Topic: Christ Crucified (I Corinthians 2:1-5)
Paul came to Corinth preaching the testimony of God. Testimony is a declaration of truth. In Paul’s letter to the church in Ephesus the testimony is referred to as a mystery (Ephesians 3:1-3). What does he mean by a mystery? A mystery means something that has not been revealed before.
The mystery of God or testimony which Paul preached was that Jesus Christ had been crucified on the cross at Calvary, buried in a borrowed tomb and rose again to life on Sunday. That had not been preached before but now had been revealed. In the Old Testament, the crucifixion of Christ was revealed in type and in prophecy only. The actual event was something new, something not previously revealed.
Paul did not declare the wisdom of the world. The Greeks were all about hearing some new human idea or new human philosophy or human wisdom. In one sense, what Paul was declaring was new–for they had not heard about Jesus crucified. Yet, this was not new in that Jesus fulfilled scripture (I Corinthians 15). He simply declared the Cross of Jesus Christ. He preached a crucified Savior, One who had died for the sins of the world. Paul preached a Savior who was buried in Joseph’s tomb, but He rose victoriously on Resurrection Sunday!
Paul lets us see his heart in this passage. He makes it clear that while he was with the Corinthians, he was greatly troubled. He was “in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.” Is it any wonder why he might say in chapter 1 that God had chosen the weak things of this world? Although Paul had a great mind and was a skilled communicator, Paul never thought of himself as great. Paul saw himself as the worst of the worst. He was a sinner and yet Jesus saved him. And, the truth is, that is the way each one of us should see ourselves. (I Timothy 1:15-16).
Jesus saved Paul to show the world that Paul was God’s pattern for mercy, longsuffering and grace. Paul is great proof that God can and will save anybody who repents and believes in Jesus Christ.
Paul declared the cross of Jesus Christ–God’s testimony. Make your life about God’s testimony, not yours.
See you on Easter Sunday!
Dr. Scott Kallem