Biblical Essays
POWER OF THE GOSPEL
Some churches are in love with their preachers. Others are occupied with building beautiful new structures. Activities and programs are the focus of many congregations. Most churches measure their worth by numbers and contributions..
Technology has transformed the potential for communication. The Internet opens doors for sharing all sorts of information about churches. As congregations begin developing websites, some churches will probably carry over into the 21st Century that growing trend toward seeking out new and improved human methods and human ways of increasing contribution and attendance, hoping that such human ideas and concepts will somehow strengthen loyalty and spirituality while increasing growth.
But isn’t this a recurring theme of young dreams of old schemes? Is it possible that by focusing so much on money and numbers we have inadvertently fostered a concept that “church” is more important than Jesus Christ and Him crucified? A preacher was recently asked, “Do you think every sermon should focus on Jesus Christ and Him crucified?” He replied, “Wouldn’t that be boring?” Jesus Christ and Him crucified boring?
Doesn’t the Bible focus on, emphasize and lead to Jesus Christ and the crucifixion? Yet, how many sermons have you heard lately that actually focused on Jesus Christ and Him crucified? How many church Web sites provide statistics and information about the church, but provide no teaching about Jesus? The greatest evangelist of the first century declared, “For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect. 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 ... Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? ... it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe ... we preach Christ crucified” (1 Cor. 1:17, 18; NKJV). “And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified ... And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom ... that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (1 Cor. 1:17-18; NKJV).
What do you think the Apostle Paul would focus on in the 21st Century?
Kaiser wrote, “Every one of our preconditions and built-in limitations concerning what God can or cannot do or what He is likely or not likely to do in exact detail must be jettisoned if we are to learn anything ...” from God’s Holy Word. Maybe boring is exactly what God had in mind when He inspired Paul’s thoughts in the first chapter of 1 Corinthians, “the message of the cross is foolishness” and “the foolishness of the message preached” as well as in the second chapter, “my preaching ... not of human wisdom.”
Here’s a question for spiritual leaders in the body of Christ in this age: because of focusing constantly on Jesus Christ and Him crucified are you thought of as foolish?
