For I Determined...
Not To Know Anything Among You
1 Corinthians 1:18-2:5

Introduction:
A. It is often said that we cannot teach the Gospel to anyone 
   anymore because no one wants to hear the truth. Perhaps that
   is so, but I seriously doubt it. The problem is not with 
   those who want to hear the Gospel, but rather with those who
   want to teach the Gospel. The church of our Lord is growing 
   by leaps and bounds, just not in the "civilized" world.
B. Paul shows us how we should approach the teaching of the 
   Gospel to those around us.

I. No Fancy Word Involved - 1 Cor 2:1
   A. This refers directly back to 1 Cor 1:18-31
   B. If any man desires to become wise in God's sight, he must
      realize that he is a fool - 1 Cor 3:18-23; 1 Cor 8:1-3

II. Not Interested In Physical Lives, But Spiritual - 1 Cor 2:2
   A. At Corinth, "Paul was compelled by the Spirit, and testi-
      fied to the Jews that Jesus is the Christ..." - Acts 18:5
   B. Acts 13, 22 and 26 give Paul's sermons in full
      1. Theme was always "Jesus Christ, and Him crucified."
      2. Was not interested in social or political reform

III. Did Not Exhalt Himself - 1 Cor 2:3
   A. Paul never exalted himself - 1 Cor 3:7; Eph 3:8
   B. All that he ever did, or ever became, he attributed to 
      God's grace - 1 Cor 15:8-10; 2 Cor 3:5-6
   C. If there was any greatness in Paul, it was not of him-
      self, but because Christ lived in him - Gal 2:20

IV. Demonstrated Word In His Life - 1 Cor 2:4-5
   A. "The power of God" in verse 5 is "the preaching of the 
      cross" in 1 Cor 1:18
   B. People of faith will by faith do His commandments
      1. But their faith or trust is in the cross
      2. Not in the commandments they do by faith
         a. Doing the commandments expresses one's faith in the
            cross and all that it means

V. What Did The Preaching Of The Cross Do For People Who Heard
   And Believed?
   A. It caused them to unconditionally surrender to the Jesus,
      whom God made both Lord and Christ, so that they were 
      eager to obey Him BEFORE they knew all His commandments -
      Acts 2:22-42
   B. It made the Old Testament Scriptures clear to the Eunuch,
      and changed the course of his life - Acts 8:26-39.
   C. It brought Paul to a sharp, complete change in his life 
      that began in Acts 9:6
      1. Was lived as in Acts 21:13
      2. And was ended on earth as it is written in 2 Tim 4:6-8

Conclusion:
A. These examples show the power of God in the cross.