How much time do you have left here on earth?

A Google search suggests that in the United States, men live for an average of 76 years, while women live for an average of 81 years.  The problem with the previous sentence is the word "average."  We don't know how much time we actually have.  We tend to live as if we have all the time in the world, but we really don't. 

For followers of Jesus, this is an important discussion which has significant ramifications for our decision making.  We have been given a purpose from God, redemption through Jesus Christ, and power by the Holy Spirit to live a life of what the apostle Paul calls "undivided devotion to the Lord."  We've also been given an undefined amount of years to pursue these goals.  So it is that disciples are called to think differently about how to spend our time.

This week we will see how these ideas affect our understanding of relationships.  During the last few weeks in our series on First Corinthians entitled A Better Way, we have addressed the emotionally charged concepts of sex and marriage.  Chapters 6 and 7 contain Paul's pleas to the Corinthians to avoid sexual immorality by understanding marriage as the proper context for sex.  He has also addressed people who are not married or are in difficult marriages.  In every circumstance, Paul's concern is that followers of Jesus don't let sex and marriage (or lack thereof) derail their faith or their ongoing pursuit of holiness.  In 1 Corinthians 7:25-40, Paul reminds both the married and unmarried that time is short, and he gives the Corinthians another reminder of how important it is to pursue Jesus above all else. Join us for this challenging discussion.