I Corinthians 2: 1And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. 2For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 3And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling. 4And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: 5That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.
When the word church is mentioned now days what comes to people’s minds? When Christianity is mentioned, many times it is in a negative way. Christians are portrayed badly by many. Attitudes and mindsets are against the Bible, Christianity, and Jesus himself.
Corinth had a unique situation, a lot of assets. They had access to knowledge through well-educated people. They got along with the classes—poor and rich, ignorant and learned. Many spoke more than one language. Through the power of Christ, they worked together. Their mistake caused Paul to write this letter, and it’s the same mistake being made today.
When Adwolfe FWB Church is mentioned, what do people think? What comes to mind when your name is mentioned? Paul’s desire was for them to be the type of church and type of believers who were known as those who believed the cross and Jesus crucified. One of the faults of the church at Corinth was falling back on their own wisdom and elevating themselves above the other churches. We are the big church of the knowledgeable; we have more power than you do.
The problems of our nation and the world have seemingly been put on the back burner for the face of politics. The world is falling apart and all on some minds is election. Our leaders are acting childishly when they forget what’s really going on. Paul said the church at Corinth should cling to the Lord, but they boasted and bragged in themselves. What makes or breaks a person in God’s eyes? What enables a person to function in this world? It is the position to which he elevates the Lord in his life. Paul said for I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
This is what the Lord wants our church to be known for. It’s what we should be known for individually. Our hope, our faith, our life, and our own existence are given over to praising Jesus Christ for what he did on the cross. When we pat ourselves on the back or give credit to others and not the Lord, we get off base.
Outwardly Corinth was doing okay, but the people should have grown deeper in the Lord. They were instead in the shadow of self not the shadow of the cross. Paul told them that although he had all sorts of gifts, if he didn’t have love he had nothing. All things pass away but faith, hope and love abides forever.
Jesus gave his body on the cross of Calvary to be sacrificed. He gave his blood to be shed as payment for our sin. If not for the cross, there would be no change in our lives. Jesus has helped me for almost 40 years to trust him day by day. It’s not in me, in other people, in being churchy. It’s not in eloquence of words. There is a lot about the Bible I don’t understand, but I don’t have to worry about that. Jesus came to earth to save sinners by this death on the cross. He died in my place. Paul said this is what matters. Until Jesus comes, Paul said for us to break the bread and remember his body. He said to drink the cup in remembrance of the blood he shed for us. Jesus said do this in remembrance of me. When we forget, we cease to remember who we are.
When I die, what I want said of me is that Bob Surber trusted Jesus as Savior. If you’re a believer in that now days the world will label you as deranged or a fanatic. However, what matters is how Jesus sees us and what he thinks about us. When people hear about our church, we should want them to know we trust Jesus and him crucified. In him is wisdom. In him is the very power of God.
Our faith shouldn’t stand in what we do or who we are or what we have or don’t have. That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. It’s in the power of the blood, in the power of the cross. Forget it and lose it. Remember it and have victory that overcomes the world!
Adwolfe Freewill Baptist Church 