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Text: 1 Cor 10:23-11:1
Theme: We have freedom to be responsible.
Doctrine: freedom in Christ
Image: stumbling block or stepping stone
Need: consideration of others
Message: consider others before you act
*Preached*
Burdett CRC- July 31 am, 2005
Hillcrest CRC- February 26 pm, 2006
Ideal Park CRC, GR—Oct 29, 2006
*Freedom and Responsibility*
1 Cor.
10:23-11:1
*Intro*
The Corinthian Church was one of the most infamous churches in history.
It was located in Corinth, which seemed to be the centre for all wickedness in the world.
Corinth was located on a little land bridge that connects the Peloponnese peninsula and the Greek mainland.
It controlled all the land trade north and south.
It was also the main connection between the Adriatic Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean.
Since this town controlled so much trade, it seemed to collect all the riff-raff from the rest of the world.
It was also the administrative centre for the Roman province of Achaia.
As a result it became the fashionable place for the elites to live.
The culture within Corinth contained a wide range of religious cults.
Part of the practices of these cults was to serve the meat which had been sacrificed to the idols in dining rooms directly below the inner sanctuary of the temple.
This was the Corinthian equivalent to our going to a restaurant.
It was common for the people to join together and celebrate a feast after a major sacrifice, and it was considered an honour to be invited to one of them.
Many of the Corinthian converts were used to participating in these feasts.
Some of this meat was also sold in the marketplace as common meat.
*Do everything to the good of your neighbour.*
*Corinth*
These feasts did not happen everyday, yet sacrifices were performed everyday.
This meat was sold in the marketplace as common meat.
It was hard to distinguish between what was sacrificed to idols, and what was not.
In the first bit of ch 10, Paul addresses the issue of the idol feasts.
He tells the people that they are not to participate in them because then they are participating in idolatry.
This left the question of the meat sold in the marketplace.
There were many new converts who were worried about eating any meat offered to idols, but there were also others in the church who believed that “everything was permissible”.
There were even some who decided that their freedom in Christ meant that they were under no moral code, whatsoever.
Some were even joining themselves with temple prostitutes.
Some of the people in Corinth thought that there was no reason to stop them from doing whatever they wanted to.
They were free in Christ.
Others were appalled at what these members were doing.
Not only were these people eating meat sacrificed to idols in their own homes, but they attended gatherings at others homes, and ate the meat there.
These gatherings were magnificent affairs.
It was the rich and powerful people who hosted these events, and the Corinthians felt like big shots when they were invited to these gatherings.
More often than not, the people who hosted the event were not Christian.
They did not care if the meat they served was dedicated to idols.
They were simply content to show off their wealth and finery to the guests.
Sometimes some of the Christians who did not think it was right to eat that meat where at the party.
They would approach the other Christians and say, “Did you know this meat was dedicated to an idol?
You guys are sinning by eating that meat.
You should stop.”
Those who thought they were free said, “I do not care what you think.
I am free to do it, and if you were stronger in the faith, you would do it to.”
They did not care what the others thought.
They said, “If you don't like it, then you can just leave.”
*Us*
Sometimes we ignore another person's objection and say, “I don't really care what you think.
I am going to do it, and you can just lump it!”
Have you ever heard someone else say that?
I have.
Some people I knew in college were like that.
They used to go out to a party and have a little something to drink.
They would usually not get drunk, but just enjoy some beers with friends.
This was not bad, in and of itself, but there were some at the college who did not think that it was right to drink any kind of alcohol.
Well, one day the people who drank occasionally decided to rub it in the faces of those who didn't.
They were all invited to the same party.
It was kind of an end of the year bash.
It was put on by a person who did not know the tensions between the groups.
Well, the people who thought it was OK to drink took a keg along to the party.
Those who thought it was wrong had arrived early and were hanging out, enjoying each other's company.
They all turned to look at the door as it swung open and a couple guys walked in with the keg.
They stood there shocked.
They went up to the Christians who thought it was alright to drink and said, “You should not drink, its not right.
Please take the keg away.”
But the others did not care, one of them took a long swig from his beer and went, “Ahh, now that's tasty.”
Those who thought drinking was wrong were deeply offended, and they ended up leaving the party.
Both groups were Christians, but they did not act in a Christian manner.
Those who thought it was alright to drink had the wrong attitude.
This is not the attitude which God tells us to have.
God, through Paul, says, “Do everything to the good of your neighbour.”
There is nothing wrong with having a beer every now and then, but if there is someone who says to you, “It is wrong to do that,” then you are supposed to abstain from it in their presence.
You are supposed to stop yourself from doing it for their sake, and for the sake of their conscience.
If you do it, and you urge the other person to do it, then you are causing them to sin.
If they think it is wrong, and they do it, then they sin.
If you cause them to do something they think is wrong, then you are causing them to sin.
When you do this, you place a stumbling block in front of them.
It would be like taking one of those concrete dividers from the highway and placing it directly across their path.
You make it that much more difficult for them to continue in their walk of faith.
You hurt them, and cause them to stumble and perhaps even fall.
This passage deals with more than meat sacrificed to idols, or having a beer every now and then.
It addresses the more serious issue of separation in the church.
It addresses people who do not take the concerns of others into proper consideration.
If you have hurt your brother or sister in the faith, for whatever reason.
If you have made it difficult for them to come here and worship with you.
If you have caused them to stumble.
Then you are in the wrong.
There may not be a justified reason for them to be hurt, or to have difficultly worshipping with you, but if they do, then it is on your head.
If you cause them to hate you because you refuse to address whatever issue is at hand, then you are the one responsible.
They should come to you, and hold you accountable, and you should work it out together.
We all have a duty to the other person's conscience.
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