Third Sunday After the Epiphany: Epistle, 1 Corinthians 1:10-18              

1 Corinthians 1:10-18 

Paul had a full plate in Corinth. There were doctrinal issues. There were relational issues. There were issues of sin without repentance. I know that Christians traditionally see Corinth as a difficult ministry center, but even as I type this it occurs to me that Corinth is a lot like my home congregation. Imagine that. And I’m pointing no fingers except at myself.

There is a solution. And once we know what the solution is, better who it is, then it doesn’t matter a hill of beans what anyone thinks who doesn’t know. Other than that we've been given the privilege of sharing the solution so that they might come to a right understanding. And that’s really all we’ve been left here to do. A dear old seminary professor used to ask us, “Why is it that the Lord Jesus didn’t save us and take us to heaven straight away?” He was a Brit. They talk that way. I miss him. 

His answer was this: “Because we’ve got business to do.” And Paul in summing up his mission in this passage comes to this conclusion: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:17). We’ve been given a task alright. And before they understand the message we bring, the world takes it to be foolish. But what of it? It doesn’t matter what they think of it. It only matters that they hear it. And then it’s up to the Lord to get them home. Don’t get tripped up when people think what you believe is foolish. Be a fool. Share the message that has all the power to make saints of sinners. That’s what happened to you and me. Nothing else matters.