HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2019-07-25, Page 25THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JULY 25, 2019. PAGE 25.
Continued from page 23
his resurrection, taking up his place
with God, being the go-between for
us and God. It is the peculiar
Christian foolishness that allows us
to see the death of our Saviour as
ultimately a victory. His death has
paved the way for us, giving us
security and peace. Victory! This
leads to the second “foolish” thing
that we believe.
The question most often leveled at
Christians is, “Where’s the proof? If
God exists, where’s the sign?” The
answer is in Paul’s letter, “For Jews
demand signs, and Greeks desire
wisdom, but we proclaim Christ
crucified, a stumbling block to the
Jews and foolishness to the gentiles,
but to those who are called, both
Jews and Greeks, Christ the power
of God and the wisdom of God.”
We believe that Christ is our sign.
Consider the people who are
benefitting from the thousands of
Christian and Christian-supported
charities and services around the
world. They feel the power of the
cross. It saves their lives. It puts food
on their tables, builds schools in
their community and immunizes
their children. The power the cross
holds over us compels us to give
generously, recognizing that the
people benefitting are also loved by
God. The cross has power. If people
can’t believe in God without a sign,
the cross is that sign. The sign of
ultimate love and sacrifice, of
redemption and forgiveness.
Great things, signs, happen in the
name of the cross. God chose the
lowly things of this world and the
despised things. The cross, a symbol
of punishment and agony, became a
symbol of hope. There is the proof.
The cross, held in our hearts,
allowing us to be better, do better,
love more. The cross, which through
its power, unites us with all of our
brothers and sisters in Christ, all
around the world.
And, even beyond this – if you
want proof, I think the cross and the
lack of logic behind it are some of
the most compelling evidences for
Christ’s divinity. If the disciples
were going to lie, if the early
Christians were going to lie,
wouldn’t they come up with
something better? Something more
dignified than the cross? That Jesus
went down like Samson did, killing
thousands of his enemies? That
Jesus heroically sacrificed himself
by shielding a follower from a
thrown spear, dying a dramatic,
cinematic death. If the disciples
were going to lie, wouldn’t they have
made up something more glorious
than the cross? The cross was a
symbol of shame and criminality.
There was nothing to be proud of
when you died on a cross. So if the
disciples were going to lie, wouldn’t
they take that part out? Engage in
some revisionist history and make
Jesus more Godlike and less
shameful? So there is the power of
the cross – in its very foolishness we
see that it is true.
And what the world sees as the
third bit of foolishness: we believe
that we all can be saved. This is so
simple that sometimes it’s hard to
believe. If you believe in God and
Jesus’ sacrifice, you can be saved.
We’re used to a society where
nothing is free. You have to work
hard to get ahead. The richest,
smartest, most talented, most
popular people get the best things.
It’s the way of the world. But Paul
says, “Consider your own call,
brothers and sisters: not many of you
are wise by human standards, not
many were powerful, not many were
of noble birth.” It doesn’t matter if
you have an IQ of 50 or 150. It
doesn’t matter if you’re in the top
one per cent or the lowest one per
cent of any metric. God can save
you. We don’t have to earn it.
And so we come to the height of
foolishness. Is God Himself foolish?
Let’s pretend that I have the power to
give eternal life to you, right now,
just by saying your name. How
much would you pay me for that?
What would you be willing to do for
eternal life and happiness? Now,
who would I give it to? My family
and friends certainly. But what about
that guy who cut me off in traffic the
other day? Or the people in prison
right now? What about people who
preach hatred, bigotry and
ignorance? Would I be willing to
give eternal life to them?
Fortunately, I don’t have that power.
But God does. And God, being the
loving fool that He is, loves us all, no
matter how messed up we are. He
gives us the chance of a lifetime: to
know Him and be saved.
To some people, God looks
foolish. They can’t understand how
He can extend His love equally to
saints and criminals. I struggle with
it myself. The best way I’ve come to
understand it so far is to remember
that we are all children of God, even
if we’re terrible people.
How much more do we rejoice
when we’ve found the lost coin or
the lost sheep? He makes the offer,
it’s up to us to take it. So thanks be
to God, even in His foolishness, for
giving away the most precious gift.
For giving it to everyone, no matter
who they are. For having mercy.
Most people cannot love like that,
truly unconditionally. But God can.
He is wiser than human wisdom.
And thank God for that.
God’s love is unconditional for us says Ireland
Business Directory
Free delivery in
Wingham &
surrounding area
PAUL COOK
ELECTRIC
Home, Farm &
Commercial Wiring
BELGRAVE
519-357-1537
BROWN’S PHARMASAVE
SHELVING & RACKING
519-524-1740
Lakeside
Large instock selection of pallet racking,
store shelving, display cases and more for
Industrial, Residential, Farm & Retail
www.lakesideshelving.com
lakesidemarket@gmail.com
33842 Market Rd.,
North of Goderich, off Hwy. 21
D. C. Craig
Excavating
• Snow Plowing
• Snow Removal
• Excavating
• Bulldozing
• Septic Systems
• Drainage
519-523-4966
NEW CONSTRUCTION
AGRICULTURAL
RENOVATIONS
RESIDENTIAL
Call 519-524-0253
Easy
Prescription
Transfer
Bernard
Enterprises
Authorized dealer for
Central Boiler
Classic Outdoor Wood Furnaces,
Edge Outdoor Wood Furnaces &
Maxim Wood Pellet and Corn Burners
Gasification units available
Inquire about our new edges
Carman Bernard
519-887-6405
RR #4 Brussels
centralboiler.com
Dave
Franken
CONCRETE FORMING
For All Your Concrete Needs!
COMMERCIAL RESIDENTIAL
• Foundations • Floor Finishing
• Circular Tanks • Sandwich Walls
FREE ESTIMATES
RR#3 Blyth ~ Fax 519-523-9604
519-523-9971
Affordable
CAR AND TRUCK
RENTALS
Large & Small Trucks
fridge carts - piano dollys-
moving blankets
Complete Selection of Cars
Our rates qualify for
insurance replacement
Passenger Vans
full size or mini
GODERICH TOYOTA
344 Huron Rd. 519-524-9381
GODERICH 1-800-338-1134
- COMPLETE MECHANICAL SERVICE -
COMPUTERIZED TUNE-UPS - TIRES - BRAKES
MUFFLERS - VEHICLE INSPECTION STATION
DAN'S AUTO REPAIR
Owned and Operated by Dan & Heather Snell
RR 3, Blyth, Ont. N0M 1H0
(on the Westfield Rd.)
DAN SNELL, Automotive Technician
519-523-4356
COME IN AND VISIT YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD PHARMASAVE
198 Josephine St., Wingham, Ont.
519-357-1629
Hours: Mon. - Fri. 9 - 6 Sat. 9 - 4
Rear Parking Available
Call 519-523-4792 or 519-887-9114 to book your spot today!
Ph: 519-529-7212 Fax: 519-529-3277
Email: info@smythwelding.com
37452 Glen’s Hill Road R.R. #2, Auburn, Ont. N0M 1E0
Snowblowers, Land Rollers, Stone Windrowers,
Sweepers, Quick Attach Buckets & Woodsplitters.
Full Machine Shop & Repair Services
www.smythwelding.com
306 Josephine St., Wingham
519-357-3894
Haircuts/Colouring
Highlights/Perms
Ionic Detox Foot Spa
Manicures & Pedicures
Shellac Nails
2 Tanning Beds
• Farm Lanes
• Campgrounds
• Driveways
• Horse Riding Arenas
Contact Brent Pryce
519-525-6295
Martin’s Nursery
Shade & Flowering trees, Fruit trees,
Spruce, pine, hedging
Cedars, Shrubs
& more!Your one-stop store for Bees
and Bee Supplies!
We manufacture our own supers so buy direct and save!
Hydrangeas
BEE
Supplies Etc.
Nucs
c/o EMANUEL E.M. MARTIN
42661 Orangehill Road RR #1 Wroxeter, ON N0G 2X0
1 Concession North of Wroxeter on Belmore Line
INSTANT FAX AS FAST AS A PHONE
Send your paperwork by FAX instantly! eg. statements, contracts,
auction ads, favourite recipes, obituaries, messages...
The Citizen has a FAX machine in our Blyth office that lets you contact
any other FAX machine in the world ... instantly.
Our FAX number is also your number so if you want to be
reached instantly — we will receive your messages
as well.
The Citizen
Call Us Today For Details 519-523-4792 or 519-887-9114
Fax: 519-523-9140
1. Eat squash.
2. Play squash.
Just two things you can do to
reduce your risk of cancer.
Learn more about healthy lifestyle choices.
Call the Canadian Cancer Society Cancer Information Service
at 1 888 939-3333 or visit www.cancer.ca.
Call Heather or Brenda to
reserve this spot today!
Introduce Yourself
to Hundreds of
Local Customers
Here’s my
CARD