Third Sunday in Advent: Epistle, 1 Corinthians 1:18-31              

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Unity is a major sticking point in Corinth, that city that housed a budding Christian community that gave Paul a full plate. Paul is building, or should I say God is building through Paul and other leaders, a church that fosters many challenges from the start. And Paul’s first letter to them is filled with indicators of that reality. Paul is laboring to make sure that the Corinthians understand that the church is built squarely on the person of Jesus. And the cross of Jesus is the Savior’s labor of love securing forgiveness of sin, life, and salvation to all who are brought to the tree outside the walls of Jerusalem. And that’s it. No other foundation. No other work will suffice. And the preaching of Jesus and His cross is Paul’s labor of love for those in Corinth and by extension, for us as well.

Paul also knows the  cultural savvy and worldly-educated norms of a city like Corinth and he wants to help these young Christians to defend the truth of the gospel against any false god or philosophy to which the church in Corinth will be continually exposed. In a single statement Paul sets the gospel above all pretenders. Here is how he says it:

“For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.”

Paul meets the challenges from Corinth, from both Jew and Gentile sides. He knows the gospel will be taunted as foolish and weak and so he answers that God fills the gaps. And He always does. He fills the gaping holes left by human character and performance whether it is individual or in communities of people. And Christ, the Lord, God in flesh is the only one who can remedy the maladies of mankind at every juncture. And there’s no backtalk because Christ is Lord. Lord of the Church and of all the universe which He fashioned.

Oh Corinthians, gather around Your Lord and find in Him, in His person, everything you could possibly need and more.We are fools and weaklings who have been provided with more than enough. Always more than enough.