The Cross’ Message About Worship
1 Cor.14:22-40
Deep Dive Commentary: Women in Worship (1 Cor 14:34-35)
Break Bread
Enjoy the company of each other. Eat together with gratitude. If possible and/or if no food, take communion together. Ask highs and lows of the week.
Worship (Worship through Thanksgiving)
Transition to a space friendly for deep engagement.
We are going to start a time of worship. Psalm 100 says to enter his courts with Thanksgiving. Let's host God's presence by starting our time by saying short prayers of Thanksgiving together, one at a time. It it can be as simple as thank you for food. let the spirit guide your mind and heart in the practice of Thanksgiving. I will start and then we can go around
Thank you Jesus for today
Thank you for this house we can meet at …and on
End the time with “Amen”
Have One Person Read this Background Aloud
What we have learned in the previous week informs us that there will be topics and issues about which Christians disagree (e.g., meat sacrificed to idols). Paul urges us to focus primarily upon the things about which we all agree––the broad consensus throughout Christian faith upon which all groups of Christians generally agree. These are the places in the Bible that things are discussed very clearly and regularly. However, not every topic is discussed as regularly or in a manner that is perfectly clear to everyone. And the areas in which there is controversy and division among Christians––unsurprisingly––are the areas where the Bible doesn’t say as much or doesn’t speak comprehensively about the subject. Two examples are in this chapter: spiritual gifts and the roles of men and women in the church. We have certain texts, not many of them, and the ones we have are disputable for a variety of reasons (cultural, linguistic, inter-textual, historical, etc.). These topics are not central to the Gospel message, but they are central to the cross’ message about worship, about how we live the message of the cross amongst one another.
As in the previous lesson, Week 4, we have freedom in Christ to abide by our conscience when it comes to walking out our faith with Jesus, so long as we’re willing to (a) be wrong, (b) consider first the people with whom we disagree, and (c) never coerce or compel another brother or sister to abide by our conscience rather than their own. So long as we abide by Paul’s instructions regarding Christian freedom, we can present disagreements and arguments to one another with gentleness, respect, and thoughtful consideration. The need for this manner of engagement will surface in any grouping of different people, and because the Gospel is delivered for all we will meet these challenges in our gatherings and worship. The positions we at Frontier hold are discussed below, but it is vital that we learn to hold these with open hands. Our mission, the message of the cross about our worship, is more about how we faithfully and lovingly engage one another than the particular positions and views we may hold at a given time.
[Prayer]
Reading
Go in a circle and read the passage taking it a few verses at a time
1 Cor.14:22-40
Afterwards, leave 30-60 seconds for silent reflection on the reading
Do this Practice Tonight
Go around and try to summarize what is going on in the passage.
Discuss any of the Following Questions (or add your own!)
What word or phrase or idea in the passage caught your attention?
1 Corinthians 14 sees the place of worship as a vibrant place where gifts, teaching, and supernatural all come together. What’s at risk when this happens? What should our emphasis be in our worship times? Where have you seen this done well or poorly?
In what ways do you feel that you are not participating or giving into in the fullness of what the church’s worship gathering should be?
Paul sees gifts e.g. prophecy, tongues, etc as powerful but potentially harmful things. What guidance does he give that informs how you should use your own spiritual gifts?
What is God saying to us through this passage?
Is there an action I feel called to take this week?
Suggestions for Practices for the Week
Journal at the start of the day with the prompts:
“How has the sacrament and habit of worship service shaped my life?”
“In what ways do I need to see the worship service in greater fullness?”
“In what ways is there a gift
Leaving Together
Say goodbye Stand at the door with a blessing and a hug