Good morning! This weekend I put together a bookshelf to store the various books that I seem to have accumulated over the past six months. Usually, I can put things together with minimal to no instructions. However, when I pulled everything out of the box, the pile of wood, screws, etc., was a bit daunting to attempt to complete without instructions. Even with instructions, I struggled in one area that I had to re-read a least three times (strongly considered putting everything back in box and returning it) before I understood that I used too many wooden screws in one area and that I needed those screws for another part. While I can argue that the instructions didn’t make sense, I can’t argue that if I didn’t make a correction and follow the builders instructions, my bookshelf would simply be a pile of wood only good for a fire. Praise God for wisdom to be humble and persistent because the bookshelf is complete and serves its purpose. Today, we will continue our reading in 1 Corinthians. Paul is sharing that some may believe the message of the cross is foolish. Join me as we read verses 18-25.

“¹⁸ The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.¹⁹ As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”^[e]

²⁰ So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. ²¹ Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. ²² It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. ²³ So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.

²⁴ But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles,^[f] Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.” – 1 Corinthians 1:18-24 NLT

While nonbelievers may not understand the message of the cross, it doesn’t change the fact that it is true. God unveils the eyes of the blind so that they may understand the truth of the gospel message, he softens the hearts of the unbelievers and transforms the greatest of sinners. It is God by his grace that makes us whole in Him. No one can boast in their own knowledge or their own understanding because, “God is wiser than the wisest of human plans and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.”

Just as I was missing critical pieces in the instructions on the bookshelf, nonbelievers are missing the critical components of Jesus Christ and the message of the cross. Without Jesus Christ, we are all doomed to eternity in hell, but because of Christ, his death on the cross, his victory over death and him being seated on the right hand of the Father with all authority given to him, those who believe and receive Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior of their lives will be reconciled with God the Father and spend eternity in heaven.

The verse 24 says, “But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles,^[f] Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. Sisters and brothers we are called by God to salvation, do you believe it? Will you follow His instructions?

Father God, thank you for sending your son Jesus Christ to save us from destruction. Lord, thank you for our life in you. Lord, forgive us for our sins and the times we tried to do things all on our own. Lord, we believe your word is true and we want to follow your instructions so that we may live an abundant life in you. Lord, equip us in every area of our lives. Strengthen our faith in you. Lord, when the enemy tries to attack us in our home, in our relationships, on our jobs, through our finances or by mentally attacking our credibility, Lord remind us of whose we are. Lord, remind us that we are children of the most high God, that we are the head and not the tail, that we are victorious in you, that no weapon formed against us will prosper, and that greater is he who is in us is than the one who is in the world. Lord, we declare today that you are the Lord and Savior of our lives and we choose to follow you. Keep transforming us to reflect more of you in our lives. In Jesus name, amen.