Message Big Idea

Winning like a Hero Maker requires a shift from counting my successes to counting Kingdom successes.

Scripture

Mark 10:42-44, Matthew 6:33, Matthew 6:10

Ice Breaker

What was your first job? How did you know whether you were successful?

Opening Thought

Following Jesus’ wisdom in this hero-making lifestyle can be incredibly difficult…particularly when the rest of the world is running in a different direction. Every voice, every commercial, everything we see on television and social media screams that the way to win at life is to become king or queen of the hill. What do you think Jesus is trying to teach us through this hero-making shift?

Bible Discussion

1. Read Mark 10:42-44. What do you notice about this passage? Who do you relate to in the story?
2. Read Matthew 6:33. How does Jesus’ admonition to “seek first the kingdom of God” (ESV) affect your understanding of success as a leader?
3. What does it mean to you when you pray this line from the Lord’s Prayer: “Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 6:10)?

Life Application

4. If we were seeking God’s kingdom first in every area of our lives (work, home, faith, and key relationships), what would you count as a win on your scorecard if your goal was to invest in others?
5. Sam Walker discovered that the greatest sports teams did not have a team captain who was the star player. Instead, the captain was the person who took care of all the tough, unglamorous tasks. In other words, the captains were rarely the ones who got applause; they were the ones who were willing to do the behind the scenes work. Does this surprise you? Why or why not?
6. What does your hero maker’s scoreboard look like today? What would you like on your scoreboard in one year and in five years?

Challenge

Bob Buford, the author of Half Time: Moving from Success to Significance, wrote: “My fruit grows on other people’s trees.” He carried a 3×5 card in his front pocket with about a dozen names on it. These were the names of young leaders that he would pour himself into both relationally and financially. What might that look like in your life? Take a few moments to create your own list. Share with the group one person on the list that will begin to invest with the sole goal of seeing them find success.

Be a Hero Maker – For resources and tools that will help you become a Hero Maker, visit communitychristian.org/heromaker