This Sunday my preaching will come to a place that’s very personal for me because it’s an issue that God has been dealing with me about for some time. I will begin preaching through 1 Corinthians and I'm touching on an issue that is a constant threat preachers deal with every week.
I would frame it in this simple question: Am I delivering a Christ-exalting word from God, or just a compelling speech? Paul dealt with it in the church at Corinth and declares his steadfast commitment to applying the gospel effectively:
“For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” I Corinthians 1:18 (ESV)
I love creativity. It’s just part of my personality. I love words. I love compelling and interesting illustrations. And I truly believe that God’s Word deserves our best efforts at using those gifts He has given us to effectively deliver His message. But we are deluding ourselves if we ever fall into thinking that reaching this world and bringing God glory hinges only on our most well-thought out words and ideas.
A favorite "Peanuts" cartoon of mine had Linus and Charlie Brown looking at the clouds and Charlie Brown asked Linus what he saw. I can't remember the exact words, but Linus said something like, “Over there I see Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper, and over there I see what looks like Michelangelo’s statue of David. What do you see, Charlie Brown?" Charlie Brown says, "I was going to say a ducky and a horsey, but I changed my mind."
I see more clearly every week that compared to the word of the cross, my words are only elementary and foolish. As much as I love creativity, my greatest need isn’t more fresh ideas. I need a fresh and clear vision of the cross. It, and it alone, is the power of God for salvation.
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