God’s Power and Wisdom Sustains Us

Last summer, Marion and Marilyn Greaser and Christine and I, along with a group of over 70 other people, visited Corinth as a part of our two-week cruise on the Mediterranean to visit the sites of the apostle Paul’s missionary journeys. We had a delightful day in Corinth and came away with a greater appreciation for Paul’s time there.

Paul’s time in Corinth is recorded in Act 18. He arrived there after his much more famous visit to Athens. On his arrival, he met Aquila and Priscilla and stayed with them. Like Paul, they were tentmakers by trade, so they worked together. When Paul left Corinth, Aquila and Priscilla traveled with him.

Paul established a significant church in Corinth. One of those who believed in the Lord and no doubt became a leader in the Corinthian church was Crispus, the ruler of the Jewish synagogue. Many others also believed and were baptized during Paul’s eighteen months of preaching in Corinth.

Paul would later write at least four letters to the Corinthian church, two of which are included in the New Testament. During the next several weeks, I will preach through 1 Corinthians using the theme “God’s Power and Wisdom Sustains Us.”

The church at Corinth had a number of serious problems which Paul addresses in 1 Corinthians. Paul applies the power and wisdom of God to each one of the problems he discusses. The problems discussed in the book are not unlike problems that Christians still face today. We can learn from this letter how to apply God’s power and wisdom to issues that come up in our lives and in the church.

The problems Paul addresses in 1 Corinthians may not be present in every church and in the life of every believer in Christ. They are, however, problems that we see all around us. We can learn how to apply God’s power and wisdom to whatever problems we face.

Paul’s solution for sustaining our faith in the midst of the issues that are all around us is contained in how he opens and closes the letter:

• Paul begins by pointing us to the cross which looks to the world to be foolishness and weakness, but instead demonstrates God’s power and wisdom for living. This causes Paul to say, “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.”
• Paul closes by pointing us to the resurrection of Christ. If Christ has been raised from the dead, we too shall experience a resurrection. That is our great hope for everything that we face.