I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2 ESV

• Contemporary disciples of self-actualization teach us that everything we need is within us. Where did Paul obtain everything he needed?

Paul was speaking to people who were not popular, not the trend-setters in their culture: Consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 ESV

• Where did he expect them to find their value and strength? If they accomplished great things, to whom or to what did he expect them to give credit?
• Paul says in 1 Corinthians 2:2, that when he was in Corinth and founded the church there, he decided to focus entirely on Christ and his crucifixion. What does the founding of that church say about the message Paul preached? What does it say about what you should know if you want to start and grow a church?

Paul said more about his preaching: I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 1 Corinthians 2:3-5 ESV

• You have probably read a lot recently about people preparing speeches. The preparation of the State of the Union speech by the President involved a great many people and a lot of time. How did Paul prepare to preach to the people of Corinth at the time of the founding of their church? How should you prepare to share Christ with someone?