each tree is known by

I've learned that Bible study preparation is as much (if not more) for the teacher as the students. So I'll trust that His cancelling class yesterday meant the students had nothing to learn, and that the preparation and point emphases were all for me.

In that case, lesson learned for 1Cor1:18-31. The focus of this set of v's deals less with the obvious notion that the Lord's wisdom is far better than human wisdom -- you would expect nothing less from the Creator of all things -- and more on the emphasis on the Cross.

v18 speaks about the message of the Cross. v23 speaks about Christ crucified. Business speak contains the term "value-added", a term referring to the differentiating aspect of a business. Value-added research examines the difference made by some product or service or program. In 1Cor1, Paul makes the very clear statement that the differentiating aspect of Christianity is the Cross, end of story.

The Cross is the message of God. The Cross is the power of God. The Cross is His means of salvation. The Cross is the foolishness to the world that is greater than the wisdom and strength of man. Preached here all along about the Cross being the single most important question for all eternity. Paul confirms it in 1Cor1. Your stance on it, on the Cross, determines your eternal destination.

How a church can be called a church without a visible Cross, the value-add, I will never understand.