Friday, February 23, 2018
1 Corinthians 1:22-25 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
WE PREACH CHRIST CRUCIFIED … TO BELIEVERS THE POWER AND WISDOM OF GOD (4)
Note the words: "But to those who are called. . ."
No one can come to faith by his or her own thinking or choosing. To our sinful natures too it is foolishness to think that God should send His Son to suffer and die to redeem us from sin, death, and the devil. All credit belongs to the Holy Spirit who (as Luther puts it in the Third Article) "has called me by the gospel…"
The Savior once put it like this: "I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight" (Matthew 11:25f).
How blessed to be among the "babes" to whom the faith has been revealed! In a world where "the wise and prudent" scurrilously ask with Pilate "What is truth?", the Holy Spirit teaches believers to confess that. . .
. . . instead of the cross being evidence of weakness, it is "the power of God" for otherwise lost and condemned sinners.
. . . instead of the gospel of the Crucified considered proof of absurdity, it is wisdom supreme "because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."
Truly, what wondrous love is this, O my soul, that the Son of God should allow Himself to be taken by wicked hands, convicted, condemned, crucified, and offered as a sin-atoning sacrifice for the world of sinners!
With the hymnwriter, may we ever sing:
When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of Glory died,
My richest gain I count but loss And pour contempt on all my pride.
Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast Save in the death of Christ, my God;
All the vain things that charm me most, I sacrifice them to His blood.
See, from His head, His hands, His feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down.
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet Or thorns compose so rich a crown?
Were the whole realm of nature mine, That were a tribute far too small;
Love so amazing, so divine, Demands my soul, my life, my all.
(The Lutheran Hymnal, 175)
