Remembered Grace - Pt 4

For 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. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For 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 1:18-25 ESV). Do you know what makes all the difference in the world? A message. A simple message passed on by word of mouth. That’s what changes eternities. And if that didn’t sound weak enough, it’s a message about the cross. It’s a message that says Jesus Christ is the Lord of Glory. He was there in the beginning, the Craftsman of Creation, the One forever-loved by the Father, the Eternal Son of God. This Lord of Glory was nailed on a beam of wood, iron nails driven through His hands and feet. And when His heart had given out they thrust up a spear under His rib cage to burst Him wide open. The Lord of Glory accursed, godforsaken, butchered, and THIS is what saves a perishing world. And perhaps you’re asking, How? How does that save the world? Well, here is the Lord taking responsibility for His world. His world is perishing, so what does He do? He takes what’s coming to us. He enters in, He sums it up, He stands at the Head of a perishing world, and a perishing people, and He takes what is coming to us. We deserve to be accursed, we deserve to be forsaken, we deserve to perish in the darkness but Christ died in our place. He took to Himself what was coming to us. And He put it all to death. The Lord of Glory perished and He perished to save you from that fate. Perhaps you’re sitting there and on some level you’re thinking: “How odd, how silly, how unnecessary, how foolish? I don’t need Jesus to die for me. I don’t want Jesus to die for me.” But if you’re thinking that, it’s clear what side of the divide you’re on. If this message sounds foolish to you, you are perishing. But if your eyes are open, you’ll look to the cross and say, “that’s the power of God!” So which is it? When you look to “Christ crucified” do you see something weak and foolish. Or is this, for you, the wisdom and power of God? The whole world divides at this point. And there’s no neutrality, no spiritual Switzerland. I wonder what side you fall on. It is not too late for anyone reading this today. If it strikes a chord or resonance with you, then God is calling out to you. Stop looking for signs or wisdom and find Jesus standing before you with his hand stretched toward you. He will pick you up from the roiling storm around you and lift you to the safety of his presence! That’s grace!