by John Michael Kennedy
The theme for summer camp focuses on 1 Corinthians 1:18 which reads, "For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." The Lord has a very unique way of presenting His salvation to His children and it is shown right here through the writings of Paul. For those outside the body of Christ, the thought of an all-powerful God dying a shameful death in order to bring eternal life to His creation comes across as absolute "foolishness". In fact, God's way of doing things has always seemed foolish to the world. For instance, God promised Abraham a son and many descendants through Sarah, his barren wife. To Sarah, that message was �foolishness�, but to Abraham it was the power of God. Also, God used Joseph, a man sold into slavery, to deliver the whole nation of Egypt from famine. God also did something very �foolish� when He sent David, a mere shepherd boy, to defeat the mightiest warrior among the Philistines. As foolish as it may seem, David possessed the power of God that day! It got even better as time moved on. God turned the world upside down when He sent His son, Jesus Christ into the world by a virgin birth. God came in the flesh to deliver us from the fleshly works of sin! Furthermore, Jesus Christ became sin so that we might be delivered from it! The world stood by and scoffed at the "foolishness" of God's plan. The world looked on and betrayed Christ while He was in the garden. It tipped the scales of justice on the only man without sin. It nailed the hands of God to the most shameful instrument of death known to man - the cross. That's right. The most religious people in the world murdered God. Then, the world laid His broken body into a tomb, only to find it empty. This is the "foolishness" which we proclaim to the world as Christians everyday. God shows His power not through the mighty or the brilliant or the rich as if He needed anything from them. Instead, God gave His salvation to man through the cross, which man used to bring death to himself. Take part in the boasting of the world if you must, but how much more glory lies in preaching the power of God to the world through the cross of Christ! Let us always tell of the cross and its message in order to bring life to the world! Amen.