THE GRACE AWAKENING I Corinthians 1:1-9
Sermon Study Guide for January 16, 2011 In his book, Capital of the World, Ernest Hemingway wrote about a father in Spain who had a son named Paco. Because of his son’s rebellion, Paco and his father were estranged. The father was bitter and angry with his son, and kicked him out of the home. After years of bitterness, the father’s anger ended and he realized his mistake. He began to look for Paco, with no results. Finally, in desperation, the father placed an ad in the Madrid newspaper. The ad read: “PACO, ALL IS FORGIVEN. MEET ME AT THE NEWSPAPER OFFICE AT 9AM TOMORROW. LOVE, YOUR FATHER.” Paco is a rather common name in Spain, and Hemingway wrote when the father arrived the next morning, there were 600 young men–all named Paco–waiting and hoping to receive the forgiveness of their fathers.
Paul begins a series of letters to the Christians in Corinth with a tone of grace. He has some very hard things to say to them about their behavior and their errors, but he begins by citing the “grace” that has come to them in Christ Jesus. 1. Read about Paul’s mission to Corinth in Acts 18. Note verse 9. It seems that God had “gone before” Paul and some in Corinth were already believers. Why was Paul nervous about the project in Corinth? What kind of comfort would that have given Paul? 2. Notice how many times Paul refers to Jesus Christ in these first nine verses. Why is this? (Read about Paul’s conversion in Acts 9.) 3. Paul says that they were enriched in all “speech and knowledge”. And yet, this was their downfall, too. Read the famous chapter 13 and see Paul’s reference to speech and knowledge. What is most important in Christian life? 4. Read Luke 7:36-50 and the story in the left margin. What lessons about forgiveness should we take from these? When have you totally forgiven someone for a personal pain/sin? How were you able to do it? 5. “Grace” is the subject of the long sentence of verses 4-8. Grace is called “unmerited favor” or “God’s all-sufficient love”. What did grace actually “do” or “give” the Christians in Corinth? Refer specifically to verses 4-8. 6. How have you been changed because of the grace of God? What specifically has happened to you since you became serious about your Christian faith? 7. Read verses 4-8 with the Texan use of “y’all”. How does this change the meaning of the passage, and what lessons are there for us at Christ Church?