Dillon Community Church

Intro Prayer

Heavenly Father, we come before you today as a group of people who are still growing, still learning, and still figuring out what it means to follow you faithfully. We ask that you would open our hearts and our minds as we discuss your word together. Remove any pride, comparison, or distraction that might keep us from hearing what you want to say to us today. May this time together not just be about good conversation, but about genuine transformation. Speak to each of us in the way that only you can, and help us to leave this place more rooted in you than when we arrived. In Jesus name, amen.

Ice Breaker

What is one thing you have built or created with your hands that you are proud of, and what made it worth the effort?

Key Verses

• 1 Corinthians 3:1-2
• 1 Corinthians 3:11
• 1 Corinthians 3:16
• 1 Corinthians 4:5
• 1 Corinthians 4:20

Questions

• Paul describes the Corinthians as spiritual infants who have not grown up after two years in the faith. What do you think spiritual maturity looks like in everyday life, and how would you know if you were growing?
• Paul uses the metaphor of a building to describe the Christian life. He says the foundation is Jesus Christ, but we are responsible for what we build on top of it. What are some practical ways you have been building on your faith recently?
• Paul warns that one day our work will be tested by fire, and only what is lasting will remain. What kinds of things do you think survive that test, and what kinds of things might burn away?
• The Corinthians were dividing themselves by aligning with different leaders, such as Paul, Apollos, and Cephas. In what ways do you see similar tendencies toward comparison or competition showing up in churches or Christian communities today?
• Paul says the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God, and that the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. What do you think that kind of kingdom power looks like in a person's daily life?
• Paul describes himself and the other apostles as being at the back of the parade, weak, homeless, and dishonored, while the Corinthians saw themselves as strong and successful. How does this challenge the way our culture defines success, and how does it challenge the way you personally define it?
• Jesus faced temptation in Matthew 4 by using the word of God, refusing to test God, and choosing to worship God alone. Which of these three responses do you find most difficult to apply in your own life, and why?
• The sermon mentioned a family who, after receiving a devastating cancer diagnosis, chose not to waste their suffering and instead started a support group for others. How does a firm foundation in Christ change the way we respond to hardship and unexpected circumstances?

Life Application

This week, take some time to honestly evaluate what you are building on the foundation of Jesus Christ in your life. Choose one specific and practical step to strengthen your faith, whether that is joining a Bible study, memorizing a verse, serving someone in need, or simply spending more intentional time in prayer and Scripture. Write it down, share it with someone in the group for accountability, and come back next week ready to talk about how it went.

Key Takeaways

• Spiritual maturity is not automatic. Just as the Corinthians remained spiritual infants after years in the faith, we must actively pursue growth in Christ through the word, worship, and community.
• The foundation of the Christian life is Jesus Christ alone, and we are each responsible for what we build on top of that foundation. The quality of what we build will one day be revealed.
• Comparison, competition, and status-seeking are worldly values that have no place in the body of Christ. Paul calls believers to unity as God's temple rather than division based on human allegiances.
• True kingdom power is not found in boasting, prestige, or being connected to the right people. It is found in growing in Christ, serving others, and following the example of Jesus who gave everything for our sake.
• Jesus Himself went to the back of the parade, suffering and dying on the cross, so that we might be forgiven and reconciled to God. Kingdom success looks radically different from the world's definition of winning.

Ending Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for this time together and for the truth of your word that challenges and encourages us all at once. Thank you for being a foundation that does not shift, no matter what storms come our way. As we leave today, help us to resist the pull of comparison and competition, and instead fix our eyes on you. Give us the courage to build things in our lives that will last, things rooted in your word, your love, and your mission. And when life is hard and the road feels long, remind us that the same power that raised you from the dead lives in us. May we carry that power into our homes, our workplaces, and our communities this week. We love you and we trust you. In Jesus name, amen.

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*Discussion guide comes from sermon given by Jesse Henkle and material created with Sermon Shots.