Wisdom That Saves

St Timothy Presbyterian Church in Toronto: Sermons

Scripture Passage

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

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Real Wisdom

The real wisdom doesn't come to your brain. The real wisdom comes to your soul. The real wisdom is not knowing what to do. The real wisdom is knowing who you are.

The biggest problem we have is not that we don't have enough knowledge. We have so much knowledge. Especially with the development of the internet, so much knowledge is available and accessible to us instantly.

Since we talked about searching God through a google search last week, I google searched God. It was endless. The first question was Who created God? I guess that's what people are interested in knowing the most. Interesting.

Anyways, we have so much knowledge but they are all information, data, and factual knowledge. It doesn't give us wisdom. Because wisdom is more than having factual knowledge. Information, data, and factual knowledge are what people seek after, ultimately for their own benefits. To control and conquer. To have upper hands. Wisdom is not that kind of knowledge.

We have so much knowledge and yet we have become more blinded. We have so much knowledge and yet it doesn't help us to become a better person.

We are more confused about ourselves. We think we see it but we don't see it. We think we know what can save us but we don't know it. We think we understand what makes us happy but we don't really understand it.

The Real Strength

This is what Jesus said after healing a blind man. The Pharisees did not want to accept the fact that Jesus really healed this man because he did it on Sabbath. Their logic was how a person who broke the sacred law of Sabbath can do the healing. Because Jesus healed him on the Sabbath. So they even brought the parents of the blind man and they do all kinds of things to negate that Jesus really healed this man.

The story ended with these words.

Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, Surely we are not blind, are we?' Jesus said to them, If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, We see , your sin remains. (John 9:40-41)

The Pharisees, the rulers, the educated people thought that they knew about themselves very clearly. They were very sure of that. But Jesus pointed out that they were blind. Because they thought they knew, they became blind – that's what Jesus meant.

True wisdom does not tell you that you are wise. True wisdom tells you that you are not wise. Since truly wise people see much bigger things in life, they see their own foolishness. So there is always a room for them to grow. They always live with the possibility to change. They have no fear to recognize their own weaknesses, their foolishness, and their failures. They live with this confidence that they can cope with their own inadequacy.

The real strength does not manifest itself through a raw power. The real strength often manifests itself through gentleness and even weakness.

True Wisdom

Truly wise people always know that there are wiser people. Truly powerful people know that there are more powerful people. They know their limits. They don't need to brag about their wisdom and their power.

This is what St. Paul is saying today.

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

God's foolishness reached its peak at the cross. The cross symbolized weakness, defeat, and total failure. At the cross, death prevailed. At the cross, evil power prevailed. At the cross, injustice prevailed. And yet, Jesus took the cross. Jesus took the way of the weakness. Jesus took the way of foolishness.

The most powerful person laid down its power. Why? The wisest person took the foolish way. Why? Because he knew how God worked. He knew God's wisdom and God's strength.

What Jesus did – St. Paul discovered.

But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. (1 Corinthians 1:27-29)

Jesus and St. Paul were the ones who had true wisdom and true power. Their wisdom was the wisdom that opened the eyes of others. Their power was the power that empowered others. Their wisdom and power are the wisdom and the power that bring salvation to all of us.

They didn't use the wisdom and the power for their own glory. They didn't use them for their own benefits. They used them for uplifting others and saving them from their darkness.

Why a righteous person died as a sinner? Why a powerful person died as the most vulnerable person? Why a wise person died without defending himself with reasons?

BECAUSE HE CARED.

The Caring Heart

That was the most foolish way to live your life and end your life. Jesus chose the most foolish way because he cared and that was what God wanted.

Ultimately through resurrection, God showed that Jesus was righteous. God showed Jesus had all the power, even the power over death. God showed Jesus was the wisest person who knew the way of God.

That's why St. Paul said,

He (God) is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.'(1 Corinthians 1:30, 31)

Wisdom becomes the true wisdom when it is used for others. Power becomes the true power when it is used for others.

God did not give you the wisdom to use it for your own benefits. God did not give you the power to oppress others, control, conquer, and dominate others. God gave you the wisdom and the power to help those who cannot help themselves. For the true wisdom and the true power to come alive, you have to have the heart to care.

The wisdom and the power are qualities people desire the most. They all want to have them. But without the heart to care, they are the most dangerous weapons.

So God did not use the wisdom and the power to carry out his work for us. He chose what is foolish, what is weak, what is low and what is despised. But he chose the heart that cares. From the caring heart, we are willing to be foolish and weak. And that is the true wisdom and the true power.

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