Evangelical Lutheran Diocese of North America

Thursday after the Sixth Sunday after Trinity Sunday

Posted on July 16, 2015 by Pastor Dulas under Devotions
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Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:10-31 (NKJV)

10 Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. 11 For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you. 12 Now I say this, that each of you says, “I am of Paul,” or “I am of Apollos,” or “I am of Cephas,” or “I am of Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 lest anyone should say that I had baptized in my own name. 16 Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas. Besides, I do not know whether I baptized any other. 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”

20 Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26 For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called. 27 But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; 28 and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, 29 that no flesh should glory in His presence. 30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”

Devotion

Christ crucified is foolishness to Gentiles and offensive to Jews. Greeks and Romans were sure that no reputable person would be crucified, so it was illogical and irrational to think that a crucified criminal could be the Savior. Also, the claim of Jesus’ resurrection was considered foolishness by the Gentiles. The Jews expected a triumphant, political Messiah, not a crucified one. Also, the teaching that deity became incarnate and died was repugnant to the Jew.

In today’s text, Jews and Greeks represent mankind, especially mankind at its “best,” the religiously favored and the intellectual elite. These highly favored people according to earthly standards are spiritually and eternally lost because of the very things the world favored in each group. In contrast, those less favored by worldly standards are redeemed and blessed with eternal life purely by grace. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

In the Church not many are wise according to worldly standards, not many are powerful, not many are of noble birth, for God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. So it is for us, none of us have been united with Christ and salvation because of something in us, but because of something graciously done for us and to us by God in Jesus Christ.

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