Stumbling Along

based on 1 Corinthians 1:22-25

Pastor Richard Mau

Immanuel Lutheran – Des Plaines, IL

3^rd Sunday in Lent – March 23, 2003

 

Today’s Scripture:

Psalm 19:7-14             Exodus 20:1-17            1 Corinthians 1:22-25                        John 2:13-22

 

Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, our rock and our Redeemer.  [Psalm 19:14, adapted]

 

            The text for today’s message is the passage from 1 Corinthians. 

 

            We live in a world that proves itself through knowledge and evidence.  One cannot believe anything unless it is rationally presented and supported by facts.  We do not accept a proof until we can actually see it as in the Missourian motto, “Show me.”  We are impressed with a person who knows a lot about something and often believe that person’s views of politic or social leadership just because of his achievements in other areas.  So often we look to entertainers, athletes, or scholars for what they “believe” in areas outside of their accomplished field.

 

            We daily measure success in this world in those areas also.  How knowledgeable is a person?  What “things” has he done or does he have that proves his ability?  We are looking for wisdom and knowledge and signs that prove it.

 

            In Paul’s letter to the Corinthians today, he is addressing faithful believers who were being challenged and tested in their faith by those who were leading them to look for salvation in miraculous signs and in human knowledge and reason.  Through Paul, God speaks not only to the Corinthians of two thousand years ago, but is also speaking to you and me today in our post-modern society.

 

            Remember how Satan first tempted Adam and Eve?  He hit right at pride in knowledge.  “Your eyes will be opened and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”  [Genesis 3]  Today Satan tempts in an inverse way.  Now he tempts human pride into thinking that God cannot do something beyond our own reason or strength.  That was nothing new to the sophists in Corinth let alone to our society today.  Protagorus, an ancient philosopher, stated, “Man is the measure of all things.”  So we puff ourselves up in our knowledge and wisdom.  We puff ourselves up so well we think we know more than God and that he must fit into human reason.

 

            Another part of the temptation is looking for a “sign.”  Paul writes of Jews looking for miraculous signs.  They were looking for a sign of power from Jesus, similar to the signs of power and might that delivered them from captivity in Egypt or some of the signs shown by the prophets.  They were looking for signs from God on their terms and according to their understanding. 

 

            Today the same temptation comes in a bit of a different wrapper.  Sometimes is the test, “I’ll believe you God if only you would _____ .”  Another is looking for the miraculous observable experience that brings one to faith like we have to be hit with a bolt of lightning or other outstanding and significant special sign.  Man is so tempted to look for something more glamorous than simple words of promise and simple faith and simple water in baptism. 

 

            Paul then injects a very important phrase, “But we.”  [v. 23]  He turns what the world expects and looks for to what Christ brings.  “But we preach Christ crucified,” that is the “power and wisdom of God” but a stumbling block and foolishness to the world.

            Jesus answered with signs that did not fit the reason of those who questioned them.  He answered with the sign of Jonah, that of rebuilding the temple of his body in three days.  He answered with the sign of the cross.  He answered the call to knowledge and wisdom with the message of simple faith, so simple it is compared to the trust of a babe in arms. 

 

            Paul calls faith in Jesus a stumbling block.  A stumbling block is something that trips  someone up into sin.  It is the stick or lever that springs the trap that captures something.  Satan’s trigger is trusting in one’s own knowledge, one’s own senses, and seeking the signs one wants.  Experience shows the many ways man has manufactured to lull people into thinking and believing that heaven is accessed by any number of things people do.  “Why, God would never send someone to hell!”  Then why does Jesus give us the lesson of the rich man and Lazarus?   Being “good enough,” or “always trying to do the right things,” or trusting in other works of man certainly sounds good on the surface.  We have all kinds of convincing and persuasive rhetoric among learned people and published in all kinds of writings. Those are traps that Satan sets.

 

            God’s plan of salvation just does not make sense in the day-to-day minds of men.  “But we preach Christ crucified.”  [v. 23]  “But we,” shows that the Christian faith is contrary to the thoughts of the world.  In spite of man’s erroneous methods of searching for God, God reveals his grace through the scandalously foolish preaching of Christ crucified.  Paul refers to Jesus here as Christ, the anointed one, the one chosen by God to redeem his people.  Remember that God said on two occasions that he was “pleased” with his son?  (Baptism and Transfiguration)  That means that all Jesus comes to do is acceptable to God, it is according to his perfect plan.  Note that God did not leave this up to voters in the booth or the results of a pollster’s survey, no matter how “statistically” accurate.

            To us even today, crucifixion certainly is no claim to fame in this world.  Jesus was put to death as a common thief and as an outcast of society.  That type of death would put him on a scale with drug dealers, murderers and child molesters today.  To the Jews, handing Jesus over to the Romans for crucifixion on the cross was the ultimate of disgrace.  Even when they would stone someone to death for blasphemy, hanging the corpse from a tree for public display brought further insult to the reputation of the victim. 

 

Why would God be “pleased” with his own dear son who is crucified in this way?  Jesus’ death was not a mistake carried out by an angry mob but was a formal and legal sentence of the Roman government. It is because Jesus carries all of the sins of all people to that cross.  He dies a death that you and all believers never have to face because he does it just for you.  And Jesus continues to be the crucified Christ as we see the wounds of that crucifixion even after he gloriously rises again from the grave.  It is a crucifixion that does not go away as he brings that crucified body to you over and over again in simple bread and wine, to strengthen you in faith in that body and blood sacrificed that way just for you.

 

            Instead of wonderful man-made plans or miraculous signs, we have Jesus to look to for salvation.  The Scripture we use in Lenten service, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,” is the basis of saving faith.  We know that salvation does not come from works and we cannot boast, but comes by God’s grace through simple faith.  [Romans 10:17]  About boasting, Paul reminds us to boast in Christ because he is the work that saves.  [Galatians 6:14] 

 

            It may seem foolish to the world, but it is God’s wisdom and power that saves.  Remember, he loved the world that he sent his son that whoever believes in him will be saved?  [John 3:16]  It is a simple thing.  It is beyond our imagination because it is of God’s all knowing and almighty wisdom and power and strength. 

 

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.  "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.”  [Isaiah 55:8-9]

 

              Because of Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection three days later and our Spirit-created faith in that seemingly foolish way of salvation, we are forgiven.  It may seem foolish to the world.  It may seem that we are stumbling along in some sort of blinded and blissful state.  So be it that Christians should stumble along in this “foolish” faith in the eyes of the world.  It is the joy of Christ that we stumble by faith into his arms than to stumble by our foolish pride and sinfulness into Satan’s.

 

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.   [Philippians 4:7]

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