Sermon Tone Analysis

The offence of the Cross

 

/Preached in Quabbin Valley on 8~/24~/08/

/Text: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31/

/ /

*/1 Corinthians 1:23/*/ but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles,/

 

*Introduction*:

We read here in Paul’s words that the cross is, to some, an offence or a stumbling block and it’s to others foolishness, it’s silly or stupid.

Why does Paul say that?

The Jews were thinking of and expecting a Messiah that was some kind of a super hero like Samson maybe or a mighty warrior like King David, someone who would deliver them from the Romans not a crucified Messiah, hanging helpless on a tree.

The Jews were not looking for: A crucified messiah but a triumphant King.

A king who looked like he was a king and who acted like a king.

They wanted a Messiah who was going to see their religious good works and be like the religious leaders at that time.

They had for centuries been looking for a regal and victorious Messiah, who should exalt their special privileges.

One who would charge into Jerusalem and destroy the Romans.

Remember they were under Roman occupation and they were oppressed by them and they were looking for a Messiah who was outwardly powerful, noble.

Who would set up an earthly kingdom and rule from Jerusalem and bring all the earth under his control and of course the Jew would be in power somehow.

To the Jews the Cross was an offence a disgrace, something to be shunned.

Paul uses a word which means/, that which causes stumbling or trouble, obstacle, that which causes offense or repulsion and results in opposition, disapproval, or hostility/*.

*We get our word scandal from this word.

Instead of seeing Christ victorious they saw Christ crucified.

Much of what the Jews hopped for was contradicted in Jesus.

It is no wonder that Paul said the cross was a stumbling block or a scandal.

The hanging of Jesus on the cross would have been proof not of his being the messiah but of his not being the messiah.

The Jew would have quoted or thought of Deuteronomy that mentioned everyone who is hung on a tree is cursed.

Now the Greeks thought that a crucified Messiah was silly, what good can a dead messiah do?

What kind of power does that show?

What kind of wisdom is that?

To the Greeks the cross was foolish.

A nobody dies in a back water place from a despised race of people.

That’s the message of the cross?

A criminal dies by the hands of the Romans and you want to preach that?

The Greeks sought out fine sounding arguments and looked for people who could use words like an intoxicant but the message of the cross is blunt and unrefined and is a sobering thought not one that those seeking human wisdom and good sounding arguments would like to hear.

*1)    **The cross speaks of*

a.

The cross is even today a stumbling block and foolishness

                                          i.

Many today seek pleasure but the cross speaks about sacrifice.

1.

If it feels good do, just do it, is a motto we hear all the time.

Have a Coke and a smile.

Pleasure.

ii.

Many today seek good feelings and selfish gains; we run from sacrifice unless it is a selfish kind and we worship the pursuit of money and success.

Who wants to be a millionaire and Lotto fever, lifestyles of the rich and famous.

But the cross speaks of sacrifice.

b.

The cross speaks about the road of self denial.

The hard road not the easy path.

Not the path that caters to my selfish desires.

i.