Focus on Jesus WE PREACH CHRIST CRUCIFIED
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Phil. 2:8.
Have you ever felt that you were becoming calloused to the cross? Have you ever felt that you have heard so much about it, and seen so many pictures, that it no longer moves you? 1 Corinthians 1, beginning with verse 18 says, "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 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."
One of the apparent handicaps of the early church was that they had to present a God that had been crucified. This was unheard if in the history of gods. And when the Christians came along and preached Christ crucified, it seemed to do away with their whole message.
In the days of the early church, people knew what crucifixion meant. Some people today have reacted against spending time dwelling on the cross; they feel that we should not focus so much on all the blood and gore. But we need to recognize that there was blood, and there was pain, and there was hurt. It would be a tragedy if we forgot the reality of the cross. Perhaps we should be reminded of the stark facts of crucifixion, and what was involved in the death that Jesus died for us, since in our culture today it is no longer a familiar sight.
Jesus, with His divine nature, suffered every pain and every insult, to as much greater a degree as His nature is greater than ours. When we come to understand a little more of the extent of His sacrifice for us, we understand better, how much He loves us, that He would be wiling to give His life for our salvation.
And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Phil. 2:8.
Have you ever felt that you were becoming calloused to the cross? Have you ever felt that you have heard so much about it, and seen so many pictures, that it no longer moves you? 1 Corinthians 1, beginning with verse 18 says, "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 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."
One of the apparent handicaps of the early church was that they had to present a God that had been crucified. This was unheard if in the history of gods. And when the Christians came along and preached Christ crucified, it seemed to do away with their whole message.
In the days of the early church, people knew what crucifixion meant. Some people today have reacted against spending time dwelling on the cross; they feel that we should not focus so much on all the blood and gore. But we need to recognize that there was blood, and there was pain, and there was hurt. It would be a tragedy if we forgot the reality of the cross. Perhaps we should be reminded of the stark facts of crucifixion, and what was involved in the death that Jesus died for us, since in our culture today it is no longer a familiar sight.
Jesus, with His divine nature, suffered every pain and every insult, to as much greater a degree as His nature is greater than ours. When we come to understand a little more of the extent of His sacrifice for us, we understand better, how much He loves us, that He would be wiling to give His life for our salvation.
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