MAKING JESUS FAMOUS (AND OURSELVES A FOOL)
Paul didn’t care what people thought of him as long as they heard him proclaim Christ as Lord. But the Corinthians were easily impressed by appearance and eloquent speech. Though Paul had been the one who had first preached the gospel to them, to which they believed and were saved, they were swayed by fancy preachers who came later. In response, Paul reminded them that he and his preaching team sought to make Jesus famous, not themselves. In fact, in Paul’s first letter he told them that “it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Cor. 1:21). And further he wrote, “We are fools for Christ’s sake” (1 Cor. 4:10).
If our life’s purpose is to make Christ Jesus famous, then we must give up on making much of ourselves. We proclaim not ourselves, nor our church, but Christ! The world may think us foolish, but we have given up on pleasing men, seeking to please God alone.