|
|
|
|
All for the Glory of GodLuke 2:13-14 Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests." In our ongoing studies of 1 Corinthians we find the Apostle Paul bringing home the same point from chapters 8 through chapter 10. The problems in Corinth are great, the issues are real, that some folks in the church were causing others to stumble. They scarfed down meats that had been offered to idols and did it in front of others who felt that it was wrong. Then they used their freedoms in the Lord in such a way as to be a poor witness to the unbelievers. So Paul lets them know it is better to give up your freedoms then to cause others to stumble in their faith. Moving from there Paul shows them his own life and the race marked out for all of us, that when we keep our focus on the prize, not looking to our problems, not looking to others, but focusing in on Jesus, we have strength in our troubles. From there Paul moves into those comforting scriptures that remind us of the wonderful promises of God, that he will not give us more then we can bear. That others have suffered similar trials, and that with the trial he will provide a way out. The way out is the way of faithfulness. Like Jesus said. Matt 25:21 ... You have been faithful with a few(little) things; I will put you in charge of many things... So from this context, Paul moves into his summation of using your freedoms wisely -- living our lives for the glory of God. 1 Peter 2:12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. Live your life in such a way to glory God, and so your neighbors might come to know God. READ THE TEXT 1 CORINTHIANS 10:14-33 ALL FOR THE GLORY OF GOD In this last part on in this section Paul wants to make sure the people in Corinth, are living in a right way as they interface with among themselves and to their neighbors. He concludes it all with 1 Cor 10:33 ... For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. How we live among our fellowman is important, because when we live rightly we become the instruments that God uses to bring them to faith. Four areas that Paul wants us to consider as we live our lives for the Glory of God. 1. RIGHT WORSHIP. V14-17 If your going to worship God you need to do it right. Oh, I'm not talking about liturgy, or the order of the worship service, I'm not talking about song styles that tend to divide more then unite. I'm talking about what Paul is telling us here in V14-17. Right worship involves some important concepts. 1. FLEEING IDOLATRY. You can not drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of idols at the same time. What fellowship is there with evil and good? What commonality is there with Communion and serving other things. Today we are more sophisticated then the Corinthians, we do not bow before Aphrodite, we do not worship the pagan gods of Rome, or Greece. We worship self, we worship pleasure, we worship at the alters of materialism, and self -centeredness. Paul says flee from Idolatry. Run away from it, because if there is any compromise, any fellowship with the world, the tendency is to drag us down not lift us up. Believers are in the world but not of the world. Like Jesus we love the people, we hang with the unbelievers, but we have no fellowship with them in partaking of the alters godlessness. 2. COMMUNION. So Paul uses communion as the example. Communion he tells us is a “participation, or sharing” in the body and blood of the Lord. That’s what communion means. Communion is the Greek word, “koinonia”, it means a “partnership, participation, or fellowship.” When the church participates in the body and blood of the Lord as we remember and proclaim his death and resurrection in communion. We will be participating Christmas eve, Christmas, New Years Eve and New Years day. Paul reminds us that worship of other things breaks that fellowship/ that power that communion has. Later in chapter 11, he reminds us. 1 Cor 11:27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Right worship is seen in the unity that communion brings to the church. Communion truly is the great uniter of all churches. We all participate with bread and wine, some use a common cup, some use fermented wine, but for all it is a time to reflect on what Jesus has done, a time to proclaim the sufficiency of the body and blood of the Lord. Give glory to God - first Right Worship. 2. RIGHT FELLOWSHIP. V18-22 Again Paul draws from the nation Israel to show us an example. This time it is the example of the priests who eat part of the sacrifices given to God. They are “participating in the alter of God.” In middle eastern cultures, to this day, one of the most intimate things a man or woman can do is to eat a meal with others. The idea of sharing the same food, the same nutrition, the same fellowship- is an intimate thing, it is communion, in the deepest sense. So Paul draws from the sacrifices of Israel and contrasts them against the sacrifices to demons. If you participate in the sacrifices of our day, the sacrifices of your family to the idol of TV, the sacrifice of your life to the idol of self, the sacrifice of your soul to the idols of materialism, then you are arousing the Lord to jealousy. That’s where Paul takes it in chapter 11, after reminding us whoever eats or drinks communion in an unworthy manner is guilty of sin, he then says. 1 Cor 11:28 A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. Let communion be a time of examination, a time to make sure that Jesus Christ is really your Lord. To make sure you believe that his sacrifice was sufficient for all time. Or are you trying to add to it. When Jesus died on the cross his last words spoke volumes about the completed work of the cross. John 19:30 ... Jesus said, "It is finished ." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Complete, the work on the cross is complete, there is no more need for sacrifice, no more atonement for sin, so we examine ourselves to see if we really believe that. In doing all for the glory of God we worship rightly, we will have right fellowship. 3. RIGHT BALANCE. V23-30 Living rightly, living for the glory of God - is to live with balance in your life. Balance in not causing others to stumble – stumble over your personal convictions, or, stumble over your personal freedoms. There is a danger of failing to live as a witness for Christ, a witness who is- like Paul, willing to lay down his freedoms for the sake of other believers and become what he must to minister to the lost. All of this must have been a huge issue in Corinth, because we see Paul repeating the principles laid down in chapter 8. “That we should do nothing that would weaken your brother's conscience or cause them to stumble.” Sure we as Christians are free and all things are lawful; but not everything builds up not everything is “beneficial” to us or to others. There are those who would argue that we a believers can participate in many socially acceptable practices. And we are free to! But we also must recognize that they may not be beneficial to ourselves or to others. In everything we ask, “What are the benefits to us – or to others?” 1 Thess 5:21-22 Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil. Weigh things carefully. Do we go to certain places, movies, clubs, parties, or events? What benefit is there in our own lives? And are they tearing down the work the Lord wants to do in me or in someone else? Paul gives us a couple of principles in living a balanced life. 1. LIVE TO PLEASE OTHERS. Phil 2:3-5 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Have the attitude / the heart of Jesus, although he was in very nature God, he did not seek his own reputation. He humbled himself, he served, he demonstrated love, sacrifice, and meekness. Paul's first principle of right balance,- live your life for others. Its the husband who is not trying to control his wife, but serving her and dieing to himself so to love her and show her Christ. Its the wife who instead of trying to manipulate her husband, she knows that if she shows him faithfulness, if she represents God to him. Ladies, 1 Peter says, that is what God will use to change him. Its the believer who sees his life/ her life/ as ministry, and recognizes that the world is looking to see someone who's faith is real enough to carry them through the troubles of life. The world is looking for people who live what the believe, that is balance. 2. DON'T BE OVERLY "FUSSY." The problem in Corinth, was eating foods that had previously been sacrificed to idols, The principle for them was that the Christian who goes around asking questions about foods- will be a poor testimony to the lost and of no help to the saved. We don't have that exact problem today, but we do not need to be overly fussy when interfacing with others. If eating a steak would make someone stumble, “the earth is the Lord's and the everything in it”, there's entire world of foods to choose from. If not eating it because of religious reasons would cause the unbeliever to think your a religious nut, then just scarf it down. Don't be overly fussy to make your stand to nonbelievers who may see it as legalism, or to the believer whom you might cause to stumble. I try not to argue doctrines of angels, I don't debate over “non essentials”, when you do, the lost think your nuts, and the saved want to debate and prove their points, and everyone looses. So as Paul does so well, he brings in the Old Testament, quoting from Psalm 24. 1 Cor 10:26 ... "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it." This is an great principle our young people. When they say: “There's nothing to do but this or that, and it’s a questionable activity.” Or, “There's nowhere to go but to this party - or over to this hang out place that has a bad reputation.” Wait a minute we parents can say. “The whole earth is the Lord's.” Surely there are other things to do, and other place to go where you won't have to compromise your walk with him. Susannah Wesley the mother of John Wesley once defined “sin” to her young son,: “If you would judge by ...this simple rule: Whatever weakens your reason, impairs the tenderness of your conscience, obscures your sense of God, and takes off the relish of spiritual things - that to you is sin.” Paul says “all food comes from God and is good for us, and Satan cannot hurt us by what we eat.” So don't be overly fussy over non essentials, your life will give glory to God – by -- Right worship, right fellowship, right balance, finally. 4. RIGHT PRIORITIES. V31-33 Col 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. Whatever you do -eat, drink. Wherever you go - to a movie, or a party. Whatever you say - do all for the glory of God. Will what I am doing edify? Will my activities encourage? Will my words bless? Will my activities please God and my parents? That is the right priority that Jesus gave us. Matt 7:12-14 (Jesus said) So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. How we treat others – how we speak about them, fulfills the law and summarizes the prophets. Treating others well, the unbeliever who you are trying to win to Christ. The believer who you want to walk in the narrow way, consider them in how we live with right priorities. Paul's life, his testimony is that he lives for God's glory, even if it means sacrifice. "Why should my strong conscience be judged by a brother's weak conscience? What damage can there be in meat for which I have given thanks?" The answer is: Regardless of what we do, be it eating or drinking, where we go, here or there, what we say, as believers we do it all for God's glory. Rom 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices , holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. Humanly speaking, it may seem wrong for a strong Christian to bow to a weaker brother or sister. But this is what glorifies God - making that weaker brother stumble into sin would disgrace the church and the name of Christ. 1 Cor 6:19-20 Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body . Want to be closer to God? Want to know God’s will? Live with the understanding that your body is the temple of God, it's not your own. Offer you body as a living sacrifice to God. If Jesus is your Lord, you were bought with his precious blood. So honor God with all your life, give him the offering of your body. The result is - you will know the will of God in your life. Living like the rest of the world, smoking pot, getting drunk, being mastered by pornography, will always keep me from the fullness I should have in Christ. Growing in your faith, comes through right priorities. What happens at home often reveals the true heart of the person. Like the Pastor’s wife who said, “When I see him in the pulpit, I think he never ought to come out of it. -- And when I see his behavior at home, I think he never ought to go into it.” John Bunyan wrote of a man who was “a devil at home and an angel abroad.” What do you do when no Christians are around? How do you act when you are out of town? Where do you go, what do you do when you know the Pastor will never find out? This is the test of where we are in glorifying God. And our interface with the unbelievers Paul's principles apply. He simply chooses to live his life in order to win souls. God expects the church to seek to win others to him, be they Jews or Gentiles. If a Christian lives to win souls, these questions about conduct will take care of themselves. It is' the idle Christian, who worries about how far he can get involved with the world. When believers live to build the church and win the lost, they automatically put “first things first” and glorify the name of Christ. 1 Cor 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. Theres a song that speaks of a God glorifying attitude. Every Move I Make --- David Ruis Every move I make I make in You - You make me move Jesus Every breath I take I breathe in You Every step I take I take in You - You are my way Jesus Every breath I take I breathe in You Is that your prayer? That your moves/ your steps, will be in the Lord Jesus Christ, thinking of the weaker brother, thinking of the unbeliever, giving glory to God. 2 Cor 13:5-6 Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you — unless, of course, you fail the test? SIDESHOW. Tests from the book - “Basic Bible Beliefs” 1. THE WORLD TEST. Is it worldly? Will it make me worldly to do it? (1 John 2:15-17) 2. THE QUALITY TEST. Is it good for me physically, emotionally, and spiritually? (Rom. 12:9) 3. THE TEMPLE TEST. Can I do it when I remember my body is God’s temple and must not be marred or misused? (1 Cor. 6:19-20) 4. THE GLORY TEST. Will it glorify my Lord, or will it bring shame to His name? (1 Cor. 6:20, 10:32) 5. THE BLESSING TEST. Can I honestly ask God’s blessing on it and be sure I’ll not regret doing it? (Prov. 10:22, Rom. 15:29) 6. THE REPUTATION TEST. Is it apt to damage my testimony for the Lord? (1 Cor 10:31) 7. THE CONSIDERATION TEST. Am I being considerate of others and the effect this might have on them? (Rom. 14:7) 8. THE APPEARANCE TEST. Will it look bad? Does it have the appearance of what is wrong or suspicious? (1 Thess. 5:22 NIV & KJV) 9. THE WEIGHT TEST. Could this slow or sidetrack me in running the Christian race? (Heb. 12:1, 1 Cor. 9:24)? 10. THE RETURN OF JESUS TEST. Would I be ashamed to be found doing this when He comes again? (1 John 2:28) 11. THE COMPANION TEST. Can I invite Christ to go with me and participate with me in this? (Matt. 22:39, Col. 3:17) 12. THE PEACE TEST. After honestly praying, do I have perfect peace about doing it? (Phil 4:6-7) PRAY, INVITE, BENEDICTION Series: 1
Corinthians -Through the Bible |
(C) High Sierra Fellowship 2008 |
