Christians Aren’t Nobodies
1st Corinthians 1:26-31 - Victory Fellowship
October 23, 2022 - Rev. Roderick Grabski
Healing Service
I. Introduction:
a. Series – Walking in Footsteps of Paul
i. Prepared for Christ’s Return
ii. Christians aren’t Nobodies
iii. Having the Mind of Christ
iv. Spiritual Wisdom
v. We are God’s Temple – Built on the Foundation of Jesus Christ.
b. Isaiah 53:2-3
For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.
He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.
c. The prophetic description of our Savior would seem to portray him as nobody special.
d. History reveals that Jesus Christ turned out to be nothing of the sort.
II. RELATING THE TEXT
a. Paul is instructing the church in Corinth that God uses people who seem like nothing to the world.
b. Paul reminds them of who they were when they first believed: 26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you.
c. God is not looking for famous athletes, entertainers, million and billionaires, and rich politicians to spread the gospel.
d. Paul says: 27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important.
i. In verse 27 the Greek word for foolishness (moria) is where we get the word moron.
ii. The Greek phrase in vs 28, (agenes exoutheneo, ho oan may), “the lowly, despised things that are not” is the most contemptible phrase in the Greek language. To be called “nothing” was the worst insult you could be given and was usually used in reference to slaves.
e. CELSUS the wise philosopher in 178 A.D. wrote about Christians: “Let no one come to us who has been instructed, or who is wise or prudent (for such qualifications are deemed evil by us); but if there be any ignorant, or unintelligent, or uninstructed, or foolish persons, let them come with confidence. By which words, acknowledging that such individuals are worthy of their God, they manifestly show that they desire and are able to gain over only the silly, and the mean, and the stupid, with women and children."... it is "only foolish and low individuals, and persons devoid of perception, and slaves, and women, and children, of whom the teachers of the divine word wish to make converts."
f. God’s wisdom is a paradox. You are a wise person to God – not by your status or income – but by your willingness to receive and practice His guidance in your life. That makes you somebody to God.
g. Then we know our success is from God. As Paul says: 29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God. 30 God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself.
III. Application
a. When we choose to boast in the Lord, God gives us rich blessings:
i. God gives His Wisdom: Eph. 1:17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him. James 4:5 But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without
ii. God Makes Us Righteous: Romans 4:5 But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, 2 Cor. 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
iii. God Gives us Sanctification: Gal. 2:20 “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
iv. God Gives Us Redemption: 1 Peter 1:18-19 knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.
b. We know these blessings come from God and we do not boast in our accomplishments as the worldly do – we boast in the Lord.
i. In vs 31 Paul is quoting Jeremiah 9:23-24
Thus says the LORD, "Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD.
IV. Conclusion
a. God’s wisdom makes us somebody in a world that might otherwise consider us nobodies.
b. Isaiah the prophet further describes the Messiah in this way:
53:5-6 But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, Each of us has turned to his own way; But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all To fall on Him.
COME for HEALING PRAYER and ANOINTING
SONG: That’s Jesus (Randy Travis)
1st Corinthians 1:26-31 NLT
26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. 27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God. 30 God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. 31 Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.”
