1 Corinthians 1:4-9

“I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

In Corinth at the time the early church was established, finding common ground for a wide range of cultures and languages was the GREAT CHALLENGE. Corinth stood at two crossroads – one land and one sea – and had two principle trade languages and a dozen more common languages spoken in its marketplace. And by all accounts, it was the most “challenging” church Paul ever planted. His two long letters address a wide range of issues, but it is significant to note how he starts his first letter. On the lines below, note from 1 Corinthians 1:4-9 all the things God & Christ do to us and for us.

As we have noted before, “fellowship” has its root in “holding something in common.” Obviously, prior to establishing a relationship with us, we had very little in common with Christ. But what do we now “hold in common” with Christ?

Is the wealth of what we have in a relationship with Christ “enough” to establish fellowship with others who have that same relationship? Explain…

Can you think of any danger or weakness that a church may incur if they use race or culture as the principle factor behind “commonness” and fellowship?