If you're looking at the new Bible, that is page 956.
We are resuming our series in 1 Corinthians after taking a short break around Easter time.
But we'll be plowing ahead, entering into the second half of this book.
So let's read together 1 Corinthians chapter 8, reading the whole chapter this morning.
Now concerning food offered to idols.
We know that all of us possess knowledge.
This knowledge pops up, but love builds up.
If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.
But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.
Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that an idol has no real existence
and that there is no God but one.
For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords.
Yet for us, there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist.
And one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.
However, not all possess this knowledge.
But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol,
and their conscience being weak is defiled.
Food will not commend us to God.
We are no worse off if we do not eat and no better off if we do.
But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.
For if anyone who sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple,
will he not be encouraged if his conscience is weak to eat food offered to idols?
And so by your knowledge, this weak person is destroyed.
The brother from whom Christ died.
Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.
Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.
Well, the topic of today's sermon is food sacrificed to idols.
At least that's the headache of the ESV.
If you were raised in a Western culture, that topic might seem completely irrelevant.
You might wonder, why does Paul spend the next three chapters discussing this issue?
What, if anything, does this have to do with me?
You know, a few years ago, somebody actually admitted to me that they had looked at the sermon card
and read the passage that we were going to be preaching on
and decided that it just wasn't worth coming to church that day.
So I'm glad you didn't do that.
I'm wondering for you, don't tune out.
Here's a couple reasons why this passage is relevant.
At first, the issue of food offered to idols is still relevant in many cultures.
Recently, I was talking to another pastor who had preached for 1 Corinthians to his church.
And the members of his church were mostly African and Caribbean immigrants.
And he said, you know, a whole section about sex and marriage, chapters 6 and 7.
I thought that could be controversial, but pretty much everyone seemed to agree,
in principle at least, with what Paul was saying.
But then we got the food offered to idols.
And this was the most controversial section of the whole book.
One person said, whenever I go home and my mom puts a meal,
she'll pour out some of the food on an image that sits in our front yard
as a way of warding off evil spirits.
Or maybe you're from an Asian culture.
What about the traditional meals eaten in honor of ancestors?
Or is it in worship of ancestors?
Are they harmless cultural traditions?
Are they pagan religious rituals?
Should Christians not make a big deal out of them?
Or should Christians completely refrain from participating in them?
You know, if you go into most of the Thai restaurants in New Haven,
you may notice that in the entryway, there's often a little statue of the Buddha.
And there's often a little food placed right in front of you.
So for some of you, these may be very real issues
that have potential to cause a lot of tension in your family
or among your close friends who follow a different religious tradition.
And the question there is, how do I remain loyal to Christ
without unnecessarily offending people who are close to me?
Where do I draw the line between cultural expressions and religious practices?
How do I show respect to people who I love
without endorsing practices that don't reflect God's will?
So we'll try to address some of those questions over the next few weeks,
especially when we get to chapter 10.
But before we go on, let me just point out
that in every culture there are some biblical teachings
that deeply resonate with our intuitions.
They make total sense to us.
And we say, that's true wisdom.
That's beautiful.
There are other biblical teachings that sound strange and countercultural
and we inherently tend to resist them.
Now from the Bible's perspective, that makes sense
because we're all created in the image of God
and yet we're all deeply flawed and corrupted by sin.
But since every culture and every person is different,
the parts of the Bible that you most struggle with
that seem most implausible to you
may be the parts that are most obviously true
and uncontroversial and make intuitive sense
from someone else's perspective or someone else's culture.
You know, it's helpful to realize this.
Your own doubts and questions are largely determined
by your cultural background
and the historical moment in which you live.
That doesn't mean you should simply dismiss them or ignore them.
But it does mean you shouldn't see them as absolute,
unchangeable objections which every reasonable person would share.
If you're really struggling with any biblical teaching,
it's helpful to ask,
what is it that I'm assuming
that makes it so hard for me
to accept what the Bible says in this particular area?
Well, so food offered to idols is a concern for many Christians today.
Second, the second reason why this is relevant
is Paul's primary concern in this section
is not actually just whether you should eat food offered to idols.
If that was Paul's only concern,
he could have skipped chapter 8, chapter 9,
most of chapter 10 and gone right to chapter 10,
verse 21 and 25 and 27,
where he finally answers that question.
And if you want to know Paul's answer,
should you eat food sacrificed offered to idols,
his answer is this.
Number one, don't participate in religious feasts
which involve idol worship.
That's 1021.
But second, if you're in the marketplace
or you're at somebody's house,
you can eat whatever you want
as long as it's not explicitly associated
with promoting idolatry.
As long as by eating you're not actively promoting it.
Now, we'll get to untangling that in a couple of weeks.
So for Paul, eating food offered to idols,
in the context of pagan religious feasts,
it's not actually simply a matter of opinion
over which Christians may differ.
Sometimes people think that this passage
is talking about the same thing as Romans 14,
which talks about opinions or disputable matters.
There's actually a difference.
Romans 14 does not mention food offered to idols.
It's talking more about flea and unclean foods,
which is sort of a different issue.
And so Paul agrees with Acts 15,
the decree of the Jerusalem Council,
and Revelation 2,
where the Apostle John warns against Christians
eating food offered to idols.
So the New Testament is actually consistent
on this issue,
which is something I didn't always realize.
But that's, I think,
the best way to put things together.
Now, if that's the answer,
why does Paul spend three whole chapters on this topic?
And the reason is Paul's more concerned
with a bunch of bigger issues that are related.
So three of the issues Paul's concerned with
in these chapters are,
one, how should the Christian church
relate to the outside unbelieving world?
Second, how should Christians
with different social backgrounds
and different opinions
relate to one another?
Third, how does your freedom in Christ
relate to your responsibility
to other people in the body of Christ?
So these are three of the issues
that Paul will be dealing with
in these next three chapters.
He doesn't just want to draw the boundaries
and say you can do this,
you can't do that.
He wants to address this at the level
of our motivations and our identity.
Say, who are you?
Who do you belong to?
You know, a lot of Christian answers
to ethical questions only make sense
if you start with, who are you?
Who do you belong to?
You're a human being created in God's image
or someone who's called to belong to Jesus Christ.
A lot of Christian ethical answers
only make sense in the context
of the Christian worldview.
So that's what Paul's doing all along
in 1 Corinthians.
He's addressing all kinds of different issues
by bringing them back to the message
of Christ crucified and risen.
Now before we jump into chapter 8,
take out your bulletin
and look at the insert.
We're about halfway through 1 Corinthians,
so I wanted to do a little bit
of a big picture
where we come from,
where we're going.
And particularly,
I just want to point out
some patterns in 1 Corinthians.
1 Corinthians is not just sort of
a random assortment of issues
that Paul's dealing with one by one.
There's actually some patterns
in how he addresses each issue
in light of the gospel of Christ.
And particularly,
he begins by warning against
divisions and pride in section 1,
against sexual immorality and greed
in section 2,
which we just finished.
And here against idolatry
and selfishness.
All of those things destroy the church.
But he follows the warnings
with a positive vision
of what it looks like,
practically speaking,
to build up the church
to display the glory of God
in this world.
In chapter 3, verse 16,
Paul said,
you are the temple of God.
God's dwelling place on earth,
the visible display of God's glory
in this broken world.
So he says,
live in such a way
as to build up that temple.
That language of building up
is very,
you'll see a lot
in the next half of 1 Corinthians,
especially 12 through 14.
But building up on another.
The image Paul has in mind
that the church is God's temple,
God's dwelling place
where His presence and glory dwell
in this world.
And Paul says,
build up that temple.
Don't tear it down.
And don't hurt
the parts of the building
that are weak.
Rather,
come alongside them
and strengthen them.
chapter 8 through 10,
there's a pattern.
Same as 12 through 14,
he begins with some general principles,
which we'll look at today.
Chapter 8,
he then seems to digress.
He seems to address
a different topic.
Chapter 9 doesn't mention
food offered titles at all.
And Paul seems to go
a totally different direction,
but actually,
that's the heart of Paul's message.
And then he comes back
to food offered titles,
chapter 10.
It's the same thing,
12, 13, 14,
with spiritual gifts
and then love.
Right?
That chapter gets read
at weddings all the time.
It's not just about marriage,
it's not primarily about marriage,
it's about love
for your brothers and sisters
in the church.
And why that's the key
to understanding
spiritual gifts.
The key to understanding
spiritual gifts
is understanding
what it means to love
as Christ has loved us.
And the key to understanding
food offered to idols
is understanding
what it means to
be willing to lay down
our rights
and our freedoms
and our privileges
for the good
of others.
Alright,
so that's a little bit
of where we're going.
Let's dive in.
Chapter 8, verse 1.
Now concerning food
offered to idols.
If you look back
at chapter 7, verse 1,
Paul uses the same phrase.
Now concerning the matters
about which you wrote.
So the Corinthians
had written to Paul,
we don't have a copy
of their letter,
but they had written
a letter to Paul,
probably asking his advice
on certain matters.
Most likely,
this was one of them.
In verse 1 and verse 4,
Paul seems to be quoting,
perhaps from their letter,
that they sent him.
Now the ESV puts
those things in quotes.
All of us possess knowledge.
An idol has no real existence.
There is no God but one.
So it seems like,
if you look at the context
of these chapters,
it seems like here's what
the Corinthians wrote to Paul.
Dear Paul,
some members of our church
have become upset
because others have accepted
invitations to dinners
held in idol temples
and freely eat food
that has been offered
to idols.
But all of us possess knowledge
that an idol has no real existence
and that there is no God but one.
So there is no such thing
as idol food,
just food.
But these weak people
are frightened.
They think we are promoting
idolatry.
They question our right
to eat whatever we want.
We are trying to build them up
so they too can enjoy
freedom in Christ
and eat any food.
That's probably something like
what the Corinthians wrote
to Paul.
If you want to understand
how I came up with that,
I'm happy to explain
more later.
But this is,
I think this will make sense
of what we're reading
in chapter 8.
Now, what we'll see here
is Paul doesn't immediately
take sides.
He doesn't immediately say,
I agree with you,
I disagree with you.
He takes a step back
and addresses some
bigger picture issues.
And in this chapter
in particular,
he focuses on knowledge
and love.
He says,
you know, you're saying
you know all these things.
Well, let's talk about knowledge.
And let's also talk about love.
What does it mean
to love one another
in the body of Christ?
So there are three paragraphs.
In chapter 8,
we'll take them in turn.
Paragraph 1,
verse 1 through 3,
how knowledge relates to love.
Paragraph 2,
verse 4 through 6,
what we know as Christians.
And paragraph 3,
how Christians should love.
Verse 7 through 13.
So first,
knowledge and love,
how they relate together.
What Paul does in verse 1 through 3,
is he points out
the dangers of knowledge
and the priority of love.
He says,
this knowledge
puffs up,
but love
builds up.
If anyone imagines
that he knows something,
he does not yet know
as he ought to know.
Now,
we should rip that verse
out of context.
Paul is not against
knowledge.
Paul himself
was very well educated.
Paul also wasn't
a radical skeptic.
he wasn't saying
the only thing
we can ever know
is that we don't
know anything.
What Paul was saying
is that there's
an inherent danger
in accumulating
knowledge.
Particularly when
that knowledge
is limited
or distorted.
And he's concerned
that some of the
Corinthian Christians
were falling
into this trap.
Their knowledge
was puffing them up
with pride
and arrogance.
They were very
confident in their
knowledge,
but they were
using their knowledge
as a weapon
to defend themselves
rather than
as a tool
to build up
the community.
But they perhaps
didn't even realize
that they were
doing this.
I don't think
they were out
to,
I don't think
they were malicious
people
that Paul was
writing to
who were out
to hurt the weak
in their community.
They were simply
very confident
in their knowledge,
blind about
some of their,
the ways that
they were affecting
other people
and not realizing
the harm
they were causing them.
And so Paul's
trying to help them.
And he's trying
to help us
get our priorities
straight.
So he wants to say
true knowledge
of God
and of ourselves
should express itself
in love for God
and love for Naaman.
Jesus said
that's the first
and greatest commandment.
What we read
from Deuteronomy,
to love the Lord
your God
is all your heart
and soul
and mind
and strength.
The second is like it
to love your neighbor
as yourself.
Paul says
knowledge pops up.
It's like a balloon.
You know,
kids are always excited
when they get balloons,
aren't they?
Right?
But the balloon
never lasts
more than a few days.
It deflates.
It shrivels up.
It doesn't last
in a church
that's built
on knowledge
and pride
but lacks
love and humility.
It's like balloon.
It may look
very impressive
for a while
and elevated
and large
but it can fall apart
just as quickly.
But Paul says
love
builds up.
Love creates
something
substantial
and enduring
and solid
that can't be
quickly blown away
by the wind.
When a Christian community
is characterized
by steadfast
enduring
love
it can withstand
all kinds
of external pressures
and stresses
without falling apart.
That's why Proverbs
says love covers
over a multitude
of sins.
Love is
very important.
Now of course
love for God
and love for one another
matures
through growing knowledge.
Philippians 1
Paul prays
it is my prayer
that your love
may abound
in knowledge
and with all discernment
so that you may
prove what is excellent
and be pure
and plainly.
So Paul's not saying
knowledge is unimportant.
He's saying
our knowledge
needs to be rooted
in love
and it needs to be
expressed
in love.
Now verse 3
right
if that's the main
point of the paragraph
we might expect
Paul to say
if anyone
loves God
that person
is the one
who truly knows God
right
because if you
truly know God
then you'll
have love
for God
but interestingly
Paul gives us
a little surprise
he says
if anyone
loves God
he is known
by God.
What Paul
wants to leave us
with in this paragraph
is the most
important kind
of knowledge
is not any
knowledge that you
have
it's that
God
knows
you
and when the
Bible talks
about God
knowing
us
it doesn't
just mean
he knows
about us
just like
he knows
about everything
else in the rest
of the world
and everything
else there is
to know
when the Bible
says God
knows you
that refers to him
choosing us
to be his own
before the foundation
of the world
uniting himself
to us
intimately
in covenant
faithfulness
through Christ
when we're
known by God
it means we're
loved by God
it means
we're
wrapped
in his
embrace
it means
we respond
by knowing
and loving
him in return
it means
we're drawn
in
to the
Father
Son
and Holy
Spirit
in that
community
of love
and knowledge
now before
we go on
to the next
section
the next
paragraph
let me give
a few brief
applications
about the
dangers
of knowledge
and the
priority
of love
first
college
students
and this
applies
to high
school
and middle
school
students
but you
live in
an environment
that's oriented
around increasing
your technical
knowledge
and critical
thinking skills
and those
skills can be
very valuable
and very
worthwhile
but beware
the tendency
of knowledge
to puff
you up
with pride
I mean
it's pretty
easy
if you go
to Yale
it's easy
right
it's pretty
easy
to look
around
and find
somebody
else
that seems
to be
pumped up
with all
their knowledge
but the
false question
is
look at
ourselves
is that
happening
to us
too
and second
we're
supposed to
pursue
love
with as
much
diligence
and energy
as you
pursue
knowledge
and by
love
I don't
mean
romance
necessarily
by love
I mean
things like
learning to
listen
well
learning to
be a good
friend
regardless
of whether
you're a good
networker
learning to
relate to
people who
are very
different than
you
or who
seem to
have nothing
to offer
you
learning to
speak the
truth in
love to
people who
have offended
or wronged
you
learning to
forgive as
God has
forgiven you
this is the
kind of love
that our
world desperately
needs
resolve to
pursue love
and harness
your knowledge
toward the
end of
loving others
more effectively
it takes
time to
develop
that kind
of love
it's not
something that
comes naturally
to us
Paul says
it's a fruit
of the
Holy Spirit
working in
us
so if
your student
resolves
to pursue
love
with as
much
diligence
and energy
as you
are pursuing
knowledge
second
if you're
in divinity
school
or thinking
about going
to seminary
or divinity
school
one of the
major spiritual
dangers of
enrolling
full time
especially in
seminary or
div school
is that your
knowledge about
God and
the Bible and
theology and
church history
is almost
always growing
faster than
your love
for God
and for
your name
and so many
people don't
realize this
but seminary
or div
school can
be as
much of a
spiritual
battlefield
as anywhere
else in the
world
some people
think it will
be a spiritual
paradise
I can just
go and learn
about the
Bible for
two or
three years
it's not
just that
because the
dangers are
more hidden
if you're a
div school
student you
need the
broader body
of Christ
the local
church not
just the
div school
community and
not just the
div school
chapel
because being
part of the
larger body
of Christ
will constantly
challenge you
to love
people who
are different
than you
people who
haven't read
any of the
books you're
reading and
might not
really care
about them
it'll push
you to
consider how
the material
you're learning
actually applies
to people
in their
real daily
lives
it will
humble you
and you
probably need
that
on a regular
basis
okay third
group
I've been in
all these
groups by the
way
okay
third group
if you're
really into
reform theology
okay maybe
you came to
Trinity
because you
found us on
9 March
and the
gospel coalition
and you
read our
recommended
book list
on the
website
and you
thought this
is the
church for
me
some of you
are like I
don't even
know what
any of those
things are
that's fine
okay there's a
danger of
being pumped up
with reform
theology
just as much
as any other
kind of
college
but think
about what
reform theology
says
it says this
it says God
doesn't owe
you anything
because he's
sovereign over
everything he
chose you in
Christ before
the world
began you
had nothing
to do with
that and
your salvation
is by grace
alone not by
your good
works not by
your intellect
and not because
you have your
theology all
right so if
you really
understand that
the harder
performed theology
you'll become
increasingly humble
and willing and
even wanting to
receive correction
from others in
the body of
Christ whether
or not they
understand what
performed theology
is or call
themselves
performed or
don't know or
don't care
and you will
become increasingly
grateful and
generous and
joyful and
reverent that's
the kind of love
that understanding
the biblical gospel
produces
and finally the
knowledge we
should treasure
more than
anything else
as I said is
the knowledge
that God
knows us
that he has
loved us and
received us
through Christ
that he knows
us better than
we know ourselves
and yet he loves
us through and
through
he's called us
by name
you know there's
an amazing promise
in Revelation 2
17
Jesus says to
the one who
overcomes that
is the one who
perseveres in
faith I will
give you a
white stone
with a new
name written
on the stone
that no one
knows except
the one who
receives it
Jesus knows
you better than
you know yourself
and one day in
heaven he's going
to give you a
new name
and apparently
he's just going
to be he knows
you so intimately
and personally
and individually
that no one
will know that
name except
him and you
and maybe you
can share with
everybody else
because I guess
we'll have a
complete knowledge
in heaven I
don't know how
that all works
but the point
is he knows
your name
and he has
called you by
name and he
has a name
that he's going
to give you
because he knows
you so well
and sees all
that he's going
to do in you
that's an amazing
promise
alright so that's
the first thing
priority of love
and the dangers
of knowledge
second thing
what we should
know as Christians
this is verse 4
through 6
again Paul's
not putting
down knowledge
that's why he
talks about it
in verse 4
through 6
Paul goes back
to some of
the Corinthian
slogans
an idol has
no real existence
there's no God
but one
this is a reference
to what we read
earlier in Deuteronomy
it's called the
Shema
it's the confession
of faith
that the Jewish
people have
recited for centuries
the Lord our God
the Lord is one
you shall love
the Lord your God
with all your heart
with all your soul
and with all your might
now some of the
people in the
Corinthian church
were saying
well idols aren't
real
it's only one
through God
so we can just
go into pagan
temples
and eat meat
offered to idols
it doesn't really
matter
idols just aren't
real
we just know
it's all a charade
they might believe
it's real
but as long as
you know it's
fake
then it doesn't
matter
well let's
challenge that
attitude
because at one
level there was
a self-serving
attitude
the primary
reason people
would have been
motivated to go
into idol temples
and eat food
offered to idols
is because that
is where a lot
of the more
socially prominent
Corinthians often
gathered
for both religious
rituals as well
as social occasions
and so if you
got an invitation
to dine at the
temple of Asclepion
there was a
potential social
cost to refusing
it
or to showing
up and abstaining
from some of the
foods that the
host provided
and so Paul has
a challenge
their attitude
and sort of their
desire for social
advancement at all
costs
but Paul does this
first by saying
remember what we
know as Christians
again Paul's
stepping back
he doesn't just
say yes
no
he doesn't just
get right in their
face right away
but he steps back
and says think
about knowledge
and think about
love and then
think about what
we know as
Christians
verse 6
for us there is
one God the
Father from whom
are all things
and for whom we
exist and one
Lord Jesus Christ
through whom are
all things and
through whom we
live
now notice what
Paul points out
three things in
that simple verse
three things beyond
there is no God
beyond a simple
affirmation of
monotheistic faith
so first he points
out we exist for
God
one God for whom
we exist
in other words
you don't exist
for yourselves
God is not only
the origin of
everything he's
also the purpose
and end for which
we were created
and as Paul
will get into
this later on
one of the major
problems is that
some of the
Corinthian Christians
were being selfish
and self-promoting
and they were
acting as if
God exists
so that we can
do what we want
and Paul says
oh no
we exist for God
that's a fundamental
truth
from him and for him
we have to start
there
second
we come to God
the Father
through Jesus
Christ
it says
through whom
are all things
and through
who we exist
now
that last phrase
is literally
it says
the ESV
translated
through who
we exist
which is very
legitimate translation
but it literally
just says
we through him
it says
from whom
are all things
and we for him
and then one more
Jesus Christ
through whom
are all things
and we through him
so I think
the end of the verse
is not just saying
we exist
because of Jesus Christ
but it's saying
that it's through
Jesus Christ
that we
achieve the end
for which we were
created
it's through
Jesus Christ
that we realize
our purpose
and destiny
as human beings
and it's through
Jesus in particular
who came
and died
on the cross
that we're
reconciled to God
we can know
God as our Father
again
Paul just mentions
these theological
truths here
but these are the
truths
that he's going
to really dig into
because even later
in this chapter
he's going to say
your brother
is the one
for whom
Christ died
it is through
the sacrificial
death of Christ
that you
and your brother
and your sister
can come freely
before God
so again
Paul's sort of
laying the groundwork
for what he's going
to dig into
deeper
later on
third thing
Paul says
Jesus Christ
is Lord
and God
now this is a side note
but if you take
a New Testament
class
at a secular
university
or if you watch
a PBS special
on early Christianity
you may hear
people say
the earliest
followers of Jesus
did not actually
worship him
or proclaim
his divinity
this belief
developed gradually
and later on
just like the
larger than life
legends
that develop
around great
historical figures
long after they're
gone
the problem
with that view
well this verse
among many other
things
creates a problem
for that view
because 1 Corinthians
is one of the
earliest pieces
of Christian literature
that we have
written only 20 years
after Jesus' death
and resurrection
and when Paul says
Jesus Christ
is not only
the Messiah
but also
the one
Lord
Paul's identifying
Jesus with
the one God
that Jews
had worshipped
for centuries
it's a strong
statement
of the deity
of Jesus Christ
and Paul states
this as if
everyone knows
this
this is one of
the few statements
in 1 Corinthians
that it's not
at all controversial
the Corinthians
got this right
Jesus Christ
is God
they knew it
Paul agreed
with them
he didn't have
to convince them
there's all kinds
of other things
he was trying
to convince them
of
but this was
already established
it's even
possible
that Paul
was quoting
an early
Christian
pre
an early
Christian
summary of the
faith
confession of faith
that was based
on the Jewish
confession of faith
in Deuteronomy
but expanded
to explain
that we not only
believe in one God
but we believe
in the one Lord
Jesus Christ
our Savior
so it's simply
not the case
that the deity
of Jesus Christ
is a belief
that appears
more prominently
in later
Christian writings
it's right there
from the start
and it's crystal
clear
and for Paul
and the Corinthians
that wasn't
even controversial
so that's
what Christians
should know
third section
of how we're
called to love
verse 7
to 13
now the main
point of this
paragraph
is verse 9
and the reason
I can say
it's the main
point is because
it's the only
command
in this passage
and actually
in the whole
chapter
verse 9
is really the
message
the takeaway
that Paul
wants us to
go away with
take care
that this
right of yours
does not
somehow become
a stumbling
block
through to
the week
for the week
so in this
paragraph
Paul's addressing
the people
who claim
to possess
knowledge
and who claim
that because
they have this
knowledge
we should all
feel free to
eat any food
we want
anytime we
want
and who are
sort of
probably
complaining to
Paul
saying these
weak people
who still
think that
isles are
real are
preventing us
from living
out our
freedom in
Christ
and Paul
says wait
a minute
he says
consider how
the display
of your
knowledge
and Paul
is using
knowledge
a bit
ironically
in this
whole chapter
but anyway
he says
consider how
the display
of your
knowledge
will affect
your brothers
and sisters
in Christ
those whom
you consider
weak
verse 8
he says
food won't
commend us
to God
well they
would have
agreed with
him
so yeah
food doesn't
matter
that's not
how you're
made right
with God
so therefore
we should be
able to eat
anything we
want
whatever we
want
and Paul
says
but we're
no worse
off if we
don't eat
and no
better off
if we
do
he actually
says the
opposite of
what they
want
they want
him to
say
we're
no worse
off if
we eat
and no
better off
if we
don't
Paul says
if you don't
eat the
food
you'll be
just fine
with the
end
and if
you do
eat
it doesn't
get you
any closer
to God
you already
have everything
you need
in Christ
Christ
died for
you to
bring you
to God
so you're
not only
free to
partake
you're also
free to
abstain
you see
having
freedom
in Christ
to eat
all foods
as long
as they're
received
with
thanksgiving
which at
one level
Paul doesn't
agree with
doesn't mean
you are
compelled to
eat all
foods to
prove how
free you
are
Paul doesn't
want them
eating food
in the context
of a
pagan
idolatrous
feast
because he
doesn't want
them promoting
idolatry
we'll look
up to that
chapter 10
jumping ahead
Paul's saying
to have
freedom
doesn't mean
you have
to indulge
you can
have freedom
to drink
alcohol in
moderation
and you
can choose
for various
reasons
that you
don't want
to do
that
and you're
still free
in Christ
that's one
expression of
freedom in
Christ
so in this
circumstance
Paul argues
you need to
prioritize love
for your weak
brothers and
sisters in
Christ over
your own
rights to
eat and drink
whatever you
want whenever
you want
so he says
take care
you know
think about
what if one of
your brothers
or sisters in
Christ used to
worship at the
temple of
Aphrodite
and they
hear that
you're going
to the
festival there
and you're
going to
pick out
and you're
just going
to have a
great time
and that's
where they
used to
worship idols
and commit
sexual immorality
do all kinds
of things that
they're just
trying to
move away
from
because they've
just come to
faith in
Christ
how will that
affect them
if you're
publicly going
and saying
hey why
don't we get
a roof
from the
church
to go
along
Paul says
their conscience
will be
defiled
that is
they'll be
persuaded
to do
something
that they
are convinced
is a
compromise
of their
loyalty to
Jesus
and Paul
says that's
never a
good pattern
to be
urging a
fellow believer
to do
something
that they
are convinced
for biblical
reasons
is displeasing
to God
now
there are
other places
in scripture
especially
Romans 14
where Paul
sometimes
challenges
some of
the weak
people
right
who are
Paul's
concerned
some of
these
weak
people
are
becoming
actually
legalistic
and sort
of wanting
to add
all these
rules
and enforce
them on
everybody
else
in the
Christian
community
and in
that case
Paul says
no
you can't
do that
you can't
add rules
that aren't
in the
Bible
but here
Paul's
focus is
on the
quote unquote
strong
people who
think hey
we can do
whatever we
want
Paul challenges
them here
verse 11
Paul has
some very
strong words
by your
knowledge
which you
boast about
so much
this weak
person is
being
destroyed
that is
not just
personally
offended
but spiritually
torn apart
led into
sin by
you
and this
weak person
is the
brother or
sister for
whom Christ
died
Christ laid
down his
life for
him and
you're not
even willing
to give
up a meal
for his
or her
good
verse 12
Paul says
you're not
only sinning
against your
brothers or
sisters you're
sinning against
Christ because
Christ said
whatever you do
to the least
of these my
brothers and
sisters you've
done it to
me
and Jesus
said whoever
causes one
of these
little ones
who believe
in me that
is a
vulnerable
believer
to sin
it would be
better for that
person to have
a great
stone
fastened
around his
neck and
to be drowned
in the
depth of the
sea
Matthew 18
verse 6
and 7
so Paul's
conclusion in
verse 13
is if food
makes my
brother or
sister stumble
I'll never
eat meat
again
hey I'm
willing to
give it
all up
so I'm
willing to do
whatever it
takes
to love
and build
up my
brothers and
sisters in
Christ
especially those
who are
weak or
vulnerable in
some way or
other
in the
Corinthian
context
the people
who are
strong
are the
people who
are probably
better off
economically
that's why
they're receiving
invitations to
the temples
anyway
the poor
didn't get
invited to
those kind
of feasts
they were
people who
possessed
knowledge
perhaps were
more sophisticated
more nuanced
who were
self confident
probably too
self confident
the weak
were probably
people who
were financially
poor
not as well
educated
not as
sophisticated
maybe new
converts to
Christianity
who had just
begun following
Jesus
and Paul says
if you're in
this category
be careful
that the
exercise of
what you
feel are
your rights
and freedoms
doesn't actually
cause this
group of
people to
stumble
or to
turn away
from God
are we
willing to
prioritize
loving our
weaker
brothers and
sisters in
Christ even
if it means
limiting our
rights and
privileges
this is the
theme Paul's
going to go
into in
chapter 9
he's going to
address it from
a totally
different angle
but it's the
main point
so we'll get
into this
more in the
next two
weeks
but that's
the main
point Paul
wants to
leave us
with
are we
willing to
limit our
own freedoms
and rights
for the sake
of loving
our brothers
and sisters
and the
reason he
wants to
leave us
with this
is of course
because this
is what
Christ has
done for
us
that Christ
limited his
freedoms and
rights
by coming
to earth
by taking
on the
limitations
of human
nature
by facing
temptation
and resisting
it to the
end
by loving
his disciples
by laying
down his
life on the
cross
this is what
Christ has
done for
us
this is why
we're brothers
and sisters
in Christ
this is why
we can come
to the table
and share
in the Lord's
supper together
because while
we were still
weak
Christ died
for the
ungodly
while we
were still
sinners
Christ died
for us
Paul says
now we're
all part of
the body
of Christ
and later
on in
chapter 12
he says
those parts
of the body
that seem
to be
weaker
are actually
indispensable
so if you're
hurting your
brothers or
sisters or
ignoring your
brothers or
sisters who
are poor
or who are
maybe more
easily offended
perhaps more
difficult to
deal with
even
if you're
brushing them
to the side
you're hurting
them by the
way you
express your
knowledge
Paul says
you're hurting
a member of
Christ's own
body who is
indispensable
so we're
going to come
to the Lord's
table this
morning
celebrate the
unity that
we have in
Christ
sacrifice
Christ made
for us
let me read
chapter 10
verse 16
and 17
Paul says
the cup of
blessing that
we bless
is it not a
participation in
the blood of
Christ
and the bread
that we break
is it not a
participation in
the body of
Christ
because there's
one bread we
who are many
are one body
for we all
partake of
one bread
so as we
come to the
Lord's supper
there's two
things I want
to remind us
of
as we take
the cup
remember
Christ's blood
that was shed
for us
we confess that
the blood of
Christ that was
shed on the
cross cleanses
us from all
sin
and this
blood
the cup is a
sign and a
seal of God's
new covenant
promise in
Jesus Christ
if you have
confessed your
sin
turned to Jesus
as your Savior
and Lord
that you are
clean
you are forgiven
you are set
apart
to belong to
God
you've been
born again
right
cry out with
love and joy
the blood of
Christ
cleanses us
from sin
Paul also
says we
are made in
the body of
Christ
represented by
the bread
and in this
context what
Paul means is
that when you
take this bread
remember that
you are united
with every other
person in this
room and every
other Christian
throughout the
world who
takes this bread
by faith in
Jesus Christ
and who drinks
this cup
so as we come
to the Lord's
table
there's two
things that it
calls us to do
one is to
remember that
we are cleansed
and forgiven
by the blood
of Christ
and so if
there is a
sin that God
has brought to
mind that you
realize you need
to confess to
the Lord in
your life
there's a way
you've been
living that
isn't pleasing
to God
confess that to
the Lord
ask his forgiveness
as the elements
are being passed
out and then
take the cup
remembering Christ
shed his blood
for you
and as the bread
is being passed
out think about
one another
is there anyone
in this church
or any other
Christian
with whom you
are not
reconciled
because when you
eat this bread
what you're saying
is we are
reconciled to
each other
through Christ
so if you need
to repent
if you need
to forgive
someone else
if you need
to lovingly
confront someone
else
if you need
to listen
to someone
else
let this
spur you
on to do
that
without any
delay
with those
who are coming
to serve
communion this
morning
up to the front
Paul writes
for I received
from the Lord
what I also
deliver to you
that the Lord
Jesus on the
night when he
was betrayed
took bread
and when he
had given
thanks he
broke it
and said
this is my
body which
is for you
do this
in remembrance
of me
in the same
way also
he took the
cup after
supper
saying this
cup is the
new covenant
in my blood
do this
as often
as you
drink it
in remembrance
of me
Tyler would you
give thanks
for the bread
of me
I have
that
I have
that
I have
that
went
back
to the
end
in remembrance
of me
achieve
that
I am
not
by
in remembrance
of me
as fala
of me
Moham
name
the
female
May
but
the
other