Preparing for Sunday - 1 Cor. 2:1-5

October 21, 2016 by Sam Walker 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 1:1-2:5, focusing on verses 2:1-5 for this Sunday. Review your sermon notes from last week or listen to the sermon online to renew your mind in the context of this passage.
In 1 Cor. 2:1, how does this verse flow in the context of the previous passages? Paul has already come to the Corinthians previously, what did he do? What did he not do?
Paul again refers to them as brothers, remember the emphasis Paul is making on that and find all the previous times Paul has done that. What does it show in the flow of text each time he addresses the Corinthians as brothers?
In verses 1-4 look for all the comparisons and contrasts Paul is making. What is he comparing? Who is he comparing? Make a list to clearly see contrasts.
What are Paul's central message and focus in this passage? Write out your answers in your notes for Sunday prior to the sermon.
Paul ends verse 5 with a "so that". What does that indicate about the relation between verse 5 and the other verses?
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.

Prayerfully Meditate

From what we have read already in chapter 1 and from the prior sermons, what can you say about how "lofty speech and wisdom" impact the "testimony of God"?
Why is Paul so emphatic on only sharing Christ and him crucified? Is this limiting what we should use to evangelize and disciple to only the gospel accounts? Why or why not?
What would have made Paul be weak, fearful and trembling? How does that relate to us today, or does it? In what context would we relate best to Paul's condition today?
What does the demonstration of the Spirit and power look like for Paul the apostle? What would be a demonstration of the Spirit and power look like today?
How is all of this supposed to affect us? What are examples of how our faith rests in the wisdom of men? What would it look like to rest our faith in the power of God?

Intentionally Act

Ask God to reveal to us individually and corporately the methods of men we are relying on instead of trusting in the power of God in our daily lives, in our lives together in the gospel, and in our evangelizing the lost.
Prayerfully humble yourself to be a fool; bringing the power of God and demonstration of the Spirit to someone you know with nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified.
Follow the links below to the lyrics and recordings of the songs planned for our gathering this Sunday; sing through the songs while being mindful of the lyrics.
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; Brett Harris: Elders' prayer and Scripture reading; Bret Capranica: teaching.

Songs for Sunday

Lyrics

Lyrics Morning Gathering - October 23, 2016 by Summit Woods Baptist Church on Scribd