Unity in Christ
Hector gives the second in our series on 1 Corinthians, looking at the unity we have in Christ.
1 Corinthians Intro
Here are the questions from this Sunday’s sermon – audio file to follow shortly:
1 Corinthians 1:1-9
UNITY
“to the church of God in Corinth… together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” 1 Cor 1:2
‘if we belong to God, we belong together’
1. How does it affect your understanding of yourself as part of The Mission to know that we can be referred to as ‘the Church of God’?
2. How does it impact you to know that we are also part of the wider church of God together with everyone everywhere who believes in Jesus?
3. Are there any parts of the wider church that you find it more difficult to identify yourself together with?
PURITY
“to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy” 1 Cor 1:2
‘Don’t dwell in guilt or live in sin but know that you have been made holy and start acting like it’
4. Share about either:
a) A time in life where you have felt defeated by sin and overwhelmed by guilt and needed to know that you are sanctified in Christ?
b) A time when you had started to think that it doesn’t really matter how you live (i.e. to take forgiveness for granted) and you’ve need to be reminded that we are called to be holy?
SPIRITUALITY
“I always thank God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus” 1 Cor 1:4
‘Don’t write off spiritual gifts because of their misuse, but learn to use them properly’
5. Can you think of times when you have seen or heard about spiritual gifts being misused and which have put you off?
6. What do you think are the key dangers that need to be avoided in learning to use spiritual gifts properly?
Road to Emmaus
Dave speaks to us from the road to Emmaus, where the disciples hearts are burning and their eyes are opened and so they have a fresh passion for Christ.
Pray that we too will have this fresh passion that the Spirit would burn in our hearts and that the risen Christ would open our eyes to his presence.
Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene
Paul Wraight speaks about how: this Really Happened, was Really Unexpected; Jesus was Really Alive; Jesus was Really Different and Really the Same; and how he chose Mary as the first to see him risen, simply one who loved him and sought him. May we be people who love and seek Jesus too and how encounter him and know his deliverance in our lives!
Mercy and Suffering
Hector spoke to us about the mercy of God from the passage where Jesus says ‘Today you will be with me in paradise’ to the criminal being crucified next to him on the cross.
Dave spoke about the suffering of Christ from his cry: ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ Some questions following this sermon for discussion in fellowship groups and at home:
Spend a moment reflecting on the cross – you could
reflect on a song or a verse which is particularly meaningful to you.
Share with the group, either
using song lyrics/verses or your own words what it is about Jesus’ death which
most impacts you and why.
Read Mark 15:33-39
1. How does the
abandonment of Jesus on the cross affect the depth of your appreciation to
him?
2. Does your
understanding of the cross affect the way you approach God, and if so
how?
3. Does Christ’s death
help you to face suffering in your own life/the world?
Read 2 Cor 5:14-2:2
4. Of the various
reasons for encouraging others to come to God, what do you find most
compelling?
Forgiveness and Compassion
Two wonderful words!! And two words which wonderfully describe God.
We’ve been looking at the last words of Jesus from the cross recently, and over the last two weeks we’ve been focussing on his words of forgiveness: “Father, forgive them, they don’t know what they’re doing”, and his words of compassion: “Dear woman, here is your son…”
To get deeper into both of these, there are some questions below (which we’ve been looking at in our Fellowship Groups)
Father Forgive them
Read Rom
5:12-20, Hebrews 9:11-28
Why was it important that Jesus was the Son of God?
Is this the distinguishing mark of the Christian faith that makes it unique and makes him the only way to God?
What personal implications do you take comfort in or find drive you on when you think that Jesus “stood in our place” and took our punishment?
Given what Jesus has done for us, what is our attitude to forgiving others? Are we prepared to do it freely?
Do you think that forgiveness is still an important concept in contemporary society or is it outmoded and only the sort of thing that only Christians do? Do you think the “world” sees any value in forgiveness? [have a look at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-17265145]
The conclusion was Romans 8 v 31 and following. Would you like to commit these verses to memory and take strength from them each day?
Here is your son…mother
Read John 19:25-27 & 1 Cor 1:3-7
We looked at how God shows us compassion which is personal and practical, and calls us to show that compassion to others.
Which do you find easier to believe and why?
- That God has compassion for the whole world.
- That God as compassion for you personally.
Jesus tells us to pray ‘Give us today our daily bread’. What practical needs would you like to ask God for, either for yourself or for others?
How does reflecting on the sufferings of Christ and knowing the compassion and comfort that he has shown to you affect your ability to help others?
Be specific who do you think God is calling you to show compassion to and how?
God is our Restorer
This week Hector spoke from Jeremiah 33 about the fact that God is our restorer.
He spoke about how God as our restorer, healer and peace wants to bring restoration, health and peace in place of our rebellion, brokenness and conflict.
God is great
Gordon spoke to us about God’s greatness, beginning with a reflection on the vastness of the universe, and how amazing it is that, despite our seeming insignificance, God, who is far greater than the universe itself, still cares about us. We then looked at Philippians 2:2-11, and how God’s greatness is also shown in his humility, coming to earth in the person of Jesus and dying for us. Here are the discussion questions from this sermon:
God is Great: Creator
Read Psalm 33, paying particular attention to veses 6, 13-15 and 18-19.
1. What is your response/reaction to God’s oversight of his creation and of yourself in particular?
God is Great: Saviour
Read Philippians 2:2-11
2. What do these verses reveal about the nature of God as seen in Jesus?
3. How do you respond to the place of authority that God has given Jesus?
4. Reflect on this question: ‘To what extent have I allowed Jesus to be Lord of my life’?
God is our Rock
Today, Dave was speaking from Psalm 27 about how God is our rock, and how because of this we can have confidence in God and rest in his presence. As David says in the Psalm, our desire, even in the midst of trouble can be to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord.
However, we also looked at the fact that God is our rock even when we are not aware of it – when we, like David in verses 7-9 start to ask God: Are you listening? Are you there? and Do you love me? In those times of uncertainty, we can move into deeper faith in God and wait upon him trusting that he is our rock.
Here are some questions to think about following the sermon:
1. Confidence & Rest
Share about a time when you felt very close to God and enjoyed resting in his presence and worshipping him.
What do you find to be the biggest challenge to resting in God’s presence? (To-do-lists? Worries & stresses? or something else?)
2. Uncertainty & Doubt
Share about a time when you identified with one of David’s cries of despair. (Are you listening? Are you there? Do you love me?)
David gives us two bits of advice in these tough times: “Seek God’s face” and “Wait on God”. Can you see ways in which these might help you?
Can you think of ways in which choosing to trust in God despite not feeling that he’s there or despite the difficult situations in life have deepened your faith or the faith of others you know?
God is our Provider
Hector spoke today about the truth that God is our provider. He was focussing on the story of Ruth, especially Ruth 2:12 “May the Lord repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge”.
Here are some questions from Hector following on from the sermon which will enable you to engage more deeply with what we were learning. It would also be a great idea to read through the whole of Ruth (it’s not very long), and see her amazing faithfulness to Naomi, and God’s provision for them both.
1. I mentioned that there were over 100 examples of God’s provision referred to in the bible, do you have a favourite one?
2. Have there been experiences in your life when you were aware that God had provided for you in a very special way?
3. Have you had occasions when you had believed and hoped that God would provide and that didn’t seem to happen? How did you react to the disappointment of this?
4. Have you anything to say about the unfair and unjust distribution of the earth’s natural resources that would help to improve the situation?
5. If you support a local, national or international charity or voluntary agency working to provide for the poor in times of austerity, can you tell us about it and what it means to you to support it.