The Foolishness & Weakness - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

The

Foolishness & Weakness of God1 Cor 1( 25) because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (Saint Paul)Slide2

Definition of God’s

foolishness 1Cor. 1(21-24)  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 (The Cross) preached to save those who believe. 22

 For indeed

Jews ask for signs and

Greeks

*

search for wisdom;

23

 but

we preach Christ crucified

, to

Jews a stumbling block

and

to Gentiles foolishness,

24

 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks,

Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God

.

*

The Western Church is more Greek minded.Slide3

1 Cor 1 (

26-29)  For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, (sarx) not many mighty, not many noble; 27 but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, 28 and 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,

29 so that no man (sarx) may boast before God. ****The Jewish people wanted signs *****the Greeks wanted wisdom. Not our abilities or knowledge but His. The power of His Grace in the New Covenant.

God uses the Foolishness of the Weak,

the Base, and the Despised

to Change the world!Slide4

Jesus our Example

Philippians 2:5-8 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death

, even death

on

a cross

. Hebrews 2:18 For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted. Hebrews 4:15 For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as

we are, yet

without sin

.

Test Question?

What is the spirit of the Anti –Christ? Slide5

"Be

imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ".Saint Paul-- 1Cor 11(1)2 Cor 12 (7-10) Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! 8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. 9 And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 10 Therefore I

am well content with weaknesses,

with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake;

for when I am weak, then I am strong. "I am a little pencil in the hand of a writing God Who is sending a love letter to the world." Mother TeresaSlide6

Weakness positions us for the will and purposes of God.

Romans 8(26-28)  In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groaning’s too deep for words;

27

 and He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because

He intercedes for the saints according to

the will of God.28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purposeSlide7

The message of

God's foolishness releases the power of the God. 1Cor 2(1-5) And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. 3 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling,

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 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom

,

but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.Slide8

The Wisdom of God's foolishness is Not

What You know; it's about Who You Know.I John 7(14-16)  But when it was now the midst of the feast Jesus went up into the temple, and began to teach. 15 The Jews then were astonished, saying, “How has this man become learned, having never been educated?” 16 So Jesus answered them and said, “My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me. Acts 4(13) Now as they observed the confidence of Peter and John and understood that they were uneducated and untrained men, they were amazed, and

began

to recognize them as

having been with

Jesus. 1John 2(27) As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.Slide9

Be Wise and lean not on your own understanding.

The natural wisdom of men is what resists the plan of God. The natural man is convinced that through his own effort he is strong enough and wise enough to evaluate the consequences of his fallen nature and through his own understanding and strength restore his brokenness. The foolishness of God was to enter man's depravity and become one of us, taking upon Himself the weakness of humanity. He Allowed wicked men to nail Him to a cross and He Himself absorbed all the consequences of the fall, defeated satan and sin's power through manifesting the true nature of His Spirit, Love. Through this redemption He restores us to our sonship with Him. He continues to rescue us from ourselves by embedding Himself within our own spirit. As we allow Him to live His life through the weakness of our own humanity we allow the power of Heaven to impact our lives thus bringing His plan to earth. His Wisdom demonstrates Heaven's power through weakness as demonstrated through His the only begotten Son, Jesus, Son of man, Son of God. Whosoever believes in the foolish and weakness of God shall not perish but have everlasting life. Amen