Hurt in the Church
Teaching Pastor; Staff Governing Elder; Staff Director
In this deeply personal passage, we see Paul defending himself to the Corinthian church. As many have turned aside to false teachers, Paul reminds them that he has chosen a clear and simple ministry so they can see God’s power through his weakness. He further encourages them to heed the Holy Spirit as affirmation of their position in Christ.
Study Questions
In this deeply personal passage, we see Paul defending himself to the Corinthian church. As many have turned aside to false teachers, Paul reminds them that he has chosen a clear and simple ministry so they can see God’s power through his weakness. He further encourages them to heed the Holy Spirit as affirmation of their position in Christ.Application
Real ministry is difficult work. Can you think of a time when you encountered rejection while serving someone for Christ? How did it affect you?
Our culture is full of false teachers (spiritual, political, cultural, etc). Can you identify a false teacher who has swayed you in the past?
Consider the role of the Holy Spirit in your life. How have you experienced stability from the Holy Spirit during a difficult time?
What cultural or spiritual voices do you tend to fill your mind with? In what ways could any of those voices be distorting the truth? How can you lean into God’s Word and community for clarity?
Key Points
In an effort to reach out to the believers at Corinth, Paul explains that he has chosen a simple, honest form of ministry to them so that they may grow in their faith in God.
False teachers have swayed the church with flash and power. We must likewise be wary of voices in our culture that promise the benefits of Christianity without suffering.
Paul also explains that he is choosing the Corinthians in the same way God has chosen us as believers. By declaring the ultimate “yes” in Jesus, God fulfilled his promise to us at great cost.
The instability of our circumstances exposes who we really are—where we find comfort and where our treasure is.
Like the church at Corinth, we need to be careful whom we listen to and how much we listen to. We must turn to God’s Word and biblical community to find truth.
We are inclined to trust our own ability to discern truth. Ultimately, we must be willing to trust God more than easy or clever answers.