From the Heart of the Pastor- Cross Foolishness

          The church in the city of Corinth had a lot of problems, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul knew that the only hope for solving those problems was the gospel of Jesus Christ.  In 1 Corinthians Paul consistently and constantly shines the spotlight on the same point – Christ Crucified.  That simple truth puts everything else into proper perspective.  Listen to the simple, yet profound message of verse 18.  “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”  Consider the magnitude of what Paul is saying in that sentence.  For all the fun that is poked at Christianity.  For all the ridicule the cross of Christ has endured for the last two-thousand years, nevertheless, it is the most complete and brilliant manifestation of the wisdom and power of God to ever be revealed to humanity.  It is foolishness to those who are still in sin, but to those of us who have seen the truth it is wisdom and power and hope and glory.  Later in the passage the Bible says, “But 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,” (1 Cor. 27-28).
 
            What is it about the cross that is so wise?  Ultimately, the answer to that question would require more explanation that any of our minds could fully comprehend, but there is also a simple part of the answer.  The cross of Christ is about the blood of Christ.  The cross is about a just God paying the penalty for sin.  It is about the blood of Christ satisfying the just wrath of a Holy God.  That is foolishness to many, but it is power and grace to us.  Thank God for the cross, the blood and the resurrection of Christ.  The hymn says it beautifully, “It reaches to the highest mountain.  It flows to the lowest valley.  The blood that gives me strength from day to day, it will never lose its power.”
 
            Whatever you are going through in your life right now, run to the cross, embrace the cross, lean on the cross, trust in the cross. A crucified and risen savior is the answer to anything and everything this world can possibly throw at us.
 
In Christ,
Blain Craig