1 Corinthians 5:7

Mission Briefing

1 Corinthians 5:7 uses a baking image to explain something huge. In Bible times, before the Passover feast, families would search their whole house for old yeast and throw it all away. They’d start completely fresh. Paul says: do the same thing in your life. Get rid of the old stuff – the old bad habits, the old ways of thinking, the old guilt and mistakes – because Jesus, our Passover Lamb, has already been sacrificed. He made the way for everything to be new. You don’t have to carry the old batch anymore.

Here’s the thing about yeast: a tiny bit of it spreads through the whole dough. That’s how sin works too. One small bad habit can grow and spread through your attitude, your friendships, your choices. But when Jesus steps in, it’s not just a patch – it’s a completely fresh start. New dough. New batch. New you. That’s what renewal means. Not pretending the old stuff never happened, but genuinely being made clean and starting over because of what Jesus did. That’s the most incredible trade in history.

What This Means For You

You don’t have to keep dragging around something Jesus already paid for. If there’s a mistake you can’t stop thinking about, a habit you wish you didn’t have, or a version of yourself you’re tired of being – bring it to God. He’s ready to swap it for something fresh. Renewal is a gift, and it’s already been paid for.

Mission Activity

Grab a piece of paper and write down something old you want to let go of – a mistake, a bad habit, a way you’ve been acting that you’re not proud of. Then tear it up into tiny pieces. As you do, say: “Jesus made me new.” Throw the pieces away. Now take a fresh piece of paper and write one word for what you want your fresh start to look like. Keep that piece. (Note: the verse above is paraphrased to help younger readers connect with its meaning. The original is 1 Corinthians 5:7 NIV.)