Listen up, little ones
Listen for the word crucified.
Reading
1 Corinthians 1:17–2:5—Knowing Only Christ Crucified
Optional Reading
John 17:1–5
Keys for kids
- Paul was determined to know only Christ crucified.
- Everything he did and said was impacted by the gospel.
- The gospel goes against wisdom and power from the world.
Questions
- What does knowing only Christ crucified mean?
- Why is it so important?
- How crucial to you is Christ crucified?
Notes
(See Saturday for authors.)
In chapter 2, Paul adds an emphasis to his intention to preach Christ crucified. I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified (1 Cor 2:2). And this doesn’t mean at least two things. It doesn’t mean that Paul only said, over and over to himself and to his hearers, Christ crucified, Christ crucified… It also doesn’t mean that to these Corinthians he would only know Christ crucified, but to other churches he would know other things.
But what does it mean? Knowing and preaching nothing but Christ and Him crucified means that the gospel must permeate everything we think and do. Like those around whom the Corinthians lived, worldly wisdom and personal position were what they thought was most important. The cross spoke to them of weakness and foolishness. But it really speaks of God’s wisdom and God’s power.
Kistemaker puts it this way. The message of Christ’s crucifixion appears to be straightforward and simple, but both Jews and Gentiles rejected Paul’s appeal to believe in a crucified Christ as an offense or as foolishness. Therefore, Paul had to go … teach his audience the theological implications of this redemptive event in human history. He taught not only the reason for Christ’s death on the cross but also the eternal benefits for every believer: forgiveness of sin, eternal life, and the resurrection of the body.
How crucial to you is Christ crucified?
Swedish Method questions
Praise
Psalm 16d, 111a
Prayer
- Rejoice in Christ crucified for you.
- Pray for change in you from last Lord’s Day’s sermons.
- Pray for a member of our church, for your family, and for a non-Christian friend/family member.