What is the foolishness of God?
Unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
At 7, a sermon on the blood of Jesus broke my heart. It left me teary eyed. Post processing via Sunday School and family that loved the Lord prepared me for the day.
At 10, Jesus entered dramatically. A miracle healing took place where I was inspired in my spirit to choose Jesus and stand for divine healing.
Miracles aren’t supposed to make sense to the natural mind. It doesn’t. It takes an opening of the eye. It takes God, the miracle doer, to reveal Himself to us, for us to believe and receive.
“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” 1 Corinthians 1:18
The preaching of the Cross is foolishness to this world, they do not have the mind to discern it. The mind needs to be opened. There needs to be an encounter with the Word (Spirit of Christ) that causes regeneration. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sins and sicknesses. It pleased God to bruise His own Son - to the natural mind, it’s incomprehensible.
“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Corinthians 2:14
Who can preach the Cross of Christ? Not the unsaved. Only those who are truly saved. Convicted, confessed, repented and accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour.
“For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 1 Corinthians 1:21
When the message of the Cross is considered foolish, preaching it would also be seen as a foolish effort. Many Christians fail to preach the gospel because they are in their carnal state. They forget Christ is a way of life. A new way of life from the day you are born again. The love of the Father on the cross is an overwhelming realisation. When Love overwhelms, Love overflows. Where your treasure is, there your heart is.
Did Paul preach with great eloquence? No. (1 Corinthians 1:1-5)
No man knows what God wants to say till He is akin to His Word and led by the Spirit. When you don't know, it’s no more about you or your ability, it is all about Him and His stability.
“Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.” 1 Corinthians 1:25
We are God’s own fool. I am not ashamed. In my weakness He gives me strength to fulfil His will in my life.
“But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;” 1 Corinthians 1:27
When God chose His disciples, He chose the worst categories of people. When the disciples walked in signs and wonders, the elite of the time wondered and marvelled. The believers' lifestyles blew their minds!
Only in Christ does one realise the awesomeness of God's foolishness. How privileged we are to be carried by His amazing Grace. I'm closing with a song today! Michael Card was one of my favourite singers growing up.
"Seems I've imagined Him all of my life
As the wisest of all of mankind
But if God's Holy wisdom is foolish to men
He must have seemed out of His mind
For even His family said He was mad
And the priests said a demon's to blame
But God in the form of this angry young man
Could not have seemed perfectly sane
When we in our foolishness thought we were wise
He played the fool and He opened our eyes
When we in our weakness believed we were strong
He became helpless to show we were wrong
And so we follow God's own fool
For only the foolish can tell-
Believe the unbelievable
And come be a fool as well
So come lose your life for a carpenter's son
For a madman who died for a dream
And you'll have the faith His first followers…"