1 Corinthians 1:18
For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
Paul was absolutely sure that the cross of Jesus stood right at the heart of his life and ministry. Nothing was more important than the fact that God showed His perfect love for us by sending Jesus to die the most excruciatingly painful death for us. It was, if you like, the lens through which Paul saw everything. So Paul was determined to take every opportunity to speak about the cross.
But Paul was more than aware that the message of the cross sounded like nonsense to many people. The Greeks were looking for wisdom. They were very happy to listen to carefully reasoned arguments and to enter into learned debate. But the idea of a man dying at the hands of the Romans, showing that He was totally powerless and completely beaten by His enemies, didn’t sound at all wise. It sounded like foolishness. And to the Jews, Jesus’ own people, there was a fundamental problem. In Deuteronomy it was specifically stated that anyone who hung on a tree was cursed by God (Deuteronomy 21:23). The cross was, therefore, a total stumbling-block for Jews. It made belief almost impossible.
Paul was well aware of how foolish and problematic his message appeared. But he didn’t try to change it to make it sound acceptable to his hearers. He simply declared that if you want to know the power and wisdom of God there is only one place to look – to the cross of Jesus.
Question
What does the cross mean to you personally?
Prayer – Thank You Lord that when you went to the cross you showed us the full extent of Your love. Amen

Released on 10 Jul 2026