Day 9 (Thursday) – 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
Today’s Passage
Read the passage – 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
Some people who do not know Jesus mock the good news about Him and construct elaborate arguments against Christians. In particular, modern-day atheists have developed a system of arguments supposedly based on scientific theories but, in reality, based on materialism and assumptions. Others want to experience the supernatural and many have turned to New Age occultism.
- How does Paul describe the cross?
- Why is Paul focused on foolishness and wisdom in this passage?
Prayer
- Unite our community around the hope and truth found in Jesus.
- Pray that God would soften the hearts of our neighbours to hear the true message of the cross.
- Ask for God’s wisdom when you are in conversation with people who are not yet believers.
- Pray for our media, that there would be freedom for the Christian message.
Go Deeper
The greatest stumbling block of this passage is the cross itself. Many today shy away from its message, preferring a “health and wealth” gospel that packs stadiums. Others treat Christianity as a consumer service, expecting it to meet their preferences rather than submitting to the cost of following Christ. Paul does not make this mistake. He focuses on the cross.
Paul surprises us by mentioning “foolishness” five times in this brief passage: “foolishness to those who are perishing,” “made foolish the wisdom of the world,” “the foolishness of our proclamation,” “foolishness to Gentiles,” and “God’s foolishness.” These statements challenge our reliance on human abilities, plans, and expertise. In the shadow of the cross, such “wisdom” is shown to be futile.
God’s foolishness in the cross also challenges what we value. The world glorifies wealth, power, and popularity, but the cross is ugly, unpopular, and poor. It represents Christ’s self-emptying love. While society admires violence and control, the cross calls for nonviolent sacrifice. While eloquence impresses, the cross speaks of God’s paradoxical wisdom.
Ultimately, the cross reminds us of our true allegiance—not to our country, our work, or even our families, but to Christ alone. It calls us to truth when lies seem easier, to gentleness when force is attractive, to justice for the oppressed when maintaining the status quo is simpler, to generosity when hoarding would be more comfortable, and to forgiveness when grudges feel satisfying.
Despite theological differences, Christians are united under the cross. Our faith is built on what seems to be foolishness—an instrument of torture that God used for the salvation of the world. Yet, as Paul reminds us, “God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.”
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Jeff Paschal, “Homiletical Perspective on 1 Corinthians 1:18–25,” in Feasting on the Word: Preaching the Revised Common Lectionary: Year B, ed. David L. Bartlett and Barbara Brown Taylor, vol. 2 (Louisville, KY; London: Westminster John Knox Press, 2008), 89–91.
Songs for Worship and Reflection
