A SENSIBLE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
1 Corinthians 10:14-22 / September 16,2012
SENSIBLE: Making decisions in accordance with wisdom or prudence; likely to be of benefit: "a sensible diet". Showing reason or sound judgment; reasonable - wise - judicious - perceptible - rational
INTRODUCTION: The way the Corinthian church members were living didn’t make sense!
1. SENSIBLE IS DOING THE RIGHT THING
vs. 14 ...dearly beloved, flee from idolatry....
In chp 8 Paul tells church it’s ok to eat meat offered to idols
• The meat is not the problem
• don’t take part in idol worship (flee) (run)
If an idol is whatever takes the place God should have in my affection
God wants us to flee from any person, activity, hobby, idea, that gets in the way of (Hurts or Hinders) your relationship with the Lord.
• IF anything besides God gets our best thoughts, our tears, our feelings, and our energy...
• Money / Pleasure / My image
TRUTH - The temptation to idolatry does not come to us with a clear label which warns "beware of idolatry."
TRUTH - God LOVES it when we make wise / smart decisions
2. SENSIBLE IS USING WISDOM - USING YOUR NOGGIN
vs. 15, 17 I speak as to wise men...we are all partakers of that one bread...
The Christians in Corinth were not using their noggin!
Being sensible is being close to God
• You’d be surprised how many Christians are not close to God!
Eating at a table is a way of saying that you were identifying with this person
Understand it’s a BLESSING (GOOD THING) to be part of the body of Christ v.16
• Each Christian shares in the benefits of Christ’s sacrifice!
Understand it’s a PRIVILEGE to be part of the body of Christ v.17
Understand that IDOLS are NOTHING v.19
• We can waste time on things that are nothing.
Understand that some activities are SATANIC v.20 - there’s things out there that will pull you down!
We are in the world but we should not be of this world
TRUTH - The more we understand the blessings we have in Jesus...the more grounded we are
TRUTH - Coming to the LORDS table brings you up! World brings you down
LIE - Believing that there’s something out there in the world that’s better than a relationship with Jesus / Devil uses this trick on people ALL the time!
3. SENSIBLE IS BEING DEVOTED (SOLD OUT) TO GOD
vs. 21 ... Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils...
It is apparent that some Christians in Corinth believed they could go to the pagan temples and eat the meat sacrificed to idols and still be OK with God!
As followers of Christ we must give him our total allegiance.
LIE - Leading two lives, trying to follow both Christ and the crowd is OK with God?
Our external activities really matter.
CONCLUSION - DOES YOUR LIFE MAKE SENSE?
vs. 22 ...Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger...
Sitting at two tables (World’s table / Lord’s table) is impossible.
Our life doesn’t make sense when we bad choices
Our life doesn’t make sense when we ride the fence
NOT everything I can do may not be the BEST thing for me to do
