Each Christmas, whether we call it nostalgia, or simple an ache for more, we long for meaning, for home, for peace, for light and life. Christmas reminds us that Jesus, Immanuel, God with us has come and in Him we find light and life, to cast away darkness and despair in which we find hope.

In a world that is so often divided over everything, how do we stand for truth with courage and conviction? How do we disagree with kindness without out Compromise? Our study of the first section of Corinthians culminates in learning how to disagree well.

The company you keep can pull you up or pull you down. In the same way you can pull others up, or pull them down. So who are you surrounding yourself with, and who are you chasing after Jesus alongside? The company you keep matters.

Power and influence have a way of turning in on themselves. Paul is reminding the Church in Corinth and us, that whatever power or influence we have been given we are to use it to serve others for the good of the Kingdom.

Many people travel the world to visit sacred places. Paul is reminding the church in Corinth, that God no longer dwells in a house of stone but in the very flesh and bone of His church, us. This is a radical truth that changes everything

We live in a culture that fosters division. Even in the church we see countless denominations and churches that refuse to cooperate with one another. What causes this division, and why are we so quick to divide and when should we divide? Paul invites to build on the only foundation that will last?

If you hold up a blue lens, you will see all of the world with a shade of blue. Paul reminds us that the ultimate lens through which we are to look at all of life is Jesus. This is not only the way of wisdom, but the way of life.

In a culture known for its sages and people who were considered wise, Paul calls the church in Corinth to be fools for Jesus. Does this mean an abandonment of our brains, or is there something deeper Paul is calling us to? In our day people keep a tight watch on their image and how they are perceived, but Paul is calling us to the wisest way that may look foolish to the world around us.

We are all following someone, and who we follow shapes who we are becoming. Paul reminds us that it is easy to get lost in the myriad of voices clamoring for our attention, but ultimately it is Jesus we must pay attention to.

While much has changed since Paul wrote his letter to the church in Corinth, we will discover that much has also stayed the same. Paul writes to a fractured church that is asking many of the same questions we have today. As we begin this letter, we take a lay of the land, and follow along as Paul instructs the church of Corinth and us in how the Gospel changes everything.