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A FEW WESKS AGO I SUGGESTED THAT WE PREPARE OURSELVES FOR ADVENT
BY CONSIDERING THE MEANING OF THE MAN JESUS CHRIST, WHAT HE DID AND SAIDO-
IN AN ATTEMPT TO LOOK AT AND GRASP THE GLORY OF THE WHOLE CHRISTIAN GOSPEL.
NEXT SUNDAY IS THE BEGINNING OF THE ADVENT SEASON, THE WEEKS OF EXPENTANCY
LEADING UP TO THE BIRTH OF OUR LORD=~AT WHICH TIME WE WILL THINK ABOUT THE
SIGNIFICANCE OF WHAT HAPPENED IN BETHLEHEM, AT THIS TIME, THEREFORE, I
THINK IT APPROPRIATE TO DISCUSS THE MOST VIGOROUSLY GHRISTIAN WRITSR THE
WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN AND HIS MESSAGE TO US, IN HIS LETTSRS TO THE BARLY
CHRISTIAN CHURCHES PAL DISCUSSES PROBLEMS AND ISSUZ$ THAT ARW AS OLD AS MAN
HIMSELF, PROBLEMS THAT We PIND HINDERING US EVEN TODAY--AND HIS ANSWERS ARE CLEAR
CUT AND SHARP, THEY ARE ANSWERS FROM PERHAPS THE MOST THOROUGHLY CHRISTIAN
THINKERS IN HISTORY,

IN UE OPENING SECTION OF 41S FIRST LETTER 10 THE CHURCH AT CORINTH
PAUL MAKES THE STATEMENT THAT CHRIST CRUCIFIED IS A STUMBLING BLOCK TO THE
JEWS AND FOLLY 10 GENTIIES. THIS STATEMENT REFERS TO THE TWO DOMINANT PHILOSOPHIS
OF THE TIME--BY PHILOSOPHY I DO NOT MEAN THE STUFFY SPECULATIONS OF ACADBAIC
PROFESSORS, BUT THE TOP AL MANNAR IN WHICH PEOPLE THOUGHT, THE UNDERLYING
ASSUMPTIONS OF THEIR ENTIRE LIFE.

THERE WERE TWO CURRENT PHILOSOPHI“S IN THE TIME OF PAUL--HEBRAIC AND

2.

GREEK AND IT IS 10 THESE HE REFERS WHEN HE SAYS STUMBLING BLOCK TO SXBSX JEWS
AND FOLLY TO GENTLLES.

THE JEWISH NATION WAS DOMINATED BY THE IMPERIAL FORCES OF THE ROMAN SMPTRE,
THEIR PAST WAS UTTERLY FILLED WITH WARS, INVASIONS, CAPTIVITIES AND OCCUPATION
BY A FOREIGN POWER. THE HISTORY OF THE JEWS WAS A STORY OF CONSTANT
STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVIAL. WHILE PAUL WAS WRITING THIS LATTER THEIR LAND WAS
DIVIDED BY ROME, THE GOVERNMENT WAS RUN BY ROMANS, ROMAN LEGIONS WERE STATIONED
ALL OVER THE COUNTRY SIDE AND JEWS, TH RESIDENTS OF LAND GIVEN THEM BY GOD
WERE FORCED TO WORK FOR THESE OUTSIDERS. AS YOU CAN IMAINE NO JuW FELT
SYMPATHY WITH THE CAUSE OF ROME. AS IS THH CASE WITH MUST NATLONS WHEN THBY
ARE BEING OPPRESSED, WHEN THEIR VERY IDENTIFY SEEMS TO BE ON THE VERGE OF
PEING BEOTTED-OUE A STRONG INMGR TIDE OF LOYALTY BOUND THE JEWS TOGETHER.
PENEATH THE YOKE OF THE ROMAN OPPRESSBRS THE JEWS PRESERVED THE LEGENDS AN
STORIES OF THEIR PAST, THEY PRESERVED THZ ANCLENT RITUAL AND WORSHIP ESTAELISHED
BY ABRAHAM, ISSAC AND JOSEPH, THEY NURTURED THE SPIRIT OF A MATLONALISM THAT
WAS LITERALLY WAL TING FOR THE MOMENT IT COULD BREAK FORTH INTO FLAME. OW TOP
OF ALL THIS EVERY Ji#tw CARRIED DSP IN HIS HSART THE PROMLS3 OF GOD THAT HB

WOULD S&N0 A SAVIOR, THEY RAD THe WORDS OF THE PROPHETS WHO PREDICTED THE

3/
ULTIMATE VIC@MH AND EXALTA TION OF THE LORD'S CHOSEN PEOPLE. SURELY TH! TLME
WAS RIPE, THEA’ WAS NEVER A BETTER TIME FOR THe MESSIAH TO COME. IN MANY A
JEVISH HOM AND IN THE TEMPLE PRAYERS WHERE OFFERED FOR THE COMING MESSIAH,
THE ON® WHO WOULD GATHIR THE N&TLION AROUND HIi:, THROW OFF THE DRLaADED YOKE OF

ROME AND @STABLISH ISRAEL ONCE MORE AS GQ) 'S PEOPLE ON HARTH. A THOUSAND
SOULS VOICED THIS PRAYER, AND MANY MO.E THOUSAND SWORDS wHRE READY FOR ITS
MATERTALIZAT ON.

A PEOPLE SO FILLED WITH THESE LOFTY HOPS AND DR#AMS SIMPLY COULD NOT
BE CONVINCED BY A MAN WHOSE SYMBOL WAS A CROSS NOT A SPSAR, BY A MAN WHO URGD
COMPASSION AND LOVE INSTEAD OF RSVOLT. THAT THE MESSIAH, THE ‘CHOSEN ONE OF
THE LORD SHOULD BE SHAMEFULLY PUT TO DEATH ON A CROSS WAS SIMPLY UNTHINKABLE
TO THE JiWS. CHRIS T CRUCIFIED WAS A STUMBLING BLOCK TO THE JEWS.

CHRIS T CRUCIFIR D WAS FOLLY TO THE GEN TLTLES ALSO--BY GENTIL{S PAUL M3ANS
THOSE WHOS PHILOSOPHY WAS HRELLENIC OR GREEK. GRaECE HAD FOR A LONG TIME BEN
THE INTELLECTUAL CENTER OF THE WORLD, THHIR CIVILIGATION WAS AN ACHIEVEMENT THAT

IS STILL VIEWED WITH AWE. TH@LR ARCHITZCTURE, AND ART ADORN OUR MUSEUMS AND

THSLR LITERATURE IS STUDIED IN EVERY UNIVERSITY. GREECE GAVE PIRTH TO THE
WORLD'S FIRST TRUE PHILOSOPHERS PLATO AND ARTSTOTLE--SO GREAT WAS THE SCOPE OF
THESE MEN'S MINDS THAT MANY Bsvs SHEEN IN THEM THE FIRS? REAL APPROACH TO AN
A ARENESS OF ONE GODL BUT THESE MiN AND THEIR CIVILIZATION THOUGHT THAT THE
HIGHEST GOOD MN COULJ ACHIEVE WAS WISDOM, A MAN'S RATIONAL FACULTIES, (HIS
MIND) WAS HIS SOUL AND ANY, IDEA THAT WAS PRESENTED MUST PASS THE INFALLIBLE
SCRUTINY OF THE HUMAN INTELLECT, TO THIS PHILOSOHY A MAN EVEN RISING FROM
THE DEAD WAS MORE MYTHOLOGY. IF THEY WRE TO ENTERTAIN THOUGHTS ABOUT GOU, OR
ULTIMATE R LITY, IT CERTAINLY WOULDN'T BE IN TERMS OF A J#WISH PEASANT WHO DIED
ON A ROMAN CROSS. PAUL HIMSELF HAD GONE TO ATHENS TO PREACH HIS GOSPEL BUT
FAILED EVEN TO AROUSH A LITTLE INP ER:ST HE JUST DIDN'T MAKE SENSE. CHRIST
CRUCIFIED WAS INDESD FOLLY TO THE GENTILOS.

PAUL COULD TAVE MADE HIS TASK BASIcR IF HE WOULD NOT HAVis BERN SUCH A STUBBORN S
SOUL AND SUCH A CHiISTIAN. HIS MESSAG# WOULD NOT HAVA B EN SO OBNOXTOUS IF
HE WOULD HAVE DEEMPHASIZED THE CRUCIFIXION AND POINTED TO TH# WAYS IN WHICH
CHRIST FILLED THE PROPHETIC PRESCRIPTION. HIS G@PH#L WOULD NOT HAVE BROUGHT
SO MANY SNEERS FROM THI GREEKS Ir HE WOULD HAVE roqedup OUT THAT JiSUS WAS

TALKING ABOUT AN ULTIMATZ GOOD ALSO. BUT PAUL COULDN'T DO THAT BECAUSE CHRIST

Be

CRUCIFIED WAS HIS GOSPEL, BIELICAL SCHOLARS AND THAOLOGIANS CALL THis
CHRIS TOCENTRICISM--CHRIST AT THE CENTER. THE GOOD NEWS HE SPREAD WAS NOT
OF A NICE MAN WHO DID GOOD DEEDS IN PABESTINE--IT WAS THE NEWS THAT JESUS
THE CHRIST WAS CRUCIFIED. THATHE DID SO AS A SACRIFICE, THAT IN SO DOING
He PAYED THE PRICE FOR MAN'S SIN, IN JHSUS CHRIST PAUL SAW THAT GOD HAB
APPROACHED MEN IN THE MOST OBVIOUS WAY POSSIBLE--IN A FELLOWMAN, HE R ALIZED
THAT THIS MAN WAS THE INCARNATION CP GODK THE WORD MADE FLESH--AND THAT BECAUSE
HE DIED MAN IS REDEEMED, IN THIS MAN HE SAW A DRL DGE-~BE TWEEN GOD AND MAN,
HE SAW THE BEGINNING OF A NEw ORDER, A NEW LIFE IF ONLY MS LISTENERS WOULD
REALIZE THE GLORY OF THE MOMENTOUS EVENT.

BECAUSE PAUL SO VIGOROUSLY BELIWVED TIS IT WAS INEVITABLE THA THE
GOSPEL HE PREACHED SHOULD CLASH WITH THE PHILOSOPHIEB OF THE JEW AND THE
GREEK, BUT IT IS ALSO BECAUSE OF ‘1S UNCOMPROMISING SPIRIT THAT HE INFUSED
THIS MESSAGE IN THE HEARTS OF WIS LISTENERS: THAT CHBLSTIANITY GREW FROM
A TINY SPARK AND A PAND OF MEN TO A FIAME THAT SWEPT ALL OVER THE THEN KNOWN
WORLD.

TODAY, TO TWENTIETH CE TURY AMERICANS, TO US, CHRIST CRUCIFIED IS NOT

A STUMELING BLOCK OR FOLLY*-AND WHY? BECAUSE WE HAV BEEN INDIVIDUALLY

6.
CONVINCED THAT OF ALL THE THINGS I HAVE JUST TOLD YOU ABOUT PAUL?’ I'm
AFRAID NOT. NO, I'M A*RAID THAT A GOOD ELT OF CONT HMPOR ARY CHRISTIANITY AND
A GOOD BIT OF OUR EFFORTS “EAR HAVE BEEN 4IS TORICALLY AND GULTURALLY CoN*
DINTIONED. WHO WOULD DENY THAT ONE OF THE R-ASONS, IF NOT THE MAIN REASON
FOR HIS BEING A CHRISTIAN WES BECAUSE HIS PARENTS Wai. SINCE WE WIRE CHILDREN
CHRISTIANITY HAS BEEN PART OF OUR LIVES WITHOUT TOO MUCH QUESTION, MANY OF US
HAVE MERELY BEEN BORN INTO OUR ROLES AS CHRIS TIANS.

ON THE OTHER HAND WERE WE SO INCLINED TO REJECT CHRISTIANITY, WER we TO
FIND CHRIST CRUCIFIED A RSAL STUMBLING BLOCK IT WOULD DE QUITE UNFASHIONABLE
TO ADNIT IT, THE PUBLIC SCORN THAT RESULTS WHEN A PERSON SHUNS CHRISTIANITY
IS A FACT--A FACT HAT ONLY A FEW COURAGEOUS WOULD CAN ENDURE.

YOU ALL KNOW THE CLICHE "RAMILIARITY BRESDS CONTAMPT." APPLIED TO
CHRISTIANITY WE COULD SAY "FAMILIARITY BREEDS APATHY"--we ARS FORBIDDEN BY
SOCIETY FROM SHARING COM IPT FOR CHRIST BUT UNCONCERN Is TH TONE OF MUCH OF
OUR PROFESSED “ELIEFS, A MAN WHO FALLS IN LOVE WITH AN ATTRATIVE WOMAN IS
PROFOUNDLY IMPRESSED WETH HER BEAUTY EVERY TLMB& HE SERS HER. BUT AS TIME ROLLS
ON HER BEAUTY LOSES SOME OF ITS ORIGINAL POWR EVEN THOUG HER AP PEARANCE HAS

NOT CHANGED, THE SAME THING HWS HAPPENED IN MANKIND'S ENCOUNTER WITH CHRISTIANITY.

Te

THE ORIGINAL URGENCY.IS DULLED, THE EXCITEMENT WITH WHICH PAUL PREACHED THE
GOOD NEWS IS A RARE THING INDEED.

SOM TIME PICK UP THE NEW TES?AMENT ANU TRY TO LMAGINE RHAVING ONE OF

THE GOSPELS FOR THS FIRST TIME. TRY D ELIMINATE ALL OPINIONS AND SELIEFS,
ALL THE THINGS YOU HAVE HEARD AND LEARNED AND READ IT AS IF YOU HAD NEVIR
HEARD OF J&SUS CHEST, PERHAPS IN THAT WAY WE CAN FEEL THE FULL FORCE OF IS

GOSPEL, MAYBE THEN WE WELL APPRECIATE THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT HIS SAYING.

If THE CLAIHS MADE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT ARE TRUE, IF THE GOSPEL IS VALID
THEN PAUL'S PR-ACHING IS OF OUTMOST IMPORTANCE/THEN THE MISSION OF THE CHURCH
IS THE MOST IMPORTANT ENDEAVOR IN THE WORLS TODAY--IT IS PHeMOGGRMPGRANT
SX TREXX «OR SHOULD BE, OF GREATEST IMPORTANCE TO YOU AND ME.

THi T GOD, THE CREATOR, HAS A PPROAZCHED MAN IN J#SUS CHRIST IS NOT A
STATSMENT WE CAN TAKE LIGHTLY. IF WE TRULY BELISVE IT WH MUST LIKE PAUL, PUT
IT AT THE VERY OENTER OF OUR LIVES AND THINKING. CHRISTIANITY CAN.OT BE SHELVES
IN A SEPARATE CATSGORY wi TH OUR OTHER ACTIVITIES AND INT ERESTS--IT MUST RE AT
THe CHNTER OF ALL WE DO, IT MUST BE THD D&TIRMINING FACTOR FOR BVIRY CHRISTIAN.
We TOO MUG RE "CHRISTOCENTRIC."

IF PAULW:RE WRITING H S LETTSR TO THE CORINTHIANS TDAY HE MIGHT SAY

ge
CHRIST CRUCIFIED IS A STUMBLING BLOCK TO J#wS, FOLLY TO GR&EKS AND UNIMPORTANT
TO AMERICANS. ONE NEEDS ONLY 10 LOOK AT A NEWSPAPER, LISTiN 10 A NEWSCAST, OR
MERELY LOOK AROUND HIM TO REALIZE THAT AS A NATLON AND INDIVIDUALLY WE SIMPLY
DON'T SHOW ANY KVIDENCE THAT THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST MEANS ANYTHING VERY
IMPORTANT, HERS HAVE SEEN MOVIES ON TELEVISION RECHN LY OF THE SHGREGATIONIST
DEMONSTRATIONS IN NEW ORLEANS- CAN THE ABSOLUTE HATRZD ON THE FACES OF THE HOUSE*
WIVES BE EVIDENCE THAT PERHAPS THEY ARS NOT LIVING IN CHRIST AND CHRIST IN THEK.

WE HAVE RECENTLY WITNESSED A FLOOD OF RSLIGIOUS PREJUDICE IN THE NAME OF
PROTESTANT CHRISTIANITY. A FEW DAYS BEFORS THE SLECTION I RECEIVED A PACKET OF
LITERATURE IN THE MAIL CONCERNING A PROTESTANTS RESPONSIRELITY IN TH® ELECTION.
THIS JUNK, AND I'M AFRAID THAT IS THE NICEST THING I CAN GALL IT, WAS BRIMMING WITH
IGNORANCE, HATE AND SELF RIGHT ZOUS PRIDE, WOULD IT BE POSSLBLE THAT THE PEOPLE
RESPONSISLE FOR WRITING AND DISTRIBUTING IT, AND THE PHOPLE INFLUENCED BY TT WERE
NOP TRULY "CHRISTOCENTRIC." COULD IT BE THAT THERE ARK OTHER DRIVING FORCES AT THE
CENTER OF THEIR LIVES THAN THE CHRIST. I DON'T WANT TO BELABOR THE SUBJECT OF
THE EVILS OF SOCIETY--BUT WE MUST REALIZE THAT AN AMERICAN CULTURE THAT CALLS ITSELF
CHRISTIAN SIMPLY DOSN'T FLT IN THE CHRISTIANITY OF THE MAN WHO WROTE TO THE

CORINTHIANS,

THE DRIVING FORCE IN PAUL, HIS PRIMARY MOTIVATION IS SUMMED UP IN HIS STATSMENT
"FOR IT IS NOT I THAT LIVE, BUT CHRIST THAT LIVES IME." THIS IS CHRISTIANITY,
FOR PAUL PUTTING JESUS CHRIS T AT THE VIRY CHNTER OF OUR LIVES SO THAT Wi CAN SAY
IT IS NO LONGER MY SELFISH NEEDS THAT NATMR MOTIVATE ME--BUT J#SUS CHRIST.

CHRISTIANITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN RATHER VAUGE ABOUT TH PRSSENCE OF J#SUS IN OUR
HEARTS I HAVE S4N AN EVANGELIST WITH A FLANNEL BOARD EXPLAINING THES WITH A HEART
WITH A DOOR ON IT. A WOOD CHRISTIAN WILL SOMEHOW OPEN THIS DOOR AND LET JESUS
IN, IT SEMIS TO ME THAT WHEN PAUL SAID "CHRIST IN ME" He WAS BEING A LITTLE MORE
PROFOUND THAN THIS.

THAT GOD'S INCARNATION HAD DIED AS A SACRIFICE FOR MAN'S SIN WAS SO VITAL
THAT PAUL WAS WLLLING TO SAY THAT RSALIZATION OF THIS WAS THH MOST IMPORIANT THING
IN HIS LIFS, MORE THAN THAT IT WAS WHAT MADE HIM TICK--TO SUCH A DEGREE THAT HE
COULD SAY "IT IS NO LONGER I THAT LIVE--BUT CHRIST IN Mik,"

IF WE ARS TO CALL OURSHL. VES CHRISTIAN WE MUST BE ALE TOSAY THE SAME THING.
AS HARD AS IT MAY Ss=M WE MUST TRY TO PUSH ALL OTHER FRAMES OF REFERENCE SUCH AS:
HOW TO KEEP UP WITH THE JONES, OR EVEN HOW TD APPAR TO|BE A BETTER PERSON: TO THE
SIDE AND START WITH TH# BASIC FACT OF A CHRIST THAT WAS CRUBIFIED. ANY OTHER COURSE

OF ACTION SIMPLY VERIFIES THE TITLE OF MY SHRMON--CHRIST CRUCIFIED IS A STUMBLING

LO.

BLOCK TO JEWS, FOLLY TO GINTILES AND UNIMPORTANT TO AMERICANS,

Rivvd THs NEW TESTAMENT AS IF If WERE JUST WRITTEN, FORGET THAT YOU'VE BEN A
CHRISTIAN ALL YOUR LIPS AND TRY TO Sai THAT THE NEWS PAUL AND ALL THE OTHER NEW
TESTAMENT WRITHHS WcaRk PROCLAIMING IS THE MOST IMPORTANT NEWS THE WORLD iAS EVR

HEARD. SBE THAT IN THIS MAN GOD HAs DONE SOMETHING MORE IMPORTANT THAN ANY OTHER
EVENT IN HISTORY.

BEFORE WE SING JOY TO THE WORLD THE LORD HAS COMB, WE MUST EH ABLE TO SING
BENEATH THE GROSS OF JESUS--I FAIN WOULD TAKE MY STAND.

BEFORE WE ARE ABLE TO TRULY CELESRATE 1S BIRTH AS Tie COMING OF OUR LORD AND
SAVIOR WE MUST DISCOV’ WHETHER HE ACTUALLY I5 OUR LORD AND SAVIOR.

IF WE RVALLY MEAN WHAT WE SAY WHEN WE SING JOY TO TH! WORLD--THEN WE MUST BE
ABLE TO SAY THAT SURSLY THES IS A TIME FOR CHLEPRATION BHCAUSE IT IS THE BIRTH OF
HIM WHOM IS AT THE CENTIR OF OUR LIVES: we must be ABLE TO SAY SL TH PAUL--THAT

"IT IS NO LONGER I THAT LIVES--BUT CHHIST THAT LIVES IN ME."

AMEN .