For the word of the cross is to those who are perishing foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the cleverness of the clever I will set aside". Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs, and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block, and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
(1 Corinthians 1:18-25)

The message of the gospel of Christ is the same no matter who happens to hear. But individual responses will be very different! Some think that the gospel of Christ is utter foolishness. To many Jews of the first century, the preaching of Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah was a stumbling block. For generations, the Jews had looked forward to the coming of the Old Testament Messiah.They had pictured in their minds a powerful political hero like King David who of old, who would defeat the Roman oppressors and rule their enemies with an iron hand. To them, the preaching of a suffering Messiah who gave himself up to die upon a shameful cross was nonsense.Jesus was not the kind of Messiah that they wanted.

But as Paul points out in the verses above, many Greeks were equally turned off to the story of Jesus. The Greeks were seekers of wisdom. They are famous in world history for their interest in every kind of philosophical thought. To them the concept of a god coming to earth in human form and sacrificing himself for the sins of mankind was beyond comprehension. Their gods did not act in this way, and they could not conceive of one who did.

There are still a variety of opinions in the world today about Jesus. Like the Jews and Greeks of old, some still consider the message of the gospel to be foolish, old fashioned, unsophisticated, or bizarre. But for those who will consider it carefully, prayerfully, and with an open mind, the evidence of the resurrection and the story of the cross is just as powerful today as it was when it was first told. For those who will be saved, whether Jew or Greek, bond or free, male or female, the word of the cross is the power of God unto eternal salvation.What is your opinion of the story of Jesus?

Sunday

Bible Study 9:30 a.m.
Worship 10:30 a.m.
Worship 5:00 p.m.

Wednesday

Bible Study 7:30 p.m.

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