Life Group Q's for 1/18: Gathering and Equipping
- Adam Richardson
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
Questions for NEXT Sunday here
GATHERING: Questions from last Sunday January 18
Exalting Jesus through a foolish message (Will Rutt) Message here
Text: I Corinthians 1:10-25
Context: Paul begins his concerns with the Corinthian church, divisions answered by the foolish message of the cross. Paul is kind to love them while boldly addressing their sins.
In a sermon from 387 AD, John Chrysostom wrote: "The folly and wisdom spoken of here are more apparent than real. For the philosophers could not achieve what a few unlearned men accomplished, namely the conversion of the whole world. The philosophers spoke about trivialities and convinced only a few. The apostles spoke about God, righteousness and judgment, and converted a great many." Thoughts?
Relationship: Have you ever experienced unnecessary divisions on a team, at work, or church? Why did they spring up and are you ever tempted to jump in? What attribute(s) of God can we lean into in those moments?
V10-12: What is the main problem - and why is this issue a problem?
V13: Begins with a profound question that sets up the answer to the problem. In what ways do we act like the answer is "yes," and what would it look like to live like it's "no"?
V13-17: How does the phrase "words of human wisdom" show us the root of the problem? (Imagine - if Peter had 40K Insta followers but Apollos had 120K followers, what would people think? Does that reflect what God thinks?) Do we do this?
V18-19: Paraphrase in your own words...
V20-25: The world wants to "make sense" of God. While a natural urge, why is it a foolish demand? John Calvin's comment here is helpful: "neither foolishness nor weakness can be ascribed to God, but it was necessary, by such ironical expressions, to beat down the mad presumption of the flesh, which does not hesitate to rob God of all his glory."
Growth: What is a key application you take from this passage / message?
Prayer
EQUIPPING RECAP: Main Points & Questions from last Sunday January 18
Godly Fellowship - HOSPITALITY (Adam Richardson, full notes and slides here)
God is hospitable (Ps 23:1-2; Matt 11:28), and demonstrates His grace (I Pet 4:8-10)
It is a healing power, a Biblical mandate for eldership (I Tim 3:2; Titus 1:8), a guard against greed (Rom 12:13), a fuel for faith (2 Cor 9:7-8), a confirming or contradicting of your assurance of faith (Matt 25:37-46)
Practice: Practice this conversation - Convince a young believer that hospitality matters based on Scripture, when they say “Ain’t nobody got time for that!”
Defined: Greek NT word for “hospitality” is φιλοξενία (filoxenia, in Rom 12:13 & Heb 13:2). A related word φιλανθρωπία (filanthrōpia) is in Acts 28:2 of men, and in Titus 3:4 of God! Contrast xenophobia.
It is NOT: Southern Living home, extravagance, perfection, experience, events
Myths: only for the gifted; women’s work; for those with means; about entertaining
It IS: Welcoming strangers (3 John 8) or welcoming others (Acts 18:27)
Making room for all, and making people feel welcome, at ease, seen, safe
Practice: Convo: Practice answering the person who says, “We don’t do hospitality since our house is so small.” How would you broaden their vision?
START HERE: Start with God (I Pet 4:8-10; 3 Jn 5-8; Acts 28:30), Seek people, You count
PRINCIPLES: Simplicity, Family, Boundaries, Hindrances, Sacrifice
PRACTICES: Food (simple, God and people central), thoughtful questions & conversation, games, walks (a great way to converse), clean, Bible, prayer
Practice: Convo: Person 1 starts with an excuse: “I’d love to be more hospitable, except…” Person 2 encourages to overcome that, using the enttry points, principles and practices listed above - and add your own!
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