Day 334: I Cor 1:1 - 4:21

As a young pastor, the first two chapters of I Corinthians are so incredibly encouraging. It's easy to hear or see an incredibly big and deep sermon and think that that is what it's all about, but Paul shows us in verse 2 of chapter 2 that all we need to understand is Christ and Him Crucified. I'll never forget one of the most powerful sermons I've ever heard was based on this one verse and it had 2 parts - Christ, and Him Crucified. The pastor started off by simply reading off in alphabetical order every single name of Jesus in the Bible. Before he could even get half-way through the list, people all over the building found themselves weeping and worshiping God like I'm sure many of them had never done before. In fact, God's presence was so strong in that service that the pastor began weeping before he could even get to the crucifixion. Needless to say, by the time the sermon was over, God's presence had fallen all over that place and hundreds of people wept and repented and just experienced God's Love like never before. I realize that this has been more of a recollection of a past even for myself, but it perfectly illustrates the point of these verses. People don't need to hear some sort of fancy flashy speech in order to have their lives changed. It's our jobs as believers to preach the message of Christ and Him Crucified and allow the Holy Spirit to work through our words into the hearts of those listening.

- Lord, when I preach, may there be less of me and more of You. Help me to not focus on some sort of fancy speech or clever delivery, but rather on Christ and Him Crucified. I know that aside from that, nothing really matters. -