Sunny & 65 with Madi Schultz
Join Madi Schultz as she imperfectly pursues Jesus and emphatically encourages you to do the same. Through scripture, conversations, and testimonies— Madi's prayer is that you would walk away from listening to each episode with a greater affection for Jesus + experience the freedom He has for you in deeper ways.
| madi@sunnyand65.com | @madelinschultz_ | @mackandbenj
Sunny & 65 with Madi Schultz
Episode 68: TMT | 1 Corinthians 1:18-31
Ten Minute Truth | 1 Corinthians 1:18-31
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. 19 For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”
____________________________________
Subscribe to my emails and Monthlyish Newsletter here!
Join the Sunny & 65 bookclub here!
mackandbenj.com
LET'S CONNECT: madi@sunnyand65.com
____________________________________
FROM THE EPISODE:
#SA65Bookclub Book of the Month for January/February: The Insanity of God by Nik Ripken
Austin Edwards Sermon from Keystone's Prepare
OTHER FUN THINGS:
MADISCHULTZ.CO
My Favorite Things
Glory Presets
MUST-READ Books
30% Off Lifetime Subsc. to Dwell Bible App
The Daily Grace Co.
Hey friends, welcome back to the Sonia 65 podcast. I'm your host, Maddie Schultz, and welcome to today's 10-Minute Truth. Today we are reading 1 Corinthians, chapter 1, verses 18 through 31. So the rest of chapter 1, and it says For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards. Not many were influential, Not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things and the things that are not to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God. That is our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written, let the one who boasts boast in the Lord. So just a reminder for our context.
Madi Schultz:This is a letter from Paul to the Corinthian church. Corinth was a booming cosmopolitan at the time. I think Vegas and LA and the Corinthian lifestyle would have been one of luxury and immorality. So just a reminder, right before these verses, in the last TMT, the verses are talking about how, in verse 17, for Christ did not send me to baptize this is Paul speaking but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. So we just talked about how Paul wasn't trying to sound really smart and intelligent. Then he goes on to say in verse 23, but we preach Christ crucified, For the message of the cross is foolishness.
Madi Schultz:Verse 18, to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved, it is the power of God. The gospel is the power of God and that's just a humbling and sweet reminder as we're called to boldly share about Jesus. And sometimes it can feel like, oh my gosh. I mean I'm reading through, just read through Exodus in my Bible plan in our church is going through Exodus right now, and I'm reminded of Moses and his response to God, telling him that he's going to be the one to go lead his people out. And Moses saying who am I? That I should go to Pharaoh and bring Israelites out of Egypt. Like I can't speak well to someone else, Basically I'm not the guy for the job, and God's answer not being you are the guy for the job you're so great but God's answer being I will be with you, I will be with you and I am God.
Madi Schultz:And Paul's reminding us here in 1 Corinthians that it's not with wisdom and eloquence that he even tries to speak lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. It is the message of the gospel, it is preaching Christ crucified. That may be foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved as the power of God. So it's just a humbling reminder, you and I, we do not have to have perfect speech, we don't even have to have the perfect gospel presentation. In the message of the cross there is power. There is power by the spirit, by the Lord. It's not in us delivering some perfect things. So I hope that encourages you today, as you are called to go and boldly share the gospel.
Madi Schultz:The Lord just brought to mind, actually, Austin Edwards. I've had him on the podcast before a while ago. Go listen to his episode, really sweet episode and I just listened to a message that he preached, actually at my parents' church at the beginning of the new year. He basically shared encouraging people to boldly share the gospel. He shared about a quote that actually me and Greg Gilbert another guy had on my podcast episode chatted about in his episode and the quote is something along the lines of people say, share the gospel and, if necessary, use words, basically arguing that, like your life should share the gospel and, if necessary, use words.
Madi Schultz:And Austin, I love his analogy that he gave in his message. I'll link it in the show notes. But the analogy that he gave is, say someone's car I might mess this up a little bit but it's along these lines Say someone's car breaks down and you stop and you help them and you just are you really love them well, so you're helping them change the tire, whatever you leave. And he basically says you leave and the family is like, wow, I am just really contemplating my sin before a holy God. I'm really just contemplating where I'm going for eternity and what I deserve because I'm a fallen, sinful human in light of a holy God. And then he kind of pauses like obviously they're not contemplating that just by you loving them they would need to be shared the gospel of grace that Jesus came to die for sinners like me and you so that we could be reconciled back to God because of the forgiveness of our sins and Jesus's life, death and resurrection. And I loved that. That's so convicting. So I hope that encourages you today to speak boldly. Because God, if you're preaching the gospel, Christ crucified, it doesn't even matter if you present it perfectly, it's quite literally not on you, it is the spirit, it is God that is going to move in people's hearts. But we do get to deliver the message and preach Christ crucified. So I love that. I love.
Madi Schultz:In my study Bible it said the persuasive power is in the story, not the storyteller. How freeing the persuasive power. It's not us persuading people of the gospel. If God is saving them, he's going to be the one to soften their hearts, to understand it, to bring them from death to life. It won't be on our perfect storytelling of the gospel.
Madi Schultz:And then I think the rest of this passage. It reminds me and encourages me, because it just reminds me that God's wisdom contradicts worldly wisdom. As citizens of heaven, followers of Jesus, we serve in what they call the upside down kingdom. I'm sure you've possibly heard that before. God's kingdom it's the upside down kingdom, meaning the kingdom of God functions entirely opposite of this. Worldly kingdom functions In the upside down kingdom. The scripture tells us the last will be first, the first will be last, the last will be first, the first will be last that we serve and third will be the last. We are here to serve and count others above ourselves. Does that sound like worldly wisdom to you? This godly wisdom and God's kingdom sounds like absolute foolishness to those who are perishing again. Verse 18, A crucified king In my study Bible it says the good news of Jesus Christ still sounds foolish to many.
Madi Schultz:Our society worships power, influence and wealth. Jesus came as a humble, poor servant and he offers His kingdom to those who have faith, not to those who do all kinds of good deeds to try to earn His gifts. This looks foolish to the world, but Christ is our power, the only way we can be saved. Knowing Christ personally is the greatest wisdom anyone could have. I even just think of some college girls that I'm discipling and getting to watch God bring them wisdom and understanding through His word. It doesn't even matter if you are quote and quote super intelligent or smart. Those are gifts from God too. But Godly wisdom is different from worldly wisdom, as this passage is reminding us. Our wisdom comes from God alone.
Madi Schultz:So this week, a few things. Get this week on verse 31. Therefore, as it is written, let the one who boasts in the Lord meditate and ask God. God, am I boasting in any other things besides you, Because I want to boast Only in the Lord, Only in the Lord. Am I boasting in myself, in my achievements, in my kids, in my marriage, in? I mean, the list is endless. But am I boasting in what the Lord has done alone? Am I boasting in Him alone? Lord, show me right in the moment when I start to even boast in my head about myself. Convict me, God, and draw me to repentance. Lord, you alone deserve to be boasted about. Like verse 30 right before this, one says it is because of Him that we are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God. That is our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Write it on a few note cards, tape it up on your kitchen, your bathroom, your car. Just be meditating on that and declaring that. Let the one who boasts boast only in the Lord alone. And let's also take heart in the fact that it is not up to our words or our message. It does not matter if you are wise by human standards or influential. Verse 26,.
Madi Schultz:Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards, Not many were influential, Not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things and the things that are not to nullify the things that are those verses remind me of.
Madi Schultz:I have written in my Bible a few fishermen were called to share. I think of Peter and James and John. A few fishermen God called to share A fisherman in Simon, and then God would rename him Peter and call him the rock, and he would be pivotal in the gospel, going forth in the building of God's church, the first church. And so that's encouraging. That's encouraging to me. I pray that's encouraging to you. Go this week and ask God for boldness, because his spirit is inside of you. It is not on your words or your message. The power is in the message you're sharing, the gospel of Jesus. Friends, we continue to preach Christ's crucified and will be boast in the Lord alone.