Christ Crucified
Chris Seidman
Part of This Is Us
October 8, 2023

This Is Us

Christ Crucified
October 8, 2023
Chris Seidman, Lead Minister, The Branch


1 Corinthians 1:18 (NIV)
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.


1 Corinthians 1:19-25 (NIV)
For it is written:

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

Where is the wise person?Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe.

Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.


Fleming Rutledge
Most churchgoing people are “Jews” on Sunday morning and “Greeks” the rest of the time. Religious people want visionary experiences and spiritual uplift; secular people want proofs, arguments, demonstrations, philosophy, science … .

The striking fact is neither one of these groups wants to hear about the cross. It is “a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles.” The cross is not a suitable object of devotion for religious people, and the claims made for it are too extreme to be acceptable to secular people. It is the paradox of present-day American culture to be both religious and irreligious.

We are secular and materialistic most of the time, but also so pious that candidates for president must stage photo ops of themselves coming out of church. Paul opposes all of this, at both ends of the spectrum, with the stumbling block and foolishness that is the cross.


1 Corinthians 1:26-31 (NIV)
Brothers and sisters, 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. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.

It 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. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”


1 Corinthians 2:1 (NIV)
And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.


1 Corinthians 2:1b-2 (NIV)
When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.


1 Corinthians 2:3b-5 (NIV)
I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.


Hebrews 2:4 NIV)
God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miracles, and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will.

Christ Crucified …

  • Is our message.


Revelation 5:12 NIV)
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”

  • Is our salvation.


1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV)
… but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

  • Is our ethic.


Luke 9:23-24 (NIV)
“Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but over loses their life for me will save it.”


Galatians 2:20 (NIV)
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Communion

  • How is “Christ-crucified” saving you right now?

  • How could it be?