1Corinthians 16
v1-4:
• What are ways that you can use your resources (financial, etc.) to be a blessing to others?
V5-12:
• What are some ways you can support those who are doing the work of the Lord—maybe with prayer and encouragement (even if they may not be doing things the way you’d like or teaching
v13-18:
• How might you be more “firm” in your life with your faith in Jesus?
• How might you be more “on guard” against temptation or against teaching or beliefs that are not focused on Jesus? (Note that we are often bombarded by self-help and other sorts of self-centered philosophies)
• How might you be more courageous in your faith?
• Where in your interactions with others might you need to extend more love and grace?
v19-24:
• How important in your life is the love of Jesus? How does it affect those around you that they do not have that love in their lives? Reflect on that.
Friday, January 1, 2010
1Corinthians 15
1Corinthians 15
v1-8:
• What is the basis of our faith in Jesus? Paul lays out the basics here (Jesus death for our sins, resurrection validated by the disciples, the 500, and to Paul). Do you have any doubts about the reality of any of that? Are you comfortable sharing that understanding with others?
v9-11:
• How has God’s grace and mercy worked for you? Reflect on your life before you accepted Christ and on what He has accomplished in your life since you received His grace.
v12-34:
• What does the resurrection mean to you…what does eternal life mean for you? How does it affect our behaviors if this life is all there is? How does it change our attitude towards what we do and our attitudes towards others if we accept that God is offering us a life beyond it, an eternal life in His presence?
v35-58:
• The promise here is that our “eternal body” will be different that what we’ve known and will “bear the likeness of the man from heaven.” What are some ways that the Holy Spirit is already transforming you from what you were before you met Jesus? What are some other ways you’d like to be more like Jesus?
• What would it mean to you for Jesus to be victorious over the power of sin and death in your life?
• What are some ways you could give yourself more “fully to the work of the Lord”?
v1-8:
• What is the basis of our faith in Jesus? Paul lays out the basics here (Jesus death for our sins, resurrection validated by the disciples, the 500, and to Paul). Do you have any doubts about the reality of any of that? Are you comfortable sharing that understanding with others?
v9-11:
• How has God’s grace and mercy worked for you? Reflect on your life before you accepted Christ and on what He has accomplished in your life since you received His grace.
v12-34:
• What does the resurrection mean to you…what does eternal life mean for you? How does it affect our behaviors if this life is all there is? How does it change our attitude towards what we do and our attitudes towards others if we accept that God is offering us a life beyond it, an eternal life in His presence?
v35-58:
• The promise here is that our “eternal body” will be different that what we’ve known and will “bear the likeness of the man from heaven.” What are some ways that the Holy Spirit is already transforming you from what you were before you met Jesus? What are some other ways you’d like to be more like Jesus?
• What would it mean to you for Jesus to be victorious over the power of sin and death in your life?
• What are some ways you could give yourself more “fully to the work of the Lord”?
1Corinthians 14
1Corinthians 14
v1-5:
• What spiritual gifts do you pursue and how do they benefit others? One way to think about Paul’s emphasis here is to think of these as gifts of understanding the Holy Spirit. In what ways do you communicate with the Holy Spirit? What are some ways/times when you communicate with others what you’ve learned from the Holy Spirit?
v6-12:
• Are there times when you demonstrate spiritual gifts before others without any real benefit to them? Reflect on this.
v13-21:
• Do you ever find yourself praying or singing or worshipping but with your mind on something else or just distracted? How could you be more mindful, more mentally engaged, as you pray/worship “with your spirit”? How might that change your worship experience?
• What are other ways you can be more deliberate, more “mature” about your worship, about exercising your spiritual gifts?
v22-25:
• Are there some elements of worship or spiritual gifts/behaviors that might stumble non-believers? Paul is suggesting that we be careful with those in public or exercise them in such a way that they might bring benefit to all those near. What are some things that might be an inspiration for unbelievers?
v26-40:
• I suspect that you don’t experience the sort of disorder in worship that Paul refers to here, but are there ways that you can make your worship experience (or small group experience) more meaningful? …perhaps ways you can help others (family, friends, strangers) to better understand or get more value out of it?
v1-5:
• What spiritual gifts do you pursue and how do they benefit others? One way to think about Paul’s emphasis here is to think of these as gifts of understanding the Holy Spirit. In what ways do you communicate with the Holy Spirit? What are some ways/times when you communicate with others what you’ve learned from the Holy Spirit?
v6-12:
• Are there times when you demonstrate spiritual gifts before others without any real benefit to them? Reflect on this.
v13-21:
• Do you ever find yourself praying or singing or worshipping but with your mind on something else or just distracted? How could you be more mindful, more mentally engaged, as you pray/worship “with your spirit”? How might that change your worship experience?
• What are other ways you can be more deliberate, more “mature” about your worship, about exercising your spiritual gifts?
v22-25:
• Are there some elements of worship or spiritual gifts/behaviors that might stumble non-believers? Paul is suggesting that we be careful with those in public or exercise them in such a way that they might bring benefit to all those near. What are some things that might be an inspiration for unbelievers?
v26-40:
• I suspect that you don’t experience the sort of disorder in worship that Paul refers to here, but are there ways that you can make your worship experience (or small group experience) more meaningful? …perhaps ways you can help others (family, friends, strangers) to better understand or get more value out of it?
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