1. Rate your level of experience with gardening or construction, both of which are referred to metaphorically in this week’s lesson.
Ask two people to read aloud 1 Corinthians 3:5-15; 4:1-5, one after the other, preferably from different Bible versions. Then ask a third person to briefly summarize the passages.
2. Paul and Apollos both played key roles in the early church at Corinth. There is no evidence they clashed with one another or did not work well together. How then is it possible a schism developed among people of the church who had been taught by these men?
3. Paul described himself and Apollos as “servants, through whom you came to believe” (v. 5). Did you ever consider that the leaders in your church are merely servants?
• How might this cause you to treat your church leaders better?
• How might this cause some misguided church folks to treat their leaders poorly?
4. If your church leaders are servants, then so are you. In what ways do you seek to carry out your role as a servant in the church?
5. Mark Scott writes in his lesson treatment, “The church is God’s field, and God is the real gardener.” In what specific ways are you helping to “water” God’s field?
6. Paul metaphorically refers to building materials such as “gold, silver, [and] costly stones” used to build God’s church. He says these materials ultimately will be tested with fire. Share some examples of what Paul perhaps means when he says “gold, silver, [and] costly stones.”
• Likewise, Paul mentions building materials such as “wood, hay or straw” that are used to build the church. Share some examples of what Paul might mean when he refers to these less substantial building materials.
7. In 1 Corinthians 4:3-4, Paul writes, “I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court . . . [m]y conscience is clear.”
• How was Paul able to have a clear conscience about how he was living his life?
• What steps can you take toward living life with a clearer conscience?
8. In his Application column this week, David Faust writes of “lowercase leaders” who quietly and faithfully do God’s work with little or no attention. Share an example of such a person from your life or experience.
9. Based on our study and discussion, complete the sentence: “I will . . .”
For Next Week: Read and reflect on 1 Corinthians 8:9-13; 9:19-23; 10:23-33. You can also read next week’s supplemental texts and the Study and Application sections as part of your personal study.
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