1 Corinthians 1: 18 – Reading from the ESV – “ 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. 19 For it is written,“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

God uses our day to day situations to manifest the power of the gospel? Here we are presented with some aspects that will help us see how the power of God can be applied in the way we present the gospel. The context of the church in Corinth provides with a platform to understand the problems and the challenges that we face in presenting the gospel. Paul spent a lot of time here, and we can treasure all of this in applying this in our local church context.

First of all, the context of chapter 1 tells us a little bit about the Corinthian church. Look in verse 4 “ I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus. Paul was amazed and thankful that God’s grace was given to this city as we know Corinth was a real challenging modern city at that time prone to all kinds of immorality. History tells us that tt also attracted traders from the west in Europe and the east in Asia; and they come together in this great city for trade and wealth and also for a social get together and when it happens we have vice and all kinds of immorality. Corinth was right in the middle of the trading route. It is an affluent city that is prone to luxurious living and style; it was the Monte Carlo of Greece and yet God sent Paul to invest most of his time here because of its potential for the gospel; but you know as well as I do that any place with such potential will always be a place where satan worked the hardest. It was a place Paul would find himself in tears most of the time. So do not be surprise, beloved when our efforts for the gospel will always be hard and trying. Paul warns us in that our battles are spiritual. There is a prince of the power of the air, and the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience – Ephesians 2; who will oppose the gospel and all of us who are involved in the gospel. Let me now share with you 5 aspects where the power of the gospel can be manifested in the church today. These are all found in Paul’s opening few verses in 1 Corinthians chapter 1.
Firstly, in V5 Paul says in every way you were enriched in him in all speech. Do you know that our spoken words which come out of our lips gets people saved?

The power of the gospel is in Words.

The gospel is shared using spoken words. Until and unless we open our mouths, people will not know about the gospel. We can show kindness, show love and show our care and concern to unbelievers in hoping they will see Christ but we still need to share the gospel through our words. Churches, Christian families, Christian organisations and Christian schools are focusing more on the works because it is easier to do works of charity and kindness and people accept that, but sooner or later you have to speak the words of the gospel and that gets people offended. A dying man needs help and sympathy and love and care but he needs to hear the gospel because that gets him saved for eternity. Your spoken words makes the difference between heaven or hell – that’s how much is at stake when it comes to the gospel. Words are important in the power of the gospel. But sometimes words can also harm the gospel. You know as well as I do that every wrong word we uttered can bring more harm than good for the gospel. We can destroy and build up people with words; we can bring people to Christ as well as drive people away from Christ with our words.

Paul knew the church in Corinth well. They lived under the influence of Greek cultures and philosophies and it was the in thing to live life like that. One of the thing they loved was listening to eloquent speeches. The ability to present speeches and intellectual debates must be a thing they loved to do. Hearing wonderful and eloquent speeches and passing time acquiring as much knowledge as they can and showing how clever they are. Paul was having some difficulties there I suspect. All through chapter 1 and chapter 2, Paul was addressing this over and over again. V17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. It’s obvious some of them are terrific with speeches and fantastic talkers but it is not getting people save. Look down at V20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Paul must have lots of long and hard talking sessions with them. They loved to debate, they loved to argue but it is not getting people saved. Chapter 2:1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. Their words coming out of their mouths were beautiful and lofty but it is not getting people saved. Again in V4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power. Paul says in every way you were enriched in him in all speech. Past tense – you were enriched. They must have forgotten to include the gospel in their love for wisdom, knowledge and speeches. When they came together, they were talking about their families, their problems in the office, their mother in law, their children’s education. They were talking about their prime minister, the political situations, the economic policies, the social implications, the church policies, their 3 year plans, their church grand designs…etc, etc. They have forgotten to talk about the gospel. Paul says the Kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. How often has the gospel been heard from our lips in recent days, or weeks or months even years? They used to talk about the gospel, now they talked about things other than the gospel. Some churches today don’t even preach about the gospel any more, they prefer to talk about issues that do not offend people. No wonder the power of the gospel is greatly missing because it is missing from our lips.

The Power of the gospel in our Knowledge

Noticed again he says – In every way you were enriched in him in all knowledge. Friends, knowledge of the Word is what get people saved. Paul can preach a sermon, writes epistles and letters, debate with any religious leaders and with kings and rulers because he has knowledge of the Word. It is vital we have knowledge in order to preach the gospel of God. Without knowledge we cannot share the gospel, worse still we share the wrong gospel or an incomplete gospel. I have heard gospel messages preached without even mentioning Jesus, or sin or the cross. Knowledge of the gospel is the power of the gospel. We don’t share the gospel using just experiences, we don’t share the gospel using just a good time eating and singing; you must impart the knowledge of the gospel to them; there must be some intellectual understanding of the gospel so that their minds are clear on the gospel.

Now the church in Corinth are getting knowledge because they want to show off their wisdom. There is no greater harm in the church of Jesus Christ than a man who shows he is smarter and more intellectual than anyone else; and he is indispensable because he is knowledgeable, be careful. He gets upset when he is not consulted and he tells people I don’t care because I was not consulted. I’ve seen a few of this kind around. The Lord will deal with them in his own way. There is no power in their wisdom because God didn’t give it one bit of that wisdom. In fact they may even work against the spirit of God even though they may be teaching or speaking the words of God. V19 For it is written,“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” The church in Corinth were big headed through their knowledge and full of self, bragging all the time on how clever and intellectual they were. These things don’t get people saved. Paul was hinting to them in V28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. Boasting of one’s wisdom don’t get people saved. There is no power of God in it.

The Power of the gospel in our Testimonies.

V6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you.
Testimonies are important. Testimonies are real life encounters with God that points to the gospel. Apostle John says in 1 John 1 – That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us. Testimonies are proclaimed to point the people to the gospel and bring people back in fellowship with God. Testimonies are not just experiences about how God is blessing us and making us happy. A lot of testimonies doesn’t tell much about Jesus Christ these days, it tells a lot about them. How they suffer, how they cope with financial hardships, or how they moved from one job to another; but testimonies about Jesus Christ and how he transform me and you is what people want to hear and gets people saved. The power of God is in their spoken testimonies. You see, you can’t lie about yourself when you give your testimonies. That’s why it is so powerful. Each one of us are needed to give a testimony about how God saved me and transformed me; and we should not say NO I don’t have anything to say. All of us are walking testimonies declaring his son, declaring his salvation and that gets people saved. The power of the Gospel is in our testimonies. So it is not just how we speak but how we lived tells a powerful message to our friends.

The power of the gospel is in our spiritual gifts

V7 – so that you are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. Spiritual gifts were given for the body of Christ, the church so that they function together and moved together as one – for the gospel. This is the church that troubled Paul greatly when it comes to spiritual gifts. The Corinthian believers are very external in the way they live and do things. They like the glamour and the glitter. They are showy and competitive, they want to have the best and be the best, and very self centred. This attitude created a lot of problems for Paul and the church. Earlier we saw that they were showy in their words, they were showy in their wisdom & knowledge, they were showy about their testimonies, now they want to show off their spiritual gifts. They didn’t realise that these gifts were given to them in grace, we don’t deserved it, it was given to us in grace. It is not we choose the gifts, it is God who choose to give it to us. What a mess they created. And this mess do not get people saved. On contrary, people run away from us when they see it. As far as Paul was concern, they are still like babies. At one point in chapter 14: 20 Paul says “Brothers, stop thinking like children”. Stop it! I have something you don’t have; I am more superior than you and I am more spiritual than you. I have more power and I am more blessed than you. Stop it! This really wrecked and ruin the church in Corinth and it is still wrecking and ruining some of the churches today. When the church knows how to move forward and cooperate with the spirit of God in the exercising their gifting, these things get people saved. The power of the gospel in our spiritual gifts. Finally –

The power of gospel in our unity.

V10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment. 11 For it has been reported to me by Chloe’s people that there is quarreling among you, my brothers. 12 What I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” 13 Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? Unity in the church gets people saved.
No wonder Jesus prayed in John 17 That we may be one – “that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. Without Christian unity, the world sees us as a joke. When there is in fighting among brothers and people can see how broken and fragile are our relationship with one another. Paul writing in prison wrote to the believers in Ephesus 4 “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. The power of the gospel is in our unity. When Christians loved unity and treasure unity at all cost, that gets people saved.

The power of the gospel is in our spoken words, the power of the gospels is in our knowledge of him, the power of the gospel is in our testimonies, the power of Gospel is in our spiritual gifting and the power of the gospel is in our unity. When we put this all together in our church context, people will be drawn to him, the gospel is powerfully proclaimed and these things get people saved. In closing, I read an interesting story.

In a large and lone house in the south of England lived a lady of piety and wealth, with only maid-servants in the dwelling itself, her menservants being in cottages at a distance from the house. It was her custom to go through the house with one of her servants every evening to see that the windows and doors were properly secured; and one night, after seeing that all was safe, she retired to her room, when, as she entered it, she saw distinctly a man under the bed. What could she do? Her servants were in a distant part of the house, where they could not hear if she cried for help, and even if with her they were no match for a desperate house-breaker. What, then, did she do? Quietly closing and locking the door, as she was always in the habit of doing, she leisurely brushed her hair, put on her dressing-gown, and then, taking her Bible, sat down to read. She read aloud, though in a low and serious tone, choosing a chapter which had special reference to God’s watchful care over those that trust him, whether by day or by night. When it was ended she knelt and prayed aloud, commending herself and servants to the divine protection, pleading their utter helplessness and their dependence on God to preserve them from danger, and praying for the poor, the sinful, and the tempted, that they might be kept from evil and led to put their trust in God as their father and friend. Then arising from her knees and putting out the candle, she laid herself down in bed, though of course she did not sleep. After a few moments the man came out from his concealment, and, standing by her bedside, begged her not to be alarmed.
“I came here,” he said, “to rob you; but after the words you have read and the prayer you have uttered no power on earth could induce me to harm you or to touch a thing in your dwelling. But you must remain perfectly quiet, and not make a sound to alarm your servants or to interfere with me. I will give a signal to my companions which will lead them to go away, and you may sleep in peace, for no one shall harm you or disturb the smallest thing in your house.” He then went to the window and gave a low whistle, and coming back to the lady’s side said: “Now I am going. Your prayer will be answered and no disaster will befall you.” And the lady more than once prayed that the man might be led to forsake his evil course and put his trust in that Saviour. Several years later she was attending a religious meeting in Yorkshire where, where a man gave his testimony and told the story of the midnight adventure as a testimony to the wonderful power of the Word of God, concluding with, “I was that man!” The lady rose from her seat in the hall and said “It is all true, I was the lady!” And she sat down. The power of the gospel even in Words of scripture and prayer broke the man’s heart and draw him to Christ.

May the Lord help us to discover the wonder working of his power in the gospel. Let us pray.