April 23, 2023
Jon Schock

The Embodied Gospel

“Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
“All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be enslaved by anything. “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food” – and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him.
Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”
—1 Corinthians 6:9-20

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1. What are the most striking changes you’ve seen in the culture in your lifetime? Name one positive and one negative.
   

2. Read 1 Corinthians 6:9-20. What strikes you in this passage as you read it?
   

3. What kind of impact on the culture has the Church made on sex and sexuality over your lifetime? Give reasons and/or examples.
   

4. Read this excerpt that was quoted – “…if we have been created, then our body is not some arbitrary lump of matter. It means something. It is not peripheral to our understanding of who we are. For the difficulties you may have with it, it is the body God wanted you to have. It is a gift.” What response does that provoke in you? What questions?
   

5. Do a quick search on Biblegateway.com on the word “body” in 1 Corinthians. Note all the many ways Paul brings it into his teaching to the church. How does this instruct us today for the connection of the spiritual and the physical?

6. Why do you think many Christians are hesitant to talk about sex when the rest of the world freely discusses it, watches it, rejoices in it? How can we redeem this gift from God today?
   

7. Read Matthew 5:27-30. Why is lust such a serious thing if “no one is hurt by it”?

8. What are practical ways we can glorify God with our bodies? Look for ways to encourage one another in these ideas.
   

Close in prayer.