Friday October 24, 2014

Read 1 Corinthians 15:32

It’s easy to elevate certain people to such high platforms that they become demigods. After such elevation we come to believe that they have no struggles, no issues and no problems in life. In fact, once elevated, these people become larger than life, almost mystical in their holiness. Pastors, missionaries and even biblical figures such as Paul himself might be elevated as such. We might be tempted to think that such people are super holy and never struggle with sin or temptation.

The reality is far more earthy! We all struggle with sin and temptation. We all have weaknesses and a biases towards sin. One person’s struggle may not be another’s, but we still all struggle with sin.

How comforting to know that Paul himself struggled with sin. In 1 Cor 15:32 Paul tells us he wrestled with wild beasts in Ephesus. While the illusion is to the popular Roman games in which people (mainly Christians) would be thrown to the wild beasts in the arena, it’s hardly likely that this is what he’s referring to. If Paul were literally thrown into the arena with wild beasts, it’s hardly likely that he would have survived given that he was small of stature and going blind.  It’s also unlikely that he would have been freed, even if he did survive round 1 with the beasts. Rather, the reference to wrestling with wild beasts is a common day 1st Century metaphor for dealing with sexual temptation. What Paul is telling us is that he himself wrestled with sexual temptation.  It’s such a powerful temptation that nothing short of a parallel with wrestling wild beasts could suffice. Paul was as human as you and I. He suffered temptation and struggled with sin just as you and I do.

But 1 Corinthians 15:32 is in the context of the resurrection. What Paul is arguing is that in the light of the certainty of the resurrection it is better to fight sin, to wrestle with it and to overcome it than to give in to it. The resurrection to eternal life will bring judgement to those who have rejected Christ and eternal life to those who have received Him. This latter group will have been characterised by a life of striving towards holiness.

On the contrary, if there is no resurrection then wrestling with and overcoming sin is relatively pointless. Without the resurrection, as Paul declares later in v 32, it is better to ‘eat and drink for tomorrow we die’.

The reality of the resurrection only strengthens what we’ve said to date. Only by the grace of God do you and I share in the certainty of the resurrection to eternal life. It’s only by His mercy that our sins have been washed away and we know for certain that on the final Day of Reckoning Jesus will indeed be our Saviour once and for all.

In the light of such certainty isn’t it better to wrestle with the wild beasts in your life now than to face judgement later on?

Prayer:

Use the Bible passage from today and the reading notes to write down your prayer points before you pray.

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Adoration:

Confession:

Thanks:

Supplication:

¥ Pray that this Sonday’s service in your church would motivate you and your fellow believers to strive for holiness. Pray that God’s Word would be powerful and active in growing holiness among your church.

¥ Pray that God would be present among your congregation as you meet this week.

 Witness Moment:

If you live in the light of the resurrection to eternal life and strive for perfection this side of heaven, doors for Gospel sharing will inevitably open up.

 Discussion Questions

1. What is the link between the resurrection and striving to be holy in the present?

2. Narine says to you that she comes to church to be forgiven so that she can enjoy the week ahead. It clears her conscience and helps her to like herself. How do you counsel her?

 Discipleship Moment For Girls

Intro: Fighting, especially with people we love, is horrible, isn’t? But God shows us that fighting isn’t always bad!  God wants us to fight with all of our might in this life as we try really hard to be like Jesus. He wants us to fight hard to be holy.

Discuss: the journey and the battle you’ve had in your Christian life to date.

Read 2 Tim 4:7

Paul knew he was going to die and wrote down a summary of his life.

What does he tell us?

If you could reword this verse, what would you say?

Pray together that God would help you fight for goodness, truth and righteousness.

 Discipleship Moment For Boys

Intro: Fighting isn’t always bad! But before you plan who you’d like to beat up, listen carefully. God wants us to fight with all of our might in this life as we try really hard to be like Jesus. He wants us to fight hard to be holy.

Discuss: the journey and the battle you’ve had in your Christian life to date.

Read 2 Tim 4:7

Paul knew he was going to die and wrote down a summary of his life.

What does he tell us?

If you could reword this verse, what would you say?

Pray together that God would help you fight for goodness, truth and righteousness.