Man is great. Has achieved great things. Technology; knowledge soaring almost out of control. Micro-world – complexities of the cell; Macro world – scale and range of space is indescribable. Yet with all man’s knowledge he is not one step closer to knowing God.

THE MESSAGE IS GOOD NEWS.

Eugene Petersen. The word; message; preaching. Good news. What I received I passed on to you. Preachers are messengers; postmen. Can’t tamper with the message. Must preach it as once delivered to the saints.

THE MESSAGE IS GOD’S WISDOM

Two wisdoms contrasted. God’s wisdom and man’s wisdom

The gospel doesn’t appeal to men. Not human wisdom; can’t boast.

What men think wise – God says is foolish.

What God says is wisdom – men call foolish.

Great difference between what something “is” and what it “seems to be”.

The true and apparent. Spiritual and natural.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Cross of Christ must be viewed from a spiritual standpoint.

Logos. Word; logic; reason.

Moria. Foolishness

Napoleon. “Some people will believe everything but the Bible”

THE MESSAGE IS GOD’S POWER

Rom 1:16. Not ashamed…power of God. God reveals himself in the gospel.

Foolishness to those who are perishing…

Power of God to those who are being saved…

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

• On what is the power of the gospel based? 1Cor 2: 1-5. Why do you think Paul stresses this point so much?

• Discuss the contrast Paul makes regarding the two kinds of wisdom in chapter 1 and 2.

• What bearing do you think this has on our emphasis in the church of whether the preacher is good or not

• How do you think this knowledge will affect our evangelism efforts?