NT Guidelines for Small Group Meetings Talk 1 An Overview of 1 Corinthians 12-13
Welcome to our new series. I’m calling it New Testament Guidelines for Small Group Meetings.
We’ll be looking at what the New Testament has to say about what we should expect and how we should behave in our meetings. This includes what we do on Sunday mornings and in our home groups.
Our thoughts will centre on what Paul says in 1 Corinthians 14:26 where he makes the following recommendation:
What then shall we say brothers and sisters? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church.
The churches in the New Testament would often have gathered in homes and that was almost certainly the case in Corinth. So, Paul’s instructions are particularly relevant to smaller churches or home groups.
Small group meetings can take many different forms. Some meetings can be a real blessing and a source of edification to all, but sadly this is not always the case. The apostle Paul had to tell the Corinthians that their meetings were not for the better, but for the worse (1 Corinthians 11:17) because of their inconsiderate behaviour towards one another.
And that was when they were celebrating the Lord’s Supper! Some were getting drunk while others were going hungry! And this selfish behaviour was not limited to food and drink. Some of them were ‘hogging it’ when it came to how they expressed themselves in worship – and that, as we will see, was perhaps their major problem.
Paul’s teaching in the rest of chapter 11 and in those that follow was an attempt to put things right and to show what Christian gatherings should be like. And that will be the basis for our consideration of how we may make our small group meetings as beneficial as possible. We’ll begin in this talk by giving a brief overview of Paul’s teaching in chapters 12 and 13. This will help us to understand our key verse in the wider context.
As many of you will know, I have already written a short book on this subject entitled, When you come together – God’s plans for when his people meet (WYCT). This contains much more than I have time to include in these notes, so please see me if you’d like a copy.
Before the meeting it would be really helpful if you read 1 Corinthians, chapters 12-14. And if you have a copy you might like to read WYCT chapters 1-3 if you have time.
So, as I was saying, our key verse is 1 Corinthians 14:26 and we need to begin by looking at the context in which it’s set.
Setting the context – an overview of 1 Corinthians 12 to 14
There were plenty of problems with the church in Corinth. Chapters 1-10 make it clear that there were divisions, they were immature, they tolerated immorality, they were taking each other to court, and some of them lacked a basic understanding of the basic truths of the Christian faith. And on top of all that, their behaviour when they met together was at times appalling! They were thoughtless and inconsiderate.
No wonder Paul said that their meetings did more harm than good. We need to remember this as we look at what he says in chapters 12-14. The main problem he is addressing throughout is their thoughtless behaviour and attitude towards each other. It’s clear from chapter 12 that some of them thought that they were superior to the others because of the spiritual gifts they possessed. And this was particularly true of speaking in tongues which was being used excessively in their meetings. So in chapter 12 he begins by giving some basic teaching on spiritual gifts.
Teaching on spiritual gifts (12:1-11)
I’m hoping you’ve read these verses before coming to the meeting. What’s clear is that the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit were a regular part of their meetings, but the Corinthians were exercising them in ignorance. Paul had to teach them that:
1. The supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit must be distinguished from demonic manifestations by the acknowledgment that Jesus is Lord (vv1-3)
2. Though the gifts are different they are all given by the same Spirit (vv4-10)
3. They are given as the Holy Spirit determines (v11)
What can we learn from this?
1. If you acknowledge Jesus as you Lord and Saviour, you need not fear that you will receive a demonic gift. Our heavenly Father doesn’t give ‘snakes’ to his children (Luke 11:11-13).
2. In Spiritualism, where counterfeit gifts are given by demons, different gifts are given by different spirits.
3. Though they’re different, all the gifts are important because it’s the Holy Spirit who gives all of them.
4. As the Holy Spirit is the giver, He decides who gets what.
NOTE: Paul will say much more about spiritual gifts in the next two chapters.
Every member of the body is needed (12:12-30)
In this passage we learn that:
1. The church is one body which has many different members (v14)
2. Every member of the body is important and needed because God has put it there (vv14-27)
3. There should be no division in the body, but all the members should have equal concern for each part of it (v25)
These are all important principles to bear in mind in our group meetings. There isn’t time to go into them now, but we’ll pick up on some of them when we come to chapter 14.
1 Corinthians 13 We’re Nothing without Love
Paul’s teaching on love in this chapter is valuable in every situation, but in its context Paul is still talking about what should go on in our meetings. Chapter 14 is a practical application of what he’s teaching about love here in 13.
Let’s divide the chapter into three sections:
1. It’s all meaningless without love (1-3)
2. The nature of love (4-7)
3. Recognising our limitations (8-12)
It’s all meaningless without love (1-3)
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
What can we learn from these verses?
1. Nothing is more important than love. Whatever gifts we may have and whatever we may do, if our motive is not love, it counts for nothing. Without love I am nothing (2) and I gain nothing (3).
2. This principle applies to every function of the body of Christ, not just to the things mentioned in these verses, which are just illustrations of it.
3. What he’s taught about the body in chapter 12 will only be possible when we love one another. So the things he refers to in verses 1-3 are just illustrations of the great principle of the paramount importance of love.
But why does he choose these particular illustrations to make his point?
Because these were the particular problems facing the church in Corinth at the time.
It’s evident from chapter 14 that there were problems in Corinth with their use of gifts like speaking in tongues and prophecy which are the two gifts he mentions first here.
So as we later consider Paul’s encouragement in 14:26 for all to participate by bringing a contribution to our meetings, we need to remember that whatever we may bring must be brought in love.
The nature of love (4-8)
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
These verses have a far wider application than our understanding of chapter 14. But in the context, chapter 13 is set right in the middle of Paul’s teaching in chapters 12 and 14. Notice the development of thought in these chapters:
12: The importance of the role of every Christian within the church as the body of Christ
13: The importance of LOVE
14: Specific direction on how this should work in our meetings.
Maybe we could summarise verses 4-7 as putting other people first.
As we will see when we come to look at chapter 14 in more detail, this is the underlying principle of all he says which is surely the main way in which we express our love for them. Prophecy, for example, is to be desired more than tongues because it edifies others, not just ourselves (14:1-5).
Think about how we can apply putting other people first to what we say and do in our meetings.
Recognising our limitations (8-12)
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
What can we learn from this?
1. Although there will ultimately be no need for supernatural gifts, love will remain for ever. It never fails (8). It remains (13).
2. Wonderful though gifts like tongues and prophecy are, their operation is not infallible. We know in part and we prophesy in part. What Paul is encouraging in 14:26 must be understood in this light. God’s gifts are perfect, but we are not. We do not yet see face to face. The gifts come from God, but they come through us, and we are fallible.
This must affect our understanding of all that Paul says in chapter 14, not just verse 26. As we eagerly desire spiritual gifts we are to try to excel in our use of them (12). This clearly implies that it’s possible to exercise them without excelling in them.
That’s why words of prophecy need to be weighed carefully (29) and why Paul found it necessary to give instruction as to how the gifts should be used. Had the operation of the gifts been infallible, such instruction would have been unnecessary.
But that’s something we will consider in more detail later in the series.
Next time we’ll start on Chapter 14 and will be looking at The Right Use of Speaking in Tongues.
So, that’s it from me for today. Thanks for listening.
Now, some questions for discussion. Group leaders, over to you.
Questions for discussion
1. How important are the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit in the context of our small group? Do we make room for them? Have we all received the baptism in the Spirit?
2. What practical application does Paul’s teaching that every part of the body is needed and to be valued equally make to what happens in our group and in church?
3. How might Paul’s teaching on love (especially 13:4-7) affect our attitude as individuals in our group meetings and in church?
Hint: Key phrases could be: Love is patient…Love is kind… it is not rude…Love does not boast…It is not proud… It does not envy …Love is not self-seeking… Love rejoices with the truth… It always protects.