Sermon Tone Analysis

Don’t Participate

Here Paul applies the example of Israel’s idolatry to the problem of 1 Corinthians 8—eating meat sacrificed to idols.

There is the danger of going a step beyond just eating sacrificed meat to that of joining the pagans in the sacrificial feasts in their pagan temples.

To do this would be wrong and sinful.

Paul illustrates this by showing that participation in the Lord’s Supper signifies that the believer is in communion—in a sharing relationship (koinonia)—with the Savior.

So participation in idol feasts in pagan temples means sharing in the pagan worship.

Such participation is forbidden.

This is the mistake Israel made.

Christians today must discern how the illustration applies to their own lives.

Here Paul applies the example of Israel’s idolatry to the problem of —eating meat sacrificed to idols.

There is the danger of going a step beyond just eating sacrificed meat to that of joining the pagans in the sacrificial feasts in their pagan temples.

To do this would be wrong and sinful.

Paul illustrates this by showing that participation in the Lord’s Supper signifies that the believer is in communion—in a sharing relationship (koinonia)—with the Savior.

So participation in idol feasts in pagan temples means sharing in the pagan worship.

Such participation is forbidden.

This is the mistake Israel made.

Christians today must discern how the illustration applies to their own lives.

Illustration - participation means acceptance

illustration - I go to a university of Alabama football game.

I go to the pep rally, i were a Alabama shirt, i even participate in their cheers......

But God know my heart that I am really an Auburn Fan.....

read

10.

you must choose

going with friend to a bar

social drinking

missing church to go to the beach

going to a comedy club where vile language is used

No today we do not go to pagan temples to eat sacrificed meat to idols

Bur don't take it to a legalism extreme -

Will not go see a G rated cartoon at the movie theater because someone might think I am seeing a R rated movie.

Refusing to go to a wedding - maybe not the reception

Refusing to go to family reunion

This issue is not as cut and dry as it seems unless it is an extreme example of participating in a pagan service.

For some, the logic of gave them license to eat idol-meats, and under virtually any set of circumstances.

For some, the logic of gave them license to eat idol-meats, and under virtually any set of circumstances.

I Flee Idolatry

Paul takes a very different approach to this matter in the verses above.

Paul first sets the scene in verse 14.

The “therefore” of verse 14 connects what he is about to say with what has just been said.

The ancient Israelites engaged in idolatry, for which they were severely disciplined.

If the Corinthians should learn anything from their ancient “fathers,” it was that idolatry was not only wrong, it was deadly.

The Corinthians should do what their fathers failed to do—flee from idolatry.

Now just exactly what does this mean, to “flee from idolatry”?

Paul will explain what he means in the following verses.

Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

Perhaps it was a real test for the believers at Corinth to be invited to participate in an idol feast at one of the temples.

Some might feel that they were above temptation.

Perhaps they would say that surely it would not hurt to go just once.

The apostle’s inspired advice is to flee from idolatry.

He does not say to study about it, to become better acquainted with it, or to trifle with it in any way.

They should run in the opposite direction

Perhaps it was a real test for the believers at Corinth to be invited to participate in an idol feast at one of the temples.

Some might feel that they were above temptation.

Perhaps they would say that surely it would not hurt to go just once.

The apostle’s inspired advice is to flee from idolatry.

He does not say to study about it, to become better acquainted with it, or to trifle with it in any way.

They should run in the opposite direction

But before we get to these verses and their instruction to us, let us pause for a moment to savor the word “beloved” in verse 14.

Here is a group of Christians who are far from what they should be.

They not only look down upon Paul and the other (true) apostles, they are beginning to look down on the gospel.

I can think of a lot of names by which the Corinthians could be identified or described, but “beloved” is not one of them.

What we see here is that while many of the Corinthians had little regard for Paul, he still loved these saints.

What he is about to say to them is written with the kindest of intentions, the deepest of affections.

He is speaking to those whom he loves.

Paul does not patronize his readers either.

They thought themselves to be wise and strong.

They thought less of Paul.

But in spite of this, Paul speaks to them as though they were wise.

He informs them that they will have to reach for what he is about to say, and he encourages them to critically consider what he is about to say to them.

What he will say can bear scrutiny and reflection.

What others may be saying won’t.

Noe hear this: if we are going to help people with standards and teaching them we need to understand and treat people like beloved.

We get no where by ridiculing and maligning people .....

Modesty, Music, associations etc....

II Find Your Place

1cor 10.15-

(1) To partake of the cup at the Lord’s table is to symbolically partake of what the cup represents.

To partake of the cup is to symbolically commemorate the fact that we have become partakers in the shed blood of Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of sins which it accomplished, through faith in His atoning death on the cross of Calvary.

This is what Jesus taught before His death.

john 6.47-58

The drinking of the cup symbolizes the believer’s participation in the work of Jesus Christ by faith in His shed blood for the forgiveness of sins.

The cup symbolizes the New Covenant, which was inaugurated by His death, burial, and resurrection.

(2) To partake of the bread at communion is to symbolically proclaim that we have identified with our Lord’s body.

We have identified with Christ, not only in His incarnation, and in His bodily death, burial, and resurrection, but we have identified ourselves with His “body,” the church.

The one loaf symbolizes one body, of which all Christians have partaken and are thus a part.

When we partake of the bread, we remind ourselves of our union with His body, but also in His incarnation, and in His spiritual presence now, through the church.

The Lord’s table is the table around which the Corinthians gather every week to commemorate the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord by partaking of the symbols of the bread and the wine.

(4) There is more than one “communion.”

The Old Testament saints had communion, too.Eating of what has been sacrificed on the altar not only unites the one eating with the sacrifice, it unites him with those who share in the meal with him.

The Old Testament saints had their own form of communion at which they ate a portion of what had been sacrificed.

The sacrificial meal joined the participant to the sacrifice and to those who shared with him in eating of it.

The Lord’s table is the table around which the Corinthians gather every week to commemorate the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord by partaking of the symbols of the bread and the wine.

Some of the Corinthians have felt at liberty to sit at another “table,” the table which is served as a part of a heathen ritual, at which idols are worshipped, and to which sacrifices are made.

The things which are eaten at this table have been sacrificed to the idol, or they are at least a part of the heathen ritual.

In dealing with this matter, Paul establishes several principles upon which he bases his conclusion.

Partaking in the Lord’s table is identifying with Christ and the church

Believers Baptism is publically identifying with Christ

The key here as he we as Christians are inteified by the Lord’s table.

By participating we are recognizing the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord for the forgiveness for our sins

Illustration of identification: