Based on the sermon by Jeffrey Johnson from 1 Corinthians chapter 1, the key message revolves around the idea of God choosing the "nobodies" of the world to advance His kingdom, rather than the elite and powerful. Johnson begins by questioning why God often chooses the seemingly unqualified and overlooked individuals instead of prominent world leaders or celebrities for His purposes. He emphasizes that God's power is manifest not through human abilities or status but through the simple message of the Gospel.
Johnson argues that being unqualified in the world's eyes actually makes one qualified for God’s work, as it exemplifies His grace and power. He uses scriptural references to support the notion that God deliberately chooses the foolish, weak, and lowly to shame the wise and powerful, and to ensure that no human being might boast in His presence. This, he asserts, is a strategy to show the world the folly of its wisdom and the weakness of its strength.
The sermon highlights that our qualification as Christians comes from our disqualification — our recognition of our own inadequacy and nothingness. Johnson stresses that Christ is the only qualification and source of wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption for believers. By choosing those who are humble and acknowledging their own limitations, God ensures that all glory goes to Him.
In practical application, Johnson encourages his listeners to embrace their perceived weaknesses and inadequacies, as these are the very things that make them suitable for God's work. He calls for a rejection of self-reliance and pride, and an embrace of total dependence on Christ. The message concludes with an invitation to find hope in our own insufficiency and to glorify Christ in our dependence on Him.
