The Lutheran Hour

"A Foolish Cross?"

#76-27
Presented on The Lutheran Hour on March 15, 2009
Speaker: Rev. Ken Klaus
Copyright 2025 Lutheran Hour Ministries

Text: 1 Corinthians 1:18

Christ is risen! He is risen, indeed! The Redeemer’s resurrection is the unique event of history which transformed the Roman cross, from an instrument of death into God’s symbol of forgiveness and life eternal. To all who consider the cross foolishness, the Lord says, “Look again.” To those who already know the cross is the symbol of His grace and power, He bids us rejoice in the salvation the Savior has won. God grant we glory in the cross of Christ. Amen.

It was a number of years ago, at least according to the story I’ve been told, that two men went on a business trip for their high profile electronics company. Along with completing a highly profitable bit of business, the two also carried off the commission of sins both serious and scandalous. Drunk with financial success and immoral excess there was no transgression which was beyond or, more properly, beneath them. Booze, babes, and depravity was their motto and to that end they left no stone unturned or sin uncommitted; except for one. As their trip was concluding, from their high-rise hotel window, they were able to look down upon a church. You know the kind of house of worship I’m talking about. This was a great stone building that had been built at a time when business and belief were not exclusive; a church whose once-commanding steeple now sat in the shadows of soaring, steel skyscrapers.

With a smirk in his voice, one of the businessmen challenged. “Tell you what, I’ve got 100 bucks which says you won’t go over to that church and confess everything we’ve done these last few days.” In less than an instant the challenge was accepted. “No problem, your bet is covered and it’s the easiest money I’ve made on this trip.” Hurriedly the two scuttled across the street, and while the challenger watched from the shadows, the other entered the confessional. Relying on the words he recalled from old movies, he unsteadily began, “Father, forgive me for I have sinned.” Then, for more than 10 minutes he listed, in explicit detail, all he and his companion had done wrong.

After he was finished, the businessman waited for a reaction from the priest. Not only was the experienced clergyman not shocked by the confessions of the businessman; he correctly judged the man to be a jokester and blasphemer. Coolly, calmly, and to his credit, compassionately, the priest said, “My son, for what you have done I want you to walk down to the front of the church, and, there, by the altar, I want you to kneel down. Then, from that position on your knees I want you to look up at the face of the statue that shows Jesus being crucified. Look at the face of Jesus who is shown dying on the cross and say, “Lord, You lived and died for me, and it doesn’t make any difference.”

Knowing his friend was watching from the back of the church, the man emerged from the confessional, smiled at his friend, and did as the priest had instructed. He went to the front of the church and knelt down. On his knees he looked up at the statue of Jesus and he started to say, “Jesus, You lived and died for me and it just doesn’t… it just doesn’t….” The man started to say the words which the priest had given him; he started to say them, but he didn’t finish them. The man cleared his throat and began a second time, “Jesus, You lived and died for me and…” He never finished the sentence. According to the story, the statue of Jesus being crucified lost the man his bet even as it brought him faith and forgiveness.

I love telling that story. I’ve told it before and I’ll probably tell it again. But there is only one little, miniscule, hardly worth mentioning problem with the story: to the best of my knowledge it is a story and nothing more. It is a wishful tale of what ought to happen in the hearts of every man, woman, and child when they are confronted by the cross and the Christ who sacrificed His innocent life to save them from their transgressions. Sadly, the story is a fable. If it were not, every Christian church throughout the world would parade statues, and icons, and pictures through the streets of hamlets and villages, towns and cities. But it is a story, and the facts of how people are brought to faith are usually quite different. The first chapter of 1st Corinthians speaks about those facts when it says: “… the cross is folly to those who are perishing.”

Today, as happens every Sunday, this Lutheran Hour message is being broadcast on well more than 800 stations all over North America. Solely through your support and by God’s wish, it is, via satellite, being beamed to isolated ranches, flooded farms, remote fishing lakes, over-the-road truckers, hospitals, prisons, and rehabilitation centers. It is being put into large print and Braille for those who are visually impaired. It is being distributed to military around the world via the American Forces Network and it is being shared in countries where the Savior’s story of salvation is condemned and banned by other religions, where missionary activity is barred by hostile governments. It is going out by email, snail-mail, Internet and to iPod. By the Holy Spirit’s will it is being taken to homes and hearts unknown to me, but which have been bought and are being sought by the living Lord. We at The Lutheran Hour rejoice that these words will most certainly be heard by those who have already been brought to their knees by the crushing weight of their sin and then raised up by the nail-pierced hands of the Savior.

But statistics and common sense say this message will also be heard by masses of souls who have come to the conclusion the cross is ancient foolishness and folly and anyone who believes the story of the Savior’s sacrifice is misinformed, unsophisticated and naïve. Indeed, you may be one of the many who remain unmoved by the Savior’s sacrifice which forgives and offers salvation. You have driven along the road and seen billboards showing the Savior and wondered why anyone would invest money advertising such an unproductive Product. In churches you have seen brilliantly illuminated stained glass, but your response has been limited to appreciating the craftsmanship, not the Christ. On television and radio you have come across channels where pastors have been preaching about the impact of the Christ, but you moved past those channels as quickly as your remote-control finger would allow.

Indeed, right now it’s likely many people listening to this message are quite sure they have heard more than enough about how the cross separates sin from salvation.

Let me begin by asking, “Do you remember when the space shuttle Challenger took off with teacher Christi McAuliffe on board? Do you remember watching the power of those rockets, and how, 73 seconds after the shuttle took off it exploded?” Watching those people die was a hard thing, wasn’t it? If you remember that day, I wonder do you also remember what the problem was which caused the Challenger catastrophe? Many, if not most of you, will say it was the unseasonable cold which caused a faulty O-ring to malfunction, leak fuel and explode. Please allow me to say that answer is not entirely correct. The real problem that day, the problem which cost those precious lives, was human pride. Talking about the tragedy, one of America’s most prestigious newspapers correctly commented that the space explorers on that ship died because top managers failed to listen to the warnings of the people who were closest to the project. Those top managers thought they knew best; they were sure they knew what was right. It was their pride which caused them to ignore the warnings; which didn’t let them see the danger; which cost the lives of some very special men and women.

Pride. Human pride is that which is keeping you away from the Lord and really seeing the Christ and what He has done to save you from yourself. I know, I know, you have your reasons, sane, solid, sensible reasons, for not believing in Jesus. Some of you have studied history and seen some of the terrible things that Christians have done in the name of the cross. You have read about the Crusades and the conquest of the Americas and you have decided you want no part of such a misused symbol. Others of you have watched the evening news and heard of the immoral and perverted lifestyles exhibited by a few high-profile Christians. Their scandalous acts have blinded you from seeing Jesus clearly. Some of you have listened to some very silly sermons on TV and on the radio, haven’t you? You have heard the preposterous claims of individuals who claimed to be given special powers and unique revelations. “Give $5,000 to my ministry,” they urge, “and God is bound to give you whatever you want.” What balderdash! Listening to those messages you decided you want no contact with a God Who has to be bribed into being nice. Is it possible you have been turned off by the hypocrisy of some Christians? Are you among the many that were raised in a home where Christianity was faithfully practiced on Sunday morning, but forgotten during the rest of the week? Have you been turned off by arguments within the church and between denominations?

These reasons and many more, I don’t have time to list here, have convinced you that you are better off ignoring the church, disregarding the Christ, and forgetting about His cross. You have found it far easier to set your own path; to dream your own dreams; to decide your own future. That kind of thinking and living, my friend, is called pride. Pride. That is what was shown by our first ancestors when they decided that they, not God, knew what was best in the running of their lives. The disobedience created by human pride brought about the flood which nearly wiped out humanity; human pride inspired the building of the tower of Babel and human pride repeatedly encouraged the chosen people to pursue false divinities. Human pride encouraged Judas to betray his Master and Peter to boast that he alone would remain faithful when confronted by pressure and persecution.

In every age, in every generation, human pride has said, “I am in control and God is not. I, not He, will work out my salvation.” With that being said, let me ask, “How has that philosophy of self been working out for us?” Right now the industrial countries of the world are scrambling to attain financial stability. It is a scramble which is, at best, uncertain. Even though billions and billions of dollars have been dedicated to pulling countries away from catastrophe; even though the nations’ best and brightest minds are dedicated to solving the task; even though government leaders constantly speak words of assurance as they urge their people to adopt an aura of hope; when all is said and done, no one is sure these efforts will be enough to make any difference.

Human pride. Do you think the commodity of human pride has greatly contributed to the improvement and benefit of our world? Has human pride been able to bring about lasting peace on our planet or does your newspaper and evening news continue to speak of one nation warring against another? Is the news not filled with stories of national hatred, persecution, and genocide being practiced by those countries to demand the weaker bow before the whims and wishes of the stronger? In how many countries are families able to live out their days in comparative safety and security? Look closely and you will see the major highways of many places being clogged by a tidal wave of refugees who have been forced to flee rebellions, revolutions, insurrections, and infighting. Look at the disaster which continues to be brought about by human pride. Look at the leaders of this world who decline to act in the best interests of their citizenry even as they rape and pillage their people, preferring to feather the nests of their personal palaces? And when one corrupt government is overthrown, how often is it not replaced by another that is just as bad and even worse?

Personal pride? If your evening news has not convinced you that governments are unable to make things permanently better, let’s look closer to home to see what is happening. Turn your attention to your friends, your families, your own homes. What is happening there? Have husbands and wives managed to keep intact their wedding vows in which they promised love, support, faithfulness, and fellowship until death brings about an earthy separation, or have spouses decided to follow their own desires and go their own way? Do you see children eager to respect parents and are those parents worthy of that respect that Scripture urges and God intends?

Be honest, what do you see? Are your neighborhoods safer; is your job more secure; is your retirement still solid or has your world been rocked by the greed and selfishness of others? Look to your libraries, your bookstores, and college curriculums. They are filled to overflowing with volumes and classes that promise help in dealing with life’s troubles and tribulations. Yes, promises are made, but are they kept? All too often people seem to stay sad, downhearted, depressed, and unhappy; discouraged, dejected, and pessimistic. The cross may seem like foolishness, but is there anything more foolish than the pride of a human heart which, in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, continues to believe that it can create its own hope and invent its own bright destiny? Is there anything more foolish than the pride of humanity which believes the sun will come out tomorrow when every indication bears witness to the fact that tomorrow and tomorrow’s tomorrow will be as dark and foreboding as today and yesterday?

Now, I am fully aware that the picture I have painted is bleak. It is bleak, but it is also true. I know it. You know it. Most of all God knows it. He knows that we cannot, by our own reason or strength or stubbornness, manage to extricate ourselves from the sinful people we are. He sees our helplessness and our impotence. More importantly, beyond the seeing and the shaking of His head in sadness and sorrow, He has decided to do something about it. To rescue us from ourselves, to release us from sin and Satan, He has done that which is necessary to save us. So we might be redeemed He sent His Son into this world. Understand, Jesus did not come as an Example; nor did He come as a Teacher; or a Ruler. The Father sent His Son into this world as a Substitute and a Sacrifice. Before Jesus was born in Bethlehem, inspired prophets had promised He would fulfill all the commandments we have broken. Where we are proud, He would be humble. Where we are selfish, He would be selfless. When we are always wanting more; He would give until there was no more to give.

So we might be saved, Jesus lived a perfect life, denouncing sin and renouncing Satan. And for His gracious commitment, Jesus was arrested by those He had come to save. He was arrested, unjustly tried, unfairly condemned, and unduly sent to die on a Roman cross. The cross. You may have considered Jesus’ cross to be foolishness, but you should know, on that cross, the Lord repaired that which was irreparable. The cross. Before Jesus, the cross was considered a violent ending for the worst of criminals, but because of Jesus, it has become God’s pathway to peace. Before Jesus, the cross was an instrument of suffering, but for those who believe, the cross is God’s way to give healing. Before Jesus, the cross was nothing more than a cruel symbol of death, but for those who believe Jesus died to save them, it is God’s key to eternal life. The cross. Suspended between heaven and hell, wanted by neither, needed by both, Jesus bled and died as God said to a sinful world, “This I do to save you.”

Yes, to those who are perishing, the cross is foolishness, but for those who are saved, the cross is the power, the love, the salvation of God. Understand, I am not saying ‘in this world the cross and the Christ will free you from all your problems, all your difficulties, all your pains and hurts.’ Nor am I promoting a cross which will free you from bills, or help your business, or give you instant success and popularity. I am saying what Scripture says: if you repent of your sin and believe on Jesus as your crucified and risen Redeemer, the living Lord will be by your side and in your heart. There He will forgive your sins, help you through difficulties and conquer the evil of this world…including death itself. The cross, the Christ, and Jesus’ empty tomb. These are God’s gifts to you today. If we can help you see the wonder of these gifts, please, call us at The Lutheran Hour. Amen.

LUTHERAN HOUR MAILBOX (Questions & Answers) for March 15, 2009
Topic: Descended Into Hell

ANNOUNCER: Why don’t the ecumenical Creeds all say the same thing? I’m Mark Eischer, here with Pastor Ken Klaus. Our question today is quite theological.

KLAUS: Not that our others aren’t?

ANNOUNCER: What I mean is that this question calls for a bit of background knowledge and it may require some explanation if it’s going to make sense for someone who doesn’t know anything about Christianity.

KLAUS: In the brief time we have, let’s try.

ANNOUNCER: Our listener wants to know, why doesn’t the Nicene Creed include the part about Christ’s descent into hell? Was it considered too weak a doctrine to put in — or did they just forget?

KLAUS: You’re right. That does call for some explanation.

ANNOUNCER: First–what is a creed?

KLAUS: The word creed comes from the Latin word credo which means, “I believe.” A creed is simply a statement of beliefs. Many Christian denominations confess the three universal creeds. That means they agree that the statements in those creeds are the basis, the foundation, the quintessence of what a Christian needs to believe.

ANNOUNCER: Is it the same as the “lowest common denominator”?

KLAUS: I don’t know if the writers of those creeds would agree with that, because those creeds were put together after a lot of thought and prayer and even some argument and occasional battles. Maybe we ought to call them the fundamentals.

ANNOUNCER: In other words, the important stuff that allowed them to explain, proclaim and defend what the Church believed. And you said there are three such universal, ecumenical or generally accepted creeds?

KLAUS: There are. The Apostles Creed, which is the oldest and the shortest; the Nicene Creed from 325 A.D. and the Athanasian Creed, which is the longest and most detailed of the three.

ANNOUNCER: And it is that middle one, the Nicene Creed that doesn’t talk about Jesus descending into hell prior to His resurrection. Why do you suppose it got left out of that one?

KLAUS: Before I can answer that, Mark, I have to ask you a question.

ANNOUNCER: All right.

KLAUS: Why would anyone take the time to draw up a statement of what they believe?

ANNOUNCER : Probably because somebody asked them to explain, or because somebody was believing something else. A formal statement would enable them to define and discuss their differences.

KLAUS: Exactly. Perfect! That’s what happened with the church’s creeds. Somebody believed one thing; somebody else believed something else. One thought he was right; the other thought he was.

ANNOUNCER: So they got together and made up a creed?

KLAUS: They put their opinions out there, defended them and discussed them. Sometimes they came to an agreement, sometimes not. Still, using the Word of God as the first source and foundation, these leaders tried to summarize and clarify what Scripture taught.

ANNOUNCER: And they came up with a creed.

KLAUS: Good. Now, let me ask another question. Let’s say you and your wife were arguing–excuse me–discussing the family budget… would you bring into the discussion something like — well, like global warming?

ANNOUNCER: Of course not.

KLAUS: May I ask, ‘why?’

ANNOUNCER: It wouldn’t be pertinent to the discussion at hand. All it would do is muddy things up. Confuse the issue.

KLAUS: Thank you. Now, when you look at these creeds of the church, you will find the same thing to be true. They were arguing about things like: “is Jesus equal with the Father? What about the Holy Spirit? What did Jesus accomplish for us through His death and resurrection? What is our hope as believers?

ANNOUNCER: They covered a lot of ground.

KLAUS: They did. And they stayed to the task at hand. They wanted answers to the questions that were bothering their people — things that affected their relationship with the Lord. Most of all they wanted, on the basis of Scripture to tell people the truth.

ANNOUNCER: But, back to the question: Why doesn’t the Nicene Creed mention Christ’s descent into hell?

KLAUS: Mark, with what we’ve shared so far, I think you could answer that.

ANNOUNCER: Probably because it wasn’t the issue at the time. People weren’t asking about whether Jesus descended into hell – they were arguing over whether He was actually God, for example.

KLAUS: Precisely.

ANNOUNCER: So it wasn’t because Jesus’ descent into hell wasn’t important, or because it’s not taught in Scripture.

KLAUS: In truth, Jesus’ descent is in the Bible, but the Scriptures don’t speak much about it. They certainly don’t answer all of our questions. But it is there, and it is an article of faith.

ANNOUNCER: This has been a presentation of Lutheran Hour Ministries.

Music selections for this program:

“A Mighty Fortress” arranged by John Leavitt. Concordia Publishing House/SESAC

“We Sing the Praise of Him Who Died” arr. Henry Gerike. Used by permission

“O Dearest Jesus, What Law Have You Broken?” arr. John Behnke. From For All Seasons, vol. 3 by John Behnke (© 2004 John Behnke) Concordia Publishing House

“By the Waters of Babylon” by J.S. Bach. From Organist Frederick Hohman & Johann Sebastian Bach by Frederick Hohman (© 1988 Pro Organo)