The Plague of Sin

1 Corinthians 5:6-11

Verse 7  Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are.  For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.

    We mentioned yesterday how Paul was doing his best to make sure people were understanding the true way to celebrate Passover.  Today we look at a passage where the apostle is trying to help the Corinthian Christians see the depths of the New Covenant by reminding them of the Old Covenant.

    By the time the Israelites had observed the Passover for multiple generations it was likely that even though they performed all the parts of the weeklong festival they may have lost the point behind all the ceremonial things they were doing.  For example, Paul uses yeast to remind them of an important truth Jesus taught all the while showing how it tied in with the first Passover.

    Jesus had tried to help His disciples understand there were teachings of the religious leaders which were like yeast.  Just as a little yeast causes the whole batch of bread to be leavened a little teaching which isn’t true can cause the whole of the teaching to be called into question.  One who is willing to allow untruth into their teaching is likely willing to say what people want to hear to gain a following.

    The same can be said for a group of Christians who allow sinful lives to be lived in their midst.  If we don’t call out sin in each other’s lives, it will easily taint the witness of the whole group.  When we don’t address sin in the Church we allow the image of Christ’s Bride to be soiled.  We often forget how much people look at us to gain their understanding of God.  When we are not living any different than the world we are not showing Him in the best light.  In essence we are teaching a false Gospel.

    This is what Paul wanted these people to understand.  Without this understanding, taking part in the New Covenant wouldn’t mean what Christ wanted it to.  He was calling His disciples into a relationship of truth and was giving them the symbols of what He was about to do for them and us.  This is what we need to remember, He came, He died for our sins and on the third day He rose from the dead breaking the bounds of death and sin forever!

Making It Personal

    Does sin in fellow Christians bother you?  Does sin in your own life bother you?  What sin do you need to purge from your life today?

Making It Personal Kids

    Do you ever sin?  How does Jesus feel about your sin?  What sin do you need to tell Him you are sorry for today?

Closing Prayer

    Father, we confess we don’t hate sin in our lives as much as we should.  We don’t even stand for righteousness in the Church as we should.  Give us the desire to live in holiness as You have commanded us to.  In Jesus’ name, amen.