1 Corinthians 2:1-5

                                                             1 Corinthians 2:1-5

And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

 

Too often preaching can focus on the methods of the preacher more than the content of the message.  Paul makes it clear that this was never his goal or his means of ministering the Gospel in Corinth.  This same kind of straight forward and Christ centered preaching is still what is needed today.  Deep philosophy generally leads to a shallow faith because it is focused on the wisdom of man.  The Gospel will always focus on the power of God.

 

THE PROCLAIMATION OF GOD IN SIMPLICITY: Paul preaches in Corinth with the simple truth instead of seeking to impress with eloquence or philosophy.  This church would have been more open to and attracted by a more dynamic approach, but Paul knew that this would have been the wrong approach.  Too many of today’s gifted communicators depend on their own communication skills to attract people but the message itself ends up being hidden behind the speaker.  The purpose of preaching is not to attract or impress but to inform the hearers about God and transform them. 

 

THE CRUCIFIXION OF CHRIST IN WEAKNESS: The central message of the Gospel is the crucifixion of Christ.  Only through His death do we have hope of eternal life.  The shed blook of Christ is our only means of salvation.  There is no Gospel apart from Jesus.  From man’s perspective, the cross of Christ presents weakness.  Being crucified is not a position of strength.  Too many of today’s sermons avoid the cross, the blood of Christ and focus on the needs of men.  The purpose of preaching is to point people to Christ as the only means of salvation.

 

THE DEMONSTRATION OF THE SPIRIT IN POWER: The power of the Holy Spirit is what changes lives.  He works in the hearts of men through the simple preaching of the Word.  When men depend on their own speaking abilities, they tend to communicate a message of self-help that focuses on man instead of God.  We don’t need self-help.  We desperately need Spirit-help.  The power of God is supernatural and is able to overcome the most difficult of circumstances.  Too many of today’s preachers depend on their own success.  They tend to attract followers who also want to depend on themselves and focus on their own happiness and self-esteem.  The purpose of preaching is to unleash the power of the Spirit on the people of God through the power of God.  

 

APPLICATION: Be a simple witness of God to those around us.  Point people to the death burial and resurrection of Christ.  Depend on the power of God’s Spirit to transform lives.  Don’t try to impress people. Strive to lift up the Trinity in dependence upon Him.

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