Good evening, everyone. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Heavenly Father, thank you for your Word. Thank you for motivating us to come out to attend church for the purpose of hearing your Word. So, Father, please give us the concentration required to get the maximum benefit from it. May it wash over us. May it be that join the light of our heart. We've been called by your name. We thank you for that. We ask all these things in Jesus' name, amen. Okay, so let's turn to the word of God. In some cases, let's turn back to the word of God. Because all of us, to some degree, being prone to stray in our thoughts, which become actions, So let us as always, as often as needed, be turning back before the confusion and the frustration sets in, before distraction becomes a disturbance and our disinterest becomes indifference. And as we enter into the season of distractions, let's keep our eyes fixed on him. As Jonah says in 2.8, that those who regard vain idols forsake their faithfulness. Vain idols lack the power to gratify desire, and those that have regard for them, they forsake their chesed, their loving-kindness, they forfeit their grace. instead of going to find it and gathering it. So, therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in our time of need. To receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need, we find grace The grace, when we approach, when we turn, when we turn to the throne of grace, that's where we'll find it. Just as Jeremiah found it, Jeremiah found his word and ate it. He says, your words were found and I ate them and your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart if I've been called by your name, oh Lord. God of hosts." That's Jeremiah 15, 16. So with that being the case for each one of us, we really shouldn't expect to have any joy or delight or anything resembling well-being apart from the Word. So as instructed in Isaiah 55, 6, and 7, we should seek the Lord while he may be found, and call upon him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts, and let him return to the Lord. And he will have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. So let him return to the Lord. Turn back to the Lord. Epistrepho, the word used by Jesus to Peter in Luke 22-32, Jesus saying to Peter, starting in verse 31 of Luke 22, he says, But I've prayed for you that your faith may not fail in you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers. So when once you have epistrepho, when once you've turned back, strengthen your brothers. Paul commends the church in Thessalonica about how they epistrephoed, how they turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God. And what kind of service And by what kind of service is the living and true God served? With our priestly service. As in Romans 12, one and two, Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. By the mercies of God. We habitually present ourselves as a living and holy sacrifice for the process of metamorpho. By presenting ourselves to the word, by finding it and eating it, and in so doing renovating and renewing our minds, our thoughts, Forsaking the wicked way and our own unrighteous thoughts, we present ourselves to him and his word cleanses our thoughts. And the result being a mind and a conscience that's shaped by the Word of God instead of by our own thoughts. And we become more aware of this because of this habit. And it's because of this habit we have our senses trained. We have our organs of perception, our minds trained to discern good and evil. properly judge what has value and what's worthless. So now that we have a mind shaped by the Word of God, when we sin our conscience can become defiled by guilt and shame. But we only need to confess our sins, only acknowledge our sins. 1st John 1.9, Jeremiah 3.13, for restoration. Confessing our sin is not only okay, but it's a requirement. It's good luck trying to get anywhere with unconfessed sin. We need to be unburdened of the heavy baggage of guilt and shame before it shames us away, keeps us at a distance. Again, before that confusion and the frustration set in, the disorder, distraction, disturbance, disinterest, indifference, and even disillusionment. David says in Psalm 32, 3, when I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night, your hand was heavy upon me. My vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer. Selah, I acknowledge my sin to you and my iniquity I didn't hide. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the Lord. And you forgave the guilt of my sin, sent it away. And remember, if you're one to look around, just remember, if you, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? You know, He knows He didn't send His Son needlessly. He knew we were in need of a Savior. We're all in this together, so don't be as those in 1 John 1, 8, and 10. who deceive themselves and make a futile attempt to make God a liar by saying we've not sinned, but we claim verse nine found in between the two. If we confess our sins, he's faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. So if we would only say the same thing about our sins, if we would only confess them, acknowledge the off-the-marketness and the sinfulness of our sins. So here, before forsaking comes confessing, but before confessing comes the discovery. That's why we so desperately need the Word of God to point these things out to us, to train us in righteousness. Psalm 36 starts out by saying, Transgression speaks to the ungodly within his heart. There's no fear of God before his eyes. For it flatters him in his own eyes concerning the discovery of his iniquity and the hatred of it. So contrast the way of the ungodly, those apart from God, with the godly, those engaged in right worship and devoted to His grace. Our presentation of ourselves is part discovery as well, but for the purpose of confessing also, forsaking and forgetting. You see the contrast here, Psalm 139, 23 and 24, Psalmist says, search me, O God, and know my heart. Try me and know my anxious thoughts, and see if there be any hurtful way in me. Lead me in the everlasting way. So the Word of God truly is profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training, and righteousness, 2 Timothy 3.16. So that we might, so that we would confess our sins, and he's faithful and righteous. He's faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. He sends it away. He forgives the guilt of our sin, just as David said in Psalm 32. The heavy baggage that weighs us down, the guilt, the shame, the confusion, the frustration, the disorder, distraction, disturbance, disinterest, indifference, disillusionment, and disappointment, and the unbelief. Because as we confess our sins, we confess our faith in the finished work. the cross of Christ, and it is to this that we need always to be turning back to. Turning back to the mindset of the new man who's addicted to the truth, the new man with his new clothes, the attitude, the mindset that we know that we are who I am says we are, the attitude that comes by having our feet planted at the cross, and the reality of it all. And by humility and faith, always siding with the Word. James 4, 7. Because we can't live out this supernatural life by natural means, not by trying, but trusting. Only by the resurrection power, we could only be aware of it by the Word declaring it so, and we mix faith with it. We mix faith with the Word of the Cross, which is the power. of God. So before we get to our passage, first let's turn quickly to Romans 3, so we can look at some verses here and rejoice and stand firm in the validity of the verdict and the legitimacy of our justification, the formality of the finished work. starting from verse 21 here in Romans 3. But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. But now, apart from the law, apart from the requirement to perfectly keep the law, in order to have right standing with God. Apart from that, the righteousness of God stands declared, manifested, apparent and clear. As it says in Titus 2, 11, for the saving grace of God has appeared to all men. His love for mankind in Titus 3, 4, son of his love, Colossians 1, his only begotten son, Jesus Christ. This righteousness is in and from who is being witnessed by, attested to, his validity vouched for, well reported on by the law and the prophets, aka the entirety of the Old Testament. 22, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all those who believe, for there is no distinction. His very own righteousness is imputed to all those believing in him. Jesus Christ, through faith, apart from the law, available to all, for there is no difference, there is no distinction, we're all equal candidates for, and by faith, equal recipients of God's righteousness. Who is Jesus Christ? There is no difference because there's no other way. He is the only way, John 14, 6. And no one comes to the Father but through Him. and therefore no man is able to boast before God. 23, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Just as we saw in 1 John, if we would be so foolish as to say that we're without sin, we're deceiving ourselves. For we all have that same deficiency and all fall infinitely, infinitely short of the glory of God. So being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption, which is in Christ Jesus, he justifying the many as a gift by his grace through the redemption's ransom price, which is in Christ Jesus, whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in his blood through faith. This was to demonstrate his righteousness, because in the forbearance of God he passed over the sins previously committed. for the demonstration, I say, of his righteousness at the present time, so that he would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. So this is whom God placed before, he exhibited, he displayed publicly a mercy seat. Through the faith, his faithfulness, found in and by his blood, his sacrifice, for unto the indication, the proof of the righteousness of him, because of the remission of the already committed sins, and the forbearance of God towards that proof of the righteousness of him, even showing forth in the present age, proving to be just and the justifier, of the one believing in Jesus. The righteousness provided by him imputed judiciously, justly, and legally. As it says in John 1 12, but as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in his name. He made him who knew no sin, 2 Corinthians 5 21, sin on our behalf so that we might become the righteousness of God in him. So then 327, where then is boasting? It's excluded. By what kind of law? Of works? No, but by a law of faith. So there's no self-righteousness, no religion, no works, because by the works of the law, no flesh will be justified in his sight, says so in Romans 320. So there's no boasting, but only through a law of faith, humbling oneself to look at the Word of God and mix faith with it. Psalm 25 14 says, The secret of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He will make them know His covenant, His covenant of faith. For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law. For we reasonably reckon, we take inventory of these things and we come to this conclusion, that a man is to be justified by faith. apart from any works of any law. But to the one who does not work, Romans 4 or 5, but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness. God has so worked it this way. He says in Isaiah 28, 16, therefore thus says the Lord God, behold, I'm laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, a costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed, and he who believes will not be disturbed. He who believes will not be disturbed or agitated, et cetera. He who believes is he who rests in the finished work of Christ. the tested stone of Zion, the costly cornerstone for the foundation firmly placed, the one and only foundation of 1 Corinthians 3.11. And in this same way, we reasonably reckon, we take inventory, and we come to conclusions as well. But we're not going to become resolute in these things on our own, but only by the Word. So we need to get to church and get the Word, because we're not going to find these things out there in the world. In fact, the world deems these things as foolishness. So now we can turn to 1 Corinthians 1. We'll start in verse 18. where it says, For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For you see, the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are indeed perishing, those being brought to ruin, to nothingness, those being brought to a total loss of anything good, anything resembling liberty, deliverance, prosperity, safety, or salvation. but only quite the opposite. And unfortunately for these, this does not include annihilation, but this speaks of an ever-present perpetual state. As those that consider the Word of the Cross to be foolishness, silliness, absurdity, they think that it's at odds with reason, that it's illogical, intellectually weak, and irrational. They say and act as though the word is at odds with reason. Having no faith, therefore they're unable to advance. They completely disregard the word of the cross, and along with it, that work that was performed and accomplished on it. Psalm 22 31. But to us who are being saved, those of us being brought to liberty, deliverance, prosperity, safety, and salvation, it is the power of God. This is what we just saw in Romans 3, God's ultimate judicial authority, the power of God, the dunamis, the dynamite power of God. See, the scoffers, the proud, the unbelieving, they, just as in Matthew 22, 29, are mistaken, not understanding the scriptures nor the power of God. They can't get their heads wrapped around it because it's with the heart that a person believes. resulting in righteousness, not scientific speculation or worldly wisdom or intellect. They fail the course because they ignore the most basic instruction that the entire program of God is only furthered by faith. 1 Timothy 1.4. And faith comes from hearing. Romans 10.17. Paul says in Romans 1 16, of course, I'm not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes. To the Jew first and also to the Greek, for in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, but the righteous man shall live by faith. So in the gospel, the good news, the saving message, the righteousness of God is revealed, it's uncovered, it's made clear. clearly disclosed that it's from faith to faith, so what shall we add to it? Nothing. Saving faith unto staying faith, the power of God able to do so at justification into sanctification. For it is written, verse 19, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and the cleverness of the clever I will set aside. For it stands written in Isaiah 29, 14 that he will destroy Yes, put it out of the way entirely. The wisdom of the wise and the intellect of the intellectuals. The intelligence of the intelligent, he will set it aside, he'll neutralize it, he'll frustrate it, bring it to naught. Strip it of any power and make ineffectual. Yes, put both out of the way. the way to him. Because their ways are not his ways, and they will not arrive at him. For he is the way, the truth, and the life, and no one comes to the Father but through him." John 14, 6. So, where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? So where is the supposed wise man? Where is the scribe, the writer, the secretary, the town clerk? Where is the disputant? The disputer, the debater, the sophist that loves the quarrel and debate and say, yeah, but, and what about this? And what about that? Sowing only speculation and perversion. And all it does is spread a covering of weeds that crowd in on the good crop, corrupting and captious, fallacious. Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? Has not God made insipid, tasteless, and dull, lacking of spirit and life? Has he not made the wisdom of the world, which is highly esteemed among men, totally lacking of the power to gratify desire? Because only in the Lord can one be truly satisfied. James 1 17 says, every good thing given is Every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. This here being the response to any thought that there is profit and or satisfaction in sin. He says, don't be deceived to think so. It says, 1 John 2.16, for all that's in the world, the evil that lies in this world, that is, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the most pride of life, is not from the Father, but it's from the world. The world's passing away, and also it's lost. But the one who does the will of God lives forever. Anything else is fleeting and subject to change, but we cling to His unchangeableness, because in Him there is no variation or shifting shadow. He has loved us with an everlasting, steadfast love. We've been drawn with loving-kindness. Jeremiah 31. So 21 of 1 Corinthians, For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe, foreseeing that in the wisdom of God that the world did not come to know God through its wisdom. Just as Israel, now they went after a law of righteousness, never arrived at that law of righteousness. Why? Because they didn't pursue it by faith, but attempted to do it by works. That's something, I guess, that makes better sense to a man than faith. You see, they stumbled over the stumbling stone, Romans 9, 31 and 32, as we'll see here later on in our passage. But first, to finish up 21, make note that God thought well of it. He was well pleased through the foolishness of the message to save those who are believing. Again, singling out a special group of people. 1 Timothy 4.10b says, He is the living God who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers. He indeed being the only designated Savior of mankind for there is no other name under heaven that's been given among men by which we must be saved. Acts 4 12. So those believing in his name he saves all the way. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom. Again seeing that the Jewish ask for signs and miracles and Greeks seek wisdom. But Jesus tells them plainly in Matthew 12 38 But they aren't interested in his type of teaching. There's nothing that they can boast about in regards to their flesh in it. So they disregard him and his teaching. It even goes far to plot to take him out of the way. As he says to them in Matthew 12, 38, Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, Teacher, we want to see a sign from you. But he answered and said to them, An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign. And it's evident from our passage here, their response of this was to keep seeking signs. Then we have the Greeks who are lovers of wisdom and always looking for something new. It's like in Acts 17, 21. Now all the Athenians and the strangers visiting there used to spend their time in nothing other than telling or hearing something new. Paul's there and he's walking among them he sees the altar to the unknown God and he tells them that therefore what you worship in ignorance this I proclaim to you the God who made the world and all the things in it since he is Lord of heaven and earth does not dwell in temples made with hands nor is he served by human hands as though he needed anything since he himself gives to all people life and breath and all things He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us. For in Him we live and move and exist, even as some of your own poets have said, we also are His children. Being then the children of God, we ought not to think that the divine nature is like gold or silver or stone, which is an image formed by the art in the thought of man. Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because he's fixed a day in which he will judge the world and righteousness through a man whom he's appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising him from the dead. There he is, he gives them the word of the cross. So, when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some began to sneer, but others said, we shall hear you again concerning this. So here, some began to sneer, others said, tell me more. And that's a good response, not to disregard the word of the cross as foolish and weak, and thereby continue the endless search for worldly wisdom, whatever new things come along, but can never truly satisfy. But we preach Christ crucified, the Jews' stumbling block and the Gentiles' foolishness. He says, but we preach and proclaim Christ crucified in the perfect tense, the finished work, the word of the cross, the power of God. To the Jewish, it is indeed scandal. broiled in scandal, even since the day of his resurrection all the way up to this very day, when the chief priests and the elders consulted together. Matthew 28, 12 through 15. You become a stumbling block indeed. They stumble on the stumbling block of the cross, being so offensive to the natural man, so offensive to religion and work, so offensive to the self-reliant, the self-righteous is the word of the cross. And to the Gentiles, the heathen nations of the world, its system and its wisdom are always learning but never arrive at the truth. and that in him are all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." They never come to that realization because they disregard the Word. They miss the fact in all this God talk that he is the only begotten and the only knowable God, John 1.18. But to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God, and the wisdom of God. But those who are called, the appointed, the invited, those also who accept the invitation, both Jewish and Greek, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. You see, it's either faith or it's foolishness. And the chosen are those who choose faith. This phrase again, the power of God, those believing in the power of God, Romans 4 24 is those who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, was delivered over because of our transgressions and was raised because of our justification. So we believe in him, we believe in that power that raised him from the dead. And he, having done so, has discharged us from our sin obligation. And this is the proof and the confidence we have. And Galatians 328, there's neither Jew nor Greek, there's neither slave nor free man, there's neither male nor female, but we're all one in Christ Jesus. So it's the same result for all that call upon him in faith. There's no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord is Lord of all, abounding in riches for all who call on him. So 25, because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. The foolishness of God is infinitely wiser than men, and the weakness of God is infinitely stronger than men, and with infinitely further-reaching ramifications, for sure. It says in 2 Corinthians 13, 4 that, indeed, he was crucified because of weakness, yet he lives because of the power of God. For we also are weak in him, yet we will live with him because of the power of God directed toward you. So we're to consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble. We should look at and behold and consider our calling. Brothers and sisters, as Paul addresses, carefully considering our calling, the wonder of it all and his indescribable gift, that results in gratitude, which promotes faith and combats against apathy. We look at it here and take notice that there's not many who the world would consider wise according to the flesh. That is, but by the grace of God we are what we are, and again we mix faith with what I am says we are. Continuing to consider, we see that there's not many powerful, whether in strength or stature, but we're well content with weakness because his power is perfected in weakness. His grace is sufficient. There's not many noble, not many born of rank, not many blue bloods. Those from the upper class or the affluent, So you may proclaim the excellencies of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 27 goes on to say, but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise. God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong. See, this was God's choice. It's the way he worked it. The God has chosen out and selected the fools of the world in order that he could shame down the wise of the world. And those weak of the world, those men of little or no account, God has chosen. Never has there been a scene as seemingly weak as the cross of Christ. Nothing is seemingly foolish than the preaching of it. But God has chose it this way in order that he might shame down the seemingly strong, powerful, and valiant. He worked it this way to shame down the supposedly superior things, to put them to blush and confound them, and perhaps even bring them to repentance. As it says in Matthew 27, 54, consider the centurion and those with him at the cross. It says, now the centurion and those who were with him, keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, they became very frightened and said, truly this was the Son of God. So 1 Corinthians 128, the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen the things that are not so that he may nullify the things that are. So the base things, the ignoble of the world as opposed to those born noble. those born in the worldly riches and royal families, those men of rank, and speaking of them as a side note in Psalm 62.9b, it says men of rank are a lie. So the base, the ignoble, those without kin, those from unknown descent, the unprestigious, men of no reputation, despised and disrespected, but all this all quite fitting, that He chose those He chose, since our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, God of the universe, made Himself of no reputation. Philippians 2.7 God has chosen the catargeto, the things that are, to nullify them, to make them of no use. God chose to make useless but the best of men deemed to be highly esteemed. And reliance on such things is actually detestable on his sight. Luke 16, 15, but they scoff at that just as they scoff at the message of the cross. But he chose to be by grace and through faith, not work, so that no one could boast. 1 Corinthians 1 29, so that no man may boast before God, so that every and all flesh could not be able to boast. Impossible for them to boast before. We saw in Romans 3, boasting is excluded. But he made it so, he made it so that all flesh would be excluded from boasting, knowing their frame and the rigid and unforgiving law, he knew we had an incurable wound caused by sin. He knew the entire world needed a savior, so he sent his perfect son to be the substitute for us. or we don't we don't frustrate the grace of God in that regard now for us just as Paul states in Galatians 6 14 may never be that I would boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ through which the world has been crucified to me and I to the world but only because, but by His doing, you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Because only out from Him are we in Christ Jesus, and we simply believe that. Yes, out from Him we are in Christ, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness, and also sanctification and redemption. He is the great I Am, and in Him is everything we could ever need Him to be. Isaiah 12 too, and He is both the wisdom and the power of God in 1 Corinthians 1.24. Christ Himself is our righteousness in 2 Corinthians 5.21 and Romans 3.22. And by Him we're sanctified in Hebrews 10.10. And in Him is abundant redemption. Psalm 130 verse 7. Ephesians 1 7 says in him we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of our trespasses according to the riches of his grace So again it being by grace and through faith there is no room for boasting so that Just that is written. Let him who boasts boast and the Lord Of course, this comes from Jeremiah 9, 23 and 24, thus says the Lord, So again, it may never be that we would boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, and although it be foolishness to those that are perishing, to us it is indeed the power of God. So let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank you for your word. Thank you for your way. Thank you for Jesus Christ, the way, the truth, and the life, and making a way for us to you. Thank you for all these things, and bless the offering.