Second Sunday after the Epiphany Rev Mark Duer
1 Corinthians 1:26-31/ "The Choice" January 19, 2025
1 Corinthians 1:26-29 “For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,29so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. 31Therefore, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
Today, when we look at the world, and our society around us, we can see what is valued the most according to their worldly standards.
The world judges people based on their status, their popularity, and wealth and if they are part of the in crowd.
They are also judged if they have the same political views (i.e. they must be politically correct). You must also not only believe whatever the most popular—politically correct thing (mindset) is to do, but you must also do those things to be accepted in their eyes.
We confess that Christ will come again “to judge the living and the dead.” It’s true – each one of us will stand before Him, to give an account on the Last Day – but it is also true that you stand before the Lord this day.
What do you have to show for yourself? What account can you give? What does your “highlight reel” look like? Or, to use the language of the Scriptures – what do you have to boast about?
As you stand in the presence of the Lord this day, the Apostle Paul reminds you to “consider your calling, brothers.” Consider who you were when God called you to be His own dear child. Consider who you were – not in the eyes of the world – but in God’s eyes.
God’s Word tells us who we were when He called us:
• As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sin. (Rom. 6:11)
• The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him. (1 Cor. 2:14)
• The sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. (Rom. 8:7)
When God called you, you were not wise, or powerful, or of noble birth. You were spiritually dead, blind and enemies of God. What did you have to offer? What did you have to show for yourself? Nothing! Nothing good, that is.
St. Paul clears the entire playing field—so that the only one standing is the Lord Jesus Christ. The spotlight is on Him alone. And the announcement is bold and clear. It is because of Christ alone that you have standing before the Lord God.
You have not offered your firstborn as payment for your sin. He has offered up His firstborn in your place. You have not acted justly. He has acted justly, doing the Father’s will, and taking sin and its penalty as His own.
You have not been merciful, or meek, or pure in heart – but He has loved mercy more than life. You have not walked humbly before the Lord. But Christ has walked in humble obedience.
Philippians 2:8 “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
It is because of Jesus Christ alone that you are justified before the Lord God. All HIS doing. NONE of your own. Not your decision.
Not your will. Not your best effort. Not your offerings.
ALL Christ. ALL by grace. ALL finished in His sacrificial death.
The Lord has not gathered you here this day so that He can receive your offerings of rams and rivers of oil. No, He gathers you to stand in His presence so that you may hear His judgment. But do not fear – for you do not stand alone.
The Apostle writes: “You are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, ‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’”
Dearly beloved, you are “in Christ Jesus” – and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, so that no one may boast.”
Having called you to faith in Christ Jesus—you stand before the judgment seat of God, today, and on the Last Day, as one declared righteous.
Made holy. Sanctified. Redeemed in the blood of Jesus Christ.
What is foolish to the world, is your wisdom. What is weak in the eyes of the world, is your strength. What is not worthy of any attention or merit—Christ crucified for the sins of the world.
Christ’s forgiveness is delivered to you through His Holy word and humble water—through bread and wine. This is the source of your boasting, and you’re standing with God.
God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise. Could God have chosen a more foolish way to save us from our sin, than to choose his own Son?
He chose his Son who was born in a lowly manger, who was born in poverty.
He chose his Son Jesus to bear the sins of the world. he chose his Son to walk the path that we failed—God's Holy law—the Ten Commandments.
He chose his Son to fulfill all righteousness in our place. He chose his Son to take away our sin. He chose the most foolish, repulsive instrument in the whole world. He chose a cross.
He chose Jesus to bleed and die on Calvay’s Cross, and in this way, foolishness to the world, but wisdom to those who are baptized into his name. He calls Jesus to be the Savior of the world.
Who does he call into his kingdom? Who does he call into his family? It's not always the best, or the brightest, or the richest, or the smartest!
While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us! He chooses poor miserable sinners like you and me.
In verse 26, Paul writes to the Church in Corinth: 26For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
We are not rich and famous. We were not of noble birth
In this world we make a lot of choices. Some of them are irrelevant in the schemes of the world. Maybe you are wondering what you are going to wear? Or what your hairstyle is going to be?
In the grand scheme of things these things don't matter. We make a lot of other choices too. Sometimes we choose to listen to God's Word. To obey his ways. To hear his Word, and to receive his gifts.
Sometimes, maybe most of the time, we make choices that are bad, foolish, and downright sinful. Sometimes like Paul in Romans 7, we know the good that we should do, and yet we choose not to do it!
We know the evil we shouldn't do, and we tend to jump right in!
The Lord calls us to repent. He calls on us to repent of our misguided confidence in our own wisdom and strength. He calls on us to be faithful to his Holy Word and his heavenly wisdom.
Romans 7:24 Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?
Jesus took all of your sins and my sins and the sins of the whole world, and died the death we deserved. He delivers to you forgiveness, and life and salvation.
God first delivered this forgiveness to you in the waters of Holy Baptism. He chose you to be his own, he wrapped you with a robe of righteousness that is not your own but Christ’.
He filled you with his spirit, that same spirit that descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove when he was baptized. And there at the baptismal font, he made this bold declaration to the whole world:
My beloved Son, my beloved Daughter-- your mine! Your sins are forgiven!
Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
In humble faith you stand with Christ today. Your wisdom. Your strength. Your eternal salvation.
Take heart, God choose you! Your sins are forgiven! They're washed clean! Thanks be to God. Amen