Not with Persuasive Words

The Greeks were "intoxicated with fine words." There must have been a strong temptation for the Apostle Paul as he approached the Greek metropolis of Corinth, to attempt to communicate to the Corinthians in the manner to which they had grown accustomed---a temptation to impress them with his learning and eloquence. But Paul did not succumb to that temptation. He says "I determined not to know anything among you but Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." This sermon draws a distinction between skilled oratory and preaching empowered by the Holy Spirit, citing Winston Churchill and D. Martyn Lloyd Jones. It is a message that might particularly bless men called to the ministry. We outline the passage this way:

1. What Paul did NOT come to Corinth with 2) What Paul DID come to Corinth with 3) What end he had in view. Here is one segment that might give you a taste of the sermon: "It is quite possible, with a heart-wrenching appeal and a sufficient number of stanzas of "Just as I am" or "Jesus I come" to induce some people to respond. But the apostles were seeking, NOT a RESPONSE, but a REGENERATION---NOT A MOVEMENT OF THE LEGS, but a MOVEMENT OF THE SPIRIT----NOT A RAISING OF THE HAND, but a RAISING OF THE DEAD."
   One thing Paul did not have to contend with is a remote microphone battery dying in the midst of a service. The story told of the vacationers in peril at the shore was interrupted by this mini-crisis, but after the loss of about 10 seconds, our crack sound team was able to pick up the rest of the sermon with the pulpit microphone.