Sermons on 1 Corinthians 1:23-24

1 Corinthians 1:23-24 Interpretation:

Embracing Wisdom: The Path to Resurrection Life (Spoken Gospel) interprets 1 Corinthians 1:23-24 by connecting the wisdom of God not only to the act of creation but, more profoundly, to the death and resurrection of Jesus. The sermon uses the analogy of seeds dying and being raised to new life as a metaphor for resurrection, arguing that the wisdom seen in nature (seeds must die to bring a harvest) is a reflection of the deeper wisdom of God revealed in Christ crucified. This analogy is used to show that what appears foolish or weak (death) is, in fact, the very means by which God brings about new life, both in nature and in salvation. The sermon uniquely frames resurrection as the "organizing principle" of reality for Christians, suggesting that the cross is not an aberration but the central demonstration of divine wisdom.

The Cross: Offense and Glory in Salvation (MLJTrust) offers a detailed interpretation of 1 Corinthians 1:23-24 by focusing on the polarizing effect of the cross: it is either an offense or a source of glory, with no neutral ground. The preacher unpacks the Greek terms for "offense" (skandalon, a stumbling block) and "glory" (boasting, exulting), emphasizing that the true preaching of the cross always provokes a deep, personal reaction—either antagonism or adoration. The sermon distinguishes itself by systematically dismantling common, superficial interpretations of the cross (as mere tragedy, example, or object of pity) and insists that the cross, when rightly understood, confronts the hearer with their own sinfulness and helplessness, making the message either repugnant or life-giving.

The Profound Mystery of Christ's Death (MLJTrust) interprets 1 Corinthians 1:23-24 by highlighting the paradox and mystery at the heart of the cross: the Immortal dies, the Prince of Life is crucified. The sermon uses the language of "mystery" (mysterion) to stress that the cross is not merely a historical event or a moral example but a divine enigma that can only be understood through revelation. The preacher draws out the tension between Christ's power (miracles, authority) and his apparent weakness (crucifixion), arguing that this contradiction is precisely what makes the cross a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Greeks. The sermon uniquely frames the cross as the ultimate mystery that both confounds human wisdom and reveals God's plan for salvation.

Seeing the Glory: Our Purpose in Christ (Desiring God) interprets 1 Corinthians 1:23-24 by focusing on the experiential difference between those who see the cross as foolishness and those who see it as the power and wisdom of God. The sermon draws a direct connection between this passage and the concept of spiritual sight, arguing that conversion is fundamentally about God sovereignly opening the eyes of the heart to see the glory of Christ. The preacher uses the metaphor of "the same cross, two people: one sees foolishness, the other sees power and wisdom," and attributes the difference to God's sovereign act of illumination, referencing the Greek term for "called" to reinforce that this is not a human achievement but a divine work. The analogy of the "flower opening" when the heart is regenerated further illustrates the sudden and beautiful transformation that occurs when God calls someone to faith.

1 Corinthians 1:23-24 Theological Themes:

Embracing Wisdom: The Path to Resurrection Life (Spoken Gospel) introduces the theme that resurrection, not just creation, is the ultimate display of God's wisdom. The sermon presents the cross and resurrection as the "organizing principle" of the world, suggesting that the logic of death leading to life is woven into the fabric of creation itself. This theme is developed through the analogy of seeds and harvest, linking natural processes to spiritual realities and arguing that the wisdom of God is most clearly seen in the pattern of death and resurrection.

The Cross: Offense and Glory in Salvation (MLJTrust) adds a nuanced facet to the theme of the cross as a dividing line: it insists that the cross not only divides humanity into those who are offended and those who glory, but it also exposes the futility of all human efforts at self-salvation. The sermon emphasizes that the cross proclaims universal human sinfulness and helplessness, leveling all distinctions of birth, morality, intellect, or religious observance. This radical egalitarianism is presented as the core reason for the offense of the cross, as it undermines all grounds for human pride or boasting.

The Profound Mystery of Christ's Death (MLJTrust) develops the theme of the cross as divine mystery, focusing on the necessity of revelation for understanding its meaning. The sermon explores the idea that the cross is the fulfillment of both law and prophecy, and that its true significance—God's justice and love meeting in substitutionary atonement—can only be grasped through the unveiling work of God. The preacher also highlights the emotional and existential dimension of the cross, suggesting that its mystery evokes both wonder and humility in the believer.

Navigating Faith in a Changing Cultural Landscape (Desiring God) introduces the theme of spiritual deadness as the root cause for the rejection of the gospel, adding a nuanced layer to the traditional reading of 1 Corinthians 1:23-24. The sermon asserts that the inability of Jews and Gentiles to see the glory of the cross is not merely a matter of cultural or intellectual difference but of spiritual incapacity, which can only be overcome by God's sovereign call. This theme is further developed by likening the call to spiritual resurrection, paralleling the raising of Lazarus, and emphasizing the necessity of the Holy Spirit's power in preaching.

Seeing the Glory: Our Purpose in Christ (Desiring God) presents the theme of "spiritual sight" as the essence of conversion, arguing that the heart of the gospel is not merely intellectual assent but a supernatural awakening to the beauty and glory of Christ crucified. The sermon adds a fresh angle by connecting the longing for transcendence and self-forgetfulness in human experience (such as awe before natural wonders or artistic greatness) to the capacity to see Christ as glorious, suggesting that these universal human experiences are echoes of the deeper spiritual reality described in 1 Corinthians 1:23-24.

1 Corinthians 1:23-24 Historical and Contextual Insights:

The Cross: Offense and Glory in Salvation (MLJTrust) provides detailed historical context regarding the expectations of Jews and Greeks in the first century. The sermon explains that Jews anticipated a political Messiah who would deliver them from Roman oppression and restore national glory, making the idea of a crucified Messiah not only disappointing but scandalous. For Greeks, steeped in philosophy and rationalism, the notion that salvation could come through the shameful death of a provincial carpenter was absurd and offensive. The preacher also discusses the cultural significance of circumcision, law, and religious observance for Jews, and the reliance on intellect and moral achievement for Greeks, showing how the cross subverted all these expectations and values.

The Profound Mystery of Christ's Death (MLJTrust) offers historical insight into the reactions of Jesus' own disciples and contemporaries to his death. The sermon details how even those closest to Jesus—Peter, Thomas, and the other disciples—were bewildered and scandalized by his predictions of suffering and death, reflecting the broader Jewish expectation of a triumphant, not suffering, Messiah. The preacher also references the political calculations of Caiaphas, the high priest, who saw Jesus' death as a means to placate the Romans, illustrating the intersection of religious and political motives in the events leading to the crucifixion.

Navigating Faith in a Changing Cultural Landscape (Desiring God) provides historical context by explaining the cultural expectations of Jews and Greeks in the first century: Jews demanded miraculous signs as proof of divine authority, while Greeks prized philosophical wisdom and rational argument. The sermon notes that the message of a crucified Messiah was scandalous to Jews (who expected a triumphant deliverer) and absurd to Greeks (who saw crucifixion as the ultimate shame and folly). This context deepens the understanding of why Paul describes the cross as a "stumbling block" and "foolishness" to these groups, and why only the called perceive its true significance.

1 Corinthians 1:23-24 Cross-References in the Bible:

Embracing Wisdom: The Path to Resurrection Life (Spoken Gospel) references Colossians 2:3 ("in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge") to support the claim that true wisdom is found in Christ, and 1 Corinthians 15 (the analogy of seeds and resurrection) to illustrate the pattern of death and new life. The sermon also alludes to the Gospel of John, affirming Jesus as the Creator, and to the broader biblical motif of fearing the Lord as the beginning of wisdom.

The Cross: Offense and Glory in Salvation (MLJTrust) draws on multiple passages: Galatians 5:11 and 6:14 (the offense and glory of the cross), 1 Corinthians 1:23-24 and 2:2 (the centrality of Christ crucified), 1 Corinthians 15 (the gospel message), Philippians 3 (Paul's rejection of his own righteousness), and Romans 3:23 (universal sinfulness). The sermon also references Jesus' own words in the Gospels, such as "the Son of Man came to give his life a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45), and the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector (Luke 18:9-14) to illustrate the leveling effect of the cross.

The Profound Mystery of Christ's Death (MLJTrust) extensively cross-references both Old and New Testament passages: John 3:14-16 (Moses lifting up the serpent), John 10:15-18 (Jesus laying down his life), John 12:23-33 (the grain of wheat analogy and being "lifted up"), Luke 9:31 (the transfiguration and discussion of Jesus' "exodus"), Luke 22:19-20 (the Last Supper), Luke 24:25-27, 44-47 (Jesus explaining his death as fulfillment of the Law, Prophets, and Psalms), 2 Corinthians 5:21 (God making Christ "to be sin for us"), 1 Peter 2:24 and 1:18-19 (Christ bearing our sins, the precious blood), 1 John 2:2 (propitiation for sins), Romans 3:25-26 (God's justice and justification), Hebrews 2:9 (Jesus tasting death for everyone), and Revelation 1:5-6 (Jesus washing us from our sins in his blood). Each reference is used to build the case that the cross is the divinely ordained means of atonement, prophesied and typified throughout Scripture.

Navigating Faith in a Changing Cultural Landscape (Desiring God) references John 11 (the raising of Lazarus) to illustrate the effectual call of God, drawing a parallel between Jesus calling Lazarus from the tomb and God calling sinners to spiritual life. The sermon also alludes to Matthew 27 (the mocking of Jesus on the cross and the demand for a sign) to highlight the Jewish expectation for miraculous proof and their rejection of the crucified Christ. Additionally, the preacher references 2 Corinthians 4 (the renewal of the inner nature and the focus on eternal things) to encourage perseverance in ministry despite suffering, connecting the theme of seeing the unseen (spiritual realities) to the ability to perceive the wisdom and power of the cross.

Seeing the Glory: Our Purpose in Christ (Desiring God) cross-references 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 to expand on the theme of spiritual blindness and illumination, arguing that the inability to see the glory of Christ is the essence of lostness, and that conversion is the sovereign act of God shining light into the heart. The sermon also references Acts 17 (the universal longing for God) and Romans 1 (the witness of creation) to support the idea that all people have an innate sense of the divine, which is fulfilled in the revelation of Christ crucified.

1 Corinthians 1:23-24 Christian References outside the Bible:

Navigating Faith in a Changing Cultural Landscape (Desiring God) explicitly references Augustine, describing him as "the greatest philosopher Theologian in the history of the church outside the Apostle Paul," and discusses Augustine's engagement with Stoic philosophy. The sermon explains how Augustine critiqued the Stoic pursuit of happiness through virtue and self-sufficiency, arguing instead that true happiness is found only in hope in everlasting life through Christ. The preacher also mentions Jonathan Edwards, noting his emphasis on "Sovereign Joy" as central to Christian experience, and RC Sproul as an influential teacher of Reformed theology. Additionally, the sermon references Joni Eareckson Tada, highlighting her testimony of the sustaining power of God's sovereignty in suffering as a practical outworking of the theology of the cross.

Seeing the Glory: Our Purpose in Christ (Desiring God) explicitly references Jonathan Edwards, quoting from his sermon "God Glorified in the Work of Redemption" (1731) to reinforce the idea that God himself is the ultimate good and the inheritance of the redeemed. The preacher uses Edwards' language to underscore the point that the glory of God, revealed in Christ crucified, is the supreme treasure and satisfaction of the believer, thus connecting Edwards' theology of joy in God to the message of 1 Corinthians 1:23-24.

1 Corinthians 1:23-24 Illustrations from Secular Sources:

Seeing the Glory: Our Purpose in Christ (Desiring God) uses several detailed secular analogies to illustrate the human longing for transcendence and the experience of self-forgetfulness, which are ultimately fulfilled in seeing the glory of Christ. The preacher describes people visiting the Grand Canyon, the Rockies, or the Alps, and buying glossy picture books to recapture the feeling of awe and smallness they experienced there. He explains that these moments of wonder are "whispers" of the deeper spiritual reality for which humans were created: to be drawn out of self and into the admiration of greatness, which finds its ultimate fulfillment in the glory of God in Christ. The sermon also references attending professional football games, symphonies, and art museums, noting that people are drawn to admire greatness in others (athletes, musicians, artists) despite their own inferiority, because such experiences provide sweet moments of self-forgetfulness and point to the purpose of being made to admire and enjoy God. These analogies are used to bridge the gap between secular experience and spiritual truth, helping listeners see how 1 Corinthians 1:23-24 speaks to universal human desires.