1st Corinthians 12-14 Tool Kit
TOOL KIT TABLE OF CONTENTS
Sermon Passage breakdown for Sundays
Marriage, Sexuality and Gender: Deep Dive + FAQs
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As we continue our series in First Corinthians (FC), we want to double down on equipping you for conversations, questions, prayer, shepherding and leading of all kinds in this new year, especially as it relates to our time in this amazing letter. This Tool Kit is just one way we aim to do so.
Note, this is Part 2 of a larger tool kit in First Corinthians. To see much more background and context, check out Part 1. This version builds on the original for the next section of teaching passages on Sundays. All of this is intended to help support the work you do to shepherd our people with grace and truth. Thanks for all that you do.
This second section of Paul’s letter shifts dramatically in topic. While the first section, 1:10-4:21, is clearly and wholly dedicated to the subject of church division, Paul moves to the subject of sex in chapter 5 and continues for three chapters. This topic seems to overlap both what Chloe’s people verbally related to Paul (1:11) and what they asked about in their letter to him (7:1). It was clearly a critical issue in the church.
And today, it would be perfectly appropriate to say: It is clearly a critical issue in the church. Paul will pursue realities and test cases within the church, addressing sex, sexuality, marriage, adultery, singleness and several other related specifics. So, we will do the same, working hard to not only accurately understand what Paul meant in the original context, but more importantly how those truths and principles are contextualized for us, here, now. This will be hard work, but perhaps some of the most important work we can do. Again, thank you for joining us in leadership and pastoral care with your shepherding heart. We hope this Tool Kit is helpful.
<aside> 🎁 A Special Gift for Reach
The Heart of Man is a 75-minute feature film retelling Jesus’ parable about the Father’s relentless pursuit of his children through a beautiful visual narrative, intercut with interviews on sexual brokenness, identity, and shame. Watch the trailer.
Sypher Studios has gifted Reach access to the full film for free. Just use the link below and enter the password: beautifulgift
Jason Pamer, one of the writers and executive producers, calls Reach home, and discussed its Gospel themes and stories with us back when it premiered in 2017.
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