Caring For God's Temple Series

Caring For God’s Temple Stewardship…A Matter of The Heart – Part V

1 Corinthians 6:12 – 20

1 Corinthians 6:12 – 20 (NIV)

“Everything is permissible for me” – but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me” – but I will not be mastered by anything. “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food” – but God will destroy them both. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never! Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who unites himself with the Lord is one with him in spirit.

Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

It’s My Life…I’ll Do What I Please

64.5% of all adults in the U.S. are considered overweight

30.5% of all adults in the U.S. are considered medically obese

15.3 million new cases of sexually transmitted diseases occur in the U.S. each year.

Approximately 2/3 of the people who acquire STDS in the U.S. each year are under the age of 25

It is estimated that nearly 65 million people living in the U.S. have sexually transmitted diseases

More than 400,000 Americans die each year from tobacco-related disease

In 1999 there were 175,000 cocaine-related emergency room episodes

22.4% of high school seniors have smoked marijuana in the past month

You Are Wonderfully Made

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made… Psalm 139:14

You are made in God’s image – Genesis 1:27

Genesis 1:27 (NASB)

God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

The greatest of God’s creation

Spiritual in nature

Made to fellowship with God

Christ In You

We are extensions of the body of Christ – vs. 15

Christ lives within us

Our body is no longer ours, but His

Christ’s presence is involved in all that we do

Sinful actions defile Christ’s body – vs. 15-16

United With Christ

We are one in spirit with Christ

Our thoughts should reflect His thoughts

Our passions should reflect His passions

Our actions should reflect His passions

We should strive to be a perfect reflection of Jesus

Flee Sexual Immorality – vs. 18

4.2 million pornographic websites

68 million pornographic search engine requests daily

2.5 BILLION daily pornographic emails

40 million U.S. adults regularly visit pornographic websites

53% of men attending Promise Keeper events admitted to viewing pornography in the last week

47% of Christians say that pornography is a major problem in their home

More Than A Body

Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit – vs. 19

We need to care for the temple

Regular maintenance and cleaning are necessary

You are the Lord’s and your body belongs to him – vs. 20

The cost of ownership was the blood of Christ

Honoring God With Your Body

Take care of what God has given you

Rest

Exercise

Sound nutrition

Avoiding temptation

Garbage in, garbage out

Use your body for God’s glory

Worship

Serving others

What Would Jesus Do?