I. INTRODUCTION

A. In 1Corinthians 4:20, the apostle Paul wrote, "For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power.”

1. Why then is there so much preaching and teaching in the church? Almost everything Christians do in the assembly consists of words (preaching, teaching, praying, singing, etc.).

2. The answer is found in 1Corinthians 1:18-31, for the word of the cross is power. When we speak the word of the cross in any form, we engage the power of God.

B. In this lesson, let us consider the basic message of first four chapters of 1Corinthians, which is that word of the cross is the power of God, whereas the word of man has no power at all.

1. We will begin by considering the historical context of these chapters.

2. The latter part of the lesson will be the most important, for we will consider the substance of the message concerning the word of the cross and its power.

II. DIVISION AT CORINTH

A. In the church at Corinth, divisions had arisen because members were choosing to follow men rather than to follow Christ.

1. Each faction within the church claimed to be following a particular teacher, saying, "I am of Paul,” and "I of Apollos,” and "I of Cephas,” and "I of Christ” (1Cor. 1:12).

2. In reality, these divisive members of the church were not truly following any of the teachers they claimed, for these teachers all taught the same message.

a. Notice 1Corinthians 3:4-8:

For when one says, "I am of Paul,” and another, "I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men? What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

b. These "mere men” were ignoring the message of the men they claimed to follow, for Paul, Apollos, and the other gospel preachers were united in their preaching of Christ.

3. These divisions were not caused by Paul, Apollos, Cephas, or Christ, but rather they were caused by men within the church who taught according to the wisdom of man.

a. Corinth was not far from Athens, which was the center of Greek philosophy. In this culture, men were constantly seeking their own wisdom (see Acts 17:21; 1Cor. 1:22).

b. This mindset existed within the church at Corinth, and it led to these divisions.

B. Paul corrected the Corinthians, pointed them back to the unifying message of the gospel, and warned them.

1. A summary of Paul's message in these first four chapters is given in 1Corinthians 1:10, which says, "Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment.”

2. Paul proceeds to show that the basis for "the same mind” and "the same judgment” must be the word of the cross, for it is the power of God for their salvation (1Cor. 1:18-31). He states, "Your faith should not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God” (1Cor. 2:5).

3. He ends this section of the letter with a stern warning.

a. Notice 1Corinthians 4:18-21:

Now some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant but their power. For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power. What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod, or with love and a spirit of gentleness?

b. When Paul had come before, he had preached "in demonstration of the Spirit and of power” (1Cor. 2:4). Now he was coming again to challenge these mere men to show the power of their words. In other words, he is proposing a "showdown” of the word of God versus the word of man. Of course, this was bound to go badly for these mere men.

c. Paul seeks to avoid this unpleasant confrontation by this letter. The divisive Corinthians had an opportunity to correct themselves before he arrived.

III. WORDS AND POWER

A. The word of the cross is the power of God.

1. Consider three expressions of this message in 1Corinthians.

a. 1Corinthians 1:18 – For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

b. 1Corinthians 1:22-24 – For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

c. 1Corinthians 2:4-5 – And my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

2. Paul's purpose in these chapters is not to explain the substance of the "word of the cross,” but let us be certain that we understand what is meant by this phrase.

a. The "word of the cross” and the preaching of "Christ crucified” are references to the whole message of the gospel (Acts 20:27), which tells us the facts of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection (1Cor. 15:1-4) as well as the doctrine and commandments given by Christ through the Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:18-20; John 16:7-15; 1Cor. 2:6-16).

b. The power of God for our salvation is made available to us in this gospel message, for it tells us what God has done to save us in Christ (grace) and what we must do to obtain salvation through Christ (faith).

B. The word of the cross has a much different effect on those who are being saved than it has on those who are perishing.

1. Those who are being saved find their salvation in the word of the cross, for it gives them wisdom that only God can reveal. Through this wisdom, they come to know God and are saved.

a. Notice 1Corinthians 1:30-31 – But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

b. Paul explains that the word of the cross is a wisdom "not of this age, nor of the rulers of this age...which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; but just as it is written, ‘Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.'” (1Cor. 2:6-9).

2. Those who are perishing reject the word of the cross and cling to the wisdom of men, which is made foolish by God's wisdom. Through their wisdom, they do not know God, and they perish.

a. The wise man, the scribe, and the debater of this age are exposed as fools by the word of the cross (1Cor. 1:19-20). Their words have no power (1Cor. 4:19).

b. In His wisdom, God did not allow men to know Him through their own wisdom, but it pleased Him "through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe” (1Cor. 1:21). This message was foolish only in the eyes of worldly men.

c. The Jews perished because the word of the cross did not comply with their expectations, and so they rejected it. The Gentiles perished because the word of the cross did not comply with Greek wisdom, philosophy, and mythology, and so they rejected it (see 1Cor. 1:22-24). To these, the word of the cross was foolishness, and they perished.

d. The word of the cross, which is considered to be foolish and weak by men, is actually wiser and stronger than the wisdom and strength of men (1Cor. 1:25-29). Notice that we are called by the wisdom of God in the gospel (2Thess. 2:14), so we should not revert to the wisdom of men once we have answered the call and entered His kingdom.

IV. CONCLUSION

A. Consider again the verse with which we started, 1Corinthians 4:20 – For the kingdom of God does not consist in words but in power.

B. Truly, the word of the cross is much more than mere words. It is the power of God.