Unity In Christ

Undivided

Text: 1 Corinthians 1:10-31

Objectives: (From the D6 Fusion Sunday School Lesson book)

Know: God desires for His followers to be united around their mission in Christ.

Think: View all believers as teammates in the mission to spread the gospel.

Do: Cultivate unity with other believers in order to spread the gospel

Notes and questions:

B1 1 Corinthians background

C1 Map

C2 About the city

D1 Made money from hauling goods from Lechaeum to Cenchrea.

D2 God was Aphrodite (Love and beauty)

D3 1,000 slave girls servicing the men at the temple

D4 Rome conquered and destroyed it

D5 Julius Caesar built a new city on this site in 46 BC

D6 Paul came to preach about 51 AD

D7 Pluralistic city with many cults

D8 Large population of Jews

D9 Legendary moral depravity (that was the heathen's opinion)

C3 About the church

D1 Luke wrote about their time in Corinth in Acts 18

D2 Paul was there with Apollos, Aquila, and Priscilla

D3 Paul wrote 1 and 2 Thessalonians while there

D4 The church had many questions for Paul

D5 Paul had concerns about the beliefs and activities of the church

D6 Paul had to rebuke the Corinthians on false ideas and actions about the church, fellowship, the gospel, ministry, lawsuits, sexual sins, marriage, worship, spiritual gifts, the Lord's Supper, etc.

D7 The church needed correction about the doctrine of the resurrection

D8 1 Corinthians was written in Ephesus

D9 1 Corinthians was written about 55 AD

B2 Unity needs and is based on

C1 Truth

C2 Humility

C3 Scripture interpretation

C4 Faith

C5 Doctrine

C6 What else?

B3 Can you worship with

C1 Lutheran

C2 Church of Christ

C3 Seventh Day Adventist

C4 Roman Catholic

C5 Calvinist

C6 Arminian

C7 Pelagian

C8 Emergent

C9 New Apostolic Reformation

C10 Rob Bell

C11 Pope Francis

C12 Hebrew Roots

C13 Orthodox

C14 Episcopalian

C15 A Democrat

C16 A Republican

C17 A Libertarian

C18 A Socialist

B4 Could you be a member of all the above?

B5 Corinthian unity problems

C1 Not based on doctrine

C2 Not based on lifestyle

C3 Not based on socio-economic status

C4 Based on a “pillar” of the church as Paul, Christ, Apollos, or Cephas

C5 What is the main problem with this elevating a person and aligning with them?

B6 1 Corinthians 1:10-17,

C1 1 Corinthians 1:10 NKJV  Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. Is this even possible today?

C2 1 Corinthians 1:11 NKJV  For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe's household, that there are contentions among you.

D1 Contentions:

E1 Is used 9 times in the New Testament

E2 Is the Greek word: ἔρις eris

E3 Means: arguing

E4 They are not discussing issues; they are in each other’s face in argument. These arguments were emotional enough that they were causing splits in the church.

D2 When is something a conviction? When is something a convenience? What is the difference?

D3 What are convictions based on? What about convenience?

D4 Daniel 1:8 NKJV  But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.

E1 Is this conviction or convenience?

E2 What was his conviction based on?

E3 It was based on God’s law given through Moses. Was Daniel “saved” by keeping this law?

C3 1 Corinthians 1:12-13 NKJV  Now I say this, that each of you says, "I am of Paul," or "I am of Apollos," or "I am of Cephas," or "I am of Christ."  (13)  Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

D1 What was the core problem with the brethren? Pride?

D2 What is the solution?

B7 1 Corinthians 1:18-31,

C1 1 Corinthians 1:18 NKJV  For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

D1 Why is the message of the cross foolishness?

D2 Can we save ourselves?

D3 Why did Jesus have to die?

C2 1 Corinthians 1:19-22 NKJV  For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent."  (20)  Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?  (21)  For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.  (22)  For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom.

D1 What is the wisdom of the wise and understanding of the prudent?

E1 No matter how wise in philosophy or examination can the truths of God and His ways be known?

E2 God reveals them so that even a child can understand them.

E3 God’s wisdom is so awesome that it makes the wisest of the wise seem foolish.

D2 How does God make the wisdom of the world foolish?

E1 The word scribes is understood by most to be the learned teachers of Israel– the Scribes.

E2 Why don’t they know?

E3 What was wrong with Nicodemus? John 3:10 NKJV  Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things?

D3 Why does God state that He will destroy the wisdom of the wise? How does He do this?

D4 How does this apply to the Gospel?

C3 1 Corinthians 1:22-24 NKJV  For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom;  (23)  but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness,  (24)  but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

D1 What is preached? A person, Jesus Christ. What is the importance of this compared to signs and wisdom?

D2 What should we do– signs, wisdom, or preach Christ crucified?

D3 Do miracles and philosophy bring people to Christ?

D4 Why is the crucifixion troubling to most people?

D5 What is Christ to us who are saved?

D6 Is there unity in the Gospel?

D7 How can there not be unity?

C4 1 Corinthians 1:25-29 NKJV  Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.  (26)  For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.  (27)  But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty;  (28)  and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are,  (29)  that no flesh should glory in His presence.

D1 How is God’s foolishness wiser than men and the weakness of God stronger than men?

D2 Are you glad the Scriptures state, “...not many wise...mighty...noble are called?” It could have not any wise, mighty, or noble are called.

D3 Why did God do things this way?

C5 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 NKJV  But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption—  (31)  that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.

D1 What 4 attributes of Jesus are listed?

D2 What does “...glory in the Lord” mean? One thing it means is not to glory in ourselves. What else?

B8 What idea or principle should be our unity? The gospel of Jesus Christ.

C1 There is only one Gospel. Note: believed God, God saw, and God reckoned to righteousness. Moses wrote it, Paul wrote twice, and Peter wrote. Jesus preached it, the Apostles preached it, and Paul preached it, so did Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and the prophets.

D1 Abraham:

E1 Genesis 15:6 NKJV And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.

E2 Romans 4:3 NRSV  For what does the scripture say? Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.

E3 Galatians 3:6 NRSV  Just as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness.

E4 James 2:23 NRSV  Thus the scripture was fulfilled that says, "Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness," and he was called the friend of God.

D2 The prophets, Apostles, and Paul preached the same:

E1 Joel 2:32 NKJV  And it shall come to pass That whoever calls on the name of the Lord Shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, As the Lord has said, Among the remnant whom the Lord calls.

E2 Acts 2:21 NKJV  And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

E3 Romans 10:13 NKJV  For Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.

C2 All the prophets preached the same Gospel: Acts 10:43 NKJV  To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.

C3 The gospel

D1 No one is good. The standard is God’s Law (Exodus 20).

D2 The penalty for breaking God’s law is death– physical, spiritual, and eternal.

D3 God initiates salvation, for no one seeks God (Romans 3).

D4 The Holy Spirit brings conviction, opening every human’s eyes, mind, and heart (John 16:7-9, Acts 16:14, John 6:44, 1 Peter 2:9, etc.). The Old Testament teaches it as well: Psalms 40:6 NKJV  Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You did not require.

D5 The idea of repentance is to turn, so we admit we are not good, we admit we cannot do good works to be saved, we admit we will be punished and go to hell; God is right; I am wrong.

D6 Belief: John 3:14-18 NKJV  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,  (15)  that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.  (16)  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  (17)  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  (18)  "He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

D7 Praying, calling out, asking for forgiveness: Romans 10:13 NKJV  For "Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved."

B9 Next week:

C1 Pure in His eyes

C2 Theme: Purity in Christ

C3 Scriptures:

• 1 Corinthians 5:1-13
• 1 Corinthians 6:9-11

Joseph, the faithful man who saw tomorrow

Theme: Integrity in temptation

Scriptures:

• Genesis 39:1-23
• Genesis 45:1-28
• Genesis 50:22-26

Objectives: (From the D6 Fusion Sunday School Lesson book)

Know: Joseph made difficult but wise decisions that led to God’s future blessings.

Think: I consider my integrity to be more important than my feelings and desires.

Do: Choose what is good and right and refuse every temptation that would call me away from God.

Notes and questions:

B1 What is temptation?

C1 Our life before believing in Jesus: Galatians 5:19-21 NKJV  Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,  (20)  idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,  (21)  envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

C2 Our life after believing in Jesus: Galatians 5:22-24 NKJV  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,  (23)  gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.  (24)  And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

C3 Are there different desires, yet different struggles?

C4 Is temptation the same as sin? See Hebrews 4:15 NKJV  For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

C5 Can a non-christian resist sin? How about a Christian, or an atheist?

B2 What to do in temptation

C1 Pray to be delivered from temptation: Mark 14:38 GNB  And he said to them, "Keep watch, and pray that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.

C2 God limits the strength of the temptation: 1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV  No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

C3 Resist: Genesis 39:7-12 NRSV  And after a time his master's wife cast her eyes on Joseph and said, "Lie with me."  (8)  But he refused and said to his master's wife, "Look, with me here, my master has no concern about anything in the house, and he has put everything that he has in my hand.  (9)  He is not greater in this house than I am, nor has he kept back anything from me except yourself, because you are his wife. How then could I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"  (10)  And although she spoke to Joseph day after day, he would not consent to lie beside her or to be with her.  (11)  One day, however, when he went into the house to do his work, and while no one else was in the house,  (12)  she caught hold of his garment, saying, "Lie with me!" But he left his garment in her hand, and fled and ran outside.

C4 How did the Lord Jesus resist temptation?

D1 Hebrews 4:15 GW  We have a chief priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way that we are, but he didn't sin.

D2 Luke 4:1-4 NKJV  Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,  (2)  being tempted for forty days by the devil. And in those days He ate nothing, and afterward, when they had ended, He was hungry.  (3)  And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread."  (4)  But Jesus answered him, saying, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

D3 Hebrews 4:15-16 GW  We have a chief priest who is able to sympathize with our weaknesses. He was tempted in every way that we are, but he didn't sin.  (16)  So we can go confidently to the throne of God's kindness to receive mercy and find kindness, which will help us at the right time.

D4 The dog resists temptation?

E1 How?

E2 Why?

B3 Genesis 39:1-23,

C1 How can we avoid temptation?

C2 What does this verse say about Joseph and Potiphar? Genesis 39:3 GW  Joseph's master saw that the LORD was with him and that the LORD made everything he did successful.

C3 How would you handle the lies and false accusations? Genesis 39:13-19 NRSV  When she saw that he had left his garment in her hand and had fled outside,  (14)  she called out to the members of her household and said to them, "See, my husband has brought among us a Hebrew to insult us! He came in to me to lie with me, and I cried out with a loud voice;  (15)  and when he heard me raise my voice and cry out, he left his garment beside me, and fled outside."  (16)  Then she kept his garment by her until his master came home,  (17)  and she told him the same story, saying, "The Hebrew servant, whom you have brought among us, came in to me to insult me;  (18)  but as soon as I raised my voice and cried out, he left his garment beside me, and fled outside."  (19)  When his master heard the words that his wife spoke to him, saying, "This is the way your servant treated me," he became enraged.

C4 Why didn’t Potiphar ask Joseph for his side of the story?

C5 What is most significant about this verse? Genesis 39:21 NRSV  But the LORD was with Joseph and showed him steadfast love; he gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer.

C6 Genesis 39:23 NRSV  The chief jailer paid no heed to anything that was in Joseph's care, because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made it prosper. What character trait is God approved in this verse?

C7 What did Potiphar think when Joseph was promoted to his position by Pharaoh?

B4 Genesis 45:1-28,

C1 Genesis 45:5-8 NRSV  And now do not be distressed, or angry with yourselves, because you sold me here; for God sent me before you to preserve life.  (6)  For the famine has been in the land these two years; and there are five more years in which there will be neither plowing nor harvest.  (7)  God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors.  (8)  So it was not you who sent me here, but God; he has made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house and ruler over all the land of Egypt. Calvinists use this verse to teach that God exhaustively decrees all things.

Does this verse teach that or does it teach that this situation with Joseph was sovereignly guided? Is every event in life exhaustively decreed? Is this passage descriptive or prescriptive?

C2 What is the importance of having Dad (Jacob) there?

C3 Genesis 45:21-22 NRSV  The sons of Israel did so. Joseph gave them wagons according to the instruction of Pharaoh, and he gave them provisions for the journey.  (22)  To each one of them he gave a set of garments; but to Benjamin he gave three hundred pieces of silver and five sets of garments. Why did Joseph give more to Benjamin? Was that the right thing to do?

C4 How does this verse apply? Proverbs 11:8 NKJV  The righteous is delivered from trouble, And it comes to the wicked instead.

C5 Jude 1:24-25 NKJV  Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,  (25)  To God our Savior, Who alone is wise, Be glory and majesty, Dominion and power, Both now and forever. Amen.

D1 We all stumble, but this would be a permanent stumbling.

D2 Why does God keep us?

D3 How does God do this? Hebrews 7:25 NKJV  Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. Also read: 2 Corinthians 4:7-9 GNB  Yet we who have this spiritual treasure are like common clay pots, in order to show that the supreme power belongs to God, not to us.  (8)  We are often troubled, but not crushed; sometimes in doubt, but never in despair;  (9)  there are many enemies, but we are never without a friend; and though badly hurt at times, we are not destroyed.

C6 How do we know how to do and what is the right choice in our everyday situations?

D1 The Bible

D2 Some things we must do, as Hebrews 11:6 NKJV  But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

D3 Some things we must NOT do, as Colossians 3:21 NKJV  Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged.

D4 We have principles we can apply to the situation, as 2 Corinthians 6:14 NKJV  Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?

D5 We have examples of those who made choice

E1 Bad choice: Luke 22:3-6 NKJV  Then Satan entered Judas, surnamed Iscariot, who was numbered among the twelve.  (4)  So he went his way and conferred with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray Him to them.  (5)  And they were glad, and agreed to give him money.  (6)  So he promised and sought opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude.

E2 Good choice: Luke 18:13 NKJV  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!

E3 What other examples can you think of?

B5 Genesis 50:22-26,

C1 Timeline

D1 Joseph goes to Egypt– 17 years old

D2 Joseph in Potiphar’s service– until he was ~27-28 years old

D3 Joseph in prison– ~30-31 years old

D4 Joseph promoted by Pharaoh– ~30-31 years old

D5 Joseph asks for His father, Jacob to come to Egypt– Joseph ~39-40 years old and Jacob ~ 130 years old

D6 Joseph dies– 110 years old

C2 Genesis 50:24-25 NKJV  And Joseph said to his brethren, "I am dying; but God will surely visit you, and bring you out of this land to the land of which He swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob."  (25)  Then Joseph took an oath from the children of Israel, saying, "God will surely visit you, and you shall carry up my bones from here.

D1 What character traits do we see in Joseph?

D2 Why was Joseph so confident that the children of Israel would go back to the promised land?

D3 How can we be confident to go to our promised land?

C3 How did integrity affect Joseph’s life?

B7 Next week:

C1 Undivided

C2 Theme: Unity in Christ

C3 Text: 1 Corinthians 1:10-31