Dillon Community Church

Summary 

In this sermon from 1 Corinthians 5, Pastor Ryan walks the congregation through Paul's confrontation of a deeply troubling situation in the Corinthian church: a man sleeping with his Father's wife, a relationship that even Roman culture considered unacceptable. Rather than treating this as an isolated moral failure, the pastor frames it within the larger theme of the book, which is unity. When the church tolerates open, unrepentant sin, it fractures its ability to function as God's temple and witness to the world. Pastor Ryan emphasizes that Paul's response is not about punishment but about redemption, both for the individual and for the health of the community. The sermon also challenges the congregation to take sin seriously without becoming harsh or condemning. Paul's call to church discipline is described as rare, redemptive, and always motivated by love. Pastor Ryan draws on the image of leaven to show how unaddressed sin spreads through a community, and he calls believers to speak truth in love, bringing the gospel into the messy realities of everyday life. The goal is a church community so marked by holiness and genuine love that it becomes a compelling witness to those outside the faith. 

‍Intro Prayer 

Heavenly Father, we come together today grateful for the community you have placed us in. As we open your Word and discuss what it means to take sin seriously and love one another well, we ask that you would soften our hearts and open our minds. Help us to set aside defensiveness or pride, and give us a genuine desire to hear what you want to say to each of us personally today. May this time together draw us closer to you and to one another. In Jesus' name, amen. 

‍Ice Breaker 

What is one small, everyday habit or routine that you feel has helped you grow as a person over the years? 

‍Key Verses

• 1 Corinthians 5:1-5 
• Leviticus 18:7-8 
• Romans 1:24 
• Ephesians 4:15 

‍Questions ‍

• Paul opens 1 Corinthians 5 by saying the church was 'proud' despite tolerating serious sin in their midst. In what ways can a church community become blind to sin because of pride or a desire to avoid conflict? 
• Pastor Ryan described the church as God's temple, a community where people can experience the presence of Jesus. How does unaddressed sin in a congregation affect that experience for both members and newcomers? 
• Pastor Ryan quoted a pastor who said we 'magnify the deity of Christ and minimize the humanity of Christ,' leaving us without a gospel that speaks to everyday life. Do you agree with that observation? How can we better connect the gospel to the practical struggles we face? 
• Paul says the church should have mourned over this situation rather than boasted. What does it look like practically to grieve over sin, whether in our own lives or in the lives of people we care about? 
• Church discipline is described in this sermon as redemptive rather than punitive. How does that framing change the way you think about confronting someone you care about who is living in open, unrepentant sin? 
• Pastor Ryan used the image of leaven to explain how sin spreads through a community. Can you think of a time when you witnessed a small compromise or unaddressed issue slowly affect a group, a family, or a community? 
• Paul makes a distinction between judging those inside the church versus those outside. Why do you think that boundary matters, and how does it shape the way we engage with people who do not follow Jesus? 
• What does 'speaking truth in love' look like in your relationships? What makes it difficult, and what would help you do it more faithfully? 

‍Life Application ‍

This week, take an honest inventory of your own life. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any area where you have been tolerating a habit, attitude, or behavior that is pulling you away from God and from genuine community. Then identify one person in your life with whom you could have a courageous, loving conversation, either to share what God is showing you about yourself or to gently speak truth into something you have noticed in their life. Commit to approaching that conversation with the gospel at the center, not condemnation. 

‍Key Takeaways ‍

• The overarching concern of 1 Corinthians is unity. When a church tolerates open sin, it fractures its ability to function as God's temple and witness to the world. 
• Sin never stays isolated. Like leaven in dough, unaddressed sin spreads through a community and affects everyone in it. 
• Church discipline, when practiced correctly, is always redemptive in purpose. Its goal is the restoration of the individual and the health of the community, not punishment. 
• Cheap grace, the idea that freedom in Christ means we can live however we want, is a distortion of the gospel. True grace comes at great cost and calls us toward holiness.
• Speaking truth in love means bringing the gospel into the everyday realities of people's lives, showing them that life with Jesus is more fulfilling than the alternatives they are pursuing. 

Ending Prayer ‍

Lord, thank you for the time we have shared together today. Thank you for a Word that does not shy away from the hard realities of life but meets us right in the middle of them. We confess that we do not always take sin as seriously as we should, and we ask for your forgiveness and your help. Give us the courage to be honest with ourselves and with one another. Help us to speak truth with gentleness and love, and to receive correction with humility. May our community be marked by a holiness and a love that draws people toward you. We trust you to do what only you can do in each of our lives. In Jesus' name, amen. 

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*Discussion guide comes from sermon given by Pastor Ryan Leeds and material created with Sermon Shots.