News

The Resurrection Body—1 Corinthians 15:35–58 Open It 1. *What feelings have you experienced when a friend or relative passed away? 2. Why do you think some people feel angry at God when they lose a loved one? Explore It 1. *Why did Paul discuss the resurrection body? (15:35) 2. What analogy did Paul use to explain the body’s death and resurrection? (15:36–38) 3. How did Paul explain the resurrection body? (15:39–41) 4. *How does the body on earth differ from the body in heaven? (15:42–44) 5. What example did Paul use to explain natural and spiritual bodies? (15:45–49) 6. Why can’t flesh and blood inherit the kingdom of God? (15:50) 7. What mystery did Paul reveal? (15:51) 8. How will all Christians be changed? When? (15:51–52) 9. Why must all physical bodies be changed, even those that have not died? (15:50, 53) 10. *What will happen after the dead are resurrected? (15:54–55) 11. How has God given Christians the victory over death? (15:56–57) 12. What difference does it make that we will be resurrected? (15:58) Get It 1. How should Christians regard death? 2. *How could this passage encourage a person who has lost a loved one who was a believer? 3. How should we regard the future? 4. What difference does it make that death has been defeated by Christ? 5. How can a Christian grieve for someone’s death while still holding on to the hope of resurrection? 6. *How should Christ’s resurrection and the hope of your own bodily transformation affect your priorities? 7. In what area of your Christian life has it been a struggle to stand firm? 8. What encouragement can we take from the fact that the work we do for the Lord is not in vain? 9. In what specific ways do you need to be committed to the work of the Lord? Apply It 1. *In what ways could you show this week your thankfulness to Christ for His victory over death and sin? 2. In the future, what hope could you share with a person who experiences the loss of a loved one?

The Resurrection of the Dead—1 Corinthians 15:12–34 Open It 1. What are some beliefs about life after death that others have shared with you? 2. *What do people you know believe about the afterlife? 3. What does the promise of eternal life mean to you? Explore It 1. *What were some Corinthians saying that troubled Paul? (15:12) 2. How was the gospel of Christ’s death and resurrection relevant to the dispute in Corinth? (15:12–13) 3. *If Christ had not in fact been raised, what would be true of Christianity and Christians? (15:14–19) 4. What condition would make a Christian’s faith futile? (15:17–18) 5. Why is faith in Christ useless and pitiable if Jesus has not been raised? (15:19) 6. In what way did Christ’s resurrection lead the way for us? (15:20) 7. How does the resurrection of the dead come? (15:21) 8. What is “the end”? (15:24–25) 9. When and why will “the end” come? (15:24–25) 10. What will be the last enemy destroyed? (15:26) 11. *What will happen when Christ asserts His authority over all? (15:28) 12. What would be true if the dead were not raised? (15:32) 13. What was shameful about the Corinthians? (15:34) Get It 1. When have you ever doubted any of the truths of the gospel? 2. What can you do when you doubt what the Bible teaches? 3. *What hope does Jesus’ resurrection provide for your daily life? 4. When is it best to reason logically with people who doubt the gospel? 5. *How can you be more effective in sharing the message of salvation with others? 6. When have you ever associated with bad company that could have corrupted your character? 7. Why is it important to avoid people who want to distract you from your commitment to the gospel? 8. What kind of discipline enables a person to face problems? Apply It 1. How would you counsel a Christian who was falling in with the wrong crowd? 2. *How can you incorporate the truth of Christ’s resurrection into your witness to others?

The Resurrection of Christ—1 Corinthians 15:1–11 Open It 1. *How do people pass on their beliefs and traditions to others? 2. What do you think is important to pass on from one generation to the next? 3. What do you want others to remember about you? Explore It 1. How can a Christian avoid believing the gospel in vain? (15:1–2) 2. Why is it important to “hold firmly to the word”? (15:2) 3. *Why did Paul pass on what he had received? (15:3) 4. How did Christ’s life fulfill the Scriptures? (15:3) 5. What are the key points of the gospel? (15:3–8) 6. To whom did Christ appear after His resurrection? (15:5–8) 7. *Why did Paul emphasize the facts of Christ’s resurrection? (15:5–8) 8. Why did Paul describe himself as one “abnormally born”? (15:8) 9. Why did Paul feel unworthy to be called an apostle? (15:9) 10. *For what reason was Paul able to call himself an apostle? (15:10) 11. On what did Paul’s apostleship rest? (15:10) Get It 1. How would you describe, in your own words, the importance of the gospel to your life? 2. What has God’s grace accomplished in you? 3. In what one area of your life have you been stubborn about allowing God’s grace to work? 4. What does it mean for you to hold firmly to the gospel? 5. *What are the implications of the fact that the truth of the gospel is of first importance to God? 6. What difference does it make that Christ’s death and resurrection fulfilled Old Testament prophecy? 7. *How does Christ appear or make Himself known to us today? Apply It 1. *What evidence could you use to persuade others this week about the truth of the gospel? 2. How could you rely on God’s grace in your efforts to tell your friends about Christ?

Orderly Worship—1 Corinthians 14:26–40 Open It 1. *What is it like to attend a disorderly meeting or gathering? 2. Why is it important to be organized when you have a task to accomplish? Explore It 1. *What contributions were the Corinthians to make when coming together? (14:26) 2. How can Christians be involved in worship services? (14:26) 3. *What kind of order were the Corinthians to observe when speaking in tongues? (14:27–28) 4. How did Paul advise the Corinthians regarding prophesying in church? (14:29–32) 5. How is the gift of prophecy beneficial to the church? (14:31) 6. What makes order essential to worship? (14:33) 7. Why were women not allowed to speak in the Corinthian church? (14:34) 8. How were women to act during worship in the Corinthian church? (14:34–35) 9. What were Corinthian women to do if they wanted to ask something in church? (14:35) 10. What gave Paul the authority to teach the Corinthians? (14:37) 11. *What was Paul’s conclusion regarding corporate worship? (14:40) Get It 1. *How might a church exhibit disorder in its worship? 2. What can Christians do to prepare for worship services? 3. How can you improve your preparation for church services? 4. When have you neglected to participate properly in worship? 5. How could you participate in worship so as to strengthen the church? 6. *How can you use your spiritual gift in a fitting and orderly manner? Apply It 1. *What part of your Saturday can you use to help you prepare for the worship service you attend? 2. How could you encourage fitting and orderly worship in your church each week?

Gifts of Prophecy and Tongues—1 Corinthians 14:1–25 Open It 1. When have you been confused by a lack of clear instructions? 2. *What are some traditions or practices in your family that would seem strange to someone outside your family? Explore It 1. What did God want the Corinthians to follow? (14:1) 2. What did God want the Corinthians to desire? (14:1) 3. *Why were the Corinthians to desire the gift of prophecy more than the gift of tongues? (14:1–5) 4. In what circumstance is speaking in tongues as good as prophesying? (14:5) 5. What must be combined with the gift of tongues to make it useful to others? (14:6) 6. Why did Paul use the example of musical instruments in talking about prophecy? (14:7–8) 7. In which gifts did Paul encourage the Corinthians to excel? (14:12) 8. *How should speaking in tongues be like praying and singing? (14:14–16) 9. Why is it crucial that a message in tongues be interpreted? (14:16–17) 10. What priority does God give to speaking in tongues? (14:19) 11. Why did Paul quote from Isaiah in instructing the Corinthians on tongues? (14:21) 12. How does the quotation from Isaiah 28:11–12 clarify the purpose of the spiritual gift of tongues? (14:21–22) 13. What is the problem with speaking in tongues in church? (14:23) 14. *Why is it beneficial for unbelievers to hear prophesying in the church? (14:24–25) Get It 1. How would you summarize God’s priorities concerning the spiritual gifts of prophecy and tongues? 2. *What practices can every local church use to ensure that spiritual gifts are used to build up people? 3. What can we do to value spiritual gifts as God does? 4. For what reasons should we desire spiritual gifts? 5. *How can you guard against desiring spiritual gifts for the wrong motives? 6. What more can your church or fellowship do to attract unbelievers? 7. In what ways does your church attract unbelievers? Apply It 1. *How could you use one spiritual gift this week to help another Christian? 2. What personal action could you take this week to make your worship services more welcoming to visitors?

Love—1 Corinthians 13:1–13 Open It 1. What to you is an unmistakable demonstration of love? 2. *Who is the most loving person you know? Why do you think so? 3. What qualities do you associate with love? Explore It 1. What makes speaking in tongues, faith, generosity, and even martyrdom worthless? (13:1–3) 2. How could a person use spiritual gifts in a useless manner? (13:1–3) 3. *What do we gain if we don’t have love? (13:3) 4. Why is love important? (13:3) 5. *What qualities does love have? (13:4–8) 6. Why will prophecy, tongues, and knowledge pass away? (13:8–9) 7. How will we be different when we see Christ? (13:10–12) 8. What is our spiritual imperfection like? (13:11) 9. How do adults and children act and reason differently? (13:11) 10. How will our knowledge of God change when we see Christ? (13:12) 11. *What is the greatest of all gifts? (13:13) Get It 1. Why do you think Paul wrote about love to the Corinthians? 2. Why might it be easy to use a spiritual gift without love? 3. How can a person demonstrate love? 4. How should Christians demonstrate love for each other? 5. *In what practical ways can you show a love that never fails? 6. How did Jesus exemplify love? 7. Why won’t prophecy, knowledge, and tongues be necessary when Jesus returns? 8. *When have you received the love described in this passage? 9. What is difficult about loving? 10. What expectations do you have, knowing you will see Jesus face to face one day? Apply It 1. What will help you to remember to use your gifts in a loving way? 2. *How could you show love to a difficult person this week?

Spiritual Gifts—1 Corinthians 12:1–11 Open It 1. *What is one unique talent or ability you have (whether useful or pointless)? 2. How did you find out what your greatest interests were? Explore It 1. *Why did Paul give the Corinthians advice about spiritual gifts? (12:1) 2. What was the condition of the Corinthians when they were pagans? (12:2) 3. Why can someone speaking by the Spirit of God not say, “Jesus be cursed”? (12:3) 4. What is the only way a person can say, “Jesus is Lord”? (12:3) 5. *What common element exists in the diversity of gifts, service, and working? (12:4–6) 6. Who works through the various gifts Christians have? (12:4–6) 7. Who is given the manifestation of the Spirit? (12:7) 8. For whose good is the manifestation of the Spirit given? (12:7) 9. *What spiritual gifts did Paul describe? (12:8–10) 10. Who determines how the gifts are distributed? (12:11) Get It 1. How are we ignorant about spiritual gifts today? 2. *What spiritual gifts have you seen used in your local church? 3. What happens when Christians do not use their gifts? 4. *What person you know would be encouraged by the knowledge that God gives a spiritual gift to every Christian? 5. What is your spiritual gift? 6. If you do not know what your spiritual gift is, what can you do to find out? 7. How can you use your spiritual gift for the good of the people in your church? 8. What spiritual gifts have you seen in the lives of other Christians? 9. What can you learn from other Christians who faithfully use their spiritual gifts? 10. What Christian discouraged by failure can you challenge to use the gifts God has given him or her? Apply It 1. *How can you use your spiritual gift this week for the benefit of others in your church? 2. What observation could you share with another Christian to help him or her identify or use a spiritual gift?

The Lord’s Supper—1 Corinthians 11:17–34 Open It 1. *For what kinds of occasions does your church sponsor meals? 2. How does your church observe the Lord’s Supper? Explore It 1. Why did Paul have no praise for the Corinthians here? (11:17) 2. Why are there differences among believers? (11:19) 3. *What severe problem did Paul address in this passage? (11:20–22) 4. What essential truths about the Lord’s Supper and Jesus’ redemptive work are presented in this passage? (11:23–26) 5. Why should Christians celebrate Communion? (11:24) 6. What is accomplished by eating the bread and drinking the wine of the Lord’s Supper? (11:26) 7. *What role does Communion play in the task of evangelism? (11:26) 8. What is the result of partaking of the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner? (11:27) 9. *What should a person do before partaking of the Lord’s Supper? (11:28) 10. What did the illness and death suffered by the Corinthians reveal about God’s attitude toward Communion? (11:30) 11. Why does the Lord discipline His children? (11:32) 12. What additional advice did Paul give to Christians preparing for Communion? (11:33–34) Get It 1. How important is the Lord’s Supper in your life? 2. Why is the Lord’s Supper important? 3. How should a person prepare for Communion? 4. When is the best time for you to examine yourself before Communion? 5. *What additional wisdom have you gained from these instructions on Communion? 6. How have you prepared yourself for Communion in the past? 7. How is Communion practiced in your church? 8. *Why is a spirit of reverence important when partaking of the Lord’s Supper? 9. Why should we be grateful for the Lord’s discipline? 10. How have you seen the Lord’s discipline benefit you? 11. When was a time you benefited from the Lord’s discipline? 12. What practice in your local fellowship may need to be reexamined in light of this Scripture? Apply It 1. *How do you want to prepare for the next time you take Communion? 2. What advice would you give to a new Christian who wants to participate in Communion?

Propriety in Worship—1 Corinthians 11:2–16 Open It 1. How have women’s roles changed since you were a kid? 2. *When has challenging authority caused you to hurt yourself or others? Explore It 1. For what did Paul praise the Corinthian church? (11:2) 2. *What public worship practices did Paul rebuke? (11:2–16) 3. *Who is the head of women, men, and Christ? (11:3) 4. Why were women to have a sign of authority on their head? (11:3–11) 5. Why does it dishonor a man’s head to pray or prophesy with his head covered? (11:3–4, 7) 6. Why does it dishonor a woman’s head to pray or prophesy with her head uncovered? (11:3, 5–10) 7. How seriously did Paul regard the woman who did not cover her head? (11:6) 8. How are women and men different? (11:7–8) 9. *What relationship do men and women have to each other? (11:11–12) 10. How did Paul try to head off criticism about these instructions? (11:16) Get It 1. *What matters most to God about worship in the church? 2. *What excesses in worship does God want us to avoid? 3. How is man the image and glory of God? 4. How should women today respond to the command to cover their heads in public worship? 5. In what ways were these instructions a response to problems unique to the Corinthian church? 6. In what ways could this passage be misinterpreted or misapplied? Apply It 1. *What can you do personally to promote a proper spirit of worship in your church? 2. What can you do next Sunday to insure a proper attitude in your worship?

The Believer’s Freedom—1 Corinthians 10:23–11:1 Open It 1. When was a time you were talked into participating in an activity that you later regretted? 2. *When have you enjoyed doing something that benefited someone else? Explore It 1. What are we free to do? How? (10:23) 2. *What qualifications go with the adage, “Everything is permissible”? (10:23–24) 3. What is the guiding principle on our freedom? (10:24) 4. How did Paul resolve the dilemma of whether to eat meat that had been sacrificed to idols? (10:25–26) 5. *What stipulations did Paul place on eating meat served in an unbeliever’s home? (10:27–30) 6. What were the Corinthian Christians to do if meat being served to them had been sacrificed to idols? (10:28–29) 7. Under what conditions were the Corinthians not to eat meat offered in sacrifice? (10:28–29) 8. In what areas of life can we glorify God? (10:31) 9. *What overriding value governs why we do what we do? (10:33) 10. Whose good should we seek? (10:33) 11. Whose example should all Christians follow? (11:1) Get It 1. What does it mean for a person’s freedom to be judged by another person’s conscience? 2. *What principles can we learn here about making difficult ethical decisions? 3. *What do Christians today sometimes avoid buying or doing for conscience’ sake? 4. When is it good for a Christian to avoid buying or doing something because other believers are bothered by its association with sin or evil? 5. How does Christian use of freedom contrast with our society’s idea of freedom? 6. What does it mean to eat and drink for the glory of God? 7. How might you avoid a situation that would cause another believer to stumble? 8. What is one way you can follow the example of someone who is following Christ? 9. What can you learn from a fellow Christian who is following Christ? 10. How may seeking the good of other people lead to their salvation? Apply It 1. What is one setting in which you can seek the good of other Christians over your own rights this week? How? 2. *Which of your buying or spending habits should you change because of its associations? How? 3. How could you remember to do every task or activity this week for God’s glory?