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SD February 7.Maturing

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SD February 7.Maturing Maturing 1 Corinthians 3:1‐23 Life Change Objecve: That we would be disciplemakers. Theme With each of these young men, the Apostle Paul took a developmental interest. One moves from glory to glory, while the other overcomes some ugly failures.. Reconnecng to the Sermon In reflecng back over the sermon, which parcular point or passage of Scripture most challenged, confused or caught your aenon? Opening Quesons • What does “mature” or “maturing” mean to you? Who in your life strikes you as mature? Is it an overall state or can one be mature in some areas and immature in others? • What do you think of when you hear the phrase “maturing Chrisan”? What about “mature Chrisan”? • What prevents maturity? In general life? In spirituality? Observe: What do you see? • Read 1 Corinthians 3:1‐23 o What does the group know about Corinth or the Corinthians that may give us context? • What is notable in this secon of text? o What are the imagery words and the comparisons in v1‐2? o What is keeping the Corinthians as “infants in the flesh” in v3? o What type of behavior does Paul call this in v.4? o In v5‐9, Paul lays out the players – what types of metaphor/analogy does he use? o In v10‐15, Paul shis to what the believer does aer “the foundaon is laid”. What is the metaphor/analogy here? o In v16‐17, Paul uses a third metaphor/analogy and describes believers as? o Paul follows this up with a warning in v18. What is his warning? o What does it look like when people ignore this warning in v19‐20? o How does Paul conclude ch3 in v21‐23? o What is the tone of this secon of text? Interpret: What does it mean? • Does Paul believe the Corinthians to be mature? Does he believe them to have what they need to be mature? Discuss why the maturity has not happened and how it could happen? • In all of Paul’s metaphor/analogies, he has several roles – for example: planter, waterer, grower. Discuss the importance of these roles and where “growth” ulmately comes from? • Why is God’s kingdom beer served when Chrisans are more mature? • A sure sign of a maturing Chrisan is the love for biblical truth. Discuss how Paul guides Timothy in this regard by reviewing 1 Tim 4:6 and 2 Tim 4:3‐4. • It is clear from Col. 4:10‐11, Philemon 24 and 2 Tim 4:9‐13 that Mark reestablished his friendships. How did the church benefit from this mature acon? “Use your virtue to minister to others...teach them to hate the sin without hating the sinner...to minister to and strengthen us weaker vessels...to fulfill the mandate to make disciples and feed sheep.” - Kevin McDowell, Samson of Man Applicaon: How can I put this knowledge to use? • Do you consider yourself an “infant in the flesh”? Why or why not? What is keeping you there? • How does understanding that “God is the grower” change how you view your growth? • Is there someone in your life that you could you be the planter for? The waterer? • Jesus teaches mature friendship requires sacrifice. See John 15:12‐17. How does this impact the way you live your life? • Read 2 Timothy 2:1‐2. Are you growing in the grace of God? Are you allowing God to reproduce His work through you into others? What are barriers to you invesng your life into others for the kingdom? Appendices TIMOTHY (Gk. Timotheos “honoring God”). One of Paul’s most signiicant traveling companions and coworkers. Timothy was already a Christian (probably converted during the apostle’s irst missionary journey) when Paul and Silas passed through Lystra, Timothy’s home, during the second missionary journey (Acts 16:1; cf. 14:6–8, 21). Timothy’s mother was Jewish but “a believer,” and his father, probably deceased, a Gentile. Timothy had not been circumcised, but had received some training in the Jewish scriptures (2 Tim. 3:15). Wanting Timothy to join him and Silas, Paul circumcised the young disciple so that traveling with the son of a marriage regarded as illegal according to Jewish law would not be such an immediate hindrance to work among Jews (Acts 16:2–3). Forced to leave Macedonia for Athens, Paul left Timothy and Silas behind in Macedonia (17:1–15). When Timothy joined Paul at Athens, the apostle sent him back northward to Thessalonica (1 Thess. 3:1–2). When they were rejoined at Corinth, Timothy again worked alongside Paul (Acts 18:5; 2 Cor. 1:19). His name occurs with Paul’s in the letters to Thessalonica written from Corinth (1 Thess. 1:1; 3:6;2 Thess. 1:1). Again on his third missionary journey, Paul sometimes had Timothy with him as an assistant and sometimes sent him to some location where help was needed but where the apostle could not himself be present (Acts 19:22; 1 Cor. 4:17; 16:10; 2 Cor. 1:1). When Paul was in Corinth on the eve of his journey to Jerusalem, and at least during part of that journey, Timothy was with Paul (Acts 20:4; Rom. 16:21). Later Timothy worked at Ephesus (1 Tim. 1:3), perhaps going there while Paul went on to Jerusalem. If Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon were written from Rome, then Timothy was there with Paul at least for a short time (Phil. 1:1; 2:19; Col. 1:1; Phlm. 1). Toward the end of Paul’s life, Timothy proved to be an especially signiicant helper whose faithful service was remembered by the apostle, as 2 Timothy bears witness (cf. 1 Cor. 4:17; Phil. 2:22). Paul indeed wanted Timothy to be with him (2 Tim. 4:9, 21). It appears that alongside his faithfulness was a timidity on Timothy’s part, which Paul considered a dificulty, and problems with physical health as well (1 Tim. 4:12; 2 Tim. 1:7; 4:1–5). At some time during his career as a Christian worker Timothy was imprisoned (Heb. 13:23). ‐ Myers, A. C. (1987). The Eerdmans Bible dictionary (1006). MARK, JOHN The son of Mary of Jerusalem (Acts 12:12); a companion of the apostles Paul and Peter, believed to be the author of the gospel of Mark. The family of John Mark was apparently of some importance to the early Church in Jerusalem since Peter, after his miraculous escape from jail, went to the house of Mark’s mother, where he knew that many Christians would be gathered to pray (Acts 12:12). This house was a center for Christian gathering; that it also contained the upper room, the setting for the institution of the Lord’s Supper and the Pentecost event, as is often suggested, is far from certain. Mark went with Barnabas and Paul irst to the Gentile Christian community at Antioch (v. 25) and then to Cyprus, where Paul’s irst missionary journey began (13:25; “John”). But when Barnabas and Paul began to enter the interior of Asia Minor, Mark left them and returned to Jerusalem (v. 13). Mark’s departure later caused a dispute between Barnabas and Paul; Barnabas wanted Mark to accompany them on a new journey, but Paul did not. Paul took a new companion, Silas, and went into Asia Minor, while Barnabas and Mark went to Cyprus (15:36–41). John Mark, though perhaps not a central character in the early mission to the Gentiles, was, like Barnabas and Silas, one of those by whom the church of Jerusalem and the Gentile churches beyond Syria were linked together. Twice in Acts Mark is referred to as “John whose other name was Mark” (Acts 12:12, 25; cf. 15:37) because of possible confusion with John the son of Zebedee and because John was a common name among Jews. Twice he is called John (13:15, 13) and once Mark (15:39), but confusion is ruled out by links made in the course of the narrative. What is not so certain is that all of the other references to Mark in the New Testament refer to the same person. Marcus was a very common Latin name. It is, nonetheless, quite likely that “Mark the cousin of Barnabas” (Col. 4:10; KJV “sister’s son”) was the same person as John Mark. Barnabas’ cousin was with Paul, probably at Rome, when Paul wrote to the Colossians, and it was expected that he might go to Colossae. This Mark is in all likelihood the Mark named at Phlm. 24; both are named with Aristarchus, and the two letters were written to the same city probably about the same time. It is possible that John Mark overcame his fear of venturing beyond the familiarity of Judea, Syria, and Cyprus (if that is what caused his turning back) and was reconciled to Paul. 2 Tim. 4:11 asks the recipient of the letter to send Mark, “for he is very useful in serving me.” 1 Pet. 5:13 probably places “my son Mark” at Rome (“Babylon”) with Peter. If John Mark was in Rome with Paul, he may well have been in the same city with Peter. “Son” here certainly refers to a spiritual relationship (cf. Phil. 2:22; 1 Tim. 1:18) rather than to literal parentage. According to early Church tradition Mark accompanied Peter, for whom he was the “interpreter” (Eusebius HE iii.39.15), and wrote the gospel of Mark at Rome. The reference to the “young man” who led naked from Gethsemane (Mark 14:51–52) has been thought of as a reference by the author of the gospel to himself, but there is no real ground for this; the young man’s light is mentioned to emphasize that “all forsook [Jesus] and led” (v.
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