Verse 1-3: The idols we have in our life don’t say anything to us, but they can say a lot about us. Grant Thompson, the YouTube star and the creator of the “King of Random” YouTube channel, died recently. A lot of his fellow YouTube creators collaborated to create a video that spoke to how Grant was more than just a guy who wanted to create a popular channel, he was a family man, a mentor, an educator, and a friend. Grant chose not to make his channel and fame his idol and handed over a lot of his responsibilities for his channel to others in October 2018 so he could spend more time with his family.

What are we expecting our idols to say to us?

What does your money say about you?

What does your calendar say about you?

What does your stuff say about you?

What will your life speak to when you’re gone?

Verse 4-7: A major misconception regarding the gifts we are given is that they are meant for us. Verse 7 tells us that gifts are manifested in us by the Spirit for the common good. Have you ever wasted a gift that was given to you? What caused your gifts to be wasted?

Verse 8-11: Why do some churches put special focus on charismatic gifts like speaking in tongues? What should our attitude be toward spiritual gifts, especially our own gifts?

Verse 12: Read Ephesians 4:1-3. Paul says that each of us has a calling, and in order to walk in a manner worthy of that calling, we must bear with one another with humility, gentleness, and patience. Why does Paul transition from talking about spiritual gifts to anatomy?

What impacts you more, seeing someone’s gifts demonstrated in pride or combined with humility?

Verse 13: What was an example where you’ve seen great unity among people with completely different backgrounds? Why did that happen?

Have you ever seen a church of baptized believers create division in a church? Why did that happen?

Verse 14-20: Have you ever felt inhibited from doing God’s will because of some event, condition, or season of life? How should we respond in those moments? Read Matthew 25:14-30. What does Jesus say about how we are supposed to use our gifts?

Verse 21: Have you ever heard someone say that they don’t have to go to church, they can be a Christian and have a relationship with God by themselves? How should we respond to that?

Read Ephesians 4:15-16. When we use our gifts properly, the body grows. Do you have a tendency to live life as an amputated body part or are you a fully functioning member of the body?

Verse 22-24: Have you ever seen an example in church or small group where someone’s opinion or presence was disregarded because we saw them as being dispensable in their contributions or that they weren’t mature enough as a Christian? In what way do you think we might have been wrong about their contribution to the body? What should we be doing differently?

Verse 24-25: In what way does God “give greater honor to the part that lacked it”?

Verse 26: When you plan a wedding, the number of guests that show up is determined by the number of invitations you gave. When you have your funeral, the number of guests that show up is also determined by the number of invitations you gave, except the invitations don’t come in the form of a card, but in the form of having invited people into your life. Is your family planning on having a small funeral or a big funeral for you?

Verse 27-31: Read Ecclesiastes 4:4-8. Have you ever been envious of someone else’s gift or role? What drives you to work? Is what you desire separate from what God desires for you?