For by grace you are saved through faith, and 4EXPLORE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>THE>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>BIBLE$ this is not from yourselves; it is God s gift QUICKsOURCE LEADER not from works, summer so 2010 that 1, 2 no Corinthians one can boast. What s a New Testament Church Like?
PARABLE OBJECTS FOR THIS QUARTER AT A GLANCE June 6 Map of the United States June 13 Campaign Sign June 20 Salt/Pepper Shakers June 27 Daily Planner July 4 Speed Limit Sign July 11 Gift Wrap Paper July 18 Piggy Bank July 25 Packet of Seeds* August 1 Magnifying Glass August 8 Yellow Rose August 15 Bottle of Glue August 22 Cell Phone August 29 Tool Belt * The Parable Plan for this lesson requires advanaced preparation. Check it out early. FEATURES 2 How to Become a Christian 3 How to Use QuickSource 5 Reflections 43 Summertime... 44 Discovery is the Key 61 Expanded Key Words 63 MAP 64 Teachers Who Impact Lives 66 Writers 66 Coming Next Quarter JUNE JULY AUGUST Study Theme: Members Might Have Wrong Ideas 6 Four Ways to Promote Church Unity 1 Corinthians 1:1 3:23 7 13 Three Ideas for Encouraging Church Leaders 1 Corinthians 4:1 21 11 20 Four Reasons to Practice Christian Morality 1 Corinthians 5:1 6:20 15 Study Theme: Believers Might Have Questions 27 What Should I Do? 1 Corinthians 7:1 40 19 4 What Can I Do? 1 Corinthians 8:1 11:34 23 11 What Spiritual Gifts Can I Use? 1 Corinthians 12:1 31; 14:1 40 27 18 How Can I Express Love? 1 Corinthians 13:1 13 31 25 Can I Believe in Resurrection? (evangelistic lesson) 1 Corinthians 15:1 16:24 35 Study Theme: Christians Might Have Flawed Relationships 1 Relationships: The Integrity Factor 2 Corinthians 1:1 2:17 39 8 Relationships: The Faithfulness Factor 2 Corinthians 3:1 5:10 45 15 Relationships: The Reconciliation Factor 2 Corinthians 5:11 7:4 49 22 Relationships: The Long-Distance Factor 2 Corinthians 7:5 9:15 53 29 Relationships: The Improvement Factor 2 Corinthians 10:1 13:13 57 4 / QuickSource
Explore The Bible: QuickSource The Ease and Effectiveness with Which Jesus Taught Volume 5, No. 4 Summer 2010 PRODUCTION AND MINISTRY TEAM brenda harris Content Editor Paul Robertson Graphic Designer wanda king Production Editor alan raughton Lead Adult Ministry Specialist david apple Adult Ministry Specialist Dwayne McCrary Editorial Project Leader MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL BRET ROBBE Director, Leadership and Adult Publishing Ron Brown, Ron keck Managing Directors, Leadership and Adult Publishing DAVID FRANCIS Director, Sunday School BILL CRAIG Director, Leadership and Adult Ministry GARY H. HAUK Director, Publishing LifeWay Church Resources Send questions/comments to Editor, ETB QuickSource One LifeWay Plaza Nashville, TN 37234-0175 Or make comments on the Web at www.lifeway.com Printed in the United States of America EXPLORE THE BIBLE: QuickSource (ISSN 1547-1764) is published quarterly by LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234, Thom S. Rainer, President, 2010 LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. For ordering or inquiries VISIT www.lifeway.com, or WRITE LifeWay Church Resources Customer Service, One LifeWay Plaza, Nashville, TN 37234-0113. For subscriptions or subscription address changes E-MAIL subscribe@lifeway.com, FAX 615.251.5818, or WRITE to the above address. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, E-MAIL orderentry@lifeway.com, FAX 615.251.5933 or WRITE to the above address. Reflections When QuickSource was created six years ago, I was honored to be one of the original writers. I can t tell you how excited I am now to be the content editor of this great resource for teachers! Delving into God s Word can be overwhelming and amazing; daunting and refreshing. Guiding Bible study for adults provides you with the unique opportunity to impact the learning of your class members while whetting their appetite to all that is contained in the Bible. You have the distinct privilege of leading adults to incorporate God s teachings into their everyday lives. QuickSource can help you do that. Each week, we will provide ideas, information, and imagination that can spark your creativity as a leader. Whether you teach newlyweds, senior saints, new believers, single parents, baby boomers, or a combination of all these, we want to help you lead a sound, challenging, and life-altering Bible study experience for your adults. We are working to improve QuickSource each quarter and we need your input as well. Let us know how you use QuickSource in your preparation and presentation of the Bible study each week. Share your ideas and suggestions with us too. You can contact me personally at brenda.harris@lifeway.com or you can join an online conversation with other Explore the Bible leaders at www.lifeway.com/ nextra. Either way I want to hear what you have to say. My prayer is that God will use you this quarter as you guide your class through the study of 1 and 2 Corinthians and that He will teach you as you teach others. Blessings! We believe the Bible has God for its author; salvation for its end; and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter and that all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. The 2000 statement of The Baptist Faith and Message is our doctrinal guideline. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian Standard Bible Copyright 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Holman Christian Standard Bible, Holman CSB, and HCSB are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers. Suggestions for pronouncing Bible names are from That s Easy for You to Say: Your Quick Guide to Pronouncing Bible Names, by W. Murray Severance, copyright 1997 by Broadman & Holman Publishers. Used by permission. P.S. The Parable Plan for July 25 requires advanced preparation. Check out page 36. The Ease and Effectiveness with Which Jesus Taught CEV Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version Copyright 1991, 1992, 1995 by American Bible Society. Used by permission. KJV King James Version. Message The Message by Eugene H. Peterson, copyright 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group. All rights reserved. Photos by Jupiter Unlimited: QuickSource / 5
" " " FIND KEY WORDS IN YOUR OWN BIBLE; THEN USE AS YOU T EACH ONE OF TWO PLANS Four Ways to Promote Church Unity LESSON PASSAGE: 1 Corinthians 1:10,21-31; 3:9-10,16-17 LIFE IMPACT: To help adults promote unity in their churches 1 Corinthians 1:10 10 Now I urge you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all say the same thing, that there be no a divisions among you, and that you be b united with the same understanding and the same conviction. 1 Corinthians 1:21-25 21 For since, in o God s wisdom, the world did not know God through wisdom, God was pleased to save those who believe through the c foolishness of the message preached. 22 For the o Jews ask for signs and the o Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a d stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the o Gentiles. 24 Yet to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is God s power and God s wisdom, 25 because God s foolishness is wiser than o human wisdom, and God s weakness is stronger than human strength. 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 26 Brothers, consider your calling: not many are wise from a human perspective, not many powerful, not many of noble birth. 27 Instead, God has chosen the world s foolish things to shame the wise, and God has chosen the world s weak things to shame the strong. 28 God has chosen the world s e insignificant and f despised things the things viewed as nothing so He might bring to nothing the things that are viewed as something, 29 so that no one can boast in His presence. 30 But from Him you are o in Christ Jesus, who for us became wisdom from God, as well as g righteousness, h sanctification, and i redemption, 31 in order that, as it is written: The one who boasts must boast in the Lord. 1 Corinthians 3:9-10,16-17 9 For we are j God s co-workers. You are k God s field, l God s building. 10 According to God s grace that was given to me, as a skilled master builder I have laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But each one must be careful how he builds on it.................................................. 16 Don t you know that you are m God s sanctuary and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 17 If anyone ruins God s sanctuary, God will ruin him; for God s sanctuary is holy, and that is what you are. Exploring Key Words o or + = details on pages 61-62 a separation by difference of opinion or feeling; disagreement; dissension b Literally, to be fitted together well c what appeared to be absurdity and nonsense to unbelievers d Literally, scandal. The Jews were offended by the idea of a Messiah who would be crucified. e a reference to someone who was low born, lacking noble heritage f someone the world considered contemptible g credited to those who exercise faith in God through Christ h process of being made holy resulting in a changed lifestyle for the believer i the price paid in order to secure the release of something or someone j labourers together with God (KJV) k a metaphor describing God s working in the church as a farmer might till a field l a metaphor likening the church to a house built by God m A temple; the dwelling place of God. The emphasis is on God s ownership. FOR MORE DETAILED COMMENTARY, SEE YOUR JUNE 6 LEADER GUIDE, ADULT COMMENTARY, or LEARNER GUIDE / 7 June 6, 2010
THIS IS A COMPLETE PLAN LINKING SPIRITUAL TRUTH TO WHAT YOU ALREADY UNDERSTAND Parable Plan Four Ways to Promote Church Unity June 6, 2010 LESSON PASSAGE: 1 Corinthians 1:10,21-31; 3:9-10,16-17 LIFE IMPACT: To help adults promote unity in their churches Parable object: MAP OF THE UNITED STATES Intro: Direct teams of learners to list as many of the 50 states as they can in two minutes. Display a MAP of the United States. As teams share their lists, invite a volunteer to place a check mark on the MAP of each state named. Say: While individual states are independent, together they form one nation. Likewise, the church of God consists of autonomous congregations of believers, each of which is made up of many members. Discuss characteristics of a unified church. Ask: Do you consider our church a unified front for Christ? Why or why not? 1Refer to the MAP and share how the United States was formed (sovereign colonies uniting for the common purpose of freedom). Read aloud 1 Corinthians 1:10 and ask members to identify the most obvious problem of the Corinthian church (divisions among members). Ask: What was and is the common purpose of the church? Guide class members to underline the expressions of agreement noted in this verse: agree with one another, no divisions, be united in understanding and conviction. Ask: Is it possible for everyone to agree on everything? What are examples of divisions in today s church? Is being perfectly united in mind and thought too lofty a goal for churches? Say: We promote unity by focusing on areas where we re in agreement, not on areas where we disagree. Ask: In what ways might we be tempted to undermine unity in the church? How can we promote unity? 2 Ask: What events have caused division within the United States? Which ones have brought the country together? Direct members to count the times wisdom is used in 1 Corinthians 1:21-25. The Jews sought signs while the Gentiles looked for wisdom, both representing human achievement, effort, and opinion. Say: When believers focus on the truth of the Gospel, they tend to rely less on their own wisdom, strength, and opinions. Plus they are less likely to form factions. Ask a learner to paraphrase verse 25. Say: Our best is simply inadequate. Truth should draw us closer to God. Ask: In what ways does the truth of the gospel promote church unity? 3 Enlist a learner to draw lines on the MAP to represent various regions of the United States. Discuss regional perception and bias based on where people are from. Ask: What biases do we have of people in the church? Read 1 Corinthians 1:26-31. Discuss how Paul pointed out to the Corinthians that it was not about them. He reminded them of what they were and were not, why God called them, and all they had in Christ. Ask: How do you look down on others? How does this affect you, them, and unity? What might happen if you focus exclusively on God s work in your life and not on your status in the world? 4 Discuss examples of Americans working together to make our nation what it is today. Ask learners to read 1 Corinthians 3:9-10,16-17 and circle words describing believers. Ask: How do you feel about these definitions? How do these descriptions challenge you? What steps will you take to continue to build on the foundation of Christ? Challenge: Jesus used everyday objects and experiences to link truth to life. Next time you see a MAP of the United States, be reminded of the strength of our nation when we work together for a common purpose. Commit to work for unity within your church. 8 / FOR MORE TEACHING HELPS, SEE YOUR JUNE 6 LEADER GUIDE/LEADER PACK
" THIS IS A COMPLETE PLAN LINKING SPIRITUAL TRUTH TO WHAT YOU ALREADY UNDERSTAND Four Ways to Promote Church Unity June 6, 2010 LESSON PASSAGE: 1 Corinthians 1:10,21-31; 3:9-10,16-17 LIFE IMPACT: To help adults promote unity in their churches Discussion Plan Introduction: How do people know that you are a follower of Jesus? Giving money? Going to church? Doing good works? While these activities are good, Jesus said that the world will know we are His disciples by our love for one another. One way we express our love is by promoting unity in the church. Does unity suggest conformity? Understand that unity does not mean uniformity. Healthy churches find a way to bring diverse people into harmony. This lesson will help you identify and apply four principles of church unity. 1 Corinthians 1:10 Focus on Members Agreement 1. Notice Paul s salutation. How did he address the Christians at Corinth? On what basis did Paul appeal for harmony? Paul did not talk down to the Corinthians, but entreated them as brothers in God s family. The word translated urge literally means to call alongside. When seeking agreement, we call fellow believers to come alongside one another. We cannot order people around, depending on positional power, and expect unity. Even Paul appealed for unity not on his authority but based on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. " " 2. What did Paul believe to be three steps for eliminating divisions from the body? Paul wanted the Corinthian believers to be united in their speech, their understanding, and their convictions. Harmonious speech not only involves what people say, but how they say it. People cannot have a united voice if their minds are divided between various interests. By sharing convictions, believers cement their commitment to the Lord and to one another. 1 Corinthians 1:21-25 Focus on the Gospel s Truth 3. How would you compare God s wisdom and human wisdom? How do people gain access to God s wisdom? God s wisdom is superior to human wisdom in its source (Christ), its manner (belief in Christ), and its object (Christ crucified). Since Christ is God s power and wisdom, the only way to gain God s wisdom is to believe in and accept Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. 4. What ironic paradox did Paul identify regarding the truth of the gospel? Point out that while the Greeks prized wisdom, God insured that they could not know Him or His wisdom through human means. The message preached (Christ crucified) is foolishness and a stumbling block to the lost, but it remains God s means to faith, the only path to true wisdom. Compare the different reactions of the Greeks and the Jews, both of whom rejected the idea of a crucified Savior. The former mocked the message of the cross; the latter felt scandalized by it. Only by focusing on the truth of the gospel message can believers find true agreement. FOR MORE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS, SEE YOUR JUNE 6 DISCOVERY STUDY GUIDE / 9
PAGE 2 OF DISCUSSION PLAN 4Bonus for 1 Corinthians 1:21-25 Preaching is under attack in many places. Invite learners to describe attitudes toward preaching that they have encountered. Discuss whether unbelievers consider preaching or the message of the preacher (or both) to be foolishness. Ask members to share testimonies of the influence of gospel preaching in their own spiritual journey. 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 Focus on God s Work 5. Since conceit often breeds divisions, how does human pride fare when compared with God s choices? Calll attention to the kind of people the world values: wise, powerful, noble, strong. Point out that Paul said not many wise, powerful, or noble are chosen. He did not preclude God using such people, but he emphasized that which brought glory to God. Compare these characteristics with the types of people God chooses for His work: foolish, weak, insignificant, despised. Why would God select people whom the world considers insignificant? 6. How do God s choices condemn human pride and promote unity? Because anything significant is the result of God s work in Christ Jesus rather than man s efforts, no one can boast except in the Lord. Because everything is of the Lord, we can focus on His work in unity and glorify Him in humility. 1 Corinthians 3:9-10,16-17 Focus On the Church s Best 7. Paul switches from we to you. To whom does he refer in each case? Considering the previous verses, Paul likely included himself and Apollos as God s co-workers although the Corinthian Christians also were co-workers with God and with Paul and Apollos. When Paul wrote you, he addressed the church, the body of believers. 8. How does Paul describe the Corinthian church? Why is a proper understanding of the church critical to its unity? The church is God s field, God s building, and God s sanctuary. It is a place that God cultivates, a house that God constructs, and a temple that God consecrates. Focusing on God s best recognizes God s work within His church and turns believers attention from the inferior claims of the world to a superior commitment in Christ. Because God s church is holy, believers set aside sinful divisiveness and commit themselves to building on its divine foundation. 4Bonus for 1 Corinthians 3:9-10,16-17 Using either an actual hoe and trowel or pictures of these tools, lead learners to discuss how God prepared their hearts as one might till a field to receive the seed of His Word. Use the trowel to help members focus on ways God continues to build them personally and the church collectively. Share stories from the church s history that illustrate how God laid the foundation for the church in its beginning and how God has raised up the church through various stages, both spiritually and physically. Application: Unity does not just happen; it is the result of determined action by God s people. When the church commits to carrying out biblical priorities, believers set aside personal agendas and converge on God s goals. Encourage members to glorify God through harmony based on His Word and His work. 10 / FOR MORE DISCUSSION QUESTIONS, SEE YOUR JUNE 6 DISCOVERY STUDY GUIDE