The Foolishness Of Man

The Foolishness Of Man 1 Corinthians 1:18-25 New King James Version (NKJV) 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. Lets us pray Heavenly Father, you who created the universe, we come to You with all of our praise and give you all glory for all things that are good. Father we ask for your presence here among us and we ask for your blessing upon this service and message we are about to share. We ask these things in the name of our one and only redeemer, the one who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, Jesus Christ...Amen. I hope you're all ready for quite a bit of scripture today. We're going to be confirming the validity of scripture and the way to do that is with more scripture. So, here we go. 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. Could there be any truer words ever written? I think not! Many people will believe the message of the cross, while sadly, many will not. Many have and will carry on the message of the cross at any cost, while others will revile it and try to disprove it any way that they can. Many will accept that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God, while many will try to say He never existed, and if He did exist, He was either just a great teacher, or He was a hoaxster who organized false healings and orchestrated many of the things we say were miracles and the confirmations of prophecies of the Messiah. In today's messages we'll take a look at these different people's points of view. Through the centuries, we have seen many men and women martyred because of their belief in the message of the cross of Jesus Christ. Because of their faith, they have been persecuted, imprisoned, tortured, and even put to death. These Christian brothers and sisters of ours have faced unimaginable pain and suffering because they would not turn away from the gospel of Jesus Christ. Let's look back at the earliest of our Christian family to be persecuted for their belief in Christ. Let's start with one of Jesus' earliest disciples, Stephen. Like our Lord had been, Stephen had been arrested by the Jewish authorities and put through a farce of a trial. When asked for his testimony, he recited from their own scriptures of how Jesus was the fulfillment of the law and it ended as follows. Acts 7:54-59 54 When they heard these things they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed at him with their teeth. 55 But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and said, Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God! 57 Then they cried out with a loud voice, stopped their ears, and ran at him with one accord; 58 and they cast him out of the city and stoned him. And the witnesses laid down their clothes at the feet of a young man named Saul. 59 And they stoned Stephen as he was calling on God and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. For his being loyal to the message of the cross and proclaiming that Jesus was indeed the son of God, he was stoned to death. Also, just as Jesus commended His Spirit to God on the cross, Stephen commended his spirit to Jesus as he was being stoned. Stephen is believed to be the first martyr, the first to be killed for his faith in the cross of Jesus Christ. We also heard mentioned in this scripture, a man named Saul. Let's read more about this man. Acts 8:1-3 8 Now Saul was consenting to his death. At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 And devout men carried Stephen to his burial, and made great lamentation over him. 3 As for Saul, he made havoc of the church, entering every house, and dragging off men and women, committing them to prison. Acts 9 New King James Version (NKJV) Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 As he journeyed he came near Damascus, and suddenly a light shone around him from heaven. 4 Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? 5 And he said, Who are You, Lord? Then the Lord said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. It is hard for you to kick against the goads. 6 So he, trembling and astonished, said, Lord, what do You want me to do? Then the Lord said to him, Arise and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do. 7 And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice but seeing no one. 8 Then Saul arose from the ground, and when his eyes were opened he saw no one. But they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank. 10 Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus named Ananias; and to him the Lord said in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Here I am, Lord. 11 So the Lord said to him, Arise and go to the street called Straight, and inquire at the house of Judas for one called Saul of Tarsus, for behold, he is praying. 12 And in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias coming in and putting his hand on him, so that he might receive his sight. 13 Then Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name. 15 But the Lord said to him, Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how many things he must suffer for My names sake. 17 And Ananias went his way and entered the house; and laying his hands on him he said, Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on the road as you came, has sent me that you may receive your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit. 18 Immediately there fell from his eyes something like scales, and he received his sight at once; and he arose and was baptized. 19 So when he had received food, he was strengthened. Then Saul spent some days with the disciples at Damascus. 20 Immediately he preached the Christ in the synagogues, that He is the Son of God. 21 Then all who heard were amazed, and said, Is this not he who destroyed those who called on this name in Jerusalem, and has come here for that purpose, so that he might bring them bound to the chief priests? 22 But Saul increased all the more in strength, and confounded the Jews who dwelt in Damascus, proving that this Jesus is the Christ.23 Now after many days were past, the Jews plotted to kill him. 24 But their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates day and night, to kill him. 25 Then the disciples took him by night and let him down through the wall in a large basket. 26 And when Saul had come to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples; but they were all afraid of him, and did not believe that he was a disciple. 27 But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus. 28 So he was with them at Jerusalem, coming in and going out. 29 And he spoke boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus and disputed against the Hellenists, but they attempted to kill him. 30 When the brethren found out, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him out to Tarsus. Could there be a more convincing testimony to the message of the cross than this? One of the harshest perscutors of the early church witnessed the resurrected Christ and was converted. We have to remember that Saul persecuted the early church not out of evil, but out of his devout faith to God. Being a faithful Jew, Saul had not met Jesus and when he heard of this new religion, he felt it was a threat to his faith and was zealous in his attemp to eradicate it, but after witnessing the truth of Jesus Christ resurrected, became just as fatiful of a Christian. In fact if you're not familiar with who Saul is, he's also known as Paul, the Apostle Paul who was the most predominant writer of the New Testament, writing the books of Romans,1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Phillipians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon, and most likely dictated the book of Hebrews to his brother in Christ, Barnabas while he was imprisoned. Yes, Paul was imprisoned on several occasions, flogged several times, shipwrecked three times on his evangelical journeys, and eventually beheaded in Rome for his belief in the message of the cross. Let's look at another of our early Christian brothers. Remember how Jesus' brothers and sisters didn't believe in Him being the messiah? You remember that Jesus made the statement that no prophet is respected in his homeland? After witnessing his half brother resurrected, James became the leader of the early church in Jerusalem. I say half brother, because as we know Jesus was born of the virgin Mary and conceived by the Holy Spirit which is God, while James was the son of Mary and her husband Joseph. I would imagine it couldn't have been easy being the half brother of the son of God. Couldn't you imagine there was a little bit of resentment when people are calling your brother The Messiah and God in the flesh? Is it really a surprise that Jesus' human siblings weren't believers? It took His resurrection to change James. It changed him in such a way that he became a church leader, wrote one of the msot beautiful parts of our Holy Bible, and died by the sword for his belief in the message of the cross! Are these not very convincing testimonies to the truth of Jesus Christ? Not to mention the fact that members of the very Jewish high council that convicted Jesus were secretly supporters of Jesus. We all know the scripture John 3:16, but do you realize that the man Nicodemus that Jesus was telling it to was a member of the Sanhedrin that had our Lord crucified? Did you know that the man Jospeh of Arimethea who pleaded for Jesus body from Ponius Pilate, bought the herbs and wrappings for his burial, and used his own new tomb, was also a member of the high council? Even those who weren't supposed to believe did believe. We could spend days talking about those who believed the message of the cross to die for it, but let's get into some of the prophecies that many people think Jesus and his folowers could have orchestrated the fulfillment of. While writing Psalm 22, King David was going through a very dark time in his life. He may have thought that he was simply putting his sorrows into song, but listen as he describes the persecution and crucifixion of Jesus hundreds of years before it happens. Psalm 22 New King James Version (NKJV) 22My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, And from the words of My groaning? 2O My God, I cry in the daytime, but You do not hear; And in the night season, and am not silent. 3But You are holy, Enthroned in the praises of Israel. 4Our fathers trusted in You; They trusted, and You delivered them. 5They cried to You, and were delivered; They trusted in You, and were not ashamed. 6But I am a worm, and no man; A reproach of men, and despised by the people. 7All those who see Me ridicule Me; They shoot out the lip, they shake the head, saying, 8He trusted in the Lord, let Him rescue Him; Let Him deliver Him, since He delights in Him! 9But You are He who took Me out of the womb; You made Me trust while on My mothers breasts. 10I was cast upon You from birth. From My mothers womb You have been My God. 11 Be not far from Me, For trouble is near; For there is none to help. 12Many bulls have surrounded Me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me. 13They gape at Me with their mouths, Like a raging and roaring lion. 14I am poured out like water, And all My bones are out of joint; My heart is like wax; It has melted within Me. 15My strength is dried up like a potsherd, And My tongue clings to My jaws; You have brought Me to the dust of death. 16For dogs have surrounded Me; The congregation of the wicked has enclosed Me. They pierced My hands and My feet; 17I can count all My bones. They look and stare at Me. 18They divide My garments among them, And for My clothing they cast lots. 19But You, O Lord, do not be far from Me; O My Strength, hasten to help Me! 20Deliver Me from the sword, My precious life from the power of the dog. 21Save Me from the lions mouth And from the horns of the wild oxen! You have answered Me. 22I will declare Your name to My brethren; In the midst of the assembly I will praise You. 23You who fear the Lord, praise Him! All you descendants of Jacob, glorify Him, And fear Him, all you offspring of Israel! 24For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden His face from Him; But when He cried to Him, He heard. 25My praise shall be of You in the great assembly; I will pay My vows before those who fear Him. 26The poor shall eat and be satisfied; Those who seek Him will praise the Lord. Let your heart live forever! 27All the ends of the world Shall remember and turn to the Lord, And all the families of the nations Shall worship before You. 28For the kingdom is the Lords, And He rules over the nations. 29All the prosperous of the earth Shall eat and worship; All those who go down to the dust Shall bow before Him, Even he who cannot keep himself alive. 30A posterity shall serve Him. It will be recounted of the Lord to the next generation, 31They will come and declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, That He has done this. Isn't it chilling to hear the passion of Jesus Christ foretold in such detail centuries before it would happen? That's not the only example of this in the bible though. Let's look at Zechariah. Zechariah 12:9-11 New King James Version (NKJV) 9It shall be in that day that I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. 10And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced. Yes, they will mourn for Him as one mourns for his only son, and grieve for Him as one grieves for a firstborn. 11In that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, like the mourning at Hadad Rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. Lets look also at Isaiah. Isaiah 53:4-6 New King James Version (NKJV) 4Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. 5But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed. 6All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. Again, all through the Old Testament, we see chillingly accurate descriptions of the life, persecution, crucifixion, and resurrection of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ and yet most of the Jews, God's chosen people denied Him. In all, there are over four dozen propehcies about Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. What are the odds of it being possible for one man to fulfill all of these prophecies? When I say odds, I mean to the effect that maybe your favorite ballteam has a 1 in 4 chance of winning the game this weekend. Well, the odds that I've seen calculated of one man fulfilling all of the prophecies of the old testament are 1 in 1 quadrillion. As I understand it, that's a one with seventeen zeroes behind it. Those are pretty staggering odds against anyone other than the Son of God being the fulfillment of these prophecies. In the two thousand years since these events many, many people denied the message of the cross and they continue to do so today. Though they've tried to use philosophy, reason, and science to discredit the divinity of Jesus Christ, none have succeeded. With all of their theories and research no unbeliever has ever been able to find any solid fact against the truth of Jesus Christ. In closing, when we have faith in the message of the cross, we have salvation from our sins, the peace of never being alone throughout our life on earth with the Holy Spirit living within us, and eternal life with our Father in heaven and His Son Jesus Christ seate at His right hand. Without faith in the message of the cross, we have this life here in this fallen world and nothingnes in the everafter. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.....Amen.