daily bible readings

The Corinthians thought they were super wise. In 1 Corinthians 4:10 Paul sarcastically mocks the Corinthians. “We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honoured, we are dishonoured!” In their “wisdom” they banded around various leaders and caused much division and quarrelling in the church.

But, Paul doesn’t move to arguing against the Corinthians straight away. In verse 17, he declares, “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel - not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.” Paul momentarily takes up defending the cross and its power.

Paul refused to play the game of the worldly orators. He would not put on a verbal performance to make himself look good and he would not use their tactics to swindle the people into believing his message.

As Paul opens up verse 18, he declares, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” His goal is to defend the gospel and to highlight its power.

Paul may have in mind the orators and other detractors of the gospel. To them, the message of Christ is sheer foolishness. To them, a dying saviour humiliated by the Romans upon a cross is nothing but utter foolishness. Such orators would never preach a defeated and dead saviour. Rather, they would use oratory technique and human wisdom to thrill and wow the audience. They would use verbal trickery and oratory subterfuge to bring their audience to a desired location and outcome.

Yet, there are those who are being saved by this foolish gospel. To them, it is not foolishness. Rather it is the power of God. As Paul declares in Romans 1:16, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.”

The Gospel that Paul preaches is the power of God to change and soften dead hearts. It is the power of God to undo the power and mastery of sin. It is the power of God to turn a sinner from his corrupt ways to pathways of eternal life. It is God’s power to take a person off the road to eternal damnation and to move him to the road to eternal life. It is the power to turn eternal darkness into eternal light.

For Paul, baptising people and using oratory skill for self-promotion were not the goal. The goal for Paul was to preach the Gospel and to unleash its power.

PRAYER

Adoration

· Adore God that He is wise and powerful beyond our human comprehension.

· Adore the Lord Almighty that all of His ways are wise, even when we can’t understand His ways.

Confession

· Take time to confess your sins to the Lord and to ask for forgiveness.

Thanks

· Thank God that every word of the Lord can be trusted and that every word is flawless.

· Thank God that the Gospel is the power of God for the salvation of all who believe.

· Thank God that you can share the Gospel with everyone in your life.

Supplication

· Pray that your congregation  would see the power of the Gospel at work in the lives of unbelievers as it regenerates hearts and brings people to repentance and faith.

· Pray that you would personally have opportunities to share the Gospel and to see it work in people’s lives to bring them to salvation.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

1. In what way is the message of the cross foolishness to those who are perishing?

2. Paul uses the word “for” in v18. This word links the verse to v17.Outline Paul’s argument from v10 –17 and show how verse 18 fits into his argument.