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?
