Christ Alone, from Beginning to End...

18 For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written,

“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise,
    and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

20 Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. 22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. (I Corinthians 1)

I like bookends. They keep things from falling over, neat and organized. They can even look classy (Like my Charlie Brown and Snoopy set?) In the two letters of Paul preserved in scripture, we find such bookends. He begins here in the first chapter of the first letter with this proclamation: "I know not everyone will get it, but the "weakness" of God in Christ is stronger than any strength of man. Now, fast forward to the closing two chapters of the "second" letter and we find that in his weakness, Christ makes him strong. It is indeed in Christ's strength alone that Paul found His energy and ambition to go on in life and accomplish anything at all. May the same be true of us...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JwyuPvNjhUM