Third Sunday after Epiphany

 Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 1:10-17

 Other Readings: Isaiah 8:19-9:2 and Matthew 4:12-23

 

  1. The Corinthian congregation was dealing with divisions and quarrels among its members. How does Paul address this problem in 1:13?

 

  1. Name a pastor that you really admire and explain why. While you may feel a closer connection to some pastors rather than others, what should you ultimately judge a pastor by?

 

  1. The Bible often talks about Christians as being siblings of a spiritual family. (Confer verses 10 and 11.) What are some of the things you hope your physical family members to do for you? What are some of things you hope your spiritual family members will do for you?

 

  1. What does Paul mean when says that members of a congregation should be “perfectly united in mind and thought” (v. 10)? Consult Isaiah 8:19,20 from our First Lesson.

 

 

  1. He points the Corinthians to Christ and reminds them that they were baptized into Christ. If Christ is not divided, then those who have been baptized into Christ cannot be divided either.

 

  1. Answers to the first part will vary. Thank God for those servants in your life! Ultimately, a pastor should be judged by whether or not he is humbly preaching and teaching the gospel that Jesus Christ died for our sins and rose for our eternal life. If a pastor does that publicly and privately, that’s a pastor you can – and should – follow.

 

  1. You hope that your physical family helps you out in various ways. That may be giving a hand on a project, giving you a ride, listening to your concerns, pray for you, etc. We also hope that our brothers and sisters in Christ will help us whenever we have a need, especially listening to us, encouraging us with God’s Word, and praying for us.

 

  1. Paul does not mean that everybody must have the same opinions about everything. What he does mean is that they have the same mindset by which they approach their individual lives and congregational affairs. A Christian’s life and congregational business should be thought about and judged by God’s Word.