Good morning, church. Turn with me in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 10. We are
looking at 1 Corinthians chapter 10, verse 1 to 22. If you're looking in one of the pew
Bibles, it's page 957 as we continue in our series through this book. So, I'll be reading
verse 1 all the way to verse 22. So, let's begin reading there. Paul's words to the Corinthians.
For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud and
all passed through the sea. And all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and
all ate the same spiritual food and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from
the spiritual rock that followed them, and the rock was Christ. Nevertheless, with most
of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now, these things took place
as examples for us that we might not desire evil as they did. Do not be idolaters as some
of them were. As it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.
We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and 23,000 fell in a single day.
We must not put Christ to the test as some of them did, and were destroyed by serpents,
nor grumble as some of them did, and were destroyed by the destroyer. Now, these things happened to them
as an example, but they were written down for our instruction on whom the end of the ages has come.
Therefore, let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken
you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability,
but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape that you may be able to endure it.
Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to sensible people. Judge for yourselves what I say.
The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break,
is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body,
for we all partake of the one bread. Consider the people of Israel.
Are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar?
What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No.
I imply that what pagan sacrifice they offer to demons, and not to God.
I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons.
You cannot partake of the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?
Well, about seven years ago, my wife and I were living in downtown New Haven.
It was a Sunday after church. I was downstairs. We had some kind of lunch meeting. I don't remember what it was.
I got a call from my wife. You need to come home immediately. Our house is on fire.
It's one of the calls that there's only one right thing to do, and you better not delay.
Well, while I was still at church, my wife had gone home. She was sitting in the living room, and she smelled wood smoke.
And at first she thought, isn't that cozy? You know, one of our neighbors must have lit a fire in the fireplace.
You know, reminds me of the town where I grew up. What a pleasant smell.
Until the fire department banged on the door and said, get out of the house. There's a fire on the third floor.
Well, this morning's passage, Paul is giving a strong warning.
Found especially in verse 12 and verse 14, which both begin with the word therefore.
Paul says, therefore, if you think you're standing firm, be careful that you don't fall.
And therefore, flee from idolatry.
Paul is warning his hearers about a danger that they don't recognize.
It's like he's entering a house where people are pleasantly enjoying the smell of wood smoke,
and he's saying, flee, run for your life, you're in danger.
Of course, a warning like that is never pleasant to hear.
But later on, when you look back on it, it might be the very thing, perhaps the only thing,
that could have saved your life.
Well, this morning, I want to look at three things about Paul's warning.
I want to look at the basis for Paul's warning in verse 1 to 11.
That will be the longest section of the sermon.
So don't be worried.
If I go for a long time in point 1, point 2 will be shorter, and point 3 will be the shortest.
Anyway, the basis for Paul's warning, the application of Paul's warning, verse 15 to 22,
and the encouragement that accompanies Paul's warning, verse 13, right in the middle.
So that's where we're going, and let's dig in.
First, the basis for Paul's warning.
Let me remind you of the context that we're in.
Paul's addressing the question of eating food offered to idols.
This was one of the controversies that was dividing the Corinthian church.
Some people said, hey, go ahead.
You know, idols aren't real, and as a Christian, you should have the freedom to eat anything,
so enjoy it.
Other people said, no, that's contaminated food, and we should avoid it at all costs
and really keep our distance from it.
Now, Paul's dealing with a complicated situation.
We've seen that.
So he doesn't just say, yes, go ahead, or no, don't.
He's trying to lead the whole Christian community through a process of moral and spiritual discernment
in these chapters, chapters 8 through 10.
So chapter 8, Paul begins by speaking about the dangers of knowledge.
He says, knowledge can puff you up with pride and the priority of love.
He says, you know, it'd be better not to eat meat at all, ever,
than to cause your brother or sister to stumble into sin.
So Paul starts there, and then chapter 9, Paul points out that there can be a spiritual benefit
to not insisting on your personal rights.
Paul says, I have rights.
I can defend my rights.
I'll defend other people's rights, but I won't always insist on exercising my own rights.
Last week, we saw Paul's flexibility and focus for the sake of proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ
to all kinds of people.
Here in chapter 10, Paul wants to point out some spiritual dangers
that some of his people aren't taking seriously enough.
But again, you know, if you read verse 1, right, Paul doesn't immediately go for it.
He doesn't immediately start with a warning by saying,
flee from idolatry, stop going to the idol temples.
You see, if there's a fire in somebody's house, the fire department's job is urgent,
but it's pretty straightforward.
Because everyone knows that fire poses a danger.
The fire department knocks on the door, and they say, there's a fire, get out.
Nobody will argue with them.
Right?
People generally trust the judgment of firefighters,
and at most, they might have to offer physical assistance to somebody who needs a little help
getting out the door.
But Paul's job was more complicated.
Because Paul was warning people about spiritual dangers that they didn't recognize as dangerous.
And he was also warning people about attitudes and behaviors that didn't always result in immediate,
obvious harm.
But in the long term, Paul says, they're just as potentially deadly.
It's Paul's situation is much more like a public health worker who has documented over the last six months
a spike in incidents of lead poisoning among children.
And they have to prepare a report, and they're going to prepare a report to take the regional water authority
and say, something's wrong with the water.
And of course, the immediate response of the water authority is going to be, but we've done our tests.
It must be something else.
Paul's situation is complicated.
He has to make a case.
It's sort of like he's going into the middle of the woods and finding people who are camping out.
And he has to convince them that there's a wildfire a thousand miles away,
but it's so strong that it's very likely, given the winds, that it's going to be down where they are in a couple of days,
and they've got to start hiking out now because they're in the middle of nowhere and there are no roads.
Right?
It's not an immediate danger.
Right?
It's not going to cause you harm today, the next minute necessarily,
but Paul's convincing people and saying,
you need to trust me and you need to see why there's a danger that you're not realizing.
Now, how does Paul do that?
Well, Paul doesn't just give a warning.
He starts by telling a story.
One of the most effective ways to convince someone of something they don't already believe
is to tell a story that they can relate to.
That's what the prophet Nathan did when David had committed adultery with Bathsheba,
and he was feeling just fine about it.
And Nathan started by telling him a story.
That drew David in.
And then Nathan said, you're just like the man in the story.
And then David got it.
So what Jesus did when he told parables to the crowds,
and it's what Paul does here.
Now, Paul begins by retelling some of the Old Testament story,
the journey of the people of Israel through the wilderness
after they had been delivered from slavery in Egypt.
And Paul didn't choose this story arbitrarily.
Verse 1, Paul says, these are our fathers.
That is, our spiritual ancestors.
If you're a Christian, your spiritual ancestors are, number one, Christians,
followers of Jesus who have lived in the past.
We can learn a lot from them.
And second, the people of Israel who lived before the coming of Jesus,
trusting in the promises of God.
Right?
And so when we read the Old Testament stories,
we're sort of, in a sense, reading our own family history.
That's what Paul's saying.
You know, for better or for worse,
you wouldn't be who you are today
apart from your ancestors.
And that's how we should feel when we read the Old Testament,
as if you're learning about your ancestors
and how, through the generations,
they've influenced and brought you to the place where you are today
and what we can learn from them.
Now, what Paul does is he points to specific aspects of Israel's story
that parallel the Corinthian situation.
So first parallel, verse 1 to 4.
What Paul says is,
you've all experienced powerful signs of God's favor
and His sustaining power.
You've experienced and observed these things.
And so did they, Paul says.
Verse 1 to 4 is one long sentence.
Five times Paul uses the word all.
They were all under the cloud.
That is, when they left Egypt,
the cloud representing God's presence,
His Holy Spirit overshadowed them,
protected them from the Egyptians
who were pursuing them,
and guided them.
They all passed through the sea.
That is, the Red Sea,
where the Egyptian army was drowned.
They all ate the same spiritual food.
That is, the manna in the desert
that God provided for them each day.
They all drank the same spiritual drink,
the water that God supernaturally provided for them from the rock.
Now, what's Paul doing here?
Well, Paul's saying,
think of some of the spiritual blessings
and provisions that you have received from God
as followers of Jesus.
In particular, Paul points them to
baptism and the Lord's Supper.
Paul says,
think about baptism and what it represents.
It's a sign and seal of being united with Christ,
being washed clean from your sins,
filled with the Holy Spirit,
set apart to a new life,
belonging to Jesus forever.
Paul says, think about the Lord's Supper.
How every time you eat and drink at the Lord's table,
God reaffirms His promises to you
and fills you and nourishes you
and strengthens you
and reminds you that Jesus died for you
and He loves you.
Paul says,
these are wonderful, precious signs from God.
And Paul says,
the people of Israel had similar signs,
similar experiences.
They passed through the Red Sea,
the cloud above,
the water on both sides.
Wasn't that a kind of baptism?
They could look back on with gratitude.
They ate the manna.
They drank the water from the rock.
Wasn't,
that was a pretty amazing version
of the Lord's Supper
provided each day
supernaturally from heaven.
Now, Paul knows
these are not precise equivalents.
He's drawing broad parallels
between the spiritual blessings
and provisions
God gave to the Israelites
in the wilderness
and the spiritual blessings
and provisions
God had bestowed
on the Corinthian Christians.
And he's reminding them
it's one and the same God
who's active in both cases.
You see,
Paul believed the same God
who had sustained Israel
through the wilderness,
the God of Abraham,
Isaac,
and Jacob
was none other than
the God and Father
of Jesus Christ,
our Lord.
And that's why Paul says
in verse 4,
he says a couple things
that might sound
a little odd.
Verse 4,
he says,
the spiritual rock
that followed them
was Christ.
In verse 4,
and in verse 9,
he talks about,
he says,
that the Israelites
were testing Christ.
Now, you might read
those verses
and be like,
that sounds a little
far-fetched.
How is Paul seeing Jesus
as the rock
in the Old Testament
and as the one
the people of Israel
were testing
before he had even
come into the world?
But look,
if you have a moment,
look back at Exodus 17.
Exodus 17,
I'll summarize it for you.
The people had no water.
They start grumbling
against Moses
and it says
they tested the Lord.
What that means,
basically,
is that they accused God
of being unfaithful.
It's a legal accusation term.
And Moses cried out to God
and Moses says,
what shall I do?
They're about to stone me.
They want to kill Moses
as God's messenger.
And God says to Moses,
chapter 17,
verse 5,
take your staff
in your hand.
I will stand before you
on the rock at Horeb.
And you shall strike the rock
and water shall come out of it
and the people will drink.
Now, many times
in the Old Testament,
God summons
a man
or a woman
or a family
or even a nation
to stand before him
and he,
as the lawgiver and judge,
delivers the verdict
and pronounces
the sentence.
But here
and only here,
God says,
I will stand before you.
And God authorizes Moses
to execute judgment
with his staff
in his hand.
You see,
the people of Israel
saw an amazing sign
that day.
They had falsely accused God
of being unfaithful
to them.
They were about to kill
God's appointed messenger
and God not only provides
a spring of living water
for them,
he gave them a sign
that he would stand
in their place
and receive the judgment
they deserved.
And the Apostle Paul,
perhaps reading this very story,
knew,
look,
knew that that's exactly
what Jesus Christ
had come to do.
He who had done no wrong
stood on trial
before a human judge
who condemned him to die
and he received
the judgment we deserved
for our rebellion
against God.
And through Jesus'
atoning death,
God's spirit
has been poured out
on everyone
who believes in him
and so that's why Paul says
the rock was Christ.
Paul's not arbitrarily
sort of reading something
back in the Old Testament.
He's looking at something
in the Old Testament
and saying,
that is
a pretty strong picture
of what
Jesus would come to do.
So that's the first parallel.
The people of Israel
and the Corinthian Christians,
they had all observed
and experienced
powerful,
memorable signs
of God's favor
and sustaining power.
But,
verse 5,
back to 1 Corinthians,
verse 5,
Paul says,
most of them
didn't make it
to the promised land.
So here's
the second parallel.
First parallel,
spiritual privileges
and blessings.
Second parallel,
the Corinthian Christians
were vulnerable
to the same temptations
which led some
of the Israelites
to their downfall.
And in verse 10,
Paul warns them
and he warns us,
don't fall into
the same patterns.
Verse 6 and 11,
he says,
these things were examples
for us
so that we might learn
from them
and not follow
the same pattern.
And verse 7 through 10,
each of these verses
follows the same pattern.
Basically,
Paul says,
don't do blank
as some of them did
and look what happened
as a result.
Verse 7 and 8,
Paul focuses on
idolatry and sexual immorality
which are linked together.
Verse 7,
and each of these verses
refers to a specific episode
in the Old Testament.
So verse 7,
Paul quotes from the story
of the golden calf
which he says,
the people sat down
to eat and drink
in front of the golden calf,
right,
eating while worshiping an idol
and they rose up to play.
That doesn't mean
they started shooting hoops.
Okay,
that could mean
they were partying
in front of the idol,
shouting,
dancing,
singing,
in a frenzy of excitement
stimulated by this idol.
It could also mean
they started playing
around sexually.
Sometimes the word play
was used that way
like it still is today.
That's part of what people did
in pagan religious rituals.
Verse 8,
Paul refers to another example
in Numbers 25
when idolatry
and sexual immorality
are linked.
They go together.
where that says,
the people began
to indulge in sexual immorality
with the daughters of Moab.
These invited the people
to the sacrifices
of their gods
and the people ate
and bowed down
to their gods.
So again,
those things are linked together
and Paul's concern
for the Corinthians,
the reason why he warns them
against these two things
is he says,
some of you are eating
and drinking
at idol feasts
in idol temples.
But Paul says,
if you're willing to do that,
it won't stop there
because sin
or spiritual compromise
won't stay confined
in one area
of your life.
If you're sitting down
to eat and drink
in the idol's temple,
what are you going to do
when you rise up?
And it's not an accident
that Paul connects
these two things.
You see,
idolatry
and sexual immorality
go hand in hand
just as faithfulness
to God
and faithfulness
in marriage
go together.
They're consistent
with each other.
So in both cases,
the issue is
you need to be
exclusively loyal.
Paul says,
you have to be
exclusively loyal to God
and don't bow down
to any idols.
And in marriage,
you need to be
exclusively loyal
to your one spouse
and not to have
any sexual relations
with anyone
who you're not married to.
Paul says,
that's how God
made us to flourish
in monogamous
relationship with God
and monogamous marriage.
marriage.
That's the pattern
God designed
to be life-giving
and safe for us.
So those are the first
two things
Paul warns against.
Verse 9 and 10,
Paul focuses on
two other sins
which are also linked,
testing the Lord
and grumbling
against God's
appointed leaders.
He's referring
to Numbers 21
and Numbers 14.
And in both cases,
the people speak
against God
and against Moses
and they say things like,
why did you bring us
out of Egypt
to die in the wilderness?
There's no bread
and no water
and we hate
this miserable food.
That's what they said.
I'm not paraphrasing.
We wish we had died
in the land of Egypt.
Let's choose another leader
and go back to Egypt.
Now,
what's the parallel
to the Corinthian situation?
What's Paul warning them against?
Now, for one,
Paul's warning them
against an unrestrained craving.
Right?
Part of what
could have motivated them
to go to the idle temples
is they just really wanted
the food there
and the drink there
and it was really good
and really plentiful
and really cheap.
And perhaps
there's a warning for us
that a lack of self-discipline
with regard to food and drink
can be the doorway
to grumbling
and discontent
when we don't get
what we want
or when we overindulge
and then feel bad
about ourselves
and hate ourselves
and feel insecure
around other people
and it just
can be a downward spiral.
There are all kinds of ways
that food can become an idol
and Jesus has come
to set us free
from that bondage
so that food can be a servant
that benefits us
and not a master
that controls us.
But, you know,
that's actually not
the main focus
of verse 9 and 10.
The main focus
is not on food
but on testing
and grumbling.
Now, I think it's very interesting
verse 7 and 8
describe what we might call
fleshly sins, right?
Where you're actively
overindulging
our bodily desires
and impulses
in a way
that doesn't please God.
Verses 9 and 10,
by contrast,
describe what we might call
spiritual sins.
Negative attitudes
that hinder us
from stepping out in faith
and doing the good
that God calls us to do.
A grumbling attitude,
an accusing spirit,
always blaming someone else.
We're not out there
on Saturday night
dancing around the idols.
Perhaps we're just
sitting alone
feeling sorry for ourselves
or scrolling down our phone
looking on Facebook
for the latest gossip
or addicted to video games.
And Paul says
that kind of self-pity
and despair
expressed in a variety
of different ways
can be just as
spiritually dangerous
as
idolatry
and
lust
that's
directed outwards.
Now,
let me just say
that in this fallen world,
Christians will experience
depression.
And experiencing
depression
is not sin.
But I think
what Paul is saying here
is that there's a
spiritual battle to fight
when you're experiencing
depression
just as there's
a spiritual battle to fight
when you're experiencing
raging anger
or passionate lust
and you're trying to control
and restrain yourself
in a godly way.
I've just started reading
a book
called
A Praying Life
by Paul Miller.
It's a great book.
He wrote another book
called A Loving Life.
Both of them are down
on the bookstall
and they're excellent.
And he has a quote in there
from a 16th century monk
who I'd never heard of before
but I think he's pretty wise.
He writes this
on this topic.
He says,
When you sit there
utterly alone,
eaten up with unhappiness
in a pure state of grief,
if you don't move towards God
but desperately imagine
that everything you have ever done
has been utterly lost
and forgotten,
this near despair
and self-pity
are actually a form of pride.
What you think
was a state of security
from which you've fallen
was really trusting
too much
in your own strength
and ability.
What really bothers you
is that things
just haven't happened
as you expected
and wanted.
Don't rely on your own strength
and abilities
and plans.
Distrust them
and distrust yourself.
Your own strength
will no more help you
to stand upright
than propping yourself
on a broken reed.
But you must not despair
of Jesus.
Hope and trust in him.
Absolutely.
Because his mercy
is infinite.
So there are Paul's warnings.
The basis for Paul's warnings,
Paul's saying,
these are some of the traps
that our spiritual ancestors
fell into.
I don't want you to fall
into the same traps.
And Paul's pointing us
toward a better way.
Second point,
the application
of Paul's warnings.
Verse 15 to 22,
Paul applies the warning
to the Corinthians
particular situation.
Again, we'll go through
more quickly this section.
Verse 16 and 17,
he goes down.
He gives some reasoning.
Verse 16 and 17,
he says,
when we as Christians
share the Lord's Supper
as an act of worship,
it's a participation
in the blood of Christ
and the body of Christ.
That word participation
is the Greek word koinonia.
It can also be translated
fellowship or sharing
or joining together
or partnership.
And Paul says,
when we drink the cup,
we share in the blood of Christ.
That is,
we're proclaiming
that the blood of Christ
has cleansed us from all sin
and we've received
Christ's sacrifice
on our behalf.
When we share the bread,
we share in the body of Christ.
That is,
we're expressing
our oneness in Christ
with every other person
who eats and drinks
of that meal
by faith in Jesus.
You see,
in the Lord's Supper,
here's the point.
The physical act
of eating and drinking
has a spiritual reality
attached to it.
And in chapter 11,
we'll see that that's true
whether we recognize it or not
because some people
are eating and drinking
judgment on themselves.
Now, the point is,
when we eat this meal,
Jesus is present with us
by His Spirit.
And when we take
the bread and the cup,
He confirms His promise
that He is our God
and we are His people.
Now, we'll go more
into Paul's teaching
on the Lord's Supper
in a couple weeks
in chapter 11.
But the point of this,
taking is this,
taking the Lord's Supper
means participating
in Christ.
Verse 18,
he gives another analogy.
He says,
consider the people
of Israel
aren't those who eat
the sacrifices
participants in the altar.
Once again,
Paul uses that same word,
participation.
And Paul's referring
probably to the sacrifices
of thanksgiving
that the Israelites
would share
when they went to Jerusalem
for the feasts
where they were commanded
to eat and rejoice
before the Lord their God
as an offering
of thanksgiving to Him.
And the point is,
when the people of Israel
ate those thanksgiving meals,
they were participating,
that is,
sharing in the worship of God.
So Christians
share in the worship of Jesus
when we eat and drink
the Lord's Supper.
And the Jewish people,
the people of Israel,
share in the worship
of the one true God
when they participated
in these meals
of thanksgiving.
And then Paul goes on,
verse 19 to 20,
he's moving toward his point,
to address pagan meals.
He says,
verse 19,
what do I imply?
That food offered to idols
is anything?
Are the idols anything?
No, I imply that
what pagan sacrifice
they offer to demons
and not to God.
Paul's saying each meal,
whether it's the Lord's Supper
or the Jewish meals
or the pagan meals,
creates or cements
or reinforces a bond
of participation
or partnership
or covenant
between the people
and the deity involved.
And so verse 21
is Paul's conclusion
applying his warning
to the Corinthian situation.
He says,
you can't drink
the cup of the Lord
and the cup of demons.
You can't partake
the table of the Lord
and the table of demons.
No more eating food
offered to idols
during pagan religious ceremonies.
He finally comes clear
with his warning
and its application
to the Corinthian Christians
after he spent
three chapters
laying the groundwork
and getting us there.
Now, what do we learn?
Number one,
Jesus calls for exclusive loyalty.
So don't play around
with idols.
Paul was writing
to some people
who were being cocky.
They were saying,
we have the freedom
to eat any kind of meat
whenever we want,
however we want,
wherever we want.
We know idols aren't real.
We can go to the idol temple.
And Paul says,
beware.
The first thing he wants
to say is there are
some practices
and attitudes
that followers of Jesus
must not engage in.
Jesus isn't just one option
in the buffet
and you can take
some of his meal
and you can mix and match
with whatever else you want.
Jesus calls for exclusive
and ultimate allegiance.
And just as in a good marriage,
you should consider
your spouse's opinion
more weightily
than anybody else's opinion,
Paul says,
ultimately,
in our exclusive loyalty
to Jesus,
we need to consider
what pleases him
first and foremost
above anything else
and be willing
to refrain from other things
if they would be compromising
our loyalty to Jesus.
So Paul says,
beware.
Beware that you don't fall
into idolatry.
He goes on
and so that's the first thing.
Jesus calls for exclusive loyalty.
Don't play around with idols.
Second,
according to the Bible,
demons are real.
Now this is,
Paul doesn't go into demons here,
but he mentions them
in 20 and 21,
so let me speak briefly to that.
What does the Bible mean
by demons?
It means there are
spiritual forces
hostile to God
who are active
in this present world.
And according to Paul,
some of them
are associated
with certain
pagan cultic rituals.
Now for some of you,
that idea might sound
really weird,
but in a Christian worldview,
it's not inherently irrational.
You know,
if you can believe in angels
who serve under God's authority,
then you should at least
admit the possibility
that there are spiritual beings
who are in rebellion
against God's authority,
which is exactly
how the Bible describes demons.
And Paul's quite balanced here.
Paul's not paranoid
about demons.
He's not like,
ooh, there might be a demon
in that piece of meat
in the store
because it was sacrificed
to an idol a long time ago.
No!
He's very clear about that
in the next end of the chapter.
He says,
you know,
that's not how it works.
Okay?
Paul's not paranoid
about a demon
being under every rock.
And in several places,
the Bible distinguishes
demonic oppression
from physical illness
or mental illness.
They're not the same thing
even though they can overlap.
But what Paul does say is,
I don't want you
to be participants with demons.
That is,
I don't want you
to become entangled
with spiritual forces
that are hostile to God.
And the only reason
Paul gives the warning
is that it's a real possibility.
Paul wouldn't give the warning
if they didn't exist at all.
So,
so let me say this.
If you think,
if you think
that you might be experiencing
demonic affliction
or oppression,
let me say three things.
This isn't something
we talk about a lot,
but,
but it's,
it happens sometimes.
Let me say three things.
Number one,
you need to be willing
to renounce
any ungodly practices
that may have opened you up
to what Paul calls
participation with demons.
Second,
call upon the name
of the Lord Jesus Christ
because Jesus has given
his followers authority
over demons
in his name.
And third,
seek spiritual help
and discernment
from other Christian believers.
And particularly,
if you're trying to
figure out
what's,
what,
what if anything
might be demonic oppression
and what's simply
a physical or mental illness
and how do we help each other
in all those ways
and get the help,
kind of help you need.
All right,
so that's some of the application
of Paul's warning
to the Corinthians
about don't eat the food
in the idol worship services
and a little bit to us.
Finally,
the encouragement
that accompanies
Paul's warning.
Right,
this whole chapter
is a warning,
but right in the middle of it,
Paul gives a word
of assurance
and encouragement.
And that's a common pattern
in the Bible.
There are wonderful passages
of encouragement,
but often with them,
there's reminders
to keep our focus
where it needs to be
and there's strong warnings.
But with those warnings,
God also provides
a word of encouragement
and he doesn't leave us alone.
He doesn't want us to end
feeling like,
oh no,
I've fallen into this
and I can't get out.
Verse 13.
It's right in the middle
of his two warnings.
He gives this word
of encouragement
smack in the middle.
No temptation
has overtaken you
that is not common to man.
God is faithful
and he won't let you
be tempted beyond
your ability,
but with the temptation
he'll also provide
the way of escape
that you may be able
to endure it.
So let me just end
with three brief truths
from this verse
that I hope
will encourage you
if you're struggling
or feel beset
by any of these temptations
that we've mentioned today.
Number one,
Paul says,
you're not alone.
No temptation
has overtaken you
except what is common to man.
You know,
one of Satan's
most common strategies
when you're being tempted
is to make you feel
all alone
like nobody else
has ever been through
what I've been through
and nobody else
could ever understand
and nobody who doesn't
completely understand
could ever give me
any help at all.
And you know,
that's always a lie
because God knows you
and God says,
no temptation
has overtaken you
except what is common
to man.
There's other people
who've been there.
It might take a little while
to find those people
and there's other people
who can love you
even if they haven't been there
because we're all tempted
in different ways.
And Paul goes on and says,
God is faithful.
You don't need to fear
that temptation
will overtake you
like a thief in the night
and rob you
of everything
that you have in Christ.
No.
Paul says,
God is faithful.
He won't let you be tempted
beyond your ability.
God's like a good coach.
He knows the capacities
of his players
better than the players do.
He knows when to put you
on the field
and he knows when to put you
and give you a little rest
on the bench.
He knows you better
than you know yourself.
He's been faithful
in the past.
He'll be faithful
in the future.
And because God is faithful,
Paul says,
third thing,
there's a way through it
and or out of it.
With the temptation,
he will also provide
the way of escape
that you may be able
to endure it.
Now, that's a very
interesting verse
and I always get messed up
when I try to quote it
because in my mind,
I think,
does he provide a way out
or does he provide a way
to endure through it?
And he says,
both.
says,
God will provide a way out
so that you can endure
through it.
He'll give you the strength
to endure through it
as long as you need to
and he's also going to provide
a way out.
And for the Corinthians,
Paul's saying that way out
is don't go back
to the idle temples
and be indulging
in these pagan meals.
Paul says,
you know,
if you're running headlong
into temptation,
you can't claim this promise
that God's going to rescue you
from it.
God's provided a way out.
The way out is
don't go there.
Right?
Sometimes we need
to flee temptation.
But sometimes
you can't flee temptation
because it's just there
or it's in your mind
and you can't run away
from yourself
and you've got to face it.
And Paul says,
God will strengthen you
to endure it.
And the reason we can know
and be confident
that that's a true promise
from God
is because
he came to meet us
in the middle of it.
The Bible says,
Jesus Christ
was tempted
in every way
just as we are
and yet he never sinned.
He never gave in.
And Jesus knows
the strength of temptation.
Honestly,
most of us don't know
how strong temptation can be
because we give in
too quickly.
Right?
It's like if you're arm wrestling
and you just sort of
let your arm go limp.
Right?
The way that you really know
how strong somebody else is
is if you hold that arm up
and your arm gets
burning sore.
Right?
And you're trying to push it over
and you...
That's the way
that you're going to know
how strong somebody else is.
Not if you just sort of
give in right away.
You see,
Jesus knows how strong temptation is
because he never gave in.
He held on all the way.
And so he's able to help you and me
when we're tempted
because he's been there
and he's done it.
And he sent his Holy Spirit
to help us in the middle of it
so that we're not alone.
And so the scripture says
we can boldly approach
the throne of grace
to receive mercy
and find help
in our time of need.
Let's pray
and do just that.
Amen.
Lord God,
we thank you for
this warning.
We thank you that
it is in your love for us
and in your wisdom
that you give us these warnings
so that we don't
fall
into deadly patterns of sin
but so that we can
fix our eyes on you
so that we can be
both warned
and encouraged.
We thank you for this word
of encouragement
that you are faithful.
Lord,
that you won't
let us be tempted
beyond what we can bear
that you will provide
a way out
so that we can endure
through it.
Please strengthen us
to trust you
and to walk
in faithfulness to you
as you have been faithful
to us.
We pray in your name.
Amen.