Rob's Expository Sermon Preparation | 1 Corinthians 7:25 -40

Introduction:

· How does your life change today, when eternity is your horizon?

NOW, IT’S TRUE THAT OUR PASSAGE FALLS IN THE MIDDLE OF A LOT OF SEEMINGLY RANDOM IDEAS. WHAT HOLDS THEM ALL TOGETHER? THREE THEMES.

I) We Live for What Jesus Says Really matters (vv. 29-31)

A. The difference between living for now, and living for eternity

i. Theme Number One: The Gospel & Social Standing (vv. 17-24)

1. How does this all fit together? Slaves, circumcision, marriage?

2. The thread: Social, religious, economic standing in light of the gospel

ii. Theme Number Two: The difficulty of the Present Day (vv. 26, 29, 31)

1. Paul may be referring to present hardship/famine – more likely not

2. EXAMPLE: Suffering, cancer, job is frustrating/difficult; marriage, etc.

iii. Theme Number Three: This world is passing away

1. The hardship of this world will soon pass into eternity

2. So: We live for a new horizon – our perspective is eternity

3. EXAMPLE: Back to the Future III – driving the train across the canyon

B. Living For A new horizon (vv.29-31)

i. The Promise in Our Pain (vs.30a)

1. The sorrows of this world are temporal, and will give way to rejoicing

2. Loneliness; depression; sickness; death…will be wiped away

3. Depressed? Chronic pain? Broken marriage? Draw near to Christ!

ii. The Problem with pleasure (vs. 30b)

1. We idolize pleasure…but pleasure only points to the ultimate joy in Christ

2. EXAMPLE: C.S. Lewis, a holiday at the beach, or mudpies?

3. Therefore: Do not rejoice as the world rejoices

iii. A Perspective on Business (vv. 30c-31)

1. We are a consumerist society, we are an amalgamation of what we buy

2. EXAMPLE: Fetch

3. Buying, and selling in this world will be meaningless in eternity

4. So: You are freed from the pressure to have, buy, purchase…!

LIVING WITH ETERNITY ON YOUR HORIZON CHANGES YOUR VIEW OF COMMERCE, PLEASURE, AND PAIN. IT ALSO CHANGES HOW YOU LOOK AT MARRIAGE AND SINGLENESS

II) Seek Your Ultimate Fulfillment in Christ

A. The Challenges We All Face

i. The Challenge of Singleness

1. Internal Pressure: Marriage àJoy, fulfillment (“you complete me!”)

2. External pressure: Marriage & family are put on a pedestal (then & now)

ii. The challenges of marriage (vv. 28b, 33, 34b)

1. Marriage is hard work: conflict, “baggage”; you annoy each other

2. Marriage = divided loyalties: you (rightly) have priorities in your family

3. EXAMPLE: Opportunities for ministry must be balanced w. family

B. Marriage in light of Eternity

i. Paul’s Counsel for married people (vv.

1. Don’t diminish the value of marriage (vv. 27a, 39)

2. Invest in your marriage, seeking to serve your spouse (vv. 33, 34)

ii. Paul’s Counsel for Singles

1. Don’t seek marriage for the sake of marriage (vv. 27, 38)

2. View single life as an opportunity for service (vv. 32, 34,35)

3. If you desire marriage, get married! (vv. 28, 36, 39)

iii. The True Marriage We Long For: (see vv. 25, 40)

1. What changes from a marriage-focused society, to Paul?

2. At the heart: God giving his Son to be the true bridegroom who can love us like no other

3. Therefore, married or single, we are to seek our true fulfillment in Christ’s love for us

Transition:

Conclusion

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