
1 Corinthians 2:1-5 “And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”
Corinth was a city known for its prosperity and sexual immorality. It was home to a very diverse population steeped in the culture of the day. Philosophers such as Plato, Socrates and Aristotle influenced and persuaded much of their thinking. Paul whose sharp mind and an educated background could have laid out his own persuasive arguments for Christ didn’t bring Jesus in this way. Instead, he chose to not rely on his own skills and provide the simplicity of the Gospel, letting Holy Spirit do the powerful work of changing hearts. Why not use the God-given gift that he clearly demonstrates in his writing? “So that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.”
How often I want to come up with a new way of evangelizing to others that would captivate them, and how often I forget that I never have had nor will have the power to change hearts – only God. Today, we live in a world that is in desperate need of the simple Gospel of Jesus Christ. We don’t need a special gifting of speech or eloquence. We just need to come with a brave heart. We come willing to risk being seen as foolish. We come to just be the mouthpiece for the Holy Spirit to do His work in the hearts of men, women and children we encounter. And we get to trust Holy Spirit with the outcome.
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