Scripture:
I Corinthians 2:1-5 NKJV
[1] And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. [2] For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. [3] I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. [4] And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, [5] that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
Observation:
I don’t have all the answers. In fact, a lot of times, I’m just searching for the truth and feel like the only thing I can trust is what GOD has said. That’s why I like this small group of scriptures found in 1st Corinthians chapter 2. The reason this letter was written is to clear up some of the theological debates and bring unity to the church. They had faced some issues and were struggling to get it together. As we can read in chapter one, there was some confusion. A few different people had come in and spoken about what they thought the scripture was saying. Not only did that create confusion but division as well. As Paul begins to address this issue and brings the church back to the very center of why it exists in the first place, he goes right to the heart of the matter. Persuasive words and the wisdom of man. Digging right into the heart of the gospel. Which only concerns one thing. The fact that Jesus Christ was crucified. That is the cornerstone, the one piece that holds it all together. What Paul is saying in the first two verses is if you know only one this know this Jesus Christ died for you. His claim to that was not one of a position, he did not elevate himself, or claim to be some great and mighty person. In fact, verse 3 tells us that his approach to the church in Corinth was one of submission and service. I’m not saying that his preaching lacked power and authority, but it was more about showing the difference that knowing Jesus Christ had made in his life. There were no eloquent words or human wisdom that could change a life in the manner that Paul’s life was changed. Just showing the church what the presence of the holy spirit had done was enough. I love the way he brings it all together in verse 5. In a sense what Paul is saying is it’s not about what man says or even his opinion of what the bible says that makes a difference… it’s the power of GOD to completely change a life that opens the doors necessary for others to listen.
Application:
I remember the day that I realized that if I was the only one who said yes to the gospel Jesus Christ still would have gone to the cross. Honestly, I remember it like it was yesterday. I just knew that GOD had presented himself to me and I needed to respond. It was like I had only one choice. Walk down to the altar and surrender or die in my sin. That day changed my life. The power and presence of the Holy Spirit gave me a desire to do things differently and to live differently. To walk, talk, act, and respond to life differently. GOD’S power was demonstrated by the fact that my life was different. All I needed to do was talk about what had been done in my life. I was delivered from addiction. Years of battling ended in one act of submission to GOD. At that point, I didn’t know the bible well at all. I just knew that my life was different and GOD had done something that I could not explain. It wasn’t until later on in my walk that I got interested in what the bible said. I had no wisdom no understanding I just knew that Jesus Christ died for me. Now here is the deal I hope you have experienced that. I hope that if you are reading this you have experienced the power of GOD to transform a life. If so all you need to know is just that… Christ died for you. HE paid the price for your sins and you no longer have to live a life of captivity and bondage. HE has set you free and who the SON of GOD has set free is free indeed. That is the demonstrated power of GOD. A changed life. You are no longer the same person. 2nd Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 17 says any man who is in Christ is a new creation. The old man is gone dead and in the grave and behold a new man stands before you. What I am saying is all you need to know in order to spread the gospel is what GOD has done for you. Your testimony is powerful it is the manifested power of GOD. Your life being changed in an instant. That’s it that’s the power of GOD. That’s what Christ died for. You are not the same now go and tell someone that. You don’t have to know every verse in the bible or even a lot of them. Just one verse John Chapter 3 and verse 16. For GOD so loved the world that HE gave HIS only SON that whosoever believes in HIM shall not perish but have everlasting life. The transformation is the proof.
Prayer:
Father, I want to thank you. My life is not the same, and I know that there are others who are reading this that feel like they don’t know enough to speak about what you have done in their lives. I pray that the understanding that all they have to do is speak about what you have done in their lives will be brought to their attention. You are a transforming GOD, a redeeming GOD, a GOD that finishes what HE started. You will not have not and can not leave us how you found us. Give us the boldness to speak on the changes you have made in our lives so that others can see the power of the gospel in action. We know that it’s not man’s wisdom that has gotten us where we are. But what you have done that has changed our lives and we thank you for that. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus I pray amen.