In Week 5, we will spend time in Paul's letters to the church in Corinth.  We'll get through all of 1 Corinthians and get half-way through 2 Corinthians.  

In 1 Corinthians, Paul addresses divisions and issues in the Corinthian church. Key themes include unity in Christ, the power of the cross, and the proper use of spiritual gifts. Paul also teaches about Christian love, laying out the famous description in 1 Corinthians 13. He provides practical guidance on topics such as marriage, idolatry, and the Lord’s Supper, urging the church to be holy and to maintain order in worship.

In 2 Corinthians 1–7, Paul reflects on his personal suffering and how God’s comfort enables him to comfort others. He emphasizes the ministry of reconciliation, urging believers to be reconciled to God and one another. Paul defends his apostleship against critics, highlighting how his weaknesses display God’s power. Throughout these chapters, Paul speaks on forgiveness, godly sorrow, and living as ambassadors for Christ, while calling the church to pursue holiness and integrity.

These letters highlight themes of unity, love, reconciliation, and God's grace amidst trials.

Let's enter into our rhythm of LEARN, READ, INTERACT.

From How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens, Michael Williams makes these points about 1 Corinthians:

Phrase: Maturing
Theme: God gives guidance to the spiritually gifted by immature Corinthian church.
Christ-focus: Jesus shows us that Christian maturity is other-focused, not self-focused (Ephesians 4:11-13).
Implications: Let us grow in spiritual maturity by using our divinely bestowed gifts to build up the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 14:12).
Questions: Are you a mature Christian?  How do you measure maturity?

From How to Read the Bible through the Jesus Lens, Michael Williams makes these points about 2 Corinthians:

Phrase: Self-giving
Theme: God directs Paul to explain and vindicate his apostolic authority while encouraging the generosity of the Corinthian church.
Christ-focus: Jesus gave himself completely for the welfare of his people (2 Corinthians 8:9).
Implications: God will provide for our needs as we give ourselves to others (2 Corinthians 9:6-11).
Questions: Is it really better to give than to receive?  Is it possible for you to give any more than you have already received?

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