3/31/19 - Be A Fool For Christ's Sake - 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Is it possible to be considered "relevant" or "cool" by society's standards and be a Christian at the same time? It's not likely. Many people today do not respond positively to the gospel. Conversely, if Christianity becomes too popular, we had better check to make sure we have not so diluted it that the offense of the cross has been removed. Murphy-O'Connor offers us this reminder, "Any attempt to make the gospel palatable by bringing it into line with the tastes of those to whom it is preached distorts it, because in this case the criterion is made the expectations of fallen humanity." In so doing, it loses its power. This is the great temptation for Christians and churches today. User friendly, seeker sensitive models of church growth can and do sometimes affect the substance of the gospel. But the gospel itself is counter-cultural. The only path to accepting it is through God's choosing therefore there is absolutely no room for Christian boasting. Consider what you were before you met Christ. Not many of us were wise, mighty or lofty. So the fact that we are saved is proof that God loves us for who we are and not because of what we've done. So whether you’re feeling proud or insecure stop and think about this: God chooses the weak, the foolish and the low. This is the cure for the Corinthian's division. When we see ourselves and our brothers and sisters as sinners saved by grace our spiritual elitism dies and we learn to see each other as God sees us!