For His Glory

It’s not about me, It’s not about you, It’s all about Him

1 Corinthians 10:23–24 ESV

“All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

Isaiah 44:9–20 ESV

All who fashion idols are nothing, and the things they delight in do not profit. Their witnesses neither see nor know, that they may be put to shame. Who fashions a god or casts an idol that is profitable for nothing? Behold, all his companions shall be put to shame, and the craftsmen are only human. Let them all assemble, let them stand forth. They shall be terrified; they shall be put to shame together. The ironsmith takes a cutting tool and works it over the coals. He fashions it with hammers and works it with his strong arm. He becomes hungry, and his strength fails; he drinks no water and is faint. The carpenter stretches a line; he marks it out with a pencil. He shapes it with planes and marks it with a compass. He shapes it into the figure of a man, with the beauty of a man, to dwell in a house. He cuts down cedars, or he chooses a cypress tree or an oak and lets it grow strong among the trees of the forest. He plants a cedar and the rain nourishes it. Then it becomes fuel for a man. He takes a part of it and warms himself; he kindles a fire and bakes bread. Also he makes a god and worships it; he makes it an idol and falls down before it. Half of it he burns in the fire. Over the half he eats meat; he roasts it and is satisfied. Also he warms himself and says, “Aha, I am warm, I have seen the fire!” And the rest of it he makes into a god, his idol, and falls down to it and worships it. He prays to it and says, “Deliver me, for you are my god!” They know not, nor do they discern, for he has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so that they cannot understand. No one considers, nor is there knowledge or discernment to say, “Half of it I burned in the fire; I also baked bread on its coals; I roasted meat and have eaten. And shall I make the rest of it an abomination? Shall I fall down before a block of wood?” He feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?”

This is where Paul would have gotten a lot of his view on idols. The Old Testament as we know it was the bedrock of his faith. Isaiah was very direct about idols and how useful they were. Paul just puts it in language the Corinthians could understand. Their city was filled with idols, temples, and worship. He wanted them to focus on what is right and true. He also wanted them to see the value, none, of idols. He wrote this to the Romans.

Romans 1:18–25 ESV

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

I hope you can see a connection here. Scripture always explains scripture better that we can in modern language or association. Our experiences are valuable but they don’t keep us on the straight and narrow like the Bible does. That is why you will see me refer to other passages to explain a passage, then I go into a current experience to help us relate.

Just an aside, you do realize that relating is not always necessary? Sometimes we need to just take God at His Word and do what He asks. Far too often we want to grasp the meaning before we are willing to just do it. I will give an example that is valuable. God always gives us the why and sometimes its just, “because I said so.”

How many of you know of people who are sympathetic to Hamas and the Palestinians and they think the Jews are wrong and should be punished?

Is that right?

Why?

I just asked the question when sometimes there is no answer. In this case there is an answer. God stated in Genesis 12:3

Genesis 12:3 ESV

I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

God is speaking to Abraham. What is He, God, saying? If they, the world bless you, the chose people of God, I will bless them, but if they dishonor you, attack, malign, to bring shame, I (God) will curse them. You do realize that God is speaking to Abraham as a nation and not just Abraham the person. If that is not clear enough listen to this.

Numbers 24:9 ESV

He crouched, he lay down like a lion and like a lioness; who will rouse him up? Blessed are those who bless you, and cursed are those who curse you.”

Balaam has been hired by Balak of Moab to curse Israel. He has given 2 oracles and this is the 3rd one. In it he gives the oracle, that God gave to Abraham, “Blessed are those who bless you (Israel) and cursed are those who curse you.” If you agree with the terrorists or Palestine you might want to revise your stance.

Why? Because you are on the wrong side Of God.

Some things we just don’t do.

Back to the line of where we were going.

Idols are nothing and buying meat sacrificed to them, useless pieces of wood, stone, or metal, doesn’t do anything. However, if it offends someone, causes them to stumble in their faith, don’t do it. Our closest association to this might be alcohol, tobacco, or maybe even marijuana.

I don’t drink, not because it might offend someone, but I just don’t like it. I have no issues with being drunk, intoxicated, because, for the most part, I am not going to drink it to begin with. I don’t smoke so smoking or marijuana doesn’t do anything for me. Also, I would lose my job if I did. Some of you have done it and some of you have an occasional drink. Nothing wrong with that, however, there is a command not to be drunk/intoxicated. That includes alcohol and drugs. Do not be drunk.

Ephesians 5:18 ESV

And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

Romans 13:13 ESV

Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.

Galatians 5:19–21 ESV

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Why??? Because It’s not about me, It’s not about you, It’s all about Him

1 Corinthians 10:25–27 ESV

Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience.

Paul is referring back to Genesis 9 on, “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.”

You can eat anything on the earth. Don’t be picky when you go to a gentile’s house. Eat whatever they serve.

Why?

You might get some bacon or ham and those are wonderful. I think God wanted the Jews to try bacon So they knew what they were missing. I could be wrong, but I know how much I like it.

Now, with that said, there is an exception. Have you ever had someone who is anti-Christian try to trick you into doing something you know is wrong? I have and it is irritating. They are just watching to see you do something wrong so they can pounce on you and say aha!!!! Gotcha! That could be one instance. Another could be a believer who is weak in the faith and waiting to see what you are going to do so they can follow. Read with me.

1 Corinthians 10:28–30 ESV

But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?

I can hear the conversation. “Hey Paul, I know that piece of meat there was offered in sacrifice to Helios up on the hill because…” Then Paul would have said, “thank you for letting me know. I will eat something else. If he didn’t know then no harm no foul, but when he is informed, a nice salad might be what is called for. It is a matter of principle. Most people never think that way, but Paul did and he asks us to think that way. That is what maturity means. You don’t think of self, but of others. We are called to maturity. Most of us never grow up. I have been sobered by that realization. I had to wake up. I am still doing my best to be that mature person and often I still fail. Maturity at its best always gives the glory to God and never assumes it for itself. Everything we do is for His glory, not ours.

WHY???

We are going to reign and rule with Jesus. Who makes the decisions for a ruler?…That’s a thought you should focus on. We are ultimately answerable to Jesus/God in the flesh, but we will be giving the guidance when the millennium is in full swing. I can hear some of your gears turning. I think I even heard a nun uhhh, somewhere over here. Read this with me,

Revelation 5:9–10 ESV

And they sang a new song, saying, “Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

Who is he speaking of here? The church…

Revelation 20:4–6 ESV

Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.

Who is he speaking of here? The tribulation saints…

Why 2 different sets of verses? Because people get this twisted up in their heads and say one thing about one area and something else about the other. You can’t read one part and proclaim something and then read another part and call it something it is not. These passages are 2 separate timeframes. One after the rapture and one after the first resurrection. 2 different times, but similar outcomes. Maturity and being a disciple helps you avoid missing one or the other.

Why do we go to revelation to strengthen a claim in 1 Corinthians? Because the whole bible tells a singular story and it is all interlinked.

An idol won’t get you to heaven, but Jesus will.

Eating meat sacrificed to a piece of wood, stone, or metal will do you no good or harm, but it may harm the conscience or beliefs of someone who is looking at you or Who is weak in the faith. Don’t be weak in the faith, be mature by being a disciple and a lifelong learner. Know your bible and the promises that are there.

Tom, Milo, Gloria, or any other person in this church, none of them are responsible for your level of maturity. You are. I’m not, but I do care. I actually hurt when I see people make the same mistakes over and over. It tears. Me up inside.

Do you know why?

In my head, not so much out load, I am screaming, “I told them that already, don’t they remember.” Or I scream at myself, “Cory, what were you thinking, you should have old them that.”

I am the watchman on the wall and if I don’t tell people i will be held responsible, however, you are responsible for yourself.

Can you imagine standing before God and He has to send you to remedial education because you failed to get it in this lifetime. I don’t know if that’s a thing because we don’t know what will happen after the rapture, but I sure don’t want to be chided because I was too lazy to learn something I should have during the time I had here on earth.

If you read scripture we are told over and over that we are to learn, be disciples, and be mature. I don’t want to have to learn that lesson the ultra hard way.

Why do you think you go through trials over and over again now? Because we don’t learn the fist time...

Let’s look at the final verses here.

1 Corinthians 10:31–33 ESV

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved.

Whatever you do, do it to the glory of God and do it in a way that you bring as many with you as you can. Be a disciple that bears a lot of fruit.

“Glorify God by growing others in Christ.”

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Here is your task. Go, bring others to Christ, baptize them, and teach them everything you know. Grow more in Christ so you have more to teach them, be mature.

Did you hear me???

Here is your task. Go, bring others to Christ, baptize them, and teach them everything you know. Grow more in Christ so you have more to teach them, be mature.

Tom and I are on ly 2 people. If you wait for us to do it, it may not get done. This is not just our responsibility it is yours too. Now GO!!!

It’s Your responsibility too! NOW GO!!!