1 Corinthians 1.18-21
[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; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.’
[20] Where is the wise man? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? [21] For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.
2 Corinthians 12.7-10
[7] Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. [8] Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. [9] But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. [10] That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Humanly speaking the apostle Paul had everything. He had studied with the very best Jewish teacher of the day, Gamaliel; he was becoming a respected rabbi himself, with great intellectual ability. But his encounter with the risen Jesus showed him that all that was worthless compared with the crazy message of the cross on which immortal God gave up his life to save sinners. Let’s thank God for this foolish gospel which does what human ability could never do, and puts us right with a holy God.
Lord Jesus, thank you that all authority is given to you and you are the greatest and most important in our lives.
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