The Weakness and Foolishness of God
God's power and wisdom are revealed in unexpected ways, often through weakness and foolishness that baffle human understanding.
George Warnock preaches about the paradox of Christ crucified, which is a stumbling block to some and foolishness to others, but to believers, it is the power and wisdom of God. He emphasizes that in times of apostasy and hypocrisy in modern Christianity, God reveals His glory and wisdom in ways that may seem strange and foolish to the world. Despite efforts to set the stage for God's work, He bypasses human endeavors to showcase His power through those who align with His will, demonstrating His glory through weakness and foolishness in the eyes of the unbelieving world.
Text
"But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:23, 24).
So He is to them that believe. But to those who believe not, God seems to do some very foolish things, and to manifest a lot of weakness for One who is supposed to have made a whole Universe. However, it is in these very things that God is pleased to reveal His glory and His wisdom: to baffle the wisdom of the wise, and to bring to nought the counsels of men.
Therefore, in the midst of the apostasy of modern day Christianity, and the hypocrisy and artificiality of modern day religion, we who know somewhat of God's ways can rejoice in the fact that it is just like God, in times like these, to rend the heavens and come down in power and great glory... and yet in ways that will seem strange and foolish in the eyes of the world. We are confident that the darkness and the gloom about us will once again become the fitting background for the display of the gems of His glory. Some good Christian people are trying to set the stage for God to work, but God always has to bypass these efforts, for He has prepared the stage upon which He will reveal His sons who are moving in Harmony with His will.
For it is consistent with God's character and way, and with the Jealousy of His Glory, that the greater the work He will perform in the earth--the greater will be the measure of weakness and foolishness that He will cause an unbelieving world to behold.
Sermon Outline
- The Weakness and Foolishness of God
- The apostasy of modern day Christianity
- God's glory is revealed in unexpected ways
- The darkness and gloom of the world
- The display of God's glory in the earth
Key Quotes
“But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God” — George Warnock
“God always has to bypass these efforts, for He has prepared the stage upon which He will reveal His sons who are moving in Harmony with His will” — George Warnock
“The greater the work He will perform in the earth--the greater will be the measure of weakness and foolishness that He will cause an unbelieving world to behold” — George Warnock
Application Points
- We should not try to set the stage for God's work, but rather trust in His sovereign plan and timing.
- God's ways are not bound by human efforts or expectations, and He will often surprise us with His methods.
- We can rejoice in the fact that God's glory is revealed in unexpected ways, even in the midst of apostasy and hypocrisy.