Topics – Love, Sacrifice, Power
God’s love is victorious! But perhaps not in the way that you’d expect.
We often associate victory with our ability to control or defeat others
but God’s victory encourages our freedom rather than squelches it. (We
love discovering art that connects us to God in unique ways. Thank you
to Dale Johnson for incorporating his art into this weekend's sermon.)
Focus Scripture – 1 Corinthians 1:18,23-24HIDESHOW
18 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.
23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
Extended SummaryHIDESHOW
Greg reminded us that ever since “the Fall” human beings have had an impulse to want to be God. We often manifest this by our tendency to judge others and attempt to control others’ behavior. Of course, we don’t have the authority or the power to do either of these things, but we can project our desire to do so onto God. In fact, this is what happens in many of the ways God and other “gods” have been envisioned throughout history.
Many religions envision the superiority of their own god to be primarily one of power exercised through controlling the events that happen in this creation. We all tend to think that our God is “the biggest cosmic kid on the block”, so to speak. However, the vision of the true God revealed to us in Christ is very different!
Greg summarized the Apostle Paul’s point in 1 Cor. 1 this way:
Paul’s Criteria of Foolishness
If a conception of God’s power doesn’t look shamefully weak and foolish, it’s not the true biblical conception of power.
An example of how this looked in Jesus’ life is found in John 13:2-5. By the world’s standards, Jesus’ washing the feet of those who will betray him and deny him seems foolish and weak. But in fact, this is exactly how God uses power.
When things got even worse, Jesus’ concern wasn’t about losing control of the situation, but was about forgiving those who opposed him and humiliated him (Luke 23:34).
Many religions envision the superiority of their own god to be primarily one of power exercised through controlling the events that happen in this creation. We all tend to think that our God is “the biggest cosmic kid on the block”, so to speak. However, the vision of the true God revealed to us in Christ is very different!
Greg summarized the Apostle Paul’s point in 1 Cor. 1 this way:
Paul’s Criteria of Foolishness
If a conception of God’s power doesn’t look shamefully weak and foolish, it’s not the true biblical conception of power.
An example of how this looked in Jesus’ life is found in John 13:2-5. By the world’s standards, Jesus’ washing the feet of those who will betray him and deny him seems foolish and weak. But in fact, this is exactly how God uses power.
When things got even worse, Jesus’ concern wasn’t about losing control of the situation, but was about forgiving those who opposed him and humiliated him (Luke 23:34).
Practical Applications (homework)HIDESHOW
When we use power in our lives, it usually means we’re trying to exert our opinions and will on other people. We do it through a number of means: strength, intelligence, relationships, etc. For us, being powerful means we control things and people around us. So when we think of God as all-powerful, we can easily assume that means he controls everything. But God uses his power very differently, because it’s channeled through self-sacrificial love. For God, to be “victorious” means he wins our hearts through love, not control. Choose one of these for your homework this week:
- What bad experiences in your life have you or others attributed to God’s will or plan? These may be painful to reflect on, but make a list on a piece of paper. Do you still have any mistrust or fear of God because you thought he was behind these things? In prayer, invite God into your memory of these experiences. See yourself going through the pain and struggle, but also see God alongside you wanting to help you through it. See that he didn’t cause it – the free will that people have means things will happen that are outside of his plans. See yourself in pain, but also see God wanting to comfort you and have you lean on his love.
- Take a few post-it notes and write, “Control?” on each one, then stick them in places you’ll notice them for the next week. On mirrors, computer monitors, in your car, etc. Whenever you see one, think back over the last few hours to a time when you tried to exert your control over others. What motivated you to do so? Did you just think you were right? Were you trying to exert independence or fill an emptiness? Did you not trust something or someone? Did you feel more worthwhile? What would it have looked like to try to control less in the situation and empower and serve others more?
Reflection QuestionsHIDESHOW
- What stood out to you most from this message and the supporting texts?
- What are some ways you find yourself wanting control or change the behavior of others? Brainstorm together as a group and make a list.
- Think about some of the specific things on the list you’d like to change about others. What would “victory” look like if you had the authority and power to change people’s behavior?
- Do any of the answers to the question above affect how you view God? In other words, do you project your desire to control people in those ways on to God? Do you see God as having the same desires to change others as you do?
- How does God change us? Is it by controlling us or some other way? Be sure to include Greg’s summary of 1 Cor. 1 as you discuss this.