The Word of the Cross is Foolishness to the World

The Word of the Cross of Christ is foolishness to the natural man. The Corinthians were in danger of believing a false gospel which was altered in order to appear as wisdom to the natural man. Their sin of pride was at the root of it all.

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Call to Worship

Sunday School

The Life and Death of Mr Badman
Chapter 3
by John Bunyan

Sunday Service

Pastoral Reading

Psalm 111

 Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
    in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
Great are the works of the Lord,
    studied by all who delight in them.
Full of splendor and majesty is his work,
    and his righteousness endures forever.
He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;
    the Lord is gracious and merciful.
He provides food for those who fear him;
    he remembers his covenant forever.
He has shown his people the power of his works,
    in giving them the inheritance of the nations.
The works of his hands are faithful and just;
    all his precepts are trustworthy;
they are established forever and ever,
    to be performed with faithfulness and uprightness.
He sent redemption to his people;
    he has commanded his covenant forever.
    Holy and awesome is his name!
10 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
    all those who practice it have a good understanding.
    His praise endures forever!

Opening Song

The Works of His Hands (CRC #36)

Chorus
I give thanks to the Lord, Sing Praise to His Name
Declaring His Love in the Morning
For You O Lord, have made me glad
And I sing for joy at the works of Your Hands

Verse 1
The works of His hands, my heart will praise
In the company of His people
Splendour and majesty are my delight
And His goodness endures forever

Verse 2
The works of His hands, His wonders declared
Providing for those who fear Him
Gracious and merciful, is our Lord God
Remembering His cov’nant forever

Verse 3
The works of His hands, are faithful and just
Shown through His pow’r to His people
All of His precepts are worthy of trust
And they are established forever

Verse 4
The works of His hands, His promise made firm
Redemption sent to His people
Holy, and Awesome, is His Name!
His praises endure forever

Prayer

Focus this week:  Thaisha Christensen & children)

Song

Beautiful Savior (CRC #1)

Verse 1
All my days
I will sing this song of gladness
Give my praise
To the Fountain of delights
For in my helplessness You heard my cry
And waves of mercy poured down on my life
Verse 2
I will trust
In the cross of my Redeemer
I will sing of the blood that never fails
Of sins forgiven
Of conscience cleansed
Of death defeated and life without end
Chorus
Beautiful Saviour Wonderful Counsellor
Clothed in majesty Lord of history
You’re the Way the Truth the Life
Star of the Morning glorious in holiness
You’re the Risen One heaven’s Champion
And You reign You reign over all
Verse 3
I long to be
Where the praise is never ending
Yearn to dwell
Where the glory never fades
Where countless worshippers
Will share one song
And cries of worthy will honour the Lamb

CCLI Song # 2492216, CCLI License # 108183
Stuart Townend © 1998 Thankyou Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com

Offering Song

He Will Keep You (CRC #38)

Verse 1
I lift my eyes and see
I need not be afraid
All my help comes from the Lord
Who the earth and sky has made

Chorus
He will keep you from all evils
Behind you and before
He will sustain you through this journey
From now and evermore

Repeat Verse 1 and Chorus

Verse 2
The Lord will never sleep
My steps He has ordained
For the One Who holds the night
Is the Sovereign of my days

CCLI Song # 7190364, CCLI License # 108183
Bob Kauflin | David Zimmer
© 2021 Sovereign Grace Praise
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use. All rights reserved. www.ccli.com

Scripture Reading

1 Cor 1:1-31

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 Word of the Cross is Foolishness to the World

1 Cor 1:17-31

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[b] 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,[c] 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[d] might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him[e] 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.”

Closing Song

Romans Doxology (CRC #63)

Chorus 1
For from Him and through Him
And to Him are all things
To Him be glory forevermore
To Him be glory forever
Amen amen amen

Verse 1
Oh the depth of the riches
The wisdom of God
How unsearchable His ways
How profound are His judgments
So high above our thoughts
And His pathways no man can trace

Verse 2
Oh the depth of the riches
The wisdom of God
How magnificent are His ways
Who has been His advisor
And who has counseled Him
All He gives us who can repay

Verse 3
Oh the depth of the riches
The wisdom of God
How immeasurable is His grace
How unfailing His kindness
So far removed His wrath
And His mercies are new each day