If a student has a very important, critical exam coming up, that student should be sure to study his books and notes that pertain to what will be on the exam, and not wasting his time going through notes on other topics. If he gets a tutor to help him with that subject, the tutor needs to focus on that one subject, and not other areas, no matter how much the student might want to talk about something else. Again, how important is it that the weathermen here in my city of Chicago warn us of a tornado bearing down upon us, and not chatting about the weather in Miami? When there is important information, an important message to get across, it is essential that the messenger speaks about that, and not get side-tracked with something else, no matter how much the listener might rather hear it. The Apostle Paul knew how important that is, as we see in our Scripture for today.
If we look into the background of the Apostle Paul, we see that he was a very well-educated man. Paul had studied under some of the premier scholars of his day, and knew his theology and the Old Testament backwards and forwards. With so much knowledge and education, one might think that Paul’s preaching would be deep, theological, and quite intellectual. Many of the Greeks during that day were quite intellectually sophisticated, and if Paul wanted to impress them, and try to persuade them to accept his argument, one would think that he would preach a heavier and theologically more complicated sermon than that of the salvation message of Jesus dying on the cross to save us from sin. Paul certainly had the intellectual capability to do that. So why did he only preach about the cross of Christ? (vs. 2).
The answer to that question is that Paul knew what was important, and that was the salvation of the souls of men and women wherever he happened to be preaching. He wasn’t preaching to try to impress anyone with his own powerful speaking and intellectual abilities (vs. 4-5). What was important? Seeing people get saved, or impressing them with his intellectual prowess, a spectacular resume, and showing off a string of degrees after his name?
We see some of that today, where some churches or some denominations want their preachers to focus on great theologically deep and heavy sermons, to match their grandiose theology degrees that they have. One would rarely, if ever, hear a salvation message about Jesus dying on the cross to save you from your sins, never an invitation to come and accept Jesus as your personal Savior. They would feel that’s too common, too low-class or simple, not what any refined church or reverend would do! If Paul had wanted to, he could have fit in with that type of group, but he didn’t.
Paul did not want to trust in his intellect or speaking ability, but in the power of the Holy Spirit and His guidance, and the Holy Spirit guided him to speak only of salvation through Jesus and His death on the cross. Paul did not want to glorify himself, his wisdom and education, or his abilities. He only wanted to glorify Jesus. Man’s wisdom, and the highbrow sermons of the intellectual and sophisticated churches will not save anyone. They won’t set them free from sin or keep them from hell. Paul knew that, which is why he was determined to only preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified (vs. 2). That may have seemed “weak” to many of his critics, but God shined through Paul’s weakness with His power, and saw many get saved (vs. 5). In Paul’s weakness he was powerful (vs. 3). There were no theatrics or techniques to manipulate people’s response. Paul preached salvation through the Blood that Jesus shed on the Cross for our sins, and people were saved.
Jesus Christ, and Him crucified is the only needed message which will save the sinner, and set the captive free. It is the only message that will give the believer victory. That was the focus of Paul’s preaching and teaching to unbelievers. His only focus was on Jesus Christ, who paid the penalty for sin on the cross. Today and always, the preaching of the cross should be dominant.
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