STARTER

• What is something FOOLISH you did this week? What is something you wish you UNDERSTOOD and why? (Clarification: This is intended to be a fun icebreaker not deep.)

PRAY

Lord we pray that You would help us take to heart the message that You had Paul write to the Corinthian church. May we embrace UNDERSTANDING and believe in the FOOLISHNESS of the cross. Use Your Spirit and Your body the church to help us in our FOOLISHNESS to gain Your true UNDERSTANDING so we might confound the wise. Amen.

STUDY QUESTIONS

"Foolishness and Understanding”

Paul has had messages brought to him about the problems in the Corinthian church. Corinth is a city much like ours today with all kinds of options for wealth, entertainment, and pleasure.

In verses 1:1-9, Paul focuses on the necessity of us seeing our identity in Jesus Christ our Lord. In this section, Paul communicates His frustration in the divisions and lack of unity because of the refusal to embrace God’s UNDERSTANDING over our own. Paul is also explaining the FOOLISHNESS that others will perceive if we find our identity in Jesus and His scriptural order. The hope is that God’s people in Corinth would run to God’s UNDERSTANDING, even though it looks like FOOLISHNESS, and be able to divide rightly without compromise in unity.

READ 1 Corinthians 1:10-17

1. At fxchurch, we talk about 3 levels of belief: Conviction, Persuasion, Opinion. “Be willing to live and die for your convictions, teach and practice your persuasions, and keep your opinions to yourself.” -Mat Shockney

   Discuss how pursuing this 3 levels of belief thinking can help us gain UNDERSTANDING and conviction while combating divisions and FOOLISHNESS?

READ Luke 12:49-53, John 7:43, 10:19, Matthew 10:21

1. It is clear scripturally that Jesus brings division. It is also clear that God wants unity in His family around His glory. How do you think the cross and the call to pick up our cross and follow Jesus can help reveal the path to UNDERSTANDING unity and navigate divisions and rivalry?
2. Paul has recieved a report and is responding on a plethura of issues in the Corithian church.
   1. How would you respond if someone in church was reporting to leaders on your issues? Why? (Hint: Matthew 18:15-22 might help.)
   2. Many people like to say, “We will just have to agree to disagree.” That statement is most often used as a way of avoiding; confrontation, looking FOOLISH, having to pursue UNDERSTANDING, and/or rightly dividing truth. What might be a better way to speak into issues than just “agree to disagree”?

READ Jude 1:18-23, James 4:1-3

1. The strategy of divide and conquer leading to rivalry and factions are where most issues of the heart get exposed. How might these verses we just read help us avoid FOOLISHNESS and gain UNDERSTANDING?
2. How is 1 Corinthians 1:17 somewhat strange to the way believers approach Jesus, His church, and people today?
   1. How can 1:17 be a great encouragement to believers in a culture much like Corinth?

READ 1 Corinthians 1:18-31

1. Discuss how:

   1. the message of the cross is FOOLISHNESS to those who are perishing,

   2. it is God’s power to us who are being saved.

      (You may need to briefly clarify what the full message of the cross is)

2. What are some of the simple messages of the Bible that the world continues to say are FOOLISH, but God turns around to make the world and wise look FOOLISH?