How to Empty the Cross of Its Power (1 Corinthians 1:18-25)

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. [19] For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” [20] Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? [21] For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. [22] For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, [23] but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, [24] but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. [25] For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (1 Corinthians 1:18–25)

I. Emptying the Sun

What would you think if, in a few minutes, I invited you outside to look at a device that I had built (one made up of cables and poles and batteries and processors, but also, covered with lots of solar panels), but as I carefully powered up this device, I made the following comment, “I just want to be careful in setting this up correctly, so as... to not empty the sun of its power.” What would you think of a statement like that? It sounds ludicrous, doesn't it? It sounds delusional. That I would somehow think that my 'science experiment' could empty the sun itself of all its power. Twenty-five miles due east of us you will find the Palo Verde Generating Station, a nuclear power plant that generates more electricity each year than any other in the U.S. Its total output is 32 trillion watts every year, That's huge, right? By contrast, the sun's total output is 386 septillion (that's 386 followed by 24 zeros-386 septillion) watts... every second. Again, you would conclude that I was out of my mind if I believed my device could empty the sun of its power.

II. The Passage: “But We Preach Christ Crucified” (1:18-25)

Now, if that's true, what are we to make of the Apostle Paul's statement in 1 Corinthians 1, verse 17? I saved this verse from last time because its such an important 'hinge' in terms of the previous passage (vs. 10-16) and this morning's passage (vs. 18-25). But look with me at verse 17...

For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

What are we to make of that final statement? Ludicrous, right? Paul must be delusional to think that anyone could empty the cross of Jesus of its power. Paul himself would later write to the Colossian disciples that God was pleased, “through [his Son] to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.” (1:20) That's the power of the cross! Peace with God; restoring both us, and one day, all creation. So... how in the world can Paul talk about emptying the cross of its power?

The answer to that question can be found on the other side of that 'hinge', beginning in verses 18-25. But I want you to see how verse 17 sets up the categories for us in that next section. So verses 18-25, and what follows, help us understand those three phrases in 1:17... “to preach the gospel”, “not with words of eloquent wisdom”, and third, “lest the cross... be emptied of its power”. Or we could say that Paul goes on to focus on the preaching of the gospel, the polluting of the gospel, and the power of the gospel. So let's look back at our main text in light of those ideas.

First, the context Paul has in mind here when he speaks about the cross is not that first Good Friday, as a day in history, but the preaching of the gospel. That's why the phrase “the cross” in verse 17 becomes “the word of the cross” in verse 18. Do you see that? Not only did Paul talk about preaching the gospel in verse 17, but he goes on to focus on “what we preach” in verse 21, and “preach[ing] Christ crucified” in verse 23. So if we go back to that analogy concerning the power of the sun, what has to be clarified there is that I was not talking about the power of the sun itself, but the power of... sunlight; that is, the very thing which reveals the sun to us (just as “the word of the cross” is not the cross itself, but that which reveals the cross to us).

Second, when it comes to this preaching of the gospel, Paul is deeply concerned about the polluting of the gospel. Just as a polluted sky can hurt my ability to convert sunlight into electricity through the solar panels on my roof, the power of the gospel message can, in fact, be distorted by the polluting effects of human sin on the mind and heart. What does that mean? Well, notice how Paul describes one example of such pollution in v. 17: “words of eloquent wisdom”. The Corinthians were Greek, and as verse 22 reminds us, “Greeks seek wisdom”; that is, Greek culture prized the Greek wisdom tradition, along with the pedlers of that wisdom: the philosopher and orators and itinerant teachers who were common in that day. Such men were honored for their rhetorical flourish, for their 'turn of phrase', and for their clever argumentation.

But Paul warns the Corinthian believers about the danger of adopting that mindset when it comes to the gospel. This is why he tells them in 2:1, “when I came to you, brothers, [I] did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or [Greek] wisdom”; or as we see in 2:4, with “plausible” or “persuasive” wisdom arguments. Okay. Why not use that popular approach? He explains his reasoning in 2:5, “so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.” Please notice that Paul is not confronting a dangerous, false gospel here. He's confronting a dangerous way to approach or present the true gospel.

When we pollute the preaching of the gospel with our human wisdom, we tempt people to trust in something other than the power of God. For example, consider these gospel-sharing contexts...

A scholar who only uses big words and academic arguments. A slick, multimedia presentation with stunning visuals and stirring music. A speaker using self-help slogans and lots of emotionally-charged stories. A polished, political activist using blistering cultural critiques. A well-dressed preacher using the language of “abundance” and “victory” to offer promises of financial blessing.

In each of these examples, the listener is tempted to trust in things like the intellect of the speaker, or the impressive creativity of the presenter, or the mental health promises given (and how they make me feel), or to trust in shared political priorities and a 'culture war' résumé, or in a testimony or offer of financial prosperity. All of these things can be impressive and alluring when it comes to the world's categories. But such things pollute the gospel. Why? Because, again, they tempt the listener to trust in the wisdom of men rather than the power of God. Therefore, to use Paul's language, such things can empty the cross of its power; that is, they can obscure its message.

But that should drive us to ask, third, what does Paul mean here when he talks about the power of the gospel? Or as he expresses it in v. 18, “the word of the cross... is the power of God”. How exactly is it powerful? Well, we know from Romans 1:16 that the gospel is the power of God for salvation. When we respond to the gospel in repentance and faith, we are powerfully reconciled to God. But in light of the context here, another way in which the gospel is powerful is that it (v. 19) “destroy[s] the wisdom of the wise” and “thwarts” the “discernment of the discerning”.

Notice the characters mentioned in verse 20: the “wise” man, the “scribe”, the “debater of this age”. Paul asks in that verse, “Where are these esteemed people? When it comes to our redemption, where are they? What exactly have they accomplished? What of eternal value has their wisdom, their learning, their ability to 'own someone' in a debate, what has any of this actually achieved? The answer is nothing... nothing of eternal value. Why? Because (v. 21) God wisely designed it so that human cleverness or eloquence or knowledge or persuasiveness or creativity or position, such things cannot save us. You see, in spite of whatever value we give to such things, God has rendered such things spiritually powerless, in order that all of our salvation will be seen as coming from him, and none of it from us.

What has God done instead? Please don't miss the emphasis here. There is no mention in this gospel context (chps. 1 & 2) of the resurrection. But there is plenty of emphasis on the cross: (v. 18) “the word of the cross”, (v. 23) “but we preach Christ crucified”. Look over at 2:2, “For I decided to know nothing among you except... Jesus Christ and him crucified.” This is why the gospel is... foolishness “to those who are perishing”. What would Greek wisdom make of finding honor or strength in the death of One who died like a slave or criminal? What would the Jews make of a king who was defeated by his enemies, and shamefully strung up for all to see? Verse 23: “...but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles”.

If God came to you and said, “See that old, homeless man, laying by the traffic light. He will be your path to salvation.” You might think to yourself, “Ah! I understand, Lord. I will bring him food. I will bring him clothes. I will find him a job. I will find him a place to live. I will get him counseling, and help him with his finances. I will do all this and more in order to walk your path toward glory.” But God would respond, “No. The only way for you to be saved is to let that man carry you to me.” Now, certainly, some people would say, “What? That man? Why him? He's dirty, Lord. He stinks. Just look at him. Could he even lift me? Why do I need to be carried? And by him?”

Friends, that is like the offense of the gospel. It challenges our pride. It challenges our so-called strength, and calls us instead to a posture of weakness. It gives us no ability to boast. But this offense of the gospel is also the power of the gospel, for it requires faith in God's word and faith in God's power to save us through what may appear foolish. It has to be... all of God.

III. The Gospel Remains Offensive

Friends, the cross was deeply offensive. The cross remains deeply offensive. Even though we wear it around our necks, place atop our church buildings, and use it mark our graves, what the cross represents remains deeply offensive. Why? Because it exposes our ultimate ignorance, guilt, and inability. Our so-called knowledge and know-how, our so-called goodness and self-esteem, our so-called strength and positive attitude, all of it is exposed as powerless by the cross of Christ. Why? Because we are powerless... and as I said moments ago, in order that all of our salvation will be understood as coming from him, and none of it from us.

Some might say, “No. The gospel is not offensive. It's about love. Therefore, it's attractive; it's inclusive, not offensive.” Is the gospel about love? Absolutely. More than any other message that can fall on human ears. But that love doesn't make sense if the gospel isn't also about sin and judgment, about shame, about weakness, about suffering, about death... his... and ours.

Brothers and sisters, we need to guard against this kind of pollution. May we not breathe in these polluted gospels (for they are everywhere). And, when we share God's word with others, may we be very careful not to empty the cross of its power. The gospel is reasonable. It is attractive. And it is persuasive. But that's only true because (v. 21) it pleases God to save those who believe through that pure sunlight. As verse 30 puts it, “because of Him you are in Christ Jesus”. Only God can show us the wisdom of that which the world labels foolish. Therefore, there is no need for us to soften the message. There is no need for us to dress it up or align it with others causes. There is no need for us to tug at heartstrings or win arguments. There is only the need for us to faithfully share it, something all of us are called to do. And we can do that trusting that when it comes to power, our sun can't compare to the gospel of Jesus. It is the power of God for salvation. Through it, God is and will reconcile all things to himself. So may we be prayerful, may be faithful, may we fearless, knowing that “the word of the cross... is the power of God”. Let's pray and ask God for open doors and faithful (and faith-filled) hearts this week.