May it please God to bless us
together this morning as we meditate in his word. Let us turn to the
first epistle of Paul to the Corinthians and the second chapter
and reading verses one and two. The first epistle of Paul to
the Corinthians, chapter two, and reading verse one and two. And I, brethren, when I came
to you, came not with excellency of speech, or a wisdom declaring
unto you the testimony of God for I determined not to know
anything among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. It is a blessing when this second
verse is true in each of our lives. that it is our great concern
to know the Lord Jesus Christ and indeed and Him crucified
there are so many things in this world in this material world
in which we live today which occupy much of our thoughts much
of our time and much of our energy and yet we need to constantly
be reminded that all these things that you and I find ourselves
involved with will very soon pass away will very soon vanish
and they will be of no value and yet all of us here have an
eternal soul which will never die and so how important it is
that we are more concerned about a personal knowledge of the Lord
Jesus Christ than a knowledge really of anything else well
especially young people in this day and age who study nothing
wrong in studying you need to study that you might attain some
kind of qualification which will enable you to have a job but
you see these things should not predominate our lives because
we have such a testimony of the life of the Apostle Paul who
was a very clever man he was very well educated he was brought
up at the feet of Gamaliel he knew all the Old Testament law
and all the Old Testament ceremonies exceedingly well he was very
very learned in all those things but you see that didn't detain
him. It didn't stop him from being
concerned more importantly about the knowledge of the Lord Jesus
Christ. And he tells us in these words
that we really read together how concerned he was that in
preaching the gospel it might be simply put, not complicated,
and not with words of wisdom of this life, but with simplicity,
declaring the truth for the eternal good of souls. And he tells us
in this first verse, My brethren, when I came to you, came not
with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you
the testimony of God. Now he could have used his wisdom,
he could have demonstrated how wonderfully knowledgeable he
was but he didn't he only wanted to declare the testimony of God
the truth of God and therefore he comes and gives this wonderful
statement and it's good to recognize it and to consider it his determination
it's a powerful word isn't it determined sometimes we understand
what that means we may be determined to do something it may not always
be a good thing we're determined to do but we might understand
what it means to be determined I wonder this morning if you
and I could stand alongside the Apostle Paul and ably declare
that we also determine not to know anything save Jesus Christ
and Him crucified well it's a good thing if you and I can analyze
our hearts and minds and come to a good conclusion that this
is true with us and if it's not to have a desire that it might
be so that it might be true because this is the vital the all-important
thing in our lives we're born into this world and as soon as
we've taken our first breath we are a living soul and we pass
rapidly through time into that eternal state and in that eternal
state there will be no going back there will be no retracing
our steps we shall be in that set situation which is determined
for us for all eternity so it's not anything that you and I should
consider of little importance or or just a trifle, it is a
very, very vital and great and important consideration. And
so this is a wonderful word, a wonderful desire that Paul
had when he said, for I determined not to know anything among you
save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I want to just concentrate for
a few minutes on the Apostles' situation himself because we
started our reading in the 17th verse in the first chapter and
he tells us that he came to preach the gospel not with wisdom in
words and he gives us a reason for that lest the cross of Christ
should be made of none effect he didn't want to use fancy words
he didn't want to use words which might influence the people in
their grandeur and in their effect no he wanted it to be the power
of God and therefore he goes on to say for the preaching of
the cross is to them that perish foolishness but unto us which
are saved it is the power of God and therefore as you and
I consider the cross and that means when we consider the crucifixion
of the Lord Jesus Christ that means when we consider the life
of the Lord Jesus is it foolishness? or is it the power of God? it's one or the other the Gospel
is very straightforward it's not involved and you know, you
won't be able to sit on the fence you'll have to come on one side
or the other as to whether things of Christ are foolishness that
means you count them of little value you don't really think
of any real concern or that they are to you the power of God now
they will be to you the power of God if this is true which
the word tells us who are saved that means if we are saved from
eternal hell it means we are saved from ourselves that means
we are saved from the wrath to come that means we have a personal
knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour which are saved
and if we are it's the power of God it's the blessed power
of God into our hearts which has opened spiritual understanding
to show to us where we are a lost and ruined sinner that needs
to be saved to save from ourselves and save from the wrath to come
and we need that and the effect has been to drive us to the Lord
Jesus Christ to cause us to pray to him that he will have mercy
upon us and to recognise it is the power of God within our hearts
which has influenced us in this way it's not something that you
and I have worked ourselves up into a frenzy worked ourselves
up into some kind of mere attitude of formality but it's the reality
of the blessed work of the Holy Spirit and as the Apostle tells
us It's written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and bring
to nothing the understanding of the prudent. We cannot learn
these things just by our own acumen, by our own understanding,
by our own wisdom. The Jesus Christ and him crucified
as it's made real to our very souls is through the power of
the Holy Spirit of God. And we know that power belongeth
unto God. We have a great God. We have
a great God who hasn't changed. The God who created all things.
The God who created the heavens and the earth. The God who created
man. He hasn't changed. He's the same
great, almighty, powerful God. And how very wonderful to think
that this almighty God therefore looks down upon individuals such
as you and me and gives us that spiritual understanding of how
we stand before a holy God as a lost and ruined sinner with
nothing to commend ourselves and in that situation it's a
great blessing then if we are driven to the cross of Christ
to the Lord Jesus Christ to view Him as the only way of salvation
and so the Apostle goes on and tells us just worth going through
these few verses because it describes the truth 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 well
how evident it is today that most people consider preaching
to be foolishness it must be so otherwise the churches would
be full wouldn't they but because they recognise that this preaching
is foolishness it's not worth anything it's not worth coming
to listen it has no benefit and it's not anything that I should
take any notice of furthest of preaching to save them that believe
and he illustrates a difference between Jews and Greeks and that
really describes really you might say the whole world Jews and
Greeks and he's for the Jews require a sign and the Greeks
seek after wisdom you see the Jews wanted something physical
that they could grasp hold of and perhaps you and I today might
want something that we can really get hold of as you might say
with our hands the Bible tells us very clearly we walk by faith
and not by sight and faith is the gift of God and faith is
not that which is seen is that which is unseen but God gives
us faith to believe the great truth of God and therefore it's
not physical signs it's that which the Holy Spirit reveals
to us and then the Greeks they wanted to be able to understand
these things naturally with natural wisdom well it's good when the
Lord does enable us to understand things spiritually but we need
to know these things in our very hearts by the power of God and
so then the Apostle says but we preach Christ crucified unto
the Jews a stumbling block and unto the Greeks foolishness.
Well this morning I just wonder whether the preaching of Christ
crucified is to us a stumbling block. We stumble over it, we
can't get hold of it, we can't really understand it or we're
like the Greeks and it's foolishness. And we think well that's not
true in any way it's not relevant. so many people today in the world
you don't have to look around, you don't have to listen to the
media and you realise that for the most part people think the
preaching of the cross is foolishness it's ridiculous to our natural
mind perhaps it is but bless God if the Holy Spirit has shown
to us the wonder and the blessing of Jesus Christ and Him crucified
that's what the Apostle wanted to preach nothing else that was
his great concern to preach Christ and Him crucified and he goes
on and says but unto them which are called that means called
by God that means God calls us by speaking into our heart Both
Jews and Greeks, Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of
God. Because the foolishness of God
is wiser than men, the weakness of God is stronger than men.
For you see, O according brethren, how there are not many wise men
after the flesh. It doesn't mean to say there
aren't any, because there are some. And we're thankful for
that. But there aren't many wise men
after the flesh. And there's not many mighty.
not many noble but there are some but not many 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 base things of the world and things
which are despised hath God chosen yea and things which are not
to bring to naught things which are and then there's this wonderful
statement that no flesh should glory in his presence you see
you and I won't be able to glory in our wonderful understanding
you happen to think well I understood all that and I'm a great person
and I have wonderful knowledge you won't be able to do that
you'll have to come and say it is because of the grace of God
it is because of the unmerited favour of God that He has come
to me and He has revealed Himself to me as that great and glorious
Saviour who has saved my soul this is the truth and this is
the reality of the Gospel this is the work of grace in the soul
of every believer we don't look to ourselves we look out of ourselves
to the great and glorious work of the Lord Jesus Christ. That's
why the Apostle says, for I determined not to know anything among you
save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. We only have to follow really
the life of the Apostle and the Acts of the Apostle you can read
how he travelled from A to B and B to C and he travelled ceaselessly
really and he endured so much opposition but Christ and him
crucified was very precious to the Apostle Paul and he wanted
everybody to know about it he wasn't lukewarm in his attitude
he didn't sit at home in his armchair he went out into the
highways and the hedges he went into the marketplaces to preach
the unsearchable riches of Christ and that's why he writes a word
like this for I determined not to know anything among you save
Jesus Christ and Him crucified well it's a blessing today if
the Holy Spirit gives us the same earnest desire and to demonstrate
to us the necessity of being found amongst those who do know
Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Well, the Apostle just travels
on and says, I was with you in weakness and we're told he wasn't
a great big strong man we're told his physical being wasn't
worth very much but it was the words that he spoke and he says
I'll go with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling
really Paul? you're a man like that? fearful
and trembling? that's what he was and it's good
isn't it that he tells us and my speech and my preaching was
not with enticing words of man's wisdom but in demonstration of
the Spirit and of power that your faith should not stand in
the wisdom of men but in the power of God well that's a wonderful
and glorious statement isn't it? and that shows to us whether
we do possess the true life of God in our souls when it's not
been because of some wonderful sermon which has been preached
with glorious phrases and words and lots of illustrations which
are so attractive to the flesh but it's been in the power of
God the simple gospel the simple gospel I determine not to know
anything among you save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. And
what is the simple gospel? The Lord Jesus Christ came to
seek and to save that which was lost. That's the simplicity of
the gospel. The Lord Jesus lived His life
on this earth, not in a blaze of glory naturally, didn't live
in a wonderful palace, didn't have amazing clothes to wear,
Didn't have wonderful horses or carriages to ride upon. The
complete opposite. What was he? Despised and rejected
of men. A man of sorrows and acquainted
with grief. That is the true description
of the Lord Jesus Christ. You see, therefore, there is
nothing naturally that would be attractive to Jesus if he
was to walk down the street you wouldn't rush out and say what
a wonderful good-looking man and what a wonderful attire he's
got and everything else you probably wouldn't look at him twice you
see because the gospel is in power it's not through fleshly
wisdom it's not through fleshly knowledge it's through that which
the Holy Spirit reveals to the Church of God their great need
of a Saviour and the only Saviour that ever has been that ever
will be is the Lord Jesus Christ and that's why we have the Bible
that's why we are blessed with the Bible because it describes
to us in simple terms the great and glorious way of salvation
and that's why the Apostle Paul is concerned that the only thing
he wanted to know among people is Jesus Christ and Him crucified
we must therefore really conclude that any preaching that fails
this test is of no real value maybe very fancy, maybe very
attracted to the mind but the truth is, does it touch our heart? that is really the effect, isn't
it? does it touch our heart? it's
so important to be blessed with this wonderful evidence of the
work of the Holy Spirit in our heart and we have the account
in the Word of God which is very Wonderful really and that's about
a little account by a man called Philip and another man who was
an Ethiopian. The chap who came from Ethiopia. It's a very simple account but
it demonstrates really the power of God and it demonstrates the
grace of God. And we're told that Philip was
told to go toward the south unto the way that goes down from Jerusalem
unto Geza which is desert. Well that wasn't a very attractive
proposition was it? To go to a place of desert. Well we don't hear or read a
Philip saying I don't think I want to go there isn't there some
nicer place I can go to? Well The word was, Arise and
go toward the south unto the way which goeth down from Jerusalem
unto Gaza which is desert. What happened? And he arose and
went straight away. And he were told, Behold, a man of
Ethiopia, a eunuch of great authority under Candace, queen of the Ethiopians,
who had the charge over all her treasure, and come to Jerusalem
to worship, was returning. He'd been to Jerusalem, he was
returning, and what was he doing? Was he wasting his time? Was
he looking all around him to see what wonderful scenery it
was? No, we're told very simply. He was reading the book of Isaiah. That's what he was doing. He
was reading the book of Isaiah. Remember, of course, There was
no New Testament in those days. It was the Old Testament. And
here he was reading the book of Isaiah. That's a good book
to read, wasn't it? It's a good book for us to read.
And sometimes it's described very aptly as the Gospel of Isaiah
because it does set before us in Old Testament terms so very
often the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ and indeed Him crucified. What a wonderful thing it is
if you and I find Christ in the Old Testament he's there and
it's good to find him and so here was this man reading Isaiah
and the Spirit said to Philip go near and join thyself to this
chariot he was a complete stranger didn't know anything about him
but he went and did as the Spirit directed him and he was asked
Phillip said, first of all, understandest thou what thou readest? You see,
he was no doubt reading it out loud. And Philip went alongside
and he heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. And they asked
him, do you understand what you're reading? You know, that's a good
thing, isn't it? Sometimes you might see people
reading and you might ask them, do you understand what you're
reading? Do you understand what you're reading? They might be
very glad to have had a question like that put to them. And he said, how can I except
some man should guide me? And he desired Philip. He would
come up and sit with him. And the place of the scripture
which he read was, he was led as a sheep to the slaughter.
And like a lamb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth. In his humiliation, his judgment
was taken away. And who shall declare his generation?
For his life is taken from the earth.' And the eunuch answered
Philip and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet
this? Of himself or of some other man? It's good to be honest. and not to pretend we understand
something when we don't you know that's such a poor place to be
in and sometimes you may be embarrassed because you don't know well don't
worry about that if you don't know just confess you don't know
and ask just like this eunuch did here, this Ethiopian he didn't
understand but he asked and what did Philip do? well Philip obviously
was well-versed in the Isaiah and what it meant and what glorious
prophecy it said and so we're told Philip opened his mouth
and began at the same scripture and preached unto him Jesus no
messing around was there? no beating about the bush came
right to the point and preached unto him Jesus well of course
it was a a beautiful chapter, the 53rd of Isaiah, to preach
Jesus. But nonetheless, Philip did it.
And you may say, well, what did he say to the eunuch when he
preached Jesus? And he preached clearly what
Jesus had done. He preached Jesus, what his example
had been. Because as they journeyed on,
the eunuch said, here is water. What does Hinden mean to be baptized?
Clearly, Philip had spoken to him about being baptised and
as a true follower of the Lord Jesus Christ that was the right
and ordained way and Philip asked him a question he didn't say
I want to be baptised full stop Philip asked him a question this
was the question if thou believest with all thine heart thou mayest
the truth is here he didn't say well Judas believed many people
believe in an earlier part in this chapter we read about Simon
the sorcerer who believed in his head didn't believe in his
heart there was no reality and that's the great difference and
that sets forth the power of God as we are speaking about
the power of God the power of God had come into the heart of
this eunuch because In answer to this question, if thou believest
with all thy heart thou mayest, what did he say? Clearly, I believe
that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Now the power of the
Holy Spirit had convinced him that the Lord Jesus Christ was
the Son of God and that he did believe in Him. So Philip commanded the chariot
to stand still and they went down both into the water both
Philip and the eunuch and he baptised him well we might just
say what happened then? it's good to just realise what
happened then and when they would come up out of the water again
a very clear position here of baptism by immersion he came
up out of the water And the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip.
The eunuch saw him no more. And what happened? He went on
his way rejoicing. Well, he'd been wonderfully blessed,
hadn't he? He'd been blessed with a spiritual
understanding of the truth contained in that 53rd chapter of Isaiah. He'd been taught about being
a true follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. He'd done that and been
baptized by Philip by immersion and the result was he went on
his way rejoicing. What had occurred? The power
of God had come upon him and what had Philip spoken to him? Jesus Christ and him crucified. You see the good effect it had
under the wonderful influence of the Holy Spirit and how today
All of us, every one of us, needs to be found walking in this way. That we might indeed rejoice
in what Jesus Christ has done in dying upon that cross at Calvary. You know, it was an amazing scene. It was an amazing occurrence
that the Son of God second person in the Trinity the Lord Jesus
Christ should so willingly submit himself to that crucifixion and
that death upon the cross in order to save his people from
their sins through the shed blood of the
Savior see nothing can stand before the application of the
shed blood of the Savior and what a mercy today if we realize
the truth of those words there is power in the blood it's a
lovely chorus which speaks of that power in the blood and so
there is without the shedding of blood
there is no remission of sin there's no forgiveness there
is power in the blood and that is set forth in this glorious
truth Jesus Christ and Him crucified it was the ordained way of Almighty
God to bring about salvation to sinners son of God made himself
of no reputation yes our reputation sometimes is important to us
I hope it's not very important but nonetheless the Lord Jesus
Christ made himself of no reputation no and he submitted himself to
the will of his father to satisfy the holy demands of of the Law
of God which the Church of God had failed to keep and through
that sin atoning death He kept the Law and He made it honourable
on our behalf we'd failed, we all failed the Saviour didn't
fail He didn't fail, He finished the work that His Father gave
Him to do and because of that glorious salvation which he wrought
out on Calvary's cross his people were justified they were made
just through his sin atoning death justified and you see as
we read and if we are justified we should also be glorified it
is therefore very necessary to understand the great doctrine
of justification by nature you and I are unjust through the
glorious sinatonic death of the Lord Jesus Christ we are justified,
we are just that's an amazing thought isn't it? to think that
you and I as unworthy sinners are just not in ourselves but
through what Christ has done we are justified and if we are
justified we are made righteous we are righteous not in ourselves
in ourselves we are unrighteous in ourselves we are clothed with
filthy garments but in Christ we are clothed with His spotless
robe of righteousness to cover our nakedness therefore we are
justified and we are made righteous it's a wonderful truth and it's
all through the work the Lord Jesus Christ no wonder the Apostle
was determined to preach this gospel I determined he says not to know
anything among you nothing else was of any real consequence because
what else there was will be left far behind save Jesus Christ
and him crucified. So what a blessing then this
morning, if by the grace of God, we believe in the finished work
of the Lord Jesus Christ, like that unit did all those years
ago. We still have the same need to receive that blessing and
the power of God to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. And so
the apostle tells us that our faith, God given faith, should
not stand in the wisdom of men but in the power of God all of
us need to be blessed then with this faith and what a wonderful
privilege it is if we are blessed with it and we understand therefore
what the Apostle spoke when he wrote to the Hebrews and when
he said now faith is a substance of things hoped for the gift
of eternal life the evidence things not seen for by the elders
obtained a good report and it goes on and you can read this
the introduction to the 11th chapter and he tells us for but
without faith it is impossible to please him for he that cometh
to God must believe that he is and he has a reward of them that
diligently seek Him well it's good words of instruction isn't
it to diligently seek and when the Holy Spirit works in our
hearts with power there will be that diligence in our spiritual
life diligence in our prayers it won't be just a mere form
of words it'll come from our heart we'll be concerned to know
the Lord Jesus has died upon the cross at Calvary to save
our soul personal religion reality not something which is just abstract
it is a wonderful blessing of the work of the Holy Spirit when
the Apostle Paul wrote to the Galatians he tells us this chapter
6 and verse 14 but God forbid 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 that means the world was of little value
to the Apostle because he had his sights fixed upon that inheritance
incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away. He was
looking forward to that great and glorious day when he would
indeed be with Christ, which is far better. You know, the
Apostle tells us in the first chapter to the Philippians, he
says, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. that's a
testing statement isn't it what a good thing for us today if
we can come alongside the Apostle Paul and declare yes I desire
to walk in this path so that I can say for me to live is Christ
and to die is gain because if we are indeed living like that
to die will be eternal gain it'll be an eternal blessing it'll
be a wonderful end to our pilgrimage on this earth and the true believer
is a pilgrim he's living in a foreign land he's a stranger he's living
in a foreign land this world is not our home it's not our
rest we're seeking that which is to come and also the apostle
when he wrote this Philippian epistle he spoke of this great
truth of knowing Christ and he says yea, doubtless sorry, 7th
verse of the 3rd chapter but what things were gained to me
those I counted loss for Christ that really puts Christ on one
side and the world on the other see what he says yea, doubtless
I count all things but loss for the excellency the excellency
of the knowledge Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the
loss of all things not just one or two little things the loss
of all things and do count them but done that I may win Christ
and be found in him not having mine own righteousness which
is of the law but that which is through the faith of Christ
righteousness which is of God by faith that I may know him
and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings
be made conformable unto his death well it's so clear isn't
it this determination that the Apostle had for I determined
not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ and him crucified. Well, for all of us this morning,
Jesus is the one thing needful. I without him perish must. It's a very true statement. It's
a very blessed statement. It's a very solemn statement. But may you and I this morning
go on our way rejoicing and like the eunuch and blessed with this
humble determination Like the Apostle Paul, for I determined
not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ and Him crucified. Amen.