1 Corinthians chapter 1, you're
looking at verse 26 through 29 this morning. And the title of
the message is, The Chosen Church Where Everybody
Is Nobody. The Chosen Church Where Everybody
Is Nobody. Scripture says for ye see your
calling brethren How that not many wise men after
the flesh not many mighty not many noble are called Why God
hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the
wise. He had chosen the weak things
of the world to confound the things that are mighty. He had
chosen the base things of the world, the things that are despised. Yea, hath God chosen, yea, the
things which are nothing to bring to naught the things
that are, or the things that are something. to use nothing
to bring to nothing those that are something. That's what it
means. Now, the subject of my message
this morning is surely the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
That this is the only means by which God has chosen to save
sinners, through the preaching of this gospel of Christ. And He has chosen it in a very
specific way so as not to use the wisdom of man, the might
of man, or the power of man to accomplish this work. But rather,
this is what God has chosen. God has chosen to use the nothings
of the world. The base things, the weak things,
the foolish things, to accomplish His will in preaching His gospel
and saving His people. That's it. God's chosen means
of using nobodies and nothings to accomplish His work. And this
is the reason, here it is, the sole reason why He did this.
So that no flesh should glory in His sight. so that all the
glory for all the work belongs only and always to God." Now,
that's a subject. I just put it in a nutshell so
if you don't get anything, you got it. Anything else, this is
it. This is my purpose, and I want
us to see this from the Word. Now, I have to recap. I have
to do this because this is a chain. Paul is using a chain of things
to prove And you remember that this church
was divided among themselves. They had exalted pastors. Some Apollos, some Paul, some
Cephas. They had chosen these men and
exalted them to be what? To be somebody. They said, now
that preacher, he's somebody. That's what they were divided
of. I don't think your preacher is anything, but my preacher,
let me tell you, He's somebody. And then the other group, there
was another group who did, said this. Well, I'm of Christ. I
don't even need a preacher. Now, what were they boasting
of? They were boasting that they were somebody. I don't need anybody
else. I'm enough. I'm somebody. You see what was causing the
division? They thought they were something. They thought they
were somebody. And the moment the church begins
to think we are somebody or something that God needs, we then exalt
ourself and abase Christ. That's the moment. When we think,
how could this happen to me? I'm somebody. And so the church was divided.
Therefore, Paul establishes this unbending truth of the necessity
of preaching. The unbending truth of the necessity
of preaching. That all the church needs to
attend to it, receive it, and exalt Christ in their hearts
by hearing it. It's necessary. What we are doing
today is necessary. Paul said, I am not sent to baptize,
but to preach the gospel. Not with wisdom of words, lest
the cross of Christ be made of none effect. Not calling myself
anybody. If I call myself anybody, I'm
using wisdom of words, and the cross of Christ shall be made
of none effect. No glorying in me, no glorying in you, only
preaching Christ, always preaching Christ. And then you remember
he begins now to give reasons why. He said it is written. There's
a reason, isn't it? It is written that God would
destroy the wisdom of the world by preaching. It's Isaiah chapter
29. And so, it is written God is
going to use preaching. This is to destroy man's wisdom
of how salvation is accomplished. Man, everywhere around the world,
believes salvation is by works. This is the natural way and order
of things. That salvation is done by something
you can give God. Something you can do for God
in order to effect His salvation. Well, the Gospel destroys that.
Why? It is written. And that's why
it destroys it. The second reason is this. It's
the wisdom of God and it's the pleasure of God. Remember, God
said this, after that the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased
God. Now here's the reason we preach.
It pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that
believe. Preaching of the gospel as God's
chosen means He pleased God by this alone to save his elect.
That's a good reason, isn't it? Isn't that a good reason to attend
and hear and preaching? That's a means. Now, thirdly,
we saw this, that God chose preaching as a purpose to make a stumbling
block and an offense. This gospel is an offense and
it's on purpose. This is not accidental. This
gospel is very offensive to natural man and God intended it to be
that way. We are never to shave off the rough edges of this gospel,
ever. Never. We are never to do that.
Why? God intended it to be offensive.
He intended it. But at the same time, He intended
also that Christ should be exalted by it. That His people should
know that He is the power and wisdom of God. And that's a good
reason. We come here because we desire to know Him. You know
Him? Do we know Him fully? I want to know Him. And the only
way to know Him is to hear of Him. That's a good reason. Now then, we begin now to see
the next reason in the argument. Let's see this. The next argument
is found in verse 26. Read this again together with
me. For you see your calling, brethren, How that not many wise
men after the flesh, not many mighty men, not many noble men
are cold. But God hath chosen the foolish
things of the world to confound the wise. God hath chosen the
weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty. God
hath chosen the base things of the world and the things which
are despised. Hath God chosen, yea, the things
that are not to bring to nothing the things that are, that no
flesh should glory in His presence. Now then, the first thing I want
you to see this is we preach because it's chosen. Chosen. It not only pleased God,
but it was God's choosing that we do it. And so to see this,
the apostle now turns the eyes of the congregation within. He
says, brethren, you see something. You who are called, you know
something. See this, brethren. Look around. What do you see when you look
around? Not many mighty are called, not many noble, not many wise
men are called. Isn't that right? Look around
you. Look around and look within. Now what do you see? You don't
see any wise men. You don't see any noble men.
You don't see any men of power or influence. He said, you know
that. He turns them to look within.
He calls them to notice the very apparent truth. Those that are
called of God by the preaching of the gospel. Why is this true among the Church
of God? Why are there not many of these men who the world calls
useful? I mean, you think about that,
wouldn't it? Isn't it just naturally our reasoning to think that the
Church would need some influential people? You think we would actually need
some rich people. Or some people who have this
intellect. You think that that's just natural,
the church thinks they... And they try to attract those
people, the false church, they try to attract those people.
They think they need them. I thought of this when the Pharisees,
you remember, when Christ offended them, the disciples said, Lord,
don't you know you offended them? We need them. If we're going
to have this kingdom here, you're going to have to have their approval.
And so we know that these people, God doesn't use these people.
Now why? Here's the only answer that is
given. God hath chosen. God hath chosen. It was the sovereign
purpose, wisdom, and decree of God to choose to save His people
that He purposed from eternity. And the chosen means, the chosen
means is preaching, is preaching. We are bound always to give thanks
to God for you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God hath
from the beginning chosen you to salvation. through sanctification
of the Spirit and belief in the truth, whereunto you were called
by what? Our Gospel. Our Gospel. You see, the purpose of God is
to save His people, and the means of God that He has chosen is
preaching. Preaching. Behold the absolute sovereignty
of God who has chosen to save. the sovereignty of how he has
chosen to save, and how this message would be delivered, by
whom this message would be delivered. This is chosen. It's set. Therefore, who is able then to
alter or thwart this purpose of God? Behold, our God is in the heavens,
and he hath done whatsoever he had pleased. You remember in
Ephesians 1, Paul declares the election of God. He declares
that God chose us and gave us all spiritual blessings by our
union with Christ. He tells us that God, by Christ,
has redeemed us and forgiven us all our sins. And in verse 11 of that chapter,
he says this, that this God worketh all things after the counsel
of his own will. This message of absolute sovereignty
is surely offensive. Natural men kick at it, but it's
an immutable truth that can't be altered. Whatever God has
chosen will come to pass. Whatever God has chosen will
come to pass. That old wicked king Nebuchadnezzar,
he found that out, didn't he? Seven years eating grass. God
gave him his wisdom back and he said this, the inhabitants
of the world Reputed as what? Nothing. How do you know that he doeth
according to his will in the army of heaven among the inhabitants
of the earth? Now then, who can stay his head? Or say unto him,
what doest thou? The whole world is set against
the sovereign rule of God. They despise the fact that they
can't control their own destiny. Man hates the truth that he cannot
please God by his righteousness. So hateful are wicked men that
they even refuse to believe in his existence. That they can't
ever disprove because of that in their own heart. Yet they
hate it so much. I think so-called atheists know
more about God than religious people. Because they know this,
if there is a God, they have to bow. And they don't want to. So they say, there is no God.
So, everyone hates this sovereignty of God, but according to the
Word of God, the only way a sinner can be saved is the sovereignty
of God. And listen, the only means is
also by the sovereign choice of God Almighty. The preaching
of the Gospel is the chosen means. Our God had chosen a people,
A certain number of people, not one more, not one less will be
saved through faith in Christ. But the only means God has chosen
to save us, by which we ourselves are called. Remember, Paul's
telling us to look within. You that are called, look within.
How is it you were saved? How is it you were called? You
were called because you were chosen, and you were saved by
the same chosen means as everyone else. How are we called? Called through
the preaching. And if it was by any other means,
now listen, I want to, I want to, everyone who opposes that,
now I know that is not anyone here, but I'm sure that maybe
on the video there's someone will oppose this. And if you
oppose this, I want you to hear me. You are setting your wisdom above
the wisdom of God. That's just all there is to it.
You're setting the wisdom. Your wisdom is better. Preaching
is the best means of saving sinners. Because it is the most humbling
means. It is the most man-debasing means
and God-exalting means of saving sinners through the preaching
of the gospel. It's the best. It's the wisdom
of God. And what did Paul say in that
verse above this? He said, the foolishness of God
is wiser than men, and the weakness of God stronger than men. So
what men count foolish, the cross of Christ, is far wiser than anything a
man could devise. Isn't that what we're preaching
here, the cross of Christ? And what do men count it as?
Foolishness. Well, that foolishness, that
thing you call foolishness, is wiser than any man. It's wiser
than any man. That thing you call weak, preaching,
the cross, Christ, you call that weak. God says that's strength,
that's power. And so then, let me ask you this,
what did God choose, and how and by whom will He perform it?
Okay, listen, look at your text now. Go back here. What has God
chosen? I told you God has chosen something. Look at this. He said,
first of all, He has chosen foolish things of the world. Foolish
things. To this world and its religion,
there's nothing more foolish and empty than preaching the
cross of Christ over and over and over again. Now, they might
say, well, you know, you need to preach that once because then
somebody can, you know, be saved and then... But after that, after
they're saved, there's no more need for that. Oh, no. No. We're only called to do one thing.
Preach the cross of Christ over and over and over. Why? It is
the power and wisdom of God. We preach Christ crucified, and
that's all we preach. And salvation alone comes by
this gospel to everyone that believe it. We proclaim the eternal
Son of God, made flesh, that the virgin, He was virgin born
in poverty, hidden from the eyes of men. Though the angels announced
His birth, though God set a star in the sky, only three wise men
saw it and found Him. Though He performed many miracles
and wonders in their presence, yet they still counted Him nothing
but foolish. Foolish. Though He was taken and crucified
and God darkened the sky as he hung on that cross, and rent
the veil in two." You see all of these signs and things, and
yet they still counted him what? Foolish. They said, away with
this man. Away with this man. And though
God raised him from the dead, seen above 500 men, they still
counted as nothing but a myth. The world counts Christ nothing
but foolishness. Therefore, no wonder when the
gospel is preached that they should deny God's choosing of
means of saving His people. They argue, surely there must
be many ways God uses. But we who are called Brethren,
what do you see? You see this, that God had chosen
the foolish thing, what the world counts foolish, Christ. God had
chosen Him and Him alone to save His people. God had chosen Him.
God had chosen that foolish thing that the world counts foolish
to be the only Savior, the only hope. But we who are called know that
God has chosen that what men call foolish, that they call
Christ foolishness and they mock Him, they also mock His chosen
means of calling His people. Faith, friends, cometh by one
means, right? Faith cometh by hearing, and
hearing by the Word of God. Now brethren, you see your calling
by the preaching of the gospel had nothing to do with power,
wisdom, or nobility. Isn't that right? Can you not
see that? It had nothing to do with that.
I tell you this morning that this man before you is nothing. Nothing. Nothing but a foolish thing. And I know you confess the same
thing about yourselves." Isn't that what he said before?
Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is
the debater? I told you that the founder of
the Church of Christ said this one time. He said, one debate
is worth a thousand sermons. And I told you that, yes, it's
worth 1,000 of his sermons, because they don't have a sermon. They
don't have a message. We who are called know this,
that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the chosen means. Therefore,
Paul says, you see, you're calling, brethren, that not many wise
after the flesh are called. Why? For God has chosen the foolish
things of the world. We know that our flesh is sinful
and useless and worthless to help in the success of calling
sinners. You know that? Look at what Paul talks about
himself. Go to 1 Corinthians 3. Look over a page. 1 Corinthians
3 and verse 5. Paul says, who then is Paul?
Who is Apollos but ministers by whom you believe, even as
the Lord gave to every man? I planted, Apollos watered, but
God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth
what? Anything. Neither he that watereth, is
he anything but what? God giveth the increase. God giveth the increase. In 1
Corinthians 4, verse 4, Paul said, For you, for I know nothing
by myself. Raise your hand if that's true
of you. I know nothing by myself. Where is wisdom? Where is the
wise? There is none in the church.
There is no wise man in the church. In another place, Paul says that
his glorying and his power and his person in preaching, he said,
I am become a fool in glory. If I glory in myself, I'm nothing
but a fool. I'm nothing but a fool. He said, though I be a chiefest
among apostles, he said, though I be, listen to this word, nothing. Nothing. So then this is the confession
of all who are called, not many wise. in the things of the world. Now listen, I'm not ignorant
of this. I know that some have been wise
who have been called. The Apostle Paul is one of them.
Let's just realize that the Apostle Paul was wise in the things of
the world. He was. We read men like Spurgeon or
Gill. These men were wise. I'm telling
you, they had such knowledge. They had such intellect. There
was such unarguably great intellect. But once Christ had saved them,
what was their intellect worth to them? Nothing. So even though
they had some wisdom, that wisdom was nothing to them. There was
no glorying in it. There's no glorying in it. God had chosen the foolish things,
His people, His preachers, to confound the wise, to confuse
the wise. You know what we are? We're confusing
the people. People scratch their head when they look at you and
us, and they say, how in the world could that little group
do anything? They don't have any wise people there. They're
all a bunch of uneducated people. How can they have anything to
do with the Kingdom of God? Surely their little work there
is not anything. How confusing it is to self-profess
wise men, ever learning but never able to come to the knowledge
of the truth. The second thing is God has chosen the weak things.
Look at this. For you see your call, brethren, that not many
mighty are called. But God has chosen the weak things
of the world to confound the things that are mighty. These
are not just strong men in the flesh. He's not talking about
bodybuilders. He's not even talking about warriors. What He is talking
about here is powerful, rich, influential people. He said, not many of these are
called. Jesus said, how hardly can they
that have riches enter the kingdom of God. It is easier for a camel
to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter
into the kingdom of heaven. Why? Rich men trust in riches.
That's why. Powerful men trust in their power. But God tells us no matter how
much money or power a man possesses, he cannot redeem his own soul. He cannot do that, no matter
what he has. Men may believe that riches and power have great
impact on the church and on the gospel. They say if a man would,
you know, if God would just call some rich folks to our church,
you know, then we could really get out there, you know. We could,
we could, we can get that building finished, you know, we can get
out there. We can put our name out there. No. God doesn't use influential people. He doesn't use riches of this
world. He uses the weakest things of the world. The poorest things
of the world. Why? Because that alone gives
glory to God. If we had a rich person, you
know what we would do? We would glory in their riches. So what must a man do when he
comes to Christ? You, brethren, sing your calling.
If you were rich, what did you do? Most rich men that come to
Christ, you know what God does? He takes it away. He takes it
away. Nicodemus was one of those men. The Lord, when He called that
man, eventually that man was stripped and he died in poverty.
God does that to rich men. There are not many. I mean, Abraham
was, but there are just few. There are just few. And what
do those men say about their riches? Do they count them anything?
Do they count them any help at all? in the success of the gospel? None whatsoever. None whatsoever. God will not use the rich and
powerful to influence Himself. But He uses weak things. Can you think of anything weaker
than yourself? Do you suppose the person around
you or next to you is weaker than you are? You are called. I'm not talking about anybody
else. I'm talking to the called. But I want you to know this.
God has chosen you, the weak things of the world, to fulfill His purpose of preaching
this gospel to the world. You know, I got this title from
something Brother Clay Curtis had written. He said, I saw a
church sign that said this, the church is where everybody can
be somebody. Brother Clay said this, Christ's
church is a church where everybody is nobody and nothing. That's right. Why? God has chosen
the weak things, the nothing. of the world. Therefore He will
use nobodies and nothings to bring to nothing." Isn't that
what it says? To bring to nothing. The base
things. Base things. The lowest things
on the earth. That's what God chooses. Is there
anything lower than a sinner? Now there are people who make
mistakes. Now that's what they call them, mistakes. Well, that person is just trying
to step up just a little bit, isn't he? It's not actually vile
what I've done. It's just a mistake. You see, they've not become base
things. And what God does with every
one of His people is He strips us of everything. Everything you exalt above God
you brethren have you not seen this everything you exalt above
God he takes If you exalt your children above
God watch out If you exalt your wife above God watch out If you exalt your husband or
your family or anything in this world. Why? Because God had not
chosen those things. He had chosen the base things
of the world. Things that are nothing to bring
to nothing the things that think they're something. It's what
we do. I like this. By faith, the weak
and powerless, the nobodies, God said this, who, through faith-subdued
kingdoms, brought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the
mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the
edge of the sword out of weakness, were made strong, waxed valiant
in fight, and turned to flight the armies of the..." Who do
you do that by? Weak things. Weak things. Doesn't that give
you some hope? of being used. You look within, you know you
find foolishness, you find weakness, you find baseness. You don't
find anything that God could use. Good, because God doesn't
use it. The moment you think you've got
something, you have to throw it away. It's not going to be
used. But when everybody in this place
becomes nothing, God will use that. Why? Here's the preeminent why. Here's the preeminent why. The preeminent purpose is found
in verse 29. That no flesh should glory in His presence. As our master comes to us to
stay and visits with us, surely we must cut out every boast and
lay ourselves at his feet, longing for mercy, longing for
grace, power, and wisdom. Because we have none of those
things Everything that is done In time and eternity and especially
in the church Is for the glory of God And to get that glory he must
abase his church so that we would never say i'm
of this preacher i'm of that preacher and of myself god it
chose foolish things weekdays basing do what out the mighty
what confounds That's what we're here for, friend. We're not here for anything else. I pray that God would continually
humble us, because only then will He use us. No other time. I pray that God
bless this to your heart.