but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Greeks,But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;but we preach Christ crucified, unto Jews a stumblingblock, and unto Gentiles foolishness;
5 sermons cite this verse
… preach to save those who believe. You see, Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified. A stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to the Gentile nations, but to those who are called both Jews and Gentiles. Christ, the power of God. Christ, the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. Think about your own calling, brothers and sisters. Not many of you were wise by the world's standards. Not many of you were influential. Not many of you were born to high status, but God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world, even the things that are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, so that no human being may boast, no one may boast in the presence of God. It is from him, it is because of God that you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, righteousness, a right relationship with God, holiness, closeness to God, redemption, belonging to God. So that, as it is written, let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord. …
… personal appropriation of the cross of Christ. And, of course, 1 Corinthians 1.23, to the Jews, the cross was a what? A stumbling block. They didn't need a Savior. They didn't need a sacrifice. They didn't need a substitute. They were righteous on their own. And Paul had to relentlessly preach Christ and Him crucified, nothing but Christ and Him crucified. So what is the pathology here of a false disciple drawn by the crowd, fascinated by the prospect of the supernatural, desiring worldly benefits, demanding their requests be met, having no real interest in Christ at all, and completely indifferent, if not repulsed, by His atonement? That inevitably is going to be false discipleship. discipleship. And sure enough, verse 60 says, many of his disciples, when they heard this said, this is hard, hard teaching, literally. We're not buying into this. We're not buying into this. And they withdrew, and we're not walking with him anymore. False disciples come to the crisis moment inevitably if they're going to turn and walk away when what they want is far more important to them than what God wants. …
… the angels when he was a man and died? How could he be the perfect Savior? How could he be the Messiah and be executed, killed? In fact, in 1 Corinthians 1.23, the Apostle Paul says, the death of Christ on the cross was a stumbling block to the Jews. How can you have the Messiah be human and so human as to even die? The writer has to answer that very basic question. In fact, what we learn is summed up in verse 9 of chapter 2. We do see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely Jesus, because of the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. 1. Bethlehem was for Calvary. He was born to die, born in human flesh for the very purpose of dying. Those soft baby hands fashioned by the Holy Spirit in Mary's womb were made to take two great nails. Those tender feet, pink and without steps, were to walk a hill and be executed in front of masses of people. …
… reveal his son to me. You hear that? Because he called me, he showed me his son. Or in 1 Corinthians 1, listen, we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles. But to those who are called, both Jew and Gentiles, he is Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God. Pretty strong statement. He says, the doctrine of Christ, the gospel of Christ, is foolishness to both Greeks and the Jews, both Jews and Gentiles. But to Jews and Gentiles who are called, the gospel is the power of God and the wisdom of God. What makes a difference? It's the call. Now. what they're asking for is that you know the hope of your calling. What is the hope of your calling? Well, the hope of your calling is this. It's the assurance that you've been called. It's the knowledge that you've been called. And I like this way of thinking. Paul is saying that there is nothing more important than for you to get the hope that comes from knowing you've been called. …
… SAVE THEM THAT BELIEVE. FOR THE JEWS REQUIRE SIGN. AND THE GREEKS SEEK AFTER WISDOM. BUT WE PREACH CHRIST CRUCIFIED, UNTO THE JEWS A STUMBLING BLOCK, AND UNTO THE GREEKS FOOLISHNESS. BUT UNTO THEM WHICH ARE CALLED BOTH JEWS AND GREEKS CHRIST, THE POWER OF GOD, AND THE WISDOM OF GOD. NOW WATCH VERSE 25, BECAUSE THE FOOLISHNESS OF GOD IS WISER THAN MEN, AND THE WEAKNESS OF GOD IS STRONGER THAN MEN. NOW WHAT GOD IS, IS, IS ABOUT IS THIS. HE WANTS TO SLAY MAN'S ABOMINABLE PRIDE. MAN THINKS THAT HE, HE LIVES IN A WORLD OF LIGHT. HE THINKS THAT HE, HE HAS ENLIGHTENED HIMSELF. HE THINKS THAT HIS DISCOVERIES, HIS WISDOM, HIS WIT, AH, HE THINKS ALL OF THIS IS GOING TO DELIVER HIM. AND GOD SAYS IN THIS PASSAGE OF Scripture, there's only one thing that will, uh, save anybody in this world, and it is what he calls the foolishness of preaching. Not foolish preaching. We've had too much of that. But the, the foolishness of preaching, that is preaching the cross. You see, the Jews, they wanted a sign, and, and the Greeks wanted a demonstration of power. Verse 24, uh, but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the POWER OF GOD AND THE WISDOM OF GOD. THE GREEKS, THE JEWS, RATHER, WANTED, UH, AH, A, A, A, DEMONSTRATION OF SIGNS AND POWERS, AND THE GREEKS WANTED WISDOM. WELL, WHAT HE IS SAYING IS THIS, THERE'S SUCH POWER IN THE CROSS THAT THE CROSS AND THE CROSS ALONE …