Lent 3 Weekly Study

Opening Prayer

Wonderful God, as we enter this season of Lent,
this time of preparation for the mystery of Easter,
help us to ready ourselves,
so that we can journey with Jesus through the wilderness,
to meet with him in resurrection joy.
Make us ready to fast from criticism
and feast on the good we see in others.
Make us ready to fast from inactivity
and feast on action for justice.
Make us ready to fast from greed
and feast on giving.
Make us ready to fast from conflict
and feast on peace making.
Make us ready to fast from selfishness
and feast on Christ-likeness
so that we might be changed to become more like your Son. Amen.

Reading

1 Corinthians 1:18-31

18For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” 20Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. 22For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, 23but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength. 26Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, 29so that no one might boast in the presence of God. 30He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Time to Wonder


As you hear this passage what are the things;
  • you would like to ask
  • that you don’t understand or want clarification
  • that you never noticed before
  • that you can relate to in your life

Sermon

Listen to the Sermon from Sunday 4 March

Sermon Reflection Questions
You can use the same questions that were suggested in the time to wonder section above.

Some Questions for reflection

  • Watch and Discuss the clip from the movie “A Knight’s Tale” .
  • Whose version of true love is a more accurate depiction of God’s Love and why?
  • As we prepare for Easter discuss the cross as being a symbol that possesses contradictions.  
  • Despair / Hope
  • God of Power in creation / God of no power and status on the Cross
  • Any other contradictions 
  • Is God’s Foolishness more wise than human wisdom?  Is God’s weakness stronger than human strength?