6.30.08 The Resurrection of Christ

Here are the daily scripture and reflection questions for Monday. Click on the scripture link below to access today’s reading, then take time to reflect on the questions below.

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

This chapter is one of the longest written by Paul and comes at the historical resurrection of Jesus from the dead and the implications of that event to the Christian faith. According to 15:12 some of the Corinthians were saying “that there is no resurrection of the dead.” For Paul and all New Testament authors, the physical resurrection of Jesus is the absolute essential upon which the gospel stands or falls.

• In verse 3 Paul states that what he is passing on to the Corinthians he has in turn received. From whom might he have received this knowledge?
• What exactly is the information he has been given? How does Paul anchor this in time and space through historical witness?
• How does Paul view his own apostolic ministry calling? How does he refer to himself? Knowing that to be considered a true apostle one had to be an eye-witness of the resurrected Jesus, what case is Paul making in verses 9-11?

Each day we have invited Leaders in our Congregation to respond with their reflections and insights. You can read their insights by clicking the comment link to the right (on the Blog).

6.29.08 Weekly Prayer

Use this weekly prayer to help you begin your time with God each day.

Lord, as I study more about you each day, guide me. Reveal to me what love has to do with how I live my life, how I interact in community, and how I respond to my culture. Amen.

6.28.08 Order in Worship

Here are the daily scripture and reflection questions for Saturday. Click on the scripture link below to access today’s reading, then take time to reflect on the questions below.

1 Corinthians 14:18-40

The remainder of 1 Corinthians 14 is a marvelous description of early Christian worship. The presence and power of the Holy Spirit and the responsible exercise of the spiritual gifts must have made for an exhilarating and dynamic experience of Christ’s presence and power in worship. Read with wonder and awe.

• Paul’s contrast of tongues speaking and prophecy concludes in verses 18-25. How were both of these gifts to be used and what was their dynamic impact? After reading verses 24-25, could it have been frightening to attend church?
• Study carefully the paragraph (26-32) describing the beauty and balance of early Christian Spirit inspired worship. Try to imagine what it was like. What do you think and what do you feel?
• Read verse 40. How does the meaning of the verse change when you first place the emphasis on the portion reading “everything should be done” and how does it change when the emphasis is upon “fitting and orderly way”? Can you perceive the tension of holding both phrases with equal emphasis?

Each day we have invited Leaders in our Congregation to respond with their reflections and insights. You can read their insights by clicking the comment link to the right (on the Blog).

6.27.08 The Gifts of Tongues and Prophecy

Here are the daily scripture and reflection questions for Friday. Click on the scripture link below to access today’s reading, then take time to reflect on the questions below.

1 Corinthians 14:1-17

We might want to hang a road sign at this juncture which reads: “Proceed with Caution!” The issues of speaking in tongues and prophecy has been a hot one from the first to the twenty-first century. But it need not be so. Take a deep breath, read slowly and carefully, and ask God to grant you understanding in these matters which God intends for our help and encouragement.

• To whom is the gift of speaking in tongues directed? What is the personal benefit of praying in tongues according to verse 4? What dimension of a person is praying when one prays in a tongue? What is the limitation? (see verse 14)
• Prophecy is the speaking of a message inspired by God’s Spirit. Why does Paul elevate prophesy over tongues speaking? According to verses 3-4, what are the benefits of prophecy?
• Do you know of anyone for whom these gifts are in use? What can you learn from their experience? What role does “earnestly desiring spiritual gifts” (14:1) play? Is this something you earnestly desire?

Each day we have invited Leaders in our Congregation to respond with their reflections and insights. You can read their insights by clicking the comment link to the right (on the Blog).

6.26.08 The Greatest Gift

Here are the daily scripture and reflection questions for Thursday. Click on the scripture link below to access today’s reading, then take time to reflect on the questions below.

1 Corinthians 13

We finally arrive at one of the most beloved texts in all of Scripture. Most commonly associated with weddings, the love chapter is not originally a poetic prose on the nature of love but a pastoral exercise of self examination regarding our motives concerning the Christian community and the responsible exercise of spiritual gifts.

• What spiritual gifts of chapter 12 does Paul reference in verses 1-3 and again in verses 8-10? Have you ever thought about these familiar words in this context?
• Spend time in meditation and prayer as you consider verses 4-8. These are wonderful words to memorize.
• What does Paul mean when he employs the imagery of childhood and adulthood? What relevance might these reflections have for the Corinthians?

Each day we have invited Leaders in our Congregation to respond with their reflections and insights. You can read their insights by clicking the comment link to the right (on the Blog).

6.25.08 One Body- Many Parts

Here are the daily scripture and reflection questions for Wednesday. Click on the scripture link below to access today’s reading, then take time to reflect on the questions below.

1 Corinthians 12:12-31

Paul continues his explanation of spiritual gifts and their proper use of the building up of God’s new community. By studying Paul’s response we can imagine just what attitudes and abuses must have been happening within Corinthian worship services. Again Paul, the master teacher and pastor, skillfully draws their immature attentions away from self-centeredness and on to humility and loving service.

• How does Paul describe baptism in verse 13? How do you understand baptism as a rite of Christian imitation?
• Verses 14-26 Paul develops an analogy of the human body and the “body” of Christ. What is the analogy and how does it work? How could you summarize in your own words this analogy?
• The theme of verses 27-31 is a return to spiritual gifts. What gifts are in this list? How does it compare to the previous list? What do these gifts do? What is the implied answer to Paul’s repeating question?

Each day we have invited Leaders in our Congregation to respond with their reflections and insights. You can read their insights by clicking the comment link to the right (on the Blog)

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6.24.08 Introduction to Spiritual Gifts

Here are the daily scripture and reflection questions for Tuesday. Click on the scripture link below to access today’s reading, then take time to reflect on the questions below.

1 Corinthians 12:1-11

Again Paul begins with the phrase “now about” which we have seen is his return to answering the questions and problems they have raised in their letter to him. (See 7:1, 8:1) This time the subject is the nature, purpose and experience of spiritual gifts within the gathered worship service.

• How does Paul use the language of the Trinity in verses 4 through 6? We can see here how early in the development of the Christian faith Trinitarian formula were being used.
• How does Paul describe spiritual gifts in verse 7? To whom are they given and to what purpose?
• Make a list of the spiritual gifts Paul mentions here in verses 7-11. Can you identify what each of these gifts are? Are these gifts still available to the church today?

Each day we have invited Leaders in our Congregation to respond with their reflections and insights. You can read their insights by clicking the comment link to the right (on the Blog).

6.23.08 The Eucharist

Here are the daily scripture and reflection questions for Monday. Click on the scripture link below to access today’s reading, then take time to reflect on the questions below.

1 Corinthians 11:17-34

• Paul returns to the role of teacher and disciplinarian. The worship services in Corinth included a meal of thanksgiving, fellowship and prayer. But the Corinthians were behaving irresponsibly without regard for the poor, getting drunk at the communal meals and bringing God’s judgment down upon themselves… never a good idea.
• What does Paul mean by the phrase “I have no praise for you” in verse 17? How might we state that phrase today?
• The church has called the words of verses 24-26 “the words of institution” describing the significance of the holy communion. Reflect on these words and their meaning to the world, the church and to you personally.
• For what reason does Paul conclude that many in the Corinthian congregation are sickly and some have died before their time? What is his pastoral correction?

Each day we have invited Leaders in our Congregation to respond with their reflections and insights. You can read their insights by clicking the comment link to the right (on the Blog).

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6.22.08 Weekly Prayer

Use this weekly prayer to help you begin your time with God each day.

Lord, as I study more about you each day, guide me. Reveal to me what love has to do with how I live my life, how I interact in community, and how I respond to my culture. Amen.

6.21.08 Propriety in Worship

Here are the daily scripture and reflection questions for Saturday. Click on the scripture link below to access today’s reading, then take time to reflect on the questions below.

1 Corinthians 11:1-16

This is a complex and challenging passage addressing specific situations in Corinth. However, we can read for the timeless principles about worship and relationships.

• Paul introduces several topics in chapters 11-14 that relate to what is appropriate in public worship. For what does Paul praise the Corinthians in 11:1-2?
• Many Bible students believe that, in Corinth, some women wore their hair “uncovered” to signal their sexual availability to men. Are there ways of dressing or other fashions that men or women wear today that may send confusing or unintended messages?
• Does Paul seem to prescribe a male dominating hierarchy within marriage? How may we understand differing roles within marriage while upholding equality in value both in the home, the church and society?

Each day we have invited Leaders in our Congregation to respond with their reflections and insights. You can read their insights by clicking the comment link to the right (on the Blog).