Message Title: Knowing about God vs Knowing God
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 2:1-16 NRSV
Bottom Line: Have an active faith.
Small Group Check in:
How is it with your soul?
Prayer Request? Praises?
Ice Breaker:
Watch this video: Learn How To Whistle With Your Fingers Correctly In One Minute
After watching the video, go around the room practicing how to whistle. Are you able to do it?
Overview:
The church at Corinth struggled and had tension between knowledge and wisdom.
The scripture today refines the contrast between human weakness and wisdom with God’s power and wisdom. This passage has a framework consisting of two opposing wisdoms and two posing spirits. This framework gives a clearer picture of what it means to be a spiritual person who is taught by the most powerful teacher: the Holy Spirit.
In this passage, Paul is telling the church of Corinth that it cannot accomplish it's purpose, it's mission, without the power of the Holy Spirit.
The best way to retain learning is to share and teach others. This is true with our faith as well.
We are meant to have an active faith. We are meant to EXPERIENCE the Holy Spirit.
Wisdom comes to us when we experience the Holy Spirit.
Wesley's Small Group Questions:
Wesley knew the importance of an experiential faith. He organized a movement of grace by having small groups that meet weekly. These weekly meetings had a set of questions for each participant to answer. Wesley believed in having an active faith. Wesley expected you to practice your faith and then gather in small groups, just like you are doing today. Here are just a few of the questions he created for small groups:
1. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits?
2. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying or self-justifying?
3. Did the Bible live in me today?
4. Am I enjoying prayer?
5. Do I pray about the money I spend?
6. Do I get to bed on time and get up on time?
Discussion Questions:
Read 1 Corinthians 2:1-5, what is Paul's approach to preaching the message of Christ? How does his approach show us how we should spread the message of the gospel?
What is the power of God in verse 5?
What does verse 11 tell us about how we can know the wisdom of God?
After we know the wisdom of God what should we "do with it"?
How can we depend on the Holy Spirit to live out an active faith each day? How can we share our faith and the love of Christ to others?
Pastor Shannon said, "We are not to rest on human wisdom, but on the power of God." How can we make sure that our faith rest on God's power and not our own wisdom and knowledge?
Challenge:
Get out of your comfort zone. Find someone who can ask you hard questions and can hold you accountable for practicing your faith and for experiencing the Holy Spirit.