"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Wednesday, 25 January 2017 with Scripture 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

"The God Pause Daily Devotional" from The Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Wednesday, 25 January 2017 with Scripture 1 Corinthians 1:18-31
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1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message about the execution-stake is nonsense to those in the process of being destroyed, but to us in the process of being saved it is the power of God. 19 Indeed, the Tanakh says,
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
and frustrate the intelligence of the intelligent.”[1 Corinthians 1:19 Isaiah 29:14]
20 Where does that leave the philosopher, the Torah-teacher, or any of today’s thinkers? Hasn’t God made this world’s wisdom look pretty foolish? 21 For God’s wisdom ordained that the world, using its own wisdom, would not come to know him. Therefore God decided to use the “nonsense” of what we proclaim as his means of saving those who come to trust in it. 22 Precisely because Jews ask for signs and Greeks try to find wisdom, 23 we go on proclaiming a Messiah executed on a stake as a criminal! To Jews this is an obstacle, and to Greeks it is nonsense; 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, this same Messiah is God’s power and God’s wisdom! 25 For God’s “nonsense” is wiser than humanity’s “wisdom.”
And God’s “weakness” is stronger than humanity’s “strength.” 26 Just look at yourselves, brothers — look at those whom God has called! Not many of you are wise by the world’s standards, not many wield power or boast noble birth. 27 But God chose what the world considers nonsense in order to shame the wise; God chose what the world considers weak in order to shame the strong; 28 and God chose what the world looks down on as common or regards as nothing in order to bring to nothing what the world considers important; 29 so that no one should boast before God. 30 It is his doing that you are united with the Messiah Yeshua. He has become wisdom for us from God, and righteousness and holiness and redemption as well! 31 Therefore — as the Tanakh says — “Let anyone who wants to boast, boast about Adonai.”[1 Corinthians 1:31 Jeremiah 9:23(24)][Complete Jewish Bible]
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Outside of Pittsburgh's Steel Building, the annual life-sized nativity set was just recently dismantled. Christmas wasn't that long ago, really. During the Advent and Christmas seasons many Christians in the region erect nativity scenes around their homes or outdoors. Now, in the season after Epiphany, some churches still maintain their Wise Men traveling in the front yard. Yet Paul's words to the Corinthians show that we need more than a nativity scene in our yards to communicate who God is and why God matters in the world. We are called to use our words to tell the story that accompanies the scene. What were the wise men seeking? Why does the child in the manger matter so much? What about the cross you wear around your neck or hang in your home? Who have you shared these important things with? God chose proclamation to save those who believe. While external signs have value, it is our words that tell the story of Jesus Christ--who he is and why he matters--that allow faith to be born in the world.
God of life, you provide ordinary things to tell the story of your presence among us: light, salt, bread, wine and the wood of a cross. Give us courage to tell your story that we and others might know your presence and love among us. In Christ's name I pray. Amen.
Natalie Hall, '09
Canon for Evangelism and Faith Formation, Episcopal Diocese of Pittsburgh 
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart."
20 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?
21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe.
22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom,
23 but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,
24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
25 For God's foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God's weakness is stronger than human strength.
26 Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth.
27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;
28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are,
29 so that no one might boast in the presence of God.
30 He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption,
31 in order that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."[New Revised Standard Version]
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