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COLLEGE Life group
THE FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS (part 2):
Wisdom through the Spirit of God (2:1-16)
RELIANCE ON THE SPIRIT FOR WISDOM (2:1-5)
(Question #1) When Paul came to Corinth, he did not come in splendor. He found a friend named Aquila and his wife Priscilla, staying with them and working with them because they were of the same trade – tentmakers selling tents (see ACTS 18:1-4). In other words, Paul did not have financial support for his missionary work. During the weekdays, Paul worked on tents. During the weekends on the Sabbath, Paul went into the synagogue to teach and reason with the Jewish leaders to believe in Jesus Christ. How does Paul describe how he came proclaiming the gospel to these Corinthian brothers and sisters (verse 1-4)?
**[*REFLECT #1a]** How has the gospel been proclaimed to us – was it with lofty speech or wisdom? How are we proclaiming the good news about Jesus Christ – without lofty speech or wisdom? Who can understand it, then?
**[*REFLECT #1b]** When we are in weakness and in fear and much trembling before God, what is demonstrated? What are some demonstrations of the Spirit’s power you have witnessed in your life through this posture before God?
**[*REFLECT #1c] Why does God proclaim His message through us in our weaknesses, without lofty speech or worldly wisdom (verse 5)?
WISDOM FROM THE SPIRIT (2:6-13)
(Question #2)** The testimony of God is not proclaimed with lofty words and worldly wisdom. Yet, there is a wisdom involved that is not worldly but godly. It is given among the mature. Where is this godly wisdom not imparted (verse 6)?
**[*REFLECT #2a]** Are you maturing to attain wisdom? Where are you growing in wisdom? Is it of this age and of the present idols of this age, or is it from above from the One who cannot pass away?
**[*REFLECT #2b]** God’s wisdom is imparted as secret and hidden. “Secret” here does not mean deception, magical, or a complex riddle but rather veiled, covered, unknown until it was revealed – the crucified Lord of glory. When did God decree this, and if the rulers of this age understood this, what would they have done (verse 7-8)?
**[*REFLECT #2c]** A paraphrase of ISAIAH 64:4 (From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who acts for those who wait for him) is given – from ages past when no one could have heard or perceived or seen, what has God been doing for those who love Him (verse 9-10)?
**[REFLECT #2d] Just as the spirit of a person comprehends that person’s thoughts, who alone comprehends the thoughts and depths of God (verse 11)?
[REFLECT #2e]** Although you might not even understand yourself at times, who comprehends your thoughts and knows the full depth of them?
**[*REFLECT #2f]** What have we not received? Instead, what have we received from God and why (verse 12)?
**[*REFLECT #2g]** How is the message that we have indeed received the Spirit of God imparted to us, and what can the spiritual person do (verse 13)?
THE NATURAL MAN AND THE SPIRITUAL MAN (2:14-16)
(Question #3) Why do some receive the testimony of the Spirit, and others do not (verse 14)?
**[REFLECT #3a] What can the spiritual person do that the natural person cannot do clearly (verse 15)?
[REFLECT #3b] Followers of Christ are not exempt from being judged, disciplined, and gently confronted in the Lord. However, the lesson here is that a natural person cannot judge clearly nor righteously a spiritual person. Are you a natural or spiritual person? How can you see and judge clearer the natural world through your spiritual life?
[*REFLECT #3c]** ISAIAH 40:13 is referenced (Who has measured the Spirit of the LORD, or what man shows him his counsel?). Paul paraphrases this with “the mind of the Lord” – whom he also refers to whose mind (verse 16)?
**[*REFLECT #3d]** Why is the spiritual person able to judge? How are you judging in godliness?

*We warmly welcome you to Bethany College family!! We are grouped together in this very special, somewhat short (only 4 or more years!), life together in Christ. It is a time of drastic change, maturity, decision-making, and transition. Let's walk this life together with the One who aligns us to straight paths.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.
(Proverbs 3:4-5)

*EVERY FRIDAY, 7:30pm, build life together -

7:30pm @ Ezra Chapel, joint praise & worship Youth
7:45pm @ EC Fellowship Room, breaking bread/snacks-meal
8:15pm @ Youth Home Room, Discipleship - "Unity, Purity, Integrity: A Journey through the First Letter to the Corinthians."

Bless you!!

COLLEGE Life group
THE FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS (part 1):
Jesus Christ – the Wisdom and Power from God (1:1-31)
SENDERS AND SOURCE OF WISDOM (1:1-3)
(Question #1) Acts 18 tells us that when the Lord planted this church in the city of Corinth, Paul was there and stayed over a year with the Christians at Corinth. Later as Paul traveled to another city called Ephesus, he received reports about many problems that were brewing in the Corinthian church, and so he writes this letter to them. The content of what Paul would say in this letter would be challenged by the congregation, so how does Paul establish his credibility from the beginning (verse 1)?
[*REFLECT #1a] Brother Sosthenes is mentioned, who had protected Paul from the hostile synagogue. Strangely, what was his position in the synagogue and what happened to him for protecting Paul (see Acts 18:17)?
[*REFLECT #1b] How can you be a “brother Sosthenes” today, called by the will of God, who forfeits position and protection to help others declare and demonstrate the gospel of Jesus Christ?
[*REFLECT #1c] The word “apostle” means “someone sent by God with God’s authority, credibility, ability to represent Him.” It is synonymous with the meaning of an ambassador. Are you sent? How have you embraced God’s commission?
[*REFLECT #1d] In writing letters, we are more used putting the recipient first, then closing with the sender. In ancient letters, it is the opposite – the sender is put first, followed by the recipients. Who is this letter written to (verse 2)?
[*REFLECT #1e] When Paul says that they were “called to be saints together” and that Jesus is “both their Lord and ours”, what issue was on Paul’s heart (see verse 10-11)?
[*REFLECT #1f] How can we experience more of what it means to be called saints together and Jesus as our Lord?
[*REFLECT #1g] When our focus is on God as our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ, what flows down to us (verse 3)?
WISDOM BY THANKFULNESS (1:4-9)
(Question #2) This was a church with many problems. Still, why was Paul so thankful to God for them (verse 4-6)?
[*REFLECT #2a] In our Presbyterian heritage, we have a time called confirmation to confirm the testimony about Christ in our lives. How has God’s grace been given to you in Christ Jesus, that changed your speech and knowledge, as a testimony about Christ confirmed among the body of Christ?
[*REFLECT #2b] Why did God confirm the testimony about Christ among the Corinthian Christians (verse 7-9)?
[*REFLECT #2c] How has God equipped you, not lacking any gift as you wait for the revealing of Jesus Christ? Who will sustain you and be faithful to you until the end, although become faithless?
WISDOM IN UNITY (1:10-17)
(Question #3) Why were the Corinthian Christians divided amongst themselves (verse 10-17)?
[*REFLECT #3a] Is Christ divided? What happens when Christians divide amongst themselves over trivial/unimportant issues like who baptized them (verse 17)? What are trivial issues we need to avoid?
JESUS CHRIST, THE WISDOM AND POWER FROM GOD (1:18-31)
(Question #4) What two vastly different responses do people have about the word of the cross (verse 18-19)? How is this possible?
(Question #5) Can the world know God through worldly wisdom – why or why not (verse 20-21)?
(Question #6) What was God pleased to do, so that those who seek wisdom from the world will stumble and never find it there (verse 21-25)?
(Question #7) What does God choose in the world to show His wisdom and power (verse 26-28)?
(Question #8) Why does God choose this way (verse 29-31)?
(Question #9) Why did God choose you? How can you live and choose wisely for that end?

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Young Adult (College/Post-Graduate) Life Group, 6:30pm every Friday @ various locations

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1 Corinthians [chapter 2]

1 Corinthians [chapter 1]