A Word from 1 Corinthians 5

I don’t claim to be an expert in Jewish tradition. But it’s my understanding that—to this day—when Passover is approaching, a careful search is made to ensure that anything containing yeast is removed from the home. Historically, of course, that recalls Israel’s hasty journey out of Egypt in the Exodus, when they didn’t have time to let their bread rise. But spiritually, it symbolizes the importance of removing from our lives anything that would keep us from being ready to follow the Lord wherever he leads.

Of course, you might wonder why I’m telling you this. And the answer comes in today’s word from 1 Corinthians 5. Paul is urging his fellow believers to be careful about allowing unChristlike attitudes and behaviors to change their hearts and their fellowship, in much the same way that yeast changes dough. And so, he tells them:

“Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (5:6-8)

Naturally, we sometimes struggle to agree on what kind of “old yeast behaviors” we need to be on the lookout for! But if we can focus on Christ, our Passover Lamb, and can emulate the humility, grace, and obedience to the Father that he demonstrated, I’d imagine that we’ll be moving in the right direction.

So today, is there any “yeast” that needs to be removed from your life? Are there attitudes or behaviors that are keeping you—and keeping us—from being “a new batch,” ready to celebrate God’s redemption with “sincerity and truth”?

Well, may our memory of how Jesus sacrificed for us motivate us to live for him. Amen.