¹ Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. ² In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy. ³ But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. ⁴ For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord. ⁵ Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.

⁶ Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other. ⁷ For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

⁸ You are already filled, you have already become rich, you have become kings without us; and indeed, I wish that you had become kings so that we also might reign with you. ⁹ For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. ¹⁰ We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor. ¹¹ To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; ¹² and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; ¹³ when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.

—1 Corinthians 4:1-13

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Sermon Outline

1. Spiritual Fathers (MULTILINE)
2. Spiritual Fathers Christian Living (MULTILINE)
3. Spiritual Fathers Others Accountable (MULTILINE)

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Weekly Study Guide

Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 4:14-21 are those of a loving, yet firm, spiritual father who yearns for his children in the faith to grow in their maturity and unity. Paul shifts from his earlier tone of sarcasm to one of genuine affection, reminding the Corinthians that his purpose is not to shame them but to admonish them as beloved children. Paul has spent much of this chapter contrasting the pride of the Corinthian believers with the humility and suffering of the apostles, and now he reminds them of his unique role in their coming to faith.

Paul was the one who first brought the gospel to them, making him their spiritual father in Christ. Because of this relationship, he urges them to imitate him, not in arrogance or self-exaltation, but in humility, suffering, and faithfulness to the gospel. Paul reinforced this by sending Timothy, his faithful disciple, as his personal representative to remind them of how he modeled his faith in Christ, emphasizing that his teachings remain consistent wherever he ministers. However, Paul is also aware that some in Corinth arrogantly believe he will not return. He warns that, if necessary, he will come with authority to correct them, and when he does, it will not be a matter of empty words but of power. He ends with a challenge, asking whether they prefer him to come with discipline or with love and gentleness.

One of the main issues Paul is addressing here is the spiritual pride and division that had taken root in the Corinthian church. Many believers had become puffed up, aligning themselves with various teachers and boasting in their wisdom and status. Some had even begun to look down on Paul, seeing his humility and suffering as weakness rather than as marks of true apostleship. This arrogance led to a disrespect for spiritual authority and created factions within the church. Paul corrects this by reminding them of the true nature of Christian leadership—one that is marked by servanthood and sacrifice, not self-promotion and worldly status. Another issue at play is the Corinthians’ misunderstanding of authority in the church. Some of them questioned Paul’s authority as an apostle; they assumed that because he was not physically present, he lacked the power to correct them. Paul challenges this assumption by reminding them that true authority in God’s economy is not about mere words but about the power of the Holy Spirit.

Several key doctrines are highlighted here. The doctrine of spiritual fatherhood is particularly emphasized, as Paul models the responsibility of those who lead others to Christ. This reflects a broader biblical principle that discipleship is more than just sharing the gospel, but is also about nurturing and guiding new believers in their faith. Another important doctrine that Paul explores in this passage is the nature of true authority in the church. Paul makes it clear that authority is not about dominance or eloquence but about humble, voluntary submission. This has significant implications for church leadership today, emphasizing that those who lead must do so with humility and a reliance on the Holy Spirit rather than seeking personal influence or control. Additionally, this passage touches on the doctrine of church discipline. Paul’s warning about coming with a rod if necessary demonstrates that correction within the body of Christ is sometimes needed for the sake of spiritual health and unity.

One of the most important takeaways from this passage is the necessity of humility in the Christian life. Just as the Corinthians were tempted to embrace pride and status, believers today must guard against measuring success by worldly standards. The kind of greatness we should strive for is found in servanthood, not self-exaltation.

Another crucial lesson is the importance of spiritual mentorship. Paul’s role as a spiritual father to the Corinthians reminds us of the value of connecting with godly leaders who guide and correct us in our faith journey. Christians should seek out wise, mature believers to learn from and be willing to accept correction when needed. The Christian life is not about outward appearances but about genuine spiritual growth that bears fruit in humility, obedience, and love.

This passage serves as both a loving exhortation and a stern warning to the Corinthian church. Paul’s desire is not to shame them but to call them back to humility, obedience, and spiritual maturity. He challenges these new believers to reject worldly pride and embrace a life of servanthood, faithful discipleship, and submission to godly authority.

(MULTILINE)

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Discussion Questions

1. Who was one of your heroes growing up? What made you want to be like them? (MULTILINE)
2. In verses 14-15, how does Paul transition away from his earlier rebuking tone? Why do you think this was necessary? What does Paul mean when he says, “be imitators of me” in verse 16? How does this relate to his calling the Corinthians, his spiritual children? What does Paul mean in verses 18-21? What kind of power is he referring to? How does this differ from worldly power? (MULTILINE)
3. What does it mean that God is our Father? In what different areas of life does this show up? How do we see Paul’s heart for these believers in his use of the term “father”? How does this term reveal God’s heart for us? Why do you think God uses spiritual leaders to guide His church? How do we see a balance of God’s justice and mercy in this passage? (MULTILINE)
4. Where in our world do you see people rejecting authority and resisting correction? Where in the church do you see the role of spiritual authority abused? In what ways do you see people today struggle with arrogance and self-sufficiency in their faith? What is the connection between humility and growth in spiritual maturity? How does pride get in the way of this growth? (MULTILINE)
5. How can we cultivate genuine humility in our Christian walk? What are some practical ways to grow in spiritual maturity? What steps can we take to avoid the arrogance Paul warns about? What does it look like to be a faithful spiritual parent to younger believers? How can we encourage and disciple others in the faith, just as Paul did with Timothy? (MULTILINE)

Going Deeper

1. Why do you think Paul rebuked the Corinthians so sternly? How does God’s discipline always flow from love and a desire for restoration? Read Matthew 18:12-20. Where do you see God’s heart for restoration in this passage? Looking at the church today, do you think we get enough spiritual correction? Why or why not? (MULTILINE)
2. How might we go about identifying the difference between worldly wisdom and God’s wisdom? When Paul wishes that the Corinthian church would imitate him, how might this be reflected in our lives? Is this something you could say to a younger believer? Why or why not? What are some steps you could take to make this possible? (MULTILINE)

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Transformational Activity

Bible Study

Paul mentions the idea of power several times in this passage. This is a topic that is misunderstood and even abused in the church today. Take some time this week to do a word study on the idea of “power”. What are the different ways this concept is used in scripture? What is the difference between worldly power and spiritual power? What is the connection between authority and power? How is power abused by those in scripture? With this in mind, come back to this passage to see how Paul is using the term here.

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Family Focus

Read this passage together as a family! 1 Corinthians 4:14-21

Worth a Note: Paul gets a little sarcastic here (vv. 8-13) to help point out the ways the Corinthians think about themselves. This passage seems to say that the Corinthians thought they were wiser and better than Paul—perhaps because of their new teachers with their powerful rhetoric (teaching style). What is Paul’s heart toward his friends, and what does he want them to do (vv. 14-16)? We grow to be like those we look up to. Paul wants them to have the right kind of role model: one who looks up to Jesus.

Discussion Questions:

1. As Paul gives the Corinthians a rather harsh warning in verse 14, what does he reveal of his reason for doing it? (MULTILINE)
2. What does Paul ultimately want from his spiritual “children” in verse 16? How can we also imitate Paul? (MULTILINE)
3. Do you place faithfulness to God above your personal satisfaction so that in essence you can say to others (perhaps to your children), “Follow me and, inasmuch as I follow Christ, do what I do”? (MULTILINE)
4. Paul warns the prideful Corinthian congregation (and us) to stop desiring the world’s comforts and praise and to imitate him in suffering for the gospel. Discuss we might go about doing this in our culture. (MULTILINE)

Memorize this verse together as a family this week:

Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me (1 Cor 4:16).

Focused Family Prayer: Pray that you might have a life worthy of imitation, like Paul’s.

¹ Let a man regard us in this manner, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God. ² In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found trustworthy. ³ But to me it is a very small thing that I may be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself. ⁴ For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord. ⁵ Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.

⁶ Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively applied to myself and Apollos for your sakes, so that in us you may learn not to exceed what is written, so that no one of you will become arrogant in behalf of one against the other. ⁷ For who regards you as superior? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?

⁸ You are already filled, you have already become rich, you have become kings without us; and indeed, I wish that you had become kings so that we also might reign with you. ⁹ For, I think, God has exhibited us apostles last of all, as men condemned to death; because we have become a spectacle to the world, both to angels and to men. ¹⁰ We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor. ¹¹ To this present hour we are both hungry and thirsty, and are poorly clothed, and are roughly treated, and are homeless; ¹² and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure; ¹³ when we are slandered, we try to conciliate; we have become as the scum of the world, the dregs of all things, even until now.

—1 Corinthians 4:1-13

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Sermon Outline

1. Do Not Go on Passing Before the Time. (MULTILINE)
2. Don’t Go What Is Written in the Bible (MULTILINE)
3. Who You as Greater? What Do You Have That You Did Not Receive? (MULTILINE)
4. You are Famed, but We are Honor. (MULTILINE)
5. Kindly. (MULTILINE)

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Weekly Study Guide

As we continue our journey through 1 Corinthians, we arrive at a passage that challenges us to reflect deeply on the nature of true Christian leadership, and to also reflect on the attitudes of our hearts. In 1 Corinthians 4:1-13, Paul begins this section by urging the Corinthians to view apostles and Christian leaders as “servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God” (4:1). He redefines leadership not as a position of power or prestige but as one of humble servanthood. He says that leaders are entrusted with the truths of God, and their primary duty is faithfulness to Him rather than seeking the approval of others. Paul then focuses on the issue of judgment, reminding the Corinthians that it is the Lord who evaluates the hearts and faithfulness of His servants. He warns against arrogance and the tendency to place oneself in a position of judgment, urging the believers to wait until the Lord returns, when all things will be revealed (4:2-5).

Paul then confronts the spiritual pride that had taken root in the Corinthian church. They had begun to view themselves as wise, strong, and honored, while looking down on those who suffered for the sake of the gospel. Using biting irony, Paul contrasts their self-perception with the reality of the apostles’ lives, describing them as “fools for Christ’s sake”, “weak”, and “dishonored” (4:8-10). This stark contrast exposes the Corinthians’ worldly mindset. They had begun to equate success with comfort, wisdom with human philosophy, and honor with societal status. Paul, however, points to a different standard: the way of the cross.

One thing that stands out in this chapter is Paul’s use of sarcasm to make his point. It is sharp and intentional, exposing the arrogance and spiritual pride of the Corinthian believers. Several times in this passage, Paul contrasts how the Corinthian believers view themselves with the hardships endured by the Apostles. His sarcasm is not simply mockery; it is a method of correction designed to shake the Corinthians out of their complacency and redirect their thinking toward what it means to truly be a disciple. We may be taken aback by such an approach, but in an honor/shame culture, like that of the Jewish and Greco-Roman worlds, this would have been especially effective.

One of the clearest instances of Paul’s sarcasm appears in 1 Corinthians 4:8, where he says, “Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! Without us you have become kings! And would that you did reign, so that we might share the rule with you!” The Corinthian believers, puffed up with pride, saw themselves as spiritually superior, as if they had already arrived at a level of wisdom, wealth, and authority that made them self-sufficient. Paul’s exaggerated tone exposes their delusion. His words imply that their attitude is not only premature but entirely misplaced. The phrase “without us, you have become kings!” is particularly biting. Paul is highlighting the absurdity of their self-exaltation, considering that the very apostles who brought them the gospel were suffering and laboring under hardship.

Paul extends this irony in verses 9-10, where he contrasts the Corinthians’ self-image with the suffering endured by the apostles:

“For I think that God has exhibited us apostles as last of all, like men sentenced to death, because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ. We are weak, but you are strong. You are held in honor, but we in disrepute.”

Here, Paul turns their arrogance against them, demonstrating how far removed from the true path of discipleship their thinking had become. The apostles—those whom God had chosen to establish His church—were facing hardship, persecution, and dishonor. Meanwhile, the Corinthians were acting as if they were already reigning with Christ in glory. His sarcasm exposes the gap between their expectations and the reality of the Christian life. By making such exaggerated statements, Paul forces the Corinthians to confront their assumptions. It serves to humble them, reminding them that true Christian leadership and faithfulness are marked by suffering, servanthood, and perseverance—not by worldly power or honor.

Paul’s message here is a powerful reminder of what it truly means to follow Christ. It is a call to humility, faithfulness, and endurance in the face of suffering. Paul encourages his readers to embrace humble servanthood, refrain from judging others, guard against spiritual pride, persevere through trials, and once again, promote unity within the church. It challenges us to abandon worldly perspectives and align our hearts with God’s values.

(MULTILINE)

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Discussion Questions

1. In this passage, Paul asks, “what do you have that you did not receive?” Other than the incomparable gift of salvation, what is something God has given you that has had the most impact on your life? (MULTILINE)
2. In the first section of this chapter, how does Paul set up the coming harsh criticism he has for the Corinthians? Why do you think Paul’s use of sarcasm would have been effective here? What do you think verse 5 means? How is Paul confronting his readers’ pride in this passage? What are some examples? What contrast does Paul make in verses 8-9? Why would this be especially impactful? (MULTILINE)
3. What do we learn here about God as our ultimate judge? How does God’s judgment differ from human judgment? What do we see here about the sovereignty of God? Why do you think God chooses to use weakness and suffering for His glory? How does this actually work? What else do we learn about God from this passage? (MULTILINE)
4. What are some ways that our culture measures success in ministry today? Why do you think people so crave human approval, and how does Paul challenge this desire? How does the world’s definition of wisdom and power differ from God’s definition? Why do you think so many Christians today struggle with pride in their spiritual achievements? What does it mean to be seen as “fools for Christ”? Why do you think it is so difficult for Christians to be seen in that way? (MULTILINE)
5. What does it look like today to be faithful stewards of God’s truth? What are some ways we can trust God’s judgment instead of worrying about how others see us? How can we live with a mindset of humility, recognizing that everything we have is from God? What are some practical ways to serve Christ sacrificially, even when it means suffering? How should this passage shape the way we think about suffering in the Christian life? What specific attitudes or behaviors do you believe you need to change based on this passage? (MULTILINE)

Going Deeper

1. What does it mean when we use the phrase “the cost of discipleship”? How do we see this in the experiences of the disciples that Paul relates? What does it look like today? How do you react when you face suffering or persecution for Christ’s sake? How did the disciples react (v. 12)? How does this compare with our own natural tendencies? (MULTILINE)
2. On a practical level, what does it mean to be a servant of Christ? How might this show up in everyday life? What does it mean to be a steward? What does Paul mean when he says he is a steward of the mysteries of Christ? What are the stewardships God has entrusted you with? (MULTILINE)

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Transformational Activity

Bible Study

In a most convicting verse, Paul admonishes his readers with the question, “what do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” Perhaps take this opportunity to do a deep dive into what the Bible says about boasting. What are the different ways this word is used? Is it always bad to boast? What should we boast in? Come back next time ready to share what God revealed to you.

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Family Focus

Read this passage together as a family! 1 Corinthians 4:1-13

Worth a Note: (vv. 1-5) Chapter four finishes out Paul’s thought from chapter three. He wants his friends to know how to view servants of God. Paul had been entrusted with something precious (v. 1). What was it? Who would judge Paul’s care of it (vv. 2-5)? ALL of us will stand before the throne of God and give an answer for our lives. Jesus’ sacrifice saves us, but God will also look over our lives on earth and reward us if we’ve loved, honored, and served Him. Everything we do matters to Him! 

Discussion Questions:

1. Why is Paul talking about how people should regard the apostles in verse 1? How does that fit into the problems the Corinthians were having with factions? See 1 Corinthians 1:12. (MULTILINE)
2. As you read these verses (vv. 8-13), how could they help you live a bolder, more self-sacrificial life for the glory of Christ? (MULTILINE)
3. Discuss what this section teaches us about being faithful stewards of the gospel in our generation. (MULTILINE)

Memorize this verse together as a family this week:

We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are prudent in Christ; we are weak, but you are strong; you are distinguished, but we are without honor (1 Cor 4:10).

Focused Family Prayer: Ask your family to share prayer requests and pray for one another. Pray for each other to be ‘sober-minded’ in how we assess ourselves and others.

¹⁰ According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it. ¹¹ For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. ¹² Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, ¹³ each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. ¹⁴ If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. ¹⁵ If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

¹⁶ Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? ¹⁷ If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are.

¹⁸ Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. ¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, “He is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness”; ²⁰ and again, “The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless.” ²¹ So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, ²² whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, ²³ and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.

—1 Corinthians 3:10-23

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Sermon Outline

1. You are God’s (MULTILINE)
2. You are God’s (MULTILINE)
3. You are God’s (MULTILINE)

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Weekly Study Guide

You can really feel Paul’s pastoral heart as he pleads for his spiritual children to actively seek to grow their faith. In the second half of 1 Corinthians chapter three, Paul addresses this church he founded, expressing his heartfelt desire for unity, spiritual maturity, and a steadfast focus on Jesus Christ as the foundation of their faith. And here, he begins an interesting discussion of works and rewards, which merits further exploration.

In this passage, Paul employs the metaphor of a building to describe the church and its members. The use of metaphors is a technique Paul uses throughout the New Testament to explain what it means to be a member of the church. The church is so complex that scripture must use many, many metaphors to help us understand what it is all about. One analogy simply wouldn’t suffice. The church is a multifaceted, beautiful, powerful, and sometimes baffling assembly of all the followers of Messiah who exist between His first coming and His second. In exploring these various metaphors, we discover that the church’s design was intricately and ingeniously crafted, and that God’s love for His redeemed is boundless.

Just as a diamond has many facets, the beauty and complexity of the church prompts both Jesus and Paul to use many pictures and illustrations to help us grasp all that it contains. Each one adds more vivid color and texture to our understanding of Christ’s church. But this image was not original with Paul. In Matthew 16:18, when Jesus announced for the first time to His followers that He was going to build a magnificent organism—not an organization, but a living, breathing representation of Himself here on earth—He called it His church. He used imagery and analogies to define and explain this church. He was beginning to paint, in the minds of His followers, pictures of what this organism would look like.

Jesus began by declaring that this church would be built upon a rock, a solid foundation. He used an analogy everyone would understand. Buildings must be built on solid and true foundations, starting with the cornerstone—the keystone by which all others are laid. In Matthew 21:42, Jesus quoted Psalm 118:22 and said that the stone which the builders rejected became the chief cornerstone. Peter later reaffirms in Acts 4:11 that Jesus was indeed that cornerstone. In Ephesians 2:20-22, Paul elaborated on that first word-picture Jesus used and taught that upon this cornerstone of Christ, God would continue to build His church. It would be built upon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets—which he called “a holy habitation for God”.

Here, in 1 Corinthians chapter three, Paul identifies himself as a “wise master builder” who has laid the foundation, which is Jesus Christ (3:10-11). Others would build upon this foundation, but they must be careful how they build. The quality of each person’s work will be tested by fire on the Day of Judgment. This powerful imagery underscores the importance of sound doctrine and faithful ministry. Those who build with enduring materials—gold, silver, and precious stones—will see their work remain, while those who build with wood, hay, and straw will suffer loss. This passage serves as a warning to teachers, leaders, and all believers to ensure that their work for the Lord is built on truth and not on human wisdom or superficial efforts—and that their works are not done for selfish motives.

Nowadays, in our desire to avoid even the appearance of reliance upon works for our salvation, we often downplay the role of works in the life of the believer. Without a doubt, we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. But we are saved FOR good works. This chapter helps us to see that not all the works we do have eternal value. We must examine our motives. We must evaluate the goals in our works. And we must humbly focus our energy on the only worthy object of our faith and efforts, Yeshua Ha’Meshiach—Jesus Christ, our Messiah.

Among the many takeaways from this chapter, Paul encourages us to build on the right foundation, pursue spiritual maturity, embrace godly wisdom, foster unity in the church, and be diligent in evaluating our work’s eternal impact.

(MULTILINE)

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Discussion Questions

1. What kinds of things did you enjoy making/building as a kid?
2. What does the image of the church as a building clarify about its identity and purpose? What do the materials Paul mentions (gold, silver, precious stone, wood, hay, and stubble) represent? What do we learn about the role of works in the life of the believer by the use of this image? Why does Paul say that the quality of each person’s work will be revealed by fire? What do we learn here about the eternal rewards God has laid up for us? (MULTILINE)
3. How are we temples of the Holy Spirit? What is God’s role as the true builder of His church? Where do we see the sovereignty of God emphasized in this passage? What do we learn about God’s holiness, and where do we see His judgment on display in this passage? What prompts the judgment mentioned? What else do we learn about God from this chapter? (MULTILINE)
4. Why do you think the topic of “works” is such a sensitive one for Christians? Why do you think people struggle with the idea that our works will be tested? How do people today build their lives on foundations other than Jesus Christ? What are some examples of wood, hay, and straw in the modern church? How does our world promote self-reliance over dependence on God? (MULTILINE)
5. What do we learn about wisdom in this passage? What do we learn about personal accountability? How does this expectation of divine evaluation make you feel? How might we use this as motivation in our pursuit of holiness? What are some ways in which we can nurture spiritual maturity in ourselves and in others? What is one step you can take this week to allow the truths of this passage to affect how you live? (MULTILINE)

Going Deeper

1. What does Paul mean when he says that “if any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire” (v. 15)? What is a proper understanding of works as it relates to our salvation? What does the book of James highlight about faith and works (Jam 2:14-26)? What does Paul highlight (Rom 3:28)? How are these perspectives complementary? (MULTILINE)
2. Read James 1:12; Matthew 5:12, 16:27, 25:21; Revelation 22:12; and 2 Corinthians 5:10. What does the Bible say about eternal rewards? What is the purpose of these rewards in the life of the believer? What are some practical ways in which we can ensure that our work for God stands the test of fire? What does it look like to live with eternity in mind? (MULTILINE)

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Transformational Activity

Community

In this passage, Paul says, “Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are” (3:16-17). The “you” here is in the plural—meaning that “you all” together make up the temple of God. How does this understanding help us see the value of Christian community in our lives? How does this help promote unity within our community? Take some time this week to meditate on the role that Christian community has in our lives. Come back next time ready to share what the Holy Spirit revealed to you.

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Family Focus

Read this passage together as a family! 1 Corinthians 3:10-23

Worth a Note: This section of Scripture is about building the church on the foundation of Jesus Christ, not on human wisdom or personal preferences. Paul uses the metaphor of building a house to illustrate how Christians should work together to build the church. 

Discussion Questions:

1. Paul speaks of the work he did planting the Corinthian church. What is the significance of his saying “I laid a foundation…”? What does that refer to? Based on verse 11, what is the “foundation” that Paul laid? (vv. 10-11) (MULTILINE)
2. What does Paul mean when he says we are God’s temple? How does the indwelling Spirit of God make it so? What warning does Paul give to the enemies of Christ (and Christ’s church) in verse 17? (vv. 16-17) (MULTILINE)
3. Remember that Paul is talking to his friends about their problem with criticizing some leaders/teachers and bragging about following others. It was creating division. Here he tells them how to think about the place of teachers in the work of God. What do you see? (MULTILINE)

Memorize this verse together as a family this week:

Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? (1 Cor 3:16)

Focused Family Prayer: Thank God for the men and women who have helped you grow in your walk with Jesus.

¹ And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ. ² I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, ³ for you are still fleshly. For since there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not fleshly, and are you not walking like mere men? ⁴ For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not mere men?

⁵ What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, even as the Lord gave opportunity to each one. ⁶ I planted, Apollos watered, but God was causing the growth. ⁷ So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but God who causes the growth. ⁸ Now he who plants and he who waters are one; but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. ⁹ For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.

—1 Corinthians 3:1-9

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Sermon Outline

1. You Are God’s (MULTILINE)

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Weekly Study Guide

In this third chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul addresses one of the most fundamental issues within the church: spiritual immaturity and how it promotes division. The Corinthian believers had been taught the gospel—that they were called to be set apart and distinct—yet they continued to behave like the world. They were attaching themselves to human leaders and fostering factions rather than living as a unified body in Christ. This passage emphasizes the need for believers to grow spiritually, to recognize their dependence on God rather than human wisdom, and to build their faith upon the firm foundation of Jesus Christ. In this chapter, Paul uses vivid metaphors to illustrate these points, comparing the church to a field, a building, and the temple of God.

Paul begins the chapter by addressing the spiritual immaturity of the Corinthians, stating that he could not speak to them as mature believers but as infants in Christ. Paul likens them to babies, still needing spiritual milk instead of solid food (vv. 2-3). The Corinthians were not growing in their faith; instead, they were stagnating. They were being influenced by worldly thinking and behavior, as demonstrated by their divisions and allegiances to different church leaders. Much like the surrounding Greek culture, the Corinthians valued eloquence and wisdom. This led them to often exalt leaders based on their rhetorical skills rather than their faithfulness to the gospel. Paul admonishes this mindset and reminds them that he and Apollos are merely servants, planting and watering, and it is God who gives the increase. Knowing this was an agrarian society, Paul strategically uses the imagery of planting and watering—something they knew very well.

Paul then directs our eyes away from human leadership and onto God’s sovereignty. He states that he and Apollos are merely servants through whom the Corinthians believed (v. 5). Continuing the metaphor of agriculture, Paul explains that while one may plant (Paul) and another may water (Apollos), “God gave the growth” (v. 6). The message is clear: human leaders are instruments, but the power to transform lives comes from God alone.

Paul’s argument in this chapter is central to the larger message of 1 Corinthians. Throughout the letter, he confronts various issues related to division, immorality, and misunderstandings about spiritual gifts. Chapter three serves as a foundation for his later discussions on leadership, the nature of the church, and Christian maturity. It challenges believers to recognize that their identity is not rooted in human leaders but in Christ alone. Paul calls upon his readers to build wisely upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. This sets the stage for his further teachings on church unity, accountability, and the use of spiritual gifts.

Paul’s words have so much practical use for us today. He calls us to examine our own spiritual maturity: are we growing in our faith, or are we still clinging to worldly attitudes and divisions? Many churches today struggle with factionalism, whether through denominational loyalty, personal preferences, or allegiance to specific pastors. He reminds us that our faith should be grounded in Christ, not in human leadership. Ultimately, 1 Corinthians chapter three is a call to spiritual growth, humility, and faithfulness. It reminds us that God is the one who brings growth, that our foundation must be Christ, and that our works will one day be tested.

As we allow these truths to sink into our hearts, let’s commit ourselves to moving past the milk of the Word and strive to daily grow deeper in our faith. We must reject the idea that the wisdom of the world compares to the wisdom of God. Paul’s heart here is that we remember that true wisdom and security are found in Christ alone.

(MULTILINE)

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Discussion Questions

1. Describe a time in your life when you experienced significant spiritual growth. (MULTILINE)
2. What does Paul mean in his distinction between “men of the flesh” and “spiritual men”? How does this relate to his imagery of infants and milk/meat in describing their spiritual condition? Why do you think Paul still had to give them milk to drink? What are some of the characteristics of spiritual immaturity mentioned here? How would you describe the difference between milk and meat (Heb 5:12-6:2)? (MULTILINE)
3. What does this passage teach us about the role of God’s sovereignty in spiritual growth? What do we learn about dependence upon God in our desire to grow spiritually? Why do you think we naturally tend to take that responsibility solely upon ourselves? What are some examples of how God uses human instruments to accomplish His purposes? What else do we learn about God from this passage? (MULTILINE)
4. In your observation, what issues are most likely to cause division in the church? Why do you think people who are committed to humbly pursuing God still fall prey to these kinds of divisions? What is the difference between respecting a spiritual leader and what was happening in Corinth? Where do you see this danger cropping up in churches today? Why is it difficult for people to trust God’s timing in spiritual growth, both in themselves and in others? (MULTILINE)
5. Who are the people in your life that God has used to plant and to water your spiritual journey? Who has been a Paul or Apollos for you? In whose lives have you planted and watered? What have you learned through these experiences? How would you assess your own spiritual maturity in light of this passage? In what areas have you seen the most spiritual growth? What are some practical steps we can take to grow beyond spiritual infancy? (MULTILINE)

Going Deeper

1. What does it mean that Paul “planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth”? How can the images Paul uses of the church being “God’s field” and “God’s building” help us understand more fully what the church should be about? What is our role, and what is God’s role in ministry? Why would this gardening picture be an apt illustration for the Corinthian church? What other metaphors does Paul use elsewhere in scripture to describe the church? (MULTILINE)
2. What are some ways we can support our pastors and leaders without placing them on a pedestal? What does it look like to be a “fellow worker” with God in our daily lives? How should this passage influence the way we approach evangelism and discipleship? How can we ensure that our church remains unified despite differences in opinion and leadership styles? (MULTILINE)

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Transformational Activity

Prayer

Growing in our faith involves learning dependence upon God rather than relying on our own strength. That shift from self-reliance to a trusting relationship with God leads to true contentment and freedom as well. But that cannot happen outside of the enterprise of prayer. It is only through prayer that we foster that trust and dependence. Take some time this week to pray through the issues this passage highlights. Where are you in your spiritual walk? Ask God to help you rightly analyze where He would have you take your next steps in growing and dependence.

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Family Focus

Read this passage together as a family! 1 Corinthians 3:1-9

Worth a Note: “Worldly” life is the opposite of living “by the Spirit.” Worldliness means carrying out the fallen world’s sinful patterns (lying, greed, bickering, pride, hatefulness, spiritual ignorance, rebellion against God, etc.). When we come to know God, He gives us a new life instead of our old one—He makes us citizens of heaven even while we’re still citizens of earth. Slowly, we grow to look more and more like true people of heaven. We start to live by heaven’s laws even though we’re physically on earth. We aren’t so captive to sin (worldliness) anymore. The Corinthians, though, were acting as if the Spirit had never made them new

Discussion Questions:

1. Why is Paul so critical of the Corinthian church here? What does he mean when he says he could not speak to them as “spiritual people” but rather only as people of the flesh (worldly)? How does 1 Corinthians 3:1-3a relate to Hebrews 5:11-14? (MULTILINE)
2. Jesus frequently used agricultural imagery in his parables. How does the image of planting a seed and watering it show the limitations of human activity in building the church? How does it relate to the parable in Mark 4:26-29? How is it true that only God can make the seed grow (v. 7)? (MULTILINE)
3. What does Paul call the church in verse 9? How is the church like a field? How is it like a building? Discuss together how you as a family and as individuals can grow closer to Christ. (MULTILINE)

Memorize this verse together as a family this week:

For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, God’s building (1 Cor 3:9).

Focused Family Prayer: Pray for each other to continue to grow up toward maturity in Christ.

¹ And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. ² For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified. ³ I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling, ⁴ and my message and my preaching were not in persuasive words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, ⁵ so that your faith would not rest on the wisdom of men, but on the power of God.

⁶ Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; ⁷ but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; ⁸ the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; ⁹ but just as it is written,

“Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard,
And which have not entered the heart of man,
All that God has prepared for those who love Him.”

¹⁰ For to us God revealed them through the Spirit; for the Spirit searches all things, even the depths of God. ¹¹ For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit of God. ¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, ¹³ which things we also speak, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, combining spiritual thoughts with spiritual words.

¹⁴ But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. ¹⁵ But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. ¹⁶ For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.

—1 Corinthians 2:1-16

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Sermon Outline

1. It’s Not the Preacher, But What’s – That Makes the Impact (MULTILINE)
2. God’s Wisdom Changes, Although Culture Constantly Changes (MULTILINE)
3. It’s the Holy Spirit that God’s Truth to Us (MULTILINE)
4. As Jesus’ Followers We Should to At Odds with Our Culture (MULTILINE)

References

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Weekly Study Guide

The second chapter of 1 Corinthians is one of the most profound discussions on wisdom in all of scripture. In this passage, Paul contrasts the wisdom of the world with the wisdom of God. Paul describes how it is the Holy Spirit who is the true source of divine wisdom. He reminds the Corinthians that true wisdom is not found in human intellect or philosophy, but in Jesus Christ—as revealed by the Spirit of God, who alone can reveal the deep things of God.

Paul’s message in this chapter unfolds in three main themes:

1. Paul’s Preaching and the Power of the Spirit (2:1-5)

Paul reminds the Corinthians that when he first came to them, he did not use eloquent speech or persuasive arguments. Instead, he preached “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” with fear and trembling (vv. 2-3). His goal was that their faith would not rest in human wisdom but in the power of God (v. 5).

2. The Hidden Wisdom of God (2:6-10)

Paul shifts the discussion to a deeper level, explaining that the wisdom he preaches is not of this age or its rulers, who are doomed to pass away, but it is instead a hidden wisdom, that God ordained before the ages, all for the believer’s glory. This wisdom was not understood by the rulers of the world—if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

3. The Role of the Holy Spirit in Understanding God’s Wisdom (2:11-16)

The natural man cannot understand the things of God because they are spiritually discerned. Just as no one knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit, no one can know the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Those who have the Spirit of God are given the mind of Christ, allowing them to understand the things freely given by God.

The Corinthian church was heavily influenced by Greek culture, which prized philosophy, rhetoric, and human wisdom. Corinth was a city where debates and intellectualism thrived, much like Athens. Many in the church were being drawn into these worldly ideas and believed that faith should be presented with the sophistication and eloquence of Greek rhetoric. Paul dismantles this thinking by pointing them back to the simplicity and power of the gospel.

1 Corinthians chapter two is part of Paul’s broader argument about division and pride in the church. The Corinthians were splitting into factions based on their allegiance to different teachers (1:12). This was rooted in their cultural tendency to value eloquence and worldly wisdom. Paul’s response is to shift their focus away from human leaders and toward the Spirit of God.

This chapter sets up later discussions in the book, including:

• Spiritual maturity and discernment (ch. 3) – Paul rebukes them for being spiritually immature.
• Spiritual gifts (ch. 12-14) – He explains that the Holy Spirit not only reveals wisdom but also empowers believers with gifts for ministry.
• The resurrection (ch. 15) – Paul argues that faith in Christ is not based on human wisdom but on the historical reality of Jesus’ resurrection.

Paul’s message to the Corinthians is just as relevant for us today as it was for his recipients. We live in a culture that prizes human knowledge, scientific discovery, and intellectual achievement. But Paul’s words challenge us to ask: Do we in the church truly rely on the Spirit of God for our wisdom and understanding, or have we allowed the values of the world to shape our thinking? How has our worldview been constructed and what is the arbiter of truth in our lives? Do we embrace the “foolishness” of the gospel, or are we tempted to make it more palatable to a world that demands intellectual sophistication? Are we seeking to know God through His Spirit, or are we content with a surface-level understanding of spiritual things?

Many people, even within the church, struggle to accept spiritual truths that cannot be measured, tested, or explained by human reasoning. The temptation to conform the gospel to the expectations of the world is as strong now as it was back in Corinth. Paul reminds us that true wisdom is not found in the universities of this world, in philosophical debates, or in the intellect of man—but in the Spirit of God, who searches the deep things of God and reveals them to those who seek Him.

(MULTILINE)

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Discussion Questions

1. To whom do you turn when you need some wisdom in your life? (MULTILINE)
2. Why do you think Paul says he came to the Corinthians “not with lofty speech or wisdom” (v. 1)? What does this mean? What does this tell us about Paul’s view of himself and his ministry? What do you think about his claim in verse 3? Paul makes a pretty remarkable statement in verse 9. How does this strike you? What all do you think he means? What do you think it means that the things of God must be spiritually discerned? (MULTILINE)
3. According to this passage, how does God reveal His wisdom to believers? What role do you see the Holy Spirit having in the life of the believer? Take some time to discuss verse 14. What are some of the many ramifications? Why is it important to understand that the “natural person” does not accept the things of the Spirit? Make a list of all the things we learn about God from this passage. (MULTILINE)
4. When Paul says that the “natural person” does not accept the things of the Spirit (v. 14), how does this help us navigate the challenge of sharing our faith with others? How do we see this reality (of the natural mind not able to discern the things of God) play out in the world today (culture, politics, world religions, etc.)? How would you explain this reality to someone who is not a believer (or would you)? How does Paul’s approach to preaching challenge the way the gospel is sometimes presented today? Where do you see even Christians failing to recognize God’s truth? (MULTILINE)
5. How can we ensure that our faith rests in the power of God rather than human wisdom? How should Paul’s example in verse 3 encourage us to share the gospel when we feel inadequate? What are some practical ways to seek God’s wisdom rather than relying on our own understanding? How can we encourage others who struggle to understand spiritual truth? (MULTILINE)

Going Deeper

1. What are some of the many doctrines that are touched on in this passage? What do we learn about the Spirit and about our own spirit? And what does the “spirit of the world” refer to (v. 12)? Why does Paul conclude with the statement that “we have the mind of Christ” (v. 16)? How does this shape our understanding of wisdom and discernment? (MULTILINE)
2. Why do you think God would make spiritual truths inaccessible to the natural man? What practically is the difference between the regenerate and unregenerate mind? If believers have the mind of Christ, why are there so many doctrinal divisions and disagreements within the body of Christ? (MULTILINE)

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Transformational Activity

Outreach

This passage provides a needed background for understanding some of the challenges we face when sharing our faith. Take some time to think through some of these questions as you equip yourself to be a witness. What are some ways that people misinterpret or distort God’s wisdom to fit their own desires? How might this affect our witness to others? What steps can we take to deepen our dependence on the Spirit for understanding God’s truth, and for confidence when sharing our faith with others? How do you share the message of the cross with those who consider it foolishness?

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Family Focus

Read this passage together as a family! 1 Corinthians 2:1-16

Worth a Note: “Superiority of speech or …wisdom” (v. 1) refers to the impressive ways that famous Greek speakers (orators) had learned to communicate to sway their audiences. It was called “rhetoric.” Even though Paul probably had training, he didn’t rely on dazzling performances to convince people. It was the power of the Holy Spirit (God Himself) revealing the truth to people’s hearts as they heard the story of Jesus’ death, resurrection (being raised from the dead), and His love for them. Only God can open someone’s heart to believe.

Discussion Questions:

1. What does this section teach us about the work of the Spirit on human hearts? (MULTILINE)
2. What is the “spirit of the world”? See Ephesians 2:2. How is the Holy Spirit radically different? (MULTILINE)
3. In verses 9-16, we learn a lot about the Holy Spirit! First, make a list of the following: what He does for us, how life with Him is different, and what we have because of His help (v. 16). Second, which items on the list you wrote are most special to you? Why? (MULTILINE)

Memorize this verse together as a family this week:

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God (1 Cor 2:12).

Focused Family Prayer: Think of situations you’re currently in that you need prayer for. Pray specifically to grow in the wisdom of God for these areas.

¹⁸ For the word of the cross is foolishness 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 cleverness of the clever I will set aside.”

²⁰ Where is the wise man? 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 through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. ²² For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; ²³ but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, ²⁴ but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

²⁶ For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble; ²⁷ but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong, ²⁸ and the base things of the world and the despised God has chosen, the things that are not, so that He may nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that no man may boast before God. ³⁰ But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, ³¹ so that, just as it is written, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

—1 Corinthians 1:18-31

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Sermon Outline

1. People Are (MULTILINE)
2. God Is (MULTILINE)
3. We Should Be (MULTILINE)

References

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Weekly Study Guide

Digesting the long list of challenges this fledgling church faced can feel overwhelming. But let’s just take them one by one. So, what do we see in this first chapter of 1 Corinthians? Paul begins by calling for unity within the church (1:1-9). He reminds them that they have been called into fellowship with Jesus Christ, which is the foundation of their identity. Our identity in Christ is one of the main themes that flow throughout this letter. In verses 4-9, Paul expresses heartfelt gratitude for the grace God had given this church. This brings us to the heart of this week’s passage.

One of the primary issues in the Corinthian church was division. The church had become fractured over people claiming allegiance to different leaders. This was not a minor disagreement, but a deep issue that was threatening the unity of the body of Christ. Paul’s admonition here is simple: the church must be united under the lordship of Christ alone. He urges the Corinthians to be of one mind and one judgment. He reminds them that their unity is not based on their connection to any human leaders, but on the gospel they all share.

Another significant issue that Paul highlights is their misplaced value of human wisdom. Corinth was known for its intellectual pursuits and philosophical discourse. The Corinthians had allowed worldly wisdom to infiltrate their understanding of the gospel. They valued what seemed wise in the eyes of the world and struggled to accept the scandal of the cross. Paul confronts this by explaining that God’s wisdom is not like the wisdom of the world. The gospel appears foolish to those who are perishing, but it is the power of God for those who are being saved. The challenge for the Corinthians, and for us today, is to not be swayed by worldly definitions of wisdom, but to recognize the surpassing wisdom of the cross.

As the chapter closes, we see that the Corinthians, like many people today, boasted about their accomplishments, status, and wisdom. Paul addresses this shortcoming by pointing out that God has chosen the weak, foolish, and lowly things of the world to accomplish His purposes. This serves as a rebuke to any temptation to boast in human achievements. The gospel is humbling because it shows that no one can claim any merit before God. There is nothing we can do to earn or deserve our salvation. It is only through God’s grace that anyone is saved, and all boasting should be boasting in God Himself.

In one of the highlights of this chapter, Paul emphasizes the counter-cultural nature of the gospel. He reminds the Corinthians that God often chooses the weak and foolish things of the world to shame the strong and wise. Many of the Corinthian believers were not of noble birth or worldly stature, yet they were chosen by God. This highlights the truth that salvation is not based on human merit but on God’s grace alone. The result is that no one can boast before God. All glory belongs to God, and He alone is the source of their righteousness, holiness, and redemption.

Much has been written on the topic of “the foolishness of God”. A phrase that is sometimes used to describe this is “the upside-down kingdom”. This phrase highlights the truth that what is wise and sensible to the world oftentimes runs counter to the value system of God. The way Paul puts it is that the foolishness of God is wiser than men. In fact, the core of Christianity revolves around a crucified Messiah. This makes no sense to the unregenerate mind. To them, power, authority, and victory only come in triumph, not in death. Whereas we Christians glory in Christ’s death because it is what frees us from eternal separation from God. This value system of dying to oneself appears upside-down to the world. It doesn’t make sense to them. Isn’t that how God works? He does the unexpected so that we cannot glory in ourselves. He chooses the weak and lowly; He chooses the unlikely to accomplish His purposes. Jesus did the same. He chose humble, unimpressive disciples who would go on to upend the world. Those who trust in themselves and their own wisdom must learn to put that trust in God alone—especially when it doesn’t make sense. As we meditate on what God has for us in this book, let us seek the wisdom of the cross, which appears foolish to the world, but is the power of God for those who are being saved.

(MULTILINE)

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Discussion Questions

1. Who is the smartest person you know? Who is the wisest? Why did you choose these particular people? (MULTILINE)
2. What does Paul mean when he says that the “word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing”? How does Paul contrast human wisdom with God’s wisdom? How is “Christ crucified a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles”? What does Paul mean when he says that God’s foolishness is wiser than men? How does God’s choice of the foolish, weak, and lowly serve to bring Him glory? In other words, why does God desire that all boasting be in Him rather than in human strength or intellect? (MULTILINE)
3. Read verses 27-29. What are some real-life examples of each of these claims by Paul? What does this reveal about our God? How do these verses undermine any pride we might find in human achievement? What does it mean that Christ is our righteousness? How does this relate to the doctrine of justification? How are God’s attributes on display in this passage? (MULTILINE)
4. How does the world define wisdom? How do people today confuse the world’s power with God’s power? Why does the world reject the message of the cross? In what ways do we see that rejection today? How do modern people respond to suffering and weakness? How does this contrast with God’s use of weakness in His plan? (MULTILINE)
5. What does it mean to boast in the Lord (v. 31)? What kinds of things do we typically boast in? What is the difference between being proud of accomplishments (e.g. for yourself or your children) and veering over into being boastful? What has the message of the cross meant in your life? What issue or decision are you facing right now for which you need God’s wisdom? (MULTILINE)

Going Deeper

1. Why do some people struggle to accept that salvation is a free gift rather than something earned? How does this touch on the innate need we feel for independence and self-sufficiency? How does the message of the cross challenge the pride and self-sufficiency of humanity? How do modern secular philosophies reflect the same attitudes as the Jews (seeking power) and the Greeks (seeking wisdom)? (MULTILINE)
2. How can we ensure that we do not fall into the trap of relying on human wisdom rather than God’s wisdom? How should understanding that God’s wisdom is different from human wisdom affect the way we make decisions? How should understanding that Christ is our righteousness affect our sense of identity and worth? (MULTILINE)

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Transformational Activity

Worship

Knowing about God is different than knowing and worshiping God. What can we learn about God from this passage that can inspire us to seek to truly know Him better? How does boasting in the Lord change the way we worship, pray, and live our daily lives? Take some time this week to seek to humble yourself before the Lord. Ask Him to reveal areas in your life where you are clinging to self-sufficiency and pride. And lay your heart and motives before Him, praising Him for the ways He is changing you into His likeness.

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Family Focus

Read this passage together as a family! 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

Worth a Note: In 1 Corinthians 1:18-31, Paul emphasizes that the message of the cross, which may seem foolish to the world, is actually the true power and wisdom of God. He highlights that God chooses to work through seemingly weak and insignificant means to bring about salvation, thereby challenging human pride and emphasizing the grace of God in choosing the “foolish things of the world” to confound the wise. 

Discussion Questions:

1. How do both the Jews and the Greeks naturally oppose the message of Christ crucified, but in different ways? (vv. 22-23) (MULTILINE)
2. How has Christ become for us wisdom from God? How is he also our righteousness, holiness/sanctification, and redemption? (v. 30) (MULTILINE)
3. In verses 18-25, some people say that God’s truths are too ridiculous (“foolish”) to believe. For example, some say that because they can’t see God, He can’t be real or that there can’t only be ONE way to heaven. Verse 25 is the key to understanding this section. Read it first, and then read 18-25. What’s the main point? (Extra insight! In verses 26-31, “boasting” is about where we find our strength and security!) (MULTILINE)

Memorize this verse together as a family this week:

But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong (1 Cor 1:27).

Family Focused Prayer: Share prayer requests with each other. Pray for each other’s weaknesses. Pray for those who are perishing to see the word of the cross as the power of God.

⁴ I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, ⁵ that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, ⁶ even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, ⁷ so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, ⁸ who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

¹⁰ Now I exhort you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all agree and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be made complete in the same mind and in the same judgment. ¹¹ For I have been informed concerning you, my brethren, by Chloe’s people, that there are quarrels among you. ¹² Now I mean this, that each one of you is saying, “I am of Paul,” and “I of Apollos,” and “I of Cephas,” and “I of Christ.” ¹³ Has Christ been divided? Paul was not crucified for you, was he? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? ¹⁴ I thank God that I baptized none of you except Crispus and Gaius, ¹⁵ so that no one would say you were baptized in my name. ¹⁶ Now I did baptize also the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized any other. ¹⁷ For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross of Christ would not be made void.

—1 Corinthians 1:4-17

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Notes

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References

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Weekly Study Guide

Let’s transport ourselves back to an ancient time. This is always an important step to take when reading scripture if we are to truly understand its meaning and message. The books of the Bible were written to specific people in specific life situations, and without the proper historical lens, there is a very real danger of misunderstanding their message. The unfortunate tendency today is to read our Bibles through 21st-century lenses, using modern presuppositions. Unless we go to great lengths to counter this tendency, we will invariably miss out on what scripture is saying. So, join me on this journey.

In exploring 1 Corinthians, we find ourselves in the middle of the 50’s—not the 1950’s—but the actual 50’s, some 20 years after Jesus died and rose again. There is a small and struggling church in the bustling, cosmopolitan city of Corinth. This church is only a few years old. It was founded by the Apostle Paul on his second missionary journey. Paul spent about 1½ years working to gain a foothold for the gospel in this major hub of trade and commerce in the ancient world.

So, what kind of world did the Corinthian church know, and what challenges did they face? This city was not just a prosperous, booming metropolitan environment—it was also a melting pot of different cultures, religious perspectives, and philosophies. Yet Corinth was known, not just for its prosperity, but for its immorality. The worship in the temple of Aphrodite involved thousands of temple prostitutes enticing these ancient pagans into deviant sexual practices. In this environment, Paul’s call to purity was radically countercultural. This was the culture and world the believers in the church at Corinth were immersed in and struggled to let go of.

A few years after founding this church, Paul writes 1 Corinthians to address some pressing issues that were tearing this young church apart. These new followers of Jesus were being shaped much more by the values of the city and culture around them than by the teachings of Jesus. This congregation consisted of Jews and Gentiles, former idol worshipers, and those from diverse social backgrounds. Their struggles reflected the challenges of living as Christians in a sinful, idolatrous culture. Many of these believers were new to the faith and had not yet fully grasped what it meant to follow Christ in daily life.

When Paul first came to Corinth, he stayed and worked with Aquilla and Priscilla in their leather and tent shop. Paul’s pastoral heart is obvious in how he addresses his readers. He does not simply rebuke but instructs, guiding them like a father. He longs to see them transformed by the renewing of their minds (Rom 12:2). Paul addresses a long list of issues that he had heard afflicted this church. There were factions forming and divisions among the people that were undermining their unity. There were issues relating to sexuality and marriage. They had questions about how to deal with meat that had been sacrificed to idols. There were questions regarding how corporate worship should function, and how best to administer the sacraments. And there were also questions about the end times and the resurrection from the dead.

Most commentators outline this letter according to these issues that Paul tackles one by one. The first major section of the letter focuses on the divisions plaguing the church. The next section deals with immorality, sexuality, and marriage. Paul then talks about Christian freedom flowing from the topic of meat sacrificed to idols. The next section focuses on orderly worship, followed by a discussion of the Resurrection. He then finishes by addressing the collection of money for the church with some final closing remarks.

In this first chapter, Paul confronts several critical issues we very much face in the church today; including divisions within the church, the nature of true wisdom, and the centrality of the cross. In discussing how pride was causing division amongst these new believers, he uses the example of baptism. They were ranking their status by who had baptized them. But in doing so, Paul makes an important statement. He says in 1 Corinthians 1:17 that Christ did not send him to baptize, but to preach the gospel. This simple statement subtly, but powerfully, refutes those who believe that one must be baptized in order to be saved. In Paul’s mind, the issue of baptism falls outside of the core message of the gospel. This is one of many doctrinal distinctions and clarifications Paul will give us as we go.

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Discussion Questions

1. Paul begins this section by expressing his gratitude for the believers at Corinth. What are you truly grateful for? (MULTILINE)
2. How does Paul begin this section (vv. 4-9)? In a book that carries such a weighty tone of correction and admonishment, why do you think Paul begins with such a positive approach? Why do you think baptism is a touchstone issue for Paul in this chapter? What role did baptism play in the early church in proclaiming one’s identity and allegiances? How might that significance be different today? How does Paul clarify the meaning of baptism in verse 17? (MULTILINE)
3. Why does Paul immediately transition from thanksgiving to addressing divisions within the church (vv. 10-17)? What does this shift tell us about the urgency of the problem? What does Paul’s rejection of boasting in human leaders teach us about the issue of authority in the church? What do we learn about God’s character and desires from this passage? (MULTILINE)
4. Why do you think it was tempting for these early believers to identify themselves with particular leaders? Where do we see that happening today? What do you think the modern church has in common with the church at Corinth? How does Paul’s appeal for unity in the church relate to contemporary issues of division within churches today? (MULTILINE)
5. In what ways have you experienced unity or disunity in the church? How can we ensure we are centered on Christ and His message, and not overly focused on church leaders or denominational identity? One of the ways we join together with the body in unity is through baptism. Have you been baptized? If not, why not? What does your baptism mean to you? What is one way you can apply the truths of this passage to your life this week? (MULTILINE)

Going Deeper

1. Paul ends this section by referring to the power of the cross. What do you think Paul means by this? What is the power and meaning of the cross? How does this power manifest itself in our lives? How would you describe this power to an unbeliever? What is the core message of the gospel, and how does Paul relate baptism to that message? (MULTILINE)
2. What does the existence of so many and varied denominations in the church today have to do with Paul’s call for unity? What is the purpose of having so many denominations? Is this a good thing or a bad thing? Does having these kinds of distinctions necessarily indicate division? (MULTILINE)

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Transformational Activity

Community

How we are to live together in community in at least some semblance of unity is an age-old question. We all have different needs, desires, personalities, and even agendas. Yet we are called to be one in Christ. What are some techniques for valuing and pursuing unity in our church families that do not gloss over the very real differences we have? What are some examples you have seen where a church was truly unified? What were the primary reasons for this? Take some time this week to think and pray about this issue of unity and how you might be a part of the solution.

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Family Focus

Read this passage together as a family! 1 Corinthians 1:4-17

Worth a Note: (vv. 10-17) After Paul had greeted his friends and given thanks (those were common parts of ancient letters), what’s the very first thing out of his mouth (v. 10)? When you’ve got something on your mind, it tends to come tumbling out! What was the problem Paul wanted to address? Take a minute to write out what you see here. God wants His family to be tight-knit, peaceful, loving, and aiming at the same goal. When we bicker and put each other down, we tear the fabric of God’s family. Is there anything you need to admit to God about the way you’ve treated another believer?

Discussion Questions:

1.  What does Paul thank God for in verses 4-9? Why is it so vital for church leaders to express thankfulness to God for the churches they lead, especially if their church has problems? (MULTILINE)
2. Paul is thankful for the amazing way the Corinthian church had been gifted with every spiritual gift. Yet the church had so many shortcomings: problems with divisions, sin, false doctrine, immorality, and other issues. What does this teach you about spiritual gifts (vv. 5, 7)? (MULTILINE)

Memorize this verse together as a family this week:

I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus (1 Cor 1:4).

Focused Family Prayer: Pray specifically for any perceived division in our body of Christ. Pray for the leaders of the church.

¹ Paul, called as an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Sosthenes our brother, ² To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, saints by calling, with all who in every place call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, their Lord and ours: ³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

—1 Corinthians 1:1-3

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References

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Weekly Study Guide

Picture in your mind the most debaucherous city imaginable. Perhaps a well-known modern city comes to mind. Then, picture the Apostle Paul deciding that this would be the perfect place to found a new church. Imagine the difficulties that would come with this choice. We read in the pages of 1 Corinthians not only of the challenges and pressures that would accompany a new fledgling church, but one that is firmly entrenched in the teeth of the enemy—a church struggling with factions, lawsuits, immorality, questionable practices, division, pride, abuse of the Lord’s Supper, and a lack of understanding of spiritual gifts.

Paul founded the church at Corinth during his second missionary journey (Acts 18:1-18). Many of these new believers were former idol worshippers deeply influenced by the city’s culture. This was reflected in their struggle to break free from the shackles of their past and fully embrace their new identity in Christ. Paul’s letter was not only a response to reports of disunity (and really, outright chaos), but also a loving call for transformation, urging the Corinthians to live according to the dictates of God’s Word rather than the values of their society.

As we begin this powerful book, we have already seen how significant and helpful something as simple as geography can be in filling out the background and meaning of an epistle. Because of its location and the prominence and status Corinth attained, this city was a major hub for commerce and travel. It was a city of wealth, influence, and cultural exchange. But with this prosperity came an influx of different ideas, philosophies, and practices. It became a city marked by sexual immorality, idol worship, and a deeply ingrained emphasis on worldly wisdom and human achievement. All of which influenced the young church there.

Paul’s letter speaks directly to the heart of this complex environment. The Corinthians believers, very much like their city, reflected a mix of cultures, backgrounds, and values. As a result, they were struggling with the same issues that plagued their society—division, pride, confusion about morality, and a misunderstanding of what true wisdom and power look like in God’s economy. The city’s wealth, immorality, intellectualism, and division all contributed to the challenges the Corinthian church faced. And it’s precisely into this difficult, complex environment that Paul speaks the gospel of unity, purity, and the power of the cross.

Corinth was an important Greek city from ancient times until its destruction by the Romans in 146 B.C. Julius Caesar rebuilt it as a Roman colony in 46 B.C. which then grew and prospered until it became the capital of the Roman province of Achaia. Corinth was infamous for its rampant idolatry and sexual immorality, largely due to the massive temple of Aphrodite, which housed thousands of temple prostitutes. This sexual immorality was so ingrained in the city’s culture that the term “to Corinthianize” became synonymous with sexual debauchery. In this context, the Christian community in Corinth was faced with immense pressure to conform to the surrounding culture’s loose moral standards. This helps us understand why Paul spends significant time in the letter addressing issues of sexual purity, idol worship, and living a holy life. Paul’s call to holiness amidst such a sexually charged environment was not just a call to personal purity; it was a call to stand apart from a culture that had normalized outrageous sin.

Corinth’s intellectualism also played a role in the struggles of the church. The Corinthians were influenced by Greek philosophy, and many had been drawn into the pursuit of wisdom, honor, and knowledge for their own sake. The city’s great educational institutions and rich tradition of philosophical discourse meant that many of its residents viewed the gospel with skepticism, seeing it as foolishness compared to the high ideals of Greek thought. Paul’s letter, particularly his message about the “foolishness” of the cross in 1 Corinthians 1:18-25, confronts this mentality head-on. The message of the cross, in its scandalous simplicity, was an affront to the intellectual pride of the city. Paul was calling the Corinthians to reject worldly wisdom and to embrace a deeper, godly wisdom only found in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Just as the Corinthians were called to live faithfully in their context, so, too, are we called to live out the gospel in our own cities, cultures, and communities, reflecting the radical nature of God’s values amidst the brokenness of the world. It was a powerful message back in Paul’s day, and it is a powerful and much-needed message today as well.

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Discussion Questions

1. Describe the most important letter or email you have ever received. Why does it stand out to you? (MULTILINE)
2. How does Paul introduce himself in this letter, and why is it significant that he identifies himself as “called by the will of God” to be an apostle? What does Paul mean when he refers to the Corinthians as “called to be saints”? How might this description reassure and inspire them, and how might it convict them—in how it highlights a contrast with their actual struggles? Why do you think Paul so often begins his letters with “Grace and peace to you…”? (MULTILINE)
3. After reading the introduction above, what elements of this book’s historical, cultural, and geographical background help us understand the task Paul had before him as he writes to this church? What does it mean to be sanctified in Christ Jesus? What do we learn about God—His attributes and activities—from the first three verses in chapter one? (MULTILINE)
4. One of the primary issues that Paul addresses in this letter is the lack of unity. Why do you think it is so easy for Christians to be divided? Why are cliques and division so damaging within the church? Where have you seen this in churches you have been part of? What does it look like when a church is united in purpose? How might we pursue unity without ignoring differences? (MULTILINE)
5. What are some ways in which you personally can promote unity within the body of Christ? What does it mean to be sanctified and holy? How has this played out in your life? Paul says here that he was called to be an apostle. What are you called to? What are some practical ways you can live out your calling this week? (MULTILINE)

Going Deeper

1. Paul spent about 18 months in Corinth on his second missionary journey. Read Acts 18:1-22. What do we learn about Corinth from this passage? What stands out to you about life in Corinth? Why do you think Paul stayed so long in Corinth when he would typically only stay a short time in other places? What was it about Corinth that prompted God to have Paul set up shop and invest so much time and energy there? Why do you think the gospel took root in such a wicked, licentious place? What does this teach us about the power and effect of the gospel? (MULTILINE)
2. It was in Corinth that Paul met Aquila and Priscilla—a couple he took under his wing to mentor and train for ministry. Who was someone who helped you when you were young in the faith? How did they help you? Who is someone that you have come alongside to help mentor? What gifts do you believe you have that God can use to help others? (MULTILINE)

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Transformational Activity

Bible Study

We have attempted to give a bit of an overview of the background of the book of 1 Corinthians. But as we begin a new study of a book of the Bible, it is a good practice to take some time to deeply explore questions about the text, so the meaning will be more clear. It’s crucial to ask specific questions of the text: who is the author, what is the historical setting, who is the audience, what is the overall argument the author is making, what are the main points, and are there key words or phrases that need exploration. Only after answering these questions can we begin to apply the truths of scripture to our lives. Take some time to do some digging about the context of 1 Corinthians and come back next time to share what you’ve found.

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Family Focus

Read this passage together as a family! 1 Corinthians 1:1-3

Worth a Note: Notice that in every one of Paul’s letters, he begins with the expression “grace to you,” and he ends with “grace be with you.” This suggests that Paul looks at his letter itself as a means of giving grace to those who read it, and that he wishes them to go having read the letter with grace on themselves for the challenges they will face now that they’re done reading it.

In the Bible, grace is a gift from God that is undeserved, free, and generous. It is a central part of the Christian faith.

 

Discussion Questions:

1. What does Paul’s greeting and thanksgiving teach us about the need to be gentle and full of grace, even when reprimanding people? (MULTILINE)
2. How does Paul use the word “called” to refer both to himself and to the Corinthian church? (MULTILINE)
3. Talk about how each family member could demonstrate grace to others this week. (MULTILINE)

Memorize this verse together as a family this week:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor 1:3).

Focused Family Prayer: Ask your family to share prayers of thanksgiving to God regardless of the circumstances you might find yourselves in. (MULTILINE)

 

³⁶ While they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst and *said to them, “Peace be to you.” ³⁷ But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit. ³⁸ And He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? ³⁹ See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” ⁴⁰ And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. ⁴¹ While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” ⁴² They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish; ⁴³ and He took it and ate it before them.

⁴⁴ Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ⁴⁵ Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, ⁴⁶ and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, ⁴⁷ and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

⁵⁰ And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. ⁵¹ While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. ⁵² And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy,

—Luke 24:36-52

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Sermon Outline

1. His (MULTILINE)
2. His (MULTILINE)
3. His (MULTILINE)

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References

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Weekly Study Guide

One of the primary goals of this study has been to set the gospel in its proper context. That context is Jewish. As I have said many times before, Jesus was Jewish, the Apostles were Jewish, and the writers and recipients of the New Testament were primarily Jewish. There are so many statements and actions of Jesus that make no sense when read apart from His Jewishness. Ripping the New Testament out of this context absolutely prevents us from properly understanding the true meaning of what Jesus came to accomplish. Jen Rosner expressed this well:

“For His early followers, Jesus’ mission and message was absolutely incomprehensible outside the framework of God’s covenant with the Jewish people and the promises that anchored that covenant. Jesus came to fulfill the promises that had been made to the people of Israel, not to replace God’s chosen people with a new group. The gospel is, then, all about God’s faithfulness to the covenant God made with Abraham and his descendants…”

Amy-Jill Levine writes: “If you get the Jewish context wrong, you will certainly get Jesus wrong.” Jen Rosner goes on to ask: “Is the gospel that the church preaches today anchored in God’s enduring covenant with Israel?” In other words, when you hear someone share the gospel, or when you share the gospel yourself, how often do you begin in Genesis with the Fall, and then proceed to tell the story of Abraham and God’s promise to bring blessing upon the world? We must ask ourselves why that is not more often the case. That is what it means to place the gospel in its context. When we place the gospel only in the New Testament, we are leaving out most of the story of salvation.

As I have said before, we set before ourselves a monumental task in these study guides. To try to understand all that God is doing through the nation of Israel, a few paragraphs at a time, is, perhaps, a bit of a fool’s errand. But we have, at least, been able to open the doors to a much-needed conversation. The constraints of time and space have limited us from embarking on a fuller exploration of these supremely important truths, but I hope that we can perhaps view scripture with new eyes because of our time together. This fuller picture of Israel’s role and purpose helps us to see more clearly what is going on with Israel in 1^st & 2^nd Samuel.

How would I summarize this journey we have taken? We have covered so many topics; it is difficult to know where to begin. So, let’s just start at the beginning and retell the story we might already know well with the new perspective we’ve gained. So, here we go…

God created the Heavens and the Earth so that He might be glorified, and so that He might have a place where He would have fellowship with His children. To that end, His design was to create a realm in which He would universally rule over all, and He would set up an earthly Kingdom in which He would install mediators to rule creation on His behalf. But Satan had other plans. Satan undermined this Kingdom program by subverting the God-ordained authority structure and had Eve take the lead rather than Adam, and by tempting Adam and Eve to follow rather than lead creation. The Kingdom was thus temporarily thwarted through mankind’s sin and rebellion against God’s authority. Therefore, God set about on a plan to restore what was lost in the Fall. He chose a man named Abraham to be the beginning of a new nation, a nation uncorrupted by the evil with which Satan had infected every other nation on earth.

God promised Abraham that through His offspring, ultimate blessing would come back to the earth. This promised blessing had 3 components: Land, Seed, and Spiritual Blessing. The Land component promised that the title deed to a particular tract of land, situated at the crossroads of the world, would belong to Abraham and his offspring forever. The conditions for the enjoyment of the blessings of being in the land would eventually be spelled out in the temporary Mosaic Covenant, which detailed specific blessings for obedience and specific curses for disobedience. Genesis 12:3 states that Abraham’s offspring were to be a blessing. But when the Jews were apostate they were no longer being a blessing, so God took them out of the land. God was not going to let them enjoy the blessing in the land while they were rebelling against God. However, that temporary punishment of being out of the land could not affect their ownership of the land. The covenant God made with Abraham was unconditional.

The Seed aspect of this covenant with Abraham promised that from his loins would come forth many nations. But it would be through one specific nation that the ultimate seed would come. That nation was Israel. Israel would be set apart for service to God as His chosen vessel—a nation upon whom God had put His favor. They would serve as priests for all of humanity in mediating God’s blessings to the world. The nation of Israel was the seed of Abraham, but one of the purposes of Israel was to produce that ultimate seed, Messiah.

The Spiritual Blessing component of this promise to Abraham foretold that blessing upon blessing would come to Abraham and his offspring. He would be their God, and they would be His people. God told Abraham to be a blessing to the world and promised that those who would bless Abraham would be blessed, while those who cursed Abraham would be cursed. This blessing and cursing related to Abraham would serve as a foundational principle for all of human life and history. Then, the ultimate aspect of this spiritual blessing promise was that the entire world would be blessed by the perfect seed that Abraham’s family would produce. This seed would make all things right and fix what was broken in the world. This “blessing” was ultimately pointing to both salvation and to Heaven.

This promise to Abraham came in the form of a covenant. A covenant is a binding contract that obligates two parties together in relationship to accomplish certain things. The kind of covenant God chose to enter into was an unconditional covenant—meaning that it was not conditioned upon anything Abraham could or must do. It was fully and only incumbent upon God to fulfill the provisions of this covenant. This Abrahamic Covenant forms the basis for the rest of the covenants God makes with Israel. The 3 aspects of this promise to Abraham are elaborated upon in 3 subsequent covenants: Land, Davidic, and New.

In the Land Covenant we see that, despite what modern political discussions might have you believe, Israel has a right to the land forever. It was given to them by God, and this land will one day be the center of the world when the Kingdom does eventually come. Leviticus 26 describes how God warned Israel that their disobedience would bring escalating consequences—the most severe of which would be temporary expulsion from the land. This expulsion began in 70 A.D. and ended in 1948 when Israel became a nation again where God fulfilled His promise of the first worldwide regathering of His people. But precisely as Ezekiel described in chapters 36-37, Israel was regathered in unbelief—specifically for the purpose of judgment. This first worldwide regathering sets the stage for the coming Tribulation period—also known as “the time of Jacob’s trouble”. This is where God will allow Israel to go through a time of tribulation, “…as has never happened before nor never will again”. Which means that it will be worse for Israel in the Tribulation than it was in the Holocaust. After this “Tribulation” comes the second worldwide regathering of Israel—this time, for the purpose of blessing. This will take place at the end of the Tribulation as God gathers His people to Himself to reward them with the promised Kingdom. The Land Covenant was given to Israel as they prepared to enter the Promised Land.

Israel conquered the land and endured some 400 years of strife under the period of the Judges, and then it came time for Israel to become a monarchy. After the false start with King Saul, Israel got their true King in David. This is where God revealed to Israel so much more of His plan to rescue humanity through giving David the Davidic Covenant. This plan would involve a man from David’s line sitting on the throne of Israel forever. The ultimate King that God was preparing His people for was Messiah Jesus. When Jesus came, He offered this Kingdom to Israel, yet they rejected it. Thus, the Kingdom program—that God had started in Eden—continued to be on hold, and would have to wait until His return.

This Kingdom that God had promised Israel all throughout their history was to be a literal, political Kingdom that would last a thousand years with Jesus ruling over planet Earth from Jerusalem, seated upon David’s throne. We learn from Daniel that this will be a supernatural Kingdom that comes from the outside to destroy all the earthly kingdoms mankind has created in defiance of God. This Millennial Kingdom will be a time of peace and rest and will be a renovation of creation where, to a large extent, we will see a restoration back to what things were like in the Garden of Eden. This Kingdom was a promise God made to Israel and He will fulfill it with Israel. They will reassume their place of prominence in God’s plan, and He will fulfill with them every promise He has ever made to them. Even though many Christians confuse this idea of the Kingdom with what the church is doing now, scripture is clear that the Kingdom is future and will only be in existence when Messiah returns.

After Israel rejected the offer of the Kingdom in Matthew 12, God instituted the next step of His plan. The Messiah died for the sins of the world, rose again, and then sent His Holy Spirit, thus bringing in the next major covenant God had promised Israel. This New Covenant replaced the Mosaic Covenant as the regulations for life and obedience for God’s people. Since Israel had rejected Him, the primary recipients of this New Covenant would initially be the Gentile church. Believing Gentiles had been grafted into the family of God and would now have access to the spiritual blessings of the Jewish New Covenant. The Jews will ultimately repent of their sin, will come into compliance with the Mosaic Covenant, and the New Covenant will finally be fully fulfilled. When this happens, Messiah will return and establish His Kingdom on earth. He will rule for a thousand years as a precursor and preparation for the Eternal State—when God will destroy the current Heavens and Earth and create a New Heavens and Earth where we will dwell with Him forever.

That is a brief overview of the story of scripture, as told through the lens of the covenants that God reveals in scripture. According to one writer, it is through these covenants that God established relationships with mankind and revealed the major elements of His plan of salvation. Through the pre-Abraham covenants, God relates to mankind morally, legally, economically, socially, and politically. He also provides man with his vocational calling through the cultural mandate—to fill the earth and subdue it. The same is true for the covenants God makes with Israel. It is through the mechanism of covenants that God created the nation of Israel, blessed them, and charged them with the task of being His light to the world. Through these covenants, God bound Israel to Himself forever. Since these covenants have yet to be fully fulfilled, we know that God has a future for Israel in His plans. God will keep His Word to Israel and bring them back into the place of prominence He promised them.

We’ve seen that the Abrahamic Covenant is the key that unlocks the big picture of salvation history—a history that flows through the nation of Israel. We’ve also seen the sad result of the church attempting to extricate Israel from that story and co-opt it, focusing our eyes solely on what God is doing in the world through the church. The church, as the bride of Christ, plays a very important role in God drawing all nations unto Him. That is true. However, the church is not the central motif in scripture, the Kingdom is. The church exists from Pentecost until the Rapture, and then this betrothed bride of Christ becomes His wife, and they both will rule over the Kingdom together. But we misunderstand and distort the scope and purpose of God’s plan if we try to replace Israel with the church.

We saved the discussion of the coming Kingdom until nearly the end of our journey because we needed to establish the needed context for the Kingdom to make sense. We could have spent the entire four books of our study guides on this idea of the coming Kingdom. The Kingdom program of God is the major thread that ties all of scripture and history together. As we read God’s Word, we watch as mankind loses the Kingdom in Eden, and then regains it in the Millennium. The beginning, the end, and everything in-between is all about the Kingdom.

Hopefully, the big picture of our salvation and the plan of God is coming more and more into focus. It is so easy to get lost in the details of the individual stories in scripture, that sometimes, how it all fits together eludes us. When we are able to step back and explore the broad strokes of God’s plan, then all the little pieces that make up that plan make so much more sense.

I’d like to end our time together in this last study guide as I ended an earlier one. As we try to understand more clearly God’s heart for Israel, and strive to match our priorities with God’s priorities, and explore the plan that He has laid out for us, let’s try to acknowledge what Israel means to God. Let’s love Israel—not because they have already repented and acknowledged their sin of rejecting Messiah. But because they are the center and focus of God’s plan. God did not express His promises of faithfulness to them only when they were being obedient, but literally at the height of their disobedience.

Not everything modern Israel does is right. We can’t defend everything the secular nation of Israel does. But then again, we’re not called to do so. God sent prophet after prophet warning apostate Israel to repent. Yet their disobedience did not abrogate His promises. We absolutely cannot deny that God is currently up to something. He resurrected a dead people and brought them back into their own land. He is once again fighting their battles. So, let’s see Israel with the same heart that God does. And let’s love them because they are God’s chosen people, and we are part of God’s family with them. God is going to do a work in them—a work of drawing them back to Himself—a work that will be a subject of awe for us to behold.

But more than anything, let’s keep Israel in its place of prominence in the plan of God, because the Bible does so. Let’s read the Bible through the lens of the centrality of Israel and as the conduit through which God mediates salvation to the world. And when we rightly understand Israel’s place in the plan of God, we will understand our place so much better.

(MULTILINE)

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Discussion Questions

1. What is your favorite Easter memory growing up? (MULTILINE)
2. The theme of “Kingdom” is the most prominent theme in scripture. God promised David a house and kingdom that would never end. He promised David that the ultimate King would come from his own family. In Jesus, we finally got that King. Easter is where we celebrate the vindication of that King. What kind of king do you think Jesus will be when He sets up His Kingdom in the Millennium? Not living in a monarchy presently, what would having a king mean to you? What do you imagine life under Jesus as your King will be like? (MULTILINE)
3. In your own words, what was the crucifixion of Jesus all about? What did it accomplish? How did it relate to the Old Testament sacrificial system? What did Jesus experience while He was on the cross? How does the crucifixion apply to you and me? With that in mind, what is the resurrection all about? What did it accomplish? What did it say about the death and sacrifice of Jesus? What incredible truths do we learn about God from the death and resurrection of Jesus? What do we learn about His plan, His justice, His holiness, and His love? (MULTILINE)
4. How do most people outside the church react when they hear about the resurrection of Jesus? What conversations have you had with unbelievers about the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus? What reactions have you gotten? Why do you think the idea of someone coming back from the dead is so difficult to believe? What presuppositions are at play? What kind of evidence is there for the resurrection of Jesus (both biblical and extra-biblical)? (MULTILINE)
5. What are your earliest memories of hearing that Jesus rose from the dead? How has your understanding changed over the years? What is the most powerful truth about the resurrection that motivates how you live your life? What is your response today to the call of Christ to “go tell others” that Jesus has risen from the dead? How active are you in this calling? What holds you back from doing even more? What can you do this week to take a step toward obedience to the call of Christ to both “be and make disciples”? (MULTILINE)

Going Deeper

1. In light of the monumental significance of the death of Jesus, it is easy sometimes to underestimate the importance of His resurrection. Read Romans 5:10, 6:1-14, 8:11 and 1 Corinthians 6:14, 15:20-23. What do you see in these passages about the ramifications of the resurrection of Messiah? How has the resurrection of Jesus changed all of human history? How has it changed your life? (MULTILINE)
2. Why was it necessary for Christ to be raised from the dead? Read John 1:4 and 5:26. What is it about His nature that makes this necessary? Read 1 Chronicles 17:14 and Psalm 89:29. Why else must Jesus have been resurrected? Read 1 John 5:11-12, Ephesians 1:19-20, and 1 Corinthians 15:12-19. What is Jesus the source of, now that He is resurrected? (MULTILINE)

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Transformational Activity

Outreach

Take some time this week and do some more studying on the resurrection of Christ. Read some commentaries and articles if you can. But as you do, focus on this one idea: how is the resurrection of Christ the motivation for our sharing God’s love with others? What is it about the resurrection that changes everything? What is it about this event that ought to motivate our passionate pursuit of God and our zealous desire to share that good news with everyone we know? Think and pray about that this week and come back together to share what you have learned.

¹ Now again the anger of the Lord burned against Israel, and it incited David against them to say, “Go, number Israel and Judah.” ² The king said to Joab the commander of the army who was with him, “Go about now through all the tribes of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, and register the people, that I may know the number of the people.” ³ But Joab said to the king, “Now may the Lord your God add to the people a hundred times as many as they are, while the eyes of my lord the king still see; but why does my lord the king delight in this thing?” ⁴ Nevertheless, the king’s word prevailed against Joab and against the commanders of the army. So Joab and the commanders of the army went out from the presence of the king to register the people of Israel. ⁵ They crossed the Jordan and camped in Aroer, on the right side of the city that is in the middle of the valley of Gad and toward Jazer. ⁶ Then they came to Gilead and to the land of Tahtim-hodshi, and they came to Dan-jaan and around to Sidon, ⁷ and came to the fortress of Tyre and to all the cities of the Hivites and of the Canaanites, and they went out to the south of Judah, to Beersheba. ⁸ So when they had gone about through the whole land, they came to Jerusalem at the end of nine months and twenty days. ⁹ And Joab gave the number of the registration of the people to the king; and there were in Israel eight hundred thousand valiant men who drew the sword, and the men of Judah were five hundred thousand men.

¹⁰ Now David’s heart troubled him after he had numbered the people. So David said to the Lord, “I have sinned greatly in what I have done. But now, O Lord, please take away the iniquity of Your servant, for I have acted very foolishly.” ¹¹ When David arose in the morning, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Gad, David’s seer, saying, ¹² “Go and speak to David, ‘Thus the Lord says, “I am offering you three things; choose for yourself one of them, which I will do to you.”’” ¹³ So Gad came to David and told him, and said to him, “Shall seven years of famine come to you in your land? Or will you flee three months before your foes while they pursue you? Or shall there be three days’ pestilence in your land? Now consider and see what answer I shall return to Him who sent me.” ¹⁴ Then David said to Gad, “I am in great distress. Let us now fall into the hand of the Lord for His mercies are great, but do not let me fall into the hand of man.”

¹⁵ So the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning until the appointed time, and seventy thousand men of the people from Dan to Beersheba died. ¹⁶ When the angel stretched out his hand toward Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord relented from the calamity and said to the angel who destroyed the people, “It is enough! Now relax your hand!” And the angel of the Lord was by the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite. ¹⁷ Then David spoke to the Lord when he saw the angel who was striking down the people, and said, “Behold, it is I who have sinned, and it is I who have done wrong; but these sheep, what have they done? Please let Your hand be against me and against my father’s house.”

¹⁸ So Gad came to David that day and said to him, “Go up, erect an altar to the Lord on the threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite.” ¹⁹ David went up according to the word of Gad, just as the Lord had commanded. ²⁰ Araunah looked down and saw the king and his servants crossing over toward him; and Araunah went out and bowed his face to the ground before the king. ²¹ Then Araunah said, “Why has my lord the king come to his servant?” And David said, “To buy the threshing floor from you, in order to build an altar to the Lord, that the plague may be held back from the people.” ²² Araunah said to David, “Let my lord the king take and offer up what is good in his sight. Look, the oxen for the burnt offering, the threshing sledges and the yokes of the oxen for the wood. ²³ Everything, O king, Araunah gives to the king.” And Araunah said to the king, “May the Lord your God accept you.” ²⁴ However, the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price, for I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God which cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver. ²⁵ David built there an altar to the Lord and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. Thus the Lord was moved by prayer for the land, and the plague was held back from Israel.

—2 Samuel 24:1-25

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Sermon Outline

1. Sin Is (MULTILINE)
2. God Is (MULTILINE)
3. Salvation Is (MULTILINE)

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References

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Weekly Study Guide

I was thinking this week about how I wanted to close out our study guides for this 1^st & 2^nd Samuel series. We have covered so much ground and hopefully reoriented our thinking regarding how Israel fits within the plan of God. The goal was that, when we now read about Israel in these Old Testament books, we might see it in a new light. We might feel a connection to Israel we have never felt before. And we might rightly recognize how Israel is the thread that ties the beginning and end of scripture together.

One thing I hope we might take away from this journey is the ability to recognize and appreciate the role that seeing the big picture has on our understanding of God and His plan—and our part in that plan. When the big picture makes sense to us, then all the little pictures along the way are more rightly and precisely understood in, and because of, their context. So many of the questions I am asked about particular passages of scripture often stem from a lack of clarity regarding what God’s overarching plan is really all about.

But another very important takeaway from this particular study is that seeing the truth about how we choose to read the Bible makes all the difference in the world. Satan does not want us to read scripture correctly and he will do whatever it takes to cause those errors to happen. We have briefly explored how, in the early church, Satan influenced some of those leaders to believe that we have permission to rewrite scripture and inject our own meanings into well-established biblical terms and ideas. It’s the same lie Satan used on Eve, “Did God really say…” It is easy to see the diabolical genius of this approach. If we can convince ourselves that the text doesn’t really mean what it appears to mean on the surface, then the power of scripture is distorted and neutered. God’s commands can now be seen as suggestions, or they can be altered to mean something completely different.

The sad truth is that, for most of church history, we have been affected by that insidious allegorical method of reading scripture. Again, this is one of those big-picture ideas. It requires us to investigate what is going on behind the scenes regarding how and why particular passages are interpreted differently by different people. We must ask the “why” question. Why do some people think it’s ok to throw out the Old Testament and teach that it no longer has relevance today? This is the “truth behind the truths” we have been exploring when it comes to the identity, role, and future Israel has in God’s plan. These study guides have been an apologetic for stepping back and seeking out the bigger picture.

In previous study guides, we discussed some of the ramifications of this dangerous method of reading scripture in a less-than-straightforward way. One of these ramifications was that, in the minds of some in the early church, Israel began to lose its status as God’s chosen people. This allegorical method of reading scripture, fueled by Greek Platonic presuppositions, began to teach that since (according to them) matter was evil and spirit was good, then the Bible’s plain teaching about God’s Kingdom promises to Israel must somehow mean that this coming Kingdom would not be an earthly kingdom, but some sort of Heavenly or spiritual one. They redefined Israel to now mean “the church”. As a result, an evil anti-Semitism sprang up in the early church. This developed for several reasons. First, the Jews were blamed for the death of Messiah. Also, the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in 70 A.D. was seen as God’s punishment and rejection of the Jews. But then too, the persecution of early Christians by some in the Jewish community added to this fervor.

In addition, there was an in-house debate within Christianity about how Jews and Gentiles fit together in the family of God. The Jews were fiercely protective of their privilege and position as God’s chosen people, and the idea that Gentiles would have this new access was very difficult for early Christian Jews to accept. The precise issue that much of the church was wrestling with in the book of Acts was the idea of “Gentile inclusion” into the family of God—without these Gentiles having to become Jews first. God revealed to Peter, and then other leaders, that the dividing wall of separation had been taken down, and Gentiles now have access to God’s family, as Gentiles. But this anti-Semitism quickly turned this issue of “Gentile inclusion” into “Jewish exclusion”. No longer were they arguing about Gentiles having access to God’s promises and blessings, they had turned the discussion to how the Jews had disqualified themselves from these promises.

By the time of Justin Martyr (c. 100-165 A.D.), not only was Gentile inclusion taken for granted (since the majority of the church was almost exclusively Gentile by then), but Jewish exclusion was widely accepted as well. Even within the church, Gentile Christians were intolerant of Jewish Christians living out their cultural Jewishness. As Jen Rosner says: “The increasingly Gentile church adopted a zero-tolerance policy for Jews maintaining their Jewish identity.”

In fact, the anti-Jewish fervor was so pronounced that truth itself was turned inside out in support of this zeal. Absurd claims were made by influential church leaders. H. Wayne House reports, “So much did the church view itself as the true ‘Israel’ that Justin Martyr said, ‘They [the Jewish Scriptures] are not yours but ours.’” And another church father, Ignatius, was so bold as to say, “Christianity did not base its faith on Judaism, but Judaism on Christianity.” These outrageous statements clearly reveal the passion with which these convictions were held; so much so that non-sensical statements like these came from the lips of those in positions of influence over the doctrine of the early church. But this irrational hatred for the Jews was not only seen in the early years of the church, but it continued on through history.

In the fourth century, this anti-Semitism grew and festered in the church, with Augustine cementing into dogma this anti-Semitic lens through which the church would read and apply scripture—a lens which persists in much of the church even up until our own time. It seems understandable that Satan would have success fomenting anti-Jewish hatred outside the church, but what history shows us is that sadly, Satan’s attacks on Israel would also come from within the church as well. In the 4^th century, the church actually started persecuting Israel. As David Guzik says, “The institutional church started cleansing itself from any connection to Judaism. It was like a tree cutting off its own roots.” So much for passages like Romans 1:16 which says: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (emphasis added). Or, “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem…” (Ps 122:6). Or perhaps most importantly, the verse we spent many weeks on, Genesis 12:3, where God lays out as a universal, foundational, principle of life, namely the idea that our own blessing is directly tied to how we treat Israel.

Also in the fourth century, John Chrysostom, the most famous preacher in the early church, said, “Brothel and theater, the synagogue is also a cave of pirates and the lair of wild beasts … living for their belly, mouth forever gaping, the Jews behave no better than the hogs and the goats in their lewd grossness and the excess of their gluttony … Jews are possessed by demons.” This was a consequence of the church coming into political power. Those with this anti-Semitic bias influenced the political powers into institutionalizing and setting into stone this hatred of the Jews. And this anti-Semitism continued to spread throughout the church.

In the year 1215 A.D., Pope Innocent III made this pronouncement: “The Jews, against whom the blood of Jesus cries out, although they ought to be slain lest the Christian people forget the divine law, ought nevertheless to be dispersed over the earth as wanderers, so their countenance might be full of shame…” Here the Pope himself was expressing the kind of perverse logic that the church, for centuries, has used to justify its persecution of the Jews. Countless pogroms and persecutions perpetrated on the Jews occurred throughout the Middle Ages. The Crusades were a horrible time for the Jews, with atrocities being committed against them (falsely) in the name of Christ. If you want to know one of the primary reasons why Jewish people are so difficult to evangelize today is that to them, Christians are Jew-killers. This history is firmly affixed in their memory. For them, the cross was a symbol of persecution and terror. Shamefully, for hundreds and hundreds of years, this is what the “so-called” Christian Church did to God’s chosen people.

David Guzik puts it like this:

Through the centuries, every problem in Christian Europe was blamed on the Jews. For example, the plague of the “black death” was blamed upon the Jews of Europe and they were murdered, drowned, burned, buried alive, and tortured to death because of this. And this type of discrimination and fury continued in virtually all of Christian Europe under the Roman Catholic Church.

There are far too many examples to name here, but one such instance speaks volumes as to the effect that this diabolical theology has had on the world. A very famous leader once said:

“First, their synagogues should be set on fire … secondly, their homes should be broken down and destroyed … thirdly, they should be deprived of their prayer books and Talmuds … fourthly, their rabbis must be forbidden to teach henceforth on pain of loss of life and limb … fifthly, passport and traveling privileges should be absolutely forbidden to the Jews … sixthly, they ought to be stopped from usury [charging interest on loans] … seventhly, let the young and the strong Jews and Jewesses be given the flail, the ax, the hoe, the spade, the distaff, and spindle, and let them earn their bread by the sweat of their noses … we ought to drive the rascally lazy bones out of our system … therefore, away with them. To sum up dear princes and nobles who have Jews in your domains, if this advice of mine does not suit you, then find a better one so that you and we may all be free of this insufferable devilish burden, the Jews.”

When reading this, many people say, “Wow, Hitler was really bad, wasn’t he?” The sad reality is that this was not written by Hitler, it was written by Martin Luther. For some reason, later in his life, Martin Luther became passionately anti-Semitic. In those later years, Luther wrote a work that is full of these kinds of statements: On the Jews and their Lies. He goes on to say regarding the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., “This work of wrath is proof that the Jews, surely rejected by God, are no longer his people, and neither is he any longer their God.” He also wrote, “Therefore, dear Christian, be advised and do not doubt that next to the devil, you have no more bitter, venomous, and vehement foe than a real Jew…”

Now to be perfectly clear, this, in no way, represents anything the Lutheran Church today teaches. But it demonstrates the ramifications of the festering undercurrent of anti-Semitism that grew directly out of an allegorical hermeneutic in the church, the purpose of which was to rewrite the Bible through disenfranchising and disinheriting the Jews. The Protestant Reformation, beginning in the 16^th century, cast the mold for the next 450 years of biblical interpretation. Thus, the latent anti-Semitism continued.

But these kinds of statements also gave excuses for people outside the church to justify their evil persecution of the Jews. One example of this is seen in Adolf Hitler’s book, Mein Kampf: “Today I believe I am acting with the will of the almighty creator by defending myself against the Jew. I am fighting for the work of the Lord.” Hitler drew upon some of this vile anti-Semitism present in the writing of a German hero, Martin Luther, to justify his hatred and treatment of the Jews. Hitler was the farthest thing from being a Christian that one can imagine, but, as Jen Rosner says, “…it is significant that he twisted Christian theology to accomplish his aims, using Luther as an ally and champion of his cause.” She goes on to say that this fact should shake us to our core since the words of Luther, which were used to justify concentration camps, also form the foundation of much of Protestantism.

In contrast, one of the most amazing works of God of the last hundred years is the change that has taken place within the heart of evangelical Christianity regarding their view of Israel. God began this work in England in the 1600s, and it slowly grew into what we know as Zionism today. And in 1948, against all odds, God culminated this work by Israel becoming a nation again. In theory, 1948 should have seen the end of the attempts to spiritualize the meaning of Israel in Scripture. Yet, it is never wise to underestimate the ability of mankind to rationalize and adapt to changing situations in order to fit sometimes-disjunctive data within already securely held allegiances. Even still, God is changing hearts. Christians are starting to understand the horrible nature of the mistake the church made in persecuting God’s chosen people. Sometimes you can even see Christians today being more supportive of Israel than secular Jews are. And the Jewish world is beginning to notice. I believe God will use this revolution in Christian thinking—the realization and recognition of the centrality of Israel in the plan of God—to help draw Israel back to Himself.

I imagine this information is a bit of a revelation for many of you, but I wanted to save it until we had a firm foundation in what God’s Word actually says about Israel—and until our worldview was firmly set within the context of Satan’s long war against God and the ramifications that holds. Satan hates Israel because they are, and always have been, the key to his downfall. Israel gave the world the Messiah, and Israel’s restoration ushers in Messiah’s return.

After the journey we have taken together through scripture—witnessing all that God has done in and through His beloved people Israel—my hope is that your heart breaks, as mine does, in reading all that people who call themselves Christians have done to hate, persecute, and even kill the Jewish people. God’s heart surely breaks as well. And we have only scratched the surface of all that history would confess regarding this evil anti-Semitism. But also, we might mourn the reason why this all happened—that it is directly tied to the church adopting this allegorical method of hermeneutics. This is why I continually call it “insidious”. Words matter. Ideas matter. And how we use them has consequences. Redefining the church as “the new Israel” and claiming that Israel has been abandoned by God is so much more than just a decision about how to interpret particular passages. It is satanic in origin and has spawned hatred, persecution, pogroms, and genocide throughout history. But it also has far-reaching theological ramifications that affect you and me as well. The idea that Israel could lose its promised inheritance, or that the church somehow supersedes Israel as the benefactors of those promises, would, in fact, require God to break the covenant He made with Abraham. But we must see that if God does not keep the covenant He made with Abraham, then we Gentiles are in trouble, too. For that covenant is the foundation and anchor of our salvation as well.

(MULTILINE)

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Discussion Questions

1. When you were punished by your parents as a youngster, what was the one punishment that you dreaded the most? (MULTILINE)
2. In verse one of our passage we see that the anger of the Lord incited David to number the people. In the parallel passage (1 Chron 21:1-2), we get the clarification that it was Satan that tempted David in this way. What was Joab’s reaction, and why do you think he reacted so strongly? What are some possible reasons why you think David wanted to do this? Why do you think David was so conscious-stricken after he completed the census? Why do you think God gave David three options for his consequence? How do you reconcile the people being punished for David’s sin? (MULTILINE)
3. What is significant about the place where God told David to build Him an altar (2 Sam 24:16)? What message was God communicating to David about what this place represented? Read 2 Chronicles 3:1 and Genesis 22:2, 14. What else did God have in mind for this special plot of land? What richer and fuller meaning can we ascribe to this place, seeing that it was the place of Abraham’s near sacrifice of Isaac, and was the place where another Father did indeed sacrifice His Son on our behalf? (MULTILINE)
4. Describe the consequences of David’s decision to number the people on the people themselves. What does this say about fairness and justice? How does this relate to the effects that leaders’ decisions can have on others today? Where do you see this principle at play today? How can we apply this story to our own lives in seeing the consequences we face for our decisions? (MULTILINE)
5. What do you make of David’s statement in v. 24? How can we apply this sentiment to our own lives? As we come to the end of 1^st & 2^nd Samuel, what are some of the things you’ve learned about David throughout our time together? Has studying these books in any way challenged your understanding of who God is and what He’s like? If so, how so? How has this study broadened your understanding of God’s plan throughout the ages and how God has revealed the promise of the coming Kingdom? How has studying about David helped you to love, trust, and worship Jesus more fully? (MULTILINE)

Going Deeper

1. God didn’t choose David because he was a good king. He chose David and molded him into a great leader. He chose a heart He could work with—one that would remain true to Him, even in the midst of battles and in the middle of discipline. Some have summarized the life of David as: “If you pursue and obey God, you will be blessed.” What do you think of that statement? (MULTILINE)
2. What relationship do you see between sin, sacrifice, and punishment in v. 25? How does this connect to the sacrifice of Jesus for our sin? How does David’s decision to disobey God in this way so late in his life reflect what we have been learning about David all throughout these books? What do you now think it means that David was a man after God’s own heart? (MULTILINE)

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Transformational Activity

Worship

It can easily be argued that the threshing floor of Araunah is the most important plot of land on earth. What do we learn about worship from the choice of this particular piece of land? How is worship related to sacrifice, sacrificial giving, justice and mercy, repentance, and faith? How does all of our worship ultimately connect back to this plot of land? In this story, God accepted David’s sacrifice. On that same spot, God accepted the sacrifice of His Son. Seeing that all of life is worship, what would a sacrifice of worship look like in your life?