS MESSAGE

The Cross of Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
1. When I was a child I have seen a nature film produced by Disney which if I recall was entitled "Life in the Desert." I may be mistaken as to the exact title of this production but I still remember that it was dedicated to the dramatic change occurring on the desert after the rainfall. The dry, sand land is being transformed almost magically when touched by the water. Where before all the people could see, was sand and nothing else, the beautiful flowers now begun to bloom. Where there was a silence of lifelessness, the incredible commotion of life occurs. Suddenly the desert comes to life in all its beauty and splendor. Only when you had a chance to see such metamorphosis in the nature you may understand that there is a beauty in the desert. This beauty however is hidden and appears only when this dry land is touched by the life giving source - water.
2. When I look around and see the world where it is today, I see how much the humanity resembles the desert. There is a beauty in God's creation but it remains hidden until it is touched by the hand of God and offered the "living water." What is this living water? Where can the world find this life giving substance? We all will quickly respond that Jesus Christ is the living water and that in Him people can find life. This is true, this is what the Bible tells us. This is what Paul says. Yet, with his marvelous penmanship Paul gets much deeper into this issue.
3. He writes in verse 18 about the "message of the cross" adding in verse 23 "we preach Christ crucified." By combining two verses we can see that for Paul the true message, the life giving message is crucified Christ. He uses the title of Jesus, the Messiah, to show that the man the people of Palestine knew as an incredible "rabbi" was indeed the Son of God who came to fulfill the promise given by God many centuries earlier. In His statements Paul underlines that nobody can bring God and people together only Jesus. The wisdom of mankind does not go deep enough to reach and to lead them to God.
4. Life Application Bible in a footnote to verses 22-24 states: Many Jews considered the Good News of Jesus Christ to be foolish, because they thought the Messiah would be a conquering king accompanied by signs and miracles. Jesus had not restored David's throne as they expected. Besides, he was executed as a criminal, and how could a criminal be a savior? The Good news of Jesus Christ still sounds foolish to many. Our society worships power, influence and wealth. Jesus came as a humble, poor servant, and he offers his kingdom to those who have faith, not to those who do all kinds of good deeds to try to earn his gift.
5. Humanity prides itself with wisdom. Yet, our wisdom is nothing else but the origin of sin and the origin of destruction. There is no need for God in modern society and as humankind people are more and more arrogant. The attempts of entering into the sphere, not long ago considered as God's only, led us into genetic engineering, cloning and attempts in perfecting the human race. It has been proven over and over again that because of these attempts, even if conceived in good faith, we get closer and closer to our own destruction. Many diseases that plague the humanity were developed or caused by our interference with God's plan designed for Nature.
6. People need to hear the message of the cross and us as Christians, equipped with God's wisdom, God's word, God's guidance can offer the world the true solution. This is what Paul writes about to Corinthians. Only by accepting Jesus, the crucified Christ, people may become connected to God. This connection is needed for us to not only survive but to live our lives meaningfully. This connection is indeed the most seek but unfortunately often in wrong places. Nobody and nothing else can bring us to God but Jesus. Despite what many people say today, especially in our pluralistic society and even in the pluralistic church of our times, Jesus Christ is the only way. "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6).
7. Jesus Christ's death on the cross, despite its "foolishness" is the only means of salvation. Only those who believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and receive Him as their Savior, understand the implications of His act of redemption accomplished on the cross. Only those who believe in Jesus Christ understand the virgin birth and the resurrection from the dead. Only those who believe in Jesus Christ as their Savior may see the importance of the carpenter from Nazareth in the affairs of the world. In the eyes of human wisdom however, the cross as the way of salvation offered by God seems as foolishness.
8. In spite of what the world may say today, and was saying for many years now, God's decision of saving the world through the truth of the cross still stand and, although perceived as "foolishness," still defeats human wisdom. Therefore, in order to reestablish relationship with God, people must believe and accept the death of Jesus Christ on the cross and His consequent resurrection on the third day. Seemed as foolishness for many, Jesus' action is understood well by those who were blessed with God's wisdom, namely those who are saved. For us then, crucified Christ offers power, wisdom, righteousness, holiness and salvation.
9. Our faith does not depend on human wisdom, but is based on the wisdom of God. This wisdom lets us understand that only Christ and His cross change lives and bring life into the lifelessnes. As Christ has changed our lives so He can still change lives of the people of the world but they must hear this message, even if we are to preach it over and over again. As the rain brings life to the desert so does Christ brings life to the people. However, as the life brought forth by the rainfall on the desert is short-lived, so is human wisdom and her implications. By the same token, life brought forth by the living water of the Gospel of Jesus Christ lasts forever.







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