Chapter 1, starting at verse 18.
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.
For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
the intelligence of the intelligent, I will frustrate.
Where is the wise person?
Where is the teacher of the law?
Where is the philosopher of this age?
Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him,
God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached,
to save those who believe.
Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom.
But we preach Christ crucified,
a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.
But to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks,
Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom,
and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called.
Not many of you were wise by human standards.
Not many of you were influential.
Not many were of noble birth.
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 the lowly things of this world and the despised things and the things that are not
to nullify the things that are,
so that no one may boast before him.
It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus,
who has become for us wisdom from God,
that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption.
Therefore, as it is written,
let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.
And so it is with me.
So it is with me, brothers and sisters.
When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom
as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.
For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you
except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
I came to you in weakness, with great fear and trembling.
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words,
but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power,
so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom,
but on God's power.
Let me just pray first, and then Michael is going to come and speak.
Father, we need your wisdom today,
and you have provided that in your word, your truth.
And we pray that by your Holy Spirit
would speak into our hearts and lives,
and that you, by your power,
would change us and transform us,
making us into the kind of people you call us to be.
Help Michael now,
and may he know your Spirit working in him and through him.
And may we all be blessed together.
In Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, it's nice to be with you again here in Carragalline.
Last day of the year,
so as I won't be this part tomorrow,
wish you all a very happy and blessed new year.
The very fact that we're here today on the last day of the year
is an indication, isn't it, of God's faithfulness to us.
The psalmist reminds us that our times are in his hands.
And as you get older, the year passes by so very, very quickly, doesn't it?
But as we go through the years,
we have our ups, we have our downs.
Different things happen to us.
But through it all, we can acknowledge the faithfulness of our God
and say, great is your faithfulness.
And I want us this morning to look at the Apostle Paul
and particularly his coming to Corinth
and all the things that happened to him there
and the success of the gospel as he arrives in this particular city.
How did he keep going?
He was a man who knew what it was to suffer.
But he tells us in Philippians chapter 4 and verse 13
that he can only continue and do what he does
through Christ who gives him the strength.
So let's look at Paul in Corinth.
By way of introduction, that's how we're going to start.
Paul in Corinth.
Now what do we know about first century Corinth?
Well, it was known as the Vanity Fair of the ancient world.
It was an extremely evil city.
There were two ports.
Sailors who had spent months at sea
were well catered for when they came ashore.
Everything was there for them
to suit the desires of their hearts.
It was provided by people who were ready to give them what they wanted to have.
It was an evil city.
In this city was the temple of Aphrodite,
the goddess of love.
And so the city became known as a city of immorality
because there were the temple prostitutes,
both male and female.
You wouldn't want to let your daughter out
alone in first century Corinth.
But Paul comes to this city
and we ask ourselves,
what brought him there?
Well, first of all, we can say this.
It was the command of the Lord.
Although Paul hadn't been present
in the upper room
when the Lord sends his disciples
out into the world.
He would have known
that the Lord commanded his church
to go into all the world
and to make disciples
of all nations.
So Paul arrives at Corinth
to make known this gospel.
He can't do anything else.
He wants to make known
the Lord Jesus Christ,
his death and his resurrection.
The Lord had commanded him.
I am, he says in 1 Corinthians 9 and verse 16,
compelled to preach.
So he's there because of the command of God,
the command of the Lord
to preach the gospel in the world.
But he's there also
because of the call of the Lord.
Remember, here was a man
who was totally opposed to the gospel.
He hated anyone
who followed the Lord Jesus Christ.
But he was confronted
by the risen Christ
on the road to Damascus.
And as he lies on the ground,
the risen Lord speaks to him
and says,
go into the city
and you will be told
what you must do.
And eventually,
a man by the name of Ananias
is sent to him.
And what does Ananias say?
What does Ananias say
when he goes to the Apostle Paul?
Well, he tells him
that he is a chosen instrument
to carry the name,
his name,
the name of the Lord Jesus
before the Gentiles
and before kings
and before the people of Israel.
So there's not only the command of God,
there's a specific call
of the Apostle
to go into the world.
And when he stands
and when he stands
later on
before King Agrippa,
he is able to say,
I was not disobedient
to the vision
from heaven.
He's going to suffer,
but there's this call
he must make known.
So the command of God
was there.
The specific call
was there.
And he knew
that he must get on
with the work.
That's why he's in Corinth.
Because God had caught him.
But he's also there
for a third reason.
Paul was well versed
in the Old Testament Scriptures.
And he would have known
the promises of God.
He knew the command of God.
He knew the call of God.
But because he was steeped
in the Old Testament Scriptures,
he would have been
very aware
of the Old Testament promises
concerning the spread
of the Gospel
in the world.
It wasn't to be confined
to Jerusalem
or to Samaria.
It was to go
to the uttermost bounds
of the earth.
He would have known
verses like Isaiah 60
and verse 3
Nations
will come
to your light
and kings
to the brightness
of your dawn.
Not just this promise
but many other promises.
How then
could he
be silent?
God had
caught him.
The word of God
had gripped him.
The wicked city
of Corinth
in Greece
was no barrier
to the purposes
of God.
God.
If nations
were to come
to the light,
they had to hear
of Jesus Christ.
So as he arrives
in the city,
he's recognizing
that he's had
the command.
He recognizes
the call of the Lord.
He sees the promise
of God
and he has
great confidence.
How be it?
as we shall discover,
he's nervous.
But perhaps
the words
of the Lord
came to him
even as he began
his ministry there.
I will
build
my church
and the gates
of Hades
will not
overcome it.
The church
going into
the world
and nothing
could stop
the purposes
of God
being worked
out.
Because God
is faithful.
And of course
there's an
application
for you
and for me
this morning.
The command
still stands.
We are to go
into all the world
to preach
the gospel.
Some
will be
called
specifically
to give up
their time,
to give up
their normal
jobs,
to go out
into the world.
We too
have the promises
of God,
the Old Testament
and New Testament
promises.
And God
has placed
you and I,
or at least
you,
not me,
but you
in Karagaline.
Is it easy
to bring
the message
of the gospel
to our friends,
to our families,
to our neighbors,
to our colleagues,
to our fellow
students?
No?
But God
has saved
us.
And while
He hasn't
called us
to be
an apostle,
He has
called each
one of us
to be
His
witnesses.
And He's
called us
to pray
to Him,
the Lord
of the harvest,
that He will
thrust out
laborers
into
the harvest
field.
And He's
given us
many promises
to hold
on to.
And the
one who
commands,
the one who
calls,
and the one
who promises
will be
faithful.
One great
missionary
said this,
God's work
done in
God's way
will never
lack
God's
supply.
That's Paul
in Corinth.
You're in
carigaline.
Let us
go forward
into the
coming year
to make
known the
glorious
gospel to
the people
around and
about us.
But the
second thing
I want us
to notice
is Paul's
listeners
in Corinth.
What do
we know
about them?
Who were
they?
What were
they like?
Well,
certainly
we know
that some
of them
were Jews.
When Paul
arrives in
Corinth,
we read
about it
in Acts
chapter 18,
we are
told that
Paul went
into the
synagogue,
and every
Sabbath he
reasoned in
the synagogue.
He took
the Old
Testament
scriptures
and showed
them the
Lord Jesus
Christ in
his death
and in
his
resurrection.
Did many
of the Jews
like what
he had to
say?
No.
We are
told that
they opposed
Paul,
and they
became very
abusive.
They didn't
make his
life easy.
There was
court action.
The majority
turned their
backs on
what he was
saying.
Didn't they
have the
law?
Weren't they
religious?
Didn't they
have those
Old Testament
scriptures?
They were
all right.
Weren't they
ancestors of
Abraham?
But they
turned their
back upon
the message
of salvation,
of faith
in the
Lord Jesus
Christ,
and what
he had
done upon
the cross
of Calvary.
They were
the people
that listened
to the
apostle Paul,
but rejected
what he
had to
say.
But also
some were
Gentiles,
for were
told that
when the
Jews
rejected,
Paul shook
out his
clothes in
protest,
and said to
them,
your blood
be upon
your own
heads.
I am
clear of
my
responsibility.
From now
on,
I will
go to
the
Gentiles.
And who
were these
Gentiles that
he began to
bring the
message of
the gospel
to?
Well, we're
told in
1 Corinthians
1 and
verse 26,
that not
many of
them were
wise by
human
standards.
They didn't
have an
education.
There was
no third
level for
them.
Not many
of them
were influential.
They didn't
have the
top jobs.
They had
no clout
in society.
Nobody would
listen to
them.
They weren't
of noble
birth.
They were
not rulers
over others.
But they
became
Paul's
listeners.
They were
foolish.
They were
weak.
They were
lowly.
And by
many they
were
despised.
But they
were Gentiles
who
listened.
So there
were Jews
that listened.
There were
Gentiles
who listened.
But all
of these
people could
be summed
up under
one heading.
Jew,
Gentile,
they were
sinners.
Whether they
were rich,
whether they
were poor,
whether they
were educated
or uneducated,
whether they
were foolish,
whether they
were weak,
whether they
were lowly
or despised,
they were all
united in
this fact,
that they
were sinners
in the sight
of God.
God.
Later on
in his
letter,
in chapter
1,
in the
first letter
in chapter
6 and
verse 9,
he says
this,
Do you
not know
that the
wicked will
not inherit
the kingdom
of God?
Do not
be deceived,
neither the
sexually immoral,
nor
idolaters,
nor adulterers,
nor male
prostitutes,
nor homosexual
offenders,
nor thieves,
nor the greedy,
nor drunkards,
nor slanderers,
nor swindlers,
will inherit
the kingdom
of God.
And that
is what
some of you
were.
They were
the listeners.
They heard
what the
apostle Paul
had to say.
But the
message came
to them
in the power
of the Holy
Spirit,
and they had
a change
of life,
a change
of direction.
They became
part of
the church,
a church
of saved
sinners.
And again,
there's application
for you
and I.
We're
surrounded
by different
kinds
of people,
different
cultures,
different
religious
backgrounds.
We're
surrounded
by an
increasingly
secular
society.
A society
that doesn't
even recognize
sin as
sin.
A post-modern
society
where it's
almost impossible
to sin.
What's to be
done?
Do we
stay in a
holy huddle?
in 2018?
Or do we
remember that
God is
faithful?
Do we
remember that
we have a
message to
proclaim?
And God
can take
that message
and change
people,
whether they're
religious or
non-religious.
Whether they're
well-educated
or no
education.
Whether they're
rich or
whether they're
poor.
those are
our listeners.
But we
go out
knowing
that God
is faithful.
As Paul
puts it
when he
writes to
the Romans
in chapter
5 and
verse 20,
that where
sin
increases,
grace
increases
all the
more.
So there's
hope for
Karageline.
There's
hope for
our families.
There's
hope for
our friends.
There's
hope for
our
neighbors.
There's
hope for
our
work
colleagues.
If we're
Christians this
morning,
we are
saved
sinners.
And we
bring the
message of
salvation to
those who
are still
at the
present time
in darkness.
But we do
know that a
God of grace
and mercy
and love
saves sinners
in Corinth.
And he can
save sinners
today.
He can save
sinners
tomorrow.
He can
save sinners
during
2018.
Because he
is faithful.
He will
gather a
people to
himself.
The devil
will not
win the
day.
So we
see Paul
in Corinth.
We see his
listeners in
Corinth.
But thirdly,
we see
Paul's
message in
Corinth.
Now when
Paul arrives
in this
city, he
has a
message.
And he
gives himself
wholeheartedly
in delivering
that message.
Now what
is his
message?
What would
you have
done if
you arrived
in first
century
Corinth?
What would
you bring
before the
people?
Well, Paul
makes his
number one
priority,
the cross
of the
Lord
Jesus
Christ.
He tells
us in
1 Corinthians
15 and
verse 3,
I
deliver to
you that
which was
of first
importance,
that Christ
died for
our sins
according to
the scriptures.
What scriptures,
Paul?
Well, according
to the Old
Testament
scriptures,
that he
was buried
and that he
was raised
the third
day according
to the
scriptures.
This was
my message,
a crucified
and a
risen
Lord.
So, in
other words,
when he
came before
Jews, he
preached
Christ
crucified
risen.
When he
came before
Gentiles, he
preached
Jesus Christ
crucified
risen.
When he
met with
sinners, he
preached
Jesus Christ
crucified
and risen.
there was
no compromise
to Jewish
thinking.
If you
look at
verses 22
and 23,
you read
there these
words,
Jews demand
miraculous
signs and
Greeks look
for wisdom.
But we
preach Christ
crucified, a
stumbling block
to Jews and
foolishness to
Gentiles.
promise.
But Paul
didn't
compromise
his message.
The Jews
said, give
us a sign.
That was
always their
way of
thinking.
Jesus was
asked to
work signs
and wonders
again and
again while
he was here
upon earth
before his
death and
resurrection.
Even when
he hung
upon the
cross, they
said, come
down if
you are
the Christ.
And they
mocked him
as he
hung there.
He saved
others.
He cannot
save himself.
Give us
a sign.
Come
down.
But he
didn't come
down.
Though the
Jews asked
for a
sign.
You see,
a crucified
Savior proved
proved to
be a
stumbling
block to
the Jews.
They
adopted a
teaching
which said
something like
this.
That the
Messiah would
come as a
mighty ruler.
That he would
get rid of the
yoke of the
Romans.
That if they
kept the law,
they would
eventually get
to heaven.
all they
had to do
was live
their lives
in purity.
But they
failed and
they failed
miserably.
And the
apostle Paul
comes to
them and
says, I
want to
point you
to the
cross.
Because that
is the way
of salvation.
Salvation
will never be
found in
keeping the
law.
Because it's
impossible to
keep the
law.
I want
you to
look to
Christ who
hung there
and took
the wrath
of God
upon himself
in your
place and
died in
your place.
Look to
Christ and
be saved.
That's what
you must do.
And although
he could have
tried other
methods, he
didn't.
He said
there's only
salvation through
faith.
in what
Jesus Christ
did upon
the cross.
For there
he died
for sinners.
There he
died that
people might
be clean.
Some years
ago, I
was in
Poland near
the city
of Wucz.
Wucz.
The second
largest city
in Poland
and quite
near there.
there was
a memorial
to the
many Jews
who were
sent to
the gas
chambers
at
Auschwitz.
It was a
very moving
memorial.
It was you
went in at
one end
and you went
down a long
tunnel.
And as you
went down
the tunnel,
so the names
of the people
that had been
transported from
which appeared
and when they
were sent.
And when you
got to the
end of this
memorial,
this long
tunnel,
there was no
way out.
And you
looked up and
you were in
a chimney.
family.
It was
showing the
end of
so many
people that
were sent
from those
parts that
they ended
up cremated
at Auschwitz.
But God
in His
mercy
has saved
a number
of Polish
people,
even in
Auschwitz
itself.
What had
happened?
Well,
somebody had
betrayed a
number of
Christians and
said that they
were anti-Nazi.
And so they
were thrown
into Auschwitz.
They were
Christians and
they witnessed
to many,
many Jews.
And although
the story
hasn't been
told, it is
out there.
There are
papers available
collected by
a friend of
mine.
And it
says that
many,
many Jews
turn to
the Lord
Jesus Christ.
As they
heard the
message of
salvation in
such terrible
circumstances,
they turn to
the Savior.
They had one
message to
give to these
people as
they faced
death.
And all of
us face
death.
The one
message is
Jesus Christ
and Him
crucified.
No
compromise.
faith in
Him and
in Him
alone.
But there's
no compromise
to Gentile
thinking either.
You see,
the Greeks,
well, they
had their
philosophies.
And here was
Paul.
And what was
he doing?
Was he
elevating their
philosophies and
their philosophers?
No.
He was
preaching about
a man who
lived a
perfect life,
who was
nailed to
a cross.
And the
Greeks said,
foolishness,
ridiculous.
How can
someone dying
a gruesome
death like
that save
people?
It doesn't
make sense.
God's
love.
So Paul
changed
track.
Not for
a single
moment.
He sought
to prove
from the
Old Testament
Scriptures
that Christ
had to die.
That He
had to
shed
His
blood
upon the
cross.
He took
people back
to those
Old Testament
Scriptures
which said
He was
wounded
for our
transgressions.
He was
bruised
for our
iniquities.
The
chastisement
that brought
us peace
was upon
Him and
with His
stripes
we are
healed.
He
pointed
them to
a
crucified,
risen
Christ.
And as
He says
in this
passage
in verse
21
for
since
in the
wisdom
of God
the world
through its
wisdom
did not
know Him
God
was
pleased
through the
foolishness
of what
was preached
to save
those
who
believed.
The
message
of the
cross
have you
accepted
it?
Do you
believe it
that there
is only
salvation in
Christ
and in
Him
alone?
You see
we live in a
different age
but nothing
has changed
salvation.
And you
and I
must go
out into
this world
and point
people
to the
same
Savior.
And why
do we
point to
the same
Savior?
Well
sin had
to be
punished
didn't
it?
God
had to
be
just
and God
provided
a
substitute
a perfect
substitute
a perfect
sacrifice
in the
Lord
Jesus
Christ.
And if
the people
of the
community
of
Carigaline
would know
forgiveness
of sin
they must
come
to the
foot
of the
cross.
There's
an old
hymn
which says
there lies
beneath
its shadow
that is
the shadow
of the
cross.
There lies
beneath
its shadow
but on
the
further
side
the
darkness
of an
awful
grave
that
gapes
both
deep
and wide
and there
between us
stands
the cross
to arms
outstretched
to save
like a
watchman
set to
guard
the way
from that
eternal
grave.
So the
people of
Carigaline
need to
come to
the foot
of the
cross
as they
are
as
sinners
and to
quote
another
hymn
just as I
am
without
one plea
but that
your blood
was shed
for me
and that
you bid
me
come
to me
O
Lamb
of God
I
come
as a
sinner
there
is
no
other
way
but I
can tell
you this
if people
do
come
as they
listen to
the message
of the
cross
and the
resurrection
of the
Lord
Jesus
if they
come
will he
save
yes he
will
because he
is faithful
1
Corinthians
1
and verse
18
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
Paul at
Corinth
Paul's
listeners
in Corinth
Paul's
message
in Corinth
and finally
Paul's
power
in Corinth
what was
it that
caused
sinners
to respond
to what
Paul was
saying
what power
was at work
that caused
people to
be changed
to become
new creations
to have
a complete
change
of direction
what was
it that
turned
people
round
well let's
first of all
put it
negatively
a power
was at work
but it
wasn't a
natural
power
Paul tells
us
he
arrives
at the
city
and he's
nervous
and the
Lord speaks
to him
in Acts
18
and verse
9
it says
do not
be afraid
keep on
speaking
do not
be silent
for I
am with
you
and no
one is
going to
attack
or harm
you
because I
have many
people
in this
city
here's
the great
apostle
but he's
afraid
he naturally
wants to
stay quiet
he suffered
persecution
as he made
his way
down through
Europe
of that
day
and his
fear is
perfectly
understandable
and he
speaks about
it in the
passage that
was read
to us
earlier on
1
corinthians 2
and verse
1
when I
came to
you brothers
I did
not come
with eloquence
or superior
wisdom
and he
goes on
to say
I came
to you
in weakness
and fear
and with
much
trembling
my message
and my
preaching
were not
with wise
or persuasive
words
no it
didn't lie
in me
said the
apostle Paul
it's not
me that
caused people
to change
their lifestyles
it wasn't
my eloquence
it wasn't
my well
crafted
sermon
no it
wasn't
a power
that I
naturally
possessed
I've been
obedient to
the command
of God
I've received
the call
of God
I know
the promises
of God
I sowed
the seed
I've watered
the seed
and some
Jews
and Gentiles
listened
and rejected
and others
heard
and believed
no it
wasn't
me
and he
tells us
elsewhere
it wasn't
Apollos
and it
wasn't
Peter
it's not
their power
it's not
my power
it's not
my wisdom
so what
was it
Paul
well he
says
something
happened
there was
a power
at work
that was
supernatural
there was
the very
power
of God
the spirit
of the
living God
this is how
it's put
in 1 Corinthians
2
and the latter
part of
verse 4
it was
a demonstration
of the spirit's
power
so that your
faith might not
rest on men's
wisdom
but on
God's
power
so Paul
preached
about
the cross
he pointed
to the Lord
Jesus Christ
as the only
saviour
he showed the
people that there
was no salvation
apart from
faith in him
and God
by the power
of his spirit
took his
word
and implanted
it deep
in the hearts
of his
listeners
and they were
changed
dramatically
it was the
very power
of God
isn't that
what he says
in 1 Corinthians
1 and
verse 18
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
and in
1 Corinthians
1 and
verse 24
he says
to those
whom God
has called
both Jews
and Greeks
Christ
the power
of God
and the
wisdom
of God
and it
was the
power
of God
that broke
down people's
natural
resistance
to the
message
of the
cross
and the
resurrection
of the
Lord Jesus
Christ
the power
of God
caused them
to change
completely
they were
born again
from above
they saw
that there was
no other
way
and it was
as though
the cross
drew them
so that they
could do
nothing else
but bow
before the
Lord
now that's
a work
of God
that's the
almighty
power
of the
Holy
Spirit
and you
and I
should be
praying
as we go
out and
witness
that we
will be
empowered
and that
God will
take our
weak words
that God
will take
our fears
and transform
them
so that we
are ready
to proclaim
and we
may sow
and we
may water
and God
by his
power
will bring
about
the
increase
so that
when people
are converted
it won't
be because
of you
but it
will be
because of
the power
of God
and that's
what is
needed
I've been
reading
recently
a book
about the
days of
Whitfield
and Wesley
and I was
reading about
a funeral
service
of someone
who has
died
and 10,000
people
attended
that funeral
service
and because
the spirit
of God
was so
at work
they had
to erect
three platforms
for different
preachers
and preaching
went on
all day
and hundreds
were brought
into the
kingdom
and don't
you and I
want to say
oh God
come and
do it
again
he is
able
but you
and I
must
seek him
so let us
share the
gospel
let us
water the
seed that
we have
sown with
our prayers
prayers
and let us
look to him
to bring
about the
increase
and may
he
have all
the glory
as people
in
caragaline
hear about
Jesus
crucified
and come
and bow
before him
in repentance
and faith
and as they
come and bow
in repentance
and faith
they will
know
the life
that he
alone can
give
namely
resurrection
life
power
to live
for his
glory
our
God
is
faithful
let us
seek
after him
to move
in
caragaline
to the
glory
of his
name
amen
as
he
has
A
He
Where
Are
He
.
He