WEBVTT 00:00:00.620 --> 00:00:06.839 Good morning. For anyone who doesn't know me, my name is Eric. I'm the youth director here at 00:00:06.839 --> 00:00:11.820 Watermark Church, and I'm excited to get to share with you guys this morning. We've been going 00:00:11.820 --> 00:00:17.120 through the past few months the book of 1 Corinthians, and it's been some pretty heavy 00:00:17.120 --> 00:00:22.440 sermons the past few weeks. Three weeks ago, we got to talk about accountability with the story of 00:00:22.440 --> 00:00:28.000 a man who was sleeping with his stepmother. Two weeks ago, we got to talk about sexuality and 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:32.439 whether we can do whatever we want with our sexuality. And then last week, we talked about 00:00:32.439 --> 00:00:38.100 marriage and singleness, and I have good news for you. We have a lighter topic today. It's about meat. 00:00:40.480 --> 00:00:45.480 I love meat. My wife can tell you that. I love to have a little bit of meat at least in every meal. 00:00:45.840 --> 00:00:51.840 If it doesn't have meat, I don't know if it can be considered a meal. And I think a lot of us here 00:00:51.840 --> 00:00:59.460 love meat. I know not everyone does. Sorry, Henrika. But I think realistically, I think I could stand up 00:00:59.460 --> 00:01:04.400 here and probably talk for an hour about meat and not say anything that offends anyone. And I could 00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:09.580 probably also stand up here for an hour and talk about meat and not say anything that actually impacts 00:01:09.580 --> 00:01:15.300 anybody's life at all. And the thing about what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 8 when he was talking 00:01:15.299 --> 00:01:21.280 about meat is that it was intended to deeply challenge the way that the people in the city of 00:01:21.280 --> 00:01:28.159 Corinth were living their lives and call them to a new style of life. What Paul wants them to see in 00:01:28.159 --> 00:01:38.739 this passage is that if we truly love God, that has to lead to us loving others sacrificially, even to the 00:01:38.739 --> 00:01:45.819 extent of sometimes giving up our rights for their sake. And he does that with meat. So today we're going to 00:01:45.819 --> 00:01:51.939 talk about meat. But we're also going to talk about other stuff that hopefully has slightly more impact on our 00:01:51.939 --> 00:02:01.399 lives than just meat itself. So I want us to first see that true love for God necessarily leads to love for our 00:02:01.399 --> 00:02:08.319 neighbors. So it seems that there was a conflict in the church at Corinth. Basically, there were 00:02:08.319 --> 00:02:16.819 there were idols all over the city of Corinth. And what would happen is people would bring animals to 00:02:16.819 --> 00:02:23.500 sacrifice in the temples of these idols. And they would kill the sheep or the bull or whatever type 00:02:23.500 --> 00:02:29.759 of animal it was. And they would burn a little bit for the God. And the priest who made the sacrifice 00:02:29.759 --> 00:02:35.599 would get to keep a little bit for himself to eat. Whoever made the sacrifice would get to keep a little 00:02:35.599 --> 00:02:40.759 bit for a meal for them and their family. And then whatever meat was left over would be sold in the 00:02:40.759 --> 00:02:48.180 markets of the city. And most of the meat in the city came from these temple sacrifices. They also had 00:02:48.180 --> 00:02:54.299 restaurants in the temples that would serve meals cooked with the meat from these sacrifices. So sort of 00:02:54.299 --> 00:03:00.799 like if there was like a temple over on the podium here, and they made these sacrifices. And then they took the 00:03:00.800 --> 00:03:07.000 meat there and they sold it at El Charro and Delaney's and Fusion and McDonald's and Dynasty and all of the 00:03:07.000 --> 00:03:14.140 restaurants in Cyberport, Starbucks, used this meat from these sacrifices. And basically, there were two 00:03:14.140 --> 00:03:21.120 groups in the church. One group said, there's only one God. These idols are not real. They have no real 00:03:21.120 --> 00:03:27.900 existence. And so for us to eat the meat that sacrificed them is just like eating any other meat, because 00:03:27.900 --> 00:03:34.159 they're nothing. And so the meat sacrificed them has no real power, and it does nothing to our 00:03:34.159 --> 00:03:42.560 relationship with Christ to eat this meat. The other group said, well, the Bible says we're supposed to 00:03:42.560 --> 00:03:51.060 worship God alone. And this meat has been used for the worship of false gods. And so we cannot eat this 00:03:51.060 --> 00:03:58.800 meat, because if we eat this meat, then what happens is we, through our actions, support the worship of 00:03:58.800 --> 00:04:03.960 those false gods. And these two groups were going back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, and they 00:04:03.960 --> 00:04:09.599 could not come to a firm decision about who was right. And so they sent a message to the Apostle Paul 00:04:09.599 --> 00:04:16.920 and said, please clarify this for us. And it seems that the group that wanted to eat meat basically sent in 00:04:16.920 --> 00:04:23.040 the letter the rundown of their argument for why we should be allowed to eat meat. We know that the 00:04:23.040 --> 00:04:30.379 idol has no real existence. We know that there's only one God. We know that the meat sacrificed to 00:04:30.379 --> 00:04:37.200 these idols actually means nothing. It's just meat. And so in 1 Corinthians, what's happening is Paul 00:04:37.200 --> 00:04:43.160 is responding to this letter. And from the best that we can tell, it seems that what he's doing is 00:04:43.160 --> 00:04:48.439 he'll take one line of their letter and quote it, which is why if you have a newer translation, 00:04:48.960 --> 00:04:52.700 a lot of the lines in the early part of the chapter actually have like quotation marks around them, 00:04:52.740 --> 00:04:59.900 because we think those are what the church in Corinth wrote to Paul. And so he's quoting them, 00:05:00.100 --> 00:05:05.220 and then giving commentary, and then quoting a little more, and giving more commentary. And then when 00:05:05.220 --> 00:05:10.100 he finishes the quotation, he just finishes the commentary with a few verses at the end. 00:05:10.100 --> 00:05:20.020 And so what we see is, first off, Paul starts with a response, and it seems that the thrust of the 00:05:20.020 --> 00:05:28.060 meat eater's argument centered around knowledge. They said, we know this. We know that. We know that 00:05:28.060 --> 00:05:34.280 all these things are true. And Paul basically says, yeah, okay. He says, I'm not going to search for 00:05:34.280 --> 00:05:38.580 the hair and the egg. It's an Italian phrase, meaning looking for a fault where there is none. 00:05:38.579 --> 00:05:45.199 He says, I'm going to go along with your argument. I'm going to give you everything that you say. 00:05:45.419 --> 00:05:53.240 Sure, you're right. The problem is, you're asking the wrong questions. He says, the Christian life 00:05:53.240 --> 00:05:58.360 isn't supposed to be about knowledge. It's not about what we know. It's supposed to be built on love. 00:05:59.459 --> 00:06:05.719 He tells them knowledge puffs up. The picture's kind of like a balloon, right? Like you have a balloon, 00:06:05.720 --> 00:06:11.140 and you blow into it, and it gets puffed up. That's knowledge. The more knowledge you're filled 00:06:11.140 --> 00:06:15.840 with, the bigger you get, and the more highly you think about yourself. And the more knowledge you 00:06:15.840 --> 00:06:20.080 have, the more you think that you're better than everyone else around you. And you don't realize 00:06:20.080 --> 00:06:23.880 that all it takes is a nice little pinprick, and you're right back to where you started. He says, 00:06:24.020 --> 00:06:29.280 that's not what Christianity is supposed to be about. It's supposed to be about love. 00:06:29.279 --> 00:06:38.059 And in contrast to knowledge, which puffs up, love builds up. It's a slower process. It's a more 00:06:38.059 --> 00:06:44.839 difficult process. But with love, as you build up, you're strengthening the building every step of 00:06:44.839 --> 00:06:53.259 the way. With knowledge, you add size, but you don't add substance. With love, you add substance and 00:06:53.259 --> 00:06:59.259 strength, and you build together. Basically, he says, the church shouldn't be full of people who 00:06:59.259 --> 00:07:05.899 are full of hot air. The church should be full of people who are known and marked by their love for 00:07:05.899 --> 00:07:12.839 one another. And so the question shouldn't be, what do we know? But who do we love, and what does it look 00:07:12.839 --> 00:07:21.199 like for us to love them? Because if we truly love God, which is the deepest love, the most true love, 00:07:21.939 --> 00:07:29.019 which he references in verse 3. He says, if anyone loves God, he is known by God. If we truly love 00:07:29.019 --> 00:07:35.079 God, number one, that leads to the truest, most valuable knowledge, the knowledge of being known 00:07:35.079 --> 00:07:43.339 by God. But number two, that will lead us to loving others. And so in verses 4 through 6, he basically 00:07:43.339 --> 00:07:47.680 goes point by point through their argument and says, you're right on this point, you're right on this 00:07:47.680 --> 00:07:53.859 point, you're right on this point. An idol has no real existence. Yep, that's true. There's no God but one. 00:07:53.860 --> 00:08:01.040 I agree with that. That's biblical. Yes. There may be so-called gods in heaven on earth, as there are 00:08:01.040 --> 00:08:07.360 indeed many gods and many lords. But for us, there's one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for 00:08:07.360 --> 00:08:14.080 whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. He says, 00:08:14.139 --> 00:08:20.699 you are right. That is good theology that you are building your argument on top of. Thumbs up. 00:08:20.699 --> 00:08:30.759 The problem is that the argument isn't supposed to be about knowledge. Paul knows the focus of the 00:08:30.759 --> 00:08:37.559 argument. If he is going to win these people over, he can't focus on the argument about knowledge. 00:08:37.759 --> 00:08:43.700 He needs to focus on love. He needs to get them asking the right questions about their behavior. 00:08:43.700 --> 00:08:49.320 And so he helps them to see that a true love for God must lead to love for others, 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:54.840 and that a true love for others often requires sacrifice. 00:08:57.060 --> 00:09:01.640 See, he spends the first half of the chapter affirming every single point of their argument, 00:09:01.840 --> 00:09:08.780 and then he flips it on its head. He says, yeah, your argument is great. There is no real existence 00:09:08.779 --> 00:09:17.539 idols. There is no God but one. But then check out verse seven. However, not all possess this knowledge. 00:09:18.839 --> 00:09:26.139 It's great that you know this, but not everyone in the church does. It's great that you can eat meat 00:09:26.139 --> 00:09:32.899 and know that you are not participating in the worship of these idols, but not everyone in your church does. 00:09:32.899 --> 00:09:39.179 He says, some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, 00:09:39.539 --> 00:09:46.759 and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. He says, look, eating meat in and of itself is not a good 00:09:46.759 --> 00:09:52.379 thing or a bad thing. It's a neutral thing. The thing that makes it good or bad is the attitude that you 00:09:52.379 --> 00:09:58.819 take when you go to eat it. If you go to eat meat with this attitude that says, this is a gift from God, 00:09:58.820 --> 00:10:06.500 there is no God but one, then it's not sinful in and of itself for you to eat meat. If you go eat 00:10:06.500 --> 00:10:10.800 meat with this attitude that says, by eating meat, I'm participating in worship of idols, 00:10:11.560 --> 00:10:19.260 it is sinful for you to eat meat. And what he says is, the fact that you have knowledge that this action 00:10:19.260 --> 00:10:25.820 isn't sinful doesn't make it right for you to do it, because other people in the church will see your 00:10:25.820 --> 00:10:31.680 actions, and by seeing your actions, they will assume that it's okay for them to follow those 00:10:31.680 --> 00:10:39.580 actions when it is not. Just because it's okay for you to do doesn't mean that it's okay for everyone 00:10:39.580 --> 00:10:47.460 else to do. And if you doing what's okay for you pushes your brother and sister in Christ to do 00:10:47.460 --> 00:10:54.820 something that's sinful for them, then you have sinned by leading them into sin. That's his basic argument. 00:10:54.820 --> 00:11:02.420 And it appears that these people had thought that by eating the meat, by showing off how strong their 00:11:02.420 --> 00:11:08.900 faith was, they were gaining credit with God. Because eating the meat and not seeing it as an 00:11:08.900 --> 00:11:15.700 act of idol worship, that's a major show of the strength of their faith. But in verse 8, Paul says, 00:11:15.920 --> 00:11:21.280 food will not commend us to God. We're no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. 00:11:21.279 --> 00:11:30.120 Whether we eat or not doesn't gain us points with God. What God wants is us to love one another, 00:11:30.360 --> 00:11:40.439 to live sacrificially for one another. He continues that take care that this right of yours does not 00:11:40.439 --> 00:11:46.959 somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. He says that if you continue asserting your rights, 00:11:46.960 --> 00:11:53.200 although it leads others to sin, it'll make them trip in their faith. It'll make them fall in their 00:11:53.200 --> 00:11:59.360 faith. For if anyone who sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged 00:11:59.360 --> 00:12:06.120 if his conscience is weak to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge, this weak person is 00:12:06.120 --> 00:12:14.460 destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. He says, yes, your logic is great. Your knowledge is correct. 00:12:14.460 --> 00:12:22.259 But because you're basing your actions on knowledge rather than on love, you are destroying your 00:12:22.259 --> 00:12:31.780 brothers and sisters that Christ died for. He says, this is totally unacceptable behavior for the church. 00:12:35.300 --> 00:12:43.139 Christ died to rescue these people. And you're so obsessed with your meat, church in Corinth, 00:12:43.139 --> 00:12:53.340 that you're destroying the people Christ died for in order to assert your own rights. 00:12:55.740 --> 00:13:02.019 It's interesting. He said earlier, love builds up. And now he's saying, you are destroying. 00:13:02.659 --> 00:13:06.120 It's not just that what you're doing is unloving. What you're doing is actually the opposite of love. 00:13:06.120 --> 00:13:11.039 It's not, you're not building up. You're tearing down what's already been built up. 00:13:12.960 --> 00:13:19.379 And it's interesting to note that although he agrees with the logic of the meat eaters, the ones 00:13:19.379 --> 00:13:25.779 stronger in their faith, he never says the weaker ones have to pull themselves up to this higher level 00:13:25.779 --> 00:13:33.000 and be better. He says the stronger ones have to lower themselves, not in their understanding, 00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:37.480 but in their practice, to the level of their weaker brothers and sisters. 00:13:39.240 --> 00:13:42.879 The picture I get in my mind when I think about that is like a father helping his son 00:13:42.879 --> 00:13:49.580 with his homework. The father maybe is an engineer who understands advanced math and the kid is a 00:13:49.580 --> 00:13:55.659 little five-year-old working on simple addition. If the father comes down to help his son with his 00:13:55.659 --> 00:14:00.419 homework and starts trying to explain calculus to the kid to help him with his simple addition 00:14:00.419 --> 00:14:06.419 homework and expects the kid to pull himself up to his level, the kid's just going to be hopeless. 00:14:07.179 --> 00:14:13.500 I'm never going to get math. I give up. I quit school. I'm going to go find some job that I can 00:14:13.500 --> 00:14:17.139 do that doesn't require me to know math. I'm out of here. I'm done. 00:14:17.139 --> 00:14:27.419 And we'd look at the father and say, are you an idiot? But when the father gets down to the five-year-old's 00:14:27.419 --> 00:14:33.559 level and uses words that the son can understand and concepts that the son can understand to help 00:14:33.559 --> 00:14:43.279 him do his homework properly, that's a beautiful, loving, good thing. And Paul says to the stronger 00:14:43.279 --> 00:14:50.679 Christians, when you expect the others to pull themselves up to your level, you're creating 00:14:50.679 --> 00:14:55.379 hopelessness and despair in them and pushing them away from wanting to follow Christ. 00:14:56.779 --> 00:15:03.039 But what God looks at and sees as truly beautiful is when you go down to their level, 00:15:03.620 --> 00:15:09.039 when you speak to them in words that they can understand and do actions that push them towards 00:15:09.039 --> 00:15:13.480 knowing Christ and not towards feeling like they'll never be able to make it. 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:19.079 And as Christians, this is exactly what we should expect him to be saying, because this is exactly 00:15:19.079 --> 00:15:27.120 what God did for us. When we were rebels, when we had turned from God and said, I want nothing to do 00:15:27.120 --> 00:15:32.599 with you, God didn't say, okay, I'll wait here for you guys to figure yourselves out and come back and 00:15:32.600 --> 00:15:40.740 get stuff sorted with me. No, Jesus came to the earth. The Bible says in Philippians 2 that although 00:15:40.740 --> 00:15:46.379 he existed in the form of God, he did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped. He emptied 00:15:46.379 --> 00:15:54.920 himself. He took on the form of a servant. And being found in human form, he humbled himself to the point 00:15:54.920 --> 00:16:02.200 of death, even death on a cross. That God didn't just stay far away and expect us to lift ourselves up to 00:16:02.200 --> 00:16:09.520 his level. He came to us. He took on a form that we could understand and comprehend and relate to. 00:16:11.580 --> 00:16:20.440 He communicated with us in a way that connected with us so that he could rescue us and raise us up 00:16:20.440 --> 00:16:27.680 through that. And he says this model that Jesus has set for us, this thing that has radically transformed 00:16:27.679 --> 00:16:37.079 our lives and given us a new hope, needs to control the way that we live on a day-to-day basis now as his followers. 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:48.339 Knowledge is great. Knowledge is good. But the problem is knowledge does not bring the life 00:16:48.340 --> 00:16:54.019 that Christ wants us to have. Love brings that life. 00:16:56.960 --> 00:17:04.360 And so Paul says we need to, when we look at that action, we can't just ask, do I know whether it's okay? 00:17:05.180 --> 00:17:11.799 We need to ask whether it's loving. And because of that, an action that we know 00:17:11.799 --> 00:17:20.240 is not sinful for us, if it leads another person into sin, can be sinful for us to do. 00:17:20.700 --> 00:17:26.440 Because although we've acted in line with our knowledge, we've acted out of line with God's call 00:17:26.440 --> 00:17:31.680 for us to love one another. The past few weeks we've been talking a lot about community, 00:17:32.519 --> 00:17:36.960 and Tobin's used the analogy of a boat. And he said, when we are living in community, 00:17:36.960 --> 00:17:43.640 and someone's sinning, it's like all of us are on a boat together, and someone's just sitting there 00:17:43.640 --> 00:17:49.299 drilling a hole in the bottom of the boat. And obviously, if you're in a boat and someone's 00:17:49.299 --> 00:17:52.299 drilling a hole in the bottom of it, you look over there and you say, stop it! 00:17:53.799 --> 00:17:55.259 Because you're going to sink the boat. 00:17:57.860 --> 00:18:03.440 And the thing is, with us, so often we don't say stop it, because we don't realize that the actions 00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:08.660 that are going on are going to sink the boat. And I think today, in this story, maybe what's going 00:18:08.660 --> 00:18:13.700 on by them eating meat isn't necessarily drilling holes in the bottom of the boat. Maybe it's more 00:18:13.700 --> 00:18:19.720 like lighting controlled fires within the boat. You take a bowl, put some kindling in there, 00:18:20.080 --> 00:18:23.940 send a spark in, get a nice little flame. It's in a controlled space. It's safe. 00:18:24.440 --> 00:18:27.140 You can enjoy the warmth that it gives you. 00:18:27.140 --> 00:18:33.360 But the problem is, they're lighting these fires in front of children who don't know the difference 00:18:33.360 --> 00:18:40.220 between a controlled fire and an open fire. And by lighting the fires, which isn't a bad thing in 00:18:40.220 --> 00:18:46.500 and of itself, they're encouraging the children to follow in their practice. And the children, 00:18:46.640 --> 00:18:53.560 when they go to light fires, don't light controlled fires. They light open fires that will destroy the 00:18:53.559 --> 00:19:00.899 boat. And what he says is, fire is not bad in and of itself. But if you're using fire in this context, 00:19:00.899 --> 00:19:09.440 it's bound to be destructive. It's bound to burn down the boat. Eating meat is not bad in and of itself. 00:19:10.139 --> 00:19:16.299 But if you're eating meat in the context of the Corinthian church, it's bound to be destructive. 00:19:16.299 --> 00:19:24.440 It's bound to destroy people who Christ died for and push them away from him rather than towards him. 00:19:25.759 --> 00:19:30.680 And that's why in verse 13, Paul says something that I think would be unimaginable to many of us. 00:19:31.539 --> 00:19:37.819 He says, therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat lest I make my brother stumble. 00:19:38.919 --> 00:19:44.099 Henrique is happy with that one. But I'm pretty sure there are a couple of people in here who are like, 00:19:44.099 --> 00:19:48.799 if I have to sacrifice for others, just nail me to the cross and let me get it over with. 00:19:48.819 --> 00:19:51.240 I'd rather do that than give up meat for the rest of my life. 00:19:53.579 --> 00:20:02.579 But Paul says, if what it takes for me to love my brothers and sisters is that I never touch meat again, 00:20:02.859 --> 00:20:08.319 I'll do it. If I never get to have barbecue ribs or a bacon cheeseburger 00:20:08.319 --> 00:20:14.019 or a nice piece of steak or sausage again in my life, 00:20:14.480 --> 00:20:16.339 he says it's worth it. 00:20:18.059 --> 00:20:22.079 And my stomach hurts just thinking about giving up those things for the rest of my life. 00:20:22.919 --> 00:20:25.059 But Paul says, it's worth it 00:20:25.059 --> 00:20:27.960 if that's what it takes 00:20:27.960 --> 00:20:31.200 to love our brothers and sisters. 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:36.220 Because true love for God must lead to love for others. 00:20:36.700 --> 00:20:40.440 And true love for others often requires sacrifice. 00:20:41.539 --> 00:20:42.720 But the good news 00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:45.100 is that true freedom 00:20:45.100 --> 00:20:46.660 in our lives 00:20:46.660 --> 00:20:48.799 is only found 00:20:48.799 --> 00:20:50.500 through loving God 00:20:50.500 --> 00:20:51.960 and loving others. 00:20:53.440 --> 00:20:54.920 I've got some good news. 00:20:55.279 --> 00:20:57.120 As far as I know, you eating meat 00:20:57.120 --> 00:20:59.319 will not cause anyone in Watermark Church 00:20:59.319 --> 00:21:00.559 to turn away from Christ. 00:21:01.759 --> 00:21:03.799 And so what this passage is calling us to do 00:21:03.799 --> 00:21:05.480 is not to stop eating meat. 00:21:05.819 --> 00:21:07.419 So if you're planning on having steak tonight 00:21:07.419 --> 00:21:08.319 and then you're like, 00:21:08.379 --> 00:21:09.839 oh no, I have to change my plans, 00:21:09.960 --> 00:21:11.539 you don't have to change your plans. 00:21:12.119 --> 00:21:14.480 If me eating meat does cause anyone 00:21:14.480 --> 00:21:16.679 to have problems in their relationship with Christ, 00:21:16.779 --> 00:21:17.659 please talk to me afterwards. 00:21:19.579 --> 00:21:21.299 But even though 00:21:21.299 --> 00:21:23.740 this passage doesn't relate to us 00:21:23.740 --> 00:21:25.159 in that specific context, 00:21:25.379 --> 00:21:27.059 it still has major implications 00:21:27.059 --> 00:21:29.139 for the way that we live our lives 00:21:29.139 --> 00:21:30.159 as a church today. 00:21:30.960 --> 00:21:32.899 Because just like the church in Corinth, 00:21:33.039 --> 00:21:34.519 there are issues in here, 00:21:35.619 --> 00:21:37.299 many, many issues, 00:21:37.899 --> 00:21:40.460 where what's morally neutral 00:21:40.460 --> 00:21:41.379 in and of itself 00:21:41.379 --> 00:21:45.159 may be sinful for one person to do 00:21:45.159 --> 00:21:47.440 and not sinful for another person to do. 00:21:48.839 --> 00:21:51.359 And when the person who it's not sinful for does it, 00:21:51.919 --> 00:21:54.259 it can lead the person who it is sinful for 00:21:54.259 --> 00:21:56.980 to follow in their footsteps and enter into sin. 00:21:57.740 --> 00:22:00.140 And what Paul's challenge for us today is, 00:22:01.039 --> 00:22:02.900 is to sacrifice our rights 00:22:02.900 --> 00:22:05.259 out of love for one another. 00:22:06.420 --> 00:22:07.240 So the question is, 00:22:07.299 --> 00:22:09.240 what are those areas in our lives today? 00:22:09.559 --> 00:22:11.599 The obvious one that everyone always comes to 00:22:11.599 --> 00:22:12.660 in this passage is alcohol. 00:22:13.579 --> 00:22:14.960 Is alcohol bad in and of itself? 00:22:15.140 --> 00:22:15.519 No. 00:22:15.819 --> 00:22:16.640 Can it be used sinfully? 00:22:16.819 --> 00:22:17.220 Absolutely. 00:22:18.039 --> 00:22:20.660 Is it categorically sinful for us to drink alcohol? 00:22:20.940 --> 00:22:21.160 No. 00:22:21.319 --> 00:22:22.740 Can it be sinful for us to drink it? 00:22:22.819 --> 00:22:23.279 Absolutely. 00:22:23.279 --> 00:22:23.399 Absolutely. 00:22:24.839 --> 00:22:27.200 And so you have to be wise in how you drink it. 00:22:27.279 --> 00:22:28.720 You don't get drunk. 00:22:29.139 --> 00:22:30.180 Maybe if there are people 00:22:30.180 --> 00:22:31.980 who are impressionable around you 00:22:31.980 --> 00:22:33.819 who will be led to sin by using alcohol 00:22:33.819 --> 00:22:34.899 if they see you drinking, 00:22:35.240 --> 00:22:38.019 that means that you temporarily abstain from drinking. 00:22:39.000 --> 00:22:41.019 If I'm leading youth on Friday night 00:22:41.019 --> 00:22:42.000 and all the kids are there, 00:22:42.059 --> 00:22:44.059 I probably don't want to start pounding down the beers. 00:22:44.559 --> 00:22:46.799 Just common sense stuff in that area. 00:22:46.799 --> 00:22:51.159 But I think the big thing for me 00:22:51.159 --> 00:22:52.759 when it comes to the topic of alcohol 00:22:52.759 --> 00:22:53.819 in relation to this 00:22:53.819 --> 00:22:57.000 is to remember that Christ didn't die 00:22:57.000 --> 00:22:59.139 so that I could have the right to drink beer. 00:23:01.159 --> 00:23:03.299 Christ died to bring new life to the world. 00:23:03.299 --> 00:23:05.839 And if me drinking beer 00:23:05.839 --> 00:23:07.960 is going to prohibit someone else 00:23:07.960 --> 00:23:10.539 from enjoying and living in that new life 00:23:10.539 --> 00:23:11.899 that Christ has purchased for them, 00:23:12.839 --> 00:23:14.519 then I'm sinning by drinking. 00:23:16.000 --> 00:23:20.039 And what in one sense can be a great ingredient 00:23:20.039 --> 00:23:22.059 in good Christian fellowship and worship, 00:23:22.799 --> 00:23:23.899 in another sense, 00:23:24.639 --> 00:23:27.139 in another situation or context, 00:23:27.140 --> 00:23:28.500 can be sinful. 00:23:30.259 --> 00:23:32.520 Again, I enjoy an occasional drink. 00:23:32.900 --> 00:23:35.100 I'm not saying that we shouldn't drink at all, 00:23:35.460 --> 00:23:36.620 but I'm saying that we should be wise. 00:23:36.720 --> 00:23:38.600 We should look at who's watching us. 00:23:39.100 --> 00:23:40.960 How will our drinking impact them? 00:23:42.900 --> 00:23:45.700 Is it loving to drink in that context? 00:23:47.700 --> 00:23:49.200 And we have to make our decisions 00:23:49.200 --> 00:23:51.259 based on our answers to those questions, 00:23:51.500 --> 00:23:54.900 not just based on whether we have the right to do it, 00:23:54.940 --> 00:23:56.720 whether we know that we can do it without sinning. 00:23:57.140 --> 00:24:01.080 Another issue, summer's coming up, clothing. 00:24:03.640 --> 00:24:05.820 I know that as Christians, 00:24:06.020 --> 00:24:08.040 we are free to dress however we want. 00:24:08.120 --> 00:24:09.640 We have that right in Christ. 00:24:10.420 --> 00:24:12.280 I also know there are certain outfits 00:24:12.280 --> 00:24:15.400 that draw attention to certain areas of bodies 00:24:15.400 --> 00:24:17.680 and lead people's minds in certain directions. 00:24:18.780 --> 00:24:21.200 And as a guy, I know that this is difficult for us, 00:24:21.700 --> 00:24:23.940 especially during the summer when clothes get smaller. 00:24:25.720 --> 00:24:26.460 It's true. 00:24:27.140 --> 00:24:31.400 That when you see an outfit that draws the attention to a certain area, 00:24:32.080 --> 00:24:33.780 it can cause you to sin. 00:24:33.779 --> 00:24:39.200 And I know there's a huge argument from girls that the problem's in the guy's mind. 00:24:39.259 --> 00:24:41.619 It's not our fault that they're thinking those things. 00:24:42.059 --> 00:24:42.500 Absolutely. 00:24:42.720 --> 00:24:43.399 That is true. 00:24:43.660 --> 00:24:44.819 It is the guy's fault. 00:24:45.339 --> 00:24:49.519 And as a guy, I am sorry for the way that our minds do those things 00:24:49.519 --> 00:24:51.899 and the way that our minds go to those places. 00:24:52.160 --> 00:24:53.399 And it is not right. 00:24:53.400 --> 00:24:59.640 However, what Paul is saying here is that if there's an outfit 00:24:59.640 --> 00:25:05.480 that's going to lead people to think sinfully about you and your body, 00:25:06.160 --> 00:25:08.980 even though you have the right in Christ to wear it, 00:25:09.840 --> 00:25:14.940 the loving thing is to maybe cover up a little bit more, 00:25:14.940 --> 00:25:18.279 to give up the right to be cool or to be trendy. 00:25:18.279 --> 00:25:25.039 What he's saying is, say that there's a community group going out to lunch after church 00:25:25.039 --> 00:25:28.740 and some girl from the community group shows up in her lingerie to lunch 00:25:28.740 --> 00:25:31.200 and she's sitting there eating lunch. 00:25:31.619 --> 00:25:33.480 She can say all lunch long, 00:25:33.899 --> 00:25:35.879 I love my brothers in this community group. 00:25:36.299 --> 00:25:38.759 Her actions are speaking against her words. 00:25:38.759 --> 00:25:42.599 And although she has the right in Christ to wear that outfit to lunch, 00:25:43.619 --> 00:25:49.180 it is sinful because it is drawing attention and pointing people towards sinful thoughts. 00:25:50.299 --> 00:25:51.799 And so what Paul is saying is, 00:25:52.539 --> 00:25:54.579 we need to be careful how we dress. 00:25:54.660 --> 00:25:56.940 And I'm not trying to be puritanical here. 00:25:57.039 --> 00:25:59.220 I'm not trying to institute a church dress code. 00:26:00.140 --> 00:26:04.119 But what I'm saying is that if we're a church that's going to be marked by love, 00:26:04.339 --> 00:26:06.000 we need to think about these issues. 00:26:06.000 --> 00:26:11.460 We need to think about how what we're wearing will impact the other people around us. 00:26:12.980 --> 00:26:18.319 Another issue, this one I think is bigger for the Chinese culture, tomb sweeping. 00:26:19.740 --> 00:26:21.900 I know for a lot of Christian families, 00:26:22.299 --> 00:26:26.440 tomb sweeping is a great chance to go honor dead relatives 00:26:26.440 --> 00:26:29.559 and thank God for the family that he has blessed us with. 00:26:30.279 --> 00:26:32.099 But for many in the Chinese culture, 00:26:32.539 --> 00:26:35.359 going to visit the tombs of their ancestors on tomb sweeping day 00:26:35.359 --> 00:26:37.219 is an act of worship of ancestors. 00:26:37.919 --> 00:26:40.539 And they cannot set foot in the cemetery 00:26:40.539 --> 00:26:44.019 without seeing it as an act of worship of something other than God. 00:26:46.039 --> 00:26:49.539 And so what Paul is saying here is that we need to be aware. 00:26:50.139 --> 00:26:52.019 If there's someone who's come from that background 00:26:52.019 --> 00:26:53.979 where they see the trips to go tomb sweeping 00:26:53.979 --> 00:26:56.479 as an act of worship of their ancestors, 00:26:57.339 --> 00:27:00.740 and they see us going to do tomb sweeping, 00:27:00.740 --> 00:27:03.859 even though it's not sinful for us to be there 00:27:03.859 --> 00:27:05.859 and we don't see it as worship of our ancestors, 00:27:06.160 --> 00:27:07.740 how will it impact them? 00:27:09.059 --> 00:27:11.799 And again, I'm not saying that we shouldn't go to tomb sweeping, 00:27:12.180 --> 00:27:13.880 but I'm saying we need to be aware. 00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:15.420 We need to think these issues through. 00:27:16.220 --> 00:27:19.380 We need to think through not just what do we know we can do, 00:27:19.920 --> 00:27:23.319 but based on love, what we should do. 00:27:23.319 --> 00:27:29.879 For my job, another big one is movies. 00:27:31.139 --> 00:27:31.379 Right? 00:27:31.460 --> 00:27:33.740 There are so many movies out there today that are so good, 00:27:34.139 --> 00:27:36.539 except for like that one or two sex scenes 00:27:36.539 --> 00:27:40.079 or those one or two incredibly violent scenes. 00:27:41.079 --> 00:27:43.679 And I know that I can go sit in those movies, 00:27:44.119 --> 00:27:45.919 maybe like look away for a couple scenes. 00:27:46.359 --> 00:27:47.059 We're good. 00:27:47.819 --> 00:27:49.740 A couple hours of good entertainment. 00:27:49.740 --> 00:27:52.519 The problem is I work with teenagers. 00:27:53.940 --> 00:27:55.299 And so if I go see these movies, 00:27:55.720 --> 00:27:58.420 and they hear that I've seen these movies, 00:27:58.500 --> 00:28:00.019 I can tell them all I want, 00:28:00.380 --> 00:28:01.900 that I looked away during those scenes, 00:28:01.960 --> 00:28:02.859 all they're going to hear is, 00:28:02.940 --> 00:28:04.059 Eric saw it, we can see it. 00:28:04.720 --> 00:28:06.599 And they're not looking away during those scenes. 00:28:07.680 --> 00:28:09.620 And if there's a teenager in my group 00:28:09.620 --> 00:28:10.900 who's struggling with pornography, 00:28:11.440 --> 00:28:13.740 and he hears that I've seen this movie, 00:28:14.140 --> 00:28:16.779 and he assumes that it's okay for him to go see this movie 00:28:16.779 --> 00:28:17.640 because I've seen it, 00:28:17.640 --> 00:28:19.680 and he sees those scenes, 00:28:19.740 --> 00:28:22.840 and they cause him to stumble back into that sin 00:28:22.840 --> 00:28:24.580 that he's been fighting hard against, 00:28:26.240 --> 00:28:28.140 then even though I wasn't watching those scenes, 00:28:28.440 --> 00:28:30.220 me seeing that movie is sinful. 00:28:31.120 --> 00:28:32.840 And regardless of how much I tell them, 00:28:33.460 --> 00:28:34.640 I looked away during those scenes. 00:28:34.700 --> 00:28:35.400 I didn't see it. 00:28:35.440 --> 00:28:36.180 I didn't do that. 00:28:36.980 --> 00:28:38.000 They're not going to hear that. 00:28:38.060 --> 00:28:38.920 They're not going to listen to that. 00:28:39.040 --> 00:28:40.080 They're not going to follow that. 00:28:41.500 --> 00:28:43.360 They're going to see the movie in its entirety, 00:28:43.360 --> 00:28:46.540 and it could lead them into sin. 00:28:46.539 --> 00:28:48.819 And so there are certain movies that, 00:28:49.700 --> 00:28:50.240 as a youth worker, 00:28:50.279 --> 00:28:51.740 I just have to avoid 00:28:52.460 --> 00:28:54.180 or at least not see while they're in theaters 00:28:54.180 --> 00:28:57.019 because I know that if the kids hear me, 00:28:57.200 --> 00:28:58.539 hear that I've gone to see that, 00:28:59.539 --> 00:29:02.200 that it will lead them to sin in those areas. 00:29:03.440 --> 00:29:05.579 And there are dozens more examples 00:29:05.579 --> 00:29:09.159 of what this could look like in our lives. 00:29:09.160 --> 00:29:13.000 One I think that's sort of fresh on my mind 00:29:13.000 --> 00:29:14.360 as a recently married guy 00:29:14.360 --> 00:29:15.900 is in the dating relationship. 00:29:16.759 --> 00:29:17.960 There are certain scenarios 00:29:17.960 --> 00:29:19.820 that you can be in while you're dating 00:29:19.820 --> 00:29:22.600 that don't lead to sin for you, 00:29:22.800 --> 00:29:24.160 but that if other people hear 00:29:24.160 --> 00:29:25.540 that you've been in those scenarios, 00:29:25.900 --> 00:29:27.860 could lead them to sin. 00:29:28.720 --> 00:29:30.380 One specific example is that 00:29:30.380 --> 00:29:31.380 when Justine and I were dating, 00:29:31.460 --> 00:29:33.180 there were times where we'd be hanging out late at night. 00:29:33.660 --> 00:29:36.060 And the way easier, way more convenient thing to do 00:29:36.059 --> 00:29:38.079 would have just been to sleep on one another's couches 00:29:38.079 --> 00:29:40.460 because it's closer to work 00:29:40.460 --> 00:29:42.579 and saves a 45-minute commute home. 00:29:44.119 --> 00:29:46.779 But I knew that if my youth heard 00:29:46.779 --> 00:29:48.419 that we were sleeping over at one another's houses, 00:29:48.759 --> 00:29:50.779 there's no way that I could explain to them 00:29:50.779 --> 00:29:51.940 in a way that they would believe 00:29:51.940 --> 00:29:53.279 that we were not sleeping together. 00:29:54.740 --> 00:29:55.819 It wasn't going to happen. 00:29:57.059 --> 00:29:59.440 And so I knew that for the sake of the youth, 00:29:59.960 --> 00:30:01.599 I would have to send her home 00:30:01.599 --> 00:30:03.500 or go home every night, 00:30:04.200 --> 00:30:05.960 add an extra 45 minutes to the commute, 00:30:06.059 --> 00:30:08.559 to save the youth 00:30:08.559 --> 00:30:11.179 from thinking that it was okay 00:30:11.179 --> 00:30:12.619 for them to follow us. 00:30:12.859 --> 00:30:14.940 Because even though we could sleep 00:30:14.940 --> 00:30:16.659 on one another's couches 00:30:16.659 --> 00:30:18.440 without that leading to sin, 00:30:19.159 --> 00:30:20.919 if the youth saw us doing that 00:30:20.919 --> 00:30:22.779 or if other singles in the church 00:30:22.779 --> 00:30:23.740 saw us doing that, 00:30:24.539 --> 00:30:25.960 it could lead them to sin. 00:30:26.700 --> 00:30:27.379 And therefore, 00:30:27.819 --> 00:30:29.399 us sleeping on one another's couches, 00:30:29.500 --> 00:30:30.759 even though nothing would have happened, 00:30:31.179 --> 00:30:32.619 would have been sin for us. 00:30:32.619 --> 00:30:36.179 And I think each of us needs to think through 00:30:36.179 --> 00:30:38.199 where are the areas in our lives 00:30:38.199 --> 00:30:40.579 where what is sinful for me 00:30:40.579 --> 00:30:42.239 may not be sinful for someone else, 00:30:42.299 --> 00:30:43.559 so I shouldn't follow them there, 00:30:43.819 --> 00:30:46.199 or what's not sinful for me 00:30:46.199 --> 00:30:47.699 may be sinful for someone else, 00:30:47.779 --> 00:30:49.059 so I shouldn't lead them there. 00:30:50.019 --> 00:30:52.699 Maybe you can have loads and loads and loads 00:30:52.699 --> 00:30:53.959 of money in your bank account 00:30:53.959 --> 00:30:56.239 without it leading you towards greed 00:30:56.239 --> 00:30:58.039 or towards placing your faith in money. 00:30:58.039 --> 00:31:01.319 But if you do that 00:31:01.319 --> 00:31:02.799 and other people see your lifestyle, 00:31:02.960 --> 00:31:03.799 will that lead them 00:31:03.799 --> 00:31:05.759 to place their hope in money 00:31:05.759 --> 00:31:08.299 or lead them to pursuing greed? 00:31:09.480 --> 00:31:11.019 If so, then it may be sinful 00:31:11.019 --> 00:31:12.819 to have loads of money in your bank account. 00:31:12.899 --> 00:31:13.899 And I'm not saying 00:31:13.899 --> 00:31:15.420 it's categorically sinful 00:31:15.420 --> 00:31:16.700 to have money in your bank account 00:31:16.700 --> 00:31:17.700 or that we shouldn't do that. 00:31:18.779 --> 00:31:20.359 But I'm saying we need to consider 00:31:20.359 --> 00:31:22.720 what is the loving thing for our neighbor 00:31:22.720 --> 00:31:25.759 and how are our actions influencing them. 00:31:25.759 --> 00:31:29.579 Maybe you have amazing time management 00:31:29.579 --> 00:31:32.000 and you're able to work 65 hours a week 00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:34.259 and still be an amazing husband and father. 00:31:36.359 --> 00:31:38.240 But maybe there's someone else in the church 00:31:38.240 --> 00:31:39.079 who's looking up to you 00:31:39.079 --> 00:31:40.599 and sees that example that you're setting 00:31:40.599 --> 00:31:41.559 of working so hard 00:31:41.559 --> 00:31:43.900 and decides that they want to pursue that 00:31:43.900 --> 00:31:46.980 and they pursue crazy work hours, 00:31:47.279 --> 00:31:49.900 but for them it leads to the neglect of their family. 00:31:51.839 --> 00:31:55.339 What example are we setting for one another? 00:31:55.759 --> 00:31:59.059 And I know there are people here 00:31:59.059 --> 00:32:00.519 who are pretty sure that no one's watching 00:32:00.519 --> 00:32:02.500 so it doesn't matter how they act. 00:32:04.000 --> 00:32:05.559 But I can pretty much guarantee you 00:32:05.559 --> 00:32:06.799 somebody is watching. 00:32:07.539 --> 00:32:08.440 If you're a parent, 00:32:08.819 --> 00:32:09.619 your kids are watching. 00:32:10.539 --> 00:32:11.940 If you're married or dating, 00:32:12.119 --> 00:32:14.359 your spouse or significant other is watching. 00:32:15.640 --> 00:32:17.259 If you're in your 20s or 30s, 00:32:17.319 --> 00:32:18.259 the teenagers are watching. 00:32:18.859 --> 00:32:19.740 If you're a teenager, 00:32:19.859 --> 00:32:20.799 the little kids are watching. 00:32:20.799 --> 00:32:23.139 If you're a supervisor at your workplace, 00:32:23.359 --> 00:32:24.519 your employees are watching. 00:32:25.200 --> 00:32:26.779 And if you're in a community group, 00:32:27.059 --> 00:32:28.659 the members of your community group are watching. 00:32:29.319 --> 00:32:31.299 And if you're genuinely in a place 00:32:31.299 --> 00:32:33.319 where nobody is watching you, 00:32:33.859 --> 00:32:35.980 it's probably a really dangerous place to be. 00:32:35.980 --> 00:32:39.019 So if you're genuinely in a place 00:32:39.019 --> 00:32:40.980 where nobody is watching you, 00:32:41.380 --> 00:32:43.200 please come find me or Chris Thornton 00:32:43.200 --> 00:32:43.920 after the service 00:32:43.920 --> 00:32:45.720 and we would love to help you get connected 00:32:45.720 --> 00:32:46.579 with a community group. 00:32:46.799 --> 00:32:49.620 Because community is essential as a Christian. 00:32:50.519 --> 00:32:51.599 And yeah, it's a pain 00:32:51.599 --> 00:32:52.579 that people are going to watch you 00:32:52.579 --> 00:32:53.980 and you have to give up your rights 00:32:53.980 --> 00:32:54.980 for their good 00:32:54.980 --> 00:32:57.000 rather than just doing what you want to 00:32:57.000 --> 00:32:58.319 and what you have the right to do. 00:32:59.360 --> 00:33:01.160 But it's the example Christ set for us. 00:33:01.220 --> 00:33:03.400 It's what he calls us to do. 00:33:03.400 --> 00:33:06.940 And I also know that there are probably people 00:33:06.940 --> 00:33:08.340 sitting here today saying, 00:33:08.500 --> 00:33:09.680 Eric, who are you? 00:33:09.740 --> 00:33:10.340 You're just a kid. 00:33:10.420 --> 00:33:12.000 You have no right to tell me how to live my life. 00:33:12.660 --> 00:33:13.380 And you're right. 00:33:13.880 --> 00:33:16.540 I don't know what the situations are 00:33:16.540 --> 00:33:18.480 that are going on in your life right now 00:33:18.480 --> 00:33:20.080 and what the correct response 00:33:20.080 --> 00:33:22.180 in these morally neutral areas are. 00:33:23.740 --> 00:33:26.080 But I hope that as you sit 00:33:26.080 --> 00:33:28.740 and you think through these issues in your life, 00:33:29.300 --> 00:33:32.140 that you will know what these areas are 00:33:32.140 --> 00:33:33.840 and what the correct response is. 00:33:34.520 --> 00:33:36.380 Because what God wants us to learn today 00:33:36.380 --> 00:33:39.620 is that our actions need to be motivated by love. 00:33:40.680 --> 00:33:42.700 We can't just be motivated by ourselves 00:33:42.700 --> 00:33:45.200 or by our desires or by our knowledge. 00:33:45.200 --> 00:33:48.759 It needs to be motivated by love. 00:33:51.140 --> 00:33:52.480 And it's the example, again, 00:33:52.600 --> 00:33:54.820 the example that Jesus set for us. 00:33:54.819 --> 00:33:59.139 not acting based on what was due to him, 00:34:00.099 --> 00:34:03.960 but acting based on love for us. 00:34:05.200 --> 00:34:06.639 And I know that what I'm saying 00:34:06.639 --> 00:34:09.679 clashes against everything society teaches us 00:34:09.679 --> 00:34:11.460 about how we need to stand up for our rights 00:34:11.460 --> 00:34:12.679 and fight for what's ours. 00:34:12.679 --> 00:34:17.379 But the truth is, 00:34:17.699 --> 00:34:18.739 true freedom 00:34:18.739 --> 00:34:22.579 doesn't lie in being able to get everything we deserve. 00:34:24.359 --> 00:34:26.980 It lies in being able to give up 00:34:26.980 --> 00:34:28.539 what we want and we deserve. 00:34:29.579 --> 00:34:30.799 And if you don't believe me, 00:34:30.859 --> 00:34:31.539 think about this. 00:34:32.359 --> 00:34:34.079 Society has a word for people 00:34:34.079 --> 00:34:35.739 who need to constantly get 00:34:35.739 --> 00:34:37.659 what they desire and deserve 00:34:37.659 --> 00:34:40.079 and who can't give it up. 00:34:42.019 --> 00:34:43.460 The word is addicts. 00:34:46.779 --> 00:34:48.039 Does anyone really think 00:34:48.039 --> 00:34:49.079 that an addict is free? 00:34:50.699 --> 00:34:52.859 They're able to have as much as they want 00:34:52.859 --> 00:34:53.980 of whatever they want. 00:34:55.559 --> 00:34:57.019 They're not able to walk away 00:34:57.019 --> 00:34:59.139 when what they want becomes destructive to them. 00:35:01.779 --> 00:35:04.539 True freedom lies not in being able to get what we want. 00:35:04.639 --> 00:35:07.639 It lies in being able to give up what we want. 00:35:07.659 --> 00:35:09.179 out of love for others 00:35:09.179 --> 00:35:11.139 and out of what is good for others. 00:35:13.799 --> 00:35:15.559 And that's what Christ is calling us today. 00:35:15.639 --> 00:35:16.899 It's true freedom. 00:35:18.299 --> 00:35:19.779 You know, I've referred a few times today 00:35:19.779 --> 00:35:20.899 to the example of Christ 00:35:20.899 --> 00:35:22.039 and how he humbled himself 00:35:22.039 --> 00:35:23.539 and he lowered himself for us. 00:35:24.839 --> 00:35:25.960 Do you know, according to the Bible, 00:35:26.139 --> 00:35:26.980 why he did that? 00:35:29.059 --> 00:35:31.099 Hebrews chapter 12 says that he did it 00:35:31.099 --> 00:35:32.819 for the joy set before him. 00:35:34.279 --> 00:35:35.899 It's the pattern of the Christian life. 00:35:35.900 --> 00:35:37.180 suffering now, 00:35:37.340 --> 00:35:38.480 exaltation later. 00:35:40.039 --> 00:35:41.079 Sacrifice now, 00:35:41.619 --> 00:35:42.579 joy later. 00:35:43.519 --> 00:35:46.039 It's the example that Christ has given to us. 00:35:47.320 --> 00:35:48.639 Laying down his life. 00:35:49.500 --> 00:35:50.680 But then what was the response? 00:35:51.039 --> 00:35:52.619 That God raised him up 00:35:52.619 --> 00:35:53.539 and gave him the name 00:35:53.539 --> 00:35:54.860 that is above every other name. 00:35:55.519 --> 00:35:56.380 That at the name of Jesus, 00:35:56.579 --> 00:35:57.460 every knee should bow 00:35:57.460 --> 00:35:58.660 of those in heaven and on earth 00:35:58.660 --> 00:35:59.360 and under the earth. 00:35:59.539 --> 00:36:00.579 And every tongue confess 00:36:00.579 --> 00:36:01.800 that Jesus Christ is Lord 00:36:01.800 --> 00:36:02.980 to the glory of God the Father. 00:36:02.980 --> 00:36:06.099 And because of that, 00:36:06.539 --> 00:36:08.480 he calls us to work out 00:36:08.480 --> 00:36:09.679 our salvation now. 00:36:11.679 --> 00:36:13.820 Because Jesus has set the example for us 00:36:13.820 --> 00:36:14.740 of suffering now 00:36:14.740 --> 00:36:16.420 and finding joy later, 00:36:16.760 --> 00:36:17.760 of sacrifice now 00:36:17.760 --> 00:36:18.820 and exaltation later, 00:36:19.119 --> 00:36:20.340 that is the pattern 00:36:20.340 --> 00:36:21.659 for how our Christian lives 00:36:21.659 --> 00:36:22.440 are supposed to look. 00:36:24.119 --> 00:36:25.599 Not fighting for our rights, 00:36:26.199 --> 00:36:28.079 but sacrificing for the good of others. 00:36:28.079 --> 00:36:30.739 not holding on to what we deserve 00:36:30.739 --> 00:36:31.659 and what we need, 00:36:32.900 --> 00:36:34.119 but giving it up 00:36:34.119 --> 00:36:36.099 out of love for others. 00:36:37.779 --> 00:36:40.440 And if what we believe about God is true, 00:36:41.440 --> 00:36:43.019 then there's a promise for us 00:36:43.019 --> 00:36:44.179 that everything we sacrifice 00:36:44.179 --> 00:36:46.059 will be more than paid back someday 00:36:46.059 --> 00:36:47.199 by God. 00:36:48.400 --> 00:36:49.799 But it's a question of having 00:36:49.799 --> 00:36:50.940 an eternal perspective. 00:36:51.539 --> 00:36:52.380 Perspective that says, 00:36:52.699 --> 00:36:54.380 if what it takes to love my brother 00:36:54.380 --> 00:36:55.699 is never eating meat again, 00:36:55.699 --> 00:36:57.179 forget it, 00:36:57.239 --> 00:36:58.399 I'm never eating meat again. 00:37:00.139 --> 00:37:01.279 And so I want to leave us 00:37:01.279 --> 00:37:02.119 with some questions 00:37:02.119 --> 00:37:03.899 to reflect on 00:37:03.899 --> 00:37:04.859 throughout this week. 00:37:05.819 --> 00:37:06.980 And hopefully will help us 00:37:06.980 --> 00:37:07.960 take this and make it 00:37:07.960 --> 00:37:08.939 more applicable 00:37:08.939 --> 00:37:10.539 to our lives. 00:37:10.980 --> 00:37:11.919 The first one, 00:37:12.299 --> 00:37:13.519 what are the areas 00:37:13.519 --> 00:37:14.879 in your life 00:37:14.879 --> 00:37:17.419 where you can do things 00:37:17.419 --> 00:37:18.319 that are morally neutral 00:37:18.319 --> 00:37:19.219 without sinning, 00:37:19.699 --> 00:37:20.839 but you doing them 00:37:20.839 --> 00:37:22.359 could lead others into sin? 00:37:22.360 --> 00:37:26.519 What are the areas 00:37:26.519 --> 00:37:27.440 in your life 00:37:27.440 --> 00:37:29.579 that are morally neutral 00:37:29.579 --> 00:37:30.640 and that you can do 00:37:30.640 --> 00:37:31.440 without sinning, 00:37:32.260 --> 00:37:33.460 but where you doing them 00:37:33.460 --> 00:37:34.500 could lead others 00:37:34.500 --> 00:37:35.160 into sin? 00:37:42.840 --> 00:37:43.360 Second, 00:37:43.500 --> 00:37:44.460 in these areas, 00:37:44.840 --> 00:37:46.120 do you have a pattern 00:37:46.120 --> 00:37:47.240 of primarily acting 00:37:47.240 --> 00:37:48.400 out of love for others 00:37:48.400 --> 00:37:50.180 or of fighting 00:37:50.180 --> 00:37:50.940 for the rights 00:37:50.940 --> 00:37:51.720 that you deserve? 00:37:52.360 --> 00:37:55.079 in these areas, 00:37:55.200 --> 00:37:55.880 do you have a pattern 00:37:55.880 --> 00:37:57.019 of primarily acting 00:37:57.019 --> 00:37:58.240 out of love for others 00:37:58.240 --> 00:38:00.280 or holding on to 00:38:00.280 --> 00:38:01.120 and fighting for 00:38:01.120 --> 00:38:02.539 the rights that you deserve? 00:38:10.400 --> 00:38:10.920 Third, 00:38:11.039 --> 00:38:11.980 where are the areas 00:38:11.980 --> 00:38:13.160 where you would say 00:38:13.160 --> 00:38:14.019 you're the weaker brother 00:38:14.019 --> 00:38:15.180 and you need to practice 00:38:15.180 --> 00:38:15.700 discernment 00:38:15.700 --> 00:38:17.140 in not following someone else 00:38:17.140 --> 00:38:18.780 into one of these 00:38:18.780 --> 00:38:20.000 morally neutral areas? 00:38:20.000 --> 00:38:23.780 where are the areas 00:38:23.780 --> 00:38:24.539 that you are 00:38:24.539 --> 00:38:25.539 the weaker brother 00:38:25.539 --> 00:38:26.539 and you need to practice 00:38:26.539 --> 00:38:27.159 discernment 00:38:27.159 --> 00:38:27.760 or sister 00:38:27.760 --> 00:38:29.059 and you need to practice 00:38:29.059 --> 00:38:29.579 discernment 00:38:29.579 --> 00:38:30.500 in not following 00:38:30.500 --> 00:38:31.219 someone else 00:38:31.219 --> 00:38:33.940 into these morally neutral areas? 00:38:40.840 --> 00:38:41.440 Fourth, 00:38:41.519 --> 00:38:42.940 if everyone in the church 00:38:42.940 --> 00:38:45.679 approached these morally neutral areas 00:38:45.679 --> 00:38:46.760 with the same attitude 00:38:46.760 --> 00:38:47.400 that you do, 00:38:47.400 --> 00:38:49.820 how healthy would the church be? 00:38:53.519 --> 00:38:55.180 If everyone in the church 00:38:55.180 --> 00:38:57.059 approached these morally neutral areas 00:38:57.059 --> 00:38:58.220 with the same attitude 00:38:58.220 --> 00:38:58.880 that you do, 00:38:59.079 --> 00:39:00.660 how healthy would the church be? 00:39:04.539 --> 00:39:05.440 And finally, 00:39:05.680 --> 00:39:07.880 if everyone in the church 00:39:07.880 --> 00:39:09.539 brought the same attitude 00:39:09.539 --> 00:39:10.320 as you do 00:39:10.320 --> 00:39:12.059 towards these morally neutral areas, 00:39:12.139 --> 00:39:13.039 what would be our reputation 00:39:13.039 --> 00:39:13.660 in the community? 00:39:13.659 --> 00:39:16.199 would we be known 00:39:16.199 --> 00:39:16.819 as a church 00:39:16.819 --> 00:39:18.359 that's full of love 00:39:18.359 --> 00:39:20.799 that builds one another up? 00:39:22.059 --> 00:39:24.059 Or would we be a church 00:39:24.059 --> 00:39:25.539 that's known 00:39:25.539 --> 00:39:26.519 for being full of people 00:39:26.519 --> 00:39:27.639 who are full of hot air 00:39:27.639 --> 00:39:29.559 of knowledge 00:39:29.559 --> 00:39:30.579 that's puffed us up 00:39:30.579 --> 00:39:33.099 but that have no real substance? 00:39:34.719 --> 00:39:36.059 If everyone approached, 00:39:36.559 --> 00:39:37.659 if everyone in the church 00:39:37.659 --> 00:39:39.679 approached these morally neutral areas 00:39:39.679 --> 00:39:41.159 with the same attitude 00:39:41.159 --> 00:39:41.739 as you do, 00:39:41.739 --> 00:39:43.519 what would be our reputation 00:39:43.519 --> 00:39:44.359 in the world around us? 00:39:44.399 --> 00:39:45.699 Would people see us 00:39:45.699 --> 00:39:46.759 and have a desire 00:39:46.759 --> 00:39:48.319 to come follow Christ? 00:39:52.639 --> 00:39:53.419 The only way 00:39:53.419 --> 00:39:54.099 we're going to be able 00:39:54.099 --> 00:39:54.959 to respond properly 00:39:54.959 --> 00:39:56.039 in these areas 00:39:56.039 --> 00:39:56.759 is by looking 00:39:56.759 --> 00:39:57.719 to the example of Jesus. 00:40:00.159 --> 00:40:01.339 He humbled himself 00:40:01.339 --> 00:40:02.699 for us. 00:40:02.959 --> 00:40:04.179 He sacrificed himself 00:40:04.179 --> 00:40:04.679 for us 00:40:04.679 --> 00:40:05.639 and he set the pattern 00:40:05.639 --> 00:40:06.599 for our lives 00:40:06.599 --> 00:40:07.879 of suffering now 00:40:07.879 --> 00:40:09.299 and exaltation later. 00:40:10.379 --> 00:40:10.959 Let's pray. 00:40:11.739 --> 00:40:13.879 Father, 00:40:13.959 --> 00:40:14.459 we thank you 00:40:14.459 --> 00:40:15.819 for your love for us. 00:40:17.179 --> 00:40:17.939 We thank you 00:40:17.939 --> 00:40:18.399 for Jesus 00:40:18.399 --> 00:40:19.139 who came 00:40:19.139 --> 00:40:21.000 and set the pattern 00:40:21.000 --> 00:40:22.119 for our lives. 00:40:23.139 --> 00:40:23.919 We thank you 00:40:23.919 --> 00:40:25.899 for his sacrificial life, 00:40:26.379 --> 00:40:28.259 for his love 00:40:28.259 --> 00:40:29.039 and for him 00:40:29.039 --> 00:40:29.579 willingly 00:40:29.579 --> 00:40:31.279 sacrificing himself 00:40:31.279 --> 00:40:32.459 for us 00:40:32.459 --> 00:40:33.459 for the joy 00:40:33.459 --> 00:40:34.259 set before him. 00:40:34.319 --> 00:40:34.979 And I pray that 00:40:34.979 --> 00:40:36.139 as we think about 00:40:36.139 --> 00:40:36.699 what it means 00:40:36.699 --> 00:40:37.539 for us to follow you 00:40:37.539 --> 00:40:38.039 in our lives 00:40:38.039 --> 00:40:38.899 that we would see this 00:40:38.899 --> 00:40:39.679 not as suffering 00:40:39.679 --> 00:40:40.359 but as joy. 00:40:40.360 --> 00:40:41.660 we would see this 00:40:41.660 --> 00:40:42.840 not as being trapped 00:40:42.840 --> 00:40:43.539 but as a path 00:40:43.539 --> 00:40:44.400 to true freedom. 00:40:44.860 --> 00:40:46.200 That we wouldn't be addicts 00:40:46.200 --> 00:40:47.160 who have to hold on 00:40:47.160 --> 00:40:47.599 to everything 00:40:47.599 --> 00:40:48.160 that we want 00:40:48.160 --> 00:40:48.700 and desire 00:40:48.700 --> 00:40:50.440 but that we would be 00:40:50.440 --> 00:40:51.599 children of you 00:40:51.599 --> 00:40:52.120 who know 00:40:52.120 --> 00:40:53.579 that everything we need 00:40:53.579 --> 00:40:54.079 for life 00:40:54.079 --> 00:40:55.039 we have in Christ 00:40:55.039 --> 00:40:56.480 and because of that 00:40:56.480 --> 00:40:57.320 we can walk freely 00:40:57.320 --> 00:40:58.000 and sacrifice 00:40:58.000 --> 00:40:59.059 for the good of others 00:40:59.059 --> 00:41:01.039 and live in love. 00:41:02.480 --> 00:41:02.880 God, 00:41:02.880 --> 00:41:03.579 we thank you again 00:41:03.579 --> 00:41:04.440 for your love for us. 00:41:04.960 --> 00:41:05.720 In Jesus' name, 00:41:05.939 --> 00:41:06.099 Amen. 00:41:06.099 --> 00:41:06.199 Amen.