Bible Passage and Questions .

Michael Collum

Inactive
Bible Passage and Questions .

1 Corinthians 4:7-16

7For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

8Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have become kings—and that without us! How I wish that you really had become kings so that we might be kings with you! 9For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men. 10We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! 11To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. 12We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.

14I am not writing this to shame you, but to warn you, as my dear children. 15Even though you have ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. 16Therefore I urge you to imitate me.
1) What happened to those apostles?

and

2) What happened to those living like kings?

and

3) Who do you suppose .. ended up taking control of the church?

and

4) What does this passage say to us today?

and

5) How does this passage make you feel? be honest .. why?

and

6) Who is your role model in this passage? the apostles or the people the letter is addressed to? Be honest .. why have you made this decision? how has this decision affected your spiritual life and intimacy with God?

and

7) Will have reading this passage change anything about how you live your life now? if no, why not? if yes, how so?
 
It probably started out innocently enough.

We got all these Greeks who know nothing of the Jewish heritage, let's have a little passion play using the symbols of the temple to teach them what it's all about.
Had such a crowd on Saturday we had to do an encore on Sunday...
Adding the bald guy choir really cheered the crowds and added to the ambiance...
It sure draws the crowds, soon we'll be leading the masses into the church... ;-)

Of course we do the same thing.
They won't come for a passion play, let's offer superbowl on a bigscreen...
 
Thank you Bob for your colourful response to questions 3,4,&5 with 1&2 as rhetorical .

i guess what strikes me most about this passage is .. "we have become the refuse of the world" and "therefore i urge you to imitate me" .. so when it seems like i'm getting the short end of the stick for living in the calling God has given me . it's actually a blessing? i've had some trouble over that in the past . but i guess passages like this help me become more okay with it .. there are pioneers and there are settlers .. and that's just the way it is .
 
Thank you Bob for your colourful response to questions 3,4,&5 with 1&2 as rhetorical .

i guess what strikes me most about this passage is .. "we have become the refuse of the world" and "therefore i urge you to imitate me" .. so when it seems like i'm getting the short end of the stick for living in the calling God has given me . it's actually a blessing? i've had some trouble over that in the past . but i guess passages like this help me become more okay with it .. there are pioneers and there are settlers .. and that's just the way it is .

It is difficult to answer that type of question without pointing fingers. So I would hope that in answering that way, it does not sound accusatory, though it is probably more so.

There are all the appearances that the physical church was very quickly overrun by Judaisers and they had "lost their first love" as affection turned toward Mary. A new cycle of recapitulation had begun with a Fall.

The problem with settlers is too often they will settle for anything. The struggle is not between good and evil, but God and Mammon. Mammon exalts the flesh to where it is difficult to live by "every word". We try to convince ourselves that God's work needs Mammon so that a bit more might pass through our hands. But He created the universe without it, and He is rich.

In periods when we don't have insurance we are reminded that God is our provider and shield. We learn not to worry knowing that he cares for the birds. Many when they get raptured will go feet first, since they are clinging to the things of this world.
 
Back
Top