Dear Christian friends:

Today we dedicate this banner to remind us each Sunday in the future what is the power of our faith. Let us attend to this banner now. Can you tell me what is the power of our faith? Look at the banner! What there shows the power of our faith? Yes, it is the cross of Jesus Christ!

But often we are tempted to forget that. We often base our faith on other things and therefore we have no real power to do right and good. In our text St. Paul warns us about these other things and then tells us to look only to the Cross. He shows the true basis of our faith.

Our faith is not based on God's power if it is based only on fine speech and man's wisdom.

There are many preachers in the world who offer such a basis for faith. Some of them perhaps are not aware that they are doing this.

In Corinth, many teachers and preachers were offering these false bases. They were fine speakers and they argued man's wisdom. Some of the Christians in the church at Corinth, were influenced by these teachers and preachers. They were thinking about quitting Paul's church and joining these other churches. They said, "The other preachers are fine, sharp speakers and seem very wise. They are more exciting and interesting than Paul." The fine speeches and interesting show were tempting the Christians to follow a new way.

Today we have the same temptations. Today we can see many preachers on television. They often give a good show. They have nice personalities. They tell interesting stories. They invite movie stars and other famous people to come to their church services and interview them during the service. They invite famous singers to sing. They tell the people that if they believe in God they will have a happy, healthy and successful life here on earth.

Sermons based on fine speech and man's wisdom are a weak and worthless foundation for faith. In our text Paul warns us about that. He writes to the church at Corinth, "When I came to you, Christian friends, I did not come to tell you God's truth with fine speech or wisdom....I came to you weak, afraid, and nervous. When I spoke and preached, I did not use clever words to influence you....I did not want your faith to depend on man's wisdom."

Faith established and built on man's wisdom or on the preachers beautiful person and skills alone will fail in time of trouble and during persecution when God tests your faith. Our faith must be established on God's power only.

Our faith is based on God's power if it is based on Jesus Christ and Him crucified.

In our text St. Paul reminded the church at Corinth, "While I was with you, I decided to speak about nothing else except Jesus Christ and Him crucified....I let the Holy Spirit and His power prove the truth to you....so that your faith will not depend on man's wisdom but on God's power." Paul could have preached to them with persuasive words, but he decided not to do that. He did not want their faith established on his own skills and personality. He did not want the people to look to him and honor himself, but to look to Jesus only and trust in Him alone! Paul knew that Jesus and His cross are the basis of faith, God's power.

Paul also knew that Jesus' cross is the true wisdom, the wisdom of God. This wisdom the world despises and considers foolish. But by the cross God defeated Satan. And by the cross Jesus won salvation for all people, salvation from sin, Satan and eternal death! And God proclaimed this salvation on Easter morning when He raised Jesus from the dead! Paul said, "Christ sent me to preach the gospel - not with human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. Because the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. Because it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate." (1 Cor. 1:17-19)

With our faith based on God's power, the cross, we receive again a true understanding of ourselves. Most people do not really understand themselves. They are either hypocrites or confused. But the cross gives us true understanding about ourselves. We understand that we have been crucified with Christ. We no more live for ourselves, but for Jesus who lives in our hearts. We now share in His power, because He before shared in our weakness. He accepted our body, our sin and our death, so that we could receive His holiness, His eternal life and His glory. His power gives us reason to boast and say, "This is a true saying, 'Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and I am the worst sinner."

Therefore, we Christians, by God's power in Christ crucified and in the power of our baptism, are able to walk a new life in response to His love. We can follow this banner that shows the cross, because we have a true and lasting relationship with our Lord Jesus. Therefore we are free - free to live in His love, not in fear of God's punishment; free to love others by His power. Lift high this banner! It displays God's power!

Amen.