WEBVTT 00:00:00.080 --> 00:00:04.179 Suppose this morning that I held in my hand a 00:00:04.179 --> 00:00:08.720 bottle, and I said to you, here's a substance 00:00:08.720 --> 00:00:14.539 which can destroy your brain cells and rot your 00:00:14.539 --> 00:00:19.739 liver if you take it internally. Here's a substance 00:00:19.739 --> 00:00:22.559 that can shorten your lifespan by as much as 00:00:22.559 --> 00:00:27.269 12 years if you will take it regularly. Here 00:00:27.269 --> 00:00:30.550 is a substance which is responsible for the deaths 00:00:30.550 --> 00:00:34.530 of 25 ,000 of your fellow Americans each year 00:00:34.530 --> 00:00:37.829 in traffic accidents, which is nearly half of 00:00:37.829 --> 00:00:41.710 those killed in the whole Vietnam War era. Or 00:00:41.710 --> 00:00:44.969 in other words, about one person every 23 minutes. 00:00:46.729 --> 00:00:49.390 Or I said to you, here in my hand is a substance 00:00:49.390 --> 00:00:53.159 that is related to One half of the five and a 00:00:53.159 --> 00:00:56.320 half million arrests made by law officers every 00:00:56.320 --> 00:01:01.700 year Or I said to you this substance addicts 00:01:01.700 --> 00:01:04.459 one out of every ten who try it resulting in 00:01:04.459 --> 00:01:08.400 their chronic abuse of it Or I said to you I 00:01:08.400 --> 00:01:11.939 hold in my hand a substance which drains more 00:01:11.939 --> 00:01:17.739 than 45 billion dollars every year from our economy 00:01:17.739 --> 00:01:21.959 through lost time health and welfare costs, etc. 00:01:22.659 --> 00:01:27.019 What would I really be saying to you? I would 00:01:27.019 --> 00:01:34.980 be saying here, have a beer. I would be saying 00:01:34.980 --> 00:01:43.480 to you, join me in a glass of wine. It is no 00:01:43.480 --> 00:01:45.799 wonder that the scripture says what it does in 00:01:45.799 --> 00:01:49.799 Proverbs chapter 20 and verse 1. When it says 00:01:49.799 --> 00:01:55.439 wine is a mocker and beer a brawler. Whoever 00:01:55.439 --> 00:02:01.019 is led astray by them is not wise. We have been 00:02:01.019 --> 00:02:04.920 in the pursuit of wisdom in our study in the 00:02:04.920 --> 00:02:09.539 book of Proverbs these recent months. It says 00:02:09.539 --> 00:02:13.960 here that one who is led astray by beer and by 00:02:13.960 --> 00:02:18.990 wine is not wise. To be led astray means to be 00:02:18.990 --> 00:02:25.210 wrapped around it. You get the picture. The Scriptures 00:02:25.210 --> 00:02:31.210 warn of the folly of drunkenness and point us, 00:02:31.210 --> 00:02:37.430 the wise, in the direction of abstinence. By 00:02:37.430 --> 00:02:40.729 abstinence I mean refraining from its use altogether. 00:02:42.889 --> 00:02:45.830 Let me explore with you what Proverbs and some 00:02:45.830 --> 00:02:48.530 other texts have to say regarding the proposition 00:02:48.530 --> 00:02:53.110 that I just made to you. First of all, join me 00:02:53.110 --> 00:02:56.770 in a study of the picture of folly in the 23rd 00:02:56.770 --> 00:03:02.930 chapter of Proverbs, beginning in verse 29. The 00:03:02.930 --> 00:03:05.650 picture of folly, the picture of foolishness, 00:03:05.650 --> 00:03:10.250 is the drunk. We have all laughed at Foster Brooks. 00:03:11.049 --> 00:03:15.689 and his imitation of a drunk man trying to make 00:03:15.689 --> 00:03:18.789 his way through life. And indeed, there are some 00:03:18.789 --> 00:03:22.090 humorous aspects to his act, but let me tell 00:03:22.090 --> 00:03:26.889 you, drunkenness is not funny. There is nothing 00:03:26.889 --> 00:03:32.530 humorous, truly, about a drunk. Whether in Skid 00:03:32.530 --> 00:03:36.270 Row or in the penthouse, whether in the ballpark 00:03:36.270 --> 00:03:41.050 or a beer bash, in a local bar or in a living 00:03:41.050 --> 00:03:45.629 room, the foolishness of being drunk is clear. 00:03:48.270 --> 00:03:50.990 Now verse 29 of this chapter begins with sort 00:03:50.990 --> 00:03:56.810 of a riddle. It says, who has woe? Who has sorrow? 00:03:57.409 --> 00:04:01.650 Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless 00:04:01.650 --> 00:04:05.889 bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? A six -fold 00:04:05.889 --> 00:04:09.740 riddle. Who is it that can be described as having 00:04:09.740 --> 00:04:14.020 woe, sorrow, strife, complaints, needless bruises, 00:04:14.379 --> 00:04:17.240 and bloodshot eyes? That's the riddle. What's 00:04:17.240 --> 00:04:21.560 the answer? The next verse tells us. Those who 00:04:21.560 --> 00:04:26.759 linger over wine, who go to sample bowls of mixed 00:04:26.759 --> 00:04:33.540 wine or liquor. Those are the ones who have woe 00:04:33.540 --> 00:04:38.639 and strife and sorrow and so on. The admonition 00:04:38.639 --> 00:04:42.519 in verses 31 and 32 says, do not gaze at wine 00:04:42.519 --> 00:04:45.939 when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, 00:04:46.379 --> 00:04:51.620 when it goes down smoothly. In the end, it bites 00:04:51.620 --> 00:04:56.500 like a snake and poisons like a viper. He says, 00:04:56.600 --> 00:05:01.060 don't be fooled by its color. Don't be tempted 00:05:01.060 --> 00:05:07.509 by its sparkle, its texture. Why? Why this admonition? 00:05:08.470 --> 00:05:10.990 Well, he says it is because what you have in 00:05:10.990 --> 00:05:13.629 your hand, what you're looking at, is poison. 00:05:15.689 --> 00:05:18.790 It is like being bitten by a venomous snake. 00:05:20.069 --> 00:05:24.089 It destroys your mind, your body, and your morals. 00:05:25.790 --> 00:05:29.829 It corrupts your soul, yourself, and all of society. 00:05:29.949 --> 00:05:36.269 It is a poison. Indeed, only 0 .5 % of it in 00:05:36.269 --> 00:05:40.990 your blood will kill you. It is poisonous. Thus 00:05:40.990 --> 00:05:47.470 the admonition. And then he gives to us a description 00:05:47.470 --> 00:05:54.189 of the one who has imbibed. In verse 33 he says, 00:05:54.750 --> 00:05:59.350 your eyes will see strange things. Eyes cannot 00:05:59.350 --> 00:06:05.959 see clearly. They are bleary and bloodshot. Your 00:06:05.959 --> 00:06:09.759 mind imagines confusing things the mind cannot 00:06:09.759 --> 00:06:13.319 think straight when it's influenced by alcohol. 00:06:15.579 --> 00:06:18.980 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas, 00:06:19.160 --> 00:06:23.060 lying on top of the rigging. I tell you it's 00:06:23.060 --> 00:06:25.379 one thing to be in the bottom of a boat when 00:06:25.379 --> 00:06:29.949 the seas are rough. That's bad enough. But how 00:06:29.949 --> 00:06:33.589 would you like to be on top of the mast? Now 00:06:33.589 --> 00:06:37.470 just picture yourself up there in a raging storm, 00:06:38.310 --> 00:06:41.649 the dizziness, the lack of equilibrium that you 00:06:41.649 --> 00:06:43.750 would have, and you have something of what it's 00:06:43.750 --> 00:06:53.269 like to be drunk. He says, they hit me, you will 00:06:53.269 --> 00:06:57.910 say, but I'm not hurt. They beat me, but I don't 00:06:57.910 --> 00:07:03.129 feel it. True. There is an anesthetic quality 00:07:03.129 --> 00:07:11.889 about alcohol for a while. It helps to dull the 00:07:11.889 --> 00:07:18.009 pain, not only of the body, but of the soul. 00:07:21.110 --> 00:07:23.930 But then when it wears off, it only increases 00:07:23.930 --> 00:07:29.910 the pain. And people say, what have I done? Why 00:07:29.910 --> 00:07:35.329 do I do this? What has happened to me? And the 00:07:35.329 --> 00:07:39.709 pain is only more intense and so often it leads 00:07:39.709 --> 00:07:42.589 them to what is said next. When will I wake up 00:07:42.589 --> 00:07:48.329 so I can find another drink? Alcohol, my friend, 00:07:48.430 --> 00:07:52.649 is addictive to many people. It is a destructive 00:07:52.649 --> 00:07:57.060 habit. One out of every three who begin as social 00:07:57.060 --> 00:08:03.639 drinkers become problem abusers of alcohol Proverbs 00:08:03.639 --> 00:08:06.639 is absolutely right and it further says in verses 00:08:06.639 --> 00:08:11.139 20 and 21 That the one who drinks puts his whole 00:08:11.139 --> 00:08:16.180 future at risk Do not join those who drink too 00:08:16.180 --> 00:08:20.399 much wine or gorge themselves on meat for drunkards 00:08:20.399 --> 00:08:24.470 and glutton's become poor and drowsiness close 00:08:24.470 --> 00:08:28.790 them in rags. You're listening to someone who 00:08:28.790 --> 00:08:31.829 preets for half a year at the Pacific Garden 00:08:31.829 --> 00:08:35.570 Mission every Sunday morning when I was a senior 00:08:35.570 --> 00:08:39.190 as a student in Chicago. You're listening to 00:08:39.190 --> 00:08:43.269 someone who spent a full year working in two 00:08:43.269 --> 00:08:45.990 different missions on Skid Row in Chicago, also 00:08:45.990 --> 00:08:50.710 called Madison Avenue. When you watch the Super 00:08:50.710 --> 00:08:57.190 Bowl next Sunday after church And you see all 00:08:57.190 --> 00:09:00.330 of those beer commercials and those young live 00:09:00.330 --> 00:09:04.629 tanned muscular bodies playing on the beach and 00:09:04.629 --> 00:09:07.690 Then going to their beer you understand one thing 00:09:07.690 --> 00:09:14.149 clearly in your mind. That is a lie I'll tell 00:09:14.149 --> 00:09:16.490 you where alcohol leads you come with me to skid 00:09:16.490 --> 00:09:20.019 Row in Chicago and see the men who are urinating 00:09:20.019 --> 00:09:22.460 on the street because they don't have any sense 00:09:22.460 --> 00:09:26.200 about them anymore, who are vomiting on the sidewalk 00:09:26.200 --> 00:09:31.159 because they are so sick, who are drinking aftershave 00:09:31.159 --> 00:09:34.879 because they can't afford the cheapest wine they 00:09:34.879 --> 00:09:38.480 sell in those stores. And I'll tell you the end 00:09:38.480 --> 00:09:43.779 result of alcohol. It is a curse to the individual 00:09:44.120 --> 00:09:48.340 It is a curse to families. It is a curse to society. 00:09:52.340 --> 00:09:55.419 You want to see a picture of a fool, then you 00:09:55.419 --> 00:09:57.820 look at the Word of God, how it pictures a drunk, 00:09:58.580 --> 00:10:05.200 and you see a fool. Somebody says, is an alcoholism 00:10:05.200 --> 00:10:11.460 a disease? It is socially correct to say that 00:10:11.460 --> 00:10:18.360 it is. But I want you to know that at its heart, 00:10:18.360 --> 00:10:23.299 it has been redefined as a social disease because 00:10:23.299 --> 00:10:26.720 of a society that doesn't want to pass any moral 00:10:26.720 --> 00:10:34.519 implications on activities. It doesn't want to 00:10:34.519 --> 00:10:37.200 pass judgment on people morally and so it says, 00:10:37.440 --> 00:10:39.639 well therefore it must be a disease. In fact, 00:10:40.320 --> 00:10:43.340 it does have some disease -like qualities to 00:10:43.340 --> 00:10:49.799 it. And studies certainly tell us that alcohol 00:10:49.799 --> 00:10:55.320 destroys the body like disease. Furthermore, 00:10:55.940 --> 00:10:58.720 alcohol addiction can sometimes be linked to 00:10:58.720 --> 00:11:03.559 body chemical problems. But recognizing all of 00:11:03.559 --> 00:11:06.480 that, I want you to know that at its heart alcoholism 00:11:06.480 --> 00:11:13.580 is not a disease. At its heart of hearts, it 00:11:13.580 --> 00:11:20.779 is a moral issue. It is an expression of sin 00:11:20.779 --> 00:11:27.299 in the heart of the person. And God says it is. 00:11:28.440 --> 00:11:30.600 God doesn't say anybody's going to be kept out 00:11:30.600 --> 00:11:33.399 of heaven because of cancer or heart disease 00:11:33.399 --> 00:11:38.919 or any other illness. But God makes it clear 00:11:38.919 --> 00:11:47.490 that drunkenness keeps a man out of heaven. It 00:11:47.490 --> 00:11:50.110 says that the one whose life is characterized 00:11:50.110 --> 00:11:55.769 by drunkenness or alcohol or alcoholism will 00:11:55.769 --> 00:12:00.490 not inherit the kingdom of God. In 1st Corinthians 00:12:00.490 --> 00:12:03.870 6 it says, drunkards will not be in the kingdom 00:12:03.870 --> 00:12:11.200 of God. God says, That drunkenness is not a disease, 00:12:11.419 --> 00:12:14.700 it is a sin. And I'll tell you something, until 00:12:14.700 --> 00:12:18.419 that issue is squarely faced, there is no meaningful 00:12:18.419 --> 00:12:23.679 recovery. Because it requires repentance and 00:12:23.679 --> 00:12:28.779 forgiveness. We hear this phrase, once an alcoholic, 00:12:29.039 --> 00:12:36.889 always an alcoholic. That is not true. Now I'm 00:12:36.889 --> 00:12:38.590 making some of you mad this morning, and I'm 00:12:38.590 --> 00:12:42.070 sorry about that, but I'm going to tell you the 00:12:42.070 --> 00:12:47.629 truth. It is not true once an alcoholic always 00:12:47.629 --> 00:12:50.350 an alcoholic. Is it true once an adulterer always 00:12:50.350 --> 00:12:54.450 an adulterer? Is it true once a swindler always 00:12:54.450 --> 00:12:59.730 a swindler? Nor is it true once an alcoholic 00:12:59.730 --> 00:13:04.090 always an alcoholic. Now I want to go on to say 00:13:06.250 --> 00:13:09.909 that a person who is a Christian can still struggle 00:13:09.909 --> 00:13:14.730 with temptation to drink. Let's make that clear. 00:13:15.830 --> 00:13:19.769 But it doesn't mean he's an alcoholic. One who 00:13:19.769 --> 00:13:22.470 has trusted Jesus Christ as his Savior is not 00:13:22.470 --> 00:13:25.929 an alcoholic. He is a saint in the eyes of God. 00:13:26.149 --> 00:13:30.710 That is his identity. And if he struggles with 00:13:30.710 --> 00:13:33.590 temptation to alcohol, then that is his area 00:13:33.590 --> 00:13:36.879 of battle and temptation. But let's get rid of 00:13:36.879 --> 00:13:41.879 the idea that one's basic identity is that he's 00:13:41.879 --> 00:13:45.659 an alcoholic. If a person is a Christian, he 00:13:45.659 --> 00:13:48.120 is a saint in the eyes of God, that's who he 00:13:48.120 --> 00:13:51.700 is. And because he is a saint in the eyes of 00:13:51.700 --> 00:13:56.519 God, he can know victory over alcohol. If all 00:13:56.519 --> 00:13:59.019 he is is an alcoholic, then he is consigned to 00:13:59.019 --> 00:14:04.279 a life of alcoholism. But because a person trusts 00:14:04.279 --> 00:14:07.659 Jesus Christ as Savior, his past can be forgiven 00:14:07.659 --> 00:14:10.500 and cleansed and washed away. He is filled with 00:14:10.500 --> 00:14:13.320 the Holy Spirit and can know victory over the 00:14:13.320 --> 00:14:16.000 temptation of alcohol that in fact may be with 00:14:16.000 --> 00:14:26.179 him the rest of his life. The Word of God gives 00:14:26.179 --> 00:14:28.320 us some principles to follow in dealing with 00:14:28.320 --> 00:14:32.129 alcohol. You may think what I've said up to this 00:14:32.129 --> 00:14:34.750 point leads me to a Billy Sunday conclusion. 00:14:36.250 --> 00:14:38.129 Billy Sunday, for some of you who wouldn't know, 00:14:38.190 --> 00:14:40.509 was an evangelist back in the teens, the 20s, 00:14:40.509 --> 00:14:44.149 and the 30s. Former baseball player for Chicago 00:14:44.149 --> 00:14:47.029 White Sox who went on to be a famous evangelist 00:14:47.029 --> 00:14:49.870 and mightily used of God, also led the prohibition 00:14:49.870 --> 00:14:57.830 movement in this country. And so you're going 00:14:57.830 --> 00:15:00.350 to assume that I'm going to say the Bible declares 00:15:00.350 --> 00:15:07.909 that any drinking is sin. I can't find that in 00:15:07.909 --> 00:15:15.929 the Bible. Believe me, I wish I could. But I 00:15:15.929 --> 00:15:18.149 cannot find a place in the Bible where it says, 00:15:18.389 --> 00:15:22.149 if you drink a beer, you sin. Different than 00:15:22.149 --> 00:15:31.330 drunkenness. To be honest with scripture, we 00:15:31.330 --> 00:15:34.009 must say that while drunkenness is condemned, 00:15:34.570 --> 00:15:40.850 abstinence is not commanded. In fact, wine is 00:15:40.850 --> 00:15:43.889 used in a positive sense in a number of places 00:15:43.889 --> 00:15:45.870 in the Bible, including in the book of Proverbs. 00:15:45.909 --> 00:15:54.769 Look back in chapter 9 for a moment. Wisdom has 00:15:54.769 --> 00:15:57.620 built her house. She has hewn out It's seven 00:15:57.620 --> 00:16:00.019 pillars. She has prepared her meat and mixed 00:16:00.019 --> 00:16:06.960 her wine. She has also set her table. Wine is 00:16:06.960 --> 00:16:09.820 used here in a positive sense. In verse 5, wisdom 00:16:09.820 --> 00:16:12.320 says, come and eat my food and drink the wine 00:16:12.320 --> 00:16:17.340 I have mixed. In Psalm 104 it says, God has given 00:16:17.340 --> 00:16:23.990 wine to make the heart of man glad. You well 00:16:23.990 --> 00:16:28.190 know that Jesus miraculously made wine out of 00:16:28.190 --> 00:16:33.350 what was water at a wedding feast in Cana. You 00:16:33.350 --> 00:16:35.590 will have to go a long way to be able to prove 00:16:35.590 --> 00:16:40.090 that that was non -alcoholic wine. Even if it 00:16:40.090 --> 00:16:42.330 may have been quite diluted like the typical 00:16:42.330 --> 00:16:46.950 wine in that day, unlike the highly alcoholic 00:16:46.950 --> 00:16:50.809 wines that can be bought today, wine was pretty 00:16:50.809 --> 00:16:55.539 diluted in the New Testament. But you'll have 00:16:55.539 --> 00:16:58.600 to go a long way to prove that it was non -alcoholic. 00:16:59.940 --> 00:17:02.500 And as you probably know, Paul suggested to Timothy 00:17:02.500 --> 00:17:07.319 that some wine might help his stomach in a medicinal 00:17:07.319 --> 00:17:13.759 way. So now while I made some of you mad at the 00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:15.279 first part of the message, I'm making others 00:17:15.279 --> 00:17:24.339 of you mad now. I believe that whether one should 00:17:24.339 --> 00:17:27.500 drink is one of those questions that falls into 00:17:27.500 --> 00:17:33.140 the disputable things category. In other words, 00:17:33.299 --> 00:17:36.420 there is not a definite and clear demand in the 00:17:36.420 --> 00:17:41.500 Word of God about your practice as to what you 00:17:41.500 --> 00:17:45.880 ought to do. Certainly drunkenness is sin. But 00:17:45.880 --> 00:17:53.970 now I'm talking about a moderate drinking. Let 00:17:53.970 --> 00:17:57.210 me give to you from the New Testament five principles 00:17:57.210 --> 00:17:59.750 to guide us in making decisions about matters 00:17:59.750 --> 00:18:02.789 like this where the scripture is not specific. 00:18:06.049 --> 00:18:07.950 Now hang in there with me, don't walk out yet. 00:18:09.609 --> 00:18:11.970 I want you to turn to Romans chapter 14 where 00:18:11.970 --> 00:18:14.509 we have only time to glance through the chapter. 00:18:16.369 --> 00:18:18.990 And notice first of all this principle, the principle 00:18:18.990 --> 00:18:23.549 of accountability. The issue was not the drinking 00:18:23.549 --> 00:18:26.190 of wine here, but it was another issue just as 00:18:26.190 --> 00:18:29.450 controversial, just as hot and emotional among 00:18:29.450 --> 00:18:31.309 the Christians of that day. It was whether to 00:18:31.309 --> 00:18:35.210 eat meat that had been offered to idols. You 00:18:35.210 --> 00:18:38.490 say I could care less about that. Well, wine 00:18:38.490 --> 00:18:43.910 wasn't an issue to them in that day. But we have 00:18:43.910 --> 00:18:46.849 laid out for us principles that apply to all 00:18:46.849 --> 00:18:49.690 of these kinds of issues where the scripture 00:18:49.690 --> 00:18:53.559 isn't specific and clear. with yes or no. The 00:18:53.559 --> 00:18:55.759 first principle is the principle of accountability. 00:18:56.259 --> 00:18:59.019 All of us must be reminded we don't give account 00:18:59.019 --> 00:19:02.519 to others but we must give account to Jesus Christ 00:19:02.519 --> 00:19:06.240 at the judgment seat. Verse 12 of Romans 14. 00:19:06.740 --> 00:19:09.859 Each of us will give an account of himself to 00:19:09.859 --> 00:19:16.700 God. However we answer these kinds of questions, 00:19:16.920 --> 00:19:19.440 we must first of all recognize this. Someday, 00:19:19.819 --> 00:19:22.900 I must stand before Jesus Christ and be able 00:19:22.900 --> 00:19:26.640 to explain to Him why I made the decision I did. 00:19:28.200 --> 00:19:34.599 There is an accounting coming. Not to play on 00:19:34.599 --> 00:19:40.309 words, but that's sobering. The next principle 00:19:40.309 --> 00:19:43.109 is found in verses 13 through 23. It's the principle 00:19:43.109 --> 00:19:46.910 of responsibility. And here he says that there 00:19:46.910 --> 00:19:50.049 are other believers around us who have weaker 00:19:50.049 --> 00:19:54.329 consciences, who have not matured in their understanding 00:19:54.329 --> 00:19:57.549 of the things of God. He doesn't commend the 00:19:57.549 --> 00:20:00.549 weaker brothers. He simply recognizes their existence. 00:20:01.750 --> 00:20:05.029 They need to grow up. They need to mature. But 00:20:05.029 --> 00:20:07.309 Paul says in the meantime, until they get to 00:20:07.309 --> 00:20:09.990 that point of maturity, you who are strong must 00:20:09.990 --> 00:20:12.130 remember they are present with you and you are 00:20:12.130 --> 00:20:16.349 responsible for them. Do not cause them to stumble 00:20:16.349 --> 00:20:20.509 in their immaturity. In whatever decisions you 00:20:20.509 --> 00:20:22.890 make, don't lay before others an example that 00:20:22.890 --> 00:20:26.329 will cause them to stumble and sin against their 00:20:26.329 --> 00:20:31.430 own conscience and against Christ. Principle 00:20:31.430 --> 00:20:33.690 number three, the principle of profitability. 00:20:36.109 --> 00:20:39.309 We see this in chapter 15 verse 2, each of us 00:20:39.309 --> 00:20:42.710 should please his neighbor for his good to build 00:20:42.710 --> 00:20:47.869 him up. That's the prophet in it. But I want 00:20:47.869 --> 00:20:50.289 you to turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 6 where 00:20:50.289 --> 00:20:56.789 we see this stated again, verse 12. Paul is speaking 00:20:56.789 --> 00:21:00.349 here, actually he's quoting some things that 00:21:00.349 --> 00:21:02.849 apparently had been said to him by these Corinthians 00:21:02.849 --> 00:21:06.660 who were going too far with their Christian liberty 00:21:06.660 --> 00:21:10.660 and The statement that had been given to him 00:21:10.660 --> 00:21:14.759 was the Corinthians are saying everything's permissible 00:21:14.759 --> 00:21:19.359 So Paul is writing back to them now and with 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:21.519 a bit of tongue -in -cheek with some irony here 00:21:21.519 --> 00:21:25.859 He says everything is permissible for me but 00:21:25.859 --> 00:21:30.880 Not everything is beneficial In other words, 00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:33.420 you may have liberty in your own conscience before 00:21:33.420 --> 00:21:37.740 God to partake of this, but is there truly benefit 00:21:37.740 --> 00:21:41.240 in it? Is there profit in it? Will it build up 00:21:41.240 --> 00:21:45.640 others? His point in the eighth chapter, which 00:21:45.640 --> 00:21:48.019 we're not going to look at this morning, is that 00:21:48.019 --> 00:21:52.099 we must be willing to lay aside our rights, our 00:21:52.099 --> 00:21:54.579 freedoms for the sake of others, that they may 00:21:54.579 --> 00:21:58.359 be built up. So he says, it's permissible, but 00:21:58.359 --> 00:22:02.970 does it profit? Principle number four, the principle 00:22:02.970 --> 00:22:07.690 of controllability. Verse 12 goes on to say, 00:22:08.029 --> 00:22:10.509 everything is permissible for me, but I will 00:22:10.509 --> 00:22:14.750 not be mastered by anything. He says here that 00:22:14.750 --> 00:22:18.069 we must not allow ourselves to become addicted 00:22:18.069 --> 00:22:25.430 to any substance. We must not allow something 00:22:25.430 --> 00:22:32.470 to become our master besides Jesus Christ. He 00:22:32.470 --> 00:22:35.450 says, it may be permissible, but will enslave 00:22:35.450 --> 00:22:41.930 you. The principle of controllability. And finally, 00:22:42.750 --> 00:22:46.730 in chapter 10 verse 31, the principle of honorability. 00:22:47.890 --> 00:22:51.529 Am I able to honor Jesus Christ in what I'm doing? 00:22:52.470 --> 00:22:56.549 Chapter 10 verse 31 says, whether you eat or 00:22:56.549 --> 00:23:01.549 drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory. 00:23:01.769 --> 00:23:07.789 of God. Can I envision Jesus Christ joining with 00:23:07.789 --> 00:23:11.930 me in this activity? If the answer is yes, then 00:23:11.930 --> 00:23:17.289 it passes this test. The principle of honorability. 00:23:18.390 --> 00:23:21.650 Now whatever the issue may be, the disputed issue, 00:23:21.930 --> 00:23:25.589 in this case the moderate drinking of alcohol, 00:23:26.390 --> 00:23:30.970 we must apply these principles. before we make 00:23:30.970 --> 00:23:35.190 our decision. We're foolish if we don't. We're 00:23:35.190 --> 00:23:37.990 unbiblical if we don't. The Bible says that these 00:23:37.990 --> 00:23:40.089 are principles that need to be applied to our 00:23:40.089 --> 00:23:45.769 lives. When we do this regarding drinking, the 00:23:45.769 --> 00:23:50.450 principles point us, I think, in the direction 00:23:50.450 --> 00:23:56.089 of abstinence. Why be involved with something 00:23:56.089 --> 00:24:01.400 that is nearly always destructive? and is a major 00:24:01.400 --> 00:24:07.259 problem in our society. Alcohol adds nothing 00:24:07.259 --> 00:24:11.359 to a person physically. Well, that isn't entirely 00:24:11.359 --> 00:24:16.299 true. It'll put on pounds. It'll put on a punch. 00:24:20.279 --> 00:24:26.019 It adds nothing to a person emotionally. It adds 00:24:26.019 --> 00:24:29.390 nothing to a person mentally. or socially and 00:24:29.390 --> 00:24:34.869 certainly spiritually. I believe with all of 00:24:34.869 --> 00:24:39.329 my heart that it is a matter of testimony in 00:24:39.329 --> 00:24:44.210 our culture to refrain from alcohol and chemical 00:24:44.210 --> 00:24:50.730 substance abuse. The first mention of drinking 00:24:50.730 --> 00:24:55.130 alcohol in the Bible puts it in the context of 00:24:55.130 --> 00:24:59.569 wickedness. Did you know that? And guess who 00:24:59.569 --> 00:25:04.690 it involves? Some of you are going to be shocked 00:25:04.690 --> 00:25:07.829 to know where it's mentioned the first time in 00:25:07.829 --> 00:25:11.289 the Bible. It's always significant when something 00:25:11.289 --> 00:25:14.529 is mentioned the first time. The first person 00:25:14.529 --> 00:25:17.910 who is mentioned in the Bible as raising grapes 00:25:17.910 --> 00:25:23.410 for wine and who by that wine became drunk was 00:25:23.410 --> 00:25:33.269 Noah. And because of his becoming drunk, there 00:25:33.269 --> 00:25:37.630 was a crisis in his family that led to judgment 00:25:37.630 --> 00:25:44.509 and subsequent heartache. Alcohol is the father 00:25:44.509 --> 00:25:48.890 of many kinds of heartaches and losses. Abstinence 00:25:48.890 --> 00:25:54.640 is exalted in the Bible. Chapter 31 of Proverbs, 00:25:54.779 --> 00:25:57.579 the fourth verse, the mother of Lemuel said to 00:25:57.579 --> 00:26:02.059 him, kings must not drink wine. There the point 00:26:02.059 --> 00:26:04.759 is that those who are in leadership are exhorted 00:26:04.759 --> 00:26:10.079 not to imbibe in it at all. I am pleased to understand 00:26:10.079 --> 00:26:17.119 that our new president enjoys iced tea. I wish 00:26:17.119 --> 00:26:19.259 he would enjoy some other things that I enjoy. 00:26:24.430 --> 00:26:27.849 I'm not going to go into that just now, though 00:26:27.849 --> 00:26:37.049 sorely tempted. But so often decisions in Washington 00:26:37.049 --> 00:26:40.069 are made by people whose minds are clouded with 00:26:40.069 --> 00:26:43.150 alcohol. And all you have to do is look back 00:26:43.150 --> 00:26:46.250 over the last few months of testimony of sexual 00:26:46.250 --> 00:26:50.269 abuse. corruption of power in Washington and 00:26:50.269 --> 00:26:53.529 you see that alcohol and alcoholism is at the 00:26:53.529 --> 00:26:56.869 heart of it. Leaders ought never to drink. There 00:26:56.869 --> 00:26:59.430 is a higher standard for leaders and I want you 00:26:59.430 --> 00:27:01.769 to know that those who are in leadership in Grace 00:27:01.769 --> 00:27:09.490 Church are expected to totally abstain. Grace 00:27:09.490 --> 00:27:13.150 Church Roseville exalts abstinence as the Christian 00:27:13.150 --> 00:27:17.029 responds to the destructive social evil of alcohol. 00:27:19.029 --> 00:27:21.349 I liked very much the statement of Dr. Leith 00:27:21.349 --> 00:27:26.789 Anderson at Wooddale Church a few years ago when 00:27:26.789 --> 00:27:29.609 he said the call for total abstinence is not 00:27:29.609 --> 00:27:33.890 based on a direct command from God, it is based 00:27:33.890 --> 00:27:38.309 on a combination of sanctified common sense and 00:27:38.309 --> 00:27:42.220 general biblical teaching. There are far greater 00:27:42.220 --> 00:27:45.160 benefits to abstinence than to drinking and there 00:27:45.160 --> 00:27:49.079 are far greater dangers to drinking than to abstinence 00:27:49.079 --> 00:27:53.220 And he's absolutely right The bottom of your 00:27:53.220 --> 00:27:55.799 outline today it says these principles point 00:27:55.799 --> 00:28:02.500 me in the direction of And then it's blank Because 00:28:02.500 --> 00:28:06.339 every one of you has to fill that in In light 00:28:06.339 --> 00:28:08.559 of the principles we've looked at this morning 00:28:08.559 --> 00:28:13.799 from the Word of God But I want you to know from 00:28:13.799 --> 00:28:17.440 my perspective as your pastor that my answer 00:28:17.440 --> 00:28:22.880 to that is these principles lead me in the direction 00:28:22.880 --> 00:28:27.259 of abstinence. I believe with all of my heart 00:28:27.259 --> 00:28:32.940 that that is the only socially responsible and 00:28:32.940 --> 00:28:36.680 spiritually obedient response that can be given. 00:28:38.319 --> 00:28:40.440 You say well that's your opinion and I grant 00:28:40.440 --> 00:28:44.160 you it is. And if God leads you in another direction, 00:28:44.920 --> 00:28:49.859 you don't give account to me for that. I've already 00:28:49.859 --> 00:28:52.279 said all of us give account to Jesus Christ. 00:28:53.819 --> 00:28:56.200 But may God fill your heart with wisdom because 00:28:56.200 --> 00:28:59.619 every one of us faces this issue. Every one of 00:28:59.619 --> 00:29:04.119 us. You don't have to be a salesman to have to 00:29:04.119 --> 00:29:10.299 face the issue of what to do with alcohol. In 00:29:10.299 --> 00:29:16.319 my life Lord be glorified be glorified That needs 00:29:16.319 --> 00:29:19.220 to be the heart prayer of every one of us May 00:29:19.220 --> 00:29:23.339 it be so right now. Let's pray Sing that with 00:29:23.339 --> 00:29:53.200 me, will you? Would you stand with me please? 00:29:53.359 --> 00:29:57.480 Our heads are bowed. My friend, if you don't 00:29:57.480 --> 00:30:00.259 know Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Savior 00:30:00.259 --> 00:30:03.200 today, I want to urge you to respond to him who 00:30:03.200 --> 00:30:07.319 can save you, forgive you, and cleanse you from 00:30:07.319 --> 00:30:11.980 the abuse of alcohol or other chemicals or from 00:30:11.980 --> 00:30:14.829 any other sin. in your life, He died for you 00:30:14.829 --> 00:30:18.150 and rose again from the dead, that He might save 00:30:18.150 --> 00:30:22.190 you, cleanse you, sanctify you, and fill your 00:30:22.190 --> 00:30:26.630 life with Himself. May you find life in Him today. 00:30:27.549 --> 00:30:30.349 And having found that life, may you live in the 00:30:30.349 --> 00:30:33.869 fullness of the Holy Spirit. Be not drunk with 00:30:33.869 --> 00:30:40.250 wine, but be empowered by the Holy Spirit. Let's 00:30:40.250 --> 00:30:52.519 sing it again. In my life, Lord, be glorified, 00:30:52.519 --> 00:31:07.960 be glorified. In my life, Lord, be glorified 00:31:07.960 --> 00:31:15.319 today. And whatsoever you eat or drink or whatever 00:31:15.319 --> 00:31:21.299 you do, do it all to the glory of God. Amen.