1 Corinthians 1:26-31 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many 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.”
In the above verses we see Paul stating the truth of salvation. 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. God determined for them to hear the Good News of Jesus being the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE — our righteousness, holiness and redemption. They need not thank or honor anyone but God for their salvation, their redeemed status. However, the believers in Corinth were arguing about who they should follow in their Christian lives, who they should credit for being born again. Their disputation over who they should follow was a detrimental spirit, splintering the church into factions. Paul considered this disunity as immaturity or even secularism. In a secular society, disunity and factions are common characteristics of men and women. Quarreling, disputing and strife exist constantly in the unredeemed world; wars and rumors of wars are always present. In Christ, unity should be paramount in the church. The Corinthians were fractioning over who they should follow in the Christian walk: Apollo, Peter, Paul are even Christ in the flesh. Who should get the credit for their new life in God? Paul feared for them because their arguing was splitting the body of Christ in Corinth. This immaturity in following Christ, who is the Truth, the Way and the Life would destroy the Christian testimony in Corinth. As with all humans in their unredeemed spirits, they are taking the tack that they are smarter and more knowledgeable than others. Now Paul douses their arrogance with the reality of born again people. Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. Paul is telling them that you might believe you are more learned, insightful and wiser than others; however, most of those people who are esteemed, rich and knowledgeable in this world are not in the body of Christ. The Good News does not offer them anything reasonable they can believe in for it contradicts their rational approach to their daily lives. The Good News tells them that they are sinners and that they need Christ to have eternal life. The majority of them will not accept what God is offering them: eternal life. Therefore, 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. The Corinthian church consisted mostly of average, common people. They were not the leaders or the elite in Corinth. For the leaders, the elite of Corinth, considered the Christians foolish for their attachment to Christ. For the Corinthian church to argue over who they should honor in their new lIfe was total foolishness for the prominent in Corinth. They could care less. Paul is telling them, aline yourself with Christ's work and his love for you. You should boast in being followers of Jesus of Nazareth. Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.
Jesus did not choose men of great honor and prestige in Israel. He chose the average, the common man as his disciples. Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John were fishermen who worked with their hands. They bent their backs in labor, not their minds in ideas about God. He called other men who held no special position in the community of the Jews: Philip, Nathanael, Thomas, James, Thaddeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas. He also called Matthew a tax collector whose friends were considered the scum of the earth by the priests. As a group, we might consider them to be the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. After Jesus performed wonders and miracles, many wanted to be in Jesus’ retinue, but these common people were his closest allies and friends. They were his bodyguards, his students. They heard every word Jesus spoke and and saw every miracle, just unlearned men who Jesus chose to honor with his presence. When Jesus sent them out on an assignment to preach the Good News, He gave them special power and authority over demons, but alone without this assignment directed by Jesus, they were just common, average people with no power from God. When they could not deliver a boy from demon possession, Jesus was disturbed by their lack of faith. He addressed the people, but mostly his disciples by saying, “You unbelieving generation,” Jesus replied, “how long shall I stay with you? How long shall I put up with you? Bring the boy to me.”So they brought him. When the spirit saw Jesus, it immediately threw the boy into a convulsion. He fell to the ground and rolled around, foaming at the mouth. Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” When Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene, he rebuked the impure spirit. “You deaf and mute spirit,” he said, “I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.” The spirit shrieked, convulsed him violently and came out. The boy looked so much like a corpse that many said, “He’s dead.” But Jesus took him by the hand and lifted him to his feet, and he stood up. (Mark 9:19-27) The disciples had seen Jesus many times cast out demons, but when they tried, they were totally defeated by the demon. The demon in the boy did not respond to ordinary people who possess no faith in God’s power when they speak for God. Later, the disciples questioned Jesus about their powerlessness. After Jesus had gone indoors, his disciples asked him privately, “Why couldn’t we drive it out? ”He replied, “This kind can come out only by prayer.” (Mark 9:28-29) This kind of power comes only with connection with God through an intimate fellowship with him through prayer. Jesus said that He always hears his Father’s words, and we know Jesus always prayed incessantly. The power to cast out demons does not come from man’s words; his incantations, but from the well of Power that rests in the Father God. Later we see the Spirit of God fill the disciples: the power of God through the Spirit rests in human flesh after Pentecost. When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1-4)
This power to tame the adverse spirits to God’s will came to Christians. No one will be left out who falls under God’s authority through believing in Jesus as his or her Redeemer. I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. (1 Corinthians 2:17-18) Men and women will receive this power; young and old will inherit this power through Jesus Christ the Lord. Paul tells the Corinthians, boast only in the Lord. In Luke 2, we see the boy Jesus in the Temple. He was from the Father with the power of God IN HIM. His parents after celebrating the Passover were on their way back to Nazareth when they discovered Jesus was not with them. They hurried back to Jerusalem and looked for three days to find him. They found him in the Temple sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. The people were amazed at his understanding of the scriptures, demonstrating the power of God within him. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. This power of God has come even to the children who trust Jesus as their Savior. God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong, or maybe the unprepared to astonish the world. In a world that honors, preparedness, degrees and certificates of learning, God chose twelve disciples who had no such preparedness. He placed his hand on the weak, the meek, the lowly; He elevated them to his kingdom. Often in this world of disheveled spirits, we see the most learned, honored people of any community take a course opposite of God’s holiness and goodness. In Isaiah 5 we see the elite of society, who feel they are so clever, knowledgeable, boasting in themselves before God as they elevate sin and darkness. Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight. (Isaiah 5:20-21) To be prepared, to be learned is good, but you do not find God through that route. You find him through faith and prayer. The elite of Jesus’ time rejected Jesus as the Messiah. They wanted Jesus to verify that he was from God. They asked Jesus to perform a miracle for them, a sign to prove he was from God. Jesus would not satisfy their demand. Instead he said, A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. (Matthew 12:39-40) This statement blows the mind of the learned, the knowledgeable, the rational. No way could they accept such a statement. For them, Jesus the impossible Savior from God’s kingdom was verifying an impossible event. They could not and would not believe in Jesus as the Messiah; He was not appeasing the rational mind of people, especially the elite. Our friends around this breakfast table, Jesus is the Savior. Trust in him, trust in his work and not your own. He has given you a Spirit of truth and power. Rest IN HIM, boast IN HIM, your eternal life is secure IN HIM.
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