Beware of the Yeast

Scripture

1 Corinthians 5:6-7

Materials Needed

• Large (clear) pitcher of water
• Food coloring (the liquid kind)
• Bibles (of course!)

Bible:

1 Corinthians 5:6(b)-7 = “Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old “yeast” by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us.”

Explain:
So, by dying as our Passover (sacrificial) lamb, Jesus, who is the living water, cleansed us of the yeast.
-Can you guess what this yeast that Jesus, the living water, got rid of?
-(v. 8)  –Wickedness: hateful feelings, evil, trouble, worry
–Malice: Evil intentions
And by cleansing us, Jesus actually made us a new batch without yeast

Explain the Props:

• The pitcher of water = us
• The food coloring = the yeast, (malice & wickedness we’re cleansed of)

(Hold the food coloring bottle over the water, but don’t pour any in yet)
-What do you think will happen if I drop just a single drop of food coloring in?
“Now remember, the pitcher of water represents us, cleansed by Jesus’ sacrifice, and the food coloring represents the yeast, which is malice and wickedness…basically everything that Jesus cleansed us from in the first place.”

(wait for some answers)

(drop just 1 single drop of food coloring into water….watch it for a while)

Bible:

Read Matthew 16:6 = “Watch out!” Jesus warned them. “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Discuss

• Now, if Jesus already cleansed us from the yeast, then why should we watch out and beware of the yeast of others? (Wait for answers)
• Is it possible to get dirtied up again?  Is it possible to get yeast (or food coloring) into us again?  How?  Where does it come from? (satan, etc.)
• How does Satan get it to us? (through others we hang out with who don’t follow Christ).
• How do they get it to us?

(Look again at pitcher):  Let’s look at the pitcher now…what’s happening? (reflect)
So it started small, and in time, it is slowly working its way into something bigger?

Let me ask you something:

• Those of you who accepted Jesus: why did you accept Him?  What was your reason?
• So what does that make you now?
• What (or how much) did you give to Jesus when you accepted Him?
• If God is not 1^st, then what are you putting before God?

As teenagers, you’re trying to discover your Identity, I get it. So then,

• Who are you in the eyes of others? (Friends, people of the opposite sex/gender, people you’d like to be friends with, etc.)
• Who are you in your own eyes?

If you’re putting these Identities before your identity in God’s eyes, then you’re letting in the food coloring (yeast).

Let’s look at the pitcher again (it’s taken it over like a virus)

The food coloring works like a virus…it starts out with a little, then slowly spreads out. And if it’s untreated, then it will continue until it has completely taken over.

• What happens to a person when a virus has taken them over completely?

Review:

• Now, is it OK to hang out with people who don’t know Jesus? (yes)
  • Jesus hung out with sinners
  • Jesus sent His disciples to go out among sinners to preach and baptize them
  • It’s part of our mission to go out and live among those who don’t know Jesus in order that we might introduce them to Jesus
  • How will you share Jesus with non-believers if you don’t know any?
    So yes, it is fine to know and hang out with non-believers, even become good friends with them. 
• Is it possible to hang out with people filled with food coloring without getting any food coloring into us ourselves?
  • We may get a little on us, but if it’s not dealt with (or cleaned off), then in due time, it could take us over (as with a virus.  If it’s not dealt with, it will take you over).

Bible:

1 Peter 1:13-16 = “So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.” (Also in Leviticus 11:44-45, 19:2, and 20:7)

Once again, are you a “Christian”, or a “Disciple of Jesus”?

(If Disciple of Jesus, then what makes them say this? How are they different from those who do not know Jesus?

As:

• God’s people
• Christians
• Residents of Heaven
• People of God
• (etc.)

Just as God is Holy, we too must be holy. Be careful of the food coloring of others’ behaviors, in that we don’t pick them up as our own behaviors. For we were called to be Holy, just as God is Holy…different from people who don’t know God…taking on God’s character so that others may come to know God.

(close in prayer)