Message by Dr. Gary Jarnagin
Do You Believe in the Power of God?
1 Corinthians 1: 18, 30-31
Paul wrote 1 Corinthians to address the diversity of ideas that had crept into the Church and were causing issues. Paul’s ultimate goal was to unite the Church through focusing on Jesus Christ and how God had shown His power through Jesus Christ. Our passage today is all about the foundation of our belief in Jesus Christ…AND THE POWER OF GOD.
Three aspects concerning the Power of God:
1. The message of the cross
2. The mistake of unbelievers
3. The Messiah and His glory
Ultimately the question you will need to answer today is:
Do you believe in the power of God?
1 Corinthians 1:18 (NKJV)
18 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.
30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God–and righteousness and sanctification and redemption–
31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”
In verse 18, the message of the cross divides men into 2 distinct groups:
-those who were perishing (those who do not believe)
-those who believe and are being saved
I. What is the message of the cross?
1 Corinthians 1:17 (NKJV)
17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.
We see in verse 17 what it is not:
It is not wisdom of words.
It is the Gospel!
If the gospel is the power of God, what is the gospel?
1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (NKJV)
1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand,
2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you–unless you believed in vain.
3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4 and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,
Death / Burial / Resurrection of Jesus Christ
How powerful is this gospel?
The message of the cross is for the entire world.
1 John 2:1-2 (NKJV)
1 My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.
Romans 1:16 (NKJV)
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.
2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV)
9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
1 Timothy 2:3-4 (NKJV)
3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
4 who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.
John 3:16 (NKJV)
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.
The men and women in Corinth and the men and women today say…REALLY? That’s it? There has to be more than that! Why would God kill His Son and use the Cross to save the world?
Why would He do it?
1 Corinthians 1:21 (NKJV)
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.
Because God is pleased with those who believe.
1 John 4:8 (NKJV)
8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
Because God is Love.
Because God is rich in Mercy.
Because we are saved by Grace.
The message of the Cross is all about Jesus, for what He has done for us, not about us!
II. What is the mistake of unbelievers?
1 Corinthians 1:23 (NKJV)
23 but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,
Today’s rejection of the gospel is not a new reaction to the gospel.
Acts 17:32-34 (NKJV)
32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked, while others said, “We will hear you again on this matter.”
33 So Paul departed from among them.
34 However, some men joined him and believed, among them Dionysius the Areopagite, a woman named Damaris, and others with them.
Matthew 13:3-8 (NKJV)
3 Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: “Behold, a sower went out to sow.
4 And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them.
5 Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth.
6 But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away.
7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them.
8 But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
God needs us to share the gospel so that others can hear about the good news. The Power of God is in the gospel message that we share with others that can save men’s souls.
III. Why should the Messiah be glorified?
1 Corinthians 1:30-31 (NKJV)
30 But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God–and righteousness and sanctification and redemption–
31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the LORD.”
God is the one who brings about salvation.
1 Corinthians 1:29 (NKJV)
29 that no flesh should glory in His presence.
Man could boast if he had anything to do with salvation.
Jesus is all sufficient:
-Wisdom from God
-Righteousness from God
-Sanctification from God
-Redemption from God
Jeremiah 9:24 (NKJV)
24 But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,” says the LORD.
Do you believe in the power of God?
Do you believe in Jesus Christ, who He is and what He has done for you?