DCLM Daily Manna 2025: DCLM Daily Manna 25 September 2025: Preach Christ, the Crucified
KEY VERSE:
“But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.” – (1 Corinthians 1:23,24).
READ: 1 Corinthians 1:18-31 (KJV)
18 For the story and message of the cross is sheer absurdity and folly to those who are perishing and on their way to perdition, but to us who are being saved it is the [manifestation of] the power of God.
19 For it is written, I will baffle and render useless and destroy the learning of the learned and the philosophy of the philosophers and the cleverness of the clever and the discernment of the discerning; I will frustrate and nullify [them] and bring [them] to nothing.
20 Where is the wise man (the philosopher)? Where is the scribe (the scholar)? Where is the investigator (the logician, the debater) of this present time and age? Has not God shown up the nonsense and the folly of this world’s wisdom?
21 For when the world with all its earthly wisdom failed to perceive and recognize and know God by means of its own philosophy, God in His wisdom was pleased through the foolishness of preaching [salvation, procured by Christ and to be had through Him], to save those who believed (who clung to and trusted in and relied on Him).
22 For while Jews [demandingly] ask for signs and miracles and Greeks pursue philosophy and wisdom,
23 We preach Christ (the Messiah) crucified, [preaching which] to the Jews is a scandal and an offensive stumbling block [that springs a snare or trap], and to the Gentiles it is absurd and utterly unphilosophical nonsense.
24 But to those who are called, whether Jew or Greek (Gentile), Christ [is] the Power of God and the Wisdom of God.
25 [This is] because the foolish thing [that has its source in] God is wiser than men, and the weak thing [that springs] from God is stronger than men.
26 For [simply] consider your own call, brethren; not many [of you were considered to be] wise according to human estimates and standards, not many influential and powerful, not many of high and noble birth.
27 [No] for God selected (deliberately chose) what in the world is foolish to put the wise to shame, and what the world calls weak to put the strong to shame.
28 And God also selected (deliberately chose) what in the world is lowborn and insignificant and branded and treated with contempt, even the things that are nothing, that He might depose and bring to nothing the things that are,
29 So that no mortal man should [have pretense for glorying and] boast in the presence of God.
30 But it is from Him that you have your life in Christ Jesus, Whom God made our Wisdom from God, [revealed to us a knowledge of the divine plan of salvation previously hidden, manifesting itself as] our Righteousness [thus making us upright and putting us in right standing with God], and our Consecration [making us pure and holy], and our Redemption [providing our ransom from eternal penalty for sin].
31 So then, as it is written, Let him who boasts and proudly rejoices and glories, boast and proudly rejoice and glory in the Lord.
Albert Barnes, the famous Bible commentator, writing on the quest for prideful knowledge and wisdom among the unsaved said, “The death on the cross was associated with the idea of all that is shameful and dishonourable, and to speak of salvation only by the sufferings and death of a crucified man was fitted to excite in their bosoms only unmingled scorn.” Yet, this message of the crucified Christ is God’s appointed means of saving those who believe.
The believers in Corinth were yielding to the influence of their environment, and Apostle Paul had to deal squarely with the trend. Being close to Athens, the spirit of competition in the games and the quest for human wisdom that prevailed in the society reared its head in the church. They considered their ministers as rivals and broke into factions and camps. Paul corrected them, pointing out that the ministers were not competitors but co-workers in God’s vineyard. In today’s text, the Apostle debunked the twin error of seeking signs and exalting intellectual, human wisdom above faith in Christ. The Jews wanted to see signs and wonders before they would believe in Jesus. The Gentiles, on their part, wanted a message that would measure up to the philosopher’s perspective of wisdom. However, Paul emphasised that the Christian message centres on Jesus being crucified for our salvation.
The message of the cross was a stumbling block to the Jews because the idea of a Messiah dying on a cross like a criminal portrays weakness and is unacceptable. Also, to the Gentiles, the Christian message of the cross is foolishness as it does not follow the principles of worldly wisdom. But for those who have faith enough to believe the message, it is God’s power unto salvation. What the world calls wisdom is foolishness to God, and what they reckon as power is weakness before Him. The gospel message does not depend on human wisdom or flowery language to reach people’s hearts. It takes the power of the Holy Spirit to convict and convert sinners to Christ.
If you believe the simple message that Jesus died for your sins and that God raised Him from the dead for your justification, it makes you wise unto salvation. That saving faith puts you in Christ, and He becomes your wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Rejecting the gospel portrays a tragic lack of God’s wisdom.
THE BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Proverbs 24-26
Daily Manna 25 September 2025
