Shalom dear brothers and sisters. We are very thankful to be able to continue with the study of the book of 1 Corinthians. Will you please open your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 1? And in this message, I would like to look over the final verses of the first chapter of 1 Corinthians. The verses are found in verses 26 to 31, just these six verses of 1 Corinthians chapter 1. Follow me as I am reading. The Apostle Paul continues to write to the Corinthians, and he is encouraging them by telling them in verse 26: "For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many nobles are called.

But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty, mighty, and the base things of the world, and things which are despised hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are, that no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, in Mashiach Yeshua, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, that according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord." And so, beloved brothers and sisters, as the Apostle Paul continues in his writing to the Corinthians, we have already covered in the first 25 verses that Paul was concerned with the condition of the believers at Corinth, and saw that he pointed to them the fact that they were called to be a holy people.

To remind you that they are called saints, in Hebrew, in chapter 1 and verse 2, and to remind you that the word saints, in the Greek language, simply means hagios, which is a people who are hallowed, who set apart for God. We read in verse 2, "Unto the assembly of God, which is at Corinth, and all that are sanctified in Christ Jesus called saints, with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours." In other words, the believers at Corinth were called saints, because they were set apart, they were forgiven, they were redeemed, and they were called to be set apart for God.

And therefore, in the first nine verses, Shaul Paul pointed to the fact that these Corinthians were called a set apart people for God. And therefore, they should have been giving a good testimony in a world in which they live in, in the city where they live in. And just like the Corinthians, also all believers are called to give a good testimony to the world without, because we are set apart, we are saints positionally, we also are called to practically behave as people that are set apart for God. Then, beloved brothers and sisters, the portion that we have also have covered in verses 10 to 25 of 1 Corinthians chapter 1, the Apostle Paul continued to remind the believers at Corinth that they are called into a fellowship.

Fellowship with God and fellowship with one another. And that's why he was concerned. He said, "Brethren, I beset you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye will 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." And then he continued, verse 11, he said, "And declared unto me, of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Keloah, that there are contentions among you." And he continued, as we have already covered, to emphasize the fact that there was a problem at Corinth, because even though they were hallowed, set apart, "Mekudashim," set apart for God, yet they were experiencing contentions and divisions in the local assembly, and he reminded them in verses 10 to 25 of chapter 1, that they are called to that fellowship, fellowship, to be close to the Lord, to be with one another, united together.

Notice what he told them in verse 24, "But unto them which are called," notice that, again, mentioning that they were called to become a people that are part of the ecclesia, of the assembly of the living God. And that's why he's emphasizing in this first chapter, the three aspects of the call of the believers. They were called to be holy, they were called into the fellowship of God, but they were also called to glorify God in their lives. And with this last portion of 1 Corinthians chapter 1, verses 26 to 31, the Apostle Paul emphasized the fact that the believers at Corinth are called to give glory to God. You notice how the last verse of chapter 1 is emphasizing that, "According as it is written, he that glory, let him glory in the Lord." So the Apostle Paul, in this last portion of chapter 1, emphasizing that the call of the believers at Corinth, and you and I, and every true believer, belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, we are all called to glory in the Lord, not in ourselves, not in our achievements, not in our, anything that has to do in the flesh, but to glory in the Lord, to glory in the Lord Jesus, who loved us and gave himself for us.

He is the one that the believers in the Lord are called to be occupied and to give testimony to. Now notice this, beloved brothers and sisters. That expression called is mentioned more than three or four times in this first chapter. And it reminds us of the importance to realize that every one of us who came to know the Lord Jesus as our Savior, our Savior, we are really a called people. We are people that were called by the gospel. We are people that were called by the grace of God. We are people that were called out of darkness. And we are people who are called to glory, because we are ultimately are going to go to be with the Lord Jesus, the Messiah in glory in heaven.

And we have to remember this because this is exactly what our pastor Paul emphasizes when he is writing to the Corinthians. He is writing to them to remind them before he is going to point to all their problems, that they are a called people, a people that were called by God, a people that were chosen, a people that belonged to the Lord simply because of what the Lord had brought them into. In the Greek, the word kletos, k-l-e-t-o-s, called, has to do with the fact that God's people are a people that have been invited to become part of the assembly of God. It is really a divinely elected and appointed people by God.

And you see, beloved brothers and sisters, each and every one of us that came to know the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, we were chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world. And in time we were called and we have responded to the call of the Lord to come to acknowledge him and to accept him. We confessed our sins and we have acknowledged that he is the one who died and was buried and arose again for our sins and our justification. Elsewhere, the Apostle Paul in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and there in verse 13 and 14, he wrote to the Thessalonians and I'll read verse 14. It says, "Where unto he called you by our gospel." You see, the believers at Thessalonica were called by the gospel.

When the gospel was heard, when the preaching of the gospel was presented before the hearer, the Corinthians, the Thessalonians, you and I and every believer, we have been called by God through and by the gospel. What is the gospel? That the Messiah died for our sins according to the scripture. This is the gospel. That the Messiah died, he was buried and he rose again according to the scriptures. This is the gospel. And so, we have been called by the gospel. And that gospel was entirely the grace of God. That's why the Apostle Paul in Galatians chapter 1, he said concerning himself, he said, "But when it pleased God who separated me from my mother's womb and called me by his grace." Oh, beloved brothers and sisters, you and I, as Paul, Shaul Paul, and as the Corinthians and the Thessalonians and the Galatians, we were called by the gospel which really represented the grace of God.

Called by the gospel and called by the grace of God. And all beloved brothers and sisters, we were called out of darkness into this marvelous light of God's great salvation. That's why Peter wrote in his letter to the early believers, he said to them, notice that 1 Peter chapter 2, in verse 9, he said, "But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you," listen to this, "he hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light." You see, we were all darkness because of our sin nature. But God graciously, "he hath called us by his gospel," "he hath called us by his grace," "he hath called us out of darkness," "and has called us for glory." And that's why when we are studying now in the last verses of 1 Corinthians chapter 1, verses 26 to 30, beloved brothers and sisters, the Apostle Paul emphasized the fact that the Corinthians were called to glory but to glorify God in their life.

And you and I are to do so as well. Let me just one more thing remind you before we are moving forward here. In the previous verses of 1 Corinthians chapter 1, Paul emphasized that the Lord Jesus the Messiah is the one that died. That's why he is emphasizing once and again the cross. It was the Lord Jesus the Messiah who died on the tree, on the cross. And that's why he said in verse 18, "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish to the unregenerated one." It is foolishness. It is foolishness. It's not foolish preaching, but it is the preaching of the cross, meaning of the death, burial, and resurrection of the Messiah.

Of course, the preaching of the cross is not foolish. It is wise. But, beloved brothers and sisters, to the unregenerated one, it is considered to be foolishness. But unto us which are saved, it is, beloved brothers and sisters, it is the power of God unto salvation." The Apostle Paul said a little bit later in verse 20, "Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after in that wisdom of God that the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God that by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." In other words, by the simple preaching of a message or concerning the work of His beloved Son, the Messiah, on the tree, who died, was buried, and rose again for our justification, God is the one that provided a great salvation to those that will simply believe in the Lord Jesus, the Messiah.

The Jewish people, our own people, they required a sign to remind you that in the Gospel of Matthew, when Yeshua was still here, before His death, burial, and resurrection, our own people, the Jewish people, asked Him, "Show us a sign." And you remember what Yeshua said to them? He said to them, "I will not show you any more signs except the sign of Yonah Hanavi," Jonah the prophet. "As Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the fish, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." In other words, the Son of Man, this is a messianic title, the Messiah, Yeshua, Jesus, He died, He was in the tomb, in the grave for three days and three nights, and He rose again on the third day.

Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. So for the Jewish people, it is a stumbling block. The Jewish people seek for a sign. And when our own people who wanted a sign, some sort of a miraculous thing, they did not have that because they wanted deliverance from the oppression of their Romans. But, beloved brothers and sisters, the Hebrew scripture declared that the Messiah first will come to die for the sin of Israel and the sin of this world. And then He will come again the second time and to restore Israel back to Himself and establish the kingdom, the promised kingdom, the messianic kingdom. But at His first coming, He came to die.

So for our Jewish people who require a sign, Jesus the Messiah's death, burial, and resurrection became a stumbling block. As the prophets of Israel have said both in Isaiah and in the book of Psalms, that the stone which the builders reject became a chief corner stone, beloved brothers and sisters. And this is very important to bear in mind that our Jewish people, for them the gospel, the cross became a stumbling block. We read in Isaiah 8, And he shall be for a sanctuary, but for a stone of stumbling, and for a rock of offense, to both of the houses of Israel, for a gin and for a snare to the inhabitants of Jerusalem.

And many among them shall stumble, and fall, and be broken, and be snared, and be taken. Amazing! This is Isaiah in chapter 8, verses 14 and 15. Beloved brothers and sisters, to show us that the Lord Jesus the Messiah became a stumbling block to the people of Israel, to the Jews. But on the other hand, the Gentiles, the Greeks, they, as it says here in 1 Corinthians chapter 1, that they required the Greek seek for wisdom. The Greek wanted some sort of a human wisdom, man's wisdom. And the Greeks are the ones that thought that they had this human intelligence, that they wanted some sort of a human ability, human wisdom that come from man.

And what is it when a person will die, will be buried and rise again, the death of Christ for them became foolish. And that's why we read that they desire for wisdom. But we preached the Messiah, crucified unto the Jews, the stumbling block, not as dead, and unto the Greek, it is foolishness. The Greek, the Gentile world, for them, the death and burial and resurrection of the Messiah was really foolishness. And therefore, many have rejected Christ, the Messiah, but on the other hand, many have come to know him. And so, the Corinthians who came to know him, and yet have been now divided among themselves, not enjoying their position in the Messiah, in Christ.

So, Paul, in these last six verses, reminding them that the Corinthians, they came from a people that didn't have that amazing relationship which they have now. That's why in verse 26, the Apostle Paul is saying to them, "For you see your calling, brethren." Notice he's calling them brethren. "How that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many nobles are called." Notice Paul is saying to the brothers and sisters that they came from being pagans. They were from among the nations. They didn't have the true and living God. Even themselves, not all of them were wise or mighty or noble. They have come perhaps from the ordinary society of the city of Corinth.

And not many of them were people who were brilliant, wise, or people who were mighty, that is powerful, or rulers, or people who were nobles, or people who were from a royal line or something like that, because they were simply a people that were initially idol worshipers, they heard the message of the Gospel, the Spirit of God touched their heart, and they have accepted the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, as their Lord and Savior. So, beloved brothers and sisters, the apostle in verse 26, he is reminding them, God is not impressed with any outward position. God is not impressed with how we look. God is not impressed with our position.

God is not impressed with our achievement. God is not impressed with our people. God is not impressed with our wealth or health. That is not what brings someone to the knowledge of the Lord Jesus. That does not bring someone to salvation because of his appearance, or his position, or his achievement, or even his heritage, or whether he is rich or poor. No. What brought one to God is simply acknowledging whoever the Corinthian were. What brought them into this amazing relationship with the living God is simply when they have come to acknowledge that they are sinners, whatever status they had in the world, whatever position they had, wherever they came from, they have to come to acknowledge.

And that is what they did initially. That is how they became set apart. They became brethren. They became part of the local assembly at Corinth. Because each one of them individually came to know the Lord Jesus as his or her Lord and Savior. But when they have come in and they became part of the local assembly, as we have already mentioned, that they had contention among them. Each one of them said, "I am of Paul. I am of Apollos. I am of Cephas. I am of Christ." He asked him, "Is the Messiah, is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?" You see, beloved brothers and sisters, it is so interesting with us is that initially when we come to know the Lord, we acknowledge that we are sinners and we don't deserve anything.

And yet, once we are saved and become a redeemed people in our day-by-day living, it is not easy for us to put down the flesh and to humble ourselves before the Lord and to let him lead and deal with other believers in a way that is pleasing to him. And that is why there were all these problems at that city of Corinth in that local assembly. This letter is filled with problems after problems after problems and we have already listed them up, beloved brothers and sisters, in this whole book of Corinthians. They had divisions among themselves. They had immorality among themselves. They have problems with their marriage relationship.

They had problems with liberties that one can have as part of the assembly. They had problems with the Lord's table, the remembrance of the Lord. They also misused. They had problems with their spiritual gifts, how they abused the spiritual gifts. They had problems regarding the resurrection of the Messiah and the truth of the resurrection. And they had problems regarding support and giving for the Lord's work. In fact, this whole book is filled with correcting errors, correcting problems in the local assembly at Corinth. But Shaul Paul, first of all, is emphasizing the importance for them to bear in mind that they are called to be set apart for God.

They are called into the fellowship of all believers with the Lord Jesus, the Messiah. And they are called to give glory to God in their lives and not to have self-occupation and glory for themselves. And so you notice that Paul here in verse 26 of 1 Corinthians chapter 1, he is saying, and notice how beautiful. He said, "Not many wise, not many mighty, and not many nobles are called." In other words, he did not say, "Not any wise, not any mighty, and not any noble." Why? Because there were those who were wise, and mighty, and noble, who were called by God. And who responded to the call of God.

And it turned to the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, to be their Lord and Savior. And therefore, beloved brothers and sisters, thank God that Shaul Paul did not say not any, but he said not many. That means that because the world is so occupied with power, with human wisdom, with nobility, human achievement, which does not impress God, that's why many reject the simplicity of the gospel. Because when someone comes to know the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, he or she are placed upon the same ground. Because all of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God. And all of us come into this relationship on the basis of the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord, and not on the basis of our looks, our position, our achievements, our heritage, or our wealth.

And that is usually not acceptable to this sinful human nature of us. But God worked it out in the life of many. And so once Paul said this to them, reminded them that they were chosen, they were called simply because it is the grace of God. And it's not because of anything that they have done. He is continuing to belabor this in the next verses. But just to remind you, in relationship to the people of Israel, God also said to Israel that they to remember that they are to say a Syrian ready to perish was my father. Abraham was an idol worshiper. They worship idols on the other side of Jordan, Abraham and his family.

And God had chosen Abraham. And he brought him into himself. And he promised him to make a great nation out of him called the nation of Israel. And even after Israel came out of the Egyptian bondage, God reminded the people of Israel in Deuteronomy chapter 7 when he is saying to them, For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God. The Lord thy God has chosen thee to be a special people unto himself above all people that are upon the face of this earth. The Lord did not set his love upon you nor choose you because you were more in number. He says, For ye were the fewest of all people.

You are not more in number than any people, but because the Lord loved you. And he would keep his oath, his promise, which he had sworn unto your fathers. And the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you out of the house of bondage and from the hand of Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. And so, beloved brothers and sisters, in Deuteronomy chapter 7, verses 6, 7, and 8, God reminded Israel that they were called not because they were better than other nations, not because of their looks or ability, but it was the grace of God. And the Corinthians as well. They were redeemed. They were called not because of anything which they have done, but they were called because God is the one that called them.

And therefore he's saying, For ye see your calling. In Hebrew the word is kriah, calling. Your calling, it is a kriah, a kletos. You were called, you were invited, you were divinely selected, you are called by God. And not many are wise, not many are mighty, not many are noble which are called. But they were wise, mighty and nobles who are called, but also from any group of people in the world. God called the people to himself, redeeming them through faith in the person of the Lord, Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. Now, in verses 27, 28 and verse 29, the Apostle Paul continued to remind the Corinthians why they were called.

You see, beloved brothers and sisters, why did God call the people for himself? God called the people for himself that they will give him glory, that they will honor him, and that they will receive forgiveness of sins. And you see, God wanted to redeem people who become humble, recognizing that they are hopeless and helpless, and that they needed a Savior. And so in these verses 27, 28 and 29, Paul is once again pointing to the fact that the Corinthians were those that have come to a point that they acknowledged that they needed God. And therefore, God does not look for any human merit. He simply wants the simple individuals in the world to come to know him as their Lord and Savior.

So notice verse 27 and verse 28a, God chose him, notice that, he chose the foolish, the weak, the base, and the despised of this world. Notice what we read in verse 27a, but God has chosen. Again, beloved brothers and sisters, I'm emphasizing the word called or chosen. So that suggests that God is the people who will belong to him while we have human responsibility to respond, but we learn of the sovereignty of God. Here we learn of the truth that God is choosing. God has elected the people for himself. Sometimes it is hard for us to find the true balance between the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man.

Yet the Bible does teach this to us very clearly. God has chosen us in Christ before the foundation of the world. But at the same time, God is calling people to be responsible to accept the gospel, to confess their sins and turn to the Savior. Somehow, there is that balance to find out as we study the word of God, of God's sovereignty and man's responsibility. And so we learn here in verse 27. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. And God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty. And verse 28a. And verse 28a.

And the base things of the world and things which are despised has God chosen. Now, notice this. Notice again, beloved brothers and sisters, that God has chosen the foolish, the weak, and as it says here in our passage, the base or the low-born. And the despised one. Why is it? Because the world and its system, when the world look at the simple individuals in this world, where the people who are reckoned to be foolish, maybe not bright, not the wisest one. You remember, the Greeks seek for wisdom. They look at the people and they are impressed with someone who has human wisdom. Human wisdom. And that's why, beloved brothers and sisters, it is important to realize that God is not impressed with human wisdom.

God is impressed with the people that would come to acknowledge that they are simply dependent upon him. Human wisdom. Human wisdom. This is what we would call philosophy. Philosophy. Philosophy in the Greek. And as well in the Hebrew. What is philosophy? It's love of wisdom. Human wisdom. The zeal to have human skill and knowledge and science and all that which man is seeking to develop in himself. Now, it's not that there is anything wrong with wisdom and human wisdom in itself. Of course not. Of course not. God has given us a brilliant mind. He has given us the ability to be wise, to be smart, to be brilliant.

It is amazing that men have developed so much here in this world, such as to even fly to the moon. There is brilliancy in men, computers and science and all that which man has, which God had allowed men to enjoy and to have here in this world. But, beloved brothers and sisters, philosophy, human wisdom, does not replace the need of simply turning by faith to the Lord, confessing our sins. That's why, beloved brothers and sisters, where we read in verse 27 and the first part of verse 28, that God has chosen the foolish things. The foolish things of this world. For the brilliant men, they look at this as if it is unimportant.

And that's why God wanted to confound wisdom of men by choosing the foolish things. The foolish things of this world. In other words, things that are more simple. Things that are not as bright. The people that are not great philosophy knowledge. And so, God has chosen the foolish things of the world. Why? To confound the wise. To show that the wise person in himself is really foolish when he or she is turning away from the Lord. And yet, the foolish person who does not have as much wisdom, he or she, when they come to know the Lord, they are recognized as wise. Because the wise men fear God.

The wise men fear God. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, beloved brothers and sisters. So, God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. Secondly, God has chosen the weak things of this world to confound the things which are mighty. Well, for the world, for the unregenerated world, weakness, when people are not powerful and seeking to gain power for themselves, position here in this world. And to be, you might say, in a high position, have power to enforce things upon others. They reckon that achievement. But you see, God has chosen those who are perhaps unable and unwilling to get that power by force in the strength of the flesh.

They are humble before the Lord. They are humble before the Lord. And God has chosen these weak ones. Why? In order that he would confound the things which are mighty. And so, beloved brothers and sisters, that is the lesson that we learned here. Let's continue in verse 28, in the first part, that God has chosen the base or the coward or the ones that are low-born. They are not born into some sort of nobility. They are simple people. They are part of the nation. They are regular workers, regular individuals, regular family. They are the low-born. God has chosen the base or the low-born of the world, notice, and the things which are despised.

You know, when I read this verse, the things or the people which are despised, doesn't that remind us, beloved brothers and sisters, of our Lord Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah, who came to this world? You remember, when Yeshua, the Messiah, was born here into this world, beloved brothers and sisters, he did not come in his power and authority to rule the world first. He didn't come as a king, even though he was born a king. The Lord Jesus, the Lord Yeshua, he was really, he came as a man of sorrows. Notice we read here in Isaiah 53, verse 1, Who has believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?

For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant and as a root out of a dry ground. He has no form, no comeliness. And when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. Then Isaiah continued to speak about the Messiah, Yeshua, and he said, He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from him. He was despised and we esteemed him not. Well, you notice that when the Lord Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah came at his first coming. Here we read concerning our own people, Israel, that the people of Israel did not esteem him.

Why? Because he was despised. He came in humility. And therefore, you notice, beloved brothers and sisters, God is redeeming. Notice that he has chosen what for the world is foolish, what for the world is weak, what for the world is base, low bone, what for the world is despised. And he has chosen the foolish, the weak, the base, and the despised one, and the things which are not or considered not valuable. Why? Here we see, beloved brothers and sisters, in verse 28b, God is the one that brought to note the things which are. Notice that he says in verse 28, at the end, to bring to note the things that are.

In other words, to bring to render idle or to render unimportant the things that are, beloved brothers and sisters. In other words, when the world look upon the wise, the mighty, and the noble, and they are very much impressed with these people who have achieved this position. And these individuals are the ones that are empowering themselves and ruling over the world and rejecting God and God's way. God is showing that these human marriage, human power, human ability is not that which he is looking for. He is looking for those that are having an attitude of humility before him. And therefore, no looks and no position and no achievement and no heritage and no wealth is impressing God.

What impresses God is that which is characterized humility and brokenness before him. This is what God is desired and therefore he has chosen the foolish, the weak, the base, and the despised one in order to bring to nothing, to note the things which are. Beloved brothers and sisters, I trust that we all realize this because it only shows us the wisdom of God, beloved brothers and sisters. So, to bring to nothing the things that are, to consider them unimportant, that which was important for the world, it is not important for God. To nullify the things that are, to bring them to nothing, the things that are and that are considered to be valuable for the world here, that rejecting God and rejecting the Lord, Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah.

Now, notice what we read in verse 29 as we are drawing towards the end of this beautiful, interesting chapter. In verse 29, God did all this, why? That no flesh should glory in his presence. Notice verse 29, all this we read, that no flesh should glory in his presence. You see, why? God wishes and demands that no flesh should glow in his presence, why? Because in the flesh there is no good thing. The flesh, the sin nature that we all have is sinful. Is sinful. And because of our sin nature, we have an inclination to pride ourselves, to assume that we are better than someone else, to be so proud and arrogant, that we ultimately bring judgment upon oneself.

You remember what God said to our people Israel through the prophet Jeremiah in chapter 9? We read in verse 23 and 24, thus says the Lord, "Let not the wise men glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty men glory in his might. Let not the rich men glory in his riches. But let him that glory, glory in this, that he understand and knows me, God is saying, that I am the Lord, which exercise loving kindness, chesed, and judgment, mishpat, and righteousness, tzedakah, tzedek, in the earth. For in these things I delight, saith the Lord." You see, beloved brothers and sisters, the flesh, the human nature is so sinful that instead of being broken before the Lord and confessing one's sins, there is a natural inclination is to glory in our wisdom, to glory in our might and power, and to glory in our wealth.

And all along, beloved brothers and sisters, God throughout history warned his people Israel. He says, "Let not the wise men glory in his wisdom. Let not the mighty men glory in his might. Let not the rich men glory in his riches." You see, when Shaul Paul was writing to the Corinthians, where do you think he came with what he is saying here? By divine inspiration. "See your calling, brethren." 1 Corinthians 1, "That not many are wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. And God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.

The base things of the world, the things which are despised has God chosen, yeah. And things that are not." Why? In order to bring to nothing be reckoned to nullify the things that are. To bring to not. To bring to nothing the things that are. Why? Because he doesn't want anyone to glory in his own flesh. That no flesh should glory in his presence. You see, beloved brothers and sisters. One day, every person will have to stand before God. Both believers and unbelievers. The unbelievers who rejected the Messiah will have to stand before God. And because their sins were not forgiven. Because they rejected the Lord Jesus, Yeshua the Messiah.

They will have to be cast into the lake of fire. And why? Not because God is willing that any should perish, no. But they rejected the offer of salvation. And because of this, they will have to be. Cast into the lake of fire. Because their sins have been paid for. And God cannot allow a sinner to enter into his presence. That's why it is so important to believe on the Lord Yeshua the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Now, today, if you hear his voice, harden not your heart. For the unbelievers, it will be terrible. But for the believers. Because we are forgiven. Because we have accepted the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah.

Our sins have been paid for by the person of the anointed one. The Mashiach, the Messiah, who died for our sins. But we will also stand before the judgment seat of the Messiah, not in relationship to the salvation, but in relationship to a reward that God would want to give to those who live godly in this world. And therefore, when we will stand before the Lord and the judgment seat of Christ, to be judged according to the works that we have done in our lives as believers, God desires and God will remove anything that we have done that was in the flesh. That from the sinful nature, in pride, in arrogance, in self-will.

And therefore, all our human wisdom, our human mind, and our human position will have no value in the presence of God. Only that which was done for Christ, for the Messiah, will last. So, God will bring to naught the things that are. God will nullify the things that are which the unregenerated world is valuing. Before God, it is nothing. It is without any value. So, may the Lord open our hearts and turn our hearts towards Him so we will be pleasing to Him those of us that have come to know the Lord Jesus the Messiah. Now, notice the last two verses of 1 Corinthians chapter 1. The third point here that Apostle Paul is reminding the Corinthians what they have in Christ, in the Messiah, in the Lord Jesus.

You know what we have in Him? You see, in verse 30, in fact, of Him, notice that? Of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, in the anointed Yeshua, in the Messiah Yeshua, who of God, notice this, of Him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom. So, beloved brothers and sisters, every one of us who is a born-again believer, it is the work of God through the person of the Lord Jesus the Messiah, who brought us to have that relationship. You notice John 1, verse 12. But as many as received Him, this is the Lord Jesus, to them gave He authority to become sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.

John 1, verse 12. In other words, Paul is saying, of God, of Him, we are, ye are in Christ Jesus. God is the one that it is from Him that we became children of God. We became in Christ, in the Messiah, new creation. And He continued in verse 30. Who of God, once again, the Messiah now, Jesus Himself, is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption, that according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. This is such a beautiful verse. This verse 30 is a beautiful verse. That God presenting here these two aspects. It is only of God. Everything is of God.

First of all, verse 30a, of God, the Corinthians became in Christ Jesus, in Messiah Yeshua. In other words, they became born again, in Christ Jesus. You remember what we read in 2 Corinthians 5, in verse 17. Therefore, if any man be in Christ, in Messiah, he is a new creation. Old things have passed away. Behold, all things are become new. So, this is the one side, we might say, of God, the Corinthians became born again, new creation, in Christ. But then the other side of it, of God, is made He, this is the Lord Jesus, who, of God, He is now made unto us wisdom. In Hebrew, we call it the word chokhmah, wisdom.

This is very amazing. In other words, God, because of His own desire and His own plan, in His desire to bring people who are sinners to Himself, the wisdom of God and the plan of God provided a way. In other words, God, in His wisdom, in His plan, He made it possible that a sinner who deserved to be punished can receive, beloved brothers and sisters, received righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. This is the wisdom of God. This is the wisdom of God. That's why when we read in verse 30, Christ Jesus, who, of God, the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, who, of God, is made unto us wisdom, and that wisdom is even, instead of saying end, but it's better to say, even righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.

In other words, in other words, in the wisdom of God, by providing the person of His Son to die, to be buried, and to rise again, paying for the sin of this world, God, through Christ, through the Messiah, in His wise way, provided for us a way whereby we can become righteous, positionally. We can be sanctified, and practically, and practically, and we can be redeemed, purchased back, bought back. It is all because of God. It is all because of the wisdom of God. Now, notice that. It is so beautiful, beloved brothers and sisters. That expression, who of God, Christ Jesus, who of God, is made unto us wisdom.

Wisdom. That expression, wisdom, is important to understand. That means that God now, a holy God, can now accept a sinner who simply believed on the person of His Son, and the work that He has done. It is really a mystery that God found a way. We read in Colossians chapter 2, and there we read in verse 3, "In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." In Christ hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. It is a mystery, beloved brothers and sisters, that God, the Son, have entered into the world through the Virgin Miriam, and becoming a man. It never happened before. It will never happen again.

It only happened once in history. When a Messiah was born to the Virgin Miriam, in the city of Bethlehem, as the seed of the woman, and the seed of Abraham, the seed of Judah, the seed of David, the Messiah of Israel, and the Savior of this world. It happened once. That He was born into this world, sin apart. It will never happen again. In other words, God, in His divine wisdom, found a way to provide salvation for sinners. So whoever believed in this God-man, in His humanity, died on the tree and was buried and rose again for our sins, for man's sins, not for his own sins.

God found a way. And so now, beloved brothers and sisters, this wisdom personified, as we read it in Proverbs chapter 8, the wisdom who is a person. The Messiah himself, through him, now the believer is able to receive, notice the threefold provision. Righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Notice what we read in Romans chapter 3 and verse 21, we read, But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets, even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, unto all and upon all them that believe. For there is no difference. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

This is the righteousness that God provided in His wisdom for anyone who will believe on Him. But not only this, beloved brothers and sisters, God also provided, as we read here, sanctification, to set a people apart for Himself. For Himself. You remember what we read already in verse 2 of 1 Corinthians chapter 1, here in this chapter. And to the assembly of God, the church of God, which is a coin. To them that are sanctified. Notice that. This is set apart. In Christ Jesus called saints with all that in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, our Lord, both theirs and ours. You see, because of the wisdom of God, the believers have been, beloved brothers and sisters, number one, the believers in the Lord Jesus receive justification, righteousness.

God declare us righteous. Secondly, God have sanctified the believers, set us apart, set the believer apart for Himself. And thirdly, redemption. He redeemed the people for Himself. Romans chapter 3 tells us this in verse 24. We read, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. Oh, beloved brothers and sisters and dear friends, how wonderful it is to learn these truths that are found here in 1 Corinthians chapter 1. These final verses in chapter 1, but of Him. This is of Jesus Christ, of Yeshua the Messiah. He said, ye are of Him. And also, Jesus Christ, God made Him to be wisdom for us, unto us.

He made unto us wisdom, even righteousness and sanctification and redemption. So why all these? So the believer will be righteous, sanctified, redeemed, belonging to God. And therefore, not to be glowing in himself, but to glory in the Lord. Notice the last verse that according as it is written, Jeremiah chapter 9. Let him, O he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. And so, beloved brothers and sisters, we cannot neglect to remember that we are called in order to glorify God. The Corinthians were called in order to give glory to God. And therefore, the apostle, as he is writing this letter to the Corinthians, emphasizes this, as he is moving along now in the next chapter, to deal with problem after problem after problem in the local assembly at Corinth, which is evident sadly in many, many local assemblies throughout church history.

But nevertheless, the believer in the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, become for us wisdom from God. Even righteousness, sanctification and redemption in order that as it is written, he that glory, let him glory in the Lord. Well, God bless you, dear brothers and sisters, as we move along one chapter and one verse at a time in the study of the book of 1 Corinthians. God bless you. And until the next time, we say Shalom, Shalom.