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The Church of Corinth was full of saints who were compromising with their sinful culture - a Beautiful Mess. This ancient text to this ancient culture will give us insight & correction on how we, individually and collectively - as God's Church, can grow in the purity and passion of Jesus.

Paul reminds the Corinthian Church of their beauty - WHO they ARE in Christ Jesus. The church of God in Corinth, not a building, but a BODY (1 Cor 12:27) - an “assembly” of folks who belong to Jesus. These people are sanctified - set apart for service to God, His holy people - often translated as “saints”.

Sadly, divisions and quarrels among the Church often happens over stuff that really doesn’t matter that much, all because we lose sight over what matters most. And that’s why Paul spills most of his ink in this letter on this issue - division within the church. Paul wanted them to agree with one another in what you say (literally meaning “to speak the same”). They are to be perfectly united in mind and thought - to act like a TEAM. But a divided team won’t be a winning team for long. Paul has heard about the divisions and quarrels in this church from over 200 miles away (by boat) in Ephesus.

Some of the division had to do with which leaders they liked the best. Even though they brought the same gospel message, these people focused on the messenger more than the message. Who was the better orator, philosopher, story teller, communicator, or care-giver?

• Paul planted the church in Corinth.
• Apollos was the highly educated Jewish man whom Aquila and Priscilla helped to better understand the gospel (Acts 18:24–28). When Paul left Corinth for Ephesus Apollos was in Corinth (1 Cor 16:12, Acts 19:1). Paul mentions Apollos multiple times in this writing: 1 Cor 1:12; 3:4–6, 22; 4:6; 16:12. 
• Cephas (pr. K-fas) - Aramaic for “Peter”, whom the Corinthian church held him in high esteem along with Paul & Apollos. Paul mentions him 3 other times in this same writing (1 Cor 3:22, 9:5, 15:5). 

Crispus was the former synagogue ruler whose entire family was baptized having believed in Jesus (Acts 18:8). Paul had baptized him. Gaius is likely the man who hosted Paul in his own home when Paul wrote to the Roman Church (Rom 16:23). Stephanas is mentioned later in the same letter (1 Cor 16:17).

• Paul likely had others he delegated to baptize many other people (Acts 18:8) while he was in Corinth.
• WHO baptizes you isn’t nearly as important as WHY you are baptized. The Bible never prescribes who is to baptize, although it should clearly be someone who follows Jesus and has been baptized themselves.

• Is the Cross foolishness to you? You think you are good enough to make it to heaven…or maybe you think there is NOTHING after this life…or maybe you just think what kind of God would demand a human sacrifice for sin?
• Is the Cross the power of God for you? You appreciate the serious of your sin and the graciousness of God, to give His life for yours! You trust that your sin was really paid for by Jesus on the cross.

Let’s keep the main thing…the main thing.

God created MAN(kind) in His image, but we have sinned against God and marred that image. Jesus is God-in-skin who came to live a sinless life and die a sacrificial death to make payment for our sin. Judgement is coming on every person, based on what they have done with the message of the cross. 

The message of the cross is certainly not foolishness. Paul is making a sarcastic statement to shame those who think they are so wise. A crucified King was NOT the message most Jews nor Gentiles appreciated. 

Despite the many miracles Jesus performed, many Jews of Jesus’ day demanded more and more signs. After feeding 5000 plus, rather than trust Jesus as their Messiah, people came back the next day and asked Him to do it again (Jn 6:30-31). The Greeks wanted to hear the latest wisdom being touted by the most intelligent philosophers. Instead of offering signs and wisdom, the first followers of Jesus would preach Christ crucified.

• a stumbling block to Jews: This horrific death of the Messiah was implausible for Jews since 1) they believed the Messiah would take over rather than surrender Himself 2) those who were killed and hung on a tree were viewed as cursed by God (Deut 21:22–23; cf. Gal 3:10–14)…so how could God’s Messiah be cursed by God? That made no sense to them. Remember how Simon Peter pulled Jesus aside to set Him straight, because the Messiah couldn’t be killed - so he thought (Mt 16:21-23).
• foolishness to Gentiles: Cicero the Roman philosopher who died some 40 years before Jesus was born, called crucifixion a “most cruel and disgusting penalty.”  Crucifixion was a punishment only handed out to non-Roman citizens. How could the Gentiles of the mighty Roman Empire bow their knee to a crucified foreigner instead of the conquering Caesar?
• To the unsaved Jews and Gentiles, the message of the cross of foolishness...
• But to those Jews and Gentiles whom God has called and saved, the message of the Cross is the power and wisdom of God - that sacrificial story how our Sinless Savior took upon Himself the punishment of our sin that a Holy & Just God must judge. 

The foolishness of God? God has no foolishness, but if He did, the foolishness of God is wiser than the highest of human wisdom. And if God had any weakness (He does not), then the weakness of God is still stronger than the greatest of human strength.

The message of the cross transforms the lives of Jews & Gentiles who listen and respond in humility. 

You were…the foolish things and the weak things of the world who were used to shame the strong.

You were…the foolish things and the weak things of the world who were used to shame the strong.      We boast in the Lord, not in our abilities & trophies. We boast in the Lord, not in our leaders. We brag on Jesus and what He has done for us!

• N.T. Wright: “The Christian good news is all about God dying on a rubbish-heap at the wrong end of the Empire...It’s all about the true God confronting the world of posturing, power and prestige, and overthrowing it in order to set up his own kingdom, a kingdom in which the weak and the foolish find themselves just as welcome as the strong and the wise, if not more so.”

Paul’s Past Foolishness: Paul was trained under Gamaliel, an elite Jewish rabbi (Acts 22:3). This young, intelligent Jewish Pharisee was prestigious and tenacious among his peers. Paul’s human wisdom led him to arrest and kill Jesus followers, until he was confronted by the risen Jesus. Paul was cut down to size by the Savior he used to slander, and Paul began to carry the message of the crucified, risen Jesus - to others - both Jews & Gentiles (Acts 22:4-21). Everywhere Paul went, his point was crystal clear...

Take some time to discuss these questions with your family, friends, or group.

1. What challenged or encouraged you most from today’s teaching? Explain your answer.
2. Read 1 Cor 1:10-13. Why is it important that there are no divisions among people in the Church? What’s are some of the dangers in choosing favorite leaders in our church? What are some other issue we must be careful to not allow us to divide over?
3. Read 1 Cor 1:18-25.Why is the message of the Cross foolishness to those who are perishing while it is the power of God for those of us who are being saved? Why do you think that so many people struggle to believe the simple Gospel message of GOD, MAN, SIN, JESUS, & JUDGEMENT?
4. Read 1 Cor 1:26-31. Why is it that people who are not as wise, influential, or noble are more likely to respond to the Gospel? What does it mean to “boast in the Lord”? Let’s take a few minutes and do that…brag on Jesus for WHO He is and WHAT He has done in your life.
5. Read 1 Cor 2:1-5. Paul is certainly not saying he wasn’t trying to be persuasive and his writings make clear that he was very wise and communicated deep, difficult, wise teachings (in fact, 2 Cor 2:6 begins talking about “a message of wisdom to the mature”). In light of the Corinthians desire for newest philosophies, why was Paul stressing the message of the Cross over “wise and persuasive words”? While Christians should prepare to answer questions that non-Christians ask, how might we keep coming back to the message of the Cross? Take a moment and have someone role-play taking the talk in a different direction (i.e. “So, how old do you believe the universe is”), while YOU bring it back to the message of the Cross. How does it encourage you to know that the Holy Spirit of God can do what you can’t do - He can deal with people at the heart level to convict of sin and see the need for the Savior?
6. PRAY for God to give you an opportunity to share the message of the Cross with others this week. Consider praying for individuals who need to know and follow Jesus.
7. Share other prayer needs. Continue to pray for the Supreme Court decision that could overturn Roe v. Wade. Pray for our governing leaders and spiritual leaders. Pray for Ukraine.