(#049) 1 Corinthians 10 - God’s Guidance Helps Us Avoid Mistakes

Reflecting divine standards can change the world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome To 

BARAH MINISTRIES

a Christian Church

 

Rory Clark

Pastor-Teacher

 

Good Morning!  

 

Welcome to Barah Ministries…an intimate, local Christian Church with worldwide impact.  My name is Pastor Rory Clark.  

 

At Barah Ministries we know this truth…that Jesus Christ is God.  As the Lord He is 100% Deity…He is God the Son, a member of the Triune Godhead.  He is also 100% human just like you and me, and His name is Jesus Christ.  The Lord…God the Son…became flesh…Jesus Christ...and lived among us.  He is the uniquely born One…100% God and 100% man in one Person forever.  He is the Sovereign God of the Universe.  He is the Jewish Messiah.  

 

At Barah Ministries, we make a difference by teaching the Word of God from God’s perspective and not from man’s perspective.  As those who make Barah Ministries our spiritual home, we are Christians.  Being a Christian means we believe in the DEITY of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we have a deep, intimate, and personal relationship with Him.  

 

God has an enemy, Satan, “the ruler of this world.” He is a liar who deceives

the whole world, including you.  He doesn’t want you to get to know God, and he interferes with your chance to know God. Satan’s strategy against the human race is religion, which is designed to make you indifferent or antagonistic to God.  And it works!

 

The Word of God is the truth…and it keeps us aware of Satan’s insidious 

deceptions.  As believers in Christ, we are in union with Christ, and we have

 the victory over Satan through our Lord, who has overcome the world. 

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

God’s Guidance Helps Us Avoid Mistakes

 

LESSON INTRODUCTION

 

If you were accused of being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict?  In today's lesson, the apostle Paul concludes his argument against idol meat with some sound advice for mature Christians.

 

SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Let’s hear some music!  As believers in Christ, we have a glorious future ahead which is too indescribable to put into words.  First Peter, Chapter 1, Verse 13 says…

 

FIRST PETER 1:13

Therefore…believers in Christ…prepare your minds for action…keep on being sober in spirit (have self-control)…keep on fixing your hope completely on the grace of God to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

 

In his song, Danny Gokey describes the apostle Peter’s sentiment as the HOPE IN FRONT OF ME. Let’s listen…

 

MUSIC AND REFLECTION

Be Occupied with the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ

Enjoy the Singing of His Praises

 

HOPE IN FRONT OF ME

Danny Gokey

 

OPENING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

We’re grateful, Heavenly Father, for the privilege of studying Your absolute truth...the Word of God…

 

Father, thank you for allowing us to experience sin so that we can contrast it with righteousness…thank you for the guidance of God the Holy Spirit who directs our paths toward conformity with Your Son…thank you for providing for us in ways we don’t even recognize…

 

Help us to understand and to embrace the responsibilities of maturity, and to pass the lessons on to everyone we meet…

 

…we ask this through the power of God the Holy Spirit…in Christ’s

name...Amen.

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

God’s Guidance Helps Us Avoid Mistakes

 

The passage under study extends from First Corinthians, Chapter 8, Verse 1 to First Corinthians, Chapter 11, Verse 1…three chapters on a single subject…idol meat.  For us the lessons have drawn our attention to idols and idolatry.  What are the idols in your life?  Where in your life are you engaging in idolatry?  Today we’ll conclude our study of this passage.  Everybody say, “Yay!”

 

In one of the underlying messages of the passage, the apostle Paul has been asking us believers in Christ to ask ourselves a few serious questions.

 

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION 

 

Is anything I’m doing causing another believer in Christ to stumble?

 

Am I doing things that would influence unbelievers to reject the gospel message?

 

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION 

 

Does my conduct take others into account first?

 

Would my actions in any matter be approved by God?

 

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION 

 

Would my conduct be regarded so highly by others that they would be drawn to inquire about Christ?

These are the things to which Christians must hold themselves to account.  To ask ourselves these questions is not a cause for self-condemnation.  It’s a request to follow the narrow road that leads to the resurrection life.

 

Let’s take a look at First Corinthians, Chapter 10, Verse 23 through First Corinthians, Chapter 11, Verse 1…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 10:23 

All things are permissible (for those who have freedom), but not all things are beneficial. All things are permissible (for those who have freedom), but not all things edify.

 

The Corinthians had a problem.  They were into knowledge.  They had freedom.  Often, they thought that knowledge gave them license to do anything they pleased.  Paul doesn’t agree, so he gave them a command…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 10:24 

Let no one seek his own advantage…instead, seek the advantage of your neighbor.

 

The Lord puts it this way in Matthew, Chapter 22, Verses 35 to 39…

 

MATTHEW 22:35

One of the Pharisees…a lawyer…asked Jesus a question, testing Him (seeking to trap him, as lawyers are prone to do)…

 

Let’s start with an insult…

 

MATTHEW 22:36 

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Mosaic Law?”

 

Never mind that the lawyer was talking to the Sovereign God of the Universe who wrote the Mosaic Law.

 

MATTHEW 22:37 

And Jesus said to him (the great commandment is), “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart…and with all your soul…and with all your mind.’”

 

MATTHEW 22:38 

“This is the greatest and foremost commandment.”

 

MATTHEW 22:39 

“The second is just like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor unconditionally just as you love yourself…unconditionally.’”

 

In other words, anything that hurts a brother is unlawful.  

Another way to say this is that we are not to be competitive with one another…we are to win, but not at another’s expense.  This includes our conduct toward believers in Christ as well as our conduct toward unbelievers.  How often do you think about the things that you do which may be detrimental to others?

 

As Paul makes his conclusions for these three chapters on idol meat, the previous two verses strike a death blow to paganism.  The major difference between paganism and Christianity is simple…self-focus versus other focus.  It is like the difference between night and day…the difference between the colors…white and black…the difference between the light and darkness.  The two items in each instance have nothing in common.

 

In Christianity, we seek what is good for others and we do the things of which God would be proud. These thoughts were foreign to first-century Corinthians church believers who were immature in their spiritual development.  The "me first" culture in Corinth, the Las Vegas of the first century, did not think like this at all, and church members were influenced to think this way, too.

 

What actions control the Christian mindset?  The actions of Christ, who is the epitome of the “others first” mentality.  Luke, Chapter 6, Verses 27 and 28…

 

LUKE 6:27

“But I (the Lord Jesus Christ) say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you…”

 

LUKE 6:28 

“…bless those who curse you…pray for those who mistreat you.”

 

Pagans certainly don’t think like that!  Christians don’t want to think like that!

 

Next, Paul gives instructions on how a Christian is to handle the issue of idol meat without becoming anti-social.  Paul gives another command…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 10:25 

Eat anything that is sold in the public meat market without asking questions about its history…so as not to burden your conscience…

Christians are not to be self-righteous.  The Lord does want to turn us into meat inspectors!

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 10:26 

…for the earth is the Lord’s possession, and all it contains is His.

 

God does not share the world with idols…He is the ruler of the universe and all that is in it. Everything is in submission to Him.  We are to eat what the Lord has provided, but we are not to mix Christianity with paganism by sanctioning pagan practices through our decisions.

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 10:27 

If one of the unbelievers invites you to dine and you want to go, eat anything that is set before you without asking questions…so as not to burden your conscience…

 

It's hard to live in Satan's kingdom and not to be swept up in its practices.  Satan lives to entangle Christians in his schemes.  If not for the previous verse, many Christians would be forced not to eat with family members who are unbelievers.  Christians are not to appear "religious" and "exclusive" when they dine with unbelievers.

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 10:28 

But if ANYONE says to you, and some may, “This is meat sacrificed to idols,” do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and so as not to burden the conscience…

 

Christians do not condone pagan practices.    We do not willingly engage in pagan practices.  If idols are nothing and pagan gods are nothing…and we have learned that idols and pagan gods do not

exist…let’s not make them something.  

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 10:29 

By conscience, I do not mean your conscience in this case, but the other man’s conscience.  Why is my freedom judged by another man’s conscience?

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 10:30 

If I partake thankfully (when I eat in these situations), why am I being slandered for doing what I receive with thankfulness?

 

When we return from our five-minute break, we’ll take your offering, and then we’ll hear Paul’s final instructions to the mature.

 

FIVE MINUTE BREAK

NOBODY

Casting Crowns

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

God’s Guidance Helps Us Avoid Mistakes

 

In a parable unique to the gospel of Mark, the Lord says in Mark, Chapter 4, Verses 26 and 27…

 

MARK 4:26

And Jesus was saying, “The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil…”

 

MARK 4:27 

“…and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day…and the seed sprouts and grows—how it grows, the man himself does not know.”

 

So it is with your contributions to Barah Ministries.  You cast your contributions and they are used to provide the gospel message all over the world.  Keep on being generous just as the Lord is generous to you.

 

Let’s welcome up Deacon Denny Goodall with today’s offering message.

 

 

THE OFFERING

Deacon Denny Goodall

 

OFFERING VERSE

 

GALATIANS 3:28

There is neither Jew nor Greek (no racial distinction)…there is neither slave nor free man (no social distinction)…there is neither male nor female (no gender distinction)…for you are all one who are in union with Christ Jesus.

 

OFFERING VERSE

 

ROMANS 15:7 

Therefore, keep on accepting one another…and keep on receiving one another…just as Christ also keeps on accepting us in unconditional love…to the glory of God the Father.

 

OFFERING SONG

THERE IS NONE LIKE YOU

David Bauer, Instrumental

 

TODAY’S BIBLE LESSON

God’s Guidance Helps Us Avoid Mistakes

 

Welcome back! 

 

So Paul’s instructions…if you’re in the marketplace getting meat to eat…eat…don’t inquire about the meat…if you’re at an unbeliever’s home getting meat to eat…eat…don’t inquire about the meat.  But if you’re in a situation where you have been told explicitly that the meat is idol meat, don’t eat it.  Why?  You are knowingly and willingly taking in something that has a demon behind it, and you’re giving permission to the weak to do the same, which could ruin them.

 

So put your phones away!  If you know that whipping out your idol-like electronic device at every opportunity is teaching…that it is, in fact, permitting your immature kids to do the same…even though you have "the right" to do it, it's probably better that you become an example of self-restraint to your children.  That's a modern-day example of Paul's

instructions to the Corinthians.

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 10:31 

Therefore, whether you eat or drink or in whatever you do, do all to bring glory to God.

 

The Lord sprinkles the same instructions all over the bible…let’s take a tour.

Romans, Chapter 12, Verse 1…

 

ROMANS 12:1 

Therefore...I (Paul)...beg you believers in Christ... as you keep on being persuaded because of the many mercies of God...TO PRESENT YOUR BODIES (by choice, not by command...as) A LIVING AND HOLY SACRIFICE... acceptable to God the Father... which is your spiritual service...worship.

 

Because of the grace we are given to be saved, we are to respond by reflecting Christ.  First Peter, Chapter 2, Verse 16…

 

FIRST PETER 2:16

Act as free men act…and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil… instead use it as bondslaves of God (would use freedom).

 

With freedom comes responsibility.  Romans, Chapter 6, Verses 12 and 13…

 

ROMANS 6:12 

Therefore…(in light of this knowledge)…do not keep on letting sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts...

 

Stop it!  

 

ROMANS 6:13 

...and do not go on presenting the members of your body to sin as instruments of unrighteousness…instead, present yourselves to God as those who are spiritually alive from among the spiritually dead ones would present themselves…and present your members as instruments of righteousness to God.

 

Galatians, Chapter 5, Verse 13…

 

GALATIANS 5:13

For you were called to freedom, brethren…only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh…but through unconditional love serve one another.

 

Freedom is not license…will is… “we have a right” …dangerous words.

 

Luke, Chapter 23, Verse 34…

 

LUKE 23:34

(From the Cross) Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them…for they do not know what they are doing.”

 

Jesus set the standard in His use of freedom.  He felt free to save the most despicable among us, a very responsible thing to do.  First Corinthians, Chapter 10, Verse 32…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 10:32 

(Let your conduct) Give no offense either to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 10:33 

…just as I also seek to please all men in all things…not seeking my own advantage but seeking the advantage of the many…so that they may be saved.

 

What a perfect description of unconditional love.

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 11:1

Be imitators of me just as I am an imitator of Christ.

 

As a twenty-four hour a day, seven days a week slave of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we must learn to reflect His thinking in every way.  First Peter, Chapter 1, Verse 16…

 

 

 

FIRST PETER 1:16

…it is written, “You believers in Christ shall be holy…for I (the Lord) am holy.”

 

Our conduct should lead to the salvation of others, and not to their demise.  We live by divine standards.  The mature always are called to self-restraint for the benefit of the immature, a lesson it takes all of us a bit too long to learn.

 

Did the Corinthians listen to Paul?  Probably not.  Maturity takes time.  It takes a lot of cycles of time to turn grapes into wine.  I’m sure all of you winos know exactly what I mean.  Thanks be to God for leading us to maturity, and for guiding us to reduce our mistakes over time. 

 

GOD WANTS YOU!

Make the Most Important Decision of Your Life

 

The closing message of this study is the most important message of this study.  We want you to know that GOD WANTS YOU. 

 

First and foremost, this message is for the benefit of believers in Christ.  First Peter, Chapter 3, Verse 15 says…

 

FIRST PETER 3:15

…believers…sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts…always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that is in you (the absolute confidence provided by your faith in Christ)… and give the defense with gentleness and respect…

 

Second, this message is for unbelievers, so you can be saved.  Whether you know it or not, you were born a sinner.  That’s bad news for you.  Sinners need a Savior.  The good news is that this gospel message offers you the chance to make the most important decision of your life, the one outlined in Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…

 

ACTS 16:31 

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”

 

We want you to know that GOD WANTS YOU!

 

As human parents, often we are emotional, arbitrary, and sentimental.  We tell our children exactly what we want them to do, expecting they will do it.  Quite often, they do the opposite, and just as often they ask us for an exception to our request.  “I know I didn’t do exactly what you asked…but please, please, please…can I do it my way?”  Often, our emotional, arbitrary, and sentimental self allows them to disobey.  By doing this, we teach them to ignore our requests in critical matters.

 

Many people think God is a similar parent.  God tells us exactly what we must do to be saved, and many don’t do it, but they think in the end God will be emotional, arbitrary, and sentimental...and He will let them into heaven their own way.  But in John, Chapter 14, Verse 6…

 

JOHN 14:6

Jesus said…“I am the way (to salvation)…and I am the truth (through the Word of God)…and I am the resurrection life…and no one comes to God the Father (in heaven) but through believing in Me.”

  

Your salvation is a critical matter, and the Lord isn’t emotional, or arbitrary, or sentimental about it.  He’s crystal clear.  In Matthew, Chapter 7, Verse 21, the Lord says…

 

MATTHEW 7:21

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven...but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter into the kingdom.”

 

What is God the Father’s will in the matter of your salvation?  First, Second Peter, Chapter 3, Verse 9 tells us what is NOT God’s will…

 

SECOND PETER 3:9b

…(it is not God’s will) for any of you (unbelievers) to perish (in the Lake of Fire) but for all of you to come to repentance (a change of mind about having a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ).

 

God’s will is simple…it is revealed in Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…

 

ACTS 16:31 

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”

 

If we ignore God’s critical request, there are consequences…John, Chapter 3, Verse 36…

 

JOHN 3:36

“He who believes in the Son has the resurrection life right at that moment… but he who does not obey the command to believe in the Son will not see the resurrection life…instead the wrath of God (the Lake of Fire) abides on him.”

 

Who is this God who saves you?  The apostle Paul describes the Lord Jesus Christ in First Corinthians, Chapter 15, Verses 3 and 4… 

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:3

For I (Paul) delivered to you as of primary importance the gospel message I also received… that it was Jesus Christ who died for our sins according to the Scriptures…

 

FIRST CORINTHIANS 15:4 

…and that He was buried…and that He was raised from the dead on the third day…according to the Scriptures…

 

So, if you want to get to heaven, it’s probably just best to do what God asks you to do…Acts, Chapter 16, Verse 31…

 

ACTS 16:31 

“Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and everyone in your household who also believes.”

 

When we believe, we simply take God’s word for it in the matter of what it takes to be saved…and we do it!  Do it now!

 

SONG INTRODUCTION

 

Let’s close with music!  When we pray, we go into the presence of God.  Hebrews, Chapter 4, Verse 16 says…

HEBREWS 4:16

Therefore, let us believers in Christ draw near with confidence to the throne

of grace…so that we may expect to receive mercy and so that we may expect

to find grace to help in times of need.

 

In the prayer circle each week, we come into the Lord’s presence to pray.  Father, June Murphy in her song wants to COME INTO YOUR PRESENCE and stay!  Here’s June!

 

CLOSING SONG

COME INTO YOUR PRESENCE

June Murphy

 

CLOSING VERSES

 

         A Doxology of Praise to Our God

 

PROVERBS 3:5-6

Trust in the Lord Jesus Christ with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding.//In all your ways acknowledge Jesus, and He will make your paths straight.

 

DEUTERONOMY 31:8

“For the Lord is the one who goes ahead of you…He will be with you…He will not fail you or forsake you…so do not fear or be dismayed.”

 

ISAIAH 30:18

The Lord longs to be gracious to you…He waits on high to have compassion

on you…for the Lord is a God of justice…blessed are those who wait for Him.

 

FIRST PETER 5:6-7

Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may promote you at the proper time…//…slamming all your cares on His back, because He cares for you.

 

God considers your problems to be His responsibility.

 

 

CLOSING PRAYER

Let us pray...

 

Thanks for coming!

Thanks for watching!

Thanks for listening!

www.barahministries.com


©® Barah Ministries, Inc. All rights reserved.