1 Corinthians 12:1-26: Fellowship

Notes

• Occasional letter from Paul to believers in the cosmopolitan Greek city of Corinth
• Sections address issues ("And now about...") 7:1, 8:1, 12:1 (11:2-34 is prologue), 15:1, 16:1.
  The section of chapter 12-14 is on spiritual gifts and their use in corporate worship.

Questions

What is the church? [extract from sermon by Dennis McCallum of Xenos Christian Fellowship]

1. v1-3:  If you are a Christian, whose influence are you under?
2. v4-6: Three things mentioned here, each showing diversity as well as common validity:.
   • Gifts. 
   • Services/Ministries
   • Working/Effects
3. v7-11: What are spiritual gifts?
   • Who gives them? Who determines who gets what? Who gets them? For what purpose?
4. v12-31.  What does Paul mean by "the body"?
   • v13. Who creates the body?  v26,27. Is this body a metaphor or something more?  On what basis are we placed ("baptized") into the body? 
5. Chapter 13 is an interlude on what "love" is like.
   How is this related to Paul's topic? (14:1-5 and continuing to v25)
6. 14:26-33 Why do we gather together as Christians?
   • Does how we conduct meetings match the purpose for meeting?
   • Who participates?  Who benefits?

In 14:39-40 Paul sums up the section on spiritual gifts and their use.

7. What is Paul encouraging, and why?  Why isn't he worried about the outcome?

Summary and Application

Are you committed to establishing loving (=serving) relationships with other believers?

What personal, practical steps can you take to help fulfill God's purposes when you gather together with other believers?

If you aren't a believer, consider becoming part of the community of followers of Jesus.  You do that simply by trusting that Jesus' death has paid for all your wrongdoing and made peace between you with God, and deciding to follow him.