08-28-2022 - Take Heed Lest You Fall

OPENING

We live in a society today that is dependent upon technology and machines to communicate, work, drive, play, and just about everything in our lives. And all of that technology and machinery requires regular maintenance and updates in order to keep running properly. But as Christians, we also need to perform regular maintenance and update our relationship with God. The danger of not continuing to nurture and grow in our relationship with God is that we can allow sin to creep into our lives that can cause us to fall. However, there are some biblical ways we can make sure that we keep ourselves from falling.

Roller skating

SCRIPTURE

1 Corinthians 10:12 NKJV

12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

MESSAGE

Paul gives a sobering warning to the church at Corinth

The problem is with those who “think they stand.”

They think they are ok, when they are really not.

They think they have firm footing, when they really don’t.

Paul warns them to “take heed.”

In other words they need to open their eyes.

They need to discern the danger that is in front of them.

They are to take heed, “lest they fall.”

What does Paul mean here by “fall?”

In the context of what Paul is addressing here in Chapter 10, it clearly means to fall away from God.

In Chapter 10, Paul is describing Israel’s falling, or backsliding, away from God.

In Chapters 8 and 9, Paul addressed the subject of food offered to idols.

Paul argues that, in some cases, it is ok for them to eat food sacrificed to idols:

Because they know that the idols are false gods, and

Because they are not participating in the pagan practices themselves.

But Paul warns that if eating food sacrificed to idols causes your brother or sister to stumble, then you shouldn’t participate in it.

What is Paul’s point?

Just because something is permissible, doesn’t mean it is beneficial.

Just because something is technically not a sin, doesn’t mean it is ok.

What Paul is encouraging the Corinthians to do is avoid anything that could cause someone else to stumble in their faith.

Even if something is not directly a sin, but you knowingly keep doing it even though you know it can or has caused someone else to stumble, it becomes a sin for you.

Let’s look at what Paul had to say at the beginning of Chapter 10.

God Was Not Pleased with Israel’s Behavior

1 Corinthians 10:1 NKJV

1 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea,

under the cloud

The cloud was the Shekinah glory of God that overshadowed Israel during their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land.

During the day it was a cloud that sheltered them from the desert sun.

At night it was a pillar of fire that provided light and warmth.

The cloud was a constant reminder of God’s glory and presence.

passed through the sea

This is in reference to the crossing of the Red Sea.

God miraculously parted the Red Sea and they walked across on dry ground.

1 Corinthians 10:2 NKJV

2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,

baptized into Moses

This is a picture of a believer’s baptism.

They were “baptized” in the sense that they were “under the cloud” and “passed through the sea.”

1 Corinthians 10:3–4 NKJV

3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.

the same spiritual food

Israel was miraculously sustained by God’s provision of food and drink in the wilderness.

This is an picture of the spiritual food and drink we receive from fellowship with Jesus Christ.

that Spiritual Rock

God provided Israel with water from a rock.

Paul identified this rock as none other than Jesus Christ.

Jesus was present with Israel in the wilderness and provided for their needs.

1 Corinthians 10:5 NKJV

5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

God was not well pleased

Despite all these blessings, Israel did not please God.

And it wasn’t just a few of them, it was “most of them.”

This is because Israel did not maintain their faith in God.

Without faith, it is impossible to please God.

As a result, their bodies were scattered in the wilderness

In other words, God made them to wander for 40 years until all those who were 20 years old and older when they came out of Egypt had died.

What a sad ending to their story.

They never entered into the Promised Land.

These Things Were Written As an Example to Us

1 Corinthians 10:6 NKJV

6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.

these things became our examples

Israel’s failure is an example to us, in a negative sense.

In other words, they give us an example of what not to do.

So in what ways did Israel fail God?

we should not lust after evil things

First, they gave into their own lustful desires.

Paul warns us here not to lust after evil things.

1 Corinthians 10:7 NKJV

7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.”

This is a quotation from Exodus 32:6 and the episode where they created and worshiped the golden calf.

They were falling into idolatry by worshipping the gods of the Egypt that they had just been delivered from.

1 Corinthians 10:8 NKJV

8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell;

This episode is recorded in Numbers 25:1-6.

Israel committed fornication and idolatry by taking wives from the Moabites and worshipping their gods.

God had specifically warned them against taking wives from foreign nations for this very reason.

1 Corinthians 10:9 NKJV

9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents;

This episode is recorded in Numbers 21:5-9.

Israel spoke against God.

They complained that God had brought them out of Egypt and had not provided them food or water.

As a result, God sent “fiery serpents” which bit and killed many Israelites.

God instructed Moses to make a serpent out of bronze and set it on a pole.

Those who looked on the bronze serpent would not die.

This was a picture of Christ who would be lifted up on a Cross.

All those who look on Christ in faith, will not die, but will have everlasting life.

1 Corinthians 10:10 NKJV

10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer.

This episode is recorded in Numbers 16:41-50.

The people complained after many died in Korah’s rebellion.

God’s anger was kindled against Israel and sent a plague among the people.

Aaron took a censer, put fire in it, and ran into the congregation and stood between the dead and the living to make intercession for the people.

God stopped the plague.

But 14,000 died as a result.

1 Corinthians 10:11 NKJV

11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

We actually have a greater responsibility to avoid these sins than Israel did.

Because we have the opportunity to learn from Israel’s mistakes.

Take Heed Lest You Fall

1 Corinthians 10:12 NKJV

12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.

Is is possible for a Christian to fall?

Hebrews 3:12 NKJV

12 Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;

Hebrews 6:4–6 NKJV

4 For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

Romans 11:17–23 NKJV

17 And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree, 18 do not boast against the branches. But if you do boast, remember that you do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off that I might be grafted in.” 20 Well said. Because of unbelief they were broken off, and you stand by faith. Do not be haughty, but fear. 21 For if God did not spare the natural branches, He may not spare you either. 22 Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off. 23 And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.

There are some warnings here for us

The warning here for us is not to get too comfortable.

The warning here for us is not to give into lustful desires.

The warning here for us is to make sure we are standing on a solid foundation.

So how to we keep from falling?

2 Peter 1:5–11 NKJV

5 But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, 6 to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, 7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love. 8 For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins. 10 Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; 11 for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

CLOSING

Don’t fall into the same traps that Israel fell into:

Idolatry

Immorality

Blaming God

Complaining

Learn from Israel’s example.

Take heed lest you fall.

ALTAR CALL