March 15, 2009 Message

1 Corinthians 1:18-25; John 2:13-22
“God’s Fools”

“For the message about the cross is foolishness…” -1 Corinthians 1:18 In other words this stuff about the one who is going to save us going through all he did during Holy week and then ending up on a cross – dying for us – is silly; there’s no common sense in it at all; it’s ridiculous.

And yet “the message of the cross” that Paul is talking about is just that. It’s a message of a suffering servant, not a victorious leader throwing out the oppressors – of a victim of “all that is wrong” rather than a conqueror. The people expected someone like king David, someone like George Washington or Dwight Eisenhower. The cross was for fools.

Paul says it was neither the “sign” the Jews were looking for or a “smart thing” in the minds of the Greeks (Gentiles). The Jews were looking for someone carrying a gun and willing to use it. As the movie version of the rock opera Jesus Christ Super Star showed, they wanted someone to stand up to the Romans and restore the glory of Israel again.
In fact this “dumb cross” may even be a ”stumbling block” to them. It may very well have gotten in the way of either of them believing in the beginning that Jesus was the messiah. And it’s still a stumbling block to many today who look for rational answers to things. It just doesn’t make sense that he should die on a cross. It’s not a smart thing to do. How could that make any difference? What’s the point?

God’s wisdom and power is beyond us – it is so much wiser and stronger than we could ever comprehend or imagine. It requires us to ask ourselves some important questions – questions like: “Jesus Christ, who do I think you are?” And to think about the whys of it all when declaring in our search: “I don’t know why I love you.”

I think once again the message of the cross is Trust – or Faith – in God to fulfill God’s promise (resurrection or new life). It’s not up to us to come up with solutions that make the most sense or even answers that are winners. Jesus didn’t just tell us the answer to our questions or problems, he showed us the answer – complete trust in his Father, our Father, to fulfill God’s promise.

No longer would God be worshipped in the Temple (and all that entailed) but in a “new temple” – the body of Christ. That’s us here, wanting to be in relationship with God and with one another, loving God and one another. Being the church. Living the message.

United Methodist Bishop and author William Willimon has said, “One of the dangers of being in church as often as I am is that it all starts to make sense.” He went on to say, “It’s then I find myself believing all sorts of things in church that I wouldn’t let anyone put over on me in the real world.” His statement seems a little strange, until you think about what he’s saying. And he’s right on, isn’t he? He’s saying a lot of the things people in the church just “believe” wouldn’t stand a chance with people on the outside. He’s talking about the same sorts of things Paul refers to as “foolishness.”

There are definitely some things heard in church that may seem rather foolish to some – maybe even some of us on the “inside” - things like: “Blessed are the meek…” “Love your enemies.” “Go, sell all you have and give your money to the poor.” Be honest now, who’s going to sell everything they have and give the money to the poor? Try being meek tomorrow when you’re dealing with other people and see how far you get. It may be fine for church, but in the real world the meek are taken advantage of, right? And what about the peacemakers or the merciful?

Paul says, when you hear the gospel not with Sunday-morning ears but with Monday-morning ears, it can sound foolish indeed. Fifteenth century theologian Erasmus noted, “foolishness is the eternal human plight.” By the world’s standards of what works, and who is greatest, and what is practical, the Christian faith and what Christians believe can look foolish indeed. To those outside the church we might easily be “God’s fools.”

In this third week of Lent, as the church makes its way with its Lord to the cross, we pause long enough to think about it all – especially what the world at that time was expecting in a savior. Perhaps we’re expecting the same - a savior to take charge of things on our terms. Then the parade comes, and we find that we are standing in the wrong place to get a good view. And maybe we’re even looking in the wrong direction. The smart ones, the ones in the know, who have made sense of it all – they don’t get it either, just like the story goes. This is a messiah who does not make sense – unless you’re one of “God’s fools.”

Only a few see him. They are in the right place to see things in the proper perspective. Along with the poor, the maimed, the blind, the lame, the prisoners and the poor old crazed men like Paul, these “fools” see things as they really are. To them, the messiah isn’t about making sense, but rather about making a difference in their lives.

And yet, for the smart ones among us, we know better. We know that if we work hard, achieve, get advanced degrees or get ahead, adjust to the way things are, and act sensibly, we shall be in the know.

I guess it all depends on how we look at this cross thing – whether we’re fools or not.

Let us pray.