Thursday Devo
Scripture:
1 Corinthians 2
When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. 2 For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. 4 And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. 5 I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.
When I first came to you, dear brothers and sisters, I didn’t use lofty words and impressive wisdom to tell you God’s secret plan. 2 For I decided that while I was with you I would forget everything except Jesus Christ, the one who was crucified. 3 I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. 4 And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. 5 I did this so you would trust not in human wisdom but in the power of God.
Commentary:
2:1–5 not … with lofty speech or wisdom. Paul avoided Greek rhetoric and focused on the message of the cross, so that the Corinthians would put their faith in Christ who was crucified rather than in the ability of human messengers.
2:5 that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men. Mere intellectual persuasion does not save people. Saving faith is produced by the heart-changing power of the Holy Spirit as the gospel is proclaimed.
2:5 that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men. Mere intellectual persuasion does not save people. Saving faith is produced by the heart-changing power of the Holy Spirit as the gospel is proclaimed.
Questions:
- The big idea on Sunday was that boldness is the COURAGE to SPEAK up when FEAR tells you to SHUT up. And from where does this boldness come? It comes from the Holy Spirit of God that lives inside of every believer. And we have been COMMANDED by God to speak the Gospel to a dying world, to bring light to the darkness. The fact is, the fear we experience in these situations DOES NOT come from God, but from our enemy who wants nothing more than to shut us up. When it comes to telling people about Jesus, are you afraid? Do you tend to clam up and remain silent?
- A recurring theme throughout the book of Acts is the disciples praying for boldness. They faced incredible opposition to their message, including the very real risk of death. But instead of praying for protection, they prayed that God would give them even more boldness to spread the Gospel. What kind of opposition have you faced when talking about Jesus? When was the last time you prayed for boldness in these situations?
Prayer Topics:
- That you would speak the Word of God with great boldness.
- That you would be faithful to pray for more boldness when you face fear.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
1. Who is Jesus? I believe Jesus is God because Jesus said He is God and proved it by rising from the dead and appearing to His disciples, His brother James, 500 others at one time, and Paul.
(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)
(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)
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