Boast in The Lord

This past week I was thinking about how we choose teams. Whether it is recess on a playground, a pickup basketball game, or building a staff for a company, we tend to look for the strongest, smartest, fastest, or most connected. We scan the crowd for the “obvious picks.” We choose based on visible talent and measurable success. And if we are honest, most of us want to be chosen for those same reasons.

But when we come to 1 Corinthians 1:26–31, we discover that God does not build His kingdom the way we build our teams. Paul writes to believers in Corinth—a city obsessed with status, intellect, influence, and pedigree—and says, “Consider your calling.” Not many were wise. Not many were powerful. Not many were of noble birth. In other words, take a look around. The church was not filled with superstars. And that was not an accident.

The heartbeat of this passage is a repeated phrase: “God has chosen.” Three times Paul says it. “God has chosen what is foolish… God has chosen what is weak… God has chosen what is insignificant and despised… what is viewed as nothing.” Salvation does not begin with human qualification; it begins with divine election. It begins with grace.

Why does God choose this way? Because the message we carry is a crucified Savior. The cross itself looks foolish to the world. It does not impress the philosophers or flatter the powerful. So God matches the message with messengers who cannot take credit. The world may look at the church and see “nothing,” but God sees trophies of His grace.

Paul reminds the Corinthians not only what they were, but why God called them. The world admires social status, financial success, influence, and recognition. But none of those things can secure eternal life. God chooses the weak to shame the strong. He chooses the foolish to shame the wise. He chooses the “nobodies” to bring to nothing the “somebodies.” Why? “So that no one may boast in his presence” (1 Cor. 1:29).

Then Paul lifts our eyes to what we have in Christ. “It is from him that you are in Christ Jesus.” Everything begins with God. And in Christ we possess everything we need: wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Our salvation is not an abstract concept floating beyond reach; it is found in a Person. Jesus is our wisdom—He reshapes our perspective. He is our righteousness—He secures our standing before God. He is our sanctification—He is transforming us daily. He is our redemption—He guarantees our final freedom.

When you see that every spiritual blessing flows from Christ, comparison becomes foolish. Competition becomes unnecessary. Division becomes tragic. Why boast in leaders? Why elevate personalities? What does anyone have that was not received? The Corinthians were glorying in men, and in doing so, they were robbing God of the glory that belongs to Him alone.

That is why Paul concludes with a quotation from Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.” Jeremiah warns the wise not to boast in wisdom, the strong not to boast in strength, and the wealthy not to boast in riches. Instead, we are to boast in knowing the Lord—His faithful love, justice, and righteousness. Paul connects that ancient truth directly to the cross. If we are going to brag, let us brag about grace. If we are going to glory, let it be in the Lord.

The gospel is a great reversal. The nobodies of earth become the redeemed of heaven because the great Somebody of heaven came for us. His weakness became our strength. His “foolishness” became our wisdom. His loss became our gain. His cross became our salvation.

This Sunday, we will gather to celebrate that truth. There are no superstars at Union Avenue—only a Savior. And that is more than enough. I invite you to join us for Worship at 10:45am as we continue walking through 1 Corinthians together. Let’s come ready to lay down our pride, lift high the cross, and boast in the Lord.