Good Friday's Fellowship of Fools

The day Jesus was crucified gave birth to a unique Fellowship. Open to all, yet not all will join for various reasons. 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 explains the entrance criteria and the title of the leader (from the World’s view). Marshall’s translation of the Nestle’s Greek text, ‘for the Logos of the cross is to the ones perishing is folly, to those being saved it is the power of God.’

There is a double meaning in using ‘Logos’ for it means ‘word.’ As such it can refer to the message, the preaching and teaching of the cross. However, it also refers to Jesus. In John 1:1 -14 is the declaration that He is the Word, Emmanuel, come in the flesh (Philippians 2:5-8) to fulfil the Father’s promise summed up in Isaiah 53.

The reaction of the people over Jesus’ crucifixion from the resurrection day onwards is expressed in the Corinthian verse. The word for ‘foolishness’ comes from the Greek ‘moron.’ It is the view of the sophisticated, worldly wise, outwardly upright people that Jesus was and is a moron for being crucified. This leads them into the rejection of His resurrection and the refusal of His saving grace. Fundamentally, this is due to their conceit that they are good enough, wise enough and helpful enough to meet Heaven’s entrance requirements. Or they believe the lie of evolution that death is the final state.

The remarkable thing that confounds such a mindset is the power of the message, the attractiveness of the Christ. When you and I responded to its message our faith allowed the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit to unleash the Triune God’s transforming power. Our lifestyle validates the promise of the Cross from Genesis to Malachi. Our worship honours the person of the cross and bears testimony to Him. But there is a cost. Jesus said it in Matthew 10:25, “If they call the Master of the house, Beelzebub [and moron], how much more the members of His household?’ That is part and parcel of our believing the promise about the Person, agreeing with the testimony of His death, entombment and resurrection and responding in obedient faith to His call. It is defined in the taking up your cross and following.

To be called a moron for believing in Christ puts us in good company. It is the Fellowship of Good Friday’s Fools (called the Church), whose President in Jesus. We should wear the insult with pride, express it with gratitude and share it with grace. We are humbled by the Person who by His foolishness prevailed over the cross, over us, over death, over sin, of the prince of darkness and will one day return to reign! He is Jesus, the Christ, Son of God, Saviour and Lord!

“Foolishness” they cry.

“Beyond comprehension.

Defies all convention

Expecting us to believe

Anyone would conceive

Such a ridiculous plan

About a cross

And mutilated man

To deal with Sin,

Cleanse sinners within

Through trusting in Him.

“Foolishness” they cry.

Unsound reasoning
From the God on high
That His Son would die
Sin’s curse to defy,
The Father’s wrath satisfy
Upon a cross.
We are sophisticated
Well educated
Beyond believing
We stand in need of saving.

“Foolishness” they cry,

So unbelievable.
Yet, is it possible
That God’s foolishness
Is stronger, wiser
Than what we could devise?
The symbol of glory won
At Calvary by God’s Son.
In gratitude let’s confess,
We believe God’s foolishness!

                                                            ©Ray Hawkins April 14th, 2017.