Discussion Guide: If Someone Followed You.....

Opening Prayer

Begin your time together by asking God to open hearts and minds to His Word and to give your group honesty and courage in self-examination.

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Key Takeaways from the Sermon

Main Takeaways

- Spiritual maturity requires examples, not just explanations. We cannot fulfill the Great Commission solely within church buildings—discipleship requires relational, up-close interaction.

- The word "imitate" (mimetai) means relational apprenticeship. It's not about external copying or behavioral modification, but about internalizing someone's Christ-shaped way of thinking, desiring, and choosing.

- Christ is the standard, not any human leader. Paul invites scrutiny by saying "as I imitate Christ"—he points beyond himself to Jesus.

- Mature believers must model truth in real-life situations, not just teach concepts.

- The key question isn't "What am I free to do?" but "Does this reflect Christ?"

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Discussion Questions

Understanding the Text

- Read 1 Corinthians 11:1 together. Why do you think Paul placed this verse as the conclusion to chapters 8-10 rather than at the beginning?

- The sermon explained that "imitate" means more than just copying actions—it means learning someone's inner logic and way of thinking. How does this deeper understanding change the way you view discipleship?

- Paul references several situations where believers have knowledge without love, rights without restraint, and freedom without discernment. Can you think of modern examples of these tensions in Christian life?

Personal Reflection

- The challenging question: If someone followed you closely for a month—watching how you think, what you desire, and how you choose—would they become more like Jesus? What would they learn from you?

- Where do you find yourself hiding behind excuses like "I'm technically right," "I have liberty," or "The Bible doesn't forbid this"? How does Paul's standard challenge those justifications?

- The sermon mentioned that "there are eyes watching" all of us. Who might be watching your life? How does that awareness affect your daily choices?

Going Deeper

- Read John 1:14. Jesus was "the Word made flesh." How does this incarnational principle apply to our calling as Christians? What does it mean for theology to become "flesh" in your life?

- The sermon stated: "You can have knowledge without having love. You can have rights without restraint to those rights. You can have freedom as a believer and not have discernment." Which of these three tensions do you struggle with most?

- Paul had the confidence to say "imitate me." What would need to change in your life for you to have that same confidence? What prevents you from being a visible, embodied example of Christlike living?

Application

- The sermon emphasized that discipleship requires "close proximity to mature believers." Who are you currently learning from in this way? Who are you mentoring or allowing to walk closely with you?

- Before making decisions, Paul suggests we ask: "Does this reflect Christ? Does this look like Jesus?" How would adopting this practice change your decision-making this week?

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Practical Application

Choose ONE of the following to practice this week:

- Option 1: The "Before I..." Practice Before you open your mouth, post on social media, make a purchase, or make any significant choice this week, pause and ask: "Does this reflect Christ? Do my actions reflect what

Jesus thinks and desires?

- Option 2: Invitation to Proximity Identify one person further along in their faith journey and ask them if you can spend intentional time with them this month—not just in a classroom setting, but in real-life situations where you can observe how they apply their faith.

- Option 3: Open Your Life Prayerfully consider who God might be calling you to mentor or disciple. Invite someone to "walk with you" in some aspect of your daily life this week—whether it's your work, your family time, or your devotional life.

- Option 4: Honest Evaluation Set aside 30 minutes this week for honest self-examination. Journal through these questions:

Is my life shaped by the way Christ thinks and what He desires?

What patterns have I accepted that don't align with the standard of Jesus?

Am I even asking the right questions before I act?

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Closing Prayer 

Prayer Focus

- Pray for honest hearts willing to perform genuine self-evaluation

- Pray for courage to open your life to others for discipleship

- Pray for wisdom to reflect Christ in every decision

- Pray for the maturity to say "imitate me as I imitate Christ"

- Pray for those who don't yet know Christ—that they would see Him in us