The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

1 Corinthians 2:1-5, “And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.
2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.
3 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling,
4 and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
5 so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.”

All of us have listened to preachers, who “wowed” us with words we had never heard and stories that kept us on the edges of our seats. Yet, according to Paul’s words regarding his preaching, we would have been greatly disappointed in him. He simply proclaimed “the testimony of God.”

Have you noticed how children like “simple things”? Even the music and movement of a huge, classical orchestra falls behind the comical antics of silly drawings of dancing animals clothed in bright colors. Think about the comparison. Doesn’t what we want to hear from the pulpit really measure the “age” of our spiritual desires?

Many people –maybe most, therefore, would not appreciat the simplicity of Paul’s pulpit ministry. He had no cute stories, no funny anecdotes –just a clear and simple message about Jesus Christ and His crucifixion. Not very exciting stuff to most in our day. But, it was and is more than equal to a siren that announces a “coming death” for those gathered in an assembly.

The farther Paul advances into his message of Jesus, the weaker he becomes. He knows the sacred value of his message. No time for antics. No time for silliness that ostensibly draws the mentality of the “adult children” in the congregation. Paul is there to demonstrate the Holy Spirit and His power. But, why is that his purpose? He longs that the faith of his audience might not “rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.”

Where does your faith rest? Is it in your pastor? in your church? Hopefully, your faith rests solely on Jesus Christ. “Jesus is everything; and everything is in Jesus!”

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom