Good Shepherd Lutheran Church(elca)
Following Christ, Growing in Faith, Sharing God's Love
Sermon
March 14 and 15, 2009
1 Corinthians 1:18-25
Welcome Pastor Nicholas Kisua
and Mr. Ben Kikuvi from Kenya
to greet the congregation.
People have asked
how they can help with the Suvia Children’s Home.
There are offering baskets in the narthex
by the displays
where you can make a gift.
If you’re writing a check,
that can be written to either World Servants or Good Shepherd.
As I spoke with Pastor Kisua and Ben
earlier in the week,
they were also telling me about the famine in Kenya.
There are 35 million people in Kenya.
About 10 million are suffering from hunger right now
because of the drought and famine.
There is information on the World Servants website
about how to help feed people in the Kali, Kenya area—
--where Pastor Kisua lives
--and where the Suvia Children’s home is.
Let’s pray…
We heard from Paul’s first letter to Corinthians
a few minutes ago.
Would you look at that with me.
Particularly the first verse and the last verse of our reading.
Verse 18:
“For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
Verse 25:
“For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness if stronger than human strength.”
What is God’s foolishness?
The cross.
We have become so used to it.
I know I have heard about Jesus dying on the cross
for as long as I can remember.
But it is really hard to understand and accept
that Jesus dying on the cross
is the power of God.
Salvation.
Even after all these years,
we don’t understand it.
And since we don’t understand,
maybe we’re tempted to dismiss it.
But Paul says to you and to me—
--the cross is central.
It may seem foolish.
But God was at work
as Jesus died on the cross.
And Jesus was willing to die on the cross
Because he loves us so much.
And as we follow Jesus,
we may be seen as foolish, too.
I think about the Suvia Children’s Home
that we’ve been hearing about.
It’s hard to get a consistent number,
but per capita income in Kenya
is somewhere between $250 and $1000 per year.
Right now,
the area missed its fall rains.
It was dusty when we were there in July.
And they haven’t had significant rain since.
The people are hungry.
Is it foolishness
to think with such limited resources,
there can be hope for the orphaned children of Kenya?
I suppose,
if we are relying on our own strength,
it is foolish.
But for God,
nothing is impossible.
God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom,
and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
Jesus loves you and me so much,
that he will be seen as foolish,
that he will be seen as outcast,
that he will die for you and for me.
Did you know that in Deuteronomy 21:23,
it says this:
“Anyone hung on a tree is under God’s curse.”
And yet,
Jesus was hung on a tree,
on a cross,
for you and for me.
He was rejected,
so we could be accepted.
He was killed,
so that we might have life.
Life now and forever.
For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom,
Most of you know the name “Auschwitz”.
Nazi death camp
where 4 million Jews died during World War II.
Some of you know the name Maximillian Kolbe.
He was a Franciscan priest
who helped the Jews escape the Nazis.
But then he was discovered,
arrested,
and sent to Auschwitz.
While he was there,
he tried to care for the other prisoners.
He bandaged their wounds.
He shared his food.
He gave up his bunk.
He prayed for his captors.
He was soon nicknamed
the “Saint of Auschwitz”.
In July 1941,
there was an escape.
The camp rule stated that upon every successful escape,
10 persons would die.
All the prisoners would be gathered in the courtyard,
and an SS Officer
would randomly call the names of 10 prisoners,
who would be immediately taken to a cell
where they would receive no food and water until they died.
One by one,
names were called.
The 10th person called
was a man named Fraciszek Gajowniczek.
He was a sergeant in the Polish Army
who had been captured.
When his name was called he cried,
“My wife and children!”
Then there was movement among the prisoners.
The guards raised their rifles.
A prisoner had left the line,
and was pushing his way to the front.
It’s Maximillian Kolbe.
One of the guards shouts,
“Stop or be shot.”
Kolbe said he wanted to talk to the commander.
For some reason, they let him.
He said to the commander,
“Let me die in the place of this man.
I have no family.
Besides, I am old and cannot do much work.
He’s in much better condition,
and more useful to you.”
For a reason we’ll never know,
the commander let Kolbe take the place of Fraciszek.
The priest was marched off with 9 others
to a cold basement cell,
where they were kept without foods or water until they died.
On August 14, 1941,
the Saint of Auschwitz died.
Fraciszek Gojowniczek survived.
He was liberated by the allies
and was reunited with his wife and children.
In his backyard in Warsaw, Poland
is a plaque that he carved with his own hands
as a memorial to Maximillian Kolbe.
Until his death a few years ago,
he returned to Auschwitz on August 14 of every year
and revisited the sight.
And he wept and he prayed
and he thanked God
that someone cared enough for him
to die in his place.
If someone died in your place,
do you think it would still seem foolish?
Someone has.
Jesus died for you.
And for me.
For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing,
but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
