Be in that relationship with God where you have
his peace. Not only the peace of God, the peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. If you
take your Bible, please, and turn with me to
the book of 1 Corinthians, where we have been
studying for recent months. We are today in the
middle of chapter 10. In fact, we're going to
conclude that chapter in our study today. 1 Corinthians
chapter 10. The apostle begins this chapter with
a history lesson. He warns us not to follow the
example of ancient Israel, who through unbelief
and fleshly indulgence were set aside by God
in his purposes. It's not that God is entirely
finished with them, but God did discipline them.
They were disapproved or disqualified or cast
away. Chapter 9, verse 27 speaks about that possibility
for us as well. We are not to follow the example
of Israel in that respect. We are warned that
we would rather... Follow the example of the
Apostle Paul and of the Lord Jesus Christ, and
that is our lesson for today. Beginning with
verse 14, we will read 1 Corinthians chapter
10. Therefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
I speak as to wise men, judge you what I say.
The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not
the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread
which we break, is it not the communion of the
body of Christ? For we being many are one bread
and one body. For we are all partakers of that
one bread. That verse might better be read this
way. For there is one loaf. And we are many,
yet one body. For we are all partakers of that
one loaf. Behold Israel after the flesh, are
not they who eat of the sacrifices partakers
of the altar? What say I then, that the idol
is anything, or that that which is offered in
sacrifice to idols is anything? But I say that
the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they
sacrifice to demons, and not to God. And I would
not that ye should have fellowship with demons.
We cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup
of demons. We cannot be partakers of the Lord's
table and of the table of demons. Do we provoke
the Lord of jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
All things are lawful for me, but all things
are not expedient. All things are lawful for
me, but all things edify not. Let no man seek
his own, but every man another's good. Whatever
is sold in the market, not eat, asking no question
for conscience' sake, for the earth is the Lord's,
and the fairness thereof. If any of them that
believe not bid you to a feast, and you be disposed
to go, whatever is said before you, eat, asking
no question for conscience' sake. But if any
man say to you, This is offered in sacrifice
unto others, eat not for his sake, but share
it, and for conscience' sake, for the earth is
the Lord's, and the firmest thereof. Conscience,
I say, not thine own, but of the other. For why
is not liberty judged by another man's conscience?
For if I by grace be partaker, why am I even
spoken of, for that which I give thanks? Whether
therefore ye eat or drink or whatever ye do,
do all to the glory of God. Give no offense,
neither to the Jews, nor to the Greeks, nor to
the church of God, even as I please all men in
all things, not seeking mine own profit, but
the profit of many, that they may be saved. Be
ye followers of me. Even as I also am of Christ.
What an amazing statement for any person to make.
Be a follower of me. The reason that Paul could
say that is because of what he says in the last
part of that verse. Even as I also am of Christ.
Paul was not boasting here, but he was confident.
that his lifestyle and his attitudes were worth
emulating. He was saying, I have patterned my
life after Jesus Christ. He is in heaven. You
can't see him. But you can see me. So imitate
or mimic me. We're going to mimic the apostle
and thus imitate Jesus Christ himself. For Paul
was after Christ's example. But how should we
live? Well, he tells us in our text today, there
are four responsibilities to perform if we would
imitate the Lord Jesus Christ and follow Paul's
example. The first responsibility is found in
verses 14 through 22. It is the responsibility
to flee idolatry. Now why would Paul make such
a statement? For after all, in chapter 8, he's
already told us that idols are nothing. So what
if one goes to an idol's temple, or even participates
in the feast, the sacrificial feast in an idol's
temple? The idol is nothing. And now which is
offered to an idol is nothing, it's just meat.
Why then does Paul say free idolatry? Well, to
understand why Paul says this, it's helpful to
understand a little bit about Corinth. You see,
Corinth had a long history of pagan idolatry.
Even in the first century, there was a restored
temple of Apollo that was used for worship. I
said a restored temple in the first century.
because it was built almost 600 years before
that, and had been worshipped, had been used
for worship during those centuries. Not only
was there a temple of Apollo, by the way, and
seven of the columns of that magnificent temple
are still to be seen today in ancient Corinth.
It remains there. But not only was there that
temple, but there was also another sanctuary
in which was a colossal statue. of the so -called
god Apollo. On the north side of the hill, nearby
the city, was a shrine to Athena. Near the temple
to Apollo was a shrine and a fountain dedicated
to the god Poseidon, who in mythology is the
god of the sea, which is very important to this
commercial center of Corinth with its two seaports.
Let me read you further, with some liberty, remarks
by W. Harold Merrick, professor of New Testament
at Covenant Theological Seminary. It helps get
a background on the idolatry of ancient Corinth.
He says, Other remains of the Roman period found
in the Corinthian excavations include those of
the temple Aphrodite, a pantheon, or a temple
of all the gods, a temple of Heracles, and a
temple of Hermes, messenger of the gods. Besides
these, there were the temple of Octavia, the
deified sister of the emperor Augustus, and the
temple of Jupiter, or Zeus. Some distance from
the marketplace to the north was the temple of
Asclepius, the god of healing, to whom the likenesses
of the diseased parts of the body were offered
by those who were afflicted with these illnesses.
On the top of the Acra court, which is a large,
rocky pinnacle behind the ancient city of Corinth,
was the famous temple of Aphrodite, or Venus,
in whose service were 1 ,000 prostitute slave
priestesses. On the Aquicorn's north slopes facing
the city were other temples, such as that in
honor of the Egyptian gods Isis and Serapis.
On the Aquicorn's north slopes was the temple
of the goddess Demeter, that had been in use
from 600 BC. This structure contained a number
of dining rooms, which may account for Paul's
warning about not being a stumbling block. by
eating in an idol's temple. With such idolatry
and other pagan practices dominating the life
and culture of Corinth, no wonder Paul was so
concerned for Christians not to be reckless in
exercising their freedom to eat meat served in
the butcher shops after it had been offered to
some idol and consecrated in pagan worship in
the city. That's the remarks of Dr. Moore. Perhaps
that gives you an understanding of why Paul found
it necessary to say to those Christians, flee
idolatry. Because idolatry was woven into a very
open mood for everything in the city of Corinth.
Now Paul explains why this is so important. In
fact, he says, I speak to you as wise men. Now
you discern what I'm saying. Verse 16. The cup
of blessing which we bless. There can be the
cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks.
Is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?
That phrase, the cup of thanksgiving, was a technical
term in that day for the third cup of the Jewish
Passover feast. It was that cup that Jesus used
to establish the new ordinance. Of the Lord's
Supper. And Paul says. This cup of thanksgiving.
Which we bless. Or for which we give thanks.
The cup of communion. Is it not participation.
With the blood of Christ. And he says. The blood
which we break. Is it not the communion. Or the
fellowship. In the body of Christ. He says. There
is one life. Jesus said. I am the bread of life.
Paul says there is one loaf. He says there we
are many. We are all made one body because we
have all eaten of that one loaf, Jesus Christ.
He's saying here that by participating in our
faith in Jesus Christ, we participate in Christ's
work of salvation. And when we observe the ordinance
of communion, partake of the cup and the blood,
we are symbolizing that essential unity that
belongs to us as believers in Jesus Christ. We
are a part of one another, says Paul, because
of that blood and that body of Christ. And now
he goes on to talk about Israel after the flesh,
the Jews of the Old Testament. He says, What
does he mean? Well, when the ancient Jews brought
their sacrifice to the altar, on occasion they
were given back part of that sacrifice to use
for their family. What he's saying here is that
as they brought that sacrifice to the altar,
they identified with that altar. The sacrifice
was for their sins, and they even took back part
of the sacrifice to eat on occasion the sin of
the sacrifices. And so there was an identity
between offerer and the altar for the service
the sacrifice was performed. Now Paul is saying,
don't you know that when you go to an idol's
temple, and you eat a feast in an idol's temple,
but you are identifying yourself with those idols,
you who have been united to Jesus Christ, you
are identifying, associating yourselves with
a false religion. But as we said before, Paul
has already said, idols are nothing. And he quotes
himself here. He says in verse 19, What am I
saying then? That the idol is something? Or that
which is offered to an idol is something? Already
he said they weren't. But he says in verse 20,
The things that the Gentiles, the pagans, sacrifice,
they sacrifice to demons and not to God. And
I would not that you should have fellowship with
demons. So what is Paul's real reason for commanding
that they flee from their association with idolatry?
It is that when they go to the temple of one
of these gods and participate in the worship,
the reminder of feasts, the meals, they are identifying
themselves not only with a false religious system,
but with demons. What are demons? Are they real?
Well, they certainly are very real. Around us
there is another dimension of reality that we
cannot experience with our five senses. It is
the spirit realm. It is the realm both of holy
angels and their activity and of demons. fallen
spirits who follow Satan, their master. Satan
and those demons desire worship for themselves.
To gain the worship of men, they often use idols.
You may visit a missionary in Papua New Guinea,
for example. And who may take you to a village
where there's a great deal of animism or worship
of idols? You may be surprised to find out that
there's a great deal of spiritual power connected
with that idolatry. Why is that so? Because the
idols can see and speak and act? Of course not.
They're nothing. Why then is there spiritual
power there? Because demons used the idols to
gain worship for themselves. They have done this
through history, and they still do it today.
Behind the facade of idol worship is a whole
realm of reality in the spirit world, and demons
used those idols to gain devotion and worship.
That's why Paul is so concerned that the believers
forsake idolatry. He says, don't you know that
in the worship of an idol you are not really
worshiping the idol, you are worshiping demons?
You are fellowshipping with them, joining yourselves,
identifying yourselves with them. He says, you
cannot do that. You can't participate at the
table of the Lord in the table of demons. You
can't take the cup of the Lord on the cup of
demons. Therefore, flee idolatry. How can this
apply to us today? There is some idolatry, even
in our own society. There is one way we can apply
it in this sense. The Bible makes it clear that
idolatry is not just the worship of a piece of
wood or stone. Idolatry can be an attitude. So
that greed for things is idolatry. That is covetousness.
Things can become idols. Relationships can become
idols. Anything that will take my devotion to
the Lord can become an idol to me. In fact, is
an idol to me. What Paul is saying by the application
to us is that we need to be careful of anything.
but would be perceived as compromising the uniqueness
of Christ's saving work. There are some foreign
organizations, philanthropic organizations, or
even some religious associations that believers
can belong to. The danger in belonging to some
of them is that by identifying ourselves with
those groups, We are compromising the uniqueness
of Christ's finished work for salvation. We are
associating ourselves with a false religious
system built about man's goodness and man's good
works. What Paul is commanding here is separation
from false religion. Through anything that appears
to compromise the finished work of Christ for
your sins, stay away from it. Don't associate
with it. Separation. That's what he means by
the application for us. I think we can also say
that anything that would rob God of our devotion
and love is also idolatry. A relationship with
a girlfriend or a girlfriend can become idolatry.
Promotion in the corporation. can become idolatry.
The material things we possess can become idols
to us if they begin to rob God of our love and
our devotion. We are commanded to love God above
everything. And if there is something that comes
into our life to siphon off, something about
love that should be devoted to God. That is idolatry.
And we're commanded to flee from it, get away
from it. And so there's an application for us
in these verses. Oh, my friend, let nothing rob
you of the devotion that belongs to Jesus Christ
the Lord. If we're going to follow the example
of the Lord Jesus and of Paul, it begins there.
It doesn't stop there. The second responsibility
that we have is found in verses 23 to 30. We
can convince this whole paragraph into two words.
Edify others. Build up others. Paul is again
dealing with that gray area of activities and
involvements. And we talked about this several
weeks ago in 1 Corinthians chapter 8. There are
some things about which the Bible does not give
a clear right or wrong, yes or no. In that middle
area, that gray area, the doubtful area, where
the Bible does not say right or wrong, we have
some principles to apply. We are at liberty to
be involved in those things which the Bible does
not deny. But where we have liberty, there are
some principles that may limit our liberty. Paracels,
for example, verse 23. All things are lawful
for me. Now remember, he's not talking about
sinful things. But apart from that, he says,
I have liberty. All things are lawful for me.
But all things are not expedient. In other words,
not everything brings an advantage to me. It
doesn't profit me. It doesn't help me in my walk
with God. You see, Paul was of such determination
that his whole life would be with the glory of
God. But he didn't want anything in his life
that would not help him in that direction. And
so he said, now I'm free to do things. But if
it doesn't bring advantage to me in my walk with
God, I don't want it. Let's go in principle.
And then he says, all things are lawful for me,
but all things do not edify. That is, they don't
build up others. So Paul was not just concerned
about his own spiritual walk, he was concerned
about his brother. He said, I don't want to do
anything, though I may be afraid to do it, but
it will cause my brother to stumble. I am concerned
that he'd be built up. Are you concerned about
that? That you're gone? So you may be afraid
to do some things in your own conscience. But
what about the guy who lives next door to you?
There's a guy down the hall who has a weak of
conscience. Are you concerned that that other
person may stumble over you? I could be. Paul
says if we make our brother to sin, we are actually
sinning against Christ because Christ is in him.
It's very, very serious to make another person
stumble. So we would be concerned about the other
person. But we would be built up and edified
as well as ourselves. In fact, Paul goes on to
say, Let me give you an example of this. But
personally, for example, an honest example, I
personally am not offended by attendance at some
movies. There are some movies that I could go
to see and I personally would not be offended
in doing so. But I know that there are some people
in our fellowship We are offended by movies.
We have a weaker conscience in that matter than
I may have. Therefore, out of concern for my
brothers, I do not attend movies. Have I in the
past? Yes. I am ministering here now in a different
group of people. Their consciences are different.
And I have to limit my liberty according to that.
Do I regret that? Am I angry because my freedom
is limited by somebody else? Not at all. I shouldn't
be. Because my concern should be for the building
up of my brother. For his good, his welfare.
You ever consider that when you get involved
in things? Now, we have a lot of college students
who attend here. Most of them are downstairs
right now, but there are some in here. So let
me say this to those of you who may be under
the authority of a college. When you go to a
college, you agree to obey a certain set of rules,
standards of living, activity. Now, even though
you may have liberty of conscience beyond what
the standards are, and it's not an offense to
you to do some things that the college says are
normal, The point is that because you've gone
to the college and agreed to live there and be
a student there, you have an obligation to God
to limit your activity to what the college says.
That's your obligation to feel God, not just
your institution. But in a general sense, we
have great liberty in Jesus Christ in these gray
areas that we're talking about. Without liberty,
there's no liberty. We're limited out of love
and concern for others, that they may be unified.
So, if I'm going to imitate Paul, and to live
like Jesus Christ, I must be concerned for others,
not them. So do you. Now there's a third responsibility
that's given to us in our text, and that's in
verse 30. Verse 31, excuse me. Therefore you
eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the
glory of God. Now this is one of those umbrella
kind of things. If you flee idolatry, you glorify
God. And if you edify others, you glorify God.
But I want to separate this because it's such
an important concept. God has created me and
redeemed me to bring glory to himself. And that's
why he has created and redeemed you as well.
That's why God created the universe back at the
beginning to glorify himself. And he allowed
sin to come in. Why? Only God knows the answer
to that. But it was according to his wisdom and
his sovereign purpose to allow sin to enter the
picture. But the result of all of that is God
is further glorified because his nature, his
mercy, his forgiveness, his grace, his love,
is seen in all of its beauty because of it. God
allows things to happen to glorify himself. At
the end, of time and the beginning of eternity
again, God is going to create a new heaven and
new earth. And the centerpiece of the new heaven
and new earth is the new Jerusalem. Read about
it in Revelation 21 and 22. As you try to construct
that city in your mind, there's one thought that
comes through loud and clear. Everything about
the new Jerusalem that God is going to create
is constructed to reflect and to magnify the
glory of God. Now there's something missing in
the New Jerusalem, in the New Heaven and New
Earth. What is it? Well, in fact, there are a
number of things missing. But there's no sun
there. And why is that? Because Jesus Christ
is the light of the New Jerusalem itself. And
from this room, the radiant glow that will be
light for that whole magnificent city. And it
will go out from there to God's new heaven and
new earth. Everything about that whole city is
constructed to reflect God's glory. And God's
new creation in you, that's his purpose too.
God desires to reflect his glory in your attitudes.
God wants to reflect his glory in the way you
speak. And the difference in your life from the
average person you go to school with or you work
with or you live with in your neighborhood. Paul
says, whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever
you drink, in everything, glorify God. Advance
his work and his purpose. Enhance his reputation
in the world. By the way you speak and live.
Glorify God. If you're not going to imitate Jesus
Christ and follow the example of Paul, you have
to fulfill responsibility number three. Glorify
God in everything you do. Be good. Only with
the enabling of the Holy Spirit and dwelling
in so we will be fulfilled. Then there's a fourth
responsibility. Verses 32 and 33. Paul says,
Give no offense, neither to the Jews, nor to
the Greeks, nor to the church of God, even as
I please all men in all things, not seeking my
own profit. Paul is not saying here that he is
a man -pleaser. He conveys that elsewhere. For
example, in the first chapter of Galatians. He
says that we seek to please men when we cannot
please God. That's our motive. Paul is not saying
he's a man -pleaser, but he's saying that insofar
as is possible, he seeks to keep his life from
being a stumbling block. He does not want...
Himself to stand in the way of someone else being
saved. The fifth responsibility is to win men.
That's what Paul wanted. He desired to see people
come to Jesus Christ and be saved. He mentions
three groups. The Jews, the Greeks, and the Gentiles
in the church of God. Everybody here today fits
into one of those three categories. The Jews
refers to those natural descendants of Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob. And maybe even in our midst
today we have someone who is Jewish by descent.
We're spoken of here. Who have been all the Gentiles
or the Greeks? Well, those are the people who
are non -Jewish. And we are still lost in sin.
Then he speaks of the church of God as a third,
completely separate division of mankind. Because
in the church, there's neither Jew nor Gentile.
There's neither slave nor free person. We are
all just one in Christ. All of the natural distinctions
and prejudices are gone. We are one. We are the
called out of God in this world. Paul says, put
your degree that I'm talking about. I don't want
to do any things. Why? Well, he tells us there
in the last verse in this chapter. He says, I
seek the profit of many that they may be saved.
There are those who try to tell us that the word
saved is an old -fashioned word, and we should
not use it anymore. But I want you to know the
word saved is a Bible word, and it does communicate
today as much as any other generation. If one
needs to be saved, it means that he's lost. If
he needs to be rescued, it means that he's in
trouble. In our world today, there are a lot
of people who need to be saved or rescued because
they're lost in trouble. Paul was concerned about
people like that. Are we? Do we care? Paul said,
I don't want anything in my life to be a burial
from others coming to Jesus Christ. He said,
I seek to please them that they may be saved.
Are you concerned that we could be saved? I'll
give you a very practical way to apply your answer.
You'll get a card about a day in which you could
commit yourself to be a part of an evangelistic
outreach next Saturday. I know that there are
some people who cannot because of other importance
and previously made obligations be a part of
that. I want you to know this is one way in which
you can fulfill your responsibility, as I will
mine, to win men to Jesus Christ by being a part
of something like Operation Andrew. What is our
motivation in doing it? That people may be saved.
God forbid if we have any other move higher than
that one. But men may be saved and bring glory
to God. That's why we're going out. And I hope
that you will fill out that card. I'm going to
ask you to do that. If you will make that commitment
to us, I asked you to do it before. And I will
be collecting the brief you just to leave it
there in the pew in the ushers and get it after
the service. If you are willing to join with
us in winning men, and women and boys and girls
to Jesus Christ, the one way we can do that is
operationally. Sign up on that card, leave it
there in the queue, and be with us next Saturday
morning as we go to work. You see, it's easy
for us to sit in church on Sunday and say, Oh,
yes, God, help me free from my doctrine. Oh,
yes, Lord, I need to edify others. Yes, I need
to glorify you in my life, and I need to end
it. What you need is less gratitude and more
footsteps during the job done in all of your
days, including winning men and women to Jesus
Christ. That's why I'm presenting this commitment
to you at this point in the service today because
it's a fitting application for what Paul says
here. If we're going to imitate Jesus Christ,
we need to be concerned about people, that they
be saved. Think of how many times Jesus went
out of his way to deal with someone who was hungry
spiritually and seeking for him. Time and time
again. It will cost you something to be involved
in that society. It may cost you some time. Anything
that's worth our costs. If we're going to follow
the example of Jesus Christ, it involves going
out of our way and doing what's necessary, but
we're going to be presented with the gospel message.
Thus Paul concludes by saying, Be ye followers,
imitators of me. Flee from idolatry. Edify others.
Glorify God. Every one of you. All of you, even
as I also communicate Christ. Let's pray. Heavenly
Father, I pray You will zero in the applications
of this message to our hearts. You will not allow
us to escape the point that you're trying to
make to each of us this day. And I pray that
you will raise up from this congregation those
who have committed themselves to win men to Operation
Andrew. I pray that you will... produce in our
hearts the greatest motive of all to glorify
you in all that we do. Teach us to limit our
own freedom that we may edify and build others
and to flee from anything that would rob you
of our hearts' love and devotion. May we live
like Jesus and imitate him. We pray this in his
name. Amen. Closing our service, we're going
to sing together a hymn. It is 384, I Will Be
Like Jesus. It expresses something of the thrust
of the message this morning. As we sing this
hymn, it's an opportunity for you to respond
that the Spirit of God has been dealing with
some specific area of your life. It may be that
you today are still lost in sin and on your way
to a Christless eternity. I would beg you today,
in the name of Jesus Christ, to repent of your
sin and to trust Him and be saved. We have people
who can answer questions about that and show
you what it means. Will you come forward as we
sing so that we can reduce you and get you out
by yourselves? Get that spiritual need in your
life forward today. If you're here today as a
Christian who needs to get some things straightened
up in your life because frankly you're not imitating
Jesus Christ, you're imitating the lost by the
way that you live. today you, by a public commitment,
would say, I am making a return. I am repenting.
I am changing my mind. I am going to go from
now on in the faith of Jesus Christ. Whatever
the Spirit of God has said to you, we encourage
you now to make that a public statement of your
decision. Let's stand and praise as we sing together.
Thank you.