If you want to Deconstruct the Church, then don't learn from Examples

Intro:

- Well we have been going through this section where Paul has been addressing the need to deny self in chp. 8-10.

- We looked at Paul address the concerns that people had with eating meat sold in the market place that was originally offered to idols. There would be some believers who had a big problem with this and there were others who did not have a problem with it.

- So paul would address this and the freedoms or convictions we may have and how to exercise those freedoms. These freedoms are to be exercised in love. So if a brother has a problem with eating meat, then I should respect that and not eat the meat so that I don’t cause them to stumble.

- With that in mind we saw Paul in chp 9 address the importance of denying oneself for the well being of others. He would go on to prove that he was an apostle and had every right as an apostle to be taken care of by the church in Corinth, yet he goes to show them that he never took this right but worked with his hands.

- And his reason was because he did not want anyone having a reason for denying the gospel message. He wanted to be above reproach. He put the needs of everyone else above himself.

- And last time we went through this we looked at Paul speak about the importance of Denying oneself for the well being of ourselves.

- Paul used the illustration of an athlete, a runner in a race. The purpose, the discipline , the hardwork, the dedication, the sacrifice and self denial that was evident in an athlete was the parallel to the Christian life.

- Just as much as these runners would need to be disciplined in order to finish well and to receive the prize, so there is much discipline and hard work necessary in the Christian life , in order for us to finish well.

Transition

- One of the things that Paul left off with in this illustration of an athlete was the picture of a harold in v. 27. The person who was responsible for proclaiming the games, for giving the rules which an athlete was to compete within.

- He told us that he disciplined his body so that when he preached to others or when he gave the parameters which God had establish within His word, he would not be disqualified.

- See in a race there are a number of outcomes.

Outcomes of a race

1. Win the race

2. Finish the race

3. Get disqualified from the race- didn’t run according to the rules set in place

4. Quit the race

- What Paul has been establishing is the importance of learning self discipline in order to finish the race and to finish the race well/ to receive the prize.

- And the contrast which he has been setting and we have been looking at is, the person who has no self discipline , is the person who will get disqualified and will quit the race.

- This is true in our Christian life. The Christian who does not have self discipline in his/her life will eventually get disqualified spiritually and often will quit the faith and will stop running .

- So it’s with this backdrop that Paul now moves on to gives us some examples of those who were disqualified , who quit the race.

- These examples were meant to emphasize the point Paul is making, the need for self control and self discipline spiritually.

I. Israel was like us (v.1-5)

- we want to start by identifying what Paul is addressing. He uses the word “all” 5 times here in these verses.

- Back in v. 24 when Paul was describing the Christian life as a race he started by saying “those who run in a race all run”.

- He was addressing that the athletes all run, for the Christians the parallel was all Christians run the spiritual life.

- So here as Paul moves on to gives us these examples he starts by speaking about the nation of Israel and the stories found in the old testament. There is a direct link Paul is establishing , all of the nation of Israel, all of God’s people …..

1. All were under the cloud (v.1)

-Paul making reference to the fact that the fathers, or the nation of Israel all were under the cloud, this is speaking about the cloud while they were in the wilderness. How God lead them with a cloud by day and pillar of fire by night.

2. All passed through the sea(v1)

this is speaking of the Red Sea . How God delivered the Nation of Israel from the bondage of Egypt through the Red sea

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3. All were baptized into Moses (v.2)

- This is speaking about that the Nation of Israel identified with Moses as the deliver from their bondage. God used Moses as the vessel to lead the people from Bondage and into the process of going to the promise land.

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4. All ate the same spiritual food(v.3)

- When the nation of Israel was in the wilderness, we read in the old testament that God provided for them the manna from heaven.

- You remember that every morning God would provide manna for the people and they were to gather it for the day. God provided daily for the people to eat each day.

5. All drank the same spiritual drink V.4)

- In the book of Numbers we see the people complaining about the wilderness, they would complain about their current condition and would say “why have you brought us to this place to die,” they basically complained that they should have stayed in Egypt.

- Twice God would speak to Moses to hit the rock and to speak to the rock in order to miraculously provide water. God brought forth water from the rock to sustain the people, to bring life to them.

Transition

- See what Paul is doing is he is making a connection between the Nation of Israel and these believers in Corinth.

- The Nation of Israel identified with their deliver Moses, they received of the living manna and living water, they were a part of the miracles of God in delivering them, guiding them and providing for them.

- Just like we as Christians identify with Jesus in His death and resurrection. We have been baptized in His death.

Romans 6:4–5 NKJV

Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection,

- We have partaken of the living water that He provides and of the manna from heaven which provides life…

- We have personally experienced the miracles of God in our lives, we have seen God deliver us from the bondage of sin , He has set us free and has given us spiritual life……

- This is the connection that Paul is making here. But the next verse also links us together.

6. Most did not please God (v.5)

- Here is what Paul is saying. While the nation of Israel all experience the deliverance of God in their lives, while they all experienced the protection, the guidance, the provision from God, while they all experienced the presence of God ….. yet many did not please God.

– Israel were children of God, they experienced the greatness of God moving in their lives and still many did not please God…. WHY? Because of their own actions.

-While God did everything in His power aside from taking away their free will, He protected them, he provided for them, he sustained them in the wilderness…. and still they chose to follow other things. Their hearts were divided and God is not pleased with a divided heart. He longs for all of our affection.

The consequences that happened to them both show the result of their divided heart and also the seriousness of their sins. They were scattered in the wilderness, or they died. They never made it past the wilderness and entered into the promise land.

This is a huge reality even today in our lives. The fact that many people because of a divided heart will never enter into the promise land. They will never become all that God wanted them to become.

They will come short of God’s great plan for their lives because of a lack of commitment to God. And often many bodies are scattered along the wilderness even now, unable to make it to the promise land because of our hearts.

- I want us to understand that these extraordinary spiritual experiences would not stop the possibility of spiritual disaster. It would not secure them from being disqualified and not finishing the race.

- God desired obedience from the people. Gen. 28 – God tells them that obedience would lead to blessing and life and disobedience would lead to curse and death.

- Inspite of God’s presence and God’s provision , the people committed serious sins and perished in the wilderness.

- There main issue was a divided heart that came from a lack of self control, a lack of self discipline… which if you remember Paul was addressing previously in the illustration of an Athlete.

- Paul is making the connection this way. He is saying, even though you have experienced God’s presence, even though you have experienced God’s miraculous work in your life, those spiritual experiences are not enough to finish this race well.

- Spiritual discipline and self control is necessary in our lives, pursuing God and being obedient to His word is required if we want to finish well.

Transition

- Being a Christian is not enough to finish this spiritual life well. Having parents that are Christian is not enough, going to retreats is not enough….

- Growing up in the church is not enough, being home schooled is not enough,

- there has to be a daily pursuing of the things of God , daily pursuing God’s presence, a daily reading of God’s word, a daily obeying of God’s word. Daily surrendering ourselves to God …. This has to be a daily activity , a daily passion and daily pursuit.

- This is how we finish well.

- He will go on to give us some examples of those who did not have self control and spiritual disciplines.

- So to keep up with our theme,

“If you want to Deconstruct the church, do not learn from the examples set before you”.

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II. Israel was an example for us (v. 6- 13)

A. Our Example not to Lust as they did (v.6)

- These things- speak of the problems that the nation of Israel had . The constant progression of a divided heart. They had a propensity of drifting from God and to pursue other things because of the lack of self control and self discipline.

- This is what became our example. Paul is saying to look back to these things because they are an example of what does not please God, and the examples of consequences that come from that type of a life.

- The word “example” speaks of a model forged by repetition. We have a model set before us in the word of God, stories of those who did not please God. We should be able to see this and to learn from it.

- The purpose of these examples are so that we should not lust after the evil things that the Nation of Israel pursued.

- The word lust- speaks of a focused passion,

Webster’s dictionary – lust is an intense longing, usually intense or unbridled sexual desire.

-the thought is to have a passionate longing for something

- While this has a thought of sexual desire, the context here is speaking of all forms of evil. There can be a longing and desiring to do or partake of evil things. Paul goes on to describe what some of these things are.

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B. The Things that they Lusted after (v. 7-10)

1. They were Idolaters (v. 7)

Idolatry speaks of worshiping something other than the one true God.

- This is in reference to the children of Israel creating and worshiping a false idol in the golden calf. Ex.32. Moses went up to mt Sinai to receive the law from God. He was gone a long time so the people went to Aaron the priest and asked him to make Gods, or an image of a God to worship. They collected gold from the people and melted it into a golden calf and began to worship it.

Exodus 32:1–4 NKJV

Now when the people saw that Moses delayed coming down from the mountain, the people gathered together to Aaron, and said to him, “Come, make us gods that shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.” And Aaron said to them, “Break off the golden earrings which are in the ears of your wives, your sons, and your daughters, and bring them to me.” So all the people broke off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them to Aaron. And he received the gold from their hand, and he fashioned it with an engraving tool, and made a molded calf. Then they said, “This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!”

When people do not have the right God sitting on the throne of their hearts to worship, they will make for themselves false Gods to worship. This not only comes in the form of little statues. But it comes in the form of relationships, people, jobs, money, popularity, etc.

how does a person make Idols in their lives?

we can learn alot from the story in Ex.32

- The progression of their Idolatry

1. Lost sight of the true God. ( they saw Moses as the one who delivered them)

they lost sight of God, the one who actually delivered them. Here we see the progression of Idolatry, they focused on the vessel rather than the God who used the vessel.

Romans 1:20–25 NKJV

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen.

2. The created an image to worship( we will often create something to worship in place of God.)

3. The offered burn and peace offerings to the calf, ( a festival that was like in Egypt) (ex.32:6)

the festival was like what they would do in Egypt, they were worshipping as the Egyptians

often we will turn our worship to resemble the world around us. The Gods, the images, the attitude, often will resemble the world. A worship that is not real and that cost nothing.

4. The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play

- This is the danger in our lives. The losing sight of God in our lives, something else will normally get our attention and that will lead to giving it our affection.

- Once this thing has our affection, we now make this thing the priority in our lives and as a result , we will begin to worship it. This happens with relationships, with hobbies, with friends, sports, jobs, money, etc…..

III. God’s Warning Against Idolatry (v. 14-22)

A. We are to Flee from Idolatry (v.14)

one of the ways to run from Idolatry is to run towards the things of God. As we mentioned , it is the losing sight of God that begins this progression of Idolatry. SO it is important to keep ourselves in the place where we can see God clearly, be in prayer, be in His word.

B. We cannot serve two masters (v. 20-22)

this is a reality. We cannot serve two masters. We cannot have a divided heart in our worship and adoration. If anything other than God is taking our attention and focus, it will become our priority, it will become our Idol. What ever that Idol may be, is what we are to flee from, to get rid of it. You cannot keep this thing and also think you can serve God