Today’s passage: 1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Helpful thoughts:

• The Holy Spirit doesn’t lead people to blaspheme God.  He leads people to worship and follow Jesus.
  • This statement should sound obvious to us. But from the perspective of these former pagans, the idea of being controlled by the Spirit made them think of some strange things.  Those strange experiences resulted in misunderstandings concerning gifting from the Spirit for Christian service.
• Spiritual gifts are not given to us for our own enjoyment or to promote ourselves.  They are gifts given for “the common good” (Verse 7).  We get them to give them for the benefit of others to the glory of God.
• The gifts listed in this passage are not an exhaustive list.  There really isn’t an exhaustive list anywhere in the Bible.
  • The point of spiritual gifts is not to discover what special tool we have been given and then declare it publicly or pigeon hole ourselves in a way that restricts or limits our service to just one area of ministry.
  • The point of the gifting of the Holy Spirit is that when Christians serve Jesus and one another, the Spirit works through us in special ways.  From what I can tell, there may not always be a special name listed in Scripture for the myriad of ways Christians love and serve others.
• As is still often the case today, many in the Corinthian church preferred gifts that were flashier than others so as to have the “superior” gifts to flaunt.  Their consumeristic mindset also tainted their view of spiritual gifts.
  • Many gifts were exercised during the early years of the church (Sometimes called the Apostolic age, the Apostolic gifts) for the purpose of validating the word being proclaimed.  Once the churches were established and the Gospel had spread, those gifts ceased to be seen or reported.  They did not “appear” to be in use again until the charismatic movement began in the early 20th century.

Questions to consider:

1. What appears to be the purpose of the Spirit’s gifting of believers?  Who are they for?
2. In what ways have you been especially blessed by the Christians around you?  In what ways have you seen the Lord blessing your service of others?  Thank God for it!
3. If you are wondering what ways you might be gifted, how would serving and talking with other Christians about it help you?  Where are you serving?  What things motivate you to serve and to serve well?

Today’s passage: 1 Corinthians 11:17-34

Helpful thoughts:

• Paul rebukes the church for misusing the Lord’s Supper as a self-centered feast instead of observing the body of Christ, the church.
• The selfishness in the Corinthian church in their misuse of the Lord’s Supper was so severe the Lord chose to discipline people in the church for it (Hebrews 12:5-11).
• It isn’t wise to avoid conflicts at all costs.  “There must be factions among you in order that those who are genuine among you may be recognized.” (Verse 19)
  • Those who are not genuine in their faith are able to stay under the radar when a church is not willing to have weighty conversations.
• Two instructions are given for the heart of every believer who participates in the Lord’s Supper:
  • Examine yourself (Verse 28) – Am I right with God? Is there sin to confess?
  • Discern the body (Verse 29) – Are we right with one another?  Is there unity?
    • In both instances, a “no” answer ought to spring us to action, to repentance and reconciliation.

Questions to consider:

1. In what way was the Corinthian church’s practice of the Lord’s Supper just a symptom of a greater heart issue in the church?  Who has this church appeared to be all about?  What does “doing church” just to please ourselves ultimately result in (Verses 32 & 34)?
2. For whom do we conduct our services and the ordinances?  Who are we to aim to please?
3. If we design our services around the pleasures of the flesh, we will always want more.  What we have will never be enough or satisfy.  If we truly desire the greatest joy and satisfaction in this life, whose desires should we care about most?

Today’s passage: 1 Corinthians 11:2-16

Helpful thoughts:

• Today’s passage deals with roles in the relationship between men and women (Specifically husbands and their wives).
  • The specific objects Paul references were particular to the culture at the time.  If this passage were written today, there would be other objects mentioned.
    • The biblical principles still apply…to require the specific objects would become legalistic.
• Christ is fully God.  He is not less God than the Father.  Yet, there is an order within the Godhead.
  • Woman is fully human.  She is not less human than her husband.  Yet, there is an order within marriage.
    • Biblical leadership and submission is not a form of oppression.  God designed it and called it good.
    • Not everyone who tries to give leadership is doing it biblically.  Not everyone who tries to submit is doing it biblically.  Poor examples of leadership and submission out in the world (Or even in the church) only give evidence that people exercise it wrongly…not that the command is wrong.
• When men abdicate their role of loving leadership, they are not doing what is best for women.
  • When women seek to eliminate gender distinction, they are not increasing their glory.  Instead they are robbing glory from themselves, then from their husbands, and then from God.
• Men who dress up like (Or try to be) women are robbing the glory that belongs to women (Verses 14-15).  It is a disgrace and rebellion against God.
  • Women who dress up like (Or try to be) men are robbing themselves of their own glory and vacating the role which would give them their greatest joy and fulfillment.
• Head coverings for women in Corinth communicated they were married.  Women in the church who wanted to remove their head covering were communicating that they were not under the leadership of their husband.  It ended up communicating they were “available,” which is why Paul likened it to shaving off their hair (Which was the practice of prostitutes and feminists in that culture).

Questions to consider:

1. Would people keeping up to speed with the cultural trends in our day have any trouble with the content of this passage?  What does the fact that Paul had to write this out for the church almost 2,000 years ago tell us about human nature after the fall?  Is there anything truly new under the sun?
2. Why do people struggle with gender specific roles and characteristics?  How has sin made leadership and submission hard and distasteful?  In what way(s) is your view of gender really a result of who or what you worship?
3. How is Christ equal with the Father?  How did Christ submit to the Father?  How did Christ’s willing submission result in our salvation and in his glorification?

Today’s passage: 1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1

Helpful thoughts:

• We live in community.  Everything we do has an impact on others.  Everything we do is seen by God and is to be done for His glory.
• Other people’s consciences do not redefine law (What is right or wrong).  But in love, we are willing to sacrifice temporal pleasures (Like eating a specific kind of food) in the presence of another who has a weak or misinformed conscience.
  • The fear of man causes us to refrain so that we won’t be judged by people.  Paul does not commend this!
  • The fear of God and love of neighbor compels us to sacrifice for the sake of one another.
• When we think of the well-being of others over our own temporal pleasures, we are imitating Christ!

Questions to consider:

1. How can your eating and drinking be to the glory of God?  How might looking at everything you do in a day change your perspective and motives?
2. In what way is this passage simply an application of the greatest commandments (Mark 12:28-31)?  How can these commandments be applied to some of the hot-button issues of our day and culture?
3. How did Jesus Christ put our well-being over his own temporary desires?  What did He pray in the garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:39)?  How then does the gospel inform our love of others?

Today’s passage: 1 Corinthians 10:14-22

Helpful thoughts:

• As an overall principle (And a fairly obvious one) Paul tells the church to flee from idolatry.
  • They had questioned whether it was ok to eat meat offered to idols.
• Here is a modern day church-centered picture which I think reflects what Paul is writing in this passage:
  • There is a often a bottle of grape juice in the refrigerator at church.
  • Most often, people drink grape juice from that bottle after it has been poured into little cups and distributed during our church services (The Lord’s Supper).
  • Sometimes, people might drink grape juice out of that bottle in the kitchen from a regular cup, on some other day of the week, because they’re thirsty and the bottle is almost empty.
    • Same bottle of grape juice, different reasons/occasions to drink it’s contents.
  • It could be entirely appropriate to offer an unbeliever some grape juice from that bottle on a Saturday if they’re thirsty.
  • It would not be appropriate for an unbeliever to drink that same grape juice on a Sunday from a little cup during our church service (The Lord’s Supper).
    • One of these uses is simply to quench thirst and enjoy the taste.
    • The other use is identifying with Christ and the Church.
• In the same way, for the church at Corinth, if there was left-over meat from the practice of idolatry that was taken to the market and sold the next day, that meat could be usable for a Christian if their conscience was not violated by eating it.
  • But, if a Christian were eating that meat the night before, having participated in the idolatrous worship, that would be participating in and identifying with idolatry…a betrayal of the Lord.

Questions to consider:

1. What do you think Paul is communicating when he says, “Flee from idolatry. I speak as to sensible people…”?  Was this whole issue of eating meat offered to idols supposed to be difficult?  From what we have read so far in this book, why did this issue get to be such a big deal?
2. If someone in Corinth were to read this passage and continue to ask, “But what if…?” what might be the bigger issue at hand?  If our hearts are constantly searching for what we are permitted to do or how far we can go without actually sinning, what could be wrong in our worship?  How does love for God and love for others help us to reason through our choices in life?
3. What important aspects can we learn about the Lord’s Supper through these verses?  What is the purpose of communion?

Today’s passage: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Helpful thoughts:

• The failures of those who were known as the people of God in the Old Testament, at least in part, serve as a warning to those who are known as the people of God today (In the Church).
  • All of Israel identified with the Lord in passing through the Red Sea and following the pillar of cloud.  But not everyone who was identified with Israel was truly a follower of God.
  • In the church, we identify with the Lord through baptism.  But, not everyone who’s ever been baptized is truly a follower of God.
    • Matthew 7:15-23
• The actual rock that Moses struck did not follow Israel around in the wilderness (As intriguing as that sounds).  However the spiritual Rock, Christ, did.
  • There are two ways that we might be prone to separate the Old and New Testaments, which are united in this passage.
    • Paul, writing to a largely Gentile church in Corinth called Israel, “Our fathers.”
    • Christ was with the people of Israel wandering in the wilderness and was put to the test in their rebellion.
• Whenever I might get into a situation that seems entirely unique and where I feel like there’s no way I can NOT sin…
  • There is no temptation that is not common to man.
  • God will provide the way of escape and I will be able to endure.

Questions to consider:

1. There is so much information in this passage about the period of the Exodus, it might be easy to get distracted and dig into all the narrative details, but what is the major point Paul is making?  What was the major application for the church and Corinth and for us today?
2. How do verses 7 and 8 correlate with the previous passage in this letter?  What has Paul been talking to the church about (7:1 and 8:1)?  By using these examples to teach the church, what has Paul modeled for other believers when we have questions that need answers?  Where should we go (What is our source of information) to answer questions we have?
3. Why can we say “no” to any temptation?  What is true about him and what he has given us which gives us the ability to make the right choices and bear good fruit in our lives?

Today’s passage: 1 Corinthians 9:19-27

Helpful thoughts:

• Paul continues the argument of being willing to give up personal rights to serve people and spread the gospel.
• Being in Christ, Paul was no longer under the restrictions of the law, but if something like eating pork chops or bacon (As a silly example) was going to prevent him from being able to share the gospel with a Jew, he was willing to go without!
  • Our greatest goal is to love and please God.  Then, to love others.
    • Sharing the blessings of the gospel is more important than demanding my rights.
    • If my greatest goal truly is to love and please God, then sharing the blessings of the gospel will also be far more joyful than demanding my rights.
• The victory we are pursuing is more significant than every Olympics, World Cup, Superbowl, World Series and NBA Finals combined.  “Run” to win.

Questions to consider:

1. How does Jesus’ statement in Acts 20:35, “It is more blessed to give than to receive,” fit in with what we read in these verses?  How could these concepts change our definition of what makes our day a “good” day?
2. What happens when a person you share the gospel with repents and becomes a Christian?  How has their eternity forever changed?  In what ways is leading the lost to Christ better than winning any championship?
3. What does it mean to run aimlessly (Verse 26)?  What does it mean to run with purpose toward your goal for the Christian?  How can you continue to improve as you race toward the prize?

Today’s passage: 1 Corinthians 9:1-18

Helpful thoughts:

• When preachers are treated like celebrities instead of brothers in Christ, they will be picked apart in criticism instead of interacted with for mutual edification.  Such was the case with the way some in the Corinthian church spoke of the Apostle Paul.
• “Those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.”  Paul proclaims the right of the pastor to make a living through his work in the church.  However, because he knew it would be a stumbling block to this often materialistically minded church, he willingly chose not to receive any money at all.
• Paul’s willingness to lay down his right (His right to be paid by the church) was/is to be an example to the church.  There are more important things than having my rights.  If laying aside my right or putting aside my personal preference results in the God-glorifying spread of the gospel, I can be glad “not to make full use of my right.”

Questions to consider:

1. To whom will pastors ultimately answer?  Why does a pastor serve his flock best when he understands that he serves, first and foremost, to be pleasing to God?
2. What is the mission (The Great Commission) of the church?  What personal rights or preferences (Or maybe even comforts) have you put aside to actively participate in the mission of the church?
3. What gets lost in our minds and hearts when we start to think that church (Or church services and ministries) exist to be pleasing to us?  What has to happen for a church to become a “Christian club” instead of an outpost in the advance of our gospel mission?

Today’s passage: 1 Corinthians 8:1-13

Helpful thoughts:

• Verses 1-3 give us a filter through which to read much of 1 Corinthians.
  • If you read this book looking for what you can and can not get away with, if you get frustrated that all your questions aren’t answered, you could very well be reading this book for the sake of “knowledge.”
  • If you read this book and it changes your perspective…to think less of yourself and the rules you have to follow and to think more of how you can be freed to love God and love other people to Christ…then you are getting the big picture.
• Our consciences are shaped by what we know (What we think).  Our consciences can be wrong and weak.
  • The way to help your brother or sister get a stronger conscience is not by coaxing them into violating their weak conscience.
  • If our consciences are shaped by our thinking, then what people with a weak conscience need is the Word of God and a patient selfless friend.
• All things are from God and for God.  We exist for Him.  Christ is Lord.
  • If my greatest desire is to please God, then my decision to withhold from “eating meat” for the sake of my brother will give me more joy than if I had “eaten the meat.”

Question to consider:

1. So…is it ok to “eat meat?”  Without any personal relationships involved, what was the answer?  When would the answer change and why?
2. What are the things that are more important than tasting that meat?  What matters more than whether or not I get to taste my favorite dish?
3. What did Christ give up for us?

Today’s passage: 1 Corinthians 7:25-40

Helpful thoughts:

• We Christians know that Jesus is coming again.  This knowledge causes us to look at the world and life differently.  We have a different purpose and reason for living.
• A Christian who remains single has not sinned.  A Christian man and woman who marry one another have not sinned.
  • All of the above should love Jesus most and look at everything they do through the lens of following Him.
• As it relates to a person’s ability to focus their attention and schedule on the work of the Lord, the Apostle Paul (And the Word of God) says it is better to remain single.

Questions to consider:

1. How does the context of this passage and the original question from the church (1 Corinthians 7:1-2) help us to understand this passage with a right balance (As well as passages like Ephesians 5:22-33)?
2. Single adults in local churches often report being asked why they are having a “hard time” finding a spouse, in ways that make it apparent people think there’s something wrong with them.  How does this passage correct that thinking?  What advantage do single believers have?   Should single believers and couples look down on each other or be thankful for and support one another?  How are both good for the church and to be celebrated?
3. Whether you are married or single, what future event (And person) is to hold preeminence in your expectations (Revelation 19:11-16) and therefore hold the greatest sway in your decision making?