"In Britain, it seems we are obsessed with celebrities...We love our celebrity converts. Footballers, singers, models- if they become Christians, then we buy their books, go to their concerts, trumpet their conversion. Best of all we love to show them off to unbelievers...When we engage the world we try to convince people that we are worthy of being listened to because we are respectable. We hide away the freaks, the mentally unstable, the socially inept, the people who smell, the people who stand too close when they talk to you, the poor people, the stupid people. After all, no-one is going to listen to them...
But Paul takes a very different line in 1 Cor 1:26-31. Paul has been expounding his claim that 'the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God' (1:18). God, he says, destroys the wisdom of the world by revealing his power in soemthing that worldly wisdom does not recognise (1:19-22). It seems as if only powerful signs can impress Jews and as if only clever philosophical ideas can impress the Greeks...We must not think that doing miracles or expounding clever arguments will convert the world, because the power of God and the wisdom of God is found in the message of the cross (1:23-25). Our message must be, and can only be, Christ crucified...
Paul invites the Corinthaians to look at themselves. They do not represent the wise, influential and noble people of this world. There were some in Corinth, like this, but not many. The church was primarily made up of those who were on the fringe- those in soceity who did not have much to appeal to. God is choosing these kinds of people to be part of his demonstration of the wisdom of the cross. God chooses the foolish, weak and lowly to nullify human power and wisdom. He shames wisdom, power and status because we use these things to proclaim that we do not need God."
Tim Chester
Good News to the Poor
(XJ says: It is not our form that convinces people to christianity. Why not seek first of all a walk of obedience to the cross? Thereafter everything falls into place, whether in the form of being influential in the mkt place or not, whatever station we are working in- seeking only to testify of the cross. For transformation preceeds multiplication. The inward must be changed first instead of changing what forms on the outside.)
2 comments:
thanks dear sis, think this is v meaningful to me, 'cos i was thinking about this particular issue today. :) in a way, it's v reassuring, and encouraging too - 'cos yup, really want to reach out to the poor, just like what Jesus said, "...and the good news is preached to the poor." =)
hey bro, I am glad that this was meaningful for u. The book actually listed 3 good news that we can give to the poor, the message of liberation, grace and community. :)
Post a Comment