Resolved: meditation on 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Christmas is past us now, this coming week is New Year’s Day, a time when many people like to feel as though they have a fresh start, a clean slate, a do over. In our hearts though, we know it’s now really that way, it just feels that way. Now, I am not down on New Years resolutions, I just like to be honest about the fact that the only thing new is the calendar. I do however want to encourage all of us to make a resolution this year. I know I can’t make you do it, so this is just an encouraging word to hopefully inspire you to resolve to do something this year. This encouragement comes to us from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 2 verses 1-5. Before we read it though think about some of your New Years resolution fails. Usually the first week or two into the new year right. Well, today, I hope to encourage us all in a resolution that in some ways we can’t fail. And it has three parts: know the Gospel, boast in your weakness, trust in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Let’s read:

1 And I, when I came to you, brothers,fn did not come proclaiming to you the testimonyfn of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of menfn but in the power of God.

Now, there is a lot going on here, but I want to focus on this: Paul is reminding the Corinthians how he walked when he was there planting this church…