JMA Missions Mid-Month Sept 2024
Over the last few months, we have observed the Great Commission in the Gospels. Now, we'll continue our series on through the New Testament!
The Great Commission in 1 Corinthians
1 Corinthians 2:1-5, 1"And I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. 2For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."
v1 "did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom":
The presentation of the message.
There were no appeals or attempts to make the message or the messenger 'presentable' to the needs or demands of the culture.
At the time, the Greek culture valued wisdom and oratory skills. As an experienced and educated traveler, Paul knew and understood this. He went into that culture, and purposefully ignored what they valued most. He did not provide them with a culturally relevant presentation of the Gospel. Many times, the Gospel cannot be accurately represented by shaping it into the framework of culture. It needs to be said here, there is nothing wrong with either wisdom or eloquence. Honestly, we could use a double dose of those two in most churches today!
But those people, in that region, in that point in time, were ruled by their own expectations of what is right and true, and to them, the proof of it was the ability of the messenger to persuade and convince with argument. Paul recognized that, and did not give into it. Culture is important, but it cannot dictate the Gospel. As missionaries, called to go into other cultures to establish the gospel, we need to know our host culture. And we need to be able to recognize the parts of that culture which "indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh." Colossians 2:23
v2, "determined not to know anything except Christ crucified":
The simplicity of the message.
The Gospel is not complicated! It doesn't need a seminar to be communicated. It doesn't need charts or graphs. You know, overthinking is a real thing, and missionaries are really good at that! If we allow our strategic mind to run unfettered, we will outsmart ourselves every time!
Keep it simple. Keep it real, authentic, genuine.
v3, "in weakness, fear, trembling":
The inferiority of the messenger.
Paul did not walk into that town with any kind of superior attitude, or a 'better than' mentality. He did not present himself as 'Savior Junior'. He came in there presenting all the things their culture rejected! Weakness, fear, trembling, no persuasive speech or wisdom.
It seems like his strategy was very questionable by modern missions training standards! Why would he do this with these people? Paul was aware that there was another dimension available in the presentation of the Gospel.
v4 "demonstration of the Spirit and of power":
The proof is in the pudding.
Messages are great, preaching is wonderful, and we need that. But there's not a message ever given anywhere, including by Jesus, that people have not argued with.
You can't argue with a leg that grows out. You can't argue with a blind eye that's healed, or a deaf ear that's opened. You can't argue with a cancer that's gone. You can't argue with a mom and dad whose baby got healed. The Great Commission in Mark 16, "they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
It is impossible to do the Great Commission in our own strength or power! We cannot rely on our ability to argue, or preach, or teach, although we do all those things! With a calling, any calling, there comes alongside of it an anointing to demonstrate that it's not just you. It's God demonstrating to the people that He is real, He is here, and He wants them to come to Him.
Paul is demonstrating the Spirit and power of God, and still all the while he is 'in weakness, fear, and trembling', in humble awe of what God is doing among them.
v5, "that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God"
The strategy of the missionary.
Paul lays an apostolic foundation, demonstrating the reality of the kingdom, that faith towards God does not rest on ideas or words but in the power of God.
As we pursue the Great Commission in our concentric circle, that is our Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and wherever else we are led, let's keep in our mind that it is not according to our ability, or even our level of training. It is not our work. It is His.
Mark 16:20, "And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen."
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