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“We Preach Christ Crucified” 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 *Click for Audio* Pastor Kevin Vogts Trinity Lutheran Church Paola, Kansas Third Sunday in Lent— March 4, 2018 In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. This building is often referred to as the “new” church, but actually it will be 60 years next year since this “new” church was erected in 1959. Although, I have to say, since I was born a year after this church was built, it’s lookin’ newer and newer every day! It’s 150 years this year since our congregation was organized in 1868, making Trinity one of the few churches, or other organizations or institutions in the area, still in existence from a century and a half ago. So, what a joy it is for us to be breaking ground today, for a new addition and modernization of our building—for the NEXT 60, or even 150 years! What’s it all about? What’s Trinity been doing all these years? For what purpose are we still here, 150 years after my great-great-grandparents, and many of yours too, were founding members of this church, just a few years after the Civil War? Why are we planning and building for the future? In today’s Epistle Reading, the Apostle Paul tells us what it’s all about, the reason for Trinity’s existence all these years, and into the future—the central message of Christianity, the very purpose of the entire Christian Church: “We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. . . For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” A few years ago, a pastor who has the largest church building in America shared the “secrets” of his “success” in an interview with Fox News. His church is actually a former sports arena, seating 35,000 people. In the Fox News interview, he mentioned one “secret” in particular he discovered, for bringing people in: “It’s not a churchy feel here . . . we don’t have any crosses . . . I like to take down the barriers that have kept people from coming.” So, he actually considers a cross, like the huge one here at the front of our sanctuary, to be a “barrier,” that “keeps people from coming” to church. In another interview, he put it even more bluntly: “Our church didn’t really start growing until we took down all the crosses.” Believe it or not, this anti-cross attitude is actually a TREND among the largest churches in America. The pastor of a church in suburban Chicago, with nearly 20,000 in attendance each week, was asked by Peter Jennings of ABC News, “Couldn’t you have just ONE cross in your church?” This pastor actually replied, on national TV, “That would be dangerous.” He went on to explain it would be dangerous to the “success” of their church to have any crosses on display, because a cross could supposedly turn people off, and drive them away. And this anti-cross attitude is not just against the IMAGE of the cross, but the MESSAGE of the cross too. For, the pastor of that stadium church told Fox News one thing he never preaches about is sin, because “that’s a downer.” Actually he’s right: sin really is the ultimate downer—it’ll take you right down to HELL! “But we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.” This idea is nothing new, that the cross is somehow a barrier to the success of Christianity, that if only you get rid of the cross, and the message of the cross, or at least don’t dwell on it too much, and if you don’t tell people that they’re SINNERS in need of salvation, then you can fill your pews—or your stadium seats. That’s what people were telling Paul 2,000 years ago: “It’s such a downer, Paul. You could get a lot farther with people if you didn’t talk so much about sin. And why do you dwell so much on Jesus’ suffering and death? That’s really a downer, too. You’re a good speaker, people are interested in your message, they’re searching for something, and you and this Jesus have got some great things to say. But, all this talk about the cross, and suffering, and death, it’s a barrier to people.” “But we preach Christ crucified.” Paul is responding very directly to the anti-cross attitude he encountered. “But we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.” You’ve heard examples of oxymorons, a phrase that’s an inherent contradiction, like “jumbo shrimp,” “authentic replica,” “exact estimate.” I had to chuckle when I read an online survey voted the #1 oxymoron: “Microsoft Works.” Of course, some people would say “short sermon” is an oxymoron too! “CHRIST CRUCIFIED: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.” To both Jews and Gentiles in Paul’s day, the whole idea of “Christ crucified” was an absolute oxymoron. Because, the Jews were expecting the Messiah, the Christ, to be a mighty warrior-king, who would overthrow the Romans, and establish on earth with military might the greatest worldly kingdom ever seen. So, “Christ crucified” was an oxymoron to them, like “victorious loser,” or “almighty weakling.” It just didn’t make sense. The non-Jews also could not accept “Christ crucified,” because in their pagan philosophy and mythology the gods would never allow themselves to suffer so. The Almighty Creator of the universe dying on a cross? It was just plain silly. As the Roman Governor Festus once said to Paul, “You are out of your mind, Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane.” “But we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. . . For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” The word “Gospel” means “Good News,” the Good News of “Christ crucified,” the Good News that by the sacrifice of his suffering and death upon the cross he takes away the sin of the world, the Good News that because of his perfect life, atoning death, and resurrection from the dead, YOUR sins are all forgiven, YOU are at peace with God. As the book of Acts declares, “Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. . . Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.” In Ephesians, Paul describes Jesus’ mission of salvation this way: “For he himself is our peace, who has . . . destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.” The bad news is, sin is like a wall, a barrier separating you from God. But, the Good News is, Jesus has destroyed this barrier, the dividing wall of hostility. How did Jesus tear down the barrier between you and God? Paul tells us how in Colossians: “God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things . . . by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.” Those mega-churches getting rid of all their crosses have got it all wrong. The message of the cross is not a barrier; the message of the cross REMOVES the barrier, the barrier of sin between you and God. The message of the cross is not a downer; the message of the cross RESCUES you from the ultimate downer, going down to hell. What’s it all about? What’s Trinity been doing all these years? For what purpose are we still here 150 years later, and planning and building for the future? The message of the cross has been and must always be the very heart and center of this congregation. Because, the message of the cross is the very heart and center of the Christian faith itself. That’s why, instead of getting rid of the cross, the tower on our new addition will feature a massive new stone cross. Paul puts it this way a few verses after today’s Epistle Reading: “For I resolved to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” Today, as we break ground to build for the future, we are building on 150 years of that solid spiritual foundation: “Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” “But we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. . . For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” I remember when I was about eight years old, in 1968, the teacher explained that one day during our lifetimes the years wouldn’t start with 19 but with 20. I remember how the year 2000 seemed SO far away, it was like a dream, I just couldn’t imagine it. I’m sure back in 1868, my great-great-grandparents could have never dreamed or imagined that 150 years after they joined together with their neighbors, and relatives, and friends in founding this congregation, it would be THEIR great-great grandson who would be pastor here in the year 2018, leading the ceremony to break ground for a new building. What’s ahead for Trinity in the next 60 or 150 years? Does this congregation still have a future? Paul answers in Ephesians, “[God] is able to do far more than all we could ask or imagine, according to his power at work among us. To him be the glory, in the church and in Christ Jesus, throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.” Return to Top \| Return to Sermons \| Home \| Email Church Office

“We Preach Christ Crucified”
1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Pastor Kevin Vogts
Trinity Lutheran Church
Paola, Kansas
Third Sunday in Lent— March 4, 2018

In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

This building is often referred to as the “new” church, but actually it will be 60 years next year since this “new” church was erected in 1959. Although, I have to say, since I was born a year after this church was built, it’s lookin’ newer and newer every day!

It’s 150 years this year since our congregation was organized in 1868, making Trinity one of the few churches, or other organizations or institutions in the area, still in existence from a century and a half ago. So, what a joy it is for us to be breaking ground today, for a new addition and modernization of our building—for the NEXT 60, or even 150 years!

What’s it all about? What’s Trinity been doing all these years? For what purpose are we still here, 150 years after my great-great-grandparents, and many of yours too, were founding members of this church, just a few years after the Civil War? Why are we planning and building for the future?

In today’s Epistle Reading, the Apostle Paul tells us what it’s all about, the reason for Trinity’s existence all these years, and into the future—the central message of Christianity, the very purpose of the entire Christian Church: “We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. . . For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

A few years ago, a pastor who has the largest church building in America shared the “secrets” of his “success” in an interview with Fox News. His church is actually a former sports arena, seating 35,000 people. In the Fox News interview, he mentioned one “secret” in particular he discovered, for bringing people in: “It’s not a churchy feel here . . . we don’t have any crosses . . . I like to take down the barriers that have kept people from coming.”

So, he actually considers a cross, like the huge one here at the front of our sanctuary, to be a “barrier,” that “keeps people from coming” to church. In another interview, he put it even more bluntly: “Our church didn’t really start growing until we took down all the crosses.”

Believe it or not, this anti-cross attitude is actually a TREND among the largest churches in America. The pastor of a church in suburban Chicago, with nearly 20,000 in attendance each week, was asked by Peter Jennings of ABC News, “Couldn’t you have just ONE cross in your church?” This pastor actually replied, on national TV, “That would be dangerous.” He went on to explain it would be dangerous to the “success” of their church to have any crosses on display, because a cross could supposedly turn people off, and drive them away.

And this anti-cross attitude is not just against the IMAGE of the cross, but the MESSAGE of the cross too. For, the pastor of that stadium church told Fox News one thing he never preaches about is sin, because “that’s a downer.” Actually he’s right: sin really is the ultimate downer—it’ll take you right down to HELL!

“But we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.” This idea is nothing new, that the cross is somehow a barrier to the success of Christianity, that if only you get rid of the cross, and the message of the cross, or at least don’t dwell on it too much, and if you don’t tell people that they’re SINNERS in need of salvation, then you can fill your pews—or your stadium seats.

That’s what people were telling Paul 2,000 years ago: “It’s such a downer, Paul. You could get a lot farther with people if you didn’t talk so much about sin. And why do you dwell so much on Jesus’ suffering and death? That’s really a downer, too. You’re a good speaker, people are interested in your message, they’re searching for something, and you and this Jesus have got some great things to say. But, all this talk about the cross, and suffering, and death, it’s a barrier to people.”

“But we preach Christ crucified.” Paul is responding very directly to the anti-cross attitude he encountered. “But we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.”

You’ve heard examples of oxymorons, a phrase that’s an inherent contradiction, like “jumbo shrimp,” “authentic replica,” “exact estimate.” I had to chuckle when I read an online survey voted the #1 oxymoron: “Microsoft Works.” Of course, some people would say “short sermon” is an oxymoron too!

“CHRIST CRUCIFIED: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles.” To both Jews and Gentiles in Paul’s day, the whole idea of “Christ crucified” was an absolute oxymoron. Because, the Jews were expecting the Messiah, the Christ, to be a mighty warrior-king, who would overthrow the Romans, and establish on earth with military might the greatest worldly kingdom ever seen. So, “Christ crucified” was an oxymoron to them, like “victorious loser,” or “almighty weakling.” It just didn’t make sense.

The non-Jews also could not accept “Christ crucified,” because in their pagan philosophy and mythology the gods would never allow themselves to suffer so. The Almighty Creator of the universe dying on a cross? It was just plain silly. As the Roman Governor Festus once said to Paul, “You are out of your mind, Paul! Your great learning is driving you insane.”

“But we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. . . For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

The word “Gospel” means “Good News,” the Good News of “Christ crucified,” the Good News that by the sacrifice of his suffering and death upon the cross he takes away the sin of the world, the Good News that because of his perfect life, atoning death, and resurrection from the dead, YOUR sins are all forgiven, YOU are at peace with God. As the book of Acts declares, “Everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name. . . Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.”

In Ephesians, Paul describes Jesus’ mission of salvation this way: “For he himself is our peace, who has . . . destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of hostility.” The bad news is, sin is like a wall, a barrier separating you from God. But, the Good News is, Jesus has destroyed this barrier, the dividing wall of hostility. How did Jesus tear down the barrier between you and God? Paul tells us how in Colossians: “God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things . . . by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”

Those mega-churches getting rid of all their crosses have got it all wrong. The message of the cross is not a barrier; the message of the cross REMOVES the barrier, the barrier of sin between you and God. The message of the cross is not a downer; the message of the cross RESCUES you from the ultimate downer, going down to hell.

What’s it all about? What’s Trinity been doing all these years? For what purpose are we still here 150 years later, and planning and building for the future? The message of the cross has been and must always be the very heart and center of this congregation. Because, the message of the cross is the very heart and center of the Christian faith itself.

That’s why, instead of getting rid of the cross, the tower on our new addition will feature a massive new stone cross. Paul puts it this way a few verses after today’s Epistle Reading: “For I resolved to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” Today, as we break ground to build for the future, we are building on 150 years of that solid spiritual foundation: “Jesus Christ, and him crucified.”

I remember when I was about eight years old, in 1968, the teacher explained that one day during our lifetimes the years wouldn’t start with 19 but with 20. I remember how the year 2000 seemed SO far away, it was like a dream, I just couldn’t imagine it.

I’m sure back in 1868, my great-great-grandparents could have never dreamed or imagined that 150 years after they joined together with their neighbors, and relatives, and friends in founding this congregation, it would be THEIR great-great grandson who would be pastor here in the year 2018, leading the ceremony to break ground for a new building. What’s ahead for Trinity in the next 60 or 150 years? Does this congregation still have a future?

Paul answers in Ephesians, “[God] is able to do far more than all we could ask or imagine, according to his power at work among us. To him be the glory, in the church and in Christ Jesus, throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.”

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