Scripture Lesson: 1 Corinthians 1:18-25

Sermon Title: Christ-Crucified is Our Purpose  

Peace Lutheran Church

10/18/2026

 

Introduction –  I read an interesting article about young people in Great Britain.  Between the ages of 16-29, these Britons believe that their lives lack purpose, nearly 90 percent of them commented about this.     

What about you?

Regardless of your age, do you believe you have a purpose?

 

French mathematician and philosopher, Rene Descartes, coined the phrase, “I think, therefore I am.”  Descartes’ “bread and butter” was the ability to reason, holding to truths that are consistent with critical thinking and analyzing data.  For example, Descartes’ algebraic and geometric skills (both of which waved bye, bye to me long ago) are still widely used today.  According to Descartes—using your ability to reason—along with your experiences—should shape the way you live.   

 

From the 17^th century till early 19th century Descartes’ philosophy of “Modern Reasoning” or “Modernism” influenced many brilliant thinkers like German philosopher Immanuel Kant and others—stretching from Western Europe to America.  Undoubtedly, Descartes’ God-given abilities were helpful in the areas of mathematics and physics, but is his philosophy “the bread and butter” for our purpose with God and each other?

No! 

Not at all!

 

Descartes plan of modern reasoning can’t save us from our sins, and it’s for this reason that Paul writes to the believers in Corinth saying, “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.”

 

We will talk about the amazing purpose of Christ-crucified shortly, but first, let’s look at God’s wisdom in His plan to create you and me compared to the various flawed purposes in this broken world.    

Again in 1 Corinthians 1: “For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” Where is the wise person?  Where is the teacher of the law?  Where is the philosopher of this age?  Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?”

 

The apostle Paul’s Spirit-filled letter to the believers in a philosophically rich city like Corinth would have been amazed to hear this. Remember Corinth was close to Athens, which held some of the most renowned scholars like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.

 

However, Paul explains that their/our sinful, finite knowledge, traditions, and philosophies fall short and are made foolish.  Speaking of Plato, how many of you have read his book, The Republic?  Did you have to read it in college? Can I see a show of hands? I’m curious. I was required to read that book…what a snooze fest! 

While intelligent, Plato was a mental/spiritual mess.  Specifically, in The Republic, Plato uses an allegory called “the cave” that describes humanity’s journey from having a lack of knowledge—mistaking sensory images in the cave (i.e. shadows) for reality—which means one must have actual knowledge of things that are eternal and good through philosophical thinking.  Those who have the knowledge finally have the sense to come out of the cave to experience real life, but those who lack knowledge are chained to a wall on the inside, wondering about the shadows leaving but since they lack knowledge, they’ll never leave the cave.

[Those of you who haven’t read Plato’s Republic, you aren’t missing much!  Don’t worry about it!]

Here’s the truth.

Plato did not believe that the Almighty Lord and Savior, Creator of all that is seen and unseen, is a personal God, which means that nobody, not even a philosopher like Plato, could relate to God.  Well, if God is not personal, if we can’t have a personal relationship with God in flesh, Jesus Christ, what purpose does anybody have?

 

For this reason Paul explains to the believers at Corinth, today at Peace Lutheran in Belgrade, MT, that our purpose can’t be tied up into flawed, human philosophies.

They fall short.  They are made foolish.

Case in point, Rene Descartes’ “Age of Reasoning” seemed very important until later into the 20th century, and even more so into the 21^st century, where we jumped from the “Age of Reasoning” into the “Age of Feeling”.

Have you noticed that?  Instead of, “I think; therefore, I am,” we’ve accepted,  “I feel; therefore, I am.”  

Okay, which one is it?  Is it about critical thinking or critical feeling that makes you—you?! It’s just more confusing, isn’t it?

 

Clearly God gave us the ability to reason, to use our minds.  God also gave us the sense of feeling.  Thank God!  To receive a genuine, loving handshake, or in other cultures a warm kiss, or a heart-warming hug provides a feeling of understanding that we belong to a family, a friendship, a church family.

Besides that, could you imagine if you were numb to pain? It would be horrible not to feel and express true pain.  

 

However, to put all our eggs in one “emotional basket” and say, “This is who I am,” whatever that flawed “human purpose” is today falls short.

But, the Creator, Savior, Lord—has a specific purpose for creating you. 

Did you know that you literally have trillions of cells in your liver alone?

What’s even more amazing is that God created us in His image as male and female, but to feel like I’m not a man or woman or non-gender or perhaps an animal—a cat, dog, or robot—does that actually make me one?  And would you really want to be known that way?

 

No!  Not at all!  What construction company would hire a dog or cat or robot to weld something that a trained professional with extensive knowledge and experience was meant to weld? 

Being made male and female—in the awesome image of God—boys and girls—men and women—whether you are a number’s person, an artist, a scientist, a musician, a builder, teacher, a student, etc. that is no mistake. 

Tell your neighbor sitting next to you, “You’re not a mistake; you’re made in God’s image.”

 

Yes!  The Living Word of God Jesus Christ—purposed you, making males and females in His wonderful image, calling them “well-made”.  The Spirit-filled Psalmist prays this wonderful prayer.  Let this sink in a moment: “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful; I know that full well (Psalm 139:14).”  

 

Peace Lutheran, your created uniqueness in God’s image is truly unique.  Even the amazing wonder of identical twin boys or girls are unique from each other.  How do we make sense of that? 

You are a wonder from God!

Being able to witness our sons’ development in utero, and obviously their births, thank the good Lord, never ceases to amaze me—to the point where no doctor could tell us when our sons decided to be born. 

God! Thank you! What a wonder!

 

Plants reveal some of God’s purpose, but they don’t’ sit around and wonder about being made in God’s image.  Gorillas don’t sit around and wonder about what’s right or wrong, being made to serve the Lord with our minds and emotions… “Here as it is in heaven,” Jesus Christ taught us to pray.

What a wonder!      

 

Listening to this you might be thinking, “Okay being made in God’s image is amazing, but why are there so many conflicting purposes out in the world, and how do we as believers handle them?”

 

To illustrate, In Pilgrim’s Progress, Pastor John Bunyan paints the picture of the main character, Christian, trying to stay on the right path when he’s bombarded by various flashy vanities in the hot-looking town called Vanity Fair.  The people seem cherry, wearing their impressive clothing and jewelry and showing off their expensive, shiny merchandise to him.  Their sensualities are in his face, making Vanity Fair seem charming, open-minded, and welcoming to everyone–only to realize their just foolish vanities–empty–like Plato’s cave analogy.  Where am I going with this?

 

Likewise, Corinth boasted a sensual environment from most of its residents and visitors who believed in many gods, not just one.  Besides that, Corinth was strategically located along the Aegean Sea, making it a very wealthy trading hub.  As you can imagine, it had something “pleasurable” for everyone.  You want Plato’s philosophy? You got it!  You want flashy figurines made to look like Roman gods?  You got it!  You want to party like the prodigal son?  You got it!  You could compare Corinth’s immoral activities to Sin City, and its catchy slogan, “Everything that happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.”

Yeah right!  Are we that foolish?!

 

In the same way, Paul reminds the believers in Corinth that its vanities are foolish, but the undeniable truth about Jesus Christ—the same Creator who made you–He is the same Redeemer who bought you–who made you His unified body of believers through His blameless blood shed on a horrific, Roman cross “for you”. 

 

For this reason Paul states, “We preach Christ-crucified”.  Yes!  Being made in God’s redemptive image through His son, the Christ, who knew no sin, took on our sins, took our rightful place of God’s holy judgment that we deserved where the Christ died, was buried, and God raised Him from the dead. 

Guess what?!

If you went to Jesus’ tomb today, and this was accomplished recently, guess what you wouldn’t find there?

 

Yes!  His resurrected, glorified, eternal body isn’t there–the same crucified, buried, and raised Savior and Lord that the OT Law, Prophets, and Psalms believed in and that Christ sacrificed for you—the old, sinful you is no more, and the new, Spirit-filled son, daughter–as a Holy Spirit-filled carpenter, mechanic, teacher, doctor, mom, dad, grandparent, etc. has just begun–just as Paul wrote:

“Jews ask for signs and Greeks for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”

 

Listen, the cross of Christ isn’t fancy, flashy, or attractive.  It won’t make you popular with the “Vanity Fairs” of this lost and broken world.  Whether one thinks that life is about following a strict set of rules or to another Plato’s theories–we preach, we believe, we live out our true purpose: Christ-crucified.

 

Here’s the amazing thing about Christ and his cross for you. Its perceived “foolishness” or “stumbling block” by the vain philosophies of this fallen world–God actually used the weakest–the most excruciating death on a criminal’s cross to defeat our greatest enemy–-sin, death, and the devil–that’s why Christ-crucified is our purpose. 

 

Let’s pray.