The Message of the Cross
7/3/25 Bible Thought (1 Corinthians 1)
Oftentimes Christians might feel like social outcasts, and for good reason.
We’re told that our beliefs are outdated. We’re told to mind our own business. We might see people online claiming that religion is all about controlling people and its corrupt and no good. Beyond this, there are many so-called Christians who make up their own form of Christianity. All these things can be found in the comment-section of any social media platform or YouTube. People have their opinions, and many don’t like Christianity. They think its utterly foolish.
It encourages me to consider that while the comment-section might be a new thing, this hostility towards the Christian faith isn’t new. The apostle Paul points out this reality 2,000 years ago, writing,
“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:18).
The story of Jesus’ dying love upon Calvary to the nonbeliever is utter nonsense.
Belief in a crucified Messiah is backwards. It doesn’t add up. Hence the cross was a stumbling block to the Jews who were looking for the Messiah and it was plainly foolish to the Gentiles (1 Cor. 1:23).
Yet, in the cross, the wisdom of God was made manifest. At the cross God was both just in punishing sin and He was the justifier of the one who puts their faith in Jesus (see Rom. 3:21-26).
As a result, rather than foolishness, Christ is the wisdom and power of God (1 Cor. 1:24).
It’s just like God to take the foolish things to shame the wise.
The same God who called a nobody named Gideon from a nobody family in a nobody clan, gave him an army, then shrunk it, and took away their weapons before battle (see Judg. 6-7) surely is a God whose ways confound us!
Yet, this is God’s desire. He takes those who aren’t particularly wise according to worldly standards or of a noble birth (1 Cor. 1:26) so He gets the glory.
I’m sure all of us know people whom we would esteem to be better candidates for use by God. We believe they are better than us in some way: brains, talents, personality, or what have you.
But if God were to use human beings who seemingly didn’t need His help, they might get the credit. Instead, He takes those who know they need Him.
Jesus Christ is our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30). He’s the one who makes us who we are. He’s the reason we’re able to do anything of lasting value in His Kingdom. He takes the weak to shame the strong and the foolish things to confound the wise,
“so that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord’” (1 Cor. 1:31).
That’s what God worked through the cross and it’s what He does through the average, everyday believer on a regular basis.
I’m sure all of us feel there are areas where God has used us where we feel underqualified or like someone else would’ve been a better candidate. Personally, I’m thankful today that I’m not disqualified from God’s use in the ministry because there are countless smarter or more eloquent than me.
It’s at these times we must be humbly thankful to be a vessel of His use and to truly make our boast in Him who is willing to save me through the folly of the cross and to likewise work through even one such as me.