"And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God." - 1 Cor 2:4-5
After preaching at Mars Hill, in Athens with little fruit, Paul goes and preaches in Corinth and there is great fruit. In Athens there was only a handful that seemed to respond to the message. And we never hear about the church of Athens or "The First Christian Church of Mars Hill" etc. But Paul was able to plant a church in Corinth, because in Corinth Paul resorted to preaching Christ and Him crucified alone. Whether there was less fruit in Athens because Paul attempted to relate with the elite Greeks by quoting some of their own philosophers and not really mentioning Christ and Him crucified, we do know that in Corinth Paul refused to rely on the wisdom of men, and relied in the person and work of Christ instead. Paul tells us that his preaching was not with persuasive words that rely on human wisdom but it was a demonstration of the Spirit and of power.
Today many preachers and Christians who share their faith tend to water down the message with worldly wisdom or clever formulas "that are sure to win the lost person". A lot of this is done because Christians feel inadequate and are afraid to offend the lost with the gospel. Others think the cross is too basic and simple for this generation that they feel they must add to it or dress it with modernity and relevance. But they fail to understand that preaching is a demonstration of the Spirit not a presentation of the man. A presentation involves the abilities of the man to manipulate the response, but a demonstration has to do with the man getting out of the way and letting the Spirit do the working. After all it is the gospel alone that has power, (Rom 1:16) and the Spirit who convicts hearts and draws people to Himself.
For example when Paul and Silas were singing and praising God in jail, there came a great earthquake that rattled the place and opened the prison doors. The jailer then became suicidal and wanted to kill himself, because he thought that for sure all the prisoners had escaped, but Paul tells him they are all there. The jailer's heart then became receptive to the gospel. You see the powerful earthquake was a demonstration of God's power. And it wasn't meant to open the prisoner's cells and let them free. It wasn't meant for the jail it was meant for the jailer. It was for the cell in his heart to be opened to the gospel so he could walk free!
Today many preachers and Christians who share their faith tend to water down the message with worldly wisdom or clever formulas "that are sure to win the lost person". A lot of this is done because Christians feel inadequate and are afraid to offend the lost with the gospel. Others think the cross is too basic and simple for this generation that they feel they must add to it or dress it with modernity and relevance. But they fail to understand that preaching is a demonstration of the Spirit not a presentation of the man. A presentation involves the abilities of the man to manipulate the response, but a demonstration has to do with the man getting out of the way and letting the Spirit do the working. After all it is the gospel alone that has power, (Rom 1:16) and the Spirit who convicts hearts and draws people to Himself.
For example when Paul and Silas were singing and praising God in jail, there came a great earthquake that rattled the place and opened the prison doors. The jailer then became suicidal and wanted to kill himself, because he thought that for sure all the prisoners had escaped, but Paul tells him they are all there. The jailer's heart then became receptive to the gospel. You see the powerful earthquake was a demonstration of God's power. And it wasn't meant to open the prisoner's cells and let them free. It wasn't meant for the jail it was meant for the jailer. It was for the cell in his heart to be opened to the gospel so he could walk free!
- PRACTICE: TRUST IN THE SIMPLICITY OF CHRIST THIS WEEK BY SIMPLY SHARING THAT CHRIST CAME TO DIE FOR OUR SINS ON A CROSS AND IF ONE WOULD ONLY REPENT AND TURN TO HIM THEY WILL BE SAVED.
- "In order to preach the gospel effectively we must come to the understanding that we are giving people what they need, not what they necessarily want." -A.G.