Matt Zainea Rockford Campus February 19, 2023
GET IT TOGETHER – Only God Gives the Growth
SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION GUIDE
REMINDERS
- Group Leaders Spring Refresh – March 12 at 10:50am at Northview and March 26 at 10:50am at Rockford
- Easter Outreach Kick-off – Feb. 26, 12pm at the Rockford Campus
For More info: https://magnifychurch.org/event/easter-drama-kick-off/
TOGETHER IN LIFE
Note: This week, get to know one another by answering a simple question – if more come up as you discuss, follow that bunny trail for a minute or two, then circle it back in. Try to take no more than 10-15 minutes in this section.
** What was one of your favorite childhood snacks growing up? What is a snack you still eat because of the memories associated with being a kid?
TOGETHER IN THE WORD
THIS WEEK’S KEY PASSAGE: 1 Corinthians 3
Note: We encourage you to read the entire text together as a group out loud.
** In part 4 of our series Get It Together, Matt digs further into the mystery of the Spiritual vs. Natural Person. This time, emphasizing the input and output of that person through metaphors of Spiritual Food, Farming and Building.
SPIRITUAL FOOD
- Read 1 Cor. 3:1-4
- Read also Hebrews 5:12-14
QUESTION: Compare: How are these passages similar? How are they different? What reality are they describing?
| MILK | SOLID FOOD |
| Basic Principles | Discernment |
| Unskilled in the Word | Constant Practice |
| Child-like | Mature
Able to Lead and Teach |
*Matt Said: Our need for Spiritual Milk may be a result of two different realities…
- “Age”: This may simply be based on how “old we are” in following after Jesus. An Iraqi pastor once put it, “Our maturity (“age”) in Christ is not how many years we’ve been in church or identified as a Christian, but rather how many years we have been obedient to Christ and the Spirit’s leading”. Just being in church doesn’t by default mature us as believers.
- Choice: This may be reflected in sloth (choosing to remain in immaturity because of our flesh-desire to remain uninformed), arrogance (choosing to remain immature because we believe we already have the answers) and fear (choosing to only take in spiritual milk because we don’t want to be responsible to what solid food may require of us). In any of these, we are choosing a stunted growth and lack hunger.
QUESTION: How would you define the need for Spiritual milk versus solid food? What would you add/change to the list above?
QUESTION: Where do you see this in your own life?
*BASIC CHRISTIAN TEACHING AND SPIRITUAL MILK = The Gospel of Jesus Christ
*SOLID FOOD = The Gospel applied to our personal lives and discovering new layers of our heart to surrender
MAGNIFY CHURCH VALUES
REFLECTION: Take time to think about this list. Consider: how have I engaged these in the last 7 days? How did I live this out?
REFLECTION: Identify and discuss one area where you feel resistance or challenge in your life right now.
QUESTION: How can your group encourage you to grow in this area from Spiritual Milk to Solid Food?
FARMING
- Read 1 Cor. 3:5-9
- Read also Matt. 13 (The Parable of the 4 Soils)
QUESTION: Compare: How are these passages similar? How are they different? What reality are they describing? How might Paul be referencing Jesus’ teaching here and applying it to the work he and the other apostles were doing?
MATT SAID: Per Matt’s teaching, the main ingredient for approaching this is humility- that God brings the growth and harvest and not our own doing.
QUESTION: How might we be striving in our own strength, our own understanding to do the work of God, in the name of God, but not in the way of God?
QUESTION: What is Paul warning the Corinthian church specifically about in this passage? How is this informed by 1 Cor. 1:10-17?
BUILDING
- Read 1 Cor. 3:9-15
QUESTION: What other passages of Scripture reference Christ as the foundation of our faith?
*If you need help finding it…
** Look in the back of your Bible to the “Index” for the word: “Cornerstone”
** Check out Biblegateway.com and search “Cornerstone”
QUESTION: How did Jesus speak of himself as the “Cornerstone” and why is this so significant to the work Paul and the apostles engaged in?
QUESTION: How do we keep this in our focus as we work for the Lord?
MATT SAID: v10 says “Let each one take care how he builds upon it.”
BIG IDEA: HOW WE DO THINGS IS AS IMPORTANT AS WHAT WE ARE DOING
QUESTION: Do you live out our values (Worship, Learn, Relate, Give, Serve, Reach) with “strings attached”? What are some of the ulterior motives you may have as you work for the Lord?
**v12-13: Our immaturity and selfish motives will be revealed – Our persistent immaturity will bring life to ruin.
REMEMBER: While it is mysterious, there is great reward for those who serve Christ and seek Spiritually Solid Food. There’s so much life to be found in Christ that we may be missing out on because of our chosen immaturity. Let us not be satisfied with barely making it. Let us go HARD after the Great Reward God has for those who are faithful through to the end!
TOGETHER IN PRAYER
Try this pattern of prayer that has been helpful to our team: A/C/T/S
A – Adoration: speak back to God who he is. Remind yourself and your group of the characteristics and character of God. Fill in the blank: “God, You Are ________”
C – Confession: recognize the sin in your heart that has caused you to lean into immaturity and choose self over others. Fill in the blank: “God, I’m Sorry For _________”
T – Thanksgiving: praise God for what he has done. Think of specific ways God has provided, protected and presided for you this week. Fill in the blank: “God, Thank You For _________”
S – Supplication: seek God’s provision for your life and the ongoing needs you have. Think: inside your heart, outward. Fill in the blank: “God, I Need _________”
TOGETHER IN ACTION
Spiritual Milk is good for those who need it, but inappropriate for those who are grown and no longer need it. Paul utilizes this metaphor for people who should be “grown adults” but are still acting and believing like “little kids”.
Take out an index card and a marker.
Upon reflecting on how you are/aren’t living out the Magnify Church values (or perhaps simply the Fruit of the Spirit), write down one of them on the index card.
Put the card somewhere you will see it often through your day.
Every time you see it or reminded of it, pray that God would help you grow in living that out well. Consider the specific things you can do to grow. If you don’t know: ASK! Though we are all different and have different areas we need to grow in, we are here to help you! We would love to pray with you and give you ideas of what this might look like in your life!
