Sermon Notes - Escape pt 1
Sermon Notes – Escape
Subtitle: Breaking Free from the Power of Temptation
Purpose: For Believers to understand the severity of falling to temptation.
Passage: 1 Corinthians 10:1-13
Main Point: What is the one thing I want my audience to know? What do I want them to do about it? (Should be an application, an insight, or a principle)
Exegetical Outline – 1 Corinthians 10:1-11
1. The content of Paul’s exhortation to the Corinthians was to inform them that simply being identified with God and His people does not guarantee God’s pleasure, as was demonstrated by God’s discipline of the disobedient Israelites during the Exodus (1-5).
2. The reason these things happened and were recorded was so that the Corinthians would not desire evil things also and miss out on God’s promised blessing (6).
3. Paul gave four commands to obey for the Corinthians because disobedience to these things in the past brought God’s judgment (7-10).
4. These judgments came upon the Israelites as an example and they were written down for our instruction (11).
Homiletical Outline
INTRODUCTION
Consider one of the following question sets when shaping the introduction:
What is the question I am answering with this sermon? What can I do to help my audience want to know the answer to that question?
What is the tension this message will resolve? What can I do to help my audience feel that tension? (personal example, illustration, scenario, etc)
What mystery does this message solve? What can I do to help my audience want a solution?
I want people to understand the severity of falling to temptation.
We:
Every temptation raises the issue of whether you trust God or something/someone else. At the core of temptation is our faith in God. If you don’t know God and you don’t know truth, then you are helpless against temptation. If you do know God and you do know truth, then no longer do you need to give in to temptation. What temptation becomes for a Christian is a test of our faith. Temptation is an opportunity to conquer or crash. Temptation is an opportunity to be a champ or a chump.
You see, there is really only one difference between a person who consistently falls to temptation and one who does not. Both of them face the same temptation. Both of them are equally susceptible to giving in. Both of them have to make a decision concerning the temptation. Both of them will experience consequences from their decision. Both of them are demonstrating trust when they decide. The only difference is the object of their trust! The person who gives in to temptation trusts something or someone other than God. The one who does not give in trusts God. When you cheat on your income taxes in order to grab a little extra, you are trusting that money will save you from your problems rather than God. When you give in to sexual temptation through an inappropriate sexual relationship or the use of pornographic material, you are trusting that sinful behavior will satisfy your soul rather than the One who made us to be sexual beings. When you give in to the lure of materialism and overextend yourself financially, you are trusting that the things of this world can satisfy you more than the God who created everything in this world.
What we fall to in temptation is what we trust. What we are going to examine in this series is the following: (1) The consequences of giving in to temptation, (2) three commitments that will help you resist temptation, and (3) three categories that most temptations we face fall into. Once you know these, you will no longer need to fall victim to them. You see, Jesus didn’t just come to this earth to pay the penalty for your’s and my sin. He came to free us from the power of sin.
That’s what I want to focus on in this series. I would imagine that most of us here today have begun a relationship with Jesus Christ through faith and as a result we have been forgiven. However, some of us are still regularly giving in to the power of sin and are failing to live as we are able to live. I don’t think any of us want to do that. We all know its wrong when we do it, yet we still do it. That’s what’s strange about sin. I don’t think there is anyone here that thinks lying is good. None of you want to hire an employee that is a liar. None of you want your kids to grow up to be liars. None of you want to marry a person that is a liar, nor do you seek out friendships with liars, or seek a roommate that’s a liar. Yet, when you find yourself in a difficult situation in which telling the truth may cost you something, what do you do? You lie.
Everyone in here is against stealing. No one wants to marry a thief. No one wants their kids to grow up to be thieves. No one wants to hire a thief to work for them. No one wants a thief for a boss. Yet, when a situation presents itself for you to personally gain from another’s loss and no one will find out, you steal. It may be answers to an assignment or test. It may be time on your time card. It may be on your tax return. It may be from your parents coin jar.
Why do we fall victim to sins that are detestable when we see them in others?
Because in the midst of temptation there are some things we either forget or have never learned and our ignorance fuels our behavior.
So, what must we do to prepare ourselves against temptation? How must we believe differently in order to overcome the lure of temptation? That is what these next 4 weeks will cover. Today, I simply want you to understand one thing; that falling to temptation is extremely destructive and should not be taken lightly, especially if you’re a Christian.
HEART
God: Share what God has to say about the issue.
1. I am not SAFE from the destruction of temptation (1-12).
a. OT References
i. Exodus 32:6 (vs 7).
1. People had a feast to celebrate the making of the golden calf. Several thousand were killed by the Lord’s command due to their sin.
ii. Num 25:1 (vs 8)
1. Israelites camped at Shittim and were “sleeping around” with the woman of Moab and began worshipping their god as well (Baal).
2. God commanded Moses to gather all the leaders and have them kill all who participated in this great sin. 23,000 were killed that day.
iii. Num 21:5 (vs 9).
1. The people were complaining about the food and lack of water on the journey. The Lord sent fiery serpents to bite them.
iv. Num 16:41
1. Some of the leaders began grumbling against Moses & Aaron, questioning their leadership and seeking to usurp their authority. They (and their households) were swallowed up by the ground.
b. Falling to temptation will damage my FUTURE.
i. It will usually hurt you now. It will always hurt you eternally.
Illus: Some of you are clearly aware of this. Your sin has deeply impacted your future. Your current financial situation is the result of past sin. Your current physical state is the result of past sin. Your current emotional state is the result of past sin. Your current spiritual state is the result of past sin. Your sexual past has hindered your present physical intimacy. Your unhealthy past relationships have hindered your ability to engage in a present healthy relationship.
Action: What current temptation are you giving in to that will damage your future? Is it worth the risk? Next week we’ll discuss how to overcome it.
c. Falling to temptation will damage my FAMILY.
i. There isn’t a person in this room who has not been deeply hurt by the sin of another person. Yet, I don’t know anyone in this room whose goal it is to hurt those whom they love. Some of you grew up with parents who were addicted to drugs or alcohol and you felt the affects. Each night Mom or Dad gave in to the temptation, you reaped the consequences. The financial stability of your home was drank away or injected away. The absence of an engaged parent has left long-lasting marks on your life. Some of you are being sucked in to the materialism of our culture. A simple lifestyle just isn’t enough for you, overspending and overcomsuming has pushed both parents into consuming careers while your kids exist without the love and presence of their parents. You don’t see the impact immediately, but gradually, over time, your kids drift away from what you desire in their lives and they are more influenced by those people who are available and present. And those people usually don’t have the same values and beliefs you do.
Action: What current temptation are you giving in to that will damage your family? Is it worth the risk?
d. Falling to temptation will damage my FAITH.
i. You will begin to doubt God the more you give in to temptation. You will begin to blame God for the consequences of your sin. You begin to doubt His goodness as He disciplines you with the consequences of your sin. You falsely believed that throwing caution to the wind and then just asking God to forgive afterwards would leave you untouched by sin’s consequences. What you failed to learn is that we serve a Holy God, not a permissive One. His love is a disciplining love, a purifying love, a Holy love. Yet, every time you give in to temptation, you take a little chunk out of your faith. You read your Bible a little less. You pray less frequently. Corporate worship is only when its convenient. Pretty soon your faith is almost unrecognizable until tragedy must strike to revitalize it. Don’t wait till you reach that point.
Action: Where has your faith begun to wane because you have given in to temptation?
2. I will stop believing the lie that my sin won’t ruin my life.
You:
There is not a person in this room who has not experienced what I’m talking about. What this passage is communicating. Giving in to temptation is extremely damaging. I want you to walk away today with the clear realization that giving in to temptation will damage your future. Giving in to temptation will damage your family. Giving in to temptation will damage your faith. The next time you face temptation, ask yourself if it’s really worth the risk. Next week, we’ll look at three steps that will help you avoid the destruction of temptation in your life.
We:
Nothing will keep us from fulfilling our mission as a church more than giving in to temptation. Nothing will eliminate you more from being effectively used by God than giving in to temptation. By understanding the devastation of falling to temptation, we begin a journey to overcoming temptation. A church that is passionate about holy living, is a church that will be mightily used by God. I want this church to be mightily used by God. I want YOU to be mightily used by God. I want us to see how big, how awesome, how absolutely incomparable our God is. If you would also, then travel this journey with me as we learn to break free from the power of temptation.