The church at Corinth gives us a glimpse into how the Kingdom landed and found shape in a rather typical First Century Roman city. There was nothing exceptional about the Corinthian church: just believers trying to learn how to walk out of familiar kingdoms of darkness and walk into the Kingdom of Light.
Listen to an audio version of the message
Songs for this week: Spotify
1 Corinthians 13
Message Questions:
- What are some of the things that we use to measure the spiritual well-being of a church? What do we use to measure spiritual maturity in our own lives?
- Read vv 4-7, substituting “Jesus” for “love.” (“Jesus is patient; Jesus is kind …) How does this prompt you to worship him?
- Look at vv 4-7 again and list the characteristics of love included there. Compare them with the fruit of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5:22-23. What similarities do you notice?
- Choose at least one of the characteristics of love from vv 4-7 (for example, “love is not easily angered”) and ask:
- How does our culture encourage or discourage this?
- Where have you witnessed or experienced this in action? What was the impact?
- How easy or difficult is it for you to practice this characteristic of love?
(If you have time, look at another characteristic with the same questions.)
- As you consider your life and lifestyle, is there anything that you may need to adjust to provide space for the Holy Spirit to grow your capacity to love?