By Rev. Thomas B. Shepherd
Stuart United Methodist Church

(1 Corinthians 2:1-16)

In the church at Corinth there were those who were questioning the gospel that Paul preached because it did not fit in with their world view. Paul told them that the message of the cross is foolishness for those who were perishing but to those who were being saved it was the power of God (1 Cor. 1:18).

Paul shared how the message of the cross is foundational in the gospel message and that the message of the cross, no matter how foolish it may appear is the most essential element in the gospel message of salvation. The wages of sin is death (Rom. 6:23) and the message of the cross is that Jesus took that penalty on your behalf. Any message presented without the message of the cross (the death of Christ for our sin) is a message without the real power of salvation.

Paul told the Corinthian believers not to water down the gospel, or to be ashamed of its foolishness according to worldly standards because ultimately it is the wisdom of God to use what is foolish in the world to confound the worldly wise. In essence Paul is telling them that removing the message of the cross strips the power from the gospel.

he worldly-wise think the message of the cross is foolishness and the very ones who should have known the plan of God through the prophets considered it a stumbling block. Nevertheless, simply speaking the fact remains—this was God’s plan. Jesus is the means of salvation to all who will believe. Simply speaking, it is God’s free gift of salvation to all who will accept it.

Paul was concerned that there were believers who were falling prey to false teachings on both ends of the spectrum. On one hand, there were those who were teaching that the message of the cross was just too simple, there had to be more to it. Therefore, they were adding additional requirements, what we in the church would call “works righteousness.”

On the other hand, there were those who were teaching that one must be granted a special knowledge “gnosis.” Once you receive this special knowledge nothing else mattered. It didn’t matter how you lived or acted because in the spirit you were saved.

Paul says no to both! It isn’t about special knowledge (although one must accept the truth of the gospel) and the message isn’t too simple because it takes faith to believe that God would die for us.

On both sides of the issue these folks were trying to make the gospel into something it wasn’t. They were using their intelligence to confound and intimidate those who were not as knowledgeable.

Paul tells them, “You don’t have to have the highest IQ or all the wisdom of the world; what really matters is your acceptance of the simple gospel message. You are broken and you can’t fix yourself, but Jesus can.” He tells them that even though they might not have much of a place in society or not be of noble birth and may even be looked down upon by others that it does not matter. Simply speaking, what really matters is “your faith in Christ.”

That is what he means when he says “consider your call” in Christ Jesus (1 Cor. 1:26). Paul wants them to understand that who you were before Christ does not matter! Simply speaking, in the end what really matters is your standing with God. It is through that simple message of the cross and Christ’s death on your behalf and your faith and acceptance of God’s foolishness (worldly speaking that is) of the message of the cross that you are saved.

Through Christ we are saved and without Christ we are condemned already and are waiting for judgment. Now those are not Tommy Shepherd’s words but the Lord’s as found in John 3. When Nicodemus came to Jesus secretly and asked about salvation Jesus told him a strange thing, “You must be born again.”

Nicodemus didn’t understand what Jesus was saying and said “How can these things be?”(v9)  Jesus tells Nicodemus God’s plan of salvation using a reference that he would surely understand, Moses and the serpent. (See John 3:14-18)

That is the same message that Paul is expressing. He wanted the Corinthian church to know that there was nothing more important than knowing Christ and him crucified for your sin. Without Christ we have no standing with God! God thinks you are special and is calling you to Christ Jesus because you are precious to God and God wants you saved!  “Consider your call in Christ”—you are important to God!

Paul came proclaiming the simple message of Christ and the cross. Although he was very intelligent he didn’t come using his high level of education or even his position as a Pharisee but he simply proclaimed the good news of Jesus Christ and him crucified for the sin of all who would believe.

This is the simple message of Christ and the cross and there are only two responses to the gospel message 1) you believe it and accept it by faith or 2) you reject it. Paul preaches a simple message, Jesus Christ and Him crucified.  It’s hard to beat perfection. Simply speaking, I encourage you to accept the good news of Christ and him crucified.