1 Corinthians [chapter 3]

*Dear Young Adult (College/Post-Grad) family, you are always welcomed to join us weekly, every Friday, 7:30pm @ Ezra Chapel & Corner Room (first to the left after entrance) for a time of praise and sharing the Word & life together through a journey into the First Letter to the Corinthians! We'll start with a joint praise time with our Youth Weekend of Worship (WoW) night @ Ezra Chapel, followed by a time together in the Word @ Corner Room (first to the left after entrance). Lord-willing, see you 7:30pm tonight to begin with a heartfelt praise time @ Ezra Chapel!

Young Adult (College/Post-Grad) Life group
THE FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS
You Are Not of the Flesh, but of the Spirit [chapter 3]
FLESHLY BEHAVIOR – DIVISIONS (3:1-9)
(Question #1) The apostle Paul returns to the topic of divisions within the Corinthian church, where he addressed the issue at the opening of this letter (1:10-17) – I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment… it has been reported to me that there is quarreling among you… what I mean is that each one of you says, “I follow Paul,” or “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Cephas,” or “I follow Christ.” Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul? Paul was heartbroken at this issue – Christian brothers and sisters dividing against one another, making their own supposed parties with a favored leader. Paul could not address them as spiritual people, but as what kind of people (verse 1)? Although Paul fed them with spiritual milk, why couldn’t they consume it (verse 2-3)?
[*REFLECT #1a] How are they behaving in merely a human way (verse 4)? When do we behave in a human way?
[*REFLECT #1b] Apollos was an educated, eloquent man, competent in the Scriptures… fervent in spirit, he spoke and taught accurately the things concerning Jesus, though he knew only the baptism of John (ACTS 18:24-28). It is not hard to see how some immature Christians would be attracted to Apollos and sow division against themselves. Yet we see that even as gifted a teacher as Apollos was, he needed to be taught by Priscilla and Aquila (Paul’s teammates in Corinth) the way of God more accurately because Apollos only knew the baptism of John. So according to Paul, who does he say he or Apollos is (verse 5)?
[*REFLECT #1c] When have we sown division and followed leaders over our Lord? Over leaders, who are we?
[*REFLECT #1d] What matters in the end is not who plants or waters, but what (verse 6-7)?
[*REFLECT #1e] The one who plants and the one who waters are not divided, but what (verse 8)? What matters in the end is not who does what, or what role is greater, but rather how we serve in faithfulness to what God has assigned. If we are faithful to what God has assigned, what will we receive (verse 8)?
[*REFLECT #1f] It is not about what we do, but how we serve. Are we being faithful to where God has placed us?
[*REFLECT #1g] Who are we (verse 9)? How is the fact that it all belongs to God – God’s field, God’s building – unifying what divides you against other Christian brothers and sisters?
FLESHLY BEHAVIOR – LAYING OTHER FOUNDATIONS (3:10-15)
(Question #2) It was Paul, with Aquila and Priscilla, who first planted the church in Corinth. How did Paul lay the foundation (verse 10)? Yet Paul did not limit himself to be the only builder. What was his invitation (verse 10)?
[*REFLECT #2a] Although Paul planted this church in Corinth, ultimately who first laid the foundation (verse 11)?
[*REFLECT #2b] If someone lays a foundation other than Jesus Christ, what will happen (verse 12-15)?
[*REFLECT #2c] What does it mean to lay a foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw rather than Jesus Christ?
[*REFLECT #2d] A solid foundation is immovable and survives the fires that test its strength. What are the fires in your life that are testing the strength of your foundation? What are the works of faith in your life that will survive and last, far beyond your time?
SPIRITUAL IDENTITY AND WISDOM (3:16-23)
(Question #3) Who are we and what dwells in us (verse 16)?
[*REFLECT #3a] What will happen to the person who destroys God’s temple and why (verse 17)?
[*REFLECT #3b] How have we destroyed God’s temple, in ourselves and in one another?
[*REFLECT #3c] How do we become wise in this age (verse 18)? In what ways do we need to become a fool for Jesus?
[*REFLECT #3d] What does God know and catch concerning the wise in this world (verse 19-20)?
[*REFLECT #3e] The Corinthians thought that wisdom resided in their human leaders. Yet what does Paul say not to boast in and why (verse 21-23)? When have you thought all things were not yours? How did it lead to worldly wisdom?