February 8, 2026

​1Cor 2:1-2:16
Priorities
Did you hear on the news? They are giving the right to vote to race horses.  What’s their top priority when voting? “A stable economy.”  You know what else is in the news? Superbowl, of course.  Superbowl 60 LX Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots.  at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California 3:30pm today Superbowl 48 Seattle Seahawks vs Denver Broncos in 2014, before that in 2006  I know a man who got Superbowl tickets, last year.  Unfortunately, his seats were in the nosebleed section.  He had to use binoculars to see the players.  About halfway through the first quarter he noticed an empty seat just 10 rows off the field right on the 50 yard line, but on the opposite side of the stadium.  So he decided “why not” and made his way across the stadium to the empty seat.  He sits down, and asks the man sitting next to him,  "Excuse me, is anyone sitting here?”  The man replies “no”.  Now, very excited to be in such a great seat he again asks the man next to him,  "This is incredible! Who in their right mind would have a seat like this at the Super Bowl and not use it?”  The man replied, "Well, actually, the seat belongs to me.  I was supposed to come with my wife,  but she passed away.  With a catch in his voice he says “This is the first Super Bowl we haven’t been together at since we got married in 1967.”  My friend says "Well, that’s terribly sad.  But still, couldn’t you find someone to take the seat? a relative or close friend?”  "No, not really" the man replied,….  "they’re all at the funeral.” 
 
So, what’s your top priority?  I want to recognize one of your priorities.  You have chosen to come to church today, to worship our Lord.  Now, us pastors, we worry about those who do not attend worship, But sometimes I think we need to give thanks to God for those who do come to church and to recognize this.  When I think to myself… “There are many things they could have done today.  From the world’s eyes, things far more important.  But they chose to come to church.  By their presence today, they are a witness to the world God is the most important thing in this world and that Jesus is the center of their lives.” 
 
Today, you have chosen to worship Jesus Christ.  And believe it or not, worshipping at church is even more important than watching the Super Bowl.  It is even more important than a stable economy.  Why is that? The reason is that a Holy and all-powerful God has promised to meet us here today.  It is here amongst the singing of hymns, the hearing of the word of God, and the Lord’s supper, that God has promised that the Holy Spirit is in our midst.  It is the Holy Spirit who makes real change in our lives.  He is the one who brought us to faith.  He is the one who draws us into closer relationship with God.  He is the one who gives us the mind of Christ.  He is the one who gives us words in evangelism.  Amen. 
 
Our scripture reading from 1Cor chapter 2, is all about the power of the Holy Spirit. 
 
1When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.  2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  3I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.  4My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, 5so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.
 
When Paul came to Corinth he had recently fled from Thessalonica and from Berea because of persecution.  He came “in weakness and fear, and with much trembling”.  But that didn’t matter so much – because when he spoke it was the simple message of Jesus Christ crucified which changed people.  The simple message and the power of the Holy Spirit.  It reminds me of the pledge made by the first Lutheran Hour speaker Dr.  Walter Meier.  That “in every message, every prayer, every hymn nothing” would be broadcasted “Save Jesus Christ and Him Crucified”  While St.  Paul and the Lutheran Hour ministries speakers, were no doubt, powerful orators, they clearly understood that No human endeavor, no human wisdom, no human talent could ever lead to effective ministry unless they are accompanied by the message of Christ crucified and the power of the Holy Spirit
 
I think this is important to remember….  I think this is important to remember when you tell others about Jesus.  Some people are afraid to share the story of Jesus with others because they think that they don’t have the wisdom to answer all questions, or that they just don’t know what to say.  But it is important to remember that, faith will not be brought to others through your winsomeness or the power of YOUR words.  Jesus said do not fear about what to say the Holy Spirit will give you words… and the Holy Spirit will work through your words.  Faith will be brought through the simple message of Christ crucified.  The Holy Spirit does the work.  God’s Word and His Holy Spirit.  That’s the power.  In fact, the Holy Spirit is key in doing the work of salvation.  Paul goes on to say…
 
We speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.  8None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.  9However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him"—  10but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. 
 
Paul reminds us that in order for someone to understand and respond to the gospel message it takes a work of the Holy Spirit.  “None of the rulers of this age understood it…” In fact, in the beginning not even the disciples themselves.  But now – Paul says – what had been hidden has been revealed to us BY HIS SPIRIT.  AFTER the resurrection and the coming of the Holy Spirit to the church God’s plan of salvation (which had been hidden since the time of creation) was revealed… That Jesus’ death on the cross provided humanity forgiveness for the sins which separated us from God.  Through faith in Christ Jesus, the way of salvation has been offered to all mankind.
 
We understand the Gospel… We believe the Gospel We received the faith to believe For this reason, we have received salvation.  This, however, was not by logic or our commitment.  All this was given to us by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Faith is, in fact, a gift from God through the Holy Spirit.  At our baptism, faith was brought to us by the Holy Spirit.  When we heard the word of God and believed faith was brought to us by the Holy Spirit.  Salvation came to each of us as a gift through the Holy Spirit.
 
However, have you ever had a time when you questioned your faith?  Have you ever questioned your commitment to Christ.  I have a word of comfort for you.  To anyone who wonders if God really loves them, or questions their commitment to God, or the strength of their faith… I have a word of comfort.  You are a Christian, not because of what you do, but because God chose you first, because Christ died for you long ago, because the Holy Spirit brought you here.  You wouldn’t even be here today, were it not for the Holy Spirit working within you.  God loves you.  God has called you here.  The Holy Spirit is at work within you. 
 
But with… there is more!  The Holy Spirit not only came to claim us…’ to bring faith to us… but the Holy Spirit has come to give us what St.  Paul called “the mind of Christ.”  verse 11 In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.  12We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 
13This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words.  14The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.  15The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: 16"For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?”  But we have the mind of Christ. 
 
Here Paul tells us that the Holy Spirit knows the thoughts of God and shares with us that we may understand what God has freely given us.  It is precisely because we have been given the mind of Christ, that we understand the gospel message not only that but having the mind of Christ means that we can see things from God’s point of view.  How is that? We judge ethical matters differently from the world.  We see that the things of this world is not all there is… we do this because we see the world from God’s point of view.  we do this because we have been given the mind of Christ.
 
I might add as a warning, however.  This does not mean that we are perfect.  Having the mind of Christ does not guarantee we will always be right.  For example, it does not mean we do not need to read and know the Bible.  Because as wonderful as it is “to have the mind of Christ,” we still carry around to the day we die our old sinful self.  We are, as Luther puts it simultaneously Saint and Sinner.  We carry both the mind of Christ, and the sinful human mind.  When we follow the mind of Christ, we do good.  When we follow the sinful human mind, we do evil.  Don’t get me wrong, we are still in better shape than those without the mind of Christ.  For those who are not Christians, they have only one mind to follow.  the sinful human mind.  But the Christian,… we are a new creation.  Within us is the mind of Christ.  As Christians, we have been given the choice to follow the “mind of Christ” or the “mind of our sinful selves”.  Your presence here is a witness to all that you have chosen the mind of Christ within you.  God be praised.  Having the mind of Christ,… having the Holy Spirit within you is a gift… a gift from God.  Our faith in Christ, our outlook on right and wrong.  our comfort in times of trouble.  our purpose in life.  our hope for the future, not only my future on Earth, but my future in eternity.  having a shield against the fear of death, All these things have been given to me from receiving the Mind of Christ.”  All these things….  gifts, independent of anything we do.
 
Finally… All these gifts have also been offered to the world.  Whoever hears the word of God, whoever puts their faith in Jesus this person has the mind of Christ.  Whoever does not reject the Holy Spirit by whom faith is brought, that person has the Holy Spirit of God.  As we share the gospel, as we share God’s love comfort and hope with others, the Holy Spirit uses us, uses the word of God to bring the mind of Christ to others.  Share the gospel with others, that they might receive the mind of Christ.  Let the Holy Spirit work in them through you.  Amen