Daily devotion – The Gospel Centres in the Death of Jesus Christ
1 Cor 2:1 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. 2 For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. 4 And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
The message of the Gospel is pure, clear, simple and concise. But sadly over time many a ‘theologian’ has attempted to make it philosophical, at times political and it has resulted in a hybrid message that is no gospel at all!
When Paul ministered in Corinth, he obeyed our Lord’s commission and preached the Gospel. Let us remember that this, the Cross, is the message of the Church and always has been. Church was to be the place that God’s Word and God’s Word alone was expounded. You can attend a Church today and hear so many messages about humanity, social justice, climate change and political persuasions to such a degree that Churches now operate quite comfortably without Bible Study, Prayer or the Glorification of God.
He and His message seems to be not needed or more important than all the other urgent exterior matters.
This is why there is so much confusion in Church attendees today who don’t know what to believe.
When Paul was in Corinth he majored on the centrality of Christ’s sacrificial death on the Cross at Calvary.
Too many pulpits today magnify the preacher and their ‘gifts’ so much so that they fail to reveal the glory of Jesus Christ!
Paul gloried in the Cross of Jesus Christ and made it the centre of his preaching – Gal 6:14 But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Paul depended upon the power of the Holy Spirit and it was NOT his experience or ability that gave his ministry its power, it was the work of the Spirit of God.
His preaching was a ‘demonstration’, not a ‘performance.’ The word translated ‘demonstration’ means “legal proof presented in court”.
The Holy Spirit used Paul’s preaching to change lives and that was all the proof Paul needed that his message was from God!
Let us this week, not depart from the message of the Cross, nor depend upon natural talents, but let us place our confidence fully in the power of the Holy Spirit in the message of the Cross of our Saviour and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Share the Gospel this week by simply sharing the message of the Cross of Calvary and God will do the rest!