1 Corinthians Week 29

Day 1 

RECEIVE 

1 Corinthians 12:29-31 

²⁹ Are we all apostles? Are we all prophets? Are we all teachers? Do we all have the power to do miracles?  ³⁰ Do we all have the gift of healing? Do we all have the ability to speak in unknown languages? Do we all have the ability to interpret unknown languages? Of course not! ³¹ So you should earnestly desire the most helpful gifts. But now let me show you a way of life that is best of all. 

Apparently some of the Corinthians thought everyone should have the same spiritual gift they had. The apostle Paul shows that was not what God intended. Paul told them to desire the most “helpful gifts.” Some were more concerned about focusing on themselves rather than focusing on what could be for the greater good of those in their fellowship. Then he promised to tell them about the best way of life. 

REFLECT 

How is it in your fellowship group? Are some more concerned about boasting of the spiritual gift they have rather than being concerned about helping the group? 

RESPOND 

With a friend read 1 Peter 4:11 about the gift of helping others. Most do not boast about having this gift; they just go on their way helping others and using their gift.  

Day 2 

RECEIVE 

1 Corinthians 13:1 

¹ If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 

Receive these words from the apostle Paul about how important love is no matter what spiritual gift you have. 1 Corinthians 13 is considered the great love chapter in the Bible. If you don’t have love for others it does not matter what gift you are exercising. 

REFLECT 

This verse needs to sink into the hearts of all believers in Jesus. Has it sunk into yours? 

RESPOND 

Join with a friend in reading what Jesus said were the two greatest commandments. Jesus was asked by an expert in the Old Testament law trying to trap Him about the greatest commandment, His answer is recorded in Matthew 22:37-40. This coincides with what 1 Corinthians 13:1 is saying.  

Day 3 

RECEIVE 

1 Corinthians 13:2-3 

² If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. ³ If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it; but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. 

Paul continued mentioning various gifts to show their little value if not accompanied with love. Without love for others the believer  “would be nothing” and “would have gained nothing.” One wonders what the Corinthian believers thought as they read this verse in Paul’s letter. 

REFLECT 

Think of these verses as showing believers would go from being a hero to a zero if they don’t exercise love. 

RESPOND 

Talk with a friend about this passage. It reveals believers without love for others amount to nothing and gain nothing no matter what spiritual gift they exercise. Talk about how this applies to both of you. 

Day 4 

RECEIVE 

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 

⁴ Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud ⁵ or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. ⁶ It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. ⁷ Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. 

Paul gave the characteristics of love. These relate to some of the problems the Corinthian church was experiencing. This passage is useful for all believers to think about. It can be a measuring stick to help one know whether he or she has expressed love in the biblical way. 

REFLECT 

Think of your life in the last couple of weeks. Were these characteristics of love seen in your life? 

RESPOND 

Visit with a friend about the various relationships you have. Talk about how you could do better in expressing these characteristics of love. Read Galatians 5:22-23 to see the fruit of the Spirit. Are these fruit seen in your lives? 

Day 5 

RECEIVE 

1 Corinthians 13:8-10 

⁸ Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! ⁹ Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! ¹⁰ But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless. 

Paul mentioned the gifts that were useful for time but would not be needed in eternity. Love will last forever because God is love (see 1 John 4:16). Time on earth is like a time of immaturity as information is gained but when maturity (perfection) comes what helped in immaturity will no longer be needed. 

REFLECT 

When the Scriptures were completed believers have the full revelation of God. 

RESPOND  

With a friend read Hebrews 2:3-4. It is considered that Hebrews was written shortly before the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70. Notice that the confirming of God’s message is spoken of in the past tense. This indicates the signs wonders and miracles were not going on by that time.