1 Corinthians - Trusting God's Wisdom and Power

This year, our church family is focused on an exciting verse-by-verse journey through Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians. Written to a young church struggling with division, immorality, confusion about marriage and freedom, disorderly worship, and even doubts about the resurrection, this letter speaks powerfully to us today.

At its heart, the apostle repeatedly pointed the Corinthians to one central truth: Christ crucified is the wisdom of God and the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:24). Human wisdom boasts in eloquent leaders, personal rights, impressive spiritual experiences, or philosophical arguments. But God’s wisdom looks like a crucified Savior—foolishness to the world, yet the only way of salvation and transformation. What was true of the first century church is also vitally needed today.

As we move through the book each Sunday, we’ll see this theme unfold across every issue Paul addresses:In church divisions (chapters 1–4), God humbles human pride and calls us to boast only in Christ.

• In sexual sin and lawsuits (chapters 5–6), His wise boundaries and sanctifying power set us apart.
• In questions of marriage and singleness (chapter 7), we learn to trust His good design.
• In matters of Christian freedom and idolatry (chapters 8–10), love-guided wisdom trumps knowledge.
• In chaotic worship and spiritual gifts (chapters 11–14), the Spirit’s power operates through love and order, not selfish display.
• In the glorious resurrection chapter (chapter 15), we find the ultimate victory of God’s power over death.
• Even in final practical matters (chapter 16), everyday life is to be lived in strength and love.Week by week, God will confront areas where we lean on our own understanding or strength. He will invite us instead to trust His wisdom revealed at the cross and to rely on His resurrection power working in us (Philippians 2:12-13) by the Spirit (Romans 8:5-11).

Let’s approach this year with expectation. As we open every verse together, may God bless us to increasingly see Jesus as His perfect wisdom for our decisions and His mighty power for our transformation. By year’s end, may we echo Paul: “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:31).