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This week I have been pondering “The Foolish Cross” with you, based on 1 Corinthians 1:18-31. I chose to do this to lead up to today, Good Friday, where the cross took on an entirely different meaning for the world. Jesus was not the first or the last person killed on a cross. But His death on that horrible instrument made the cross significant for everyone. Believers know that is where He accomplished the payment for our sins.

There are people who have heard the same Gospel message that you have heard, yet it had the opposite result. There are people today who hear this Good News, yet do not come to faith. There will be those who accept the Good News, but there will also be those that regard it as foolish. It all depends on that person’s perspective. Consider the temperature 32° Fahrenheit. That is the freezing point of water. Yet it is also the melting point! If the temperature is falling, water will freeze at 32°. If the temperature is rising, ice will melt at 32°. The same temperature will freeze or melt. Pass it in either direction, and you will get opposite results. And so it is with people. They are exposed to the same Gospel message of Jesus as the Savior of the world. Their spiritual thermometer will either rise or fall. It is growing either warmer or colder. At the critical point, some hearts yield to the Holy Spirit, or melt, and they are numbered among the faithful. But others freeze, harden and stiffen. With a rising temperature, the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. But with a falling temperature, it is a stumbling block and foolishness.

This message of the cross, as necessary as it may be, was not welcomed in Paul’s world. It is not welcome in our world today, either. I read an article about a man on a long plane trip. The conversation with the couple behind him turned to spiritual matters. They were into New Age. The wife had been raised Protestant, the husband as a Jew. They said they had read parts of the New Testament and that they loved Jesus. They also loved Buddha and Mohammed. They would no doubt be considered enlightened and wise by the worlds standards. How would you have responded to these people? “My, isn’t that interesting” or “Oh, that’s nice” would be the socially acceptable response. But this man chose to speak his faith instead. He said that he was glad they had read parts of the New Testament, but that they needed to read more. “If you had,” he said, “you would know that the Jesus you say you love says to you ‘If you love Me, keep my commandments.’ (John 14:15). And He claimed to be the only way to salvation: ‘No one comes to the Father but by Me.’” (John 14:6).

This is the message that is needed throughout the world, whether it is welcomed or not. Some say that proclaiming Christ as the exclusive means to salvation is being intolerant, disagreeable, narrow, even foolish. But as followers of Jesus, we must proclaim this message to the world. We have a command to tell the truth. The cross may sound foolish or moronic, but it is the only way to be saved. Our calling as Christians is to declare it: personally as well as through pastors and missionaries and all forms of ministry.

Only the message of the cross has the power and the wisdom of God. Only the message of the cross offers forgiveness of sins and eternal life. On Calvary, the Lord Jesus innocently suffered and died as a common criminal to pay the penalty for your sins, the righteous for the unrighteous. By God’s grace you have had this foolish cross proclaimed to you.

1 Corinthians 1:18-31 18 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. 19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” 20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 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. 22 Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. 26 Brothers, 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. 27 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. 28 He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things– and the things that are not– to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 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. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” (NIV)

In Florida , an atheist became incensed over the preparation of Easter and Passover holidays.  He decided to contact his lawyer about the discrimination inflicted on atheists by the constant celebrations afforded to Christians and Jews with all their holidays while atheists had no holiday to celebrate. The case was brought before a judge. After listening to the long passionate presentation by the lawyer, the judge banged his gavel and declared, ‘Case Dismissed!’ The lawyer stood and objected: ‘Your honor, how can you dismiss this case? Christians have Easter, Christmas and many other observances. Jews have Passover, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah…yet  my client and other atheists have no holiday!’ The judge leaned forward in his chair and simply said, ‘Obviously your client Is too confused to even know about, much less celebrate, his own  holiday!’  The lawyer said, ‘your Honor, we are unaware of any holiday for atheists. Just when might that holiday be?’  The judge replied, ‘Well it comes every year on the same date—April 1st! Our calendar sets April 1st as ‘April Fools Day,’ and Psalm 14:1 states, ‘The fool says in his heart, there is no God.’ Thus, in my opinion, if your client says there is no God, then by scripture, he is a fool, and April 1st is his holiday!  Now, have a good day and get out of my courtroom!!

There is a lot of foolishness in the world. And as we have discussed this week, many people think the message of the cross is foolishness. When you look at a cross, what do you see? Do you see a cross for what it really is? When you look at this is it an instrument of death? Do you see it as a punishment for criminals? I would guess that most of you identify the cross as the symbol of your salvation, but that is not what everyone sees. To some it is nothing more than a decoration or a nice piece of jewelry. They don’t associate it with a death that made payment for sin. Even if they did, it would not make any sense to them. Death on a cross was not something to boast about. It was a shameful thing, execution in its crudest form. A humiliating death in the eyes of the world seems to be foolish and ridiculous. Why would anyone rejoice in that? Yet it is that foolish death that gives us life.

The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. So many in this world think it is moronic for us to believe that something good came out of someone dying on a cross. But consider the wisdom of the world:

• Those who think themselves wise tell us to be tolerant of those who live in unnatural sexual relationships. We should be loving toward them, yes, but that doesn’t mean we should condone sinful behavior.
• We live in a world where a man who shoots a pregnant woman is charged with two murders, the mother and the unborn child, but a woman who decides to kill her unborn child in the womb maintains it is her own body, that it is not really a life and can be disposed of with no consequences. It is her right to choose.
• The wisdom of this world tells us that the earth is billions of years old, that men just happened to evolve from lower species by a series of fortunate accidents and occurrences.
• The wisdom of this world tells first tells us that Global warming is melting the polar ice caps and then says we are heading for another Ice Age.

Those are just a few examples. Granted, not all wisdom of the world is that convoluted, but much of it is. And this is part of the thinking of those who claim to be intelligent and wise and who tell Christians they are morons for believing anything good could come from a death on a cross. They think us foolish, uninformed creatures because we believe the Scriptures and what happened on the cross at Calvary. But that was all part of God’s plan. He did not come to save man according to man’s ideas or plans. He did it His way. Those outside of faith just don’t get it. Those who have not been led by the Spirit of Christ to see and believe that what took place on the cross was the payment for their sins will think it is foolish. That is because it must be spiritually discerned. Paul writes of this later in this same epistle: The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. (1 Corinthians 2:14) If you have faith in Jesus, it is only because the Spirit of God has led you away from the wisdom of the world and to the foolish message of the cross: Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, “Jesus be cursed,” and no one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 12:3). The message of the cross is foolishness to the world, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Cor. 1:18)

1 Corinthians 1:18 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.

A visitor to Palestine was in a small town museum when he saw a skull labeled as that of St. Paul. The next day he was in another town at another museum when he saw a different skull identified as the skull of St. Paul. Confused, he went to the museum keeper and asked “Which one is it?” The keeper replied, “Both–this one was his skull when he was a young man!”

We hear of things everyday that we would call foolish. We are constantly warned with the old adage, “Don’t be a fool!” And even though all of us do things every day that are foolish, none of us want to be identified as a fool. Our text says “the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing.” The word used in original Greek New Testament for “foolishness” is the same word from which we get the English word MORON. In other words, people in the world, those outside of faith, think it is “moronic” for us to believe that something good came out of someone dying on a cross.

The wisdom of God, far superior to any and all of man’s wisdom, confounds and confuses the world. God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things– He chose the cross. There was no more despicable means of death at that time than crucifixion. The Romans recognized this, and passed a law saying that no Roman citizen could be subjected to such cruelty. Only those who were not Romans could be crucified. It was this heinous form of execution that God used to accomplish the payment for sin, all sin, sacrificing the spotless Lamb of God in our place. The cross of Christ, no matter how foolish and moronic it appears to those outside of faith, is the wisdom that saves. The preaching of the cross is what we need and what the world needs, because by this message comes forgiveness and salvation.

“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.” (1 Corinthians 1:23-24)

Some think it foolish to take comfort in an instrument of execution, yet that is exactly what Christians do. We proudly display crosses, which represent one of the cruelest forms of execution of all time. They range from crude to ornate. There are innumerable designs of crosses that we wear as jewelry. And our text today speaks of the cross as “foolishness.” Is it?  If it is merely an object of art, something made to look aesthetically pleasing, then it is foolish. A lot of people wear crosses as jewelry, but nothing in their lives indicates they know who Jesus is or what He did for them. For them, the cross is just plain foolishness. It has no meaning whatsoever.

But God’s Word tells us the cross has meaning. Paul speaks of the message of the cross, which, for those who are being saved, is far from foolishness. Instead, it is the wisdom and power of God. You know what took place on that cross. You know that Christ paid for the sins of all men when he died on that piece of wood. You have faith in the work of redemption that took place there. So for you, the cross is anything but foolish.

In the cross of Christ I glory, Tow’ring over the wrecks of time.
All the light of sacred story  Gathers round its head sublime

When the woes of life o’ertake me, Hopes deceive and fears annoy,
Never shall the cross forsake me;  Lo, it gleams with peace and joy.

We will be thinking about this in our devotions the rest of this week.

Matthew 28:19-20  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

I know I just used this passage in a devotion recently, but what I didn’t tell you then was that this was my confirmation verse. I was thinking about it because I was confirmed on Palm Sunday, which is tomorrow. I asked my dad, my pastor, if that could be the verse spoken over me as I was confirmed in my faith. He said he would think about it, saying it was not a “normal” confirmation verse. I’ve always liked that passage.

From early on, I wanted to be a pastor. When my siblings and I played “church,” I always insisted that I had to be the pastor. I felt called early in life to follow in the footsteps of my father. Hence the request for my confirmation verse.

In High School, I got sidetracked. I was a good student, especially in math. A petroleum engineer in my home congregation hired me to plot oil well production from computer printouts onto logarithmic paper. He used that to extrapolate and predict future production. He was paying me as a high school student a lot of money to sit at a desk. I became interested and decided to pursue petroleum engineering as a career. Being a good student at the top of my class, I got scholarships that enabled me to attend Texas A&M on a free ride.

Everything was great. I enjoyed being an Aggie, and I was making good grades. But God wouldn’t stop pestering me. One day in October as I was studying Calculus in my room, I looked up and saw my Bible on the shelf. I pulled it down and started reading it. I honestly don’t remember what I read that day. But after spending about an hour reading God’s Word, I called my dad and told him I thought I needed to transfer to Concordia in Austin and start studying for the ministry. I transferred in the middle of my freshman year.

We don’t always answer God’s call, or maybe we don’t answer it right away, but it is still there. Go. Make Disciples. Baptize and Teach. Share the message of Jesus, not just with those who already know it, but with those who don’t. That is why the church exists.

Lord, help us find the proper balance between caring for those who are members of the household of faith and reaching out to those dying without you. As we hear that good news again this week, including everything from Jesus washing the feet of His disciples, being betrayed, beaten, horrifically crucified, and then rising in victory over death, may it fill us and renew us. Make us eager to share this Good News.  Amen.

Many churches use lectionaries, a set series of readings for every Sunday in the Church Year. These get revised from time to time, and some denominations make adjustments to these. But in many cases, congregations that follow a lectionary are hearing the same Bible passages read in their worship services across denominational lines. That means Christians are hearing the same message from God’s Word and contemplating on it together.

For the most part in my ministry I used a three-year lectionary, which meant there were different Bible lessons read every week for three years before they started being repeated.  The Old Testament Lesson for the Fifth Sunday in Lent in the second year of that lectionary, which is also the Old Testament Lesson assigned to Reformation Day, is Jeremiah 31:31-34.  It speaks of God’s New Covenant, fulfilled in the coming of Jesus to live without sin and offer His perfection as payment for our sins. That is why God will, for those who put their faith in Jesus, “forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” That teaching was restored to the Church through the Reformation, so this was and is an appropriate reading for that celebration.

But this reading is also a good fit for the season of Lent. Our focus during this penitential season is to remember that it was our sin and disobedience that demanded the awful payment that Jesus willingly made for us and the whole world.

Jeremiah 31:31–34 “The time is coming,” declares the Lord, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the Lord. “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the Lord. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.  No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the Lord. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

When God speaks of His people here, He says His law will be in our hearts and minds. That only happens when we spend time in His Word. We can’t meditate on it if we don’t read it and know it. And we dare not assume the we have reached the point where “they will all know me, from the least to the greatest,” as though there were no need for us to tell others about our Savior. The world does not know the Lord and His goodness and mercy. That is why panic and evil are so widespread all around us.

You and I know better. We have seen the love of God in the face of Jesus. We are confident of forgiveness, life and everlasting salvation, not because we have tried hard or done well, but all for Jesus’ sake. It is God’s covenant with us, based on what He has done for us. Live with that confidence.

This coming Sunday marks the start of what Christians have traditionally called “Holy Week.” Our focus is on the central teaching of Christianity, that God sent His Son into this world to save people from their sin. This week is when the key events that accomplished our salvation took place. Over one quarter of the Gospel accounts – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – describe the events of this week leading up to and including His crucifixion and resurrection.

It starts with Jesus entering Jerusalem to the cries of “Hosanna” and palm branches being laid on the ground before Him. This was the kind of greeting you would expect a king to receive. He had gone to Jerusalem for a reason. It was time for him to be offered as the sacrifice that would pay for the sins of world. The people welcoming Him to town had no idea what was about to transpire.

During this week, Jesus would chase the moneychangers out of the Temple, teach the people about His kingdom and tell many parables. He would talk about the end of the world, but He also told the people how they should live while they are still in this world.

Thursday of Holy Week is known as Maundy Thursday. It commemorates the night when Jesus was celebrating the Passover with His disciples, remembering how God rescued His people from their slavery in Egypt. During this remembering meal, Jesus instituted a new meal of remembrance: The Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion. He said, “This is my body…this is my blood…do this in remembrance of me.” It reminds us of what He was about to do and allows us to share in His payment for our sin.

A little while later, while praying in a garden called Gethsemane, Jesus was betrayed by one of His disciples. He was led off to be beaten, ridiculed, tried before Jewish leaders and the Roman authorities, sentenced to death, and led out to be crucified even though He had done nothing wrong and committed no crime. By this time it was Friday. We call it Good Friday. It is Good because Jesus willingly took our place in punishment. It is Good because He let our sins be placed on Him. And He made payment for them all when He offered His perfect life there at Calvary. He declared “It is finished!” and it was. God’s anger over sin was appeased. For Jesus’ sake, we can be forgiven.

But it gets even better. On Sunday morning, He defeated death itself. He rose in triumph and victory, which gives all those who believe in Him the certainty that they, too, will rise. He had made that promise on Thursday:

Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. (John 14:19)

This is what our faith in Jesus is all about: forgiveness, eternal life, and salvation are a gift to you, paid for by what Jesus did in your place. And this offer is open to anyone who will believe that Jesus is your Savior.

May the joy of knowing that Jesus is risen be with all of you!

I love the movie “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark.” One scene is especially entertaining. Marion had just been kidnapped by the Nazis. Indy was frantically searching for her when he comes face to face with a large man dressed in black from head to toe with a red sash around his waist. This scimitar-wielding villain brandishes his sword and lets out an evil laugh, challenging the hero to a sword fight. Indiana Jones uses the power at his disposal. He fires one shot from his revolver and continues to look for Marion.

A few weeks ago I mentioned David facing Goliath in one of my devotions. I’m guessing most of you know the story of that young whippersnapper of an Israelite going out to face the Giant from Gath. But I would encourage you to spend a few minutes today reading (or re-reading) 1 Samuel 17.

David was not even in Saul’s army. He was just taking provisions to his brothers who were in the army. Goliath was a nine-foot-tall experienced warrior. David was a young shepherd boy taking bread and cheese to the troops.

For forty days Goliath had been taunting and challenging the Israelites to send someone to fight him. The army of Israel was too scared to do anything. David heard the taunting and thought it terrible that no one would stand up to this man making a mockery of the Lord’s chosen people. He said He would do battle with the Philistine. Everyone from his brothers and the other soldiers all the way up to King Saul told him that was ridiculous. But David was undeterred.

“Your servant has killed both the lion and the bear; this uncircumcised Philistine will be like one of them, because he has defied the armies of the living God. The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” Saul said to David, “Go, and the Lord be with you.”” (1 Samuel 17:36–37)

David went down to the stream and found five smooth stones, but all it would take was one. David took his stones and sling to the field of battle. Goliath saw him and scoffed, saying he would make quick work of this “dog.” But David had some trash talk of his own, and he would back it up. One stone toss later the enemy was defeated.

He used the power at his disposal. God’s power. That was what won the battle.

The same was true at Calvary. God’s power won the battle for us all, conquering sin, death and the power of the devil for us all. Jesus paid the price so that we could have forgiveness and victory and life.

We need to use the power at our disposal. Faith in Jesus has already given us the certainty of salvation. Let’s concentrate on living like those who have been redeemed. We should not be cowering in fear. Live with the confidence David had, knowing that God is always in control.