Foolishness
When you hear the word foolish, what do you think of? Stupid? Ignorant? Lacking of knowledge? A foolish person is someone that is unwise or uses bad judgment. The biblical meaning of foolishness is absurdity or folly (according to the 1828 Webster’s Dictionary). The Bible actually talks about preaching of Christ Jesus and Him crucified as appearing like foolishness to the world. So I ask you tonight, does our lifting up the Lord Jesus out here on the streets sound like foolishness to you?
Yes, you say, the preaching of the Gospel sounds like foolishness to you? If so, then the Bible says you are perishing. What does perishing mean? It means you are lost, that you are spiritually dead in your trespasses and sins. To be perfectly blunt, it means that you are headed for Hell. People don’t like to hear this. It sounds harsh, but it is real. Jesus said that unless you repent, you will all likewise perish (Luke 13:3). Ironically, people in modern day America would accuse Jesus of being too harsh, even though He is the Prince of Peace.
Foolishness To Those Who Are Perishing
The Apostle Paul says in 1 Corinthians 1:17-31: For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, 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. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.
And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That, according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.
Open-Air Preaching Looks Foolish
We share the Gospel tonight here in downtown Springfield, MO. Not with wisdom of words, but just the plain truth of the Bible and that plain truth is the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who perishing. Our preaching on the streets seems foolish to those who are lost. To those who do not truly know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. We preach Christ Jesus crucified, which sounds like foolishness to unbelievers.
Oh, but to those of us who are saved, the precious Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. We don’t care if what we are doing or saying looks or sounds foolish to the world. We don’t care if people laugh and make fun of us. Yes in the verses I read earlier, God uses the foolish to confound the wise. HE has chosen the weak to confound the mighty. Call us foolish and weak and we say thank you for acknowledging that God is using us for His kingdom work.
Make no mistake, the Gospel going forth tonight is doing God’s work. The Gospel is a savor of life unto life for those being saved and it is a savor of death to those who are spiritually lost and dying in their sins. Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.
Savor Of Life Unto Life Or Savor Of Death Unto Death
For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14-17).
Oh folks, God’s truth is a savor of life unto life for those of us who are saved. But the Gospel is a savor of death unto death for those who are lost. Please don’t miss this. Either God is pricking your conscience over your sins and you realize that you are a sinner and God is Holy or your conscience is being seared over even more. If God is convicting you over your sins, do not harden your heart.
We’ve all sinned against God and fallen short of his glory (Romans 3:23). None of us are righteous. We have all lied, lusted, coveted, stolen something (even if it didn’t have much value or something small like a pen or pencil or paperclip). None of us have honored our mom’s and dad’s all time. None of us have loved God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. No, we are sinful creatures. That includes all of us.
What’s The Big Deal
You may say, what’s the big deal since we are all in the same boat. The problem is God is not sinful. God is perfect. He is Holy, righteous and just. Because God is good, He must and does punish unrepentant sinners. People wrongly assume that because God is good, He will just overlook our sins. But it’s exactly because of the reason that He is good, that He doesn’t overlook our sins. A good judge doesn’t let guilty criminals go free.
If a judge did let guilty criminals go free, he may feel good about himself thinking that he did a good gesture, but in reality, he would be a bad judge. If he let a rapist go free to show that the judge was good and the rapist went out and raped again, obviously the judge would not be a good judge. In fact, he’d be just the opposite. A judge that let a rapist go free would obviously be a bad, unjust and evil judge.
God is not unjust, evil or bad. No, He is good and there is no other god beside Him. Again, we’ve all sinned against God. All of us have rebelled against God and deserve His just punishment which is eternity in Hell. By our thoughts, words and actions, every single one of deserves God’s righteous anger over our sins. We really do deserve to suffer the torments of Hell forever.
God Demonstrated His Love
But God. But God commendeth (demonstrated) his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life (Romans 5:8-10).
Salvation is found in Christ Jesus alone. We have all rebelled against God. Jesus didn’t. The Lord walked this earth 2,000 years ago and He lived a perfect, sinless life. Unlike you and me, Jesus never sinned. Not one time. Jesus never lied, lusted or stole anything. He always did the will of God the Father. Yet, He willingly gave up His life to save those who repent and trust Him. Christ Jesus came to save His people from their sins. Jesus came to seek and save the lost.
Jesus Suffered, Bled And Died
The Lord was bruised for our iniquities. By His stripes we are healed. In other words, Jesus took the punishment that guilty sinners deserve. Jesus was beaten beyond recognition and He also bore God’s wrath, God’s anger over sinful men and women. (Again, for those who repent and trust Jesus). The Lord gave His life as a ransom for many. He willingly laid His life down. No one took it from Him.
Jesus suffered, bled and died on the cruel cross to save His people. The Lord was buried and rose again the third day. Salvation is for all who repent of their sins and surrender their life to Jesus. He is the only Savior. There is no other. Jesus described Himself as the way, truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Jesus. There are a million roads to Hell but only one way to Heaven and that is through Jesus Christ alone.
Oh, tonight, the glorious Gospel may sound foolish to you. But if God is convicting you over your sins and revealing His Holiness to you, do not reject such a great salvation. Do not harden your heart. Recognize that you are a sinner. Cry out for God to forgive you for your sins. Repent of your sins and put your faith in Jesus. Trust in the Lord just like you’d trust in a parachute before jumping out of an airplane. Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Repent and believe the Gospel.
Call Upon The Name Of The Lord
But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Romans 10:8-13).
The glorious Gospel sounds like foolishness to those who are perishing but it is the power of God to those of us who are believers. Again, if God is convicting you over your sins, let these words be a savor of life unto life. Do not reject the only way of salvation. Do not die in your sins and go to Hell.
Be saved. Be saved today. Repent and surrender your life to Christ Jesus. Call upon the name of the Lord and be saved. Receive everlasting life. We want to see you in Heaven. We are all headed to Heaven or Hell. It’s one place or the other. Those of us who are saved, are looking forward to worshiping Jesus forever and ever. Oh, repent and believe in the Lord and receive eternal life. Then join us in being “foolish” and proclaim the Good News (the Gospel) to others.
(This message was proclaimed in downtown Springfield, MO on November 13, 2020)