Lenten Journey 2014: The Tuesday of Holy Week

Good evening, Internet. As I mentioned yesterday, I have been reading the lectionary readings for each Sunday devotionally throughout the year (a practice I highly encourage), and it has really helped me in my Bible reading time. Again, the Epistle reading for the Tuesday of Holy Week, 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, just peeled my eyes wide open. This time, it has to do with preaching. St. Paul says this about what him and the other apostles were preaching: "For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." The word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing? How can that be? Because the image of God allowing Himself to be killed is something that the world does not understand. Frankly, it's something that I don't understand myself. But I thank God that He has not called me to understand everything, but to simply trust Him. What a relief that is! While there is nothing wrong with wanting to see proof for some things in life, there are some things that we as humans just cannot grasp. And that's all right. Verse 23 sets the standard for what should be preached in the pulpit today: "We preach Christ crucified..."

As a future pastor, this verse is applicable to me, even as I am still studying for my bachelor's degree. I am taking Hermeneutics (the science of biblical interpretation) this coming fall. To make sure that my sermons have a proper distinction between Law and Gospel, as well as to preach Christ crucified for the forgiveness of sins is something I want to get a good handle on as early as I can. The Christian Church needs faithful men to preach what the Bible actually says, not what people want to hear, and unfortunately that is what I hear when I hear some well-known preachers. For this, I ask for your prayers, that I would be found a faithful preacher of God's Word. I ask any Christian who reads this post today, to pray for your pastors, that they may preach Christ and Him crucified, not what they think people want to hear.

To finish up tonight, I want to leave you with the last part of the Epistle reading for today. Have a wonderful day/evening/night, wherever and whoever you are.

Blessed Holy Week,
Manny Tovar

Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (I Corinthians 1:20-25)