W2W October 2021
We are Saints
Watch the talk and testimony here
1 Corinthians 1 (ESV)
1Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,
2To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:
3Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
4I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. 5For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— 6God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. 7Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. 8He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 10 I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,[a] in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.
Questions
Context
From the overview of how holiness is revealed to us through the bible story… what stood out to you?
How do you feel about being holy/ being a saint? Is that an identity you can relate to? Why/ why not?
We will be looking at a passage from 1 Corinthians, When you think of the church in Corinth, what do you know about them? Why was Paul writing to them?
What does Paul emphasise as he greets the church in Corinth?
Observation/ Meaning
What does this passage say about the Corinthian believers’
Past:
Present:
Future:
Are these all true of us (and any believer at any time)? How do you know that?
Which one do you particularly need to be reminded of today?
Holiness is a now and not yet thing – in what ways are we already holy and in what ways do we need to grow in holiness?
To what degree is holiness Gods work and to what degree is it our own?
Application
Holiness is primarily a description of God’s essence (not a mere action or a set of behaviours)- how can we set ourselves apart to reflect God’s holiness in the way we live?
When we see people as holy/saints we see God’s image in their lives. It’s not something we always see in ourselves so need the encouragement of others. How can we speak to/ pray for others in a way that might help them grow in holiness?
(OR What does it holiness look like in the lives of others? How do we encourage others in this?
Holiness is a community project – how has God used others in your life to help you grow in holiness?
Personal reflection: Is there a person you might need to ask for help from in a particular area where you need to grow in holiness?
Dig deeper
Look for the word saints in a concordance
Leviticus 17-26
1 Peter
A place to belong- Megan Hill
Identity Theft – Megan Kruger
Thirty one truths: who I am in Christ – Bible App plan
Holiness video – bible project bibleproject.com/explore/video/holiness/
