Connect
Respond and discuss any or all of these questions to help get the conversation rolling.
◾ Imagine walking into a room filled with everyone you’ve ever met. Who from your past would you look for first (not including Jesus or your family)? Why?
◾ On a scale of 1-10 (1 being not at all, and 10 being over the top), how disciplined are you? Are you content with how you rated yourself? Why or why not?

Pray Together
Spend a few minutes quieting your heart and drawing your attention toward God.

1. What prize is Paul motivating his readers to run after? How does he describe it?

2. Paul further describes what he means by the prize and crown in the following passages. What did he dedicate his life to?

3. What does a runner need in order to win a race?

4. How do these things relate to being a follower of Christ?

5. To win the race, Paul says we need to go into strict training. What benefits are there in approaching the Christian life this way? Would this help or hinder your relationship with God? Why?

6. When running the race of the Christian life, what does Paul tell us not to do? How have you found yourself doing these things?

7. What does it mean to make your body a slave? What was Paul trying to get us to understand?

8. Paul illustrates obtaining the prize using an allusion to the Greek Olympics. Receiving the crown (made from wild olive branches) was a great honor for having finished the race victoriously. At the end of Jesus’ life, while being beaten and tortured, Roman soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head (see Mark 15:16-20). Do you think there is any correlation?

9. Some things are more important than others. At the end of your life, what will you be glad you dedicated your life to? Pause and make a list.

10. How will this change the way you think and live this week?

11. The good news of the Gospel is that life in Christ brings renewed purpose. What do these passages teach you about God’s purpose for your life?

Make it Personal
What stands out to you from this week’s lesson and study? How can you apply this to your life? Pause in prayer and ask God what He wants you to know.

Memorize
One of the best ways to hear God throughout the day is to store His words in your heart and mind.

Based on this week’s theme, commit these words of Scripture to memory:

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24 (NIV)

App and the Daily Devotional
Spend time with God with the Daily Devotionals available on the App. You can also find Sunday Message resources and videos, leave prayer requests, give and more.

Why Jesus?
If you’ve never experienced God’s forgiveness and grace, we’d love the opportunity to talk with you about a life-changing relationship with Jesus. Email thepastors@brookwoodchurch.org or call 864.688.8200.

Additional Study Tools
For additional Bible Study tools, guides and devotionals, check out bible.com, youversion.com, biblegateway.com and blueletterbible.org.