TEMPTATIONS WILL SEIZE YOU (Outline)
August 21, 2011 -
Pentecost 10 -
1 CORINTHIANS 10:6-13
INTRO: Our world grows darker with sin with every passing moment. Believers are not exempt from the consequences of sin on this side of heaven. Sin affects us every day. Sin infects us from the moment of our conception. The world may not admit to such a word as sin. But sin is still sin. The temptation to sin is an ever present enemy that we must constantly battle. "We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all" (ISAIAH 53:6). God’s law shows us our sin. God’s gospel shows us our Savior.
TEMPTATIONS WILL SEIZE YOU.
I. We learn from examples. II. We lean on Jesus’ escape.
I. WE LEARN FROM EXAMPLES ABOUT TEMPTATIONS
A. Verse 6. Paul presents ungodly examples rather than the usual good examples.
B. These ungodly examples of the children of Israel were to serve as warnings for God’s people.
1. Verse 7. Aaron led Israel to worship the golden calf (Exodus 32:1-6). Don’t do this!
2. Verse 8. Israel men married pagan women of Moab. They worshiped their pagan idols.
a. God’s judgment came as an example and warning. b. Numbers 25:1-9. c. Don’t do this!
C. Verse 9. Israel grumbled against God’s goodness as he daily provided for them. Numbers 21:4-7.
1. Verse 10. Three priests rebelled against God’s directions for worship. Others followed them.
a. God’s judgment swallowed them up. b. But God’s people grumbled. c. Numbers 16:1-50.
2. In these two examples the people sinned with their words. They grumbled. God judged sins.
3. Verse 11a. God’s judgment serves as warnings for future generations of believers.
D. These are only a few Old Testament examples to open our eyes to the danger of temptations. We hear of God’s judgment upon the disobedient. We pay attention to these shortcomings of God’s people. We are reminded of our own shortcomings. Yet, we do not always see the warning signs in our own lives. We do not always notice how dangerous our society is in which we work and live. At times our hearts are hardened by the permissiveness of today’s modern world. We live in a dark world. This dark world of sin creeps into our very lives. As times sins darken our understanding. "But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!" (MATTHEW 6:23). All around us we see the consequences of sin. These are warnings for us.
E. Why is it that we do not always live as God’s children, children of light? Not too many like darkness. Darkness is often scary and frightening. Scripture equates darkness with everything evil. Still, we wander on the path of darkness all too often. Temptations seize us. Sin gets us in its grasp with a powerful grip. The examples of evil, sinful disobedience are to be warnings for us to avoid all evil. But we do not. John the Baptist gives us God’s answer. "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil" (JOHN 3:19). We are conceived in sin. We are born as the very enemies of God. From the very beginning our souls are intertwined with sin.
F. We do not and cannot exclude any type of sins from our lives. Sin is sin in actions and words and thoughts. Our own sinful thoughts give birth to wicked words and evil actions that oppose God. Our sin-ful thoughts are just as sinful as anything we may say or do. "But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him" (1 JOHN 2:11). We often struggle with hatred. How easy it is to hate someone. Pray to overcome such feelings. Remember that God will help. You can and will overcome hatred of your brother. But also remember that hatred for someone else may also enter your mind. Temptations come.
TEMPTATIONS SEIZE YOU. We learn from examples that warn us. They do not always save.
II. WE LEAN ON JESUS’ ESCAPE FROM TEMPTATIONS
A. Verse 11. These Old Testament examples would warn the believers are Corinth about sin.
1. The fulfillment of the ages had arrived. What does this statement mean?
2. God had promised a Savior to Adam and Eve. Christ, the Savior, lived, died, and rose again.
B. Verse 12. Corinth was the wickedest city in the whole known world. Everyone knew this fact.
C. The small group of believers lived in this wickedest city in the world. Temptations were all around.
1. Verse 13a. Believers throughout the world faced the same temptations as those at Corinth.
2. Verse 13b. The believers were never, ever alone. “God is faithful!” God would help, always.
3. Verse 13c. By grace the believers had faith to overcome. God would provide an escape.
D. The wicked examples that serve as warnings do not save. They only make us pay attention to the very real consequence of sin that condemns. This is God’s law. God’s law reveals sin. God’s law causes us to see our need for help. Every believer finds help and is helped by the power of the gospel of God. God’s gospel teaches of God’s great love for us sinners. We are not alone. We are not forsaken by the One loves us and gave himself for us. "Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted" (HEBREWS 2:18). Jesus was tempted in every way that we are but was without sin. This is our Savior who pleads our case at the throne of God. Jesus is our Savior who knows exactly how Satan and the world try to tempt us to give up our eternal salvation.
E. Believers the Lord Jesus Christ also makes sure that we have a powerful defense against any temptation that would cross our paths. Temptations will come. God gives us the power to say no to sin. God gives us the strength to flee from sin. By faith we are well-equipped to stand up to any and every temptation. "Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand" (EPHESIANS 6:13). God’s word of life is our truth that defeats every lie that Satan uses to assault our faith. Lean on Jesus’ escape from sin.
F. Our lives are filled with sin. Our words often are wicked. Our thoughts are hard to bring under our complete control. From our thoughts, our hearts, come every evil desire. Our desires give birth to sin. Sin only produces death. How do we defeat our devilish thinking? We replace that which is wicked and evil and sinful with that which is holy and righteous. "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things" (PHILIPPIANS 4:8). What an amazing list for every believer as our focus. Thinking about all these things leaves no room for sinful thinking. Lean on Jesus.
CONC: Temptations will and do seize each of us on a daily basis. We have examples to warn us of the danger of sinning. We also have a Savior who gives us the strength to know and to do what is right in God’s sight. Temptations come. We do not have to give in. We will not ever give up. Jesus came into this world to overcome every temptation that comes upon us. Though temptations come we can and we do and we will overcome. By God’s grace through faith we are saved. "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him" (JAMES 1:12). TEMPTATIONS SEIZE YOU. We learn from man’s evil examples to lean only on Jesus. Temptations come but we overcome by faith in Jesus. Amen.
Pastor Timm O. Meyer
PENTECOST 10 rdgs: 1 KINGS 3:5-12; ROMANS 8:28-30; MATTHEW 13:44-51; (PSALM 119)
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