SUMMER QUARTER SUNDAY SCHOOL 2014
THEME: PRIORITIES FOR THE PEOPLE OF GOD
Unit II – Living as a Community of Believers
“CHRIST THE CENTER OF UNITY FOR GOD’S SERVANTS”
Sunday School lesson No. V – June 29, 2014
Presented by Rev. Frank A. Davis, III
Lesson Text: I Corinthians 1:10-17
Required Reading:Acts 18:1-17; I Corinthians 1:1-31
Motto Text: I Corinthians 1:10, “Now I beseech you, brethren,
by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all
speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions
among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together
in the same mind and in the same judgment.”
Reliable Resources:John MacArthur Study Bible; Standard Lesson Commentary; Libronix Electronic Library; Union Gospel Press Expositor and Illuminator; Pilgrim Study Bible; Word Search 9 and 10 Electronic Library; The Authentic Christian Life by Dr. David Jeremiah
BACKGROUND
Acts 18:9-11: “Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them.”
The Summer Quarter takes us to the city of Corinth located in Southern Greece. It was a city of diversity because of its geographical position. It was the place of the Isthmian games and the temple of Aphrodite, with its 1,000 religious prostitutes. The nature of sin was extreme in Corinth, and the Lord had a plan to reach it with the Gospel. So Paul, on his second missionary journey, established a church there (Acts 18) and now after some time, addresses that church through his letters.
The church at Corinth was extremely factional and carnal, which added to its problems. It seems that they were constantly affected by their surroundings and were having extreme difficulty rising to a place of total commitment to the perfect will of God! It is from this setting that we begin Unit Two…“Living as a Community of Believers.”
LESSON INTRODUCTION
Paul opens this letter with his usual introductions and commendations to a church that he had founded. He establishes his apostolic authority and now prepares the body of his letter. According to the outline of I Corinthians in the Pilgrim Study Bible, Paul’s letter was divided as follows: “Chs. 1:1 – 6:20 His Reproof; Chs. 7:1 – 11:34 His Correction and Chs. 12:1 – 16:24 His Instruction. Now this outline structure followed II Tim. 3:16. This is what the Word of God does, reproves, corrects and instructs.”
Beloved, there was no more spiritually gifted church than the Corinthians, as we read and note in I Corinthians 1:6-8 and we shall later study in I Corinthians 12. But there was no church that received any greater rebukes than this church. (Read I Corinthians 4:17-21). I simply want to leave this thought as I continue: Just because a church has great gifts does not make it mature and loving!
Remember and read again I Corinthians 13:1-13! This congregation of believers was suffering from carnality, selfishness and conceitedness, which was leading them to disunity and division. Thus, they were not in a position to live as true servants of Christ. So how can the church live as a community of faithful servants of God? They must bring Christ back to the center of their lives! Our focus centers on how unity in the church is affected.
Anticipated Power Points:
- The Rule of Unity for God’s Servants. I Corinthians 1:10
- The Rumor Hindering the Unity of God’s Servants. I Corinthians1:11
- The Rebuke Against those who Broke Unity. I Corinthians 1:12-13
- The Response of Paul in Defense of Unity. I Corinthians 1:14-16
- The Revelation of Christ-Centered Unity. I Corinthians 1:17
OUTLINE
“Christ the Center of Unity for God’s Servants”
I.The Rule of Unity for God’s Servants. I Corinthians 1:10
The prophet asked a question in Amos 3:3, “Can two walk together, except they be agreed?” Paul begs this fellowship of believers by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ “to get on the same page,” “speak the same message,” or “stop splintering yourselves into factions!” The rule of unity for God’s servants is to remember the oneness they share in the common salvation purchased by Christ! It was the prayer of Jesus before He was arrested (John 17:20-26)! It is the witness before a sin cursed society that saints demonstrate“the love of the brethren.” (John 13:35). “Be perfectly joined together,” can be a medical term that describes the resetting of a bone in a body. Paul pleads with this church to set things straight among them, especially doctrinally, that they would not live factional, divided lives, but walk in love and divine unity! (Read Ephesians 5:2; Philippians 3:16)
II.The Rumor Hindering the Unity of God’s Servants. I Corinthians 1:11
The bickering and schisms of contention going on in the Corinthian Church was brought to Paul’s attention by servants or family members, etc., from the household of Chloe. Most believe Chloe to be a businesswoman who traveled between Corinth and Ephesus, whose house was open for the fellowship and instruction of the church in Corinth. (NOTE: Some theologians are not sure if Chloe was a man or woman.) Now there are many reasons for contentions and divisions among people. The Corinthians seem to have some of the following: “They trusted in man’s wisdom above God’s (2:5); They gloried in men’s works (3:21); They needed to grow up (3:1-4).”
III.The Rebuke Against those who Broke Unity. I Corinthians 1:12-13
Instead of focusing on the Cross and Christ, the Corinthians had fallen to a level of favoritism and religious parties much like democrats, republicans and tea-party members. Some were following the eloquence of Apollos, others the great grace teachings of Paul to open the doors of the Gospel to the Gentiles; for others the emphasis of the Mosaic law led them to favor Peter (Cephus-Aramaic name); and yet others declared themselves free of all men and of a higher order simply following Christ! Yet all these were mere preferences of individuals that overshadowed the true work of Christ and the Gospel.
IV.The Response of Paul in Defense of Unity. I Corinthians 1:14-16
Paul wanted the Corinthians to stop this bickering of who was the greatest. He emphasized that it is not about a party spirit or even whose disciple you are. Concerning the teaching on baptism, some thought that if you were baptized by a leader of the church, that made you greater. All who are Christians are equal in their access to God and are baptized under the authority of Jesus Christ, and not man!
- The Revelation of Christ-Centered Unity. I Corinthians 1:17
Paul closes this week’s lesson by reminding the divided saints of Corinth and those who may be divided today: Do not be divided by favoritisms or factions. The greatest act of God was performed by Christ on the Cross and His glorious resurrection. It’s not about our preference but about His precious blood that was shed at Calvary. Let us grow up today as the Corinthians were admonished to do and stand up for Jesus Christ and His church.
CLOSING
This is only the introductory lesson to a great quarter of divine understanding. Read I and II Corinthians from June through August of this year, and be blessed as you grasp the priorities of the people of God. Remember, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
Bibleway Missionary Baptist Church, New Orleans, LA and Little Bethel Baptist Church, Amite, LA
Mailing Address: Post Office Box 19768, New Orleans, LA 70179 - Phone: (504) 486-7876
Website: (See and hear lesson taught via Video)
Radio Broadcasts: NEW! WVOG AM 600, Saturdays, 7-7:30 a.m.
TV Broadcasts: WHNO TV-Channel 20, Sunday, 6:30 a.m.
Looking Ahead: July6, 2014I Corinthians 6:12-20
You are invited to attend Noon Bible Study every Wednesday as Pastor Davis teaches the lesson at Bibleway.