STARTER

• What is a piece of information that you heard and you applied which turned out to be very WISE?
• What is something WISE you know you should do but don’t do? Why?

PRAY

Lord we acknowledge that our identity needs to be found in our understanding of You and willingness to look foolish to the world. As we gather together to look to you as the begining of WISDOM, help us apply Your understanding so that we might act in the WISDOM of the cross. Amen.

"Wisdom”

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

In this letter, first God has Paul focus on the necessity of us seeing our identity in Jesus Christ our Lord. He then communicates His frustration over divisions because of the lack of understanding and unwillingness to embrace the foolishness of the cross. Now Paul clarifies the WISDOM of God found through the cross.

READ 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

1. Corinth was a city full of thought and knowledge. Why might Paul a highly educated very connected Roman citizen choose this as his approach?
   1. How is this so different than how we so often approach doing ministry or sharing our faith today? Why?
   2. How does it make you feel that Paul had fear and trembling?

READ Job 28:28, Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 1:7, 9:10, Colossians 2:3-4, Jeremiah 9:23-24

1. How do these verses reaffirm and help us understand why Paul took the approach he did in Corinth?
2. What do these verses tell us clearly about true WISDOM What do they say are the benefits of embracing that WISDOM?

READ Luke 2:47-51, James 3:13-17, Galatians 5:22-26

1. Paul says that God had Him come in a powerful demonstration of the Spirit. We tend to be conditioned in our culture to think that a powerful demonstration of the Spirit means something visibly miraculous.
   1. What do these verse say are evidence of WISE and powerful demonstrations of the Spirit?

READ 1 Corinthians 2:6-8,Genesis 3:6, Proverbs 28:26, Isaiah 47:10

1. If Adam and Eve along with the rest of our ancestors were WISE, they would have recognized God, obeyed, and worshiped Him instead of rejecting Him over and over.
   1. What do these verses reveal about our hearts and desires for our own WISDOM over God’s?

READ 1 Corinthians 2:9-12, Isaiah 11:1-3

1. The Spirit desires to reveal what has been freely given because of what Jesus has done through the cross. What has been freely given to us? What should be our response to all He has freely given through His Spirit?