THE POWER OF THE CROSS 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
Introduction
A. God has given us a message of salvation through the cross (v. 18).
B. God’s Word instructs us to receive this message by faith
Ro 3:21
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26 To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
C. The cross is the central fact of the Gospel. Paul wants the Corinthians
to focus on the cross. We should do the same.
I. The Jew and the Cross.
A. Jews looked for signs (v. 22).
1. It was a time of false messiahs.
2. Jewish leaders asked Jesus to show them signs
Mt 12:38 Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee.
3. Signs and miracles confirmed the message of God
but did not save people from their sins.
4. Jesus performed many signs and miracles to prove he was the Messiah.
B. The cross was a stumbling block to the Jews (v. 23).
1."Stumbling block"—from the Greek word "
skandalon." We get2. The Jew considered the cross a "scandal" because of
De 21:23 His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the LORD thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. (a curse).
II.The Gentile and the Cross.
A. Gentiles (Greeks) looked for wisdom (v. 22).
1. They loved oratory and they loved to argue. The dogmatic message
of salvation through the death of a Savior seemed too simple.
2. (V.20) seems to indicate that they did not come to know God by
studies in man’s wisdom. (V.21) shows us that worldly wisdom
can keep people from knowing God through the message of the
cross.
B. The cross was "foolishness" to the Gentiles (v. 23).
1. God wouldn’t act that way, in their opinion.
2. They tried to make God fit into their framework of logic.
The cross wouldn’t fit, so it was viewed as foolishness.
However, many of the mighty acts of God are not logical.
III.The Christian and the Cross (vv. 25-29).
A. God often does things that seem foolish. He often uses things that seem
weak.
1. David and his sling.
2. Naaman and the Jordan River.
3. Jesus healing the blind man with mud and spittle.
B. The cross is the "power of God" to the Christian (v.18).
1. It is God’s way of salvation and life.
2. Human nature often tries to devise its own ways of salvation
Ro 10:1 Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.
2 For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.
3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.
Conclusion
A. Our attitude is all-important. Attitudes cause churches to grow or stay small. Attitudes lead people to accept the Savior or reject Him.
B. The attitudes of the Jew, the Gentile, and the Christian are prominent in
our society today.
Illustration
Study 1 Chronicles 13:1-14 and 1 Chronicles 15:1-28. Tell the entire story of David’s failed attempt to bring the ark of God into Jerusalem. David admitted the reason for the failure in 1 Chronicles 15:11-15. When they acted in the "prescribed way," they were successful.
Our logical plans for God and salvation fail. God has a "prescribed way" in
the cross and the plan of salvation.