Shalom dear brothers and sisters, I would like you please to open your Bibles as we are continuing together with the study of the letter to the Corinthians. 1st Corinthians chapter 1 in this ministry and verses 10 to 25 and here in these verses beloved brothers and sisters the Apostle Paul is writing to the Corinthians and he's reminding them that they are to be those that must realize that they are now called to be in fellowship with God and that they need to realize that those that are without look at them and they are representing God and they represent the Lord Jesus and the world, the unbelieving world, looking at the local church, looking at the assembly of the believers, and they are called to be an example and not divided among themselves.

And so the Apostle Paul is writing to them now to show them the contrast between those that are unspiritual and those that are practically spiritual-minded and being set an example. And so listen to the verses. Follow me, please, beloved brothers and sisters. 1 Corinthians chapter 1 and verse 10. Now I beset you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it has been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Keloi, that there are contentions among you.

Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul, and I am of Apollos, and I am of Cephas, and I am of Christ, of Mashiach. Is Christ divided? Is the Messiah divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? I thank God that I baptized none of you but Crispus and Gaius, lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name. And I baptized also the household of Stephanas, Beside, I know not whether I baptize any more. For Christ, or Messiah, sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel. Not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God. It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom.

But we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a stumbling block and unto the Greeks foolishness. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, Mashiach, the power of God and the wisdom of God, because the foolishness of God is wider than man, and the weakness of God is stronger than man. And i would like to stop here in verse 25 beloved brothers and sisters i've read the first Corinthians chapter 1 verses 10 to 25 and in these verses dear brothers and sisters the apostle Paul is pointing into three important things as he's writing to the Corinthians specifically because he have heard of the state of the Corinthians so in in the whole passage here from verses 10 to 25 Paul reminded the Corinthians that they are called to be in the fellowship with God and that they are to be careful not to have divisions in the assembly men in the world look at them and if you remember the Lord Jesus the Messiah said to the disciples in the city of in the upper room when he washed the feet of the talmidim the disciples he reminded them of the important that they are called to be united they are called to have testimony that is honoring unto him and so if you remember he did say a new commandment i give unto you that ye love one.

Another as i have loved you that he also love one another and you remember in verse 35 he also said in in the upper room in Yerushalayim before he died he says by this shall all men know that you are my disciples how he continued to say if you have love one towards the other and so beloved brothers and sisters it is not always easy to be in harmony among God's people but nevertheless it is always the call that God has for his own people. God wants the children of God to be in harmony. Any one of us who is a father or a mother would love to have our children love one another, treat one another with respect, and they have harmony in the family.

This is natural and of course these believers from Corinth they they had to take side with the Lord Jesus the Messiah even when they were misunderstood by their own family and so that was not easy for them to take side with the Lord and we are confident that they had problems with their families because they. Believed that Jesus that Yeshua was the Messiah that he was the anointed one the Christ so it was difficult for them to take the step in following the Lord but now that they have come into the assembly of believers in the local assembly here there and in Corinth and anywhere in the world it's not always easy to have harmony among the people of God and that is a sign of unhealthy condition when there is division then friction and disharmony among God's people well what to do well the apostle Paul now notice it from here on after the first nine verses of this letter in which the apostle Shaul Paul greeted the Corinthians in verses one two and three and then in verses 4, 5 and 6 Shaul Paul reminded the Corinthians of the grace of God and then in verse 7 the Apostle Paul pointed to the fact that the Corinthians were those as it says here in verse 7 that they were behind in no gift waiting for the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ they received gifts from the glorified Messiah.

Who have gifted them and they were an assembly without any shortage of gift spiritual gifts and then also in verses 8 and 9 he emphasized to the Corinthians of their security that they have before the Lord you remember he said to them that they are who shall also confirm you unto the end that ye may be blameless in the days of our Lord Jesus Christ and that they are in the fellowship God is faithful verse 9 by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his son Jesus Christ our Lord in other words they've been so blessed by being saved forgiven you remember he have also called them he said unto the saints if you remember in verse 2 unto the church of God which is at Corinth to them that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called saints they were set apart they were redeemed they were saved and forgiven and have hope and all that blessing that accompanied their salvation but now from verse 10 on and actually it's rather sad because from verse 10 on.

The apostle Shaul Paul points and challenged the Corinthians with respect to the many many wrong practices that was happening in their local assembly at Corinth in chapter 1 verse 10 to chapter 4 verse 21 they had divisions among themselves and Shaul Paul pointed to it in chapter 5 verse 1 to chapter 6 verse 20 they had also immoral practice among themselves and the Apostle Shaul Paul points to this. In chapter 7, the whole chapter 7, there was wrong practices with respect to marriage. And the Apostle Paul dealt with this. Throughout the whole book, we can see that he is dealing with issues and problems. In chapter 8 verse 1 to chapter 10 verse 33, there was wrong practices with respect to the liberties that believers have had.

In chapter 11, the whole chapter, verses 1 to 34, there was a lack of proper understanding and practices in relation to the Lord's table, the Lord, the remembrance of our Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. In chapter 12, verse 1 to chapter 14, at the end, there was also failure with respect to the usage of the spiritual gifts which God had given to the local assemblies at Corinth. And in chapter 15 the whole chapter verses 1 to 58 there was also a lack of standing upon the truth of the resurrection of the Messiah and the resurrection of believers and how some of them said that there was no resurrection and ultimately at the end the last chapters chapter 16 1 to 24 there was also failure with respect to the support of the Lord's work and so the whole first corinthian the whole letter beloved brothers and sisters the apostle Paul is dealing with errors with problems with failure with disobedience and though he called them saints mekudashim in verse 2 hagios in the Greek mekudashim in the Hebrew saints in the English set apart people yet in practice there was so much failure that to the outside world they have been looked like a people that have only had an position but in practice they did not live up to that which they were called for and that's beloved brothers and sisters it is in a very same way it is the danger and.

And the challenge for all of us who are believers in the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah and here we learn many lessons and hopefully we will glean some of them and apply this in our life it's not always easy why because even though we are saints mekudashim set apart to God positionally it is here now where the practice where the day-by-day living which is so difficult for us because the flesh lusters against the spirit and the spirit against the flesh and they are contrary one to another that's why the apostle Shaul Paul said to the Galatians in chapter 5 and verse 16 this I say then walk in the spirit and ye shall not fulfill the last of the flesh and oh how much we need this help from the Lord and in every generation wherever you are whoever you are how old you are young and old male and female Jewish and Gentile bond of free all of us beloved brothers and sisters we need this help from the Lord in order to be a good.

Testimony here in this world so in these verses from verse 10 to 25 Paul reminding the corinthian that they are called to be in fellowship with God and therefore he is now pointing in verses 10 11 12 and the first part of verse 13 is pointing to the question is Christ divided is the Messiah is the Mashiach divided you remember they are as he said later on in the second Corinthians chapter 5 in verse 17 that therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creation old things are passed away behold all things are become new so when they are became a new creation and they became part of the body of the body of Christ the body of Messiah now he's asking them in verses 10 to verse 12 including the first part of verse 13 asking them notice in verse 13 in the beginning is Christ is the Messiah divided so notice what he tells them in verse 10 now i beseech you brethren notice he it's so beautiful how the apostle Paul challenge he's calling.

The brothers and sisters he's entreating them he's beseeching them notice he still called them brethren even though they did not behave as brethren what brethren achim suggests that they are brothers and sisters in our Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah they're part of the family of all believers the head is Christ the Messiah he is in heaven the body here on earth and they are part of this body of Christ they are brethren and so he's beseeching the brethren and notice how he beseeched them he's beseeching the brothers and sisters according by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ by the name of the Lord Jesus the Messiah why by the name of the Lord Jesus Christ Yeshua ha-Mashiach why because by his name when we are belonging to him simply means that we are to seek his will what is in a name in the name of Jesus in the name of Yeshua is that which he's calling us to be when you're speaking to someone in the name of another you are telling to one.

What the others wish so what he's really saying i'm speaking to you on behalf or in the name of Jesus Christ Jesus the Messiah he is Lord he's our Lord our master and so i'm beseeching you brethren in the name according to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ and then he's saying to them in verse 10b that ye all speak the same thing and that or that there will be no divisions among you but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment you notice he used a few times the word the same I beseech you therefore brethren by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ that he all speak not as the same thing and that there be no division among you but that he be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment now what does he mean here in this verse 10 Paul is challenging the Corinthians that they will have one mind when he.

Said to them that you will speak the same thing it doesn't mean that they will repeat the same words one after another it means that that when you speak to one another when when you share the word with one another when you speak certain things about the things of the Lord that you will have the same as it says here in verse 10 speak the same thing in other words don't speak against one another don't be contrary to one another and if you see things different and express it in the right way with the right attitude and you see this is exactly what the Lord Jesus the Messiah wanted that's what the Lord has prayed if you remember Yeshua prayed in John chapter 17 in this high priestly prayer before he went to the Garden of Gatshmanim, and ultimately to the cross before He died.

He said in John 17, verse 11, praying to His Abba, to His Father. And He said, And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world. And I come to Thee, O Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given Me that they may be one as we are. The desire of the Lord Yeshua the Messiah is that their brothers and sisters will be one as we are in a practical way. Again, it is important to distinguish between the positional truth and the practical truth. Positionally, all believers are one in Messiah, one in Christ, and one with one another, positionally.

But now Paul is saying to them practically, I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no division among you. Well, where does the division come from? Divisions come from not speaking the same thing, not having the same mind, not having the same purpose, And instead of being sensitive to one another and helpful to one another, we speak differently, we are contrary to one another, and therefore there is division. Verse 10 at the end says, But that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. This is a challenge, isn't it, beloved brothers and sisters?

To speak the same thing, to have the same mind, to have the same judgment, decision-making, and evaluation of things, and to have no division. How is it possible if we are having only our own way and not being sensitive to one another? It is just impossible. And therefore, Shaul Paul is beseeching the brothers and the sisters That expression, I beseech, really can be also expressed, I entreat you, I entreat you. He said it more than once, because in chapter 4 and verse 15, later on he said also, in verses 15 of this fourth chapter, For though ye have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet have ye not many fathers?

For in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel. Wherefore, verse 16, I beseech you, be ye followers of me. In other words, the apostle beseeching the beloved brothers and sisters in the local assembly at Corinth to have the same mind and to follow the Lord Jesus the Messiah. That is always a challenge, isn't it, to all of us in local assemblies and congregations and local church groups and so on. It is always a challenge, beloved brothers and sisters, to have this one mind and not to be divided at the end of the book in chapter 16 the apostle Paul said also I beseech you brethren notice that verse 1st Corinthians chapter 16 and verse 15 I beseech you brethren again from the beginning chapter 1 he called them brethren until the end of the letter to the Corinthian is calling them brethren, even though there were so many problems that they had in the local assembly at Corinth.

I beseech you, brethren, ye know the house of Stephanus, that it is the first fruits of Achaia, and so on, and he's beseeching the brothers and sisters throughout the whole letter to the Corinthian, the first letter to the Corinthian. And so, beloved brothers and sisters in verse 10 the apostle Shaul Paul is beseeching the brethren to speak the same thing to join together in the same mind to join in the same judgment and he wanted them to seek to have. No divisions beloved brothers and sisters whether it is in the history of Israel or whether it is in the history of the church what oftentimes and breaks practical enjoyment among God's people is simply a divided state among the people of God in the history of Israel the nation of Israel was divided into two the northern kingdom called Israel and the southern kingdom called Yehudah Judah the division came because they did not seek the mind of the Lord and had friction among the nation and brought about a divided nation and how beautiful it is when there is no division among God's people and we all need the grace of God to help us to have a proper attitude among the people of God the psalmist of Israel David said it this way behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity in Hebrew it is like the precious ointment upon the head that ran down upon the beard even Aaron's beard that went down to the skirts of his garment.

As the dew of Hermon and as the dew that descendeth upon the mountain of Zion for there the Lord commended the blessing even life for evermore and so beloved brothers and sisters Paul is appealing in verse 10 that the brethren at Corinth will have the no division having the same mind the same judgment and to speak the same thing may the Lord help us to see this and so he continued now in verse 11 and he tells them what he heard about them notice in verse 11 he says for it has been declared unto me of you my brethren by them that are of the house of Ekeloah, that there are contentions among you.

Paul have heard there are contentions or strifes among their brothers and sisters at Corinth. So he heard this. Apparently, the apostle received an information from Ekeloah, the house of Ekeloah, that came to him and said, listen Paul there is division there in the local assembly at Corinth please help us and so we see here how Paul is hearing this and you notice this expression here he's saying that there's contention this is a a terrible thing to have a contention among a brothers and sisters contention is that which is a harming in the Greek it's a eris is e-r-i-s and that word contention it's simply speaking about a strife and wrangling and you know all that which is harming the people of God debating with one another variance among one another it is terrible the way they have had this happening among them and in Hebrew it's called merivot there was fighting among the brethren and that is something that did not please the Lord and therefore the apostle Paul heard this because someone came to him and said brother Paul here's the condition in the local.

Assembly in Corinth so Paul continue in verse 12 when he says to them after he said this as i've heard this and then he said to them now this i say that every one of you say i am of Paul and i am of apollos and i am of cephas and i am of Christ is Christ divided verse 13a is the Messiah divided so apparently beloved brothers and sisters everyone was kind they had parties you see i am of this brother and i'm of that brother and i'm of this leader and i'm of that leader so Paul is really challenging them he says how can some of you say oh i belong to the group that believe what Paul have done and what Paul is teaching and another one says no no i'm i'm followers of another one called apollos i'm following what he's saying and i'm his followers and another one said no no no i'm of cephas this is Shimon petos and then ultimately the so-called spiritual one said no no i am not.

This this or the other i am of Christ you see they gave the impression that they are more spiritual than all of them so it is said because the apostle Paul of course he came to Corinth according to the record that we have in act chapter 18 verse 1 apollos also came to Corinth according to act chapter 19 as well and minister there and some suggested also cephas this is Simon Peter came also to Corinth perhaps according to first corinthian 9 and verse 5 we don't know that for assurance but just to read to you the first corinthian 9 verse 5 have we not power to lead about a sister or a wife as well as or other apostles and as of the brethren of the Lord and of cephas and cephas in other words it may have been that Peter also was there and then of course he's saying to them how can you say i belong to him and i belong to him and i'm following him and I'm following him, Paul, Apollos, Cephas, and some said, I am of Christ.

And in the context of this verse, that was an element of pride that others have. Oh, yeah, they said, and I am, I of Christ. In other words, sometimes there is a danger to say, oh, I'm following only the Lord and I'm of Christ. But there is no, we might say in a practice, there is another kind of a party that claims that they are of Christ. Now, of course, all believers are of Christ and ought to follow the Messiah Christ. But in the context of this chapter, Paul did not look at it in a positive way because it was another kind of a party group like claiming I'm of Paul, I'm of Paulus, I'm of Cephas, I'm of Christ.

And that's why he said, is Christ divided? Verse 13a, is the Messiah divided? And of course, Christ is not divided. The Lord Jesus, as we have already mentioned it, in chapter 17, when he prayed of the Gospel of John, when he prayed to his Abba, to his Father, and he longed that the disciples will be one in a practical way and as we have already read and now i am no more in the world Yeshua said as in prayer to the father to his Abba but these are in the world and i come to the holy father Abba kadosh i come to the holy father keep through thine own name those whom thou has given me that they may be one as we are John 17 and verse 11 how important it is beloved brothers and may the Lord help us to see the challenge that chaul Paul is challenging the Corinthians a beloved a brothers and sisters this is a real challenge for the Corinthians and this is a real challenge for us all in our life as believers and you know when we read in verse 10 that there be no divisions among you and then in verse 11.

He heard that there are contention among themselves at the city at the local assembly and cohen and Paul showed them that his contention is really because everyone is siding with another leader instead of following the Lord and seeking the welfare of one another and later on in chapter three he did say to them we will get to it later on ah for ye are yet carnal verse three of first 3 for where is there is among you envying and strife and division are ye not carnal and walk as men verse 4 and while one saith i am of Paul and another i am of apollos are ye not carnal the word carnal is fleshy in other words you are in the flesh you are acting in accordance with your old sinful nature and therefore beloved brothers and sisters this is why we are always exhorted to walk in the spirit and not fulfill the lust of the flesh well this is a challenge to us all.

Every one of us, if we are truly honest with ourselves and with the Lord, we will admit that oftentimes there is this all sinful nature within us which rises up and not submissive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God which brings about constant contention and divisions among the people of God. And so what a blessing, what a joy we give to the heart of the Lord when we give way to one another, when we learn to not fight with one another, to be patient with one another, not to be envious, not to seek to divide, not to have strife among the people of God.

What a blessing it is to enjoy this kind of practice with the Lord's help we are able on our own we simply not able because if we will walk in the flesh we will always produce the flesh but if we will walk guided by the holy Spirit of God we will always be those that are seeking the blessing of our brothers and sisters, and to be a source of help in order to be uniting in the local congregation, in the local assembly. May the Lord help us all with this. So now, once the Apostle Paul dealt here in verses 10 to 13a with the question, is the Messiah, is Christ divided?

Now he continues from verse 13b, the second half of verse 13, All the way to verse 17, he's asking them a second question. While the first question is, is the Messiah divided? Is Christ divided? The second question he's asking them as he's writing to them, were ye baptized in the name of Paul? Remember, they said in chapter 1, which he's responding to the news that he heard, I heard that there is contention among you, that each one of you say, I am of Paul, I am of Apollos, and I am of Cephas, and I am of Christ. Now in the next verses, he's asking the brothers and sisters at Corinth the second question, were you baptized in the name of Paul?

And so I'm reading verse 13b. He's saying to them was Paul crucified for you and were he baptized in the name of Paul he's speaking of course about himself and you see because there were some of the local brothers and sisters in Corinth that saying no no i'm following after Paul and Paul is my leader and my guide and he's the one that is the leader and so he's explaining to them and he's did i this was Paul crucified for you brothers and sisters Paul did not die for you it was Yeshua Jesus the Messiah who died for you he continues says were you baptized in the name of Paul no when the believers had this water immersion tevila when they were immersed in the name of our Lord Jesus the Messiah Jesus Christ they were not immersed or baptized in the name of Paul God forbid Paul does not want anyone to be claiming that and that's why he's challenging them in verse 13b that he Paul he did not die for the Corinthians neither they were baptized.

Baptized in the name of Paul no they were baptized they were immersed in the name of the Lord Yeshua HaMashiach the Lord Jesus the Messiah he continued beloved brothers and sisters and he tell them now in verse 14 Paul really told them that he thanked God that he did not baptize the Corinthians it's amazing because sometime when someone have the privilege to immerse to put someone under the water in baptism in tevila in baptizo in the Greek and dipping them putting them under as a testimony in death burial and resurrection identifying with the person of the Lord Jesus, Paul is saying to them, you were not baptized unto the name of Paul, so he thanked God, verse 14, that I baptized none of you, except, not as Crispus and Gaius.

In other words, Paul's object was to preach the gospel, the message of the grace of God the days a way for sinners to receive forgiveness of sins and therefore he was emphasizing the purpose that he was called it was not merely when someone was baptized it was not merely an outward just some sort of a religious activity it was sincerely done identifying with the suffering the death and burial of our Lord Jesus and resurrection of the Messiah and therefore to identify with him meant to decide to follow after him and Paul preached the message of the gospel and those who came to know the Lord as their Lord and Savior they were baptized but there were maybe others who baptized and Paul's object was to share the word and there were others who took the privilege of baptizing or putting the believers underwater in representing death and resurrection in following the Lord as an outward expression so Paul is saying I only did Crispus and Gaius I only baptized them and I'm thankful to God that I did not baptize you because.

Look what happened look at the condition because if someone baptized you you think that he is the one that we are to be occupied with and Paul says no Paul continued to mention to them in verse 15 he did not baptize lest anyone will accuse him not as lest any should say that i had baptized in mine own name Paul was so careful to direct the attention of those who became believers in Yeshua the Messiah to be occupied with the person of the Lord not with him it's so easy for us all to look at the servant of the Lord and be occupied with the servant instead of the Lord Jesus the Messiah himself here beloved brothers and sisters Paul is saying i said i thank God that i baptized none of you but Crispus and Gaius lest any should say that I had baptized in mine own name I don't want you to accuse me that I baptized in my own name as if I sought some glory for myself he's saying.

And he continued in verse 16 beloved brothers and sisters in verse 16 and I baptized also the household of Stephanos besides I know not whether I baptized any other in other words he was so occupied. Shaul Paul was so occupied with the preaching of the gospel and not occupied with having his name mentioned or taking any glory for himself, but he wanted that the believers will be occupied with the Lord Jesus the Messiah. Now to be baptized or to be immersed in the name of the Lord Jesus the Messiah is the biblical thing to do and every believer is called to identify in the water baptism with the death and burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord Jesus the Messiah but beloved brothers and sisters it is so important to realize that the one that is being baptized he is occupied with the person of the Lord Jesus he is the one that died for our sin he is the one that was buried and rose again for our justification and.

Therefore Shaul Paul does not want to have anyone's attention set on him but set on the person of the Lord Jesus Christ the Lord Yeshua the Messiah and so he continued in verse 17 as he asking that question were you baptized in my name or in the name of Paul he's saying and of course the answer is no because he did not want anyone and he did not ever baptize anyone in his own name so in verse 17 Paul was sent by the Messiah by Christ to preach the gospel and so we read for Christ the Messiah sent me not to baptize no that is not the main purpose that the Lord Jesus called me but he called me he sent me to preach the gospel not with wisdom of words lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect and so the apostle Paul here is emphasizing the fact that the Lord Jesus the Messiah sent him to preach the gospel not to send him to preach the gospel with the wisdom of man's words or outwards words but.

He says because lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect and so beloved brothers and sisters the cross of Christ the cross of the Messiah the cross is that which represent for us the finished work of the Lord Jesus. The cross of the Messiah is where He died. The cross speaks to us of the fact that God provided redemption through the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah. The cross is where God was satisfied with the finished work of His beloved Son. The cross is a beam that measures the love of God and the grace of God towards men. The cross is the beam that measures the condition of the human heart, the sinfulness of sin.

The cross is a beam that measures, a beam of light that shows us the grace of God towards a sinful man. Boy how wonderful it is to know the fact of the cross upon which the Lord Jesus the Messiah died you see the apostle Paul said in Galatians chapter 6 where we read listen to these beloved brothers and sisters he says in verse 12 as many as desire to make a fair show of the flesh they constrain you to be circumcised only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ this is another time that Apostle Paul mentioned the cross of Christ and especially notice what he says in verse 14 but God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is crucified unto me and I unto the world in other words Paul is saying God forbid that I should boast or glory except in the death burial and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the world is dead unto me and I died unto the world in other words Shaul Paul did not want to receive any glory for himself.

But he wanted the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, to receive all the glory and the honor. And that's why in chapter 1 and verse 17, the Apostle Paul said, the Messiah did not send me to baptize, but he sent me to preach the gospel. No wonder in the book of Romans, in chapter 1 and verse 16, to the Romans believers he said, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of the Messiah, the gospel of Christ. Why Paul was not ashamed of the gospel of the Messiah? Because it is the power, the dynamite, the power of God unto salvation. To whom? To everyone that believes. The gospel, the glad tidings, the good news that the Messiah died for our sins according to the Scriptures.

That he was buried and he rose again according to the Scriptures. The gospel is the power of God unto salvation. The gospel of Christ, the gospel of Messiah, the good news, the glad tidings of our Lord Jesus the Messiah is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes to the Jew first and also to the Greek for therein in the gospel the righteousness of God revealed from faith unto faith as it is written the just shall live by faith and so in the second question the apostle Paul asked the Corinthians were ye baptized in the name of Paul and now in the third question in verses 18 to 25 Paul asked them was Paul crucified for you this is the third question that Shaul Paul is asking the Corinthians in these verses the first question he was asking them in verse 10 to 13 is the Messiah divided in verse 13 to 17 he asked him were ye baptized in the name of Paul and now in verses 18 to 25 Paul asked them was Paul was I crucified for you so listen to these beloved brothers and.

Sisters verse 18 Shaul Paul continued to verse 25 says for the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness but unto us which are saved it is the power of God see I did not come only to be occupied with baptizing people in my name no while baptism is important to identify in the death, burial, resurrection of the Lord Jesus the Messiah people need to hear the message of the gospel people need to be saved to receive forgiveness of sins and the preaching of the cross to them that perish might be foolishness but to us who are saved it is the power of God the dynamite of God Romans 1 16 I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth to the Jew first and also to the Greek Romans 1 16 he continues in verse 19 and Paul is telling them He said, for it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and I will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.

In other words, Paul is pointing to the fact that God predicted that he will destroy human wisdom and human understanding and that the foolishness of men, even the wisest of men is foolish before God. And that the preaching of the cross, while it is to the world, foolishness, and yet to God's people is the power of God unto salvation. That's why Paul is emphasizing that it is written, I will destroy, it is in Isaiah 29, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and I will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. In other words, man's wisdom is before the Lord foolishness when people reject the Messiah reject the Lord Jesus reject the salvation that God offer that is where they in their wisdom reject God and think that they can do better than God that they can be justified with their own merits and they think that they can be justified on a basis of law keeping on rules keeping God is saying that he will destroy the wisdom of the wise and he will bring to nothing the understanding of the human wisdom the prudent in this world then he continued in verse 20 and Paul he questioned where is the wise.

Where is the scribe where is the disputer of this world where is the wise where is the scribe Where is the disputer of this world? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? The wisest men in this world are but foolishness before God when they reject the offer of salvation through the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah. This is fascinating, beloved brothers and sisters. We read in verse 21 of this chapter, for after that, in the wisdom of God, the world by wisdom knew not God. It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. Imagine, imagine, beloved brothers and sisters, the foolishness of preaching the word When a servant of the Lord is preaching the word of God, presenting the gospel message, it please God.

It please God through the preaching of the word to save them that will believe. It is amazing when you think about it, beloved brothers and sisters. Because men, after that, in the wisdom of men, the world did not know God. So God found pleasure by, in a simple manner, to present what the Messiah, what Christ has done in order to bring salvation to mankind. This is an amazing verse Paul is saying and I'm repeating this beloved brothers and sisters in verse 21 for after that the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God in other words all the educated men in this world did not know God with all their education with all their knowledge with all their learning they still reject God look what's going on in the world in which we live in today man because of his ability to know so much man can get to the moon and yet refuse the creator of the moon it's amazing it's not an issue of how much one knows in his head but it is essential to recognize that we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God and therefore the preaching of the gospel the preaching of the gospel of the grace of God that the Lord Jesus the Messiah God the Son became a man and died was buried and rose again for our justification God through the foolishness of the preaching of that message save them that believe so in verse.

22 beloved brothers and sisters the apostle Paul says concerning the Jews and the Greeks remember that in this world there are really three groups the Jews are the Jewish people the descendants of Abraham Isaac and Jacob which God has chosen to be the nation of Israel through whom the Messiah will come at his first coming to whom the Messiah will come will return and they will accept him Israel the Jewish people at his second coming and God will use the people of Israel to be a blessing to this world that's the way God have chosen it to be but also Paul showed that in the first coming of the Messiah the Jewish people did not accept the Lord Jesus the Messiah as it was predicted in the Hebrew Scriptures and so the Jews require a sign because throughout the history of our Jewish people in the history of Israel constantly God gave signs to the Jewish people the Shabbat day was given as a sign to the Jewish people the circumcision to Abraham and his descendants were giving as a sign to all Abraham's descendants.

Even the sign that was on the doorpost and the lintel the blood that Israel put in the land of Egypt was there as a sign that they believed in God and when God said to Israel when I see the blood I will pass over you so there are signs throughout the history of Israel that Israel received signs from the Lord so the Jewish people till today Our own people still looking for a sign. And on the other hand, the Greek is seeking for wisdom. The wisdom of men, with their own wisdom, they're seeking to find their ways. And they are constantly thinking of how they would find their own way and the wisdom of the Grecian.

And that's why the Apostle Paul cannot distinguish between the Jews and the Greeks. And so he says in this verse 22 that the Jews require a sign and the Greek look after wisdom, knowledge. If you remember when the Apostle Paul came to Mars Hill in Acts chapter 17 and they wanted, they were debating constantly about all sort of things. To be wise, to have this human intellect. And the gospel is simply to accept that God loves mankind and provided the Savior who died and was buried and rose for our justification because sin must be punished. And God the Son entered into this world. He, as man, died to be punished for our sins.

And he was buried and he rose again. And therefore, beloved brothers and sisters, it is simple yet profound. And Paul is emphasizing here in these verses 18 onward, showing to them that it's not he who was crucified for them, that is Paul, but it was the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, Christ, the Mashiach, who died for them. And so notice now, beloved brothers and sisters, look at the different attitudes towards the cross by people in the world in which we live in today. Notice in verse 23, in verse 23a, some stumble at the cross. But we preach Christ, Mashiach, the Anointed One, crucified. Notice that? Unto the Jews, a stumbling block.

And now to the Greeks, foolishness. Why the Jewish people? It was a stumbling block because for our people, Israel, Israel did not grasp the necessity of the Messiah to die. The Jewish people waited for the Messiah to come and to deliver them from their enemies and to rule over the nation, which he will do at his second coming. But at the beginning, at the first coming, the Lord Jesus Christ came to die to be penalized for the sin of this world so Jesus the Messiah became a stumbling block for the Greek it was foolishness what is it it's a man died buried rose again the Greeks they wanted for some kind of wisdom human wisdom some brilliant idea that will deliver them from sin and they will be accepted by any God if they believe in any and so beloved brothers and sisters you can see so there are different attitudes verse 23a some stumble at the cross verse 23b some laugh at the cross foolishness the Greek saying Don't give me this nonsense as many says today.

Then we have those that believe. Here's the third attitude, which is a godly attitude in verse 24 and verse 25. But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, Mashiach, is the power of God and the wisdom of God. Notice then, the three different attitudes towards the death, burial, and resurrection of the Messiah, towards the cross. Some stumble at the cross. Others laugh at the cross. And yet, there are others who believe on the person who died on the shameful Roman cross. The question of course is where you are my dear friend have you accepted the death of the Messiah when we say and when Scripture says the cross it has a reference to the death of the Messiah for your sins and his burial and his resurrection for your justification for all of us who will believe on him and so some stumble at the preaching of the gospel and at the work that the Lord Jesus the Messiah have accomplished on the cross others mock at the work of the Messiah who died upon the cross but then there are those and praise God there are those who became believers who have recognized that God loved them so much and that He entered into this world and was born to the virgin Miriam and lived the perfect life here in this world.

And He didn't have to go to the cross to die. And yet in love for humanity, in love for you and me, in love for mankind, in love for God, the Father, the Lord Yeshua Hamashiach, Jesus the Messiah died for our sins. Wonderful to know. Notice what Paul says in verse 24, But unto them which are called, you notice that? Again, this has to do specifically with God called a people unto His name. To them that are called, both Jews and Greeks, you notice that? Some believers from among our Jewish people, some believers from among the Gentile nations of the world, those together making the assembly, the ecclesia, the heavenly company, the bride of Christ.

And so notice, both Jews and Greeks, Christ, this is the Mashiach, the Messiah, is the power of God and the wisdom of God. So, God is declaring that the answer is found in faith, in believing the message of the gospel of the Messiah. So, Paul, Shaul, is finalizing this thought here of the third question. He says these words. Notice this, verse 25, because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and because the weakness of God is stronger than men. My dear friend, my beloved friend, listen, God is God. He is the creator of the universe. Because of sin, you and I, all the human race, deserve to be punished.

The wages of sin is death. To Adam God said the day that you will eat out of this fruit dying you shall die so all of us by nature are separated from God we are dead by nature spiritually and we will die eventually also here physically and if we died without the Messiah without faith in him we will die eternally the word death means separation but because God loves us he sent the Messiah to this world and while it's outwardly seems to be a stumbling block to the Jewish people and foolishness to the Greek to the Gentile world yet beloved brothers and sisters Paul is saying the foolishness of God is far wiser than man and even the weakness of God when You think about it, the weakness of God had been seen in that man, Jesus the Messiah, who was there on the cross.

When all look at him there on that tree, and everybody mocked him and laughed at him, and you can see, well, he's helpless, he cannot save himself, he saved others, himself he cannot save. Look at the weakness. And yet through this weakness, so-called weakness, judge the Messiah Yeshua. When the Lord Jesus the Messiah died for us and He was buried and He rose again, He finished the work of redemption, He provided salvation, He sanctified God, and He met your need and mine, beloved friend. May the Lord bless us. May the Lord open many hearts to turn to the Lord Jesus the Messiah before it is too late.

Because salvation is of the Lord. God bless you my dear friend until the next time I say Shalom Shalom