Reverend Ray Osborne, Senior Minister
Please Note That Most Messages Follow
The Revised Common Lectionary

“In Search of Wisdom and Truth”

(Psa 19:1 NRSV) The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.

(Psa 19:2 NRSV) Day to day pours forth speech, and night to night declares knowledge.

(Psa 19:3 NRSV) There is no speech, nor are there words; their voice is not heard;

(Psa 19:4 NRSV) yet their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In the heavens he has set a tent for the sun,

(Psa 19:5 NRSV) which comes out like a bridegroom from his wedding canopy, and like a strong man runs its course with joy.

(Psa 19:6 NRSV) Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them; and nothing is hid from its heat.

(Psa 19:7 NRSV) The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the decrees of the LORD are sure, making wise the simple;

(Psa 19:8 NRSV) the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is clear, enlightening the eyes;

(Psa 19:9 NRSV) the fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever; the ordinances of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.

(Psa 19:10 NRSV) More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey, and drippings of the honeycomb.

(Psa 19:11 NRSV) Moreover by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

(Psa 19:12 NRSV) But who can detect their errors? Clear me from hidden faults.

(Psa 19:13 NRSV) Keep back your servant also from the insolent; do not let them have dominion over me. Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.

(Psa 19:14 NRSV) Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.
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(1 Cor 1:18 NRSV) For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

(1 Cor 1:19 NRSV) For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."

(1 Cor 1:20 NRSV) Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

(1 Cor 1:21 NRSV) For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe.

(1 Cor 1:22 NRSV) For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom,

(1 Cor 1:23 NRSV) but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,

(1 Cor 1:24 NRSV) but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

(1 Cor 1:25 NRSV) For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.

Years ago, during the early formation years of my ministry, I had asked a well-known evangelist to preach during a revival at the church where I was serving high in the mountains of North Carolina. The man was a very popular preacher among the residents and I had heard good things about him. He was a fireball preacher! He’d start out real calm and real slow and I soon discovered that he only stopped when he ran out of a voice! As I was walking out of the church one evening following one of these services, a well-meaning deacon walked with me to my car. “Boy Ray that Frank is really something isn’t he?” “Yes Bob – he’s something alright!” “Don’t worry about it Ray! When you get that old you’ll be good too!”

Talk about an ego deflator! I remember that night thinking to myself: “I can’t wait until I get some gray hair and then maybe people will think I have enough wisdom to show me a little respect!” Well - I got the gray hair!

Culture and times are continuously changing. We are now living in what most people refer to as the “postmodern age.” Change is one of the most powerful entities I can think of. Most people are threatened by change and when change comes we often do our almighty best to fight against that change and those who may be instruments of change. Why? Because when change comes we feel our power, our familiarity, and even our normality slipping away. Change threatens us but is necessary for survival.

One thing that has not changed however is the perpetual quest for wisdom and truth. In our text this morning Paul is addressing those who were actively engaged in that very thing.

More specifically the problem addressed here by Paul is that there was a group in the diverse Corinthian church who were devoted to Greek wisdom and logic as tools in the search for truth. Rhetorical skills rooted in the classical tradition emphasized reasoning skills.

Earlier in verse 12 Paul says, “What I mean is that each of you says, "I belong to Paul," or "I belong to Apollos," or "I belong to Cephas," or "I belong to Christ;” each one representative of a new way of thinking or reasoning.

It is Paul’s conviction, that true wisdom and power can only be found in the cross of Jesus Christ.

I don’t know about you but I am not good at finding things. It seems the older I get the worse I get at finding things. I mean what is obvious to everyone else in the world can be very imperceptible to me. One morning I spent close to fifteen minutes looking for my glasses. I looked in all the usual places; on the dresser, in the bathroom, on the bookcase, I looked everywhere! I finally decided it was a futile attempt and enlisted the help of my children who very quickly pointed out to me that my glasses were sitting on my nose where they belonged!

The world in its own wisdom totally missed and continues to miss the true knowledge of God.

The World does not understand its sinfulness – its total deprivation – its separation from the Creator of the universe. Romans 3:23 says, “For ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” The word “sin” is a church word. The biblical definition is found in 1 John 3:4 “Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.” A better picture however is drawn for us by visualizing an archer taking aim at a target. His goal is to hit the “bullseye.” In the Roman days when men gathered to practice their archery skills and their arrow landed anywhere outside of the bullseye, they were said to have sinned. Anything other than what God intends for our lives is sin.

How much sin does it take? Does one need to go and commit murder? Steal? Adultery? Society is the one who has placed a “point value” on sin. Sin is sin is sin is sin. A little bit of sin is the same as a whole lot of sin. Let it be known unto you this morning there is not one person here who is not guilty. If there is would you please stand up?

Christianity is not a logically or rationally discerned truth, but a revealed truth – revealed to us by God in and through His Son Jesus. The most noticeable place that you and I see that truth revealed is in the cross. Paul points out that the “preaching of the cross is nonsense to the world.” I mean let’s face it – it doesn’t make a great of sense to take a gentle, kind, perfect man and nail him to a cross. It doesn’t make sense unless you know, as Paul Harvey use to say, “The rest of the story.”

While the cross makes absolutely no sense to the world – to you and I it is a symbol of the salvific purpose of God. The cross is our symbol of salvation! We know that God is perfect and pure and just and true. God is the beginning and the end of truth and wisdom. We know that God is love. We know that God loves us so very much that He sent His Son as the ultimate paschal lamb. But the world doesn’t know that! They are still searching for truth and wisdom.

Leonard Sweet, in his book Aquachurch, says, “As we spin on our postmodern axis, Jesus is shining brighter and brighter. Christianity may appear to be dying in the West, but interest in Jesus has never been higher in the West. Postmoderns are anti-religious but deeply spiritual. Say, “I’m a Christian to these pilgrims and they flee for their lives. Say “I’m a disciple of Jesus” and they gather ‘round to hear more. Worldwide more than sixty-six thousand books have been written about Jesus.”

Think about it – sixty-six thousand books about Jesus! You see, our world finds Jesus to be a very fascinating individual; however I am afraid that’s where many people stop. We need to understand and to help our world to understand that there’s far more to Jesus than his being a “fascinating man.”

There’s the cross, which is the world’s means to salvation and a restored relationship with the Creator of the Universe. Then there is His bodily resurrection, which opened the gates of eternal life. Then there is the life-long pilgrimage of discipleship that follows. A life committed to serving the One who gave His life that we may live.

Lent is a time when we place special emphasis on the cross. It’s a time to reflect on what Jesus experienced and went through. It is also a time for looking inward. It is a time to take a serious inventory of our relationship with Jesus. Lent is a perfect time to make right a relationship that has gone bad. Lent is a time to admit our humanity and our sinfulness.

You and I cannot cleanse ourselves. We cannot absolve ourselves of sin. There is but only one person who can do that. Paul tells us in Romans 5:19 “For just as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous.”

Paul says that while the preaching of the cross is foolishness to the world – that for you and I who are saved it is the power of God! The cross is a symbol of the GRACE of God. Hear what Paul says about those who have come to know the power of the Cross. Romans 3:24 – 25 “they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith.”

Someone once shared this acronym with me: GRACE = God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense. Have you ever taken anything for granted and somehow one day realized how important it actually was? I think that’s what we have done to the cross. We have taken the cross and made it into a piece of jewelry. The cross is anything but beautiful. It was on the cross that the precious Son of the living God died. It was on the cross that Jesus, the purest, most loving, kindest, most tender person who has ever walked upon this earth hung while those gathered around seemed to enjoy what they saw. But then it happened! Then the moment came!

“When Jesus had received the wine, he said, "It is finished." Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.”

It was at that moment that the Cross was transformed from an old splintered tree into the power of God. It was at that moment that sin was defeated. It is at that moment that you and I are able to experience God’s Riches at Christ’s Expense

I invite you this morning to a renewed relationship with Jesus. Come and experience the Wisdom and Truth of the Gospel of the Cross.

Amen.

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