“For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful” (1 Corinthians 1:26)
READ
REFLECT
If you had your choice of drafting anyone you want to compete in the sport of fitness, who would you chose?
When building a powerful team or organization, what are the key ingredients?
Strong foundations, experienced team members, and intelligent leadership are vital. But, when Jesus had the opportunity to draft his team, are these the components he chose?
After praying the entire night, He chose twelve men with no experience and significant limitations due to occupational backgrounds. At least four were simple fishermen. Two had anger issues. Two were virtual enemies due to their political leanings. One man’s name meant “mama’s boy.” Another was nicknamed for his small stature. Jesus willingly chose the one who would betray Him. And, later He used a man who was involved in seeking to kill this initial group for their faith. These were the individuals chosen to preach the greatest message ever known and write the New Testament we continue to read today.
Why did Christ choose such powerless people to do the most powerful job in the history of the world? It was to ensure the Message received all the attention, not the messengers. It is still the same today. The message of the cross, although foolish to the world, is the only thing that matters. We must not let our sinful desire to receive human approval interfere with that message. The message itself demonstrates we have no intrinsic qualifications making us eligible to participate on His team. Due to our sin and God’s holiness, Christ had to die on the cross for us to experience fellowship with our God.“Therefore, as the Scriptures say, ‘If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.‘” (1 Corinthians 1:31)
RESPOND
- How does Jesus’ prayer life demonstrate His belief in the power of God?
- How does Jesus’ selection of His apostles demonstrate His belief in the power of God?
- How do these observations help reveal your personal belief in the power of God?
- What causes you to doubt the power of God?
