I Corinthians 1:21, "For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe."

This morning, many people begin their defense of a position by saying something to the effect, "Well, I just think" or "I feel that" when it should start with, "Thus saith the Lord." The Lord's ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are not our thoughts. If we do things that are pleasing in His sight, it happens because He works in us both to will and to do after His good pleasure. He does not move us like robots, but He gives us the desire and unction to walk in ways that please Him. Therefore, let us not reply to one of God's ways by saying, "That cannot be right, for I cannot understand that or make sense of it." Great is the mystery of godliness, and the preaching of the gospel is a great mystery.

Paul begins his address to the Corinthian brethren by differentiating between the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God. God's wisdom far excels and outshines the wisest natural thinkers. In this particular verse, Paul talks about the pleasure God has in saving believers by the foolishness of preaching. Consider for a moment the nature of preaching. An unlearned man (in natural ways) speaks to a group of folks about things that cannot be seen with the natural eye. Natural man will never understand such a scene! What a mystery it is that God takes a man (who is still the chief of sinners) and gives him the gift and desire to proclaim the beautiful plane of God's grace.

Whenever a preacher thinks too highly of himself, it is always profitable to remember that God can take an ass and cause it to speak the truth. If it pleased Him, He could take the floral arrangement in front of the pulpit and cause it to preach. If it pleased Him, regeneration could impart complete knowledge of the Lord and His righteousness. However, those things are not what He purposed or pleased to do. An elder once wisely stated, "The Lord's ability is far greater than the bounds of His will."

 He has the ability to do far more than He is willing to do. He certainly has the ability to grant the knowledge and growth of spiritual things by any manner in which He chooses to do. But, it pleased Him to choose to save people (from ignorance) by the foolishness of preaching. Another point to consider is that preaching only appears unfoolish to those who ALREADY believe. If one does not believe (have the unction of the Holy One), the preaching will only appear foolish and cause him to gnash on the preacher with his teeth. If the law allows, he will attempt to stone the preacher or use some other means to put him to death. Therefore, the preacher can have no effect unless the Lord has opened the heart of the listener to receive the things of Him.

 So, where is the wisdom of this world? Where is the wise of this world? Where are all the things that man holds near and dear? They should NOT be in the Lord's house, and our opinions matter not in the realm of the Lord's kingdom. His opinion is the only one that should have any weight and impact. He chose preaching to deliver from ignorance. He chose to redeem the world of His people from the world of ungodliness.  He chose to reveal Himself to babes in His Son. If we have been made to understand and see this morning, may we ever proclaim these things so that those that perish think we are foolish or "full of new wine," but that those that are saved would declare the power of God in the preaching of the cross of Christ.

In Hope,

Bro Philip