| Here it is the last week in February and I am still thinking about the Epistle lesson from February 1! “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 … Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” (1 Corinthians 1.18, 22-25) It seems as though we have an upside-down – or backwards – God. In our way of thinking it makes sense that God would start with his Word working in our brain, with the goal of us understanding. Then, as our understanding grows, it seeps down into our heart and creates faith. This is how the “wisdom of man” puts things together. The problem, however, is that adds the human factor of understanding as a necessary ingredient for saving faith. But our “foolish God” flips the entire process upside-down from our “wisdom”. The power of the Word (that Word of the cross) goes straight to our heart, creating faith, as Paul explains, “Faith comes hearing and hearing through the word of Christ.” (Romans 10.17) This is the faith that saves. Then, as that faith grows (also through the power of the Word of the Gospel) we start to understand some of God’s will and ways. This sounds backwards to us, which is why it is known as “the foolishness of God”. It sounds backwards to us because the only thing that makes sense in our “wisdom” is for us make some sort of contribution to our salvation. However, “the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” The power of God – the power to save – is released, revealed, and transmitted in the “word of the cross.” And if you are looking for a sign that reveals this truth to you, please don’t scan the skies for lightning bolts or mouth-dropping visions. Our foolish God connects a few drops of water to his Word in baptism and then tells us, “Baptism now saves you” (1 Peter 3.21) And then, as we drink a little sip of wine in the Sacrament of the Altar he informs us that “this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26.28) What makes the Gospel so tough is that it is so simple. We want to contribute, probably because we want to be in control. But we can’t contribute to our salvation. And when we insist on taking control all we are doing is rejecting salvation. God in Christ Jesus comes to us in the Gospel for one reason, and one reason alone … and you will hear about it (again) in this Sunday’s Gospel. “For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3.17) This why in the gospels we find Jesus focusing upon making promises, instead of giving instructions. I will reserve talking more about that for some other day. Today I’m just focusing upon how the Gospel is TOUGH, while I keep thinking on these words: “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.” |
The Gospel is TOUGH
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