Letter from Paul to the Corinthian church (counter-cultural to readers – and to us)
The audience: THESE ORIGINAL READERS = mostly new Christians
-Their early excitement muted by selfish attitudes and actions
1) They understood GOD FORGIVES SIN {but they} used it as an excuse
2) Within the church = arguments, choosing sides, competing for power
THEIR ATTENTION HAD TURNED FROM GLORIFYING GOD TO GLORIFYING
THEMSELVES, AND B/C OF THIS, THEY WERE NOT OPEN TO THE
TRANSFORMATION THAT GOD WANTED IN THEM AND AROUND THEM.
Paul describes them in Romans 1 this way: that “by pretending to be wise – they became fools, they were trading the greatness and glory of God for much less – for cheap junk”.
I might say: “They had God…but they tried to pretend like they were bigger than Him – and so they really weren’t experiencing what it was to be God’s.”
-I THINK: they wanted what they didn’t have (what seemed "normal"– what their culture said was important. And so they began to even deceive themselves in some sort of false pride. And Paul confronts this:
1 Corinthians 1:26-31: There’s a perspective-thing at work here = they/I don’t seem to realize how impressive God is – the reality is that God is so impressive, that He just can’t be impressed with us and our stuff.
And so Paul writes: 26 For [r]consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to [s]the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;
-In "normal" life, it seems that everything is measured by OUR greatness, aptitude, ability, strength, etc. This is how we are measured/judged/we achieve.
-Paul writes that God calls/chooses not b/c of what we are, but rather, in spite of it.
“You know what kind of people you were – You know that He didn’t choose you because you impressed Him”.
MIRROR MOMENT: “Take a good look – what do you see?” If these Corinthians were honest, they didn’t see many impressive people. They saw very ordinary people, from unimpressive backgrounds.
And in the next few verses Paul reminded them of WHY God chose them: 27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29 so that no [t]man may boast before God.
Do you think Paul is saying God is foolish?
God’s Ways are so much higher and wiser than human reasoning that it seems foolish to human thinking.
Paul gives a better example of what seems like the weakness/foolishness of God but is not. 25 Because thefoolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
-What seemed weak to the world – was God’s greatest, most wise, powerful, and noble act.
And so there is this meaning that Paul is trying to express that God’s spiritual sight and perspective is upside-down from the world’s sight and perspective.
-I THINK: they wanted what they didn’t have (what seemed "normal"– what their culture said was important. And so they began to even deceive themselves in some sort of false pride. And Paul confronts this:
1 Corinthians 1:26-31: There’s a perspective-thing at work here = they/I don’t seem to realize how impressive God is – the reality is that God is so impressive, that He just can’t be impressed with us and our stuff.
And so Paul writes: 26 For [r]consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to [s]the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble;
-In "normal" life, it seems that everything is measured by OUR greatness, aptitude, ability, strength, etc. This is how we are measured/judged/we achieve.
-Paul writes that God calls/chooses not b/c of what we are, but rather, in spite of it.
“You know what kind of people you were – You know that He didn’t choose you because you impressed Him”.
MIRROR MOMENT: “Take a good look – what do you see?” If these Corinthians were honest, they didn’t see many impressive people. They saw very ordinary people, from unimpressive backgrounds.
And in the next few verses Paul reminded them of WHY God chose them: 27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, 29 so that no [t]man may boast before God.
Do you think Paul is saying God is foolish?
God’s Ways are so much higher and wiser than human reasoning that it seems foolish to human thinking.
Paul gives a better example of what seems like the weakness/foolishness of God but is not. 25 Because thefoolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
-What seemed weak to the world – was God’s greatest, most wise, powerful, and noble act.
And so there is this meaning that Paul is trying to express that God’s spiritual sight and perspective is upside-down from the world’s sight and perspective.
In vv. 27-29, it’s not that they are really ignoble and contemptible; this is just how the world sees them, because most were not born of a powerful-name and they hadn’t amounted to much. BUT THEY WERE CHOSEN, and by really believing in and deciding to follow Christ they’re taking part in this higher-plane spiritual thing.
Why does God intentionally work counter-cultural to humanity in this? 1) He just is higher 2) Purpose - V.29 tells us “so that no flesh should glory in His presence”.
-God chooses the foolish, weak, base, the simple, to prove Himself as the only worthy of glory. In effect, God says: “It’s not you, it’s Me”. He chooses these “foolish Corinthians” in order to humble those in high places…to attack pride…that “under the judgment of God the wisdom of the flesh (all that we could understand and do on our own) can only blush at its miscalculations”.
-God then intends (and does) great things through the fools, the weak, the broken (as they submit to Him, invest in Him as He invests in them).
And so God’s choice eliminates self-esteem. It’s not about their esteem, but about His.
(It seems that all of our Bible heroes were also bumbling idiots in some way; *see Abraham, Moses, David, Peter, Paul, Mary Magdalene, etc.)
Abraham – pretended his wife was his sister and let another man have her (twice!), he had concubines, had a child with slave Hagar,
Moses – killed an Egyptian, reluctant to follow God – made excuses
David – affair with Bathsheba – sent her husband to his death, overlooked sexual abuse to happen in his family,
Peter – rash words & actions, hot-tempered, denied Jesus
Paul – persecuted the church, killed Christians, ignored the HS in Acts 20-21, wrote of His struggle with sin in Rom 7, the thorn in his flesh in 2 Cor 12
Mary Magdalene – possessed by 7 demons
-God intends great things through the fools, the weak, the broken – simple, regular people (as they submit to Him, invest in Him as He invests in them).
-And this is huge – because in Christ we have this ultimate potential that we can live within (who doesn’t want to live their potential?) – And that potential is seen the more we know God and allow Him access to our life…in this He is glorified.
30 But [u]by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, [v]andrighteousness and sanctification, and redemption, The emphasis falls on God’s activity – In Christ = HE is their wisdom (wisdom activity).
God didn’t just make us wise, righteous, and holy in Christ. He gave us Christ so that we should never need anything else for salvation. And wisdom does not have to do with “getting smart”, nor with status or rhetoric. God’s wisdom – the real thing – has to do with salvation through Jesus.
31 so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.” God chose the “foolish things” so that they couldn’t boast in themselves…and in that He also made possible the one true ground for boasting: “let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.” And this word “BOAST” might best be translated “put confidence in/trust”. And so Paul is writing: “Trust Christ Completely – or trust nothing”.
And so God’s choice demands heightened and proper Christ-esteem self-esteem.
The Challenge: I know my strengths…and I especially know my weaknesses and limitations better than anybody else (you do to). And we usually tend to “front” our strengths (talk big)…and yet we tend to make decisions out of our weaknesses (act small). {talk big about how good we are and what we deserve – act small, doing nothing great, committing to nothing, out of fear or doubt or apathy}
You are (I am) average, weak, and foolish, God chooses you anyways…and God can accomplish great things in you. You only must invest in Him and let Him invest in you – as you do so, remember and embrace that HIS CHOOSING:
1. Eliminates self-esteem (1:26-29)
2. Demands Christ-esteem (1:30-31)
Prayer: That they would put aside everything that keeps them far from God and invest themselves fully in what God is doing this weekend…
Why does God intentionally work counter-cultural to humanity in this? 1) He just is higher 2) Purpose - V.29 tells us “so that no flesh should glory in His presence”.
-God chooses the foolish, weak, base, the simple, to prove Himself as the only worthy of glory. In effect, God says: “It’s not you, it’s Me”. He chooses these “foolish Corinthians” in order to humble those in high places…to attack pride…that “under the judgment of God the wisdom of the flesh (all that we could understand and do on our own) can only blush at its miscalculations”.
-God then intends (and does) great things through the fools, the weak, the broken (as they submit to Him, invest in Him as He invests in them).
And so God’s choice eliminates self-esteem. It’s not about their esteem, but about His.
(It seems that all of our Bible heroes were also bumbling idiots in some way; *see Abraham, Moses, David, Peter, Paul, Mary Magdalene, etc.)
Abraham – pretended his wife was his sister and let another man have her (twice!), he had concubines, had a child with slave Hagar,
Moses – killed an Egyptian, reluctant to follow God – made excuses
David – affair with Bathsheba – sent her husband to his death, overlooked sexual abuse to happen in his family,
Peter – rash words & actions, hot-tempered, denied Jesus
Paul – persecuted the church, killed Christians, ignored the HS in Acts 20-21, wrote of His struggle with sin in Rom 7, the thorn in his flesh in 2 Cor 12
Mary Magdalene – possessed by 7 demons
-God intends great things through the fools, the weak, the broken – simple, regular people (as they submit to Him, invest in Him as He invests in them).
-And this is huge – because in Christ we have this ultimate potential that we can live within (who doesn’t want to live their potential?) – And that potential is seen the more we know God and allow Him access to our life…in this He is glorified.
30 But [u]by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, [v]andrighteousness and sanctification, and redemption, The emphasis falls on God’s activity – In Christ = HE is their wisdom (wisdom activity).
God didn’t just make us wise, righteous, and holy in Christ. He gave us Christ so that we should never need anything else for salvation. And wisdom does not have to do with “getting smart”, nor with status or rhetoric. God’s wisdom – the real thing – has to do with salvation through Jesus.
31 so that, just as it is written, “LET HIM WHO BOASTS, BOAST IN THE LORD.” God chose the “foolish things” so that they couldn’t boast in themselves…and in that He also made possible the one true ground for boasting: “let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.” And this word “BOAST” might best be translated “put confidence in/trust”. And so Paul is writing: “Trust Christ Completely – or trust nothing”.
And so God’s choice demands heightened and proper Christ-esteem self-esteem.
The Challenge: I know my strengths…and I especially know my weaknesses and limitations better than anybody else (you do to). And we usually tend to “front” our strengths (talk big)…and yet we tend to make decisions out of our weaknesses (act small). {talk big about how good we are and what we deserve – act small, doing nothing great, committing to nothing, out of fear or doubt or apathy}
You are (I am) average, weak, and foolish, God chooses you anyways…and God can accomplish great things in you. You only must invest in Him and let Him invest in you – as you do so, remember and embrace that HIS CHOOSING:
1. Eliminates self-esteem (1:26-29)
2. Demands Christ-esteem (1:30-31)
Prayer: That they would put aside everything that keeps them far from God and invest themselves fully in what God is doing this weekend…
