The stumbling block of simplicity

This post is the continuation and final from last week! The new one starts on Tuesday.

25For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength.

A couple thousand years down the path and we are still fighting this I am smarter, and show me proof mentality. Take a look at the newspapers, and listen to the talking heads on the television. They all preach the same idea. They would have us believe that there is a group of people that are the brightest, best, hope on this planet. If we would just put our faith in them….if we would just trust them to do what is right for us, they could make it all better. They have the education, they have the money, and they have to power in this world. All they need is the one piece of the puzzle that is so elusive…….you! You have the ability to recognize that the smartest person is a fool to Christ, the strongest person is a weakling when compared to the strength of the Lord! Why would you place your beliefs in something as temporary, as weak, as foolish, and as fickle as a mere human? No amount of human wisdom can prove anyone better than God, no show of force, or strength can match the power of the Lord.

Why are so many compelled to place their hope, and faith on people? Reading a little further in Paul’s letter we read.
26Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29so that no one may boast before him. 30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord."

Here we find our answer. We have a hard time believing in our own strength, we buy into the idea, that we are not good enough, we are not smart enough, or we are not strong enough. We believe it when people tell us that we are not good looking enough, rich enough, or come from the right family.

This is the good news that Paul is preaching! What others think, does not matter. It is what God thinks that counts. What does God have faith in you might ask. Paul tells us….The Lord put his faith in what the world considered foolish, He chose the lowly and despised. In a nutshell, God chose the common men and women of the world. What more of an endorsement could anybody ask for?

God has chosen you, he believes in you, he has faith in YOU! I know I know, you’re saying naaa I can’t accomplish anything great. Maybe your thinking that you are not good enough, or that nothing that you do can amount to anything. Well, I will have to tell you that you are right. Alone you can do nothing, but when you rely on God, when you acknowledge that you are a child of the Lord, you will see a change. I know I quote Joshua 1: 9 a lot, but what a reassuring quote. Joshua has been chosen to lead the people. Talk about pressure!! Could you imagine the self-doubt? Yet here is the Lord re confirming His pledge, “be strong and Courageous, do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord, your God will be with you wherever you go”

Why worry about what anyone might think of you? You have God on your team! HE promises to be with you wherever you go. I can promise you that there will be people in your life that will drag you down. They will feed that feeling of insecurity, they will build up fears, and self –doubt. We all have people in our lives like that. Often they are like the very people that Paul is speaking of they are the intelligent, they are the wise, they are the scolars of todays world. These people are in a unique position. Society views them as intelligent, so they must know what they are talking about. These people are our friend, our co-workers, they are on the television, and the big screen. They all have one thing in common, just like the Greeks, the Romans and the Jews, they cannot understand the simplicity of the cross.

The idea is so simplistic, it seems forgien to them. The cross of Christ offers something that is free, it is avaliabel to all, there is nto fancy school to go to, there is no prerequisites. There is only Christ, and our desire to follow him. Salvation is not something that you work for, it is not something that you can barter for, there is nothing that God wants from you, other than your acknowledgement and love.

I know, I know, so why is that so hard to believe? It is because the world is a very cynical place. The world is full of people that instead of looking for a way to help others, they are looking for a way to help themselves. They believe in the concrete. I want to share with you some of Matthew Henery’s thoughts on the idea:

The thing preached was foolishness in the eyes of worldly-wise men. Our living through one who died, our being blessed by one who was made a curse, our being justified by one who was himself condemned, was all folly and inconsistency to men blinded with self-conceit and wedded to their own prejudices and the boasted discoveries of their reason and philosophy. He goes on to say.


The manner of preaching the gospel was foolishness to them too. None of the famous men for wisdom or eloquence were employed to plant the church or propagate the gospel. A few fishermen were called out, and sent upon this errand. These were commissioned to disciple the nations: these vessels chosen to convey the treasure of saving knowledge to the world. There was nothing in them that at first view looked grand or august enough to come from God; and the proud pretenders to learning and wisdom despised the doctrine for the sake of those who dispensed it. And yet the foolishness of God is wiser than men, 1Co_1:25. Those methods of divine conduct that vain men are apt to censure as unwise and weak have more true, solid, and successful wisdom in them, than all the learning and wisdom that are among men: “You see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called, 1Co_1:26, etc. You see the state of Christianity; not many men of learning, or authority, or honourable extraction, are called.” There is a great deal of meanness and weakness in the outward appearance of our religion. For, (1.) Few of distinguished character in any of these respects were chosen for the work of the ministry. God did not choose philosophers, nor orators, nor statesmen, nor men of wealth and power and interest in the world, to publish the gospel of grace and peace. Not the wise men after the flesh, though men would apt to think that a reputation for wisdom and learning might have contributed much to the success of the gospel. Not the mighty and noble, however men might be apt to imagine that secular pomp and power would make way for its reception in the world. But God seeth not as man seeth. He hath chosen the foolish things of the world, the weak things of the world, the base and despicable things of the world, men of mean birth, of low rank, of no liberal education, to be the preachers of the gospel and planters of the church. His thoughts are not as our thoughts, nor his ways as our ways. He is a better judge than we what instruments and measures will best serve the purposes of his glory. (2.) Few of distinguished rank and character were called to be Christians. As the teachers were poor and mean, so generally were the converts. Few of the wise, and mighty, and noble, embraced the doctrine of the cross. The first Christians, both among Jews and Greeks, were weak, and foolish, and base; men of mean furniture as to their mental improvements, and very mean rank and condition as to their outward estate; and yet what glorious discoveries are there of divine wisdom in the whole scheme of the gospel, and in this particular circumstance of its success!

Paul, let go of all of his knowledge that he had spent his life learning. Everything he believed, and taught before his encounter with Christ on the road to Damascus was left by the way side. HE abondanded it for the simple truth that is Jesus Christ!

This is how we all must approach our spirituality, not looking for signs, or facts that we can check off a list.

Peace,
Rev. Thetford