Just about every week, I am grateful for the emails and conversations you send my way. Most of them contain excellent questions and thoughts about the Bible passages we are studying or the sermon from the week before. (Although there has been a significant uptick in parenting advice ever since we announced Amy’s pregnancy.)
After beginning our fall series in 1 Corinthians last week with the first of three sermons on the subject of unity, one of you sent me these great questions:
What does unification look like today (how are we to be unified if everyone has an opposing idea of what is “right”) and are we (Grace) unified?
While I won’t copy and paste our entire email correspondence, these are exactly the kinds of questions the Apostle Paul addresses in 1 Corinthians 2:6-3:17. As we shall see, there is a key to unity, but finding it means embracing a truth that many of us struggle to understand.
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(Weekly Community Group Discussion Guide)
Date: August 9, 2015 // Title: In Corinth // In Christ
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:1-2:5
SERMON REVIEW 5-10 minutes
The first of Paul’s messages to the people of Corinth focuses on being a “unified church.” While that may seem to be an oxymoron, like “jumbo shrimp” or “soft rock,” a unity among believers is achieved as we depend on the power of the Cross. The extent to which we demonstrate that the church can be unified is equal to the extent to which we embrace a “crucified Messiah.”
THE MAIN THOUGHT: (keep this in mind as you facilitate discussion)
The crux of Christian community is the Cross.
SEE IT – Questions 10–15 minutes
Picture: What do Christians have in common? What keeps us from community? What causes quarrels among believers? What is Paul calling the Corinthian church (and us) to in order to produce community?
Mirror: What communities are you involved in? Are you involved in quarrels in those communities (school, home, work, neighborhood)? What’s the invitation of the Cross in those communities? What’s the challenge of the Cross in those communities? Where are you caught up in yourself? What does your Facebook or Instagram page say about you?
Window: How might my attitudes and behaviors change if I view others through the Cross, the great leveler of humanity? If I embrace that I am a man/woman of the Cross, how might I behave differently in my day to day interactions?
BE IT – Practice
Change UP // Meditation 15 minutes
Meditate on the Cross as you listen to Sweetly Broken by Jeremy Riddle.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL-mF_FwPnI
Change IN // Conflict Resolution 5 minutes
How do we, as a community, want to handle conflict? As a group, come up with three guidelines for handling conflict that will demonstrate that we are followers of Jesus.
OUT // CROSS-Cultural Activity 5 minutes
Think of someone with whom you have a conflict or someone who is from a different “style” of church. Initiate relationship with them this week by performing an act of kindness (buy a coffee, take them to lunch) remembering that you have more in common with them because of the Cross and recognizing our oneness demonstrates God’s love to the world (John 17: 20–23).
CLOSING PRAYER 5 minutes
Take a few minutes to gather any prayer requests and pray for each other to SEE IT and BE IT this week.