The Power of God
What do think you need before you will be ready? In ministry, perhaps at your church or at your place of work, what would it take for you to feel prepared? I don't know what your answer is, but the verse this morning gives us what we will need to be ready-"the preaching of the cross." The Gospel is the power of God.
What does that mean for us? You can trust the Gospel to do what it does. Trust it for what you lack and what you need to be effective in helping people. No matter your vocation, people will have needs, and-all things being equal-they will come to you for help. What is the source of your power?
The Gospel is the power of God, so do not trust your intelligence or cunning ability. Verse 19 tells us that our intelligence and our wisdom is not "legal tender" with God. It is not your ability to dispute, either. (verse 20) You will not always have the answer for every question someone may ask. But the encouraging fact is that you don't need every answer-rely on what God has said. Trust the Gospel to do what it can do.
A witness simply tells what he knows. As a witness to a crime or a traffic accident, a person just tells what he knows. In the same way, God has asked you to be a witness-tell what you know. And when you tell what you know, use the authority-the power of God.
One spring I was preaching revival meetings in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In the Sunday morning message, I referenced verses from Hebrews that clearly and repeatedly point to Christ as the "one way" and the "one sacrifice." A man visiting from the area caught me after the service. He was interested in the verses I had referenced in the message. His opposition to what I said (or really, what the Bible clearly said) was stemming from the fact that many people have different interpretations.
Now it may be true that people dispute what the Bible says, but God meant what He said, and He had a purpose for saying it. I took the man to four or five passages, and they all clearly and plainly answered the question. It was right there in the Bible, and there was no way around it! Trust the Gospel to do what it can do because it is the power of God.
Look at what folks said of John the Baptist in John 10:41: "And many resorted unto him [Jesus], and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true." John never did any "hocus pocus" or any miracles, but "all things [he] spake of this man were true." Can those you help today say the same?
You have all the power you need because of Christ. The preached cross of Christ is the power of God, and you can trust it today.
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