More than we can Handle

Tonight, we begin our series of sermons “Out of Context”. We’re going to be looking at a number of passages that Christians in our culture take out of context. When I say they take them out of context I mean they make them say something they do not mean.

Why is this important?

There is a false idea that the Word of God is pliable. We can’t take a passage and make it fit a preconceived idea that we have.

Each text has one correct meaning. That’s it. It may have several applications, but it has only one true meaning. It is our responsibility to determine the meaning of a text before we determine its application. We cannot apply a verse to ourselves before we understand what that verse means.

If we begin applying verses to ourselves before we know the meaning then our own experience is determining what the Bible means rather than the Bible itself determining what it means.

That can be especially dangerous. I have heard people say about a certain passage “That’s my verse.” They connect that verse to a particular struggle or memory and it becomes a part of them. When it’s revealed they are taking the verse out of context they become very upset. They may say something like “Well, that’s what that verse means to you.”

If that’s your view of Scripture then your view of Scripture is very low. This view is no different from the view that denies the inspiration of the Bible altogether. Opponents of the Bible say that the Words of the Bible are a reflection of a person’s personal opinion about God.

The Bible says in 2 Peter 1:20 that no prophecy of the Scripture is of private interpretation. It’s not what the Bible means to me or to you. It’s what the Bible means. That’s what’s important. The Bible means the same thing to me that it does to every other person. God has spoken very plainly.

When speak of taking the Bible in context what do we mean? We mean we interpret the Bible correctly.

We look at the passages before the verse.

We look at the passages after the verse.

We consider the audience the writer is writing to.

We consider the historical events surrounding the passage.

We consider parallel passages.

We consider if Christ or another writer in the New Testament spoke on the verse.

In other words, we study the Bible. Once we determine these things, we can normally easily determine what a passage means. Then we can apply that verse to our own culture and our own self.

The problem is there are many verses in our culture that have been taken out of context to such a degree that we don’t even realize we are misunderstanding the text. Passages on bumper stickers, passages held up at football games, passages posted on social media, etc.

It may be that we have even heard preachers preach a text out of context. I know that I have heard many sermons that were. In fact, I have heard sermons that were absolutely true but the sermon was not what the text itself was saying. As pastors it’s important that we preach in context because our people learn to study the Bible by listening to us preach.

It’s my hope that we not only help you see the true meaning of the texts in this series but that you also learn how to interpret Scripture. So, let’s begin with our first text.

I have heard many people say, “The Bible says God won’t put more on you than you can handle.” That idea comes from our text. But let’s look closely at our text.

First, let’s determine the context. What comes before this verse?

Look at verses 1-5. Paul gives a history lesson.

God led their forefathers through the desert.

He gave them Moses as a leader (2)

He gave them food and drink (3-4)

Many of them died because they rebelled against God (5)

Their sin serves as a warning to the Corinthians (6-12)

After teaching them about God’s provision and Israel’s rebellion Paul encourages the Corinthians not to be like the Israelites. Look at what he says.

Temptation is common to man (13). That means temptation is nothing new. Millions of people face the same temptations. Paul just proved that the Corinthians experienced the same temptations the Israelite’s did who lived over a thousand years before the Corinthians. As well, we are experiencing the same temptations the Corinthians did 2,000 years ago. Everyone one in every age is tempted and we are basically tempted in the same ways.

Notice the next phrase “God is faithful”. That’s important. We are not left alone in our temptation. God is faithful.

Faithful to what? Look at the text. He will not allow you to be tempted to the point that you have to sin. No one can say “The devil made me do it.”

Christian, if you say “You couldn’t help yourself” you are lying. God is faithful. We don’t have to live in sin. God is faithful.

Paul says God makes a way of escape from every temptation to sin. What is that way?

1. Pray. Jesus said to pray “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil”. The disciples fell to temptation because they fell asleep when Jesus told them to pray (Mark 14:38).

2. Trust Christ in us (Heb. 12:3-4). For consider Him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.

Jesus resisted temptation so strongly He sweat drops of blood. Christ lives in us. We cannot handle temptation alone, but we have Christ in us!

3. Resist. The Bible says resist the devil and he will flee (James 4:7). Don’t give in! Say “No” to the world, the flesh and the devil!

What a wonderful experience the liberation from sin is! Those who have been prisoners of sin understand that. What a joyful thing when you realize God is greater than your sin.

His power is greater than the power of the devil or the power of the flesh. We should never excuse a life of sin. To do so is to call in to question the faithfulness of God. We should, like Paul, announce to the world that Christ not only gives forgiveness over sin but He gives power to overcome it as well.

We should never trust ourselves, but we should always trust Christ! Our confidence should be in the Lord. When it is, we shall stand.

Now that is the true meaning of that verse. That is very different than “God will not give me more than I can handle.” The truth is God will often give us more than we can handle. He gives us more than we can handle so we will trust in Him.

If you can handle it, you don’t need God.

You couldn’t handle your sin. You couldn’t handle the power of it or the consequences of it. What did you do with your sin? You went to Christ? Who handled your sin? Christ did.

Misunderstanding this verse can be devastating.

We may become judgmental of others. What about when we see people who are burdened with more than they can handle? Do we conclude they must be outside of God’s will? If we are not careful, we will become like Job’s friends. We will think they are not righteous, if they were they would not have more than they can handle.

We may not be prepared for a coming trial. We may think of things we could not handle and conclude that God knows that so He won’t them happen to us.

God would never allow my husband to leave me.

God would never allow my child to die.

God would never allow me to be broke.

We may become filled with pride. This type of thinking implies that we believe we are living the Christian life in our own power. Jesus said “Apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

We may give people a false impression of God. We may share with others that if they come to Christ God will keep them from trials in this world. That isn’t the case. The Christian is not immune from trials. God’s grace will keep us from eternal hell but it will not keep us from earthly trials.

Think about the person who:

Was born with a handicap.

Whose child took their own life

Lost everything in a fire.

Was abandoned by their parents and abused by strangers posing as caring adults.

How will “God won’t give you more than you can handle” help you witness to those people?

As well, the statement “God won’t give you more than you can handle” is often born from a mindset of self-sufficiency.

You can do it!

You are strong!

Don’t give up!

The idea is God looked at you and after evaluating you determined you could handle the situation you are in. Therefore, it’s a compliment that difficult things are happening to you. That’s not a Biblical understanding of trials. That’s very man centered. It gives man the glory. It doesn’t create humility.

Let’s revisit something I said earlier. God gives us more than we can handle so we will trust in Him. Paul had something in his life he couldn’t handle. He talks about it in 2 Cor. 12:7-10

So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Without burdens we would trust in ourselves. We would rely on ourselves. God gives us more than we can handle so we will realize how weak we are and how strong He is.

We have taken a verse that is meant to reveal there is no excuse for sinning and made it mean that God will not give us more than we can handle. In doing so we are really robbing ourselves of a blessing. The sooner we realize that there is nothing we can handle the sooner we will experience the strength of God.

There’s an old song that says, “I can’t even walk without you holding my hand.” I love that song.

I thought that number one would surely be me

I thought I could be what I wanted to be

I thought that I could build on life's

Sinking sand

But I realize I can't even walk

Without You holding my hand

I thought that I could do a lot on my own

I thought I could make it all alone

I thought of myself

As a mighty big man

But I realize I can't even walk

Without You holding my hand

Lord I can't even walk

Without You holding my hand

Because the mountains are so high

And the valleys are so wide

I'm down on my knees

I had to say,

Lord I can't even walk

Without You holding my hand

God will give us more than we can handle so we will raise the flag of surrender and admit without Him we can do nothing.