I. The People God Chooses
A. A Person’s Condition When God Calls Them
1. “…not many…” NOT: “…not any…”
2. Not wise-according to worldly standards V. 26
3. Not mighty-Not influential or powerful over the lives of others. V. 26
4. Not noble-Not well born, high in rank, not part of higher society V. 26
5. Considered foolish-dull, absurd. Considered foolish by the world. V. 27
6. Considered weak-feeble, impotent, sick, without strength V. 27
7. Considered base- without kin, unknown descent, ignoble V. 28
8. Despised- Contemptible, despise, least esteemed V. 28
9. Something that is “not”-useless. Someone considered a nothing V. 28
10. God Chooses Sinners- Turn To 1 Cor 6:9-11a
B. What God Does Through His Children
1. Puts to shame the wise V. 27a
2. Puts to shame the things which are mighty V. 27b
3. Bring to nothing things that are V. 28b
4. John Calvin- In putting the strong and wise and great to shame, God does not exalt the weak and uneducated and worthless but brings all of them down to one common level.
II. Why Does God Choose The Foolish?
A. So That He Will Get The Glory V. 29
1. People have a natural tendency to glory in themselves. It comes from pride.
a. Pride runs deep in mankind
b. 1 Timothy 3:6 not a novice, lest being puffed up with pride he fall into the same condemnation as the devil.
3. When a man is proud, he boasts in himself, and lifts himself up.
4. This is the same sin that was committed by Satan.
5. Isaiah 14:12-15 “How you are fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How you are cut down to the ground, You who weakened the nations! 13 For you have said in your heart: ‘I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.’ 15 Yet you shall be brought down to Sheol, To the lowest depths of the Pit.
B. People Like To Glory In Other People
1. The Corinthians were following personalities. This is why Paul was writing these things.
a. We love to have our heroes. People we can identify with in flesh and blood.
b. People through whom we can enjoy vicarious success and fame.
2. The glorying in man had led to divisions amongst the Corinthians.
C. God will seek to undo our “vainglory”
1. He will seek to save us from our foolishness
2. He will seek to save us from the danger of glorying in man
3. Psalm 18:30 As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
4. The proud man cannot accept the things of God.
III. God Deserves The Glory
A. Our Salvation Originates With God V. 30a
1. Salvation does not originate with man. Salvation originates with God.
2. Man doesn’t have the power to save himself from his sins or God’s judgement.
3. Hebrews 12:2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…
4. How carnal of them to get their eyes off of Jesus and on to men.
B. God’s Plan Of Salvation For Us V. 30b
1. Jesus became wisdom for us. Jesus lived out the wisdom of the Father’s plan.
a. 1 Corinthians 2:5 that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
2. Jesus became righteousness for us. It is in his righteousness that we stand before God.
a. 2 Corinthians 5:21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
3. Jesus became sanctification for us. It is Jesus in me that brings increasing holiness.
a. Hebrews 13:12 Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate.
4. Jesus became redemption for us. It speaks of buying a slave out of the slave market.
a. John 8:34-36 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
b. Jesus redeemed us out of the slave market of sin in order to set us free from the dominion and penalty of sin. Why would we want to glory in people?
C. What Is The Result Of Realizing These Things?
1. Gives hope to every person who doesn’t know Jesus.
a. God is pleased to choose any man or woman to be his child.
b. A person doesn’t have to be high in society in order to be chosen by God.
2. Destroys the wrong thinking of God only choosing the “winners”.
a. The gospel is open to all people.
b. John 4:13, 14 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 “but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
3. Tells the Christian not to glory in himself or in others when considering the standards of the world.
a. Prevents division and cliques in the church.
b. No followers of men or women.
c. No superiority in following a personality.
4. Tells us we don’t have to try to earn God’s approval by being as good as someone else.
a. Gives us emotional, mental, psychological stability since we know we are saved through faith, not by works.
5. Keeps us humble and thankful.
6. Causes us to glory in the Lord.