3. What was the source of their disunity? 1 Cor. 3:1-4  Brothers, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ. 2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, because you were not yet ready for it. In fact, you are still not ready, 3 because you are still fleshly. For since there is envy and strife among you, are you not fleshly and living like unbelievers? 4 For whenever someone says, “I’m with Paul,” and another, “I’m with Apollos,” are you not unspiritual people?

4. What was the source of their disunity? 1 Cor. 3:1-4  Brothers, I was not able to speak to you as spiritual people but as people of the flesh, as babies in Christ. 2 I gave you milk to drink, not solid food, because you were not yet ready for it. In fact, you are still not ready, 3 because you are still fleshly. For since there is envy and strife among you, are you not fleshly and living like unbelievers? 4 For whenever someone says, “I’m with Paul,” and another, “I’m with Apollos,” are you not unspiritual people? Identity Problems

5. More Context from Corinth “Crowds of wretched sophists around Poseidon’s temple shouting and reviling one another, and their disciples, as they were called, fighting with one another, many writers reading aloud their stupid works, many poets reciting their poems while others applauded them, many jugglers showing their tricks, many fortune-tellers interpreting fortunes, lawyers innumerable perverting judgment, and peddlers not a few peddling whatever they happened to have.” -from Dio Chrysostom’s Discourses as quoted in Ken Bailey’s Paul through Mediterranean Eyes

6. 1 Corinthians 1:17-2:5 17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to evangelize—not with clever words, so that the cross of Christ will not be emptied of its effect. 18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is God’s power to us who are being saved. 19 For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will set aside the understanding of the experts.(Isaiah 29:14)

7. 1 Corinthians 1:17-2:5 20 Where is the philosopher? Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn’t God made the world’s wisdom foolish? 21 For since, in God’s wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of the message preached. 22 For the Jews ask for signs and the Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. 24 Yet to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is God’s power and God’s wisdom, 25 because God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

8. 1 Corinthians 1:17-2:5 26 Brothers, consider your calling: Not many are wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth. 27 Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 28 God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world—what is viewed as nothing—to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, 29 so that no one can boast in His presence. 30 But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became God- given wisdom for us—our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, 31 in order that, as it is written: The one who boasts must boast in the Lord.

9. 1 Corinthians 1:17-2:5 2 1 When I came to you, brothers, announcing the testimony of God to you, I did not come with brilliance of speech or wisdom. 2 For I didn’t think it was a good idea to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 My speech and my proclamation were not with persuasive words of wisdom but with a powerful demonstration by the Spirit, 5 so that your faith might not be based on men’s wisdom but on God’s power.

10. THECROSS Jews Greeks God Saves God Calls God’s strength God’s wisdom Scholars unwise Scholars few Human wisdom’s end God’s wisdom’s end Paul preaches cross

11. THECROSS Jews Greeks God Saves God Calls God’s strength God’s wisdom Scholars unwise Scholars few Human wisdom’s end God’s wisdom’s end Paul preaches cross THE CROSS IS THE EPICENTER OF THE COLLISION OF TWO KINDS OF WISDOM

12. World’s Wisdom Self- Protection Must get what we can, guard what we have, & shield who we are against loss to others Must get what we can, guard what we have, & shield who we are against loss to others We must meet our own needs because we can’t trust others

13. God’s Wisdom Self- Giving Can give to others even at great personal sacrifice & seemingly at great personal cost His own needs are already met

14. World’s Wisdom Self- Promotion We must have others who affirm us or else pretend like we don't care Confused about who we are, where we come from, & why we matter

15. God’s Wisdom Self- Giving Doesn't need others affirmation, but created others to find their joy in knowing Him as Father Knows who He is and why He matters

16. World’s Wisdom Self- Indulgence Values temporary things & present pleasure above all else Values temporary things & present pleasure above all else Starts from a perspective of temporary existence

17. God’s Wisdom Self- Sacrifice Values eternal things & willing to suffer temporal pain for eternal values Starts from a perspective of eternal existence

18. The cross is the epicenter of the collision of two kinds of wisdom 1 Cor. 1:18  For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is God’s power to us who are being saved. 1 Cor. 1:20-21  20 Where is the philosopher? Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn’t God made the world’s wisdom foolish? 21 For since, in God’s wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of the message preached.

19. 1 Cor. 1:18  For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but it is God’s power to us who are being saved. 1 Cor. 1:20-21  20 Where is the philosopher? Where is the scholar? Where is the debater of this age? Hasn’t God made the world’s wisdom foolish? 21 For since, in God’s wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the foolishness of the message preached. The cross is the epicenter of the collision of two kinds of wisdom

20. 1 Cor. 1:22-23  22 For the Jews ask for signs and the Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. The cross is the epicenter of the collision of two kinds of wisdom

21. Why was the cross a stumbling block to Jews? Deuteronomy 21:22-23  22 “If anyone is found guilty of an offense deserving the death penalty and is executed, and you hang his body on a tree, 23 you are not to leave his corpse on the tree overnight but are to bury him that day, for anyone hung on a tree is under God’s curse.

22. Galatians 3:10-13  10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, because it is written: Everyone who does not continue doing everything written in the book of the law is cursed. 11 Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous will live by faith. 12 But the law is not based on faith; instead, the one who does these things will live by them. 13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, because it is written: Everyone who is hung on a tree is cursed. Why was the cross a stumbling block to Jews?

23. Is the cross a stumbling block to us?  Willing to give up on our good works & moral righteousness?  Willing to intimately associate with & aggressively pursue people who are far from moral & don’t seem to have produced any good works?  Willing to open up & unite our lives in an ongoing way with people very different than us?

24. Why was the cross foolishness to Greeks?  The Greeks had a powerful tradition of heroes who died in battle to save others  Very different from Jesus’ death nailed to a cross as a weak, criminal

25. Is the cross foolishness to us?  Are we willing to trust in a crucified Master?  Are we willing to appear foolish to the world around us?

26. The cross is the epicenter of the collision of two kinds of wisdom 1 Cor. 1:24-25  24 Yet to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is God’s power and God’s wisdom, 25 because God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength. Do you think God is SMART? Do you think God is STRONG?

27. The cross is the epicenter of the collision of two kinds of wisdom 1 Cor. 1:26-31  26 Brothers, consider your calling: Not many are wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth. 27 Instead, God has chosen what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen what is weak in the world to shame the strong. 28 God has chosen what is insignificant and despised in the world—what is viewed as nothing—to bring to nothing what is viewed as something, 29 so that no one can boast in His presence. 30 But it is from Him that you are in Christ Jesus, who became God-given wisdom for us—our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, 31 in order that, as it is written: The one who boasts must boast in the Lord.

28. Conclusions Our lives & their fruit reveal which wisdom we are really buying into…in which wisdom we TRUST!!!  90% of Americans say they believe in “God”  16.2% of Americans are evangelical/active believers  13.5% of Manhattan, KS!!! If we buy into the world’s wisdom, we will get to boast in our stuff, status, & sensual indulgence…for a little while…