Preparing for Sunday - 1 Cor. 6:1-8

March 10, 2017 by Dalton Vansell Preparing for Sunday

Prepare your heart for Sunday by looking through these suggestions that will assist you in making the most of our time together.

You will find suggestions for thinking more critically through the passage, meditating more intently on the text, and tangibly putting scripture to action in your personal life and in our corporate body.

Carefully Think

Read 1 Corinthians 5:9-6:8. What theme holds 5:9-13 and 6:1-8 together? What word(s) are repeated in both sections that help you see that connection?
What is the issue Paul is addressing in 6:1-8? It is that believers are bringing lawsuits against one another before a secular court. Why would this be a problem? What in the text helps you see why this would be a problem?
How does Paul demonstrate the ability of the Corinthians to judge in these matters? How can he say that they will judge the world when he said in 5:12-13 that God will? What does it mean that they will judge angels?
How has Paul used the terms “wise” and “wisdom” so far in the book? How does that factor into how he uses the term here in v. 5?
What solution does Paul propose in verses 7-8? What is the purpose of this solution? What does this avoid? Why would Paul seek to avoid these public trials at the cost of suffering wrong??
The Sermon Study equipping class notes are available online for anyone wanting to dig deeper. Please review this week's notes to help study this passage. Click here for the notes.

Prayerfully Meditate

Have you ever seen this situation played out? What does/would it portray to the unbelieving world if two believers have a dispute and they take it before a secular court? What does this say about believers? What would this say about the church and its members? Above all, what does this say about our Lord?
How should this passage cause us to look at the church? Is the church viewed as a bunch of babbling fools with no ability to settle conflict?
What would this situation reveal about the hearts of the individuals involved? Would they be viewed as loving and forgiving? Would they be viewed as having their minds transformed and set on the wisdom of God? How does this tie back into the previous discussion of church discipline?
How do you think your heart would react to a difficult conflict with a fellow believer? Would you pursue legal action against them? Or would you be willing to suffer a loss so that Christ’s name is honored?

Intentionally Act

If you have some kind of grievance against a brother, or a brother against you, go to that brother and seek to reconcile the relationship and work out the grievance in love and forgiveness. If you are unable to do so, this passage teaches that you should go to the church and allow the church to judge between you for the outcome. How does your heart respond to this teaching? Is this something you would push back against? Would you make excuses to avoid the clear teaching of Scripture? Confess and repent of these motives and faulty views of the church, and seek to align your will with the Word of God.
Pray for wisdom for the elders and the church as we think through how to implement this teaching together. Pray that the Lord would use this teaching to expose grievances and unforgiveness in our midst that we might be reconciled to one another and apply this passage in the grace of God.
Click the links below to find the lyrics and recordings of the songs planned for our gathering this Sunday; practice the songs, study the lyrics and sing together.
Pray for those leading our corporate gathering this week and for the Holy Spirit’s work as the Word of God is further explained and applied: Dawson Bryant: music; Rob Stouffer: Elders' prayer and Scripture reading; Bret Capranica: teaching.

Songs for Sunday

Lyrics

Lyrics Morning Gathering - March 12, 2017 by Summit Woods Baptist Church on Scribd