11-20-2025 PART 2: Christ Crucified: The Power and Wisdom of God

Section 1
Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 1:22–24 strike at the heart of how people respond to the message of Jesus. The Jewish expectation was rooted in signs—visible proof that the Messiah had truly arrived. The Greeks sought wisdom—deep, philosophical reasoning that satisfied the mind. But the gospel does not bow to either demand. It stands on its own as the proclamation of Christ crucified, a message that seems like weakness to some and foolishness to others. Yet for those who are called, whether Jew or Greek, Jesus becomes unmistakably the power of God and the wisdom of God. The same Spirit who breathed life into Adam and inspired Scripture brings that message into the temple of today—the hearts of believers—making the Word a living reality in us.

Section 2
Paul’s point becomes clearer when we consider how different groups stumble over the same message. The Jews wanted miraculous proof before believing, even though Jesus gave signs they refused to acknowledge. The Greeks rejected the gospel because resurrection and divine intervention didn’t fit their philosophical structures. But the gospel is not a system built to please the flesh, nor is it crafted to appeal to cultural trends or academic fashions. It confronts humanity with a single, unchanging truth: life comes through the crucified and risen Christ. Paul refuses to soften the message to suit human preferences. The gospel saves not by clever method or polished presentation, but by the raw, transforming work of Jesus Himself, who redeems broken lives in a way no human wisdom can duplicate.

Section 3
This passage exposes a core reality of the Christian faith—we cannot demand from God, nor can we require that He fit neatly into our expectations. He is not obligated to appeal to our intellect or validate our preferences. He calls us to repentance, to trust, and to the humble acknowledgment that He owes us nothing and gives us everything through Christ. Modern attempts to dilute the gospel—to make sin acceptable or reshape biblical truth to match cultural feeling—mirror the same error Paul confronted. The real power is not in crafting a message that flatters the world, but in faithfully proclaiming the one truth that never changes. For every person who responds to that call, Jesus Himself becomes the wisdom and power of God, shining hope into lives that are quietly longing for redemption.