PRINCIPLE: “When the lightning strikes, be foolish.”
As he sat down in my church office he said, “I was just looking at our steeple with its lightning rod on top.” Wow! What an image; the cross is a lightning rod. It has always been so. In ancient times it was the instrument through which the vilest offenders were punished by a slow, excruciating death. It was viewed as the place where God’s lightning of judgment struck evil with full force. The cross was meant to repulse those thinking of committing evil acts. Some, no doubt, thought death on the cross repulsive in and of itself.
Today society views such punishment as barbaric – the cross, and other such forms of capital punishment, draw passionate reaction and rebellion. It is a lightning rod of controversy. But it’s not just the cross as a symbol of death that draws the ire of people – the cross as a symbol of Christianity has become a lightning rod as well. Since Christians see Jesus’ crucifixion on the cross as God’s lightning rod of judgment on sin, and therefore the instrument of salvation, many are repulsed by the cross. So the cross is still a lightning rod of controversy. I remember attending a school board meeting where a controversial proposal had drawn a large crowd. The very first person to speak during the public forum time said, “You Christians on the Board leave your Christianity at the door and be responsible and do what’s right.” The cross is a lightning rod. A cross sits atop a hill on city property – a court case determines whether or not it is legal. The cross is a lightning rod. A manger scene in a public park draws controversy. The cross is a lightning rod. White crosses on the roadside, marking sites of fatal accidents, are challenged. The cross is a lightning rod. Employees are forbidden to say “Merry Christmas.” The cross is a lightning rod. A youth pastor, serving as a lunch hour volunteer in the local high school, is ordered to stop doing so – it’s ruled a church-state conflict. The cross is a lightning rod. Prayer at City Council meetings are ruled ‘offensive.’ The cross is a lightning rod. A pastor applies the Bible to political and social issues during a sermon and is taken to court. The cross is a lightning rod. An elementary student is threatened with punishment because before eating her lunch, she silently prays. The cross is a lightning rod.
Such conflict should not be surprising. Centuries ago Paul wrote (1 Cor. 1:18-25 NLT): “The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise
and discard the intelligence of the intelligent. “So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish.Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe.It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom.So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles,Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.” (1 Cor. 4:10) “We are fools for Christ…” “When the lightning strikes, be foolish.”
and discard the intelligence of the intelligent. “So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish.Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe.It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom.So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it’s all nonsense.But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles,Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God’s weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.” (1 Cor. 4:10) “We are fools for Christ…” “When the lightning strikes, be foolish.”
So what do we do: when the cross is deemed foolish, challenged, or mocked? “When the lightning strikes, be foolish.” When we are told to leave our religion ‘out of politics’ – “When the lightning strikes, be foolish.” When we are told our ‘position’ is offensive and hate-filled – “When the lightning strikes, be foolish.” When our preaching and witnessing are threatened – “When the lightning strikes, be foolish.” When we’re told we’re ‘on the wrong side of history – “When the lightning strikes, be foolish.”When we think about those who oppose us and want to strike back, – “When the lightning strikes, be foolish” – we can pray for them.When we’re face to face with an unbeliever – “When the lightning strikes, be foolish” –we can witness. Let’s be fools for Christ.