If you want to use part or all of this sermon, all I ask is that you say it's not yours. You don't have to mention me by name - that guy is sufficient. Just don't steal it. That's not cool.
If you feel like using some or all of it, I'd be interested to know how - leave a comment if you like.
Summary:
- Examples of Weakness against temptation(our need to deal with temptation) (10:1-14)
- Examples of Warning against idolatry (our devotion to be singly to God, not divided) (10:15-22)
- Examples of seeking Welfare of others (our actions being for the benefit of others) (10:23-33)
ACTUAL WORDS
History unifies people, not just through a shared experience, but also through its example. It can inspire us with examples of success, courage and determination. Historical examples are so much more inspiring than made up stories, because knowing that someone actually achieved them gives us hope. This is what drives a lot of olympic medalists to strive to break world records – because those 'unbeatable' records have been broken in the past. But history can also warn us with examples of tragedy, failure and defeat. White Star Line Vice President PAS Franklin, when news was heard that his company's flagship was in trouble, announced, “We place absolute confidence in the Titanic. We believe the boat is unsinkable.” By the time Franklin spoke those words Titanic was at the bottom of the ocean. How many people, on hearing the story of Titanic, are prepared to make such wild claims as “My boat is unsinkable”? Again, real examples are far more powerful than made up stories.
In chapter 10 of 1 Corinthians, Paul is bringing to a close a fairly large section of the book dealing with Christian freedom, and where the boundaries are for Christians in the freedom given us by our newfound relationship with God. In chapter 8, Paul was talking specifically about that freedom being limited by love – our actions, in freedom, should not be unloving by confusing people with questionable practices that prick their weak consciences. In chapter 9, Paul established that our freedom is limited by the need for the gospel to be spread, and to ensure that in our freedom we do not put up obstacles that could get in the way of people's hearing the gospel. Graham has very helpfully explained to us these things over the last two weeks.
This week, we will see that our freedom in Christ needs to be limited because of the weakness we have towards temptation. This is a rich chapter – Paul gives six powerful Old Testament examples to illustrate his various points, and each one would be a Sunday in itself. So we will have to content ourselves with their excellent reading, and instead focus on the points Paul makes here in chapter 10. I have summarised them into three points which, if you have an NIV, you will find almost correspond to the three sections your chapter is broken up into. The first is Examples of Weakness against temptation - that is, our need to deal with temptation, from v1 to v14. Secondly are the examples of Warning against idolatry – and our need to be devoted singly to God from v15 to v22. Finally, there are the Examples of seeking Welfare of others – about our actions being for the benefit of others to the glory of God, in v23-33.
The first five of Paul's Old Testament examples are in our first section – examples of weakness. The important verses here are v6 and v11, which highlight what these examples are for. Verse 6 says “Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they [that is, the Israelites] did.” Verse 11 says, “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come.” As we have heard in our reading, all of these examples highlight failures of the Israelites that were duly punished. A good summary is verse 5, “God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.” And for those familiar with the account of Israel's journey through the wilderness, you will be well aware that God showed his displeasure by scattering their bodies in all sorts of various ways. They were killed by the sword, they were killed by fire out of the sky, swallowed up by the earth, killed by plague, killed by destroying angel. The list goes on.
All of these examples deal with something specific. The first one shows that, although the Israelites walked through the sea, and were accompanied by a pillar of cloud signifying God's presence with them, and although they ate the manna in the desert, and drank water that sprung miraculously from rocks, they were not faithful to God. They were weak in their faith, and many Israelites died never seeing the promised land.
The truth is, it didn't matter that the Israelites miraculously crossed through the sea. It didn't matter that they ate the manna and drank the rock-water. The unfaithful ones all died before entering the promised land. And we know full well, and the Corinthians were being warned, that whether you're baptised, whether you attend church every Sunday, whether you partake in the communion feast, that won't make a bit of difference as to whether you get to heaven or not. The spiritual food and the spiritual drink both come from Christ alone – faith in him is the only way.
The second example deals with idolatry, reminding us of the golden calf created by Aaron to please the Israelites, even as they sat under the mountain covered in the fire of God. The Corinthians were falling into idolatry too, so it is no accident that Paul chooses this example. You will recall that this led to Moses calling together the faithful to strap swords to their sides and go through the camp killing those who had defiled God through such idolatry. Many Israelites died.
The third example deals with the sexual immorality that so often led out of idolatry in ancient times. The moabite women tempted Israel's men to weakness with feasting worship – worshipping their idols with eating and drinking – and then followed up with sexual worship – worshipping their idols by the use of temple prostitution. God sent a plague amongst the Israelites, and many Israelites died. This was happening in Corinth – many Christians were attending the feasting worship of idols because it was a public community event, and then getting carried away in the sexual worship as well.
The fourth example of weakness highlights the attitude of Israel by testing God because of his provision of only manna and of water only when required. They grumbled, “There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!” And so God sent poisonous snakes amongst them, and many Israelites died. We know that Jesus himself likened his mission to that of the Bronze Snake Moses lifted to save Israel – John 3:14, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.”
The fifth example is that of the grumbling Israelites who had just witnessed the death of a group who were rebelling against the God-ordained leadership of Moses and Aaron. It is no accident that Paul, in the previous chapter, has been reminding the Corinthians of his apostleship, and that they should not rebel against the God-ordained leaders of their church, like himself. The Israelites grumbled about how it was Moses and Aaron's fault that these 250 rebel leaders had died, and whether they would be next. Thanks to their grumbling, some of them were. A swift plague, brought down by the destroying angel of God, came upon them. Many Israelites died.
We are to take heed of the warnings offered by this chapter. We should not set our hearts on evil, as the Israelites did. We should take the warning that Paul is making to the Corinthians – that our spiritual freedom in Christ has to be tempered, because we are weak, and can fall into temptation.
It is weakness that brought Israel to its temptation to idol worship, to sexual immorality, to questioning God's plan and God's leaders. And we are not any better! That is why, after giving us these examples, Paul gives us also the key verses of this book, perhaps even of the whole Bible, on how to deal with temptation. First, he says “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!” You might think it sounds odd, to say “If you think you are standing firm, then be sure you don't fall”. Shouldn't it say, if you're standing firm, then you're all right? It's the people standing weakly that need to be careful, right? Wrong! When we accept that we are weak, we are cautious, on the look out for escape routes, eager for help of others. It is when we think we are strong that we are at our most vulnerable, at our weakest!
Paul says at v13, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to us all.” If we can be honest with ourselves that we have all been overtaken by temptation, that it is common to us all, then we can be united together as a church to help one another when this happens to one of us. Praise be to God that he gives us each other to help us through tough times of temptation!
But wait, there's more! Paul also tells us that “God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”
How many sins have you never committed, like say murder, or theft, or illicit drug use? Have you thought that makes you strong against the temptation to do those things? That is weakness! More likely that, by God's grace, he has not let you be tempted beyond what you could bear. But what about those things you are tempted by? God promises that he will provide you with the only proven method that works against temptation. And it's not standing up firm – it's running away! Again, that doesn't sound right, does it? To endure temptation, we have to run away? We just don't get it! We are weak! Temptation will tempt us! And we will fall! God says, “If you want to endure temptation, then I will give you the only way to endure it that works – run!” You all know the story of Joseph – another historical example we can learn from – when Potiphar's wife was coming onto him, what did he do? Did he put on a stiff upper lip and engage her in a moral discussion about the dangers and ungodliness of adultery, while she fluttered her eyelashes at him and inched her fingers up his arm? No fear – he was out of there so fast his robe was left spinning!
We have to help each other out with this. Our 1 Corinthians series is about unity, and these examples are here for us to follow together as a church. So let's do that! Let's learn from the examples of the past together. Let's be honest that we're all tempted, and help each other to endure it, by praying for each other, by being open and honest, by being approachable, being there to help each other out of sticky situations. It means that those of us who are tempted need to get over our pride and admit it to someone, and it means those of us who have such temptation admitted to us need to be understanding, non-judgmental, loving and helpful.
When you feel temptation, take that escape route that God offers you. I can tell you, it won't always be pretty. What happened to Joseph? He ended up in gaol! There are going to be consequences of fleeing temptation. It might mean rudely fleeing and causing a scene. It might mean simply not going to certain places on your own, like Kings Cross. It might mean making yourself accountable to someone else for your financial spending. It might mean not taking positions of authority or influence because power goes to your head. Whatever it is, whatever temptations you face, God says he will give you a doorway to escape. It might not be easy, and it might not be comfortable, but it will be there. Whether you go through it or not will be up to you. Then it's down to whether you want to do what's right by God, or what's comfortable for you.
Paul finishes this section with a summary phrase of particular relevance to the Corinthians - “Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.” He puts it all together for them – you've got a problem with idolatry. Look at the examples of ancient Israel. Don't make the same mistakes they did – flee from your temptation.
And that brings us to the second section: examples of warning against idolatry. The problem with idolatry is that it splits our devotion away from being singly focused on God, and gives it to something else: to demons - who are the puppet-masters of all other gods worshipped in the world – or to ourselves, which is the far more common idolatry in the western world. Paul has two examples of the need for us to be warned away from idolatry. These examples are plugged directly into the context of the Corinthians, who were getting tempted to go and get involved in the feasting worship of other gods. His first example is as directly current to the Corinthians as it is to us – it is that of the communion feast. The communion feast, for Christians, is our symbol of participation and union with Christ. He says, in v17 “Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf.” The communion is a wonderful picture of our union together, as a church body, with Christ.
His second example calls on the sacrifices made by Israel. He points out that when the Israelites brought an offering to the altar, they usually shared in eating it with the priests. This feasting worship, of both the Old and New Testament, symbolises our participation, our union, our relationship with God! And if the Christian feasting worship symbolises our union with God, what does feasting worship before idols represent? Union with the devils that they represent! Paul is adamant to the Christians at Corinth – v21, “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons.”
Now, I assume that you all don't go to mosque on Fridays and partake in Eid and Ramadan feasts. I take it you don't head off to the buddhist temple and celebrate the Feast of Lanterns and Feast of the Dead. You don't check your calendar for the countless feasts going on with all the various Hindu gods. So this problem the Corinthians were having, and the examples that Paul is giving, have no relevance to us then, right?
Wrong. Idolatry is not limited simply to feasting worship. Idolatry is anything that splits your devotion away from being singly focused on God, and gives it to something else, anything else! Not just demons. Money, pleasure, security, knowledge, beauty, family, comfort. The thing is, none of those things are wrong any more than eating or drinking are wrong! Paul says at v19, “Do I mean then that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything?” It's not that eating meat or even drinking wine is a sin. It's not even that having a little or big statue of something is a sin Owning this figurine of King Kong on the Empire State Building is not idolatry. A crucifix at the front of a church is a statue more likely to become an idol. Something becomes an idol when you worship it – that is, when you are focusing your devotion to it. When you will do things for its sake. In that sense, all the Corinthians were doing was giving feast worship – a symbolic ritual of union – to idols. Paul's angry enough with that, saying “Are we trying to arouse the Lord's jealousy? Are we stronger than he?” Imagine God's jealousy when we actually devote major parts of our lives to our own comfort or financial security! Imagine how angry God is when we turn our backs on him for the sake of devoting ourselves to pleasure!
We must not dispel idolatry as if it were a sin of the past, that doesn't bother us anymore. Be on your lookout – when you make decisions or take actions, just ask yourself, “Why am I doing this? Am I doing it for God?” Even when you don't do something, think “Am I not doing this for God?” A fair few things will come down to attitude. Every meal you eat can be a thanksgiving offering to God for his provision, or it can be a self-serving meal for pleasure.
We get to our final section, now: examples of seeking the welfare of others – making sure our actions are for the benefit of others. Here Paul comes back to his original example from chapter 8 – the eating of meat sacrificed to idols. Just as he was able to make a strong, final statement about Christians attending pagan worship feasts (Don't do it!), so he can make a strong, final statement about whether you can eat meat that was sacrificed at such a feast, but was then sold afterwards. And that statement is,vs25 “Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience.” Why? Because, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it. ” Anthony Thistleton makes a great comment on this verse, saying, “Even meat that passed through a pagan temple still belongs to God (like everything else in creation), and it is God who reigns sovereign over creation, not these so-called idol gods.” If you go to a police auction, and you see a 2008 new model Dodge Viper (which would normally retail at $88,000) for sale for $4,000, then it doesn't matter that the last owner was a drug dealer who used that car to smuggle drugs across the country! The car is the Lord's! When you buy it, use it to drive old ladies to their doctor's appointments in the LINC program – they'll never be late!
And if a non-Christian friend invites you around to eat (or to take a spin in his new Dodge Viper), go, and don't worry where the food's come from (or where he got the Dodge Viper). It's not a problem.
“But”, says Paul in v28, “if someone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," (or “This is the car of a convicted drug dealer”) then do not eat it (or drive it), both for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience. 29 I am referring to the other person's conscience, not yours.”
Paul has already spoken to the Corinthians about limiting their Christian freedom for the sake of those who are weaker in their faith and understanding. And Graham has already spoken to us about this two weeks ago. And Paul has already spoken about limiting our freedom in Christ so as to not put any obstacles in the way of non-Christians hearing the gospel. And Graham has spoken about that last week.
So I don't want to go over the same territory. Instead, I want to look at this issue from the flip side for a moment. The focus here, and in other parts of the Bible that deal with such matters of conscience, generally tends to be on the actions of the strong in faith. The strong in faith are told to limit their freedom for the sake of those who are weak in faith, or whose faith is non-existent – non-believers. But let's spare a thought for weak in faith themselves. What are they to do? What is their responsibility? I want to suggest three things. Firstly, the weak must recognise their weakness. This is so important for the postmodern church to understand. Postmodernism sells a relativist message – that I can have one opinion, you can have another opinion, and neither of us are wrong, both are right for ourselves. That is not the Christian message! Christianity is absolute. Paul does not call the two sides in this argument side A and side B, or even more politically correct side A and side 1 so that neither side is second. He calls them side strong and side weak. Chapter 8 says, “their conscience is weak”. In Romans 14, Paul says, “Accept those whose faith is weak”. If you are weak in conscience or in faith, then you need to recognise that. You might never notice it yourself. If that's the case, then make sure that you are approachable – because it might be that no one else has ever told you because they were afraid of insulting you. Church leaders have enough things on their plate without confronting people about their weakness in faith too.
So step one, analyse yourself, recognise if you are weak. You might be strong in some areas of faith and conscience, and weak in others. Know where you stand. Step two is to not be judgemental. Paul says in v29 of 1 Cor 10, “For why is my freedom being judged by another's conscience? 30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?” In Romans 14 v3, Paul says, “The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted that person.” v10, “Why do you judge your brother or sister?” v13 “Therefore, let us stop passing judgement on one another.” These issues of conscience can be devestating to the unity of a church, whether it's eating meat sacrificed to idols, or driving ex drug dealer cars, or something else. Don't be judgemental of someone else because of your weak conscience, your weak faith.
Step one, analyse yourself, recogise your weakness. Step two, don't judge other people because of your weak conscience or weak faith. Step three, finally, is become strong! Weakness in faith is not a virtue! Yes, the strong may be told to withdraw from certain activities for the sake of the weak. But that is as a concession, not as a punishment. Do you know why it's the strong who are told to hold back on their activities? Because they are strong! They are more able to handle it! Weakness of faith is not enviable, it is pitiful. I have been in churches where people have waved around chapters like Romans 14 and 1 Corinthians 8 and 10 as flags of power, saying “You can't do that! You can't do this! You certainly cannot do any of those! Because I don't like it, and you might stumble me!” These verses do not make the weak in faith President – they make them vulnerable children who we must protect. I agree with Paul – the strong shouldn't confuse or destroy the weak by their eating and drinking or other actions. But they also shouldn't tiptoe around protecting the weakness of the weak. You know what happens if you overprotect children from germs? Their own immune system becomes weak, because it's never had to fight. Links have been made to asthma and allergies in children whose parents are overly protective and try to place their kids in sterile environments. The church doesn't exist to create weak Christians who can't handle anything going on in the outside world. We are here to disciple and raise strong Christians who understand their freedom in Christ and can be effective in reaching out to the world around them, not cowering in fear about a piece of chicken.
At the end of the day, that is to be our driving motive. Paul says in vs31, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God— 33 even as I try to please everyone in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved.” John Calvin, in commenting on this verse, said, “There is nothing in our whole life, be it ever so small, that it ought not to be directed to the glory of God.”
Let's Pray,
Our Lord, we thank you for the freedom that we have in Christ Jesus. Help us to be strong in our faith, and effective in our witness to the non-Christian world. Help us to learn from the examples of our spiritual past. Help us not to fall into modern idolatry, but help us to be focused singly you. Help us not to fall to temptation, but to stand firm by running away. Unite us as a church, Father, in Christ, that we might help each other to serve you better. AMEN
