Youth Group - MNF
7-18-2004
Order:
Food and Fellowship
Prayer
Lesson
Game
Introductory Questions:
What are some things you collect and why.
Passage: 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Let's read it together.
What's coming up...
We're going to be getting into so more difficult passages over the next couple of weeks. Has anyone here ever play the game taboo? Do you know what the word taboo means? It means “don't say it.” Cultures and sub-cultures develop their own taboo. Our particular culture doesn't mind talking about the topics we'll be discussing, but for some reason our sub-culture, the church, has made sex and sexual immorality taboo. I see this as unfortunate.
First though we're going to see how God sees us as believers in Jesus Christ. So let's look at our passage.
Paul says that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God and we shouldn't be deceived. Is this true? Who are the unrighteous?
So if I commit fornication I will not inherit the kingdom of God?
What if I tell a lie, will I inherit the kingdom of God?
Paul is saying this is what the Unrighteous do, not the Righteous. Don't act like them because that's not who you are anymore. Such were some of you, but now you're washed, sanctified, and justified.
Paul is getting back to the basics when he starts talking about the kingdom of God. When Paul deals with the kingdom he is talking about the ABC's of Christianity. The Corinthians are still stuck on the basics and haven't moved on to maturity.
The Corinthians were so broad-minded (and proud of it) and immature that they thought it was ok to commit the sins listed here: sexual immorality, idolatry, drunkenness, stealing, etc.
Why do you think the Corinthians thought it was ok to commit these kind of sins?
Immaturity, forgot what they were saved from, lost their love for Jesus, and their culture.
The Corinthians lived in an immoral culture. Their culture was full of sexual immorality. At the top of the hill in their city was a temple to the Greek goddess Aphrodite who was the goddess of love. Every night the 1000 temple priestesses went down into the city to prostitute themselves in the name of religion. In the city there was also the temple to Apollo, the Greek god of music, song, and poetry. Apollo was the ideal form of male beauty. There were many statues of nude men and boys as well as young boys of the temple who were available as prostitutes for the men of the city. Corinth was also a port city. With a port comes lots of sailors who were probably full of all sorts of immoralities: drunkenness, foul language, and fornication.
Read Quote from page 92-93 on Emporer Nero.
How about our culture?
Adultery and fornication is rampant in our society. Pre-marital and extra-marital sex is displayed and encouraged on the TV. Pornography is readily available to all through many mediums such as TV, movies, magazines, and the Internet. Immodesty and sensuality is all over the tv sitcoms, movies, the mall, and at school, sometimes even at church. Idolatry is rampant at MTV. All those musicians glorified as idols because they can dance and sing. Stealing and lying are prevalent in the work place. Drunkenness is encouraged through the commercials by promising a good time without consequences and everybody is good-looking. Homosexual marriage is creeping into the united states. Homosexuality which was once taboo, became something you could joke about, until now it is accepted as normal at school, tv, and in our families.
“AND SUCH WERE SOME OF YOU.” Hallelujah for our salvation. I don't know how many of you have been involved with any of these type of activities, but we have been saved if you have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation.
People who are involved in sexual immorality find it really difficult to stop what they are doing. People who are in the homosexual lifestyle find it very difficult to get out. People who are given to drunkenness find it difficult to stop drinking. But God does save people from all sin and gives us the power to overcome these vices that have us in their grip.
So don't go back. Some of you were these type, don't go back.
Paul reminds us who we are in Christ:
We were washed-Jesus' blood washed away all of our dirtiness and sins 1 John 1:9
We were sanctified-We have been set apart by God and for God. Eph. 1:13-14
We were justified-We have been declared not guilty, we have been acquitted by God the judge of the universe. Romans 3:23-26 ex OJ Simpson
These are all in the past tense. All of this is done and can't be undone. Once you've been washed by Jesus blood, sanctified by God, and justified by God, you can't go back. So don't live like it.
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