Waffle House and the Cross
Preacher: The Rev. Drew Crowson
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:1-16
When the world talks about success, it points to what you can prove – what you’ve built, earned, or accomplished. The better you are, the more you’ll get. The more effort you put in, the more you’re supposed to be worth.
But Paul confronts this with a different message: I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
The cross upends the world’s wisdom. It reveals a God who doesn’t reward the best and brightest, but who loves us even when we fail. Who forgives us even when we don’t deserve it. Who offers mercy before we even know to ask.
It’s not a transaction. It’s grace.
The cross isn’t just a signpost – it’s the center of everything. In it, God reveals his heart: not power, but mercy. Not achievement, but love. It’s foolishness to the world. But to those who believe, it is the deepest truth we know.
Reflection Questions
Where in your life are you still operating under the world’s wisdom – earning love, proving worth, chasing approval?
What does it look like to center your life on Christ and him crucified?
How does the cross challenge your assumptions about what matters most?
Are there ways you resist grace because you feel the need to earn it?
How might embracing God’s unearned mercy change the way you see yourself – and others?
