Lessons

The lesson on November 23, 2014 was part 9 of the “First Corinthians” study.  Chapter three opens up with Paul explaining how he cannot teach the meaty things of scripture (spiritual meat) because they are babes in Christ living on milk.  There was some divisions discussed and Paul was emphasizing they should not focus on creating divisions but be spiritual instead of carnal.  This was causing envying, stife and divisions.  The Greek word that gives us envying is the same word that is used for zealousy.  Zealousy can be good or bad.  Zeal has to be with knowledge.  The lesson showed how a certain Jew named Apollos had a zeal for Jesus teaching only the baptism of John in Acts 18:24-26 “24 And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. 25 This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. 26 And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.”  We learn how First Corinthians is clearly based in the context of the book of Acts.  The scripture reading was in 1 Corinthians 3:1-8 KJV

“1 And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. 2 I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. 3 For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? 4 For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? 5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? 6 I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. 7 So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. 8 Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.”