by Mark Mountjoy
Scriptures text: For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? 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. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: but we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; but unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (1 Cor. 1:18-25)
Beloved in Christ, the Apostle Paul boldly declares that the message of Christ crucified is foolish nonsense to those who cannot receive it. To outward appearances, our gospel seems weak and absurd. Why would an all-powerful God allow Himself to be brutally executed by His own creation? Why put our hope in a figure notorious for suffering?
Yet as Scripture reminds us, “God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.” What seems like divine defeat and failure is actually the wisdom and power of the cross at work. By radically submitting to humanity’s worst violence, Jesus absorbs its toxic effects and transforms them into healing grace. Rather than answering evil with more evil, love absorbed evil in order to conquer it. Such is the topsy-turvy economy of heaven’s logic.
As we enter Lent looking toward the passion, we admit the allure of worldly triumphalism that pulled Jesus’ own followers into scandal at his death. We still want heroes today who dominate through displays of glory, autocracy, and might. Yet our Lord knows that the path to resurrection runs through the darkness of faith’s night. Dying we die into newness of life if we trust the Creator can speak life even from rubble.
So let us take confidence that though mockers scoff at Calvary’s scandalous subversion, we walk in Jesus’ counterintuitive footsteps. As we fix eyes on bloody wood that bore sweetest fruit, as we kneel to wash each other’s feet, as we lift broken bread that nourishes with love over fear or fame, we remember again this kingdom confounding cleverness with childlike wonder.
May we receive grace to know Jesus Christ and Him crucified through living sacrifice amidst a cynical world shouting “Loser!” for that is the narrow way to blessing. We preach Christ and the folly of the cross because we have heard the heartbeat of Truth’s victory beneath apparent defeat. Come, let us again be fools for heaven until we bear healing for all.
The Christian Way
Matt. 5:39-40 Ro. 12:17-21 1 Pet. 2:23 Rev. 12:11
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