The Wisdom of God and the Foolishness of Man

First Corinthians is a vital book of the New Testament for the church today, as it has been in all ages. The church at Corinth was a church plagued by the disease of pride, and that malady had led to all kinds of troubles - even in some cases to a denial of the gospel. The same sins seen in Corinth are plaguing the church today.

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Call to Worship

Sunday School

The Enemy Described
sermon by Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Ephesians 6:10-13
Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

Sunday Service

Pastoral Reading

Psalm 78:1-8

Give ear, O my people, to my teaching;
    incline your ears to the words of my mouth!
I will open my mouth in a parable;
    I will utter dark sayings from of old,
things that we have heard and known,
    that our fathers have told us.
We will not hide them from their children,
    but tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
    and the wonders that he has done.

He established a testimony in Jacob
    and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our fathers
    to teach to their children,
that the next generation might know them,
    the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them to their children,
    so that they should set their hope in God
and not forget the works of God,
    but keep his commandments;
and that they should not be like their fathers,
    a stubborn and rebellious generation,
a generation whose heart was not steadfast,
    whose spirit was not faithful to God.

Opening Song

Lift Your Eyes to the Lord Your God

Lift Your Eyes To the Lord Your God
(Oh, What a Saviour)

Verse 1
Lift your eyes to the Lord your God
Father of goodness and grace
All of your burdens and gifts of praise
Come lay them down in this place
Chorus
For His arm is mighty and His love will endure
His plan is perfect His victory is sure
And His anger is righteous but His grace is free
Oh what a Saviour is He
Oh what a Saviour is He
Verse 2
Lift your souls to the Lord your God
Maker of heaven and earth
Sun and moon bow before His throne
Praise Him for all He is worth
Verse 3
Lift your minds to the Lord your God
He will fulfil all your needs
Seek His wisdom attend His words
Follow wherever He leads

Gregory Blieck, @2012 De Blieck, Gregory
CCLI No. 108183

Prayer

Focus this week: Mike Christensen

Song

All My Boast is in Jesus

Verse 1
What wonder of wonders what love is this that Christ would die for me
His goodness His merit His righteousness this sinner’s only plea.
O foolish pride be crucified, the work is finished.

Chorus 1
All my boast is in Jesus, all my hope is His love
And I will glory forever, in what the cross has done

Verse 2
Now fully forgiven my life is filled with graces undeserved
For mercy that flowed down that sacred hill, let praises now return
Rise up my soul and bless the Lord, who else is worthy?

Bridge
O praise the One forever blessed, Him alone my heart adores
And I will boast in nothing less than the love of Christ my Lord.

Verse 3
I boast not in riches in strength or might, but in the grace of God
I glory in weakness to live is Christ, in plenty or in want.
That I may know that all may see, His pow’r within me.

Chorus 2
Now I stand in His freedom, ransomed clean in His sight,
And I cannot be ashamed for my boast is Jesus Christ
My boast is Jesus Christ, forever my boast is Jesus Christ

Bryan Fowler | Keith Getty | Matt Boswell | Matt Papa
© 2023 Getty Music Hymns and Songs; Getty Music Publishing; Love Your Enemies Publishing; Messenger Hymns; Be Essential Songs; bryanfowlersongs
CCLI License # 108183

Offering Song

His Mercy is More

Verse 1
What love could remember no wrongs we have done
Omniscient all knowing He counts not their sum
Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore
Our sins they are many His mercy is more

Chorus
Praise the Lord His mercy is more
Stronger than darkness new every morn
Our sins they are many His mercy is more

Verse 2
What patience would wait as we constantly roam
What Father so tender is calling us home
He welcomes the weakest the vilest the poor
Our sins they are many His mercy is more

Verse 3
What riches of kindness He lavished on us
His blood was the payment His life was the cost
We stood ‘neath a debt we could never afford
Our sins they are many His mercy is more

Matt Boswell/Matt Papa
@2016 Getty Music Hymns and Songs
CCLI #108183

The Lord’s Table

Christ Our Righteousness

Scripture Reading

1 Corinthians 1

Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,

To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge—even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 12 What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? 14 I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 so that no one may say that you were baptized in my name. 16 (I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else.) 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
    and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God.30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Preaching the Word

The Wisdom of God and the Foolishness of Man
Sermon Text: 1 Cor 1:1-3

Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Closing Song

‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus (TH #679)

1 ‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
just to take him at his word;
just to rest upon his promise;
just to know, “Thus saith the Lord.”

Refrain:
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him!
How I’ve proved him o’er and o’er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust him more!

2 O how sweet to trust in Jesus,
just to trust his cleansing blood;
just in simple faith to plunge me
‘neath the healing, cleansing flood! [Refrain]

3 Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,
just from sin and self to cease;
just from Jesus simply taking
life and rest, and joy and peace. [Refrain]

4 I’m so glad I learned to trust thee,
precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;
and I know that thou art with me,
wilt be with me to the end. [Refrain]