The life of Christian is one where we die to a type of self-interest that would wrong our neighbor and impede our fellow man’s growth towards God. If we truly want to glorify God, we must model our Lord’s example in his earthly mission as recorded in the Gospels. He sacrificed his dwelling in heaven to come down to earth to do his Father’s will. He sought his Father’s glory in the service of mankind. This is the root motivation of all Christian liberty. Affirming this truth Paul taught (Gal 5:13-14), “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. (14) For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

Paul continues his teaching to the church about how to live the Christian lifestyle with both believers and nonbelievers in a way that glorifies God. He uses the example of fellowship meal as way to provide application to this truth.

Focus Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:27-33

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A Christian is saved for purposes of living for Christ. With Jesus as our model in how he submitted to his Father in his earthly ministry, we likewise cast aside a self-willed life in exchange for a God led one. Yes, we have freedoms in Jesus, but such emancipation from a lifestyle of sin is to be used to serve God and others. Paul taught (Gal 5:13-14), “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. (14) For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’”

The second greatest commandment of all scripture is the central theme of Paul’s last block of teaching (v23-33) in this chapter, and it is this: The Christian should live in a way that promotes the interest of their fellow men to the glorification of God. In today’s message (Part 1), we shall begin to unpack these Biblical truths that reveals the heart of how our freedoms in Jesus are to be used to love God and people.

Focus Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:23-26

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The Gospel announces the Great Banquet feast of heaven (Mt 22:1-14). It is an invitation to fellowship and communion with our God. Because of Jesus salvific works, we can now approach the table of redemption where the riches of righteousness is served to all who respond in faith to his invitation (call). As a Christian approaches God, we at the same time must depart (flee) from our former life of dining at the table of the world (i.e., sin rooted in earthly affections) which only offers temporal delights with long-term dissatisfaction.

Paul now concludes his exhortations about idolatry. In this subject text, he highlights the contrast between fellowship with the Lord and worship at the altar of idolatry. He refers (again) to ancient Israel’s priestly rituals in the temple to emphasize the truth that a Christian cannot partake of Satan and God at the same time.

Focus Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:18-22

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Reverence and affection for God above all things helps us overcome worship of things in creation. Faith puts out the fires of unbelief before the flames of idolatry consumes our entire heart. Paul has labored much in this chapter (10) to warn the Corinthian saints of the dangers of unbelief. He recalls examples from the history of the Israelites continual cycles of disobedience in the wilderness that invited the judgement of God as a cautionary tale to the church today, thus (v11), “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come.”

In Part 4 of this sermon series, Paul reminds the church of how our fellowship and unity with Christ should restrain idolatrous living, like the OT saints participated in.

Focus Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:14-17

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Marriage can only be fruitful when it lived out the way God prescribes in his Scriptures. In the first two parts of this sermon series, Paul dedicated his teaching to the topics of marital conjugal rights, single people, divorced, and mixed marriage (i.e., a believer with an unbelieving spouse). He now continues his teaching on marriage by diving into the following areas:

· Engagement (betrothed) as relates to marriage and wedding vows.

· What are realistic expectations for a married couple in dealing with the troubles of this life in how it impacts marriage and service unto God.

Paul provides an eternal perspective on how to live for God regardless of one’s marital status.

Focus Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7: 25-31

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There is a common societal proverb that has endured through the generations of humanity. It is this, “Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” Paul continues his teaching on idolatry, which is defined as worship of, or honor paid to someone or something other than God as though it were God. This ruinous sin is on display in our lives when we obey and place more trust in creation than the Creator. Remember, God does not share glory with anyone (or anything) for sovereign rule over us. Either we will rule on the throne of our lives, or He will. We cannot serve two masters (Mt 6:24).

Idolatry was growing like cancer within the congregation at Corinth. It was spreading to all areas of their community living with one another. Paul continues his warnings against this by offering several examples from Israel’s history that remain instructional to the church today. Paul’s primary objective in examining the mistakes of the past, is that we (NT church) see our own reflection (like looking into a mirror) in the OT saints that we may learn its lessons to benefit our present.

Focus Scripture: 1 Corinthians 10:6-10

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What does it mean to have faith? It is this: to trust God wholly with our provisions, protection, and providence. It is to be assured of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen (Heb 11:1). Faith is in operation in our lives when we look to our Heavenly Father and place complete confidence in this Word through Jesus Christ in all things. The Bible exhorts that this is the standard way of life for a Christian (Rom 1:17). However, we still struggle with trusting God in various seasons of our lives. We are guaranteed to stumble in faith when we place our confidence in anything but Him. Sometimes, we even live in a duplicitous way. Meaning, we give lip service of worship declaring our faith in God, yet our lifestyles reflect that we trust more in:
· Human abilities

· Earthly provisions

· People

· Governments and politicians

When we have displaced God’s throne in over lives for other things, idolatry is present. We can see the fruits of its sinful operation in our hearts we show more reverence and adoration for things that are created over the Creator. The point is that we worship what we place our faith in.

In this sermon series, Paul reminds the church of the dangers of unbelief by surveying the Biblical history of the Israelites continual cycles of distrust in God (despite the many miracles, signs and wonders he performed delivering them out of Egypt). He wants the church to learn from the saints of old. He wants us to clearly see the perils of unbelief and the disciplining judgment of God it invites into our lives. Remember, man has been created for worship. We will worship something. We will either place our faith in living God or idols invented by vain human imaginations.

Focus Scripture: 1 Corinthians: 10:1-5

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Our lifestyles are a testimony to what we actually believe. The Christian life is not one solely of lip service to our Lord, but also actions and thoughts that are consistent with what we profess. Just as a tree is identified by the fruit it bears, so also our life reveals our faith. Here is a Biblical truth: following Jesus is difficult but has eternal reward for those who take upon this journey with him. Jesus even taught (Mt 7:14), “For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.”

With this in mind, Paul likens the life of faith to that of an athlete who begins to train and prepare for Olympic games. He uses the method of illustrations to teach the Corinthian congregation the necessity of dedicating one's whole life to the Holy Spirit Boot Camp training program in righteousness. This is the only way we be victorious in this life of Jesus and receive heaven’s prize.

Focus Scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

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