I love stories. I always have. I was read a good many of them as a child, and I have read a good
many of them to my own children. And one type of story that seemed to have early and endless
fascination for me was that in which the character labored under some fatal flaw, some unfortunate
quality that finally brought their undoing. There seemed to be lots of those kind of stories that I
was read growing up. There was the very speedy but overconfident Hare, who in his race with plotting
tortoise was so far out ahead, he was confident that he could even afford a brief nap and still beat
tortoise. I could never lose to tortoise, but his overconfidence proved his undoing. He overslept,
was passed by tortoise, and when he awoke could not catch him before the finish line.
His braggadocio was turned to humiliation by his fatal flaw.
Or there was the greedy dog, ecstatic at the boon of a large bone in his mouth. That is, until
crossing a bridge, he caught sight staring up at him of another dog with a bone. Could that bone
be bigger than mine is? Not content with his, he greedily leapt at the other dog to get his bone too.
But the other dog was just his own reflection on the river. The river that carried away the one bone
he had, robbed of his choice treat by his fatal flaw. Or there was the very clever turtle, who knew he was
clever and so enjoyed that his great cleverness was well and widely known. So clever was he that he devised
a means to fly. He directed two birds to hold the ends of a stick and soar aloft while he clung to the stick
between them with his mouth. So singular was his success that the sight of it, much to the tortoise's
delight, turtle's delight, garnered effusive praise from the earthbound animals below.
How clever turtle is to devise how to fly. But so high did he fly that it became hard to see who it was.
Who is that remarkable animal? Squinted one. Proud turtle, unwilling that it not be known that it was he
who had done this great thing called out in response. It is I, turtle. But of course,
when he opened his mouth to tell it, he lost his grip on the stick and plunged to his demise,
victim to his fatal flaw.
Well, whether or not you're familiar with these tales, certainly you know the reality of how such
a fatal flaw can afflict us. Flaws not just unfortunate, but to our very undoing.
We seem poised for some happy ending, some salutary, even coveted outcome.
Then the fatal flaw strikes, and those laurels of victory which seemed in reach wither.
The hand of bounty stretched out is suddenly withdrawn.
So what is your fatal flaw? Are you conscious of any? Has it made its appearance as an early frost,
blighting prospects, ambushing fair hopes?
Timidity that cost you that job opportunity.
Perfectionism that cost you that prospective mate.
Bluntness that cost you that once close friend.
Of course, it's quite possible that we are blind to our fatal flaw.
Such a condition is common, and often a feature of these stories, isn't it?
Adding a narrative tension.
I loved to watch my girls' expressions when we got to the part where speedy hair,
so confident that he, smiling smugly, lies down to take his nap.
You could read it all over their faces.
They saw what was going to happen, even though the hair missed it.
Oh, no.
Well, whatever you think your fatal flaw is,
and whatever you assess it has cost you,
or whether perhaps you are blissfully unaware of any such flaw in operation,
we find the Bible making a remarkable claim.
It identifies a fatal flaw that haunts all of us.
Each one of us.
And one that costs us more than we could ever imagine.
What is this fatal flaw?
And of what can it rob us?
And is there any hope that it may be overcome?
Well, this cluster of questions is the fascinating subject of the paragraph before us that we had just had read
in Paul's letter to the Corinthians.
It's in your pew Bibles.
If you want to look on, you'll find it in page 952, chapter 1.
The big numbers are the chapters, and then the littler numbers are the verses.
So let's consider it together to discover what disclosure it makes to us,
and whether it does not offer us some word of hope in the face of its sobering disclosure.
So first, what is this fatal flaw the Bible speaks of, which afflicts all of us?
Well, like a subterranean river, it flows beneath the surface.
Its presence runs all along our passage, but breaks out into view just beyond it in verse 29, little 29, little number 29,
where the apostle finally identifies it and calls it by name.
Do you see it?
I wonder if it comes as a surprise to you.
Boasting before God.
It rolls so quickly off the tongue.
Boasting before God.
But let's not hasten over its horror.
Linger for a moment upon it and catch its enormity.
Boasting a swelling pride.
And indeed, a swelling pride even in the presence of God.
Now, surely we must reckon this an extraordinary thing.
That any being could maintain a posture of pride,
a swelling self-boasting in the presence of an infinite, all-splendored creator.
Surely, the only rational, feasible disposition toward the God of unmatched majesty
is that of the seraphim angels who hover in his presence,
covering their unworthy eyes for the overwhelming splendor
and crying out without waning or abatement,
holy, holy, holy.
But to boast in the presence of God is beyond belief.
It defies imagination.
It strains credulity that such could be.
And yet, the charge is that it is so.
How could it be true of us?
And how came it to be?
Here, the Bible unfolds for us a fascinating story,
taking us back to the very opening of the drama of humanity
and a fateful act with a fatal afterlife.
Scarcely had the creator fashioned woman and man
placed them in an abundant garden
and pronounced his benediction upon them
than their paradise was poisoned.
Their freedom and joy in it was well nigh boundless.
Eat of the fruit of any tree in the garden, granted their creator.
There was but one boundary he gave them.
Only this one tree in the midst of the garden.
Do not eat of that one tree.
Then came the serpentine seduction.
Has God told you what is right and good?
You decide for yourself.
You are competent to judge and choose
and appraise all things.
You are fit for that role.
You take the scepter.
You mount the throne.
You be the ultimate arbiter of what is good, right, and desirable.
Those serpentine suggestions
stirred and stoked a nascent pride.
Yet it would not be the whole truth
to say the serpent formed this pride,
fashioning it ex nihilo,
out of nothing.
No, he also found it.
For these satanic seductions
could only have appealed
to a pride already present.
The seducer breathed upon the embers,
but they were already there,
incipient, if dormant,
in the human heart.
And what slept?
Awoke.
And nurtured on crafty flattery,
grew.
Yes.
Why should our creator
tell us what is right?
Why should not we decide?
Yes.
We shall judge for ourselves.
We shall determine what is desirable.
We will be the arbiters
of what is good.
And so began,
at our very birth,
human boasting
before God.
Ah, but that,
you perhaps say,
was long ago
and far away.
What does that have to do
with you or me?
Here,
the Bible tells us
that this act of Adam and Eve
had an afterlife.
It constituted a poisoning
of the waters of humanity
at its very fountainhead.
This self-exalting posture of heart
entered like a virus
our very bloodstream
and has been passed along
our collective race
ever since.
It is an assertion
so remarkable
it might strain our credulity,
but for the fact
that it seems
everywhere in evidence.
So perfectly
do we resemble
our first parents
in this trait of heart.
To deny paternity
would be to attempt
to deny the seemingly obvious.
So ingrained
has this characteristic
self-exalting
self-orientation become.
We might warrantably
call it
our very nature.
Who can plausibly deny
its pervasive presence?
We are truly
a self-centered lot
even in relation to God.
Who as creator
and God
ought rightfully
to occupy
the center of our lives?
But we are usurpers
of the throne.
We fancy
we
should wield
the diadem.
We are all
deeply
infected
by a deity
complex.
We would be
our own
God.
Self-determining.
And in the supporting
stories we tell
ourselves
in which of course
we feature
as the heroes
we stitch together
a thick weave
reinforcing our
central place
in our world.
Within our
towering
self-constructed
cathedral
buttressed
by a thousand
self-awarded
accolades
we carry on
our accustomed
and by now
well-established
self-worship.
Does this sound
an overly harsh
description?
I don't know
that it is.
I know
it's on the mark
in my case.
I find it
so routine
in my own life
it has come
to pass now
almost wholly
unnoticed
but it's
always there.
Why am I
always
more anxious
that people
will think
too little
of me
than too
much?
For better
or worse
where does
my eye
first go
in that group
photo?
Ah there
I am
third from
the left
I was
looking good
or maybe
oh no
look at my
hair
I look
like an
idiot
either way
self-centered
self-absorbed
in any case
the apostle
in our passage
refers
to this
whole complex
of self-oriented
self-exaltation
as
the wisdom
of the world
the phrase
is in
verse 20
of our
text
there in
first
Corinthians
the wisdom
of the world
if you detect
an irony
in that
phrase
as Paul
uses it
you're probably
on to
something
it of course
crops up
in innumerable
guises
Paul had been
reflecting on
some words
of the prophet
Isaiah
describing
the nation
of Israel
in his
day
and he
saw it
there
it's
where
Paul draws
his quote
from in
verse 19
of our
text
it seems
that Jerusalem
of old
was under
threat
by powerful
menacing
neighbors
and God
told them
simply
to trust
him
to keep
them secure
but like
their first
parents
and ours
they fancied
they had
a better
plan
no
when it
comes to
power
politics
we are
wise
and discerning
we'll handle
this matter
on our
own
and in
our own
way
thank you
very much
but their
own
fancied
better
judgment
would fail
them
as God
pronounced
I will
destroy
the wisdom
of the wise
and the
discernment
of the
discerning
I will
thwart
the verses
from
Isaiah
that
immediately
surround
this one
that Paul
quotes in
our text
expound
this
wisdom
of the
world
heart
stance
so if
you're not
there
flip back
to Isaiah
29
to just
glance at
this description
it's page
590
in your
pew
bibles
again
big numbers
the chapters
29
and little
numbers
the verses
so in
verse 15
you imagine
you are free
from God's
oversight
and so
independent
of him
verse 16
you the
creature
the clay
regard
the creator
the potter
as in
no way
your
superior
shall the
potter be
regarded
as the
clay
you deny
God
as your
author
the thing
made
say to its
maker
he did
not make
me
and so
in denying
the author
you sweep
away his
authority
he has
no
understanding
you in
essence
demote
God
and usurp
his place
the opening
phrase of
verse 16
sums it up
well
you turn
things
upside
down
this
then
according to
the Bible
is our
fatal
flaw
the fault
line
that runs
through
humanity
and indeed
runs through
each one
of us
a self
orientation
and self
exaltation
and that
even in
relation to
our creator
a boasting
before God
now it
wouldn't
surprise me
if you
find yourself
thinking
I'm not
so sure
about that
I don't
think that
heart stance
toward God
is true
of me
I don't
see it
well I
confess
I often
don't see
it either
but then
I
disturbingly
consider
the possibility
that it
is indeed
there
alive
and well
but perhaps
simply hidden
from my
awareness
like so many
of my
flaws
it lives
and moves
in my
blind spot
and is
indeed
all the more
deadly
like a
hidden
reef
for its
concealment
from me
if this
indeed
be our
fatal flaw
as the
apostle
here
identifies
it
what
makes
it so
fatal
to us
yeah
you keep
calling it
fatal
why fatal
can't we
live with it
can't we
get along
with it
sure
proud
turtle
took a
pretty
hard
fall
but
speedy
hair
just
lost
a race
and
greedy
dog
just
lost
a
bone
I
mean
how
serious
is
this
anyway
it is
serious
the Bible
tells us
because
not
only
has it
alienated
us from
our
creator
and that
proud
usurpation
of God's
throne
back in
the garden
is
recapitulated
every time
we reject
God's
judgments
preferring
our own
and strike
off
in our
defiant
or indifferent
imagined
independence
for that
reason it
is serious
but also
and this
is what
the apostle
points out
in our
text
again page
952
so we're
back in
first
Corinthians
our
flaw
is so
serious
because
it
sabotages
our
prospects
for
reconciliation
with our
alienated
creator
and it
thwarts
our
ability
to know
God
know
God
the apostle
uses
in a
full
sense
of
actually
relating
to
God
not
merely
some
sort
of
theoretical
knowledge
of
God
by
knowing
God
Paul
means
overcoming
the
alienation
and restoring
an intimacy
with our
creator
and as
the apostle
states
verse 21
the world
did not
know God
through its
wisdom
that is to
say
humanity
deploying
all of the
resources
of its own
sagacity
and intelligence
and instincts
and intuitions
and reason
and mysticism
and speculation
and spirituality
has failed
to connect
to God
has failed
to establish
a reconciled
relation
to their
alienated
creator
this is what
Paul is saying
in that
series of
rhetorical
questions
in verse
20
where is
the wise
man
where is
the scribe
where
the debater
of this
age
these
were
front runners
of the
world's
wisdom
the best
and the
brightest
the top
bracket
if the
world's
wisdom
could
ever
succeed
if it
could ever
scale
the heights
and bridge
the gap
to a
knowledge
of God
it would
do so
through
them
now these
types
are likely
strange
to us
by wise
Paul means
the thoughtful
articulate
public
thinkers
who espouse
some
philosophy
of life
scribe
adds
a religious
orientation
and expertise
we might
think they
would surely
move the
ball upfield
on the issue
of connecting
with God
as to
debaters
they held
the special
esteem
of the
culture
kind of
the rock
stars
of their
day
perhaps
our
equivalent
would be
our
entertainment
celebrities
we parade
in the
media
and so
adore
well the
apostle
parades
this top
tier
of worldly
wisdom
and asks
so
how have
they done
on this
score of
connecting
with God
and the
telling answer
is they
have not
succeeded
humanity
has failed
to connect
with God
by its
wisdom
now
don't
misunderstand
the
apostle
here is
not
giving
a blanket
disparagement
of all
human
wisdom
no
it's
afforded us
many
treasures
with which
we fill
books
we fill
libraries
and by
which the
world has
been made
a much
richer
place
no no no
Paul's
evaluation
is narrow
and specific
as to the
issue
that surely
matters
supremely
how can
we know
and relate
to our
creator
and be
reconciled
to him
on this
all important
matter
worldly
wisdom
in all
its best
specimens
has failed
us
why this
signal failure
on so
vital a
matter
we might
wonder
because
we are
the victims
of
self
inflicted
sabotage
our
fatal
flaw
pushes
us
into
a
particular
posture
wholly
unsuited
for connecting
with God
we
pridefully
insist
on being
in the
driver's
seat
in our
encounter
with God
if our
creator
is to
commend
himself
to us
he
must
jump
through
our
hoops
commend
himself
to
our
sensibilities
satisfy
our
demands
as to
how
we
would
know
him
accommodate
our
scruples
meet
our
expectations
of him
just
how
this
plays
out
will
vary
from
culture
to
culture
even
from
person
to
person
but
as
varied
as
is
the
expression
the
root
is
the
same
self
exaltation
in
relation
to
God
we
shall
be the
arbiters
the
apostle
supplies
two
cultural
expressions
of this
verse 22
these were
prominent
cultures
in his
time
the
Jewish
culture
he writes
demands
signs
they
will set
the terms
of the
encounter
if
you
God
display
yourself
in this
way
we will
grant you
an audience
do you
see it
the
fatal
flaw
strikes
again
and
as to
the
Greek
culture
Greeks
seek
wisdom
this
is
our
project
what
we
are
concerned
about
if
you
share
our
goal
you're
very
welcome
this
is
the
job
we
are
posting
if
you
fit
if
you
fit
this
job
you're
welcome
to
apply
well
for
all
their
distinctiveness
notice
the
self
same
root
the
self
exaltation
that
insists
that
they
be in
the
driver's
seat
we
could
say
we
even
in
relation
to
the
creator
but
of
course
we
cannot
come
to
know
God
that
way
not
the
true
God
merely
at
best
one
of
our
own
making
what
an
irony
the
creator
makes
mankind
in
his
own
image
and
we
try
to
return
the
compliment
by
seeking
to
make
him
in
ours
so
our
fatal
flaw
sabotages
our
capacity
to
know
and
be
reconciled
to
God
now
one
might
think
this
damage
enough
but
the
apostle
tells
us
it
has
robbed
us
of
even
more
for
helpless
in
our
self
sabotage
to
connect
with
God
himself
breaks
through
to
us
a
word
comes
to
us
from
him
as
to
how
to
be
reconciled
to
him
what
Paul
here
calls
the
word
of
the
cross
but
tragically
our
fatal
flaw
again
surfaces
at
this
very
word
of
rescue
from
God
in
disposing
us
to
receive
it
to
grasp
how
this
could
be
we
need
to
understand
something
of
this
word
of
the
cross
you
remember
how
we
proudly
put
ourselves
in
God's
place
asserting
we
will
be
the
ones
to
determine
what
is
good
and
desirable
ours
shall
be
the
godlike
ultimacy
we
will
do
it
our
way
of
course
declaring
our
independence
from
our
creator
the
author
and
sustainer
of
life
death
becomes
our
portion
inevitably
for
there
is
no
life
apart
from
God
the
creator
and
judicially
for
our
scandalous
defection
rightfully
brings
upon us
God's
judgment
but
if
our
fatal
flaw
proudly
puts
us
in the
place
of
almighty
God
the
word
of
the
cross
tells
us
how
God
humbly
puts
himself
in the
place
of
criminal
mankind
in order
that the
creator
might take
our
place
he took
on our
humanity
and with
it
in the
person
of
Jesus
took
in
our
place
the
deadly
judgment
rightly
ours
that
deadly
price
of our
pride
fully
paid
by
Jesus
death
upon
the
cross
the
way
is
now
open
for
us
all
to
be
reconciled
with
our
creator
this
is
the
astonishing
word
of the
cross
the
humble
God
substituting
himself
for
proud
humanity
giving
his
life
for those
whose
lives
were
forfeit
that he
might reconcile
them to
himself
a more
astonishing
word from
God
could not
be
fathomed
but
how
does
this
astonishing
word of
rescue
strike
those
stricken
by the
fatal
virus
to
those
stricken
by this
deadly
venom
and
of it
perishing
as the
apostle
describes
them
in verse
18
to
them
the
word
of the
cross
is
folly
the
word
of
rescue
from
God
strikes
us
as
ridiculous
it
doesn't
at all
conform to
our
demands
and
sensibilities
we have
objections
the
objections
will
differ
as it
did
the
Jew
from
the
Greek
a
rescuer
who
dies
at the
hands
of
these
nasty
Roman
Gentiles
that
he's
supposed
to
save
us
from
says
the
Jewish
culture
disparagingly
not
very
powerful
resurrection
come on
a
rescuer
who
comes
back
in
a
body
says
the
Greek
dismissively
not
very
philosophical
and no
doubt
we could
think of
our own
objections
to
the
word
of
the
cross
but
in
the
apostles
mind
they
all
spring
from
the
same
source
we
oppose
it
because
perhaps
first
the
cross
challenges
our
proud
self
supremacy
though
in the
cross
we have
the
creator
giving
himself
he
is
the
creator
and
as
such
the
sole
rightful
king
and
this
cannot
but
cross
our
own
pretensions
to
kingship
much
as
the
kingly
pretensions
of
old
king
herod
were
threatened
by the
announcement
of one
born
king
herod
didn't
hate
the
thought
of
a
baby
he
hated
the
thought
of
a
rival
and
if
we're
honest
so
do
we
never
shall
a
proud
and
self
exalted
race
concede
the throne
without
a sore
conflict
we
shall
fortify
our
battlements
against
such
a
claim
you
are
mine
I
have
ransomed
you
dearly
says
the
creator
no
I
am
my
own
we
rebels
respond
furthermore
the message
of the
cross
inescapably
challenges
our own
self
flattering
assessment
of our
own
commendableness
when
God
took
our
place
that
place
was a
cross
the
place
of a
condemned
criminal
and
the
cross
is
the
most
damning
indictment
imaginable
for
it
tells
us
we
have
failed
so
signally
in our
relation
to
God
that
our
life
is
forfeit
before
him
things
were
so
bad
someone
had
to
die
that
the
creator
himself
had
to
take
on
humanity
so
he
could
give
up
his
life
in
exchange
to
bring
us
back
to
God
does
not
gratify
our
proud
penchant
for
self
flattery
the
cross
offers
an
account
of
our
lives
and
the
hopeless
mess
we
have
made
of
them
that
God
put
himself
in
our
place
and
that
place
was
under
sentence
of
death
dramatically
puts
us
in
our
place
and
it
is
not
the
exalted
one
of
our
liking
and
the
message
of
the
cross
meets
accordingly
a
bitter
resistance
our
fatal
flaw
has
worked
up
in
us
such
an
insatiable
appetite
for
glory
but
the
word
of
the
cross
starves
it
to
death
and
leaves
us
with
not
a
morsel
not
a
shard
to
boast
about
we
look
in
vain
for
even
a
single
line
in
the
credits
not
even
at
the
very
end
in
fine
print
we
are
says
the
cross
a
people
in
need
of
rescue
and
only
the
kindness
of
God
at
great
cost
to
himself
can
rescue
us
it's
important
to
realize
one
need
not
be
irreligious
to
take
offense
at
the
cross
quite
the
contrary
deep
religiosity
is
perfectly
compatible
with
offense
at
the
cross
indeed
it
appears
religion
is a
natural
habitat
for
self
exaltation
a
boasting
before
God
seemingly
religious
people
are often
most
likely
to
regard
their
very
religiosity
or
morality
as
grounds
for
boasting
before
God
is
this
not
God
an
impressive
array
of
ritual
or
rule
keeping
so
impressive
can
our
own
religion
and
morality
appear
to
us
that
it
is
a
puzzle
to
us
why
the
cross
is
needed
at
all
who
needs
rescuing
certainly
not
I
we
smugly
assure
ourselves
to
such
the
word
of the
cross
is
gratuitous
folly
indeed
okay
so
the
apostle
is
telling
us
that
it
is
hard
for
us
to
receive
the
word
of
the
cross
whether
Jew
or
Greek
religious
or
irreligious
our
fatal
flaw
runs
through
all
of
us
and
makes
it
difficult
for
us
even
to
stomach
let
alone
embrace
the
cross
but
it
seems
like
he's
further
saying
that
God
makes
it
that
way
that
it
is
so
according
to
his
wisdom
verse
21
in
the
wisdom
of
God
the
world
did
not
know
God
through
their
wisdom
what's
up
with
that
he
sets
it
up
so
we
cannot
get
to
him
by
our
own
resources
what's
the
wisdom
in
that
well
what
if
God
arranged
it
so
we
could
get
to
God
and
be
reconciled
to
him
by
our
own
resources
of
our
wisdom
and
our
power
would
that
not
merely
throw
more
fuel
upon
our
pride
it
would
simply
give
us
one
more
thing
and
what
a
thing
to
boast
about
before
God
no
God
designed
his
rescue
in
such
a
way
that
it
would
humble
us
break
our
inveterate
pride
and
so
it
had
to
be
for
rescue
is
rescue
from
our
fatal
affliction
the
pride
that
is
at
the
heart
of
our
boasting
before
God
there
is
no
rescue
that
leaves
our
pride
intact
so
there
we
have
our
impasse
our
only
hope
of
rescue
is
the
cross
before
which
we
must
humbly
bow
but
our
fatal
flaw
has
made
our
backs
too
stiff
to
bend
what
is
to
become
of
us
is
there
any
prospect
of
this
fatal
flaw
being
overcome
what
a
grim
account
of
the
sorry
state
in
which
we
are
mired
is
there
no
word
of
hope
held
out
oh
friends
there
is
and
it
is
to
these
words
of
the
apostle
that
I
have
been
eager
to
get
if
I
have
put
you
to
sleep
I
am
so
sorry
but
please
wake
up
just
for
a
moment
now
while
the
word
of
the
cross
is
foolishness
to
those
perishing
notice
the
apostle
tells
us
there
is
an
alternative
but
verse
18
but
to
us
who
are
being
saved
this
word
of
the
cross
is
the
power
of
God
how
is
it
the
power
of
God
because
verse
21
through
this
word
of the
cross
preached
it
pleases
God
to
save
those
who
believe
yes
it is
a
stumbling
block
to
some
and
folly
to
others
but
glorious
word
verse
24
to
those
who
are
called
to
them
Jesus
becomes
the
power
of
God
and
the
wisdom
of
God
for
their
rescue
for
those
who
are
called
what
does
it
mean
to
be
called
well
outwardly
simply
to
hear
the
message
of
the
cross
is
to
be
called
to
be
told
of
God's
provision
and
a
savior
and
the
offer
to
put
your
trust
in
him
as
savior
it
is
a
call
to
acknowledge
I
need
rescuing
and
a
call
to
take
him
Jesus
and
trust
him
as
your
rescuer
all
are
called
in
this
outward
sense
who
have
heard
what
the
apostle
calls
verse
21
the
preaching
of
the
cross
but
there
is
another
importantly
different
sense
and the
apostle
uses
it
here
to
be
called
as
he
uses
it
in
verse
24
is
when
hearing
the
outward
call
of
the
message
of
the
cross
something
deeper
happens
within
us
instead
of being
repelled
by the
cross
we
find
ourselves
strangely
drawn
to
it
whereas
before
the
cross
seemed
to
us
absurd
or
offensive
or
perhaps
just
nonsensical
or
simply
irrelevant
but
then
we
begin
to
see
in it
something
we
had
not
seen
before
and
our
pride
the
very
thing
that
denied
the
cross
entrance
begins
to
dissolve
before
it
and
melt
away
yielding
to the
cross
access
to our
heart
to
hear
the
inward
call
of the
cross
is to
begin
to see
it as
wisdom
not
senselessness
beauty
not
folly
to
have a
sense
of
wonder
engage
our
heart
and
begin
to
hold
it
if
you
have
begun
to see
the cross
in this
way
your
rescue
has
begun
wonder
it's
likely
that
this
word
wonder
caught
the
apostle's
eye
in the
scroll
of
Isaiah
for
in the
very
sentence
that
Paul
quotes
from
Isaiah
in
Corinthians
that
word
occurred
three
times
in the
very
sentence
he
quotes
and
we've
commented
on
the
context
in
Isaiah
29
again
a
people
swollen
with
pride
and
dismissive
of
God
perhaps
quite
religious
but
utterly
self
absorbed
a
people
ripe
for
judgment
in
short
a
people
just
like
us
they
may
draw
near
with
their
mouth
says
God
but
their
hearts
are
far
from
me
therefore
continues
God
verse
14
of
Isaiah
29
oh
and we
know
what's
coming
next
don't
we
and
how
the
prophet
Isaiah
can
thunder
it
too
surely
he
will
announce
judgment
after
all
it's
well
deserved
but
in
this
natural
expectation
we
find
ourselves
astonished
maybe
you're
looking
at it
there
in the
text
therefore
behold
what
fire
and
brimstone
therefore
behold
I
will
again
do
wonderful
things
with
this
people
with
wonder
upon
wonder
this
is a
wonder
indeed
instead
of
judging
ruined
rebels
he
rescues
them
taking
their
judgment
upon
himself
on
the
cross
that
they
might
be
reconciled
when
we
begin
to
see
the
cross
for
what
it
truly
is
we
begin
to
see
it
as
wonderful
thrice
wonderful
as
says
the
Isaiah
scroll
wonder
upon
wonder
upon
wonder
this
is our
hope
in the
face
of our
fatal
flaw
as
strong
as
is
our
pride
the
cross
can
overcome
it
for
the
foolishness
sorry
as
strong
as
is
our
pride
the
cross
can
overcome
it
for
seemingly
weak
and foolish
as it
is
for
those
who
see
it
truly
it
is
the
power
and
wisdom
of
God
to
save
so
let me
ask you
the
word of
the cross
has gone
out
you hear
it
you hear
its
call
its
call
to see
your
pride
and need
of
rescue
and to
take
Jesus
and his
cross
work
for your
rescue
the
outer
call
that goes
out
to all
of us
but are
you hearing
the call
within
has the
wonder of
the cross
begun to
steal upon
your heart
and soften
it
have you
begun to
feel it
dislodge
and disarm
your boasting
in the presence
of God
your proud
independence
and indifference
if so
rejoice
for the
saving
wisdom
and power
of God
is at
work
in you
you are
on the
road
to rescue
you are
to use
the words
of the
apostle
in verse
18
being
saved
if this
be your
case
I would
exhort
you
to a
renewed
sense
of what
the cross
of Jesus
has
overcome
and has
had to
overcome
in your
heart
to bring
you home
to him
and live
in the
fresh wonder
of it
but oh
if it be
not so
with you
if for you
the cross
of Christ
remains a
folly
or an
offense
or dismissible
do not
lose hope
yes
our
common
fatal
flaw
has
great
blinding
power
but God
can overcome
it
as the
apostle
himself
well
knew
blinded
as he
once
was
as all
of us
are
as he
well
knew
and had
experienced
it in
his own
life
and as
he concludes
our passage
in verse
25
even the
foolishness
of God
is wiser
than men
and the
weakness
of God
is stronger
than men
the word
of the
cross
can prevail
even
with the
likes
of our
proud
race
so put
yourself
under
the
outward
call
of the
word
of the
cross
listen
to that
call
until you
hear it
within
and begin
to find
it wonderful
let's pray
oh God
we ask
you
to exercise
your great
power and
wisdom
ravishingly
upon our
stony hard
hearts
open our
eyes
for the
first time
or afresh
to our
need for
you as
savior
rescue us
from our
fatal flaw
let it
not be
our final
state
rather
bend
and break
our pride
and make
us see
the wonder
of the
cross
amen
you