1 Corinthians [chapter 4]

*Happy Friday, Young Adult (College/Post-Grad) Family!

Praying your week is coming to a strong finish with the Lord! Many changes are happening soon. Our college family will matriculate into their first classes, and we'll have to bittersweetly send-off a few temporarily (!) until the next holiday/break time we see them. But praise God, for wherever He calls us, His work will continue faithfully in us - can we say amen to that? To that end, those of us who are here locally will press on to build-up this college family, post-grad family, and larger young adult community at our beloved Bethany Church.

*Here are important changes to the next 3 weeks!
- Tonight, we'll meet for a final time, and then take a brief break for at-church gatherings on Friday for the next two weeks until 8/26.
- Next Friday, 8/12, 6:00pm is our GOGI(고기) AND GAMES" night @ JP/Maria's home (2704 Sir Patrise Ln Lewisville, TX 75056). *So make sure to keep that date free, and let's enjoy some greater Christ-centered fellowship over good food and deep sharing of life with the Lord together.
- Since more of us are available on Sunday over Friday, we are seeking to focus more on Sunday after-service fellowship to build better, deeper, genuine, Christ-centered brother/sister relationships with you!! To help spur this on we are launching for the next 3 Sunday's our "LUNCH & SHARING" after-service, with hopes that many of us will be willing to stay, eat, share lessons from the Word, and grow godly discipleship relationships and friendships. Lunch provided all 3 Sunday's!

Thank you so much for being part of this broken-yet-ever more beautifully growing family of God at Bethany, and especially to our English congregation family. We love you and are always here for you, desiring the very best for your joy and for God's glory. Bless you, and Lord-willing, see you soon!

​Young Adult (College/Post-Grad) Life group
THE FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS
Regard Us as Servants of Christ [chapter 4]
SERVANTS ARE FAITHFUL STEWARDS (4:1-5)
(Question #1) After seeking to dissolve the divisions within the Corinthian church and pleading with the congregation to live as spiritual over fleshly people, the apostle Paul continues teaching on the heart of their problem – pride. They thought they were better than others, even judging Paul. In fact, they were embarrassed of Paul’s constant state of weakness and humility, which they wanted to avoid at all costs. In their minds, it was foolish to be regarded in such a lowly way, yet what does Paul say to regard him as, and what is required of that role (verse 1-2)?
[*REFLECT #1a] The word “servant” is nearly synonymous with “slave.” The term “steward” means “a manager, someone entrusted to manage well what belongs to another.” How do these titles describe a true follower of Jesus Christ?
[*REFLECT #1b] In their pride and embarrassment of Paul’s lowly title as servant and steward, the Corinthians were judging Paul as being foolish and unwise. Yet why was their judgment such a very small thing to Paul (verse 3-4)?
[*REFLECT #1c] When has judgments from others and even from yourself clouded your calling as a servant and steward of the Lord, who is the only true judge over you?
[*REFLECT #1d] In their graceless and distorted judgments, why does Paul warn the Corinthians not to pronounce judgment (verse 5)?
[*REFLECT #1e] Before the day Jesus calls us home to heaven, or He returns again upon the earth, why should we not pronounce judgment selfishly and mercilessly? Will the day of the Lord – which will reveal all the hidden things in the heart – come as a day of shame or delight to you? How can we welcome over fear this day? 
SERVANTS ARE HUMBLE RECEIVERS (4:6-13)
(Question #2) When we go beyond what Scripture calls us in godly judgment, what happens in our hearts (verse 6)?
[*REFLECT #2a] Instead of acknowledging the Lord as giver in whom we have received all things, what kind of attitude grew in the hearts of the Corinthians (verse 7)?
[*REFLECT #2b] At times, how are we living as owners instead of receivers of all things from God?
[*REFLECT #2c] Sarcastically, what does Paul exclaim about God’s provisions for the Corinthians, proving that they had no grounds to be proud (verse 8)?
[*REFLECT #2d] For all that is already in our lives, how is this humbling us over puffing us up to pride?
[*REFLECT #2e] Unlike the Corinthians who had every reason to be humble for the provisions God had given, the apostles like Paul had every reason to be prideful in blaming God for a lack of provisions and abundance of persecutions they underwent. Describe some of the things that God had Paul and the apostles go through, becoming the scum of the world (verse 9-13)?
[*REFLECT #2f] How does becoming the scum of the world make God look glorious? Why can’t God’s glory come by being kings in this world, or being first in this world? Which one are you in this world?
SERVANTS ARE SPIRITUAL FATHERS (4:14-21)
(Question #3) “Admonish” means to warn, to advise earnestly. Paul wrote to admonish, not to shame, his readers. What does Paul call them (verse 14)?
[*REFLECT #3a] Although they’ve had countless guides, what have they not had that Paul became to them (verse 15-16)?
[*REFLECT #3b] How are you growing to not just be a guide in Christ for others, but a spiritual father and spiritual mother in the Lord?
[*REFLECT #3c] Who modeled this spiritual fatherhood, whom Paul sent to them (verse 17)? Why did Paul sent him?
[*REFLECT #3d] Like Paul, how can your presence and those who represent you, anywhere and everywhere, be a reminder of the ways of Christ?
[*REFLECT #3e] What do arrogant people focus on versus what Kingdom-minded people focus on (verse 18-21)?
[*REFLECT #3f] How are we living our lives that awakens Christ’s spirit of gentleness over Christ’s rod of discipline?