1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1

1 Corinthians 10:14–11:1 HCSB

14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 15 I am speaking as to wise people. Judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing that we give thanks for, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for all of us share that one bread. 18 Look at the people of Israel. Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in what is offered on the altar? 19 What am I saying then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but I do say that what they sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to participate with demons! 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons. 22 Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He? 23 “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is helpful. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything builds up. 24 No one should seek his own good, but the good of the other person. 25 Eat everything that is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake, 26 for the earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it. 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you over and you want to go, eat everything that is set before you, without raising questions of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This is food offered to an idol,” do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake. 29 I do not mean your own conscience, but the other person’s. For why is my freedom judged by another person’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thanks, why am I slandered because of something I give thanks for? 31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory. 32 Give no offense to the Jews or the Greeks or the church of God, 33 just as I also try to please all people in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, so that they may be saved. 1 Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.

Pray

1 Corinthians 10:14–15 HCSB

14 Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. 15 I am speaking as to wise people. Judge for yourselves what I say.

1 Corinthians 10:14-

Paul addresses them with love. He says therefore my dear friends. He has compassion for them when he writes to them. He says dear friends just showing the love that he has for them.

Remember the previous verses he described the victories of Israel and the defeats.

He also says in verse 13

1 Corinthians 10:13 HCSB

13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to humanity. God is faithful, and He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide a way of escape so that you are able to bear it.

Therefore dear friends FLEE FROM IDOLATRY

We should not be lazy when it comes to sin. We should not see how close we can walk to sin without sinning. Let me see how close I can get to this before it becomes idolatry. Remember Paul has spoken about the giving up of rights. Here he says FLEE from Idolatry.

1 Corinthians: An Introduction and Commentary E. The Incompatibility of Christian and Idol Feasts (10:14–22)

The only wise course is to have nothing to do with it. ‘They must not try how near they can go, but how far they can fly’ (Robertson and Plummer; cf. Chrysostom, ‘he did not say, simply, depart, but “flee” ’).

God will help in temptation but this does not mean we see how close we can get to sinning without sinning. He instructs us to flee from idolatry.

This idea of fleeing from sin is very good for us today. When we think of Idolatry, we can think of anything that tries to take the place of God within your life. Some common idols I see within our community are addictions, relationships, activities, food and technology. We utilize these things to meet needs to take the place of God.

Addictions: Flee from the things that tempt you. Friendships, places

Relationships: Flee from those that tempt you. Sexual immorality on your devices. Flee from it.

activities: Flee from the activities that stand a chance to take the place of God. If you stay busy enough you don’t need to rely on God because you won’t realize the lack of peace.

food: Looking for peace through eating away the stress rather than relying on God. Fasting is effective in this time to rely on God rather than food to meet a need.

technology: Scrolling hours on end to keep the mind busy so you don’t need to think about the lack of peace.

These things then become an idol and our temptation with these idols are to see how close we can get to them without them taking over our lives.

Paul says flee from Idolatry. Yes we have freedom in Christ but this does not mean that we mess around with sin because of this freedom. He says flee from idolatry or see how far away from it you can get.

1 Corinthians 10:16-

1 Corinthians 10:16–17 HCSB

16 The cup of blessing that we give thanks for, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for all of us share that one bread.

He speaks of the Lord’s supper to set us up for the next set of verses. He also continues this thought of fleeing from idolatry.

When we take the cup, we are sharing in the blood of Christ. This we do at communion. The bread that we take at communion signifies the sharing in the body of Christ.

v.17

This beautiful picture of taking from the one bread that shows we are all one body. The church and all of us together who profess Christ as our Lord and Savior are a part of one body of Christ.

1 Corinthians 10:18-

1 Corinthians 10:18–22 HCSB

18 Look at the people of Israel. Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in what is offered on the altar? 19 What am I saying then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, but I do say that what they sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to participate with demons! 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons. 22 Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?

v.18 When you eat the sacrifices you become partners in the alter.

v.19 He ask the question is the food to an idol anything or is an idol itself anything

v.20 The answer is NO. There is only one God and he is Jesus who all things were created through him.

John 1:

John 1:3 HCSB

3 All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created.

Idols are nothing but what they do sacrifice they sacrifice to demons. Idol worshippers enter into fellowship with demons when they eat the food of their sacrifices.

v.21 It is impossible for people to be participants in the Holy Communion and idol feasts. There is no room for compromise. If we are in real fellowship with the Lord, then we can not also be in fellowship with demons.

v. 22 are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than the Lord.

We are so weak and He is so strong.

TIC TACK TOE

I need a volunteer

I will make the first move.

Now before you make a move, I want to share some thoughts with you. In this game, you have freedom. You can choose to make your move anywhere you want to make a move.

You can put your X over here off the grid and leave the spaces open for me. You have freedom. We know the desire of everyone is to have freedom. To think the way we want to think and do that things we want to do. You have freedom! Go ahead.

Likewise I have freedom as well.

Give them a round of applause for helping us out today.

1 Corinthians 10:23–30 HCSB

23 “Everything is permissible,” but not everything is helpful. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything builds up. 24 No one should seek his own good, but the good of the other person. 25 Eat everything that is sold in the meat market, asking no questions for conscience’ sake, 26 for the earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it. 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you over and you want to go, eat everything that is set before you, without raising questions of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This is food offered to an idol,” do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who told you, and for conscience’ sake. 29 I do not mean your own conscience, but the other person’s. For why is my freedom judged by another person’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thanks, why am I slandered because of something I give thanks for?

1 Corinthians 10:23

1 Corinthians 10:31-

1 Corinthians 10:31–11:1 HCSB

31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for God’s glory. 32 Give no offense to the Jews or the Greeks or the church of God, 33 just as I also try to please all people in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, so that they may be saved. 1 Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.

Husband or wife you have freedom. In that freedom, always do what is best for your spouse that will bring Glory to God.

Parents you have freedom. Always do what is best for your children that will bring Glory to God.

Workers you have freedom. Always do what is best for your bosses that will bring Glory to God.

Church members you have freedom. Always do what is best for the church that will bring Glory to God.

Never exercise your freedom for your own personal gain. Always use your freedom in Christ to bring Glory to God.