The Lord's Day Bible Message Outlines
May 9, 2010
Pastor Dana Johnson
"...it pleased God
through the foolishness of the message preached to save
those who believe."
-1 Corinthians
1:21
For since, in the wisdom of God,
the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God
through the foolishness of the message preached to save
those who believe.
1. In the big picture,
we see the sovereign God doing as He pleases in the
fulfillment of a grand and glorious plan devised by divine
wisdom.
a. The
gentiles turned quickly from an early knowledge of God to
trust in their own human wisdom resulting in spiritual
ignorance. For centuries God gave them no window of
mercy.
Romans
1:18-25 - For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who
suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19because what may be known of God is manifest
in them, for God has shown it to them. 20For
since the creation of the world His invisible attributes
are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are
made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they
are without excuse, 21because, although they
knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were
thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their
foolish hearts were darkened. 22Professing to
be wise, they became fools, 23and changed the
glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like
corruptible man; and birds and four-footed animals and
creeping things. 24Therefore God also gave
them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to
dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25who
exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and
served the creature rather than the Creator, who is
blessed forever. Amen.
Acts 17:30 - "Truly, these times of ignorance God
overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to
repent."
b. However, God did
grant His mercy to one nation-- Israel. Yet, eventually,
insisting on their own human wisdom, they turned from God
resulting in a national condition of spiritual
ignorance.
1
Corinthians 1:19-19 - ( For the message of the cross is
foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are
being saved it is the power of God. 19For it
is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And
bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."
Isaiah 29:9-10, 13-14 - Pause and wonder! Blind
yourselves and be blind! They are drunk, but not with
wine; They stagger, but not with intoxicating drink.
10For the LORD has poured out on you the
spirit of deep sleep, and has closed your eyes, namely,
the prophets; and He has covered your heads, namely, the
seers. 13Therefore the LORD said: "Inasmuch as
these people draw near with their mouths and honor Me
with their lips, but have removed their hearts far from
Me, and their fear toward Me is taught by the commandment
of men, 14therefore, behold, I will again do a
marvelous work among this people, a marvelous work and a
wonder; for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,
and the understanding of their prudent men shall be
hidden."
c. Now, in the end
of the ages, God is calling, out of their spiritual
ignorance, individual Jews and Gentiles to experience His
mercy.
Romans
11:29-39-36 - Concerning the gospel they are enemies for
your sake, but concerning the election they are beloved
for the sake of the fathers. 29For the gifts
and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30For
as you were once disobedient to God, yet have now
obtained mercy through their disobedience,
31even so these also have now been
disobedient, that through the mercy shown you they also
may obtain mercy. 32For God has committed them
all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.
33Oh, the depth of the riches both of the
wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His
judgments and His ways past finding out!
(34"For who has known the mind of the LORD? Or
who has become His counselor?" 35"Or who has
first given to Him And it shall be repaid to him?"
36For of Him and through Him and to Him are
all things, to whom be glory forever.
Amen.
2. With the world in
this hopelessly darkened and ignorant condition, how is
anyone going to be saved? Answer: In His sovereignty, God is
pleased to save people by the proclamation of a message (of
Christ crucified) which to the world is complete
foolishness.
Romans
1:18, 22 - For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who
suppress the truth in unrighteousness.
22Professing to be wise, they became
fools.
a. To the
Jews, who seek a sign, Christ is a weak and sorry excuse
for a Messiah.
b. To the Gentiles,
who seek education, science and intellectualism, the
Gospel seems primitive.
3. If the world is in
such a hopelessly lost condition; and, if God knows the
message of Christ seems foolish to them, how can He expect
anyone to believe? Who will be saved? Who will believe:
Answer: Those who are called by God.
1
Corinthians 1:2, 9, 24, 26-29 - To the church of God which
is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus,
called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the
name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours.
9God is faithful, by whom you were called into
the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
24but to those who are called, both Jews and
Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
26For you see your calling, brethren, that not
many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many
noble, are called. 27But God has chosen the
foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and
God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame
the things which are mighty; 28and the base
things of the world and the things which are despised God
has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to
nothing the things that are.
a.
The inward,
specific call is not to be confused with the outward,
general proclamation.
1
Corinthians 1:23-24 - But we preach Christ crucified, to
the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,
24but to those who are called, both Jews and
Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of
God.
b. The call enables
the lost to understand who Christ really is.
1
Corinthians 1:24 - But to those who are called, both Jews
and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of
God.
c. The call is
based on God's own purposes to confound the wise of the
world and to glorify Himself.
1
Corinthians 27-30 - But God has chosen the foolish
things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has
chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the
things which are mighty; 28and the base things
of the world and the things which are despised God has
chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing
the things that are, 29that no flesh should
glory in His presence. 30But of Him you are in
Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God; and
righteousness and sanctification and
redemption.
(All
Scripture quoted is from the New King James
Version)
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