Cosmic Calling (1 Cor 1:1-10)

Always Thank God (1 Cor 1:1-10).

I. An Epic Cosmic Calling (1-3).

1. What does it mean to be:

• "called...by the will of God" (1)?

• "called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere" (1 Cor 1:2; Exo 19:6; 1 Pet 2:9)?

• "sanctified" (2; Eph 4:1; Phil 1:27)?

• What does this tell us about God and the church (Jn 15:16; Phil 1:5; 2 Cor 5:17-18)?

2. What is "grace and peace" (3)?

II. Always Thank God (4-9). Paul thanks God for:

1. Grace [charis] (3-7a) [gift - charismata]
2. Hope [eschatology] (7b-8) [revelation - apokalypsis]
3. Fellowship [koinonia] (9)

3. Is grace earned or deserved (4, 7)? Is there any place for elitism or superiority?

4. How does grace [charis] enrich us (5)? How might this be ironic (1 Cor 3:18-20; 4:6-8, 10)?

5. What is "the revelation [apokalypsis] of Jesus Christ" (7) and "the day of our Lord Jesus Christ" (8)? How would this be a corrective for them / us / the church? How do you "live eschatologically" (2 Cor 4:7-12; Rom 8:18-22; 12:1-2)?

6. What is Paul's confidence in them based on (8-9a)?

7. What has God called us into (9b)? How did they fair (1 Cor 1:10; 3:1-4)?

• Count how many times "Jesus Christ" is repeated in the first 10 verses? What does this repetition show about Paul (1 Cor 1:17, 23-24; 2:2)? How should this apply to us (1 Cor 1:10, 13, 18)?

Reference: 

1. Richard B. Hays. First Corinthians. Interpretation. A Bible Commentary for Teaching and Preaching. 1997.
2. Richard B. Hays. The Moral Vision of the New Testament. Part One. Chapter 1. Paul: The Koinonia of His Sufferings. 1996.

Upcoming sermons:

1. Always Thank God (1:1-9) [1 Cor 1:4]. Cosmic Calling [1 Cor 1:2].
2. All Agree (1:10-17) [1 Cor 1:10]. Perfect Unity. No Divisions.
3. Foolish Cross (1:18-25) [1 Cor 1:18].
4. What You Were (1:26-31) [1:26]. No Boasting [1 Cor 1:31].
5. Christ Crucified (2:1-5) [1 Cor 2:2].
6. Mature Wisdom (2:6-16) [1 Cor 2:6].
7. Field Laborers (3:1-9) [1 Cor 3:5].
8. Construction Workers (3:10-15) [1 Cor 3:10-11].
9. God's Temple (3:16-22) [1 Cor 3:16].
10. True Self (4:1-5) [1 Cor 4:4].
11. Become Scum (4:6-13) [1 Cor 4:13].
12. Final Warning (4:14-21) [1 Cor 4:19].