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. For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” 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? 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. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. 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. 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; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:18-31 ESV)
The cross is a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. Why?
Because the Messiah was not suppose to die! He was suppose to lead the Jews out of bondage and into the wonderful life the covenant promised them. They should have over thrown the Romans and been removed from bondage. Yet that did not happen… How could the messiah up and die and especially die on a cross! That is the biggest humiliation there is. So that can not happen. It is a stumbling block, because they can not get past the fact that the messiah died, and that ain’t suppose to happen.
But what happens when you stumble over something? Well yes you fall, but what happens next? I always look to see what it was that I stumbled over… You see some might get hung up on the cross (pun not intended) but at least they are looking at the cross. They have been drawn to it, and will be transformed by it in His time…
And it is foolishness to the Gentile because what savior dies to save His people? It is like Superman being killed to save Lois… It is not what we want to happen, but then really when it is about us anyhow?
You see if you really stop and think about it, the cross is really not the way you wanted it to happen, but that is how God had it happen. Not how it had to, but how He had it happen. God chose to work through the messiah dying on a cross to draw all people to Him, so stumble and call it foolish, but allow it to work in and through your life so that you, like the disciples before you, are transformed!
aSacredRebel 