THE ULTIMATE SHAME—OR THE ULTIMATE GIFT
The Teaching Ministry of Rick Trice
December 12, 2004
“THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS IS FOOLISHNESS” (READ I COR. 1:18-25)
WHAT IS FOOLISHNESS TO YOU? ARE THERE TIMES IN YOUR LIFE WHEN YOU’VE ACTED FOOLISHLY? TIMES THAT YOU ARE ASHAMED OF? THAT MAYBE RESULTED IN SOME CONSEQUENCES IN YOUR LIFE?
WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE FOOLISHNESS?
I THINK AS CHRISTIANS WE DO SOMETIMES NEED TO ‘FORGET’ SOME OF OUR PAST, JUST AS GOD FORGETS. BUT SOME OF THESE THINGS ALSO HELPED SHAPE WHO WE ARE TODAY. AND SOME OF THESE THINGS ARE MAYBE NOT AS BAD AS WE REMEMBER THEM. I WANT YOU TO STOP AND THINK OF SOMETHING THAT YOU WEREN’T REAL PROUD OF DOING, IN HINDSIGHT.
WHEN I WAS JUST IN COLLEGE, I WAS ARRESTED ONE NIGHT FOR BEING AT A PARTY WHERE UNDERAGE DRINKING WAS GOING ON. A FRIEND ARRANGED TO BAIL ME OUT, AND I WAS GOOD TO GO, BECAUSE I HAD GOTTEN OUT OF THIS PROBLEM WITHOUT MY PARENTS FINDING OUT! EXCEPT THE NEXT DAY I WAS CONSUMED WITH GUILT, AND SO CALLED MY FATHER TO “CONFESS.” HE LISTENED PATIENTLY, AND I AWAITED HIS OUTBURST OF ANGER…BUT THERE WAS NONE. INSTEAD, HE CALMLY ASKED, “DID YOU LEARN ANYTHING?” I REPLIED THAT I HAD, AND HE SAID, “MAYBE IT WAS A GOOD LESSON TO LEARN.” AND HE NEVER MENTIONED THE EVENT AGAIN.
YOU SEE, THAT’S HOW GOD’S GRACE WORKS TOWARD OUR SHAME OR FOOLISHNESS. “THE FOOLISHNESS OF GOD IS WISER THAN MEN…”
WHAT IS GOD’S ULTIMATE “FOOLISHNESS?” (I COR. 1:18)
“THE MESSAGE OF THE CROSS IS FOOLISHNESS TO THOSE WHO ARE PERISHING.”
WHAT IS THE ULTIMATE GIFT OF GOD? WE SING CHRISTMAS SONGS, AND READ ABOUT THE CUTE, SWEET BABY JESUS, NESTLED ALL SNUG IN THE MANGER. AND WE REFLECT THIS GIFT OF GOD BY BUYING PRESENTS FOR EACH OTHER.
BUT BABY JESUS COULD’VE COME AND GONE, LIVED A FULL, GOOD, WHOLESOME LIFE, AND ENDED UP BEING JUST ANOTHER GOOD PROPHET OF GOD, A GREAT ROLE MODEL LIKE MOSES OR KING DAVID, AND DIED A NORMAL DEATH AND THAT WOULD BE THAT.
THE REAL GIFT OF GOD AT CHRISTMAS WAS NOT ONLY THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION AND BIRTH; BUT ALSO THE CROSS WE FOCUS ON AT EASTER. THE TWO ARE INSEPARABLE, BECAUSE WITHOUT ONE THE OTHER WOULD BE MEANINGLESS.
BY NOW, YOU SHOULD’VE THOUGHT OF SOMETHING IN YOUR LIFE THAT HAS CAUSED YOU SHAME, OR HAS MADE YOU FEEL FOOLISH. I NOW ASK YOU: WHAT WAS CHRIST’S ULTIMATE FOOLISHNESS. TO BE STRIPPED NAKED, ABUSED, AND HUNG TO DIE ON A CROSS SEEMS PRETTY SHAMEFUL. BUT MANY MEN DIED THIS WAY IN THOSE TIMES.
NO, THE ULTIMATE SHAME OF CHRIST WAS TO DIE THAT WAY…AND NOT TO DESERVE A BIT OF IT…HIS ULTIMATE SHAME WAS FOR OUR ULTIMATE SINS...WHICH THEN OPENED THE DOOR TO HIS ULTIMATE GRACE AND VICTORY.
GOD’S GRACE
WITHOUT THE PERFECT BIRTH THEIR COULDN’T BE THE BLAMELESS JESUS.
WITHOUT THE BLAMELESS JESUS, THERE COULDN’T BE THE PERFECT SACRIFICE.
WITHOUT THE PERFECT SACRIFICE ON THE CROSS, THERE COULDN’T BE THE PERFECT VICTORY OF RESURRECTION.
HOW MUCH GREATER IS GOD’S GRACE, THAN MEN’S? (READ 1 COR. 1:4-9)
THE GRACE WAS GIVEN TO US BY CHRIST JESUS; AND BECAUSE OF THAT GIFT:
*IT ENRICHED US IN EVERYTHING
*WE COME SHORT IN NO SPIRITUAL GIFTS
*CHRIST HIMSELF WILL CONFIRM US AS BLAMELESS
*GOD IS FAITHFUL
*WE HAVE FELLOWSHIP WITH JESUS
SO OF WHAT DO WE HAVE TO FEEL FOOLISH ABOUT?
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