The foolishness of God’s reconciling, forgiving love is from the beginning of time, and in the cross we see it most fully and are changed to become that love.
Pr. Joseph G. Crippen
The feast of the Holy Cross
Text: 1 Corinthians 1:18-24
Beloved in Christ, grace to you, and peace in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
Paul says that the heart of our proclamation is God’s foolishness.
A foolishness seen in the cross of Christ.
But in fact, God’s foolishness began far before then. As Paul says a little later, this foolish wisdom of God has been the plan from “before the ages.” (2:7)
God’s foolishness begins at the beginning, creating human beings in God’s own image and then giving us the trust to live into that image. The vulnerable love of God that created the universe is no more vulnerable and at risk than in God’s trusting and hoping that humanity will become who they are made to be.
And we’ve proven the foolishness of that plan ever since.
But God doubled down on the foolishness.
Every time people failed to live up to the trust, let God down, sinned against God or against each other, God’s decision – apart from the story of the flood – was to forgive them. Even in our Hebrew forebears story of a garden and a first couple’s sin, God forgave. The story says they were told if they ate of the fruit, they would die. But they didn’t die. They were given forgiveness and grace to live and do better.
When God created a relationship with a chosen family, God’s foolish forgiveness and reconciliation continued. Abraham was unfaithful to God several times; God forgave. Jacob blundered and lied and sinned his way through life; God forgave. When the people were rescued from slavery and on their way to their new home, they repeatedly broke covenant with God; God forgave. Even when the sin of the people led to their exile, God forgave and restored them. The harshest of the prophets still include a message of hope in God’s love and forgiveness in their fiery words.
Forgiveness and reconciliation are the very heart of the Triune God. And that’s foolishness in a world that includes people like us. Paul says God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and we’ve learned to trust that. But there’s no mistaking that God’s way looks like a fool’s way in worldly terms.
The cross of Christ, then, is the only logical next step in foolishness. The likely outcome of God’s way.
Now, there could have been a reality where God’s utter vulnerability in coming as a human being among us didn’t end with the cross. All people could have seen the face of the Triune God in Jesus and followed his call to repentance and new life, to love of God and love of neighbor. We wouldn’t have had to kill him.
But given human nature is what it is, the cross was probably the only way this was going to end. With Jesus embodying God’s foolish love, disregarding even laws of God to extend that love, proclaiming God’s reign in everyone who embodies that love themselves, Jesus’ cross was likely unavoidable.
So this raises a question. If forgiveness and reconciliation are the heart of the Triune God, and therefore God doesn’t need the cross to forgive, yet still faced it, why?
The first answer is what Paul proclaims.
The cross, while not necessary for God to forgive, is an unmistakable sign of God’s forgiveness and love. The eternal Christ, the Son of God, loved humanity fully in our flesh, and continued God’s covenant promise not to use violence and destruction against us, a promise that goes back to the aftermath of the flood. A promise that led to his death.
In showing that use of power and force isn’t God’s way, love is, even if that means God dies to prove it, Jesus shows clearly how deep and powerful God’s love actually is. The resurrection of Jesus only confirms that a vulnerable, sacrificial, self-giving love cannot be stopped by any power of evil. Not even death.
This may be a stumbling block to some people’s faith, Paul says. It may be foolishness to others’ sensibilities. But the cross of Christ, the love of God willing to die out of love for the universe, is God’s true power and wisdom. It is the unmistakable proof that you are loved always, that forgiveness will always be God’s way with you.
The other answer is the cross is an example for you and me and all who see it.
The Son of God who hung on the cross literally said, “I’m giving you an example for you to follow.” He said that on his knees, with wet hands wiping on a towel, and then commanded love for one another as he loves them. Loves us. Loves you. Loves all.
And the servant love he shows in washing feet on Thursday, Jesus completes in his death on the cross. So his command stands: this is the love I call you to follow. Self-giving, sacrificial, vulnerable love for each other and the creation. “Love to the loveless shown that they might lovely be,” the hymn sings.
The cross shows you and me the path of our life as Christ.
This is all foolishness, no question.
A power-hungry, violent world mocks such a love. As Paul says a little after these verses, the powers of this world never understand it.
That’s because this is the love that is the life and breath of the universe. The love that God has been hoping to see in you and me from before creation. The love God risked never seeing by foolishly trusting humanity to live into the image of God we were made to be.
The love that is yours in Christ Jesus, that nothing can separate you from, and that will shape and mold your heart until you live and breathe God’s foolishness and find the wisdom of life and hope and healing in it. For you. And for all.
In the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen
