2 Corinthians 2
-devotion by Tom Siderius (MI)
Paul had the standing and education to be a powerful teacher and preacher as he traveled Asia Minor in the first century. It is so striking to see how Paul goes right to the most important part of our message to others. It is that proclamation that Jesus Christ was crucified, buried, dead for 3 days and was then raised again from the dead. There were over 500 witnesses that saw him in his resurrected body and could tell the story from firsthand knowledge. Paul proclaimed to them this truth knowing that if people do not believe and accept this truth, then all the other convincing arguments that can be made for Christianity are not going anywhere. Read 1 Corinthians 2 with us today and see how Paul approaches the people in Corinth.
1 Corinthians 2:1-5(NLT) When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. 2 For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. 4 And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. 5 I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.
Our witness to the proclamation of Christ that he is risen from the dead is the central theme of our faith. Read this story about the simple witness of a shoe salesman named Edward Kimble.
From: X Harvest (https://harvest.org/resources/devotion/the-impact-of-one/)
When it comes to contemporary heroes of the Christian faith, we are familiar with names like Billy Graham. But what about Edward Kimble or Mordecai Ham?
Edward Kimble was a shoe salesman who worked alongside a guy named Dwight. Edward shared the gospel with Dwight, and Dwight accepted Christ. It was 1858, and Dwight’s last name was Moody. We know him as D. L. Moody, who was one of the greatest evangelists in history.
Years later when Moody was preaching, a pastor named Frederick D. Meyer was deeply stirred, and as a result, he went into his own nationwide preaching ministry. On one occasion when Meyer was preaching, a college student named J. Wilbur Chapman heard him and accepted Christ. He went out and began to share the gospel, and he employed a young baseball player named Billy Sunday. Billy Sunday ended up being the greatest evangelist of his generation.
When Billy Sunday preached the gospel in Charlotte, North Carolina, it was such a great meeting that he was invited back. But when he couldn’t be there, Sunday recommended a preacher named Mordecai Ham. Ham went to Charlotte and preached, but not many people responded to his invitation to accept Christ. But on one of the last nights, a tall, lanky boy who worked on the local dairy farm walked forward. Everyone knew him as Billy Frank, and we know him today as Billy Graham.
So Edward Kimble reached D. L. Moody, who touched Frederick Meyer, who reached Wilbur Chapman, who helped Billy Sunday, who reached businessmen in Charlotte, who invited Mordecai Ham, who ultimately reached Billy Graham. And it all began with the simple witness of Edward Kimble.
Every one of us can make a difference for the kingdom of God. What is He calling you to do?
Billy Graham preached and evangelized to over 200 million people across the world during his life. We may not completely agree with the message he taught or the follow up that was lacking, but the power of God is evident in the chain of witness that faithful believers presented.
1 Corinthians 2:6-10(NLT) Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. 7 No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God—his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began. 8 But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. 9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say,
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
and no mind has imagined
what God has prepared
for those who love him.”
10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets
The mystery revealed to us is the hidden decision by God to open the whole world of both Jew and Gentile to become one church of the body of Christ. The hidden decision that God made was that the life of His Son would be able to become the payment for all the sin and sins of the world. Jesus was faithful to all that God asked him to do, and because of his faithfulness God is able to find him righteous and raise him from the dead. Death could not hold Christ and God gives him a new resurrected body and then gives him authority over all of creation. God does all this because He judged him righteous. Paul tells us that if the powers of this world had known God’s plan, they would not have crucified Christ. The powers of this world would have let him live as he was alone as the Son of God, but now there are millions of children of God all who are witnesses of the plan and story of God and Christ.
When we accept the sacrifice of Christ for us, we become new creations in the pattern of Christ. We get a new heart and the way to become a child of God. The gift of holy spirit that we have received in Christ gives us a mind that will see and understand the God-story, the gospel plan that God has made for us and all the creation.
1 Corinthians 2:12-13(NLT) And we have received God’s Spirit (not the world’s spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.
13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths.
The wisdom that we have is knowledge that can change our minds and hearts. It’s not the wisdom of philosophy and man’s knowledge, but spiritual words revealed to spiritual minds. It even is considered to be foolishness by the academia of this world. We hear with our minds those thoughts and understandings that come from God and are revealed to us in His Word. Every time I spend time with Him and His Word more of His truth becomes real to me. The knowledge of God is inexhaustible and infinite because He is infinite. Our minds can approach the understanding of His Word, but it is a lifetime journey of faith which continues to expand before us. This mystery of godliness is revealed to us today and it is the story that we must tell others. Paul does this with the Corinthians, and it is the pattern for us to follow in our own ministries.
Reflection Questions
What is the witness that changed your life to come to God?
What witness can you give today to others that will give them this new life also?
How can we keep our faith and walk of believing simple and pure in purpose?
Prayer
Our Father in heaven, we pray this day for understanding hearts and minds. Thank you for Your great love that gave us Christ. Help us to meditate on Your Word both day and night. Give us this day the boldness to speak Your Word to this fallen world, telling this story of grace and truth. God, we praise You for all Your works and love. Praying this day in the name of Your Son Jesus Christ.
Seek Grow Love 