1 Corinthians 1 (#2): The Power of God

Verse 18: For 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.

◇ Christians follow Jesus, who was crucified on the cross, and at the same time, they are the ones who proclaim Him. This is a stumbling block for the Jews and foolishness for the Gentiles. This is because, for the Jews, a person who dies on a tree is cursed, and for the Gentiles, it seems foolish to believe in, follow, and worship Jesus, who was crucified as a rebel, as the Son of God.

This happens because people look at things with their limited human eyes and think with their minds. Looking only through the lens of the law and tradition, being hung on a tree appears to be a curse and a stumbling block. It seems foolish to believe in and follow Jesus, who was crucified on the cross, a form of execution reserved for rebels and the most wicked individuals.

If we look deeply into ourselves and turn our eyes to God, we will confess, like the Apostle Paul, that the cross is not a stumbling block or foolishness, but rather the love and power of God. The cross is the culmination of God's love and Jesus' obedience to save humanity, who cannot save themselves. This cannot be understood by human reasoning: "But to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength (1 Corinthians 1:24-25).

♧ Lord, help us not to judge your work but to obey! Holy Spirit, lead us in the truth!