Sermon Discussion Guide Sermon Discussion Guide 1

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Sermon Discussion Guide 1 Corinthians– Corinthians– In Christ in Corinth AUGUST 31, 2015 INTRO Questions: Excursis: Status Anxiety Tim mentioned Alain de Botton’s book Status Anxiety on Sunday. It’s well worth reading. It diagnoses a pandemic problem for all Americans—obsession with status and a resultant malaise. As Austinites, living in a highly “aspirational city,” we are very susceptible to status anxiety, which isn’t just about where you live or what you drive. It can focus on if you’ve eaten at Franklin’s, or use Uber, or what’s on your Spotify playlist. We all seek status, just with different groups. For Alain de Botton understands every person’s core longing—to be loved: “Every adult life could be said to be defined by two great love stories. The first - the story of our quest for sexual love - is well known and well charted, its vagaries form the staple of music and literature, it is socially accepted and celebrated. The second the story of our quest for love from the world - is a more secret and shameful tale. If mentioned, it tends to be in caustic, mocking terms, as something of interest chiefly to envious or deficient souls, or else the drive for status is interpreted in an economic sense alone. And yet this second love story is no less intense than the first, it is no less complicated, important or universal, and its setbacks are no less painful. There is heartbreak here too”

Confess & Pray: How & Why do you seek status?

What does it mean to be mature in Christ? How would you describe the type of spiritual maturity and wisdom that qualifies a person for leadership in the church? (Background): In Corinth, maturity and wisdom were associated with power, especially the power of persuasion through expertise in Greco-Roman rhetoric. As we discussed last week, Corinthians were not only powerful but intelligent, and obsessed with status. And one way to achieve status, and cement power, was to become a famous orator, and use rhetorical skill to exalt themselves and shame others. We too know the power of a persuasive speaker: think Steve Jobs’ keynotes or TED Talks…or famous preachers. (Transition): Today, as in Paul’s day, it’s often the most powerful, smart, “gifted,” and high status people who are chosen as leaders. But are they mature? Are they wise? For today, as in Paul’s day, words like “spiritual” and “mature” have cultural connotations quite distinct from how Scripture uses the words (you could discuss our cultural connotations of “wise” and “spiritual”). So how does Paul define spiritual maturity and encourage us to define it? In 1 Cor 2-3, Paul describes wisdom as “secret” and “hidden.” He cloaks wisdom in mystery because the true source of wisdom, and true spiritual maturity, depend on the work of the Spirit. “Holy Ghost” evokes the hidden, mystical nature of the Spirit’s work in our lives. And this Holy Ghost is the very Spirit that was in Christ, making our “mystical” union with Christ possible. READ the text aloud. DISCUSS: Who should we entrust to lead ministry in the Church? Who is spiritually mature? 1) Discuss v. 8 and its implications for how we evaluate our civil and church leaders. 2) Read v. 9 again, then read the passage it quotes, Isa 64 (only 12 verses). How does this original context enrich our understanding of this much-quoted verse in its Corinthian context? Hint: The gift of the Spirit opens up new contours of insight. 3) How does Paul connect spiritual maturity to the work of the Spirit in 2:10-14? 4) How does the Holy Spirit make us spiritual not natural vv. 13-15 and give us access to the mind of Christ v.16? 5) How does 1 Cor 3:1-4 diagnose spiritual immaturity? How might that convict us? Conclusion/Application: 1 Corinthians 2-3 makes it clear that the work of the Holy Spirit is the key to spiritual growth and maturity, the fount of true wisdom. And the Spirit matures us not apart from our effort but via the types of spiritual formation practices we’re exploring this fall: prayer, reading Scripture, serving…seeking community as the Sprit teaches us together. **Perhaps the best litmus test of our spiritual maturity is this: How well do we love others? 1) Do we love the way 1 Cor 13 describes? Are we willing to look like fools for Christ? 2) Do we love people in hard ways?—Do we speak the truth in love to other believers, inviting the Spirit’s redemptive and sanctifying work into our friendships/marriages? Or do we opt for comfort (self-love) in our relationships. Try to nuance love, as a group, the way Scripture does!

1 Corinthians 2:6-3:4 English Standard Version (ESV) 6

Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him"-10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. 11 For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. 13 And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. 14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. ESV

1 Corinthians 3:1 But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, 3 for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? 4 For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," are you not being merely human?