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. For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”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? 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. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 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.” (1 Corinthians 1:18–31 NIV)
As we continue into the final week of Lent, the world around us is awash with signs of the Easter holiday. Ham is on sale, we’re encouraged to update our spring wardrobe, and chocolate bunnies and Peeps in every color of the rainbow are set to be eaten. What’s often missing amongst the bunny rabbits and week-old chicks is the imagery of the cross, particularly the cross of Friday evening, specifically the cross with Jesus upon it dying a torturous death.
If the cross is central to Easter, why is it missing?
Because the message of the cross is too good to believe.
“The message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,” writes the Apostle Paul to the church at Corinth. He continues, “but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). The timeless message of God had always been: Life is found in Me. The message of the cross was direct: come and see my Love and have life in me.
Much of first-century humanity failed to grasp their dire condition, thinking that no good god would demand such a sacrifice. The religious elite taught their followers that no message of grace would supersede their carefully constructed system of laws. The philosophers opined about the humiliation of the cross, saying no god would give himself to such an ignoble death. They all cried foolishness! Fullness of life through the death of another? Folly!
The twenty-first century has much in common with the first. When our neighbors see us gather in the place of the dead at Easter sunrise and with a full-throated shout proclaim, “He is risen; He is risen indeed!” it will sound like foolishness. We who are being saved by the power of God are blessed by this annual opportunity to show ourselves fools, to let God use our weakness to show his power.
We don’t need to explain or justify our belief. We don’t need to muster a dozen theological supports for the risen Jesus. We simply need to take advantage of the world’s eyes turned toward a holiday they may or may not understand and live to the fullest the life we have because of the person on the Cross. Using words if necessary, we can live the fullness of life promised by our union with King Jesus.
We can have an irrational hope despite our circumstances. An unexplainable joy can permeate our interactions even as we face the challenges of life in the fallen world. We can love the unloved. We can sacrifice for others who might not even appreciate it. We can be fools in the eyes of the perishing. We can let our lives be the invitation: Come to the cross and know life.
Warren Rachele is the pastor of Hope Community Church in Paul, Idaho.
