February 15th, 2026 - UNITY: Part 2 (9:00 AM)

The city of Corinth serves as a mirror for a materialistic culture that slips worldly habits into the church, producing jealousy, quarrels, and spiritual immaturity. Spiritual maturity centers less on head knowledge and more on visible, Christlike behavior: those still controlled by sinful nature need foundational teaching (milk), while those who bear the fruit of the Spirit are ready for deeper instruction (meat). Immaturity appears in how people respond to pressure, in the tendency to follow charismatic human leaders instead of Christ, and in choices about where to invest time and energy. The text insists that wisdom from God’s Spirit produces humility, unity, and a different framework for valuing life, whereas worldly wisdom often puffs up and fuels division.

The passage frames three practical tests of maturity. First, behavior under stress reveals whether a person remains infantile or has grown into the Spirit’s fruit—love, patience, peace, and self-control. Second, allegiance shows maturity: listening primarily to Christ and Scripture rather than elevating human personalities prevents factionalism and rootless dependence. Third, investment practices disclose motives and priorities; building the church with durable, Christ-honoring materials—acts of sacrificial love, solid doctrine, and discipleship—yields lasting fruit, while self-focused efforts will be exposed and suffer loss though salvation remains.

Metaphors underscore the teaching: a bottle-fed infant at a steakhouse, shaken soda versus blended juice, and builders using gold or straw illustrate how form follows spiritual substance. The church itself receives special attention as God’s temple—holy and communal—calling for collective stewardship that values others over personal gain or reputation. Growth requires regular turning to God in prayer, discipline in Scripture, and practical submission to the Spirit’s guidance. The invitation to examine motives, mend divisive habits, and invest in the body frames maturity as intentional, continual work that reshapes reactions, relationships, and life’s projects into durable testimony to Christ.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. Maturity shows itself under pressure A mature faith proves itself in the heat of conflict and stress. When pressure arrives, the Spirit refines responses into restraint, mercy, and constructive action rather than reactive anger or escape into addictive patterns. Growth requires practicing spiritual rhythms so the heart learns to pause and seek God before reacting. Such tested behavior marks a move from infancy toward spiritual adulthood. [44:02]
• 2. Follow Christ, not human leaders Allegiance to people fractures the body; allegiance to Christ unites it. When leadership becomes identity, discipleship fragments into factions and personal preference outweighs obedience to Scripture. True maturity trains believers to hear God first—through Scripture and prayer—and to hold human teachers accountable to Christ’s voice. That reorients loyalty from personalities to the Lord who owns all things. [51:22]
• 3. Build the church with enduring materials Work for God can look impressive yet burn away at judgment if motives and methods lack endurance. Investing time in sacrificial service, sound teaching, and genuine discipleship lays a foundation that fire cannot destroy; performance for praise or personal gain collapses. Mature builders prioritize the kingdom’s long-term good over short-term recognition, accepting loss now for eternal value later. [59:12]
• 4. Live by the Spirit’s wisdom God’s wisdom differs fundamentally from worldly wisdom; it cultivates humility, unity, and eternal perspective. Tapping the Spirit reshapes thought-life and speech so believers think with Christ’s mind rather than echo secular patterns on every topic. Regular prayer and Scripture study develop sensitivity to that mind, enabling choices that reflect God’s priorities in culture and church alike. [55:28]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [40:03] - Corinth: a mirror of culture
• [41:15] - Bottle and milk illustration
• [42:22] - Reading: 1 Corinthians 3:1–4
• [44:02] - Maturity shown by behavior
• [47:19] - Pressure: soda vs juice
• [51:22] - Follow God, not people
• [59:12] - Building with right materials
• [63:09] - The church as God’s temple
• [66:11] - Three maturity tests summarized
• [67:29] - Invitation, prayer, and benediction

Based on the sermon summary provided, here is a Bible study discussion guide.

Bible Reading
1 Corinthians 3:1-4 (ESV)
But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ. I fed you with milk, not solid food, for you were not ready for it. And even now you are not yet ready, for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way? For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not being merely human?

Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV)
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

1 Corinthians 3:12-15 (ESV)
Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.

Observation questions

1. According to 1 Corinthians 3:1-3, what specific behaviors did Paul point to as evidence that the Corinthians were still "of the flesh" and not ready for solid food?
2. What two contrasting building materials are listed in 1 Corinthians 3:12, and what is the stated outcome for work built with each type on the day of judgment?
3. In the sermon, what two contrasting drink illustrations were used to describe how people respond to the pressures of life? [47:19]
4. What does Paul identify as the ultimate source of unity for believers in 1 Corinthians 3:21-23, as referenced in the sermon? [51:22]

Interpretation questions

1. Why is jealousy and quarreling among believers a sign of spiritual immaturity, according to Paul's argument? What does this reveal about a person's focus and priorities?
2. The metaphor of building with different materials suggests our work for God can have different eternal values, even if the person is saved. What might constitute "wood, hay, or straw" in how someone serves in the church today?
3. The passage warns against saying, "I follow Paul" or "I follow Apollos." How does aligning too closely with a specific human leader or teacher ultimately lead to division and a "rootless dependence"? [51:22]
4. If the fruit of the Spirit includes peace, patience, and self-control, how would possessing this fruit change a person's reaction in a high-pressure situation compared to someone who is "of the flesh"?

Application questions

1. Maturity shows itself under pressure. Think about a recent stressful situation. Was your initial reaction more like a shaken soda can or a blended juice? What would it have looked like to pause and seek God before reacting in that moment? [44:02]
2. Following Christ, not human leaders, unites the body. Is there a teacher, author, or influencer you are tempted to elevate almost to the level of Scripture? How can you practice holding their teachings accountable to Christ's voice this week? [51:22]
3. Building the church with enduring materials means evaluating our motives. What is one area of service you are involved in? What would it mean to do that task with a motive of sacrificial love rather than for personal recognition or gain? [59:12]
4. Living by the Spirit’s wisdom reshapes our thought life. On a current issue you are processing—whether cultural, political, or personal—in what specific way does a worldly perspective differ from the humility and eternal perspective that comes from God's wisdom? [55:28]
5. The church is called God's temple, a holy and communal entity. What is one practical step you can take this week to invest in the unity and health of the church body, valuing others over personal reputation or comfort? [01:03:09]
6. Immaturity can last a lifetime. Looking at the three tests from the passage—behavior under stress, ultimate allegiance, and investment practices—which one area feels most like "milk" to you, where you need to go back to the foundational work of the Spirit?