334 SE Tecumseh Road  P.O. Box 5  Tecumseh, Kansas 66542  (785) 379-5005  Fax - (785) 379-5061

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Foolishness 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 It has been reported to me .... that there are quarrels among you, my brothers and sisters. (1 Cor. 1:11) Say it isn’t so! You mean to tell me that even in Paul’s day, even 2,000 years ago, folks within the church argued with one another? Evidently so! Paul says that some of those folks in Corinth were divided on which apostle to align themselves with – to claim to belong to Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas. Some of them, Paul states, even claimed to be followers of Christ! (12) Has Christ been divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? (13) As usual, Paul does not mince words and gets directly to the point. He makes it known in no uncertain terms that arguments about whom we are to follow are absurd. Question: So what? How does that have any application for us, for you, for me, for our church? I have heard of people (not here, mind you – elsewhere!) who refer to pastors in terms such as this: I really like him/her, that’s why I like coming to this church! Or: As soon as that idiot is gone from here, I just may decide to come back to church! Or: Boy, he/she’s not much of a preacher, like the one we used to have, in the good old days. That’s how we continue to be “followers” of Paul, Apollos, or Cephas. Don’t find much if anything about Christ in there. Don’t find much if anything about being committed to the faith, to serving God and serving neighbor regardless of which apostle/clergy person happens to be present. We’re all guilty from time to time of making others responsible for our own lack of commitment and accountability. It’s easier to find fault and to lay blame than to make ourselves an active and constructive part of the solution. The power of the faith has not, does not, and will not come from preachers, not even from (especially??)  those who are celebrities. The power of the faith has, does, and will come from the gospel of Christ, alive in places where we’re able to look beyond celebrity and personality. What we can do is proclaim the gospel, and not with eloquent wisdom, so that the cross of Christ might not be emptied of its power. For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (17-18) Foolish ministry in which we’re engaged, this Christian ministry of ours. Foolish to some, that is.   - Pastor Piet - January 27, 2008