THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS

1 Corinthians 1:1-31

Key Verse: 1:18

Greetings New Jersey UBF! Thank you all for welcoming Dervilla and I so warmly this weekend. We had wanted to come and see you after hearing that your former center was closed. But my schedule did not allow it until now. We are delighted to see God’s mighty work in New Jersey UBF! Especially among younger people! And God has provided a wonderful place of worship so near Rutgers campuses. Praise God! Now, let’s listen to the words of God together. Let’s pray.

In this passage Paul uses a unique phrase: “the message of the cross.” It emphasizes the preeminence of the cross in the gospel message. It means that Jesus’ crucifixion should be at the center of our gospel faith. When the cross is at the center, we have a proper perspective about everything else. Our church community can be united and strong. We can each live victorious and fruitful lives. What is at the center of your faith, and our faith? Is it Jesus’ cross? Or something else, like Jesus’ ministry or one of his servants? Let’s consider why Jesus’ cross must be at the center. Let’s study in two parts: God’s abundant grace (1-9), and the message of the cross (10-31).

First, God’s abundant grace (1-9). In this part, Paul lays the groundwork for his main point by reminding the Corinthians who he is, who Christ is, who they are, and who God is. In verse 1, Paul says, “Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God….” The word “called” is very significant here. It comes from the Greek word “kaleo” and can also mean “summoned.” This calling originates in the heart of God and comes from his sovereign grace. Paul had been an enemy of God. Yet God called him and used him to spread the gospel to Jews and Gentiles in a mighty way. God sent him as Christ’s messenger. We should listen to him.

In verses 1-3, Paul refers to Christ five times, calling him “Christ Jesus,” “our Lord Jesus Christ,” “their Lord and ours,” and “the Lord Jesus Christ.” Christ is the one anointed by God and sent to be the Savior and Lord of all who believe in him. He is also the Lord of all who do not believe in him. He is the King of kings, the judge of the living and the dead, and the only way of salvation God has provided for mankind. When the Corinthians had heard the gospel message, they repented of their sins and accepted Christ as their Savior and Lord. However, they were not fully living out this faith, especially the “Jesus as Lord” part. They valued their own opinions more than Christ’s words. They lived by their own desires rather thawn Christ’s will. 

          To be sure, it takes time for the gospel to sink in deeply and transform every area of our lives so that we live with Jesus as Lord. For example, the Apostle Peter, right after confessing Jesus as the Christ, rejected his teaching about the cross. In the same way, right after singing “I surrender all…,” we may hold onto our pride and criticize God’s servants. Or just after sharing a testimony, “I give everything to Jesus my Lord,” we may reject his guidance in marriage or life direction. Or we may flatly refuse to do something he is asking us to do. Paul strongly emphasizes that Jesus Christ is Lord. We must remember that Jesus is not only our Savior but our Lord, and live like that really matters to us.

Paul identifies the Corinthians in verse 2a: “To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people….” The key words here are “church of God,” “sanctified,” and “called.” In fact, the words “church” and “called” are closely related in their Greek meaning. The church is those who are called out of the world by God. They are no longer of this world, but they belong to God. Though each one is called individually and personally, they are called to belong to Christ and his church collectively. So we must live for Christ and for one another. In any church, there are those who have difficulty getting along. Among the early disciples, there were Simon the Zealot, a fervent Jewish nationalist, and Matthew the tax collector, seen as a traitor to the Jews. They were natural enemies, like Jews and Palestinians. But they had to learn to love and serve each other.

In America today, there are deep divisions between people based on cultural identity and social and political beliefs. The divisions are so sharp that family members are often estranged. But in Christ, this division loses its power. We Christians are, first of all, followers of Jesus Christ our Lord. With him as Lord, we are united as his church for his holy purpose. We should respect and love each other regardless of our social and political views, for we are all members of Christ’s body.

The last part of verse 2 says, “…together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours….” Though Paul was writing to a specific local church at Corinth, he sees them as united with all Christians everywhere who call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. For this reason, we should see our local church or chapter with a global perspective, as part of a much larger community. We are members of North American UBF which has nearly 100 chapters, and UBF worldwide, which has over 9,000 members in 90 nations! UBF headquarters has partnered with other Christian organizations: the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, Missio Nexus–an association of missionary organizations and churches, and others. UBF HQ sends relief offerings for suffering people around the world through Samaritan’s Purse, Feed My Starving Children, World Vision, and more. We are partners with all those who call on our Lord Jesus Christ. Let’s have a global vision.

Now, let’s consider a small part of who God is. In verse 3 Paul says, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul calls God “our Father.” When we accept Jesus as Savior and Lord, we become part of his family and can call God, the Creator, “our Father.” Our Father pours his grace and peace into our hearts. We come to know how good, loving and kind he is. Before knowing Jesus, we do not truly know God. Many people imagine God as a strict judge who will criticize our weak points. But when we come to know him through Christ, we find how much he loves us. He is so kind and truly wants what is best for us. We can trust him and open our hearts to him. We also discover his holiness that makes us marvel in awe before him. We can worship him. We discover that he has always known us and worked for our good in many ways, long before we knew him. God, the Sovereign Ruler of all, is our heavenly Father. We are his children!

In verses 4-9, we can see how Paul’s God-centered faith affected his view of people and the future. Paul was thankful for God’s grace upon the Corinthians. What do you think of when you see other believers? If we look for shortcomings, we will surely find them. But when we have God’s perspective, we can see the grace of God in their lives. We can be truly thankful for them. Paul was also thankful to God for their spiritual gifts. It is easy to envy those who have gifts that we don’t have. But with God’s perspective, we can truly appreciate their gifts. Most of all, with a God-centered perspective, we see the future with great hope and vision. In verses 8-9, Paul wrote, “He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” God’s faithfulness is our assurance of future glory. Let’s trust God and live as eternal victors as his children. Let’s be gracious and kind to each other.

Second, the message of the cross (10-31). After reminding the Corinthians that God and Christ are leading them, Paul introduces a problem. Look at verses 10-12. Paul appeals to them, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to agree with one another, to not have divisions, and to be perfectly united in mind and thought. He is not telling them to become clones who seem the same in every respect, nor to think alike about everything. He recognizes the great diversity in the body of Christ. But he wants them to be united in recognizing Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, and submitting to Christ. Why was this appeal necessary? They had become infected with a spiritual virus: “loyalty to a human leader.” Some said, “I follow Paul,” others, “I follow Apollos,” still others, “I follow Cephas,” and some said, “I follow Christ.”

To understand their problem, we need to consider the culture they lived in. As Greeks, they highly honored philosophers like Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. As time passed, schools of philosophers developed, like Sophists, Cynics, Stoics, Epicureans, and so on. Most Greeks identified themselves based on a school of philosophy and were loyal to its leader. Under this cultural influence, the Corinthians had treated Christian leaders like philosophers. They chose their favorite and followed him. In their hearts they had replaced Christ with mere servants of Christ.

Some said, “I follow Paul.” Most likely, they were the ones evangelized by Paul directly. Seeing him as their spiritual father, they strove to hold tightly to the gospel message he preached. Others said, “I follow Apollos.” Apollos was from Alexandria in Egypt, the location of a famous school. While knowing and believing the Scriptures, he must also have valued integration of diverse philosophies, rational inquiry and critical thinking, and respect for science and math. People who valued cultural assimilation may have preferred him. Still others said, “I follow Cephas.” It was another name for Peter. Those who followed Peter emphasized the succession of gospel ministry from Jesus to Peter. It was likely that they followed Jewish customs. And then there were those who said, “I follow Christ.” They tried to eliminate any human trappings and practice “pure Christianity.” In doing this, they ignored the apostles and other fathers of faith. Often such people have a weak foundation for their faith and are prone to elitism.

As we consider the Corinthians, we should ask ourselves if this kind of problem occurs today. If we are honest, we must admit that it does. Some Christians emphasize denomination: I am Baptist, I am Methodist, I am Catholic. Most UBF members make their own distinctions: “I am a senior missionary,” “I am a native leader,” “I am a new gen leader.” Or ”I am from this UBF chapter.” Or “my spiritual father was so and so.” Of course, these are valid distinctions. But the question we must ask ourselves is “who or what is at the center of my faith?” Is it Christ crucified, or something else?

The division in the Corinthian church was disturbing to Paul and evoked a sharp response. He said, “Is Christ divided?” The answer is, “No.” And since Christ is not divided, his followers should not be either. Paul also said, “Was Paul crucified for you?” It must have been especially galling to Paul that some believers made him their center of faith. He knew who he was – a terrible sinner saved only by the grace of Jesus. Even if he gave his life, it would mean nothing without Christ’s sacrifice. Jesus alone is our Savior. This truth should be at the center of our faith. 

  Paul also dealt with the issue of baptism. Apparently, some people based their faith on Paul because he had baptized them. Yet baptism is into the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The person baptizing is simply a servant of God, Christ and the Spirit. In fact, baptism would have no meaning at all without Christ’s death on the cross.

So Paul concludes, “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel” (17a). Preaching the gospel was Paul’s primary calling. And, he emphasizes a particular aspect of the gospel. In verse 18 he says, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” What is the message of the cross? It is the gospel preached in such a way that Christ’s crucifixion is the focus. It is a presentation of Christ’s suffering and death as it really happened, as recorded in the gospels.

Yet, the message of the cross is not a mere historical account. It is a presentation of God’s heart of love for the world. It is a presentation of Christ’s power to save sinners through his precious blood. When presented by the power of the Holy Spirit, it draws us to Christ crucified; we realize it is for us right now, just as it was for those in the past. This is why the old Negro spiritual asks, “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?” At the crucifixion of Jesus, the eternal God entered into human history and judged sin in mankind once and for all. God’s history prior to the crucifixion looks forward to it, and God’s history after the crucifixion looks back on it. The cross is the symbol of Christian faith.

In UBF, every Easter season, we hold conferences in which the message of the cross is preached. We have experienced time after time that the crucifixion becomes a current event in which we find ourselves as terrible sinners and recipients of Jesus’ amazing grace. One Easter, many years ago, I was chosen to share the main message, on the cross, at a large conference. We prepared for months and prayed a lot. But in the course of training, I revealed my pride and human ambition. I wanted to preach the message to be recognized, not to simply reveal the meaning of Jesus’ death. A few days before the conference, I was switched from a main messenger to give a short evening message. It felt like a great humiliation. Many people asked me, “What is your spiritual problem?”

While preparing the shorter message, I had to review Jesus’ death on the cross between two robbers. As I did so, the Holy Spirit came into my heart and showed me that I was there at the cross. I was the criminal hanging beside Jesus because of my pride and self-glory seeking desire. I deserved to die for my sins. But Jesus prayed for me, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Hearing this prayer, I had the strength to say, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he answered me, “Today, you will be with me in paradise.” I received his grace of forgiveness at the cross. It was a turning point in my life. At the cross of Jesus, I found God’s overflowing love and the cleansing of all my sins. The cross of Jesus made me humble. The cross of Jesus made me obedient; I could work with the late Dr. Samuel Lee for 18 years. The cross of Jesus became my power source to serve Chicago UBF as a senior pastor for 20 years and as the UBF General Director for the last four years. Through the cross I am still being changed every day into a servant of God for his world mission. Through the cross of Jesus I inherit paradise as a child of God. This is true for everyone who repents and puts their faith in Christ crucified.

In verse 18, Paul contrasts the two responses to the message of the cross. For those who are perishing, it is foolishness. They scoff, remain under the power of sin and go to the grave for eternal judgment. David Attenborough was educated at Cambridge and has spent more than 70 years traveling the world to study plants and animals. He knows many intriguing facts. He has produced amazing documentaries, like “Blue Planet,” and “Planet Earth.” Watching them makes us say, “Wow! Praise God!” But strangely, Mr. Attenborough does not praise God the Creator. Instead he laments the human interference that has led to climate change, and sees the world descending into epic disaster. He identifies as agnostic or atheist. For him, the message of the cross is foolishness. Despite his education or experience, he will perish in his sins. May God have mercy on his soul. But for us who are being saved, the cross is the power of God! We experience that the cross truly changes us from the inside out. The cross gives us true hope for a bright future. Let’s repent of our sins and trust Christ crucified. Let’s preach the cross boldly to intellectuals in our times.

When the message of the cross is preeminent in our hearts, we have a right view of human wisdom and intelligence. If human reason or thought opposes God, he will destroy it. But the message of the cross has been transforming people’s lives for over two millennia. With the message of the cross, we also have a right view of our own weaknesses. Through our weaknesses, God works to reveal his power and wisdom. A young man named Charles grew up in a Christian home in 19th century England. But he did not really know Jesus. One snowy Sunday, he had to worship at a church he had never attended before. The pastor was not able to make it to the service because of the snow. So an inexperienced elder did the preaching. He spoke on Isaiah 45:22: “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.” It was a short message, simply repeating the Bible verse and calling people to believe. Yet God used that elder’s weakness in a powerful way. In that message Charles saw the cross of Jesus, where Christ died for him. A sense of relief and joy filled his heart as he knew his sins were forgiven. He went on to become the great preacher, Charles Spurgeon, whom God used to transform England with the gospel. The message of the cross is indeed the power of God for salvation. When it is preached, even by a person with many weaknesses, God’s power changes people.

Well, here we are at the site of Rutgers University, with an enrollment of 70,000 students. They are among the brightest and best in our nation. However, their education and knowledge cannot save them from the power of sin and death. They need Jesus. Let’s share the message of the cross with them. May they know the power of the cross of Christ for their salvation.