God’s Foolishness

 Matthew 5: 1-12; I Corinthians 1:18-31

Have you ever tried to share your faith and have people look at you like you’re crazy. If you look at the salvation story from a human wisdom position it does sound foolish. Let’s just look at our passage in Matthew, known as the Beatitudes. Since when in our competitive society will the meek inherit the earth? Since when are those who are persecuted blessed?

If we look through this in a worldly wisdom lens it can’t help but look foolish. Paul tells about God’s foolishness in I Corinthians for those who are perishing. The Greek word for perish means losing. So here we have those losing salvation and to them the message of the cross is foolishness yet for those who are saved it is the power of God. God’s wisdom cannot be comprehended through human wisdom, yet this foolish message brings salvation to those who believe.

The world at the time Paul wrote Corinthians was either Jew or Gentile. The Jewish wisdom of the time demanded signs and found talk of a cross offensive. Then we have the Gentiles whose wisdom came from deep philosophy and charms of eloquence. There is nothing eloquent about the cross. Thus, it became a stumbling block for the Jews and foolishness for the Gentiles.

Paul says here that the meek, humble Christ is the power and wisdom of God. Divine foolishness and weakness are far superior to human wisdom and power grabbing. Thus, in God’s kingdom the meek will in fact inherit the earth.

Paul asks them to consider their own calls. Do they make worldly sense? Jesus chose not the elite but blue-collar fishermen for his disciples, even including a despised tax collector. If this were a presidential race today the PR company would never think of choosing these weak contenders. Paul says though that God chose what’s considered weak in this world to shame the strong.

The weak then cannot boast about anything on their own – their nobility, status, or education level but in the Lord. We know that God is the source of our life who became for us true wisdom. With this wisdom we can appreciate and understand the righteousness, sanctification, and redemption Christ has brought into our lives. It may be foolishness to the world, but God’s wisdom rings true and gives power to those who believe. Amen.

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