12 Days of Christmas: Day 1

The basis of Christianity is, as Paul writes, "we preach Christ crucified." To the Corinthians in his first letter Paul states:

For 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. For it is written:
"I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate."
Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. (1 Corinthians 1:18-25)

Today that same Gospel message evokes the same reaction. The scholar denounces the Gospel as a myth, simplistic, a crutch for weak people. Some demand miraculous signs-if there is a God, why is there suffering in the world?

But sin exists in this world. Mankind needs salvation from this tyranny of sin. How does man try to work out his release from this bondage?

Some try the "I'll try harder" method. But do you ever feel that your efforts are enough? Or are you in an "endless loop" of doing more and more but never knowing if what you have done is good enough for God? Not very comforting, is it?

Some will compare themselves to others. "I'm not that bad" or "I'm not as bad as so-and-so." But here again, is someone better than you? And how many are better? And what is the "limit" for heaven? Again, there is no comfort in this thought.

Some try to balance out the bad with good works. But as Luther says, we sin even as we do good works. Isaiah says: