Paul's Warning

I wish that said he'll Bible 1st Corinthians chapter 10. We are going to go ahead and look at the first 11 or 12 vs. Here. It says for I do not want you to be unaware brothers that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea and all ate the same spiritual food and all drink the same spiritual drink for they drink from the spiritual rock that followed them and The Rock was Christ nevertheless with most of them. God was not pleased but they were overthrown in the wilderness. Now these things took place as examples for us and we might not desire evil as they did do not be idolaters at some of them were as it is written the people sat down to eat drink and Rose up to play. We must not indulge in sexual. Morality as some of them did and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. We must not put Christ to the test as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents nor Grumble at some of them did asteroid by the Destroyer. Now these things happen to them as an example of a written down for our instruction on them. On whom the end of the ages has come we just join me in prayer real quick Lord asking this morning for your spirit to work in us moving us to encourage us convictus to challenge us. Do we have ears to hear to receive what you want to speak and do in this gathering for the teaching of the word through worship through communion through Fellowship God. We ask that you would be present in all aspects of Why We Gather in order to encourage one another and build up the Saints we give this commit this time until your name. Amen. Amen. What are the more intriguing things about Humanity year at least that I find incredibly intriguing about humanity is how religious as a people. We actually are if you begin to look at statistics and some of the freshest the statistics can be a bit skewed they said 20 20 84% of the world. Has some sort of religious Affinity towards a higher power spirituality Gods with an S or monotheism of some sorts, meaning only 16% of the world identifies themselves as what they call nuns or irreligious now, even with that I want to read a definition to you on what is religion. This is just from a dictionary there online. It was a wonderfully put a set of beliefs concerning the cause. Nature and the purpose of the universe especially with considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies, usually involving devotional and ritual observances and often containing a moral code governing the conduct of human Affairs. Every human being. I don't actually know what does what are you are religious or irreligious someone who believes in some kind of higher power or a God or the gods or not. What is he Finchley being defined as religion is a way to order your life that gives you a set of codes and morality and really a way to be human a way to interact in society a set of rules that guide and Governor ask and that's what we subscribe to as what it means to be loving caring times what it means to bring harm hatred and whatever else it might be out there. Within that definition whether somebody believes in God or not, you are still a religious person follow that there's still a way in which you believe your life ought to be ordered. In fact, you are so religious that even if your ear religious you want to convert people to your irreligion, right? Everybody is prostatitis. Everybody is standing across from the other person insane jump onto my ship my way. You're too exclusive or what are you doing in that moment? You're saying my way is the right way your way is the wrong way. So jump into my boat. Are you understanding this morning? Everybody is religious, but that begs the question. Is humans are religious. Is it acceptable to view always as right ways? Is it wise to take what is Good from that tradition in that system and that philosophy I just simply adopted into the way that we already are believing and then to live that out as our reality what happens when different Faith Traditions are non-traditional actually contradict who wins out because we can't all be right and what we seen maybe even in a heightened way as of late but has been on the scene for ages is this idea that can't we just embrace the philosophy that love wins Love Is God. God is love all get along. Can't we just got too much all the good things of all the faith traditions and come together and bring them as one and uplift them and then walked in that and what did idea is and what we can shrink it down to is a word known as Secrets ISM. It's grabbing from other traditions and face and bringing them into maybe what we ourselves believe in adopting them and say let's put it all together and this is the way to God my really good friend and I Trevor we were sitting down and we're just talking about music one night and it brought up this song and this song it. Truly is an example of this idea of syncretism or is on the fine in a moment religious pluralism. And you might know the lyric what's your name? What's your sign? What's your birthday? What's your wrist tattoo Bible verse say

Oh, come on. Let me see those hands get yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Alright. It's on the radio or you live in Redmond. You are country. I get it. I know you're just embarrassed that you know the lyrics what's wrong with that? What's your name? What's your sign? What it what are they talking about? They're what what's a sign? That's an astrological symbol. Maybe you're an Aries or a Sagittarius? I don't know what the other ones are. Show you where I'm at with that you wake up in the morning and you go whole how did the Stars aligned and what are they going to tell me it's so so you read your astrology column and then you flip open to the Psalms and you're like the way the one God supreme god, I worship him. I love him. I've got John 3:16, here are some 42-6 there or whatever. It's raining. This idea of I can pictures and grab and create for myself. What is best of all of these belief systems and somehow be in some line of what they would consider Orthodoxy. I can turn over the words of Jesus while listening to some inspiring words of a Buddhist monk might teach and go let me just kind of Garner from each one of those and develop my own belief system a syncretism is also religious pluralism generally refers to the belief in two or more religious world use as being equally valid are acceptable. Yes your way is a way to God and Eternity. And yes your way is a way to God in eternity. You just call him Yahweh and you call him Allah and we're good. We're cool or fine. Let's just all get along. The invalid or acceptable more than mere tolerance religious pluralism accept multiple paths to God or The God as a possibility and is usually contrasted with exclusivism the idea that there is only one true religion are one way to know God and what we seem increasingly at least in my experience is this idea of let's all just kind of hold hands and let's get media popular thought secularism all working together to promote one common belief in the god of the age that we're seeing if people are taught to pursue is ultimately love God and love wins in the end there for just only accept love as the currency in which we operate while dismantling truth. And we see the Splash and culture happening and Paul saw it in his day while I think on the text that we just read there and courts. He says I'm going to give you guys a warning why because in Corinth, what do they want to do? They wanted to go to the Pagan temples and they wanted to be allowed to participate in the sacrifices that were there. Oh, they themselves anymore going to get all crazy and dance around and worship participate in the unmentionables, but they said can we just eat and can we just gather and can we just participate and Paul's going to look at them and go with you guys? There's a war here for you and it's the same warning as you look back in The Exodus story of what transpired and happened in their life, and it did not go well for them. So listen, you can't go and worship Apollo's or Zeus. You cannot go and participate in those fees and those festivals because what you're doing in that moment is your a trip. Some kind of allegiance to that God in those. All the while cleaning Yahweh as God as well and you cannot mix the two and here in 1st Corinthians. We take a strong stand a safe. We cannot buy into syncretism. We cannot have religious pluralism because Christianity is inclusive of anybody who would believe tongue Nation color, whatever all invited in all are going to be singing those heavenly Praises as we look in Revelation just weeks back and acknowledge that truth and reality of what makes us brothers and sisters is the blood of Christ that is covered us and made us clean and brought us together. Inclusive of any who would believe inclusive regardless of background if you participated in Paul's Day pagan rituals. Are you are agnostic her you believe an apology of God. It did not matter exclusive to Christ Alone Christ and because of that dishes out delivers when I get a little more technical gives an imperative. Command of what your life thought to look like and this is what he says to the history of Israel Corinth primarily Jewish or Gentile.

Cintas guys get gas. Alright for Gentile. So I moved to Jerusalem. You might have a little different stay in that and yet he's going to draw this analogy and he saying these are your father's these are your brothers why he says they all passed under the Claude you did in the Old Testament whenever you see their the presence of God not whenever but most the time Moses on top of the mountain in the cloud their leading them. That is the very presence of God with them but it says they passed through the sea the Red Sea known it parted they pass through the sea as an idea baptism running into the family and it ain't the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink. This is a little insight into what we're going to get into in communion in a few weeks. They took of the same food food that was provided for them given to them for their substance for their daily living essentially say God with them. Made them incredibly distinct and different from the world outside of them. It was Christ who gave them this distinction. It is Christ to his followers of Jesus a distinction as well. And if you want to draw from these Pagan practices to Corinth what he saying, that's syncretism and you cannot go there and it's Dangerous Grounds. NT Wright Uber smart said this you must not presume that because you are baptized Christians sharing in the community life where the spirit is known and present and eating and drinking the bread and the wine of the Eucharist. You've automatically reached a level that requires no further moral effort or restraint. NT Wright is essentially saying positive and Colossians chapter 1 verse 6 as you receive Christ Jesus getting sick and am your Save You Belong you pass through the city. Now, this is what your life ought to look like a sane Christianity. If you're a follower of Jesus reshape your view. First of all, your view of God that God is Not distance in far-off and unknowable that we take an agnostic approach to Ho there's a God what he can't be known but we believe in a God has revealed to us as we discussed over the last few weeks. And this God is not just someone that we can know but nose was intimately and personally and has invited us into relationship with him. Also, then you can read this through the Old Testament law, but also the New Testament ethic of Jesus and his teachings describing what Words of Jesus should actually then look like now he's not saying you're going to perfectly walk in these things cuz I've been in Christian Community for a long time with the pretty darn good at rubbing each other the wrong way, aren't we? We're pretty good at being a thorn Beach other side and irritation and frustration and we don't even have to try that hard to Simply Be that but we are trying striving to walk in the way of Jesus by the holy spirit because of what God has done in our life and what that means is when you become a follower of Jesus, there is a new way to be human. There is a new sexual ethic there's a new way of generosity and which were called to live. There is a new way in which we even help and what that looks like and how we use it to lift up others. Are lies are completely reorder Paul says are you under the cloud redeemers? Are you under the cloud the presence of God, have you gone through the waters of baptism identifying your life belongs to Christ. Do you eat and drink the same spiritual drink that if Christ is body. His flesh is saying if so, this is how your to order your lives.

Warning side you have watch out comes to them because religious pluralism or syncretism can come along and it can be really easy to say I think we'll just add y'all way to my way already. Sounds great in Jesus sounds pretty good. And that's a good gig in your sins forgiven and just kind of hanging around the people but as long as God and come alongside into my life and enhance my life help my life provide a better life for me. I've been all go ahead and adopt him into my life and we need to get out of that mindset. And so, you know, we're getting into the Life of Christ when I'm just simply inviting Christ alongside for the journey that we are on the journeys being completely Rewritten and made new because of what Christ has done in US Do not adding him to her already comfortable life or already the god that they were worshiping and serving but we can simply take on that mindset that Jesus has the added to any of my business my life my friendships. My marriage a lot of times we have an idle that drives us to church or to Jesus one that's being taken from us. And I know I mean anything in a good thing that becomes a God thing in our life that without it. We feel completely depleted worthless and wrecked taken from us. I'd have no meaning value or purpose in my life and oftentimes God bless this great thing and when she rips. Bad thing which appears to be a good thing from our lives and draws Us close to him and says, I'm not an add-on. I am the way the truth and life. Are you committed to me and Sir Paul begins to rehearse these past events not so they can understand the past. But to understand the present. Are you not like the Israelites? You not passed through the see you not belong to him freak history in Exodus is the story of the Redemption of God's people slavery and bondage a parallel to any and everybody was not a follower of Jesus. You think you're so free? Sure, you're free to act in opposition to the true and living God. That's true that's real and it may feel great. But really it's still a form of slavery and bondage. There's a moment of Israelites crying out to God I deliver is raised up the Passover happened. This is phenomenal. This is following the Jesus story of people enslaved and in bondage to their sin Lord Deliver Us Yahweh. Help us Hosanna come bring Salvation to us. I deliver his name is Jesus is raised up there. He is sacrifice as the Passover Lamb for the Israelites. They have their backs against the sea Pharaohs Army is coming barely down at them. The sea Parts they walk through the waters in the scent of baptism. They've been under the cloud led by God and God is faithful and Polished telling the story to say this look a lot like your life. But I also got a warning for you. Mornings are good, and they exist for a reason?

And we were having our first child Ava she's in the front row today supporting her daddy. I love it and it was first pregnancy for my wife and she was ready to pop. Like if you've been pregnant ladies, you know, when you're ready to pop and we had some like false contractions or they're not Foster probably real but it was a pregnancy contraction like a man talking about this is so incomplete, right? Can I ask you at least explain what you actually went through? No I cannot but I recall this night or the day before are due dates and we've gone to bed and she woke up in the middle of night sweating and she has Brett I'm having contractions. I think I think we're finally going into labor and so is a little bit. Okay, she's due tomorrow you're having severe contractions and pain and my wife looks at me. But how could you just put on a cup of coffee for a little bit? I could we just have some coffee at home and talk and hang out and I get ready to actually listen to her and do that and then I hear this like loud cry and it was oh my goodness. This is happening call my parents in the middle of the night get down to the hospital warning sign happen in pregnancy to tell you something the baby is coming. There's warning signs all over the place just a few weeks ago. We went down to Klamath Falls for my wife's work and there is a sinus head deer migrating. Well, it sure enough suicide deer comes Bolton across the highway. Slam on the brakes Ran by A semi put deer over roof or turn slightly step on gas. That's what I chose deer Clips back of bumper. Does this full flip? And then in the best part these are all described them gently as read next. We're going the other way and they thought and they whip the UE and they catch up to us about examining the car and they go got gun on you is like not today like you though. I know we got big old knife. We're going to go take care of that pipe. Don't meet up with them in the middle of the night at the rest stop. Okay, they were awesome and gnarly and I was so thankful. They were kind.

Yeah it the last warning signs. If you don't listen to him things can happen and Paul says here. I don't want you to be disqualified some argument debate over what it means to be disqualified. The Israelites were brought into the family of God. They couldn't enter the promised lands. Some of the things I read said corns is at risk of losing their witness and testimony in the community. They were in there for they needed to abstain from doing those things in order to have this witness and testimony to God others talk about how we step outside of what God has for us. Even in our ways to conduct and live our lives would bring unnecessary harm and detriment to our own lives and stuff. I personally do not believe the third option in which some would think then you lose your salvation and need to get saved again. But a life that is consistently lived in a habitual pattern with your face turned against God maybe reveals that you didn't love him in the first place and you got saved as saved as a way to Simply enhance your marriage enhance your life and to add God to your life rather than adopting and coming into the family of God and underneath of him. You can have your pick this morning. I've got a preference in some vents in there for sure. Regardless, he says that some mornings are you guys? Next week. We're going to unravel two of them. rumbling sexual immorality are the two that he points out because In These Warnings you can be disqualified. However to kind of finish this out for you this morning Romans 6 1213. It will not be up on your screen in this written as a Yoda soundtrack right now, but not send their for reign in your mortal body. Do not make you a bad passions. Do not represent your members to send his instruments for unrighteousness represent yourself to God as those who have been brought from Death to life and your members to God as instruments from and righteousness that grew up in a church that formed me changed me give me a love and a passion for the word of God, but often times when it came to areas of like don't send the focus was on don't send I just get yourself well and self-control and just get out of the situation, but when you read the scriptures here, he's not just saying hey don't Do this insane, but do this present yourself to God? It's not a focus of I can't I won't I must stop because that kind of stuff will not get us very far. Atlas too tempting to good and we came in but in order to have the kind of self-control that we alluded to last week in the park continues to discuss here exercising self-control hits put your focus on God Michael talked about when we were singing. He said look this week is chaotic and crazy and there's drama and there's problems and his issues you brought in and there could be one aspect. You say myself Peach roll in my power coming to focus on fixing all of that and it's great to recognize the problems that need to be dealt with we need to turn our affection and our attention to God to calculate and capture our hearts better than to live out with Leaf towards other and how we ought to live. Do you want to exercise this kind of self-control last week? Paul said when Bob taught Paul wrote it Bob Sheridan set your heart on the prize. What's the prize this week for you guys? Getting by getting through getting better getting kind or getting nicer or is the prize Christ spending time with him and allowing him to shape. You mold you change you were in you probably saying you don't want to be disqualified.

Don't Grumble don't complain but that's all you focus on that's what you will do. He says look to turn to who Jesus is turn to who Jesus is and what Jesus says. I remember there is a hope for us. If some of us are in this place of corn and we're Christians were followers of Jesus. We passed through the Sea Under the cloud. God needs your attention. He said knock it off. Love me. Follow me pursue me, some of you you're religious trust me, but I want you to know the true God Yahweh who reign supreme above all other gods. Lord of Lord King of Kings I do the red again and Daniel this morning and God of gods or Nebuchadnezzar's words. He carries his words. That's who Daniel knows and I want you to know that you're already religious you already order your life by a set of rules by a set of conduct you think is so great and wonderful, and I would invite you into the true way to live and be one in which the god of the universe invites you into deep relationship with him gives you of your sins. I called you to walk with him. Let's pray. Jesus thank you for your word and your truth and the reality of who we are in Christ. It's so much. I know that the church this morning we could unpack here.

And I know that in this place you desire to do concise surgical kind of work on hearts.

That's stray that are prone to wander and that your drawing into you. Scott change is working ass. They keep all this morning understand that your blood is covered us and the guilt the shame that may override us has been done away with in Christ and that you've invited us in to New Life so we can sing and rejoice. Did we acknowledge confess repent but then they we stepped in to worship praise and rejoicing because of you. We love you in Jesus name. Amen.