The Message Makes The Man - Paul

When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified.

1 Corinthians 2:1-2

Twentieth-century Swiss theologian Karl Barth is still considered one of the most brilliant and influential Christian thinkers of his time. When someone asked him to summarize his many books, he set aside his vast understanding of Scripture and theology and simply sang an old children’s Sunday school song: “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

This simple yet profound message from a brilliant man was very much like the one that the apostle Paul consistently preached.

People who encountered Paul knew for certain what he considered most important: Christ’s sin-defeating death and grave-defeating resurrection. As a former Pharisee, Paul knew the Law. He had spent much of his former life making sure that people observed Jewish laws, rules, and traditions. Now, however, Paul embraced a new mission, a new focus, and a new message: salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.

Paul made it a point to forget everything else—his impressive education, his impeccable religious pedigree, and his personal wisdom—and instead preach Jesus, the One who was crucified but rose from the grave so that Jews and Gentiles alike could enjoy restored fellowship with God.

Paul had the education and life experience to preach any number of messages, but he stuck to the one he knew the Corinthians needed to hear: a simple message of faith and love.

You are Christ’s ambassador to the people around you. Does your life convey the simple message that Jesus loves them?