Bible Reading1 Corinthians 13:1–3 “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.”
[03:15] [04:42] [07:19]1 Corinthians 12:1 “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be uninformed.”
[03:46]1 Corinthians 14:1 “Pursue love, and earnestly desire the spiritual gifts, especially that you may prophesy.”
[04:22]Mark 9:29 “And he said to them, ‘This kind cannot be driven out by anything but prayer.’”
[08:42] [14:31]Matthew 9:37–38 “Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.’”
[15:16]Acts 11:27–30 “Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul.”
[26:27]Luke 22:31–34 “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.’ Peter said to him, ‘Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.’ Jesus said, ‘I tell you, Peter, the rooster will not crow this day, until you deny three times that you know me.’”
[36:21]John 21:15–18 “When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Feed my lambs.’ He said to him a second time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ He said to him, ‘Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.’ He said to him, ‘Tend my sheep.’ He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love me?’ Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, ‘Do you love me?’ and he said to him, ‘Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.’”
[38:38]Observation questions- In 1 Corinthians 13:1–3, what powerful gifts or sacrifices does Paul name, and what does he say they become without love? [07:19]
- What is found on either side of 1 Corinthians 13 in chapters 12 and 14, and how does that context shape the meaning of Paul’s words about love? [04:22]
- In Acts 11:27–30, what did Agabus prophesy, and what practical action did the believers in Antioch take because of it? [26:27]
- In Luke 22 and John 21, what does Jesus say to Peter before his denial, and what does Jesus ask Peter to do after His resurrection? [38:38]
Interpretation questions- Why would Paul place the command to pursue love alongside the command to earnestly desire spiritual gifts? What does this suggest about the purpose of gifts such as prophecy, healing, tongues, and discernment? [12:28]
- Jesus tells Peter that he will fail, but also says, “I have prayed for you” and calls him to strengthen others afterward. How does this show the difference between a warning meant to shame someone and a warning meant to restore someone? [36:21]
- Agabus’s prophecy did not remove the famine; it helped the church prepare to care for people in the famine. What kinds of help might God be calling a church to offer when hardship cannot simply be avoided? [27:03]
- Healing is a real expression of God’s mercy, yet believers still experience weakness, aging, and death. How can healing point to the future resurrection without creating the expectation that every sickness must be healed immediately? [30:32]
Application questions- Have spiritual gifts ever seemed like a measure of who is more spiritual, mature, or important? What would it look like to see every gift instead as a way to love someone in need? [08:14]
- Is there someone in the group’s life who is hurting, confused, fearful, or carrying a burden that they may not know how to pray about? What would it look like to listen carefully to their story before offering prayer? [13:18]
- When praying for healing or help, is there a tendency to rely on the right words, a certain tone, or spiritual confidence? How could a contrite heart—one that knows God owes nobody anything and is still good—change the way a believer prays? [11:04]
- Where might God be inviting each person to bring ministry into ordinary life—at work, at school, in a neighborhood, or in a family—instead of assuming that ministry only happens through a person on a stage? [15:19]
- Is there a present hardship that feels disappointing because God has not removed it? How might the promise of resurrection give hope without minimizing the real pain of the situation? [31:54]
- Peter’s failure did not cancel his calling to feed and tend Christ’s sheep. Is there a past failure, wound, or season of weakness that has made someone feel disqualified from serving others? What might restoration and a next faithful step look like? [40:20]
- Every believer has been given something by the Spirit to bless others and point them toward Christ. What gifts, burdens, abilities, or opportunities may God already be placing in each person’s life to serve someone this week? [53:49]
