Building Our Future

1 Corinthians 3:9-13a

Connecting Questions

Think about a skill, gift or talent that you first needed to know “the basics” before you could exercise that skill, gift or talent.

What is one kind thing someone did for you that, looking back now, was important to who you are today?

Prayer for Illumination

Let us pray, Loving God, we pause today grateful for this next breath. We are grateful for the chance to connect with others today for we all carry such hurts and hope. Open your Word to us. Open our hearts to let your word speak to us and change our lives. We pray in the name of the Jesus, Amen.

Context

This Sunday, we continue our worship series, Building Our Future. As Easter people, we are living into the next chapter as a church community by rediscovering the stories of God at work in and among us. Each week, we will explore a “building” theme. But, before we can build with sticks and bricks, “the Lord must build the house”--that’s you, me and the neighbors we are called to serve.

Don’t miss Pastor Kevin’s sermon in the Building Our Future series. Sermons can be found at Easter.org/worship.

From Pastor Mary Hinkle Shore at EntertheBible.org:

After living in Corinth for some time, Paul went on to other work. Then, in response to a letter from the Corinthians and a report from “Chloe’s people” (1 Corinthians 1:11) that the church was experiencing division, Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthians. He was living in Ephesus at the time (see 1 Corinthians 16:8-9), and he anticipated visiting Corinth soon after the letter arrived.

The report and letter Paul received led him to conclude that the Corinthians were disagreeing with each other about the quality of leadership Paul and other apostles had offered, about the implications of their new spiritual existence for decidedly physical activities like eating and being involved in sexual relationships, about whether their experience of being in Christ made them at all responsible to other brothers and sisters in Christ, and similar issues.

Look at the Book

Open 1 Corinthians 3:9-13a. Paul calls us what we are: “God’s servants.” Slavery is a stain on any society that does or has practiced it. How does that truth, that slavery is wrong, color the phrase “God’s servants?”
In these chapters, Paul is making an argument for his leadership. The church in Corinth did not trust him. The first image is of a mother and infants (vs1-4); namely, you don’t give a baby a hamburger. In the next section, he talks about farmers and plants (vs5-9). Which image speaks to you?
Notice in verse 6, whether it was Apollos or Paul teaching, who gives the growth? What is the mission of Easter Lutheran Church? Can you write it down?
In verse 9, as God’s servants, what are we called to do? Does that mean we all have to think the same?
How does Paul understand his work with Corinthians church in verse 10?
"Each builder must choose with care,” what do you think this means?
Verse 11 is the heart of the passage. What truth is it sharing? What’s been part of your spiritual foundation?
Google the hymn, “How Firm a Foundation.” What verse speaks to you?
What are other kinds of foundations people use? What speaks to you about a foundation that is Jesus?
Paul names some different foundations in verse 12-13. What happens to each type of foundation?
What’s tested your foundations? What’s made your foundations stronger?
What do you want to talk about that has not been brought up yet?

Taking it Home

Who is one person you can thank today for contributing something good to your life and wellbeing? Who can be honored for speaking Jesus into your life?

Read Verse 16 aloud. What makes this good news today for you?

Grow Guide | Aug 20, 2023