That's Foolishness

"Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me."  So the saying-of-old goes.

While some people enjoy playing the fool, no one likes being made the fool.  Nevertheless, foolishness has its place.  In 1 Corinthians Paul detailed God's choice in utilizing foolish things.  He highlighted the foolishness of the cross.

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.
19 For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”
20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?
21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  1 Corinthians 1:18-24 (NIV)

As a pastor I have the privilege of baptizing believers.  Each time I do, I ask the one being baptized, "What is your declaration of faith?"  (Given my many years of preaching from the 1984 version of the NIV, I often slip and replace "declaration" with "confession.")  They respond with "Jesus is Lord" - quoting from Romans 10:9. 

Jesus is Lord and He lords over everything - including death.  This is where the greatest foolishness enters the picture.  Jesus is Lord over even death itself because of His own death.
“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 
1 Peter 2:24 (NIV)

The most tangible way in which we recall His wounds is our observance of the Lord's Supper - the other ordinance, in addition to Believer's Baptism.  In the same letter to the Christians in Corinth, Paul provided instructions as to the right (and respectful) way to share the Meal.  In the midst of his instructions, Paul wrote . . .

For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
1 Corinthians 11:26 (NIV)

Proclaim the Lord's death?  I more readily proclaim birth, life, happy news, and praise than I do death.  However, here too, the greatest foolishness enters.  We are to proclaim death because His death completed the plan of redemption that God set in motion before the stars were born. 

It's not so bad, after all, to embrace foolishness.

#ordinarylives