DOES THE CHRISTIAN MESSAGE MAKE SENSE? 

Alice YoungFrontPage, News, Pastor

Lent Reading: 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:16 

“Jews demand 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 Cor 1:22-24) 

Does the Christian message make sense? Yes and no. Paul says to ‘No’ for those who rely on their own knowledge and wisdom. ‘Yes’, when you seek God, are open to Jesus, and respond in faith. 

Consider this (non-exhaustive) list of assumptions behind the Christian message: 

  1. A belief in a theistic Creator God that desires personal relationship with us. 
  1. Understand God requires something of us in attitude and action. 
  1. We understand what attitudes and actions are required. 
  1. Know we are accountable and failing at this, despite unbelief. 
  1. Believe something can be done about it, not just relying on our own efforts. 
  1. This saving work has been done in the crucified person Jesus of Nazareth. 
  1. Believe Jesus rose to life, and this resurrection power is available to all who trust in him… 

In our world, how many of these beliefs are accepted? It is foolishness to many. In Paul’s time, the Jews considered it craziness that God would rescue the world through crucifixion and curse instead of miraculous deliverance. The Greek’s considered Jesus and his humiliation as God as superstition and madness. To the ‘wise’ and ‘powerful’, how could the work of Jesus make any difference to our lives and the world? 

Yet Jesus does, and he has. To everyone’s shock, this is the way God works, in humility, weakness, foolishness and powerlessness. This cannot make sense to the wise and powerful of the world. But to seekers, to those who put their faith in Jesus, it is the wisdom and power and beauty of God. 

In Him, 

Jason 

Photo by Jim Bonewald on Unsplash