Passage: 1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5 Speaker: Pastor Lukus Counterman Series: 1 Corinthians - Pursue Love
Speaker: Lukus Counterman - It appears the divisions being experienced in Corinth were due to fact that the church was letting secular culture dictate their message and method of ministry. There were pressures from Jews and Greeks to make Christianity more palatable. If the Corinthians would just display miraculous signs or some evidence of new wisdom, then perhaps people would more readily accept their teachings about Christ. But culturally-driven, man-centered philosophies of ministry will never get to the true gospel. Worldly wisdom will always see the crucified Christ as foolish and weak. Secular society craves a message that is flashier and more spectacular. So, Paul reminds the church of Corinth (and the church of today), that the gospel of Christ crucified is the power and wisdom of God. Though it’s scandalous from the world’s perspective, the cross of Christ is wiser and stronger than any human alternative. May the word of the cross be our centerpiece because it is the only message that can save.