1 Corinthians 1:20-25 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. 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. It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense. But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 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. This message of the cross seems utterly foolish to the religious types who look for special signs from heaven, and the sheer craziness of it baffles the worldly wise, high IQ types. God’s decision is that the death of His Son on the cross will be the means of bringing about reconciliation between himself and a sinful, fallen world. So that is the message we must announce. It has social, environmental, political and economic implications in the 21st century for sure, but the core message is exactly as it was in Paul’s day and we neglect it at our peril. Church is not church unless it is determined to proclaim that human power is powerless and human wisdom is foolishness in the business of knowing God, entering into the salvation He offers, and living in a joyful relationship with Him.
How we go about proclaiming this message of the cross in a way that draws people to a living faith is something we have to discern for our own age.