God says in His Word that He does not share His glory (Isaiah 42:8). When it comes to the cross upon which His Son did His work of passion, the Lord is most concerned in not letting anything of man or by man steal away glory due Him or assume credit for himself. This week we will be looking at 1 Corinthians 1:17-25 considering…
The Conquest of the Cross
For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, that the cross of Christ should not be made void. 1 Corinthians 1:17
As we begin today we find the Apostle Paul sensitive to his own calling into the ministry and the purpose for which he was called. Paul is very guarded. He knows that Jesus has called him to a specific aspect of ministry to take full advantage of his limited earthly years of service. Paul was called to preach the Gospel. He was to be a herald of the Good News of the cross where sins were paid for. Even other important matters in congregational life were not allowed to interfere with this proclamation of the Gospel he was called to do. There is great contentment to know one’s calling in the ministry and much satisfaction to have the discipline to adhere to it.
Paul is not only focused, he is also very cautious. Here is where Satan can regain ground that he lost at Calvary – preying upon man’s vanity and pride to make the cross of Christ void in the lives of His subjects. Paul realized the traps before him inherent to his old, sinful nature – not only how they could affect him, but also the effectual work of the cross of Christ. Man has a great desire for glory. He prefers pats on the back rather than the cross affixed to Jesus’ back. No one suffers this like the man called to preach. Seldom will you find a preacher (who is honest with himself and his congregation) that does not admit to struggle with this weekly. The great temptation is to persuade people with eloquence of speech and convincing words that appeal to human reason. The cross and its message must never be compromised for the sake of appealing to the ego of man.
Not only does this apply to the preacher, but to the listener as well. Dear reader, might I ask you something. What appeals to you more – a fine orator who can hold sway with an audience sitting in gleeful wonder of his ability to articulate eloquently, upon whom they wait anxiously for the next Sunday to come to hear his next life application message? Or the unappealing man of halted speech who week after week repeats the message of the cross – our need for it and the Christ who took our place upon it? Do you ever tire or become agitated when you are exposed week after week to the blood and the cross of Christ?
As much as preachers need to be honest and disciplined in their message content and manner of delivery, so too does the parishioner need to discipline his or her old nature in what they are wanting to hear and their expectations of the preacher standing before them every Sunday morning. Is this something you need to take before the Lord and confess? Is there a pastor to whom you need to ask forgiveness because of your unfair criticism to his faithful proclamation of the cross? Satan would want to make the cross void in your life too. This is one of his ways of doing so. Reader, there is power in the cross for you. Do not rob yourself any longer of the freeing power of the cross…there your sins were paid and forgiveness is offered. Would you join with me this day and pray…
Lord, forgive me for those times when I have sought either by method or means to accomplish something in ministry without You and Your cross being the center of my message. Lord forgive our congregations who desire something for the appeasement of our flesh. Forgive us Lord because we have put our dependency upon something we have devised or would find a greater appeal in than the ugly cross of Christ.
