American experiment successful
JOE MILLER JR.

Joe Miller Jr. is pastor of First United Methodist Church in Newton.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5

This week commemorates our political independence… the 4th of July. In 1776 we declared the American experiment to the world; that is, a country that could exist without a monarchy, a country that could be ruled by elected representatives, in short, a county that could be of the people and by the people. The experiment has been successful.

In this text, the apostle Paul discusses another "experiment" that is vastly different from the American experiment. As Paul notes, this experiment is not founded on lofty words or on elegantly expressed wisdom. Paul introduced it to the Corinthian church with weakness, fear, and great trembling rather than heroic actions or words.

Paul did not express great bravery as a necessity nor even as being desirable. Rather, the action is undertaken for us by Christ. Christ is crucified for our sakes leaving us to ponder this great, unexplained mystery of God; that is, why would God himself become human in order to die for us very imperfect sinners?

At this time of year we value and honor the bravery, courage, and strength on the part of our ancestors who gave their lives that we might live free, but the greatest freedom is given to us through the ongoing event of the crucifixion of Christ.

Paul reminds the church that salvation is not about the messenger or the packaging of the message. Salvation is about the message, and that message is Christ crucified. That is good news

in two ways. We are saved though Christ who gave himself up for us without any merit on our part. That is known as grace. Since the message does not have to be proclaimed with lofty words of wisdom using an oratorical delivery, you and I can proclaim the good news to our friends and acquaintances without any worry about the results. It does not matter how well we express what Jesus has done for us because it is not our delivery that matters, it is the good news itself. Christ dies for us.

Do you consider yourself a Christian? When was the last time that you told one of your unchurched friends about Jesus and the good news? The best place to learn and embody the good news is in church. If you do not have a church, find one. East Texas is full of good churches. Email me at newtonumc@ valornet.com with your thoughts.