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1 Corinthians 10:1-14 · Providence Baptist Church - Sermons

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Well, it's a joy to be with you this morning as we open God's Word together.
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Would you open up to 1 Corinthians chapter 10.
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! We're going to be looking at verses 1 through 14.
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I experienced heavy fatigue, a strong fever, a long-lasting running nose.
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But the worst of all my symptoms was that I experienced a complete loss of both my taste and my smell.
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So eventually, most of my symptoms had subsided after about a week.
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But my smell and my taste lagged behind.
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So today, if I wake up and I'm having a good day, there may be about 70% of my function of smell and taste working.
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And that's a really good day.
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But on the bad days, it's only about 20%.
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It is a very alarming thing to lose trust in these senses.
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Countless decisions that I rarely thought about depend on these abilities.
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But the new reality for me is that I can no longer trust my own evaluation of food or smell.
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You see, I can't tell if cookies in the oven are burnt.
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And I can't tell if a diaper needs to be changed.
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Well, thankfully, we have passed that season as parents as of just a little while ago.
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But one thing is very important for us to think about.
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So in the light of me losing this sense, I've had to retrain my own mind to not trust what I perceive to be natural to me.
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So when I wake up in the morning, there's no meter that says,
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Ernie, you're going to feel this amount of taste or this amount of smell.
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Rather, I am completely unaware until I start tasting food.
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So this morning, we are going to be reminded of something that is similar,
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but has a greater impact on how we perceive what is natural to us.
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See, there's a malfunctioning part of our being according to God's word,
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and the consequences are much more significant than what food do I allow myself to digest.
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The Bible is clear that what has gone astray is actually that which comes from within.
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You see, it's our own hearts that have been impacted by the allure and the embrace of sin.
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The Bible is filled with all sorts of warnings about the nature of a drifting heart.
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Jesus said what defiles a person is what comes forth from out of the heart.
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And this is what our daily experiences teach us as well.
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We respond to our circumstances based on the things that we value inside of our hearts.
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We plan for the future based on the treasures that we store up in our hearts.
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And we even choose our entertainment based on the things that we find beautiful and delightful to our hearts.
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And when the heart goes astray from the Lord,
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it knows no other direction but to set its course towards the ever-active pursuits and the desires of the flesh.
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Listen to a few warnings before we get to our passage.
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Jeremiah 17 verse 9 says,
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The heart is deceitful above all things, and it's beyond cure.
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Who can understand it?
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Matthew 15 verse 19,
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For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, and slander.
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And finally, in 1 Peter 2, we read this,
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Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh,
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which wage war against your soul.
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So, this morning, as we open God's word,
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we are called to sober reflection, brothers and sisters.
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We are called to consider our own hearts
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and their potential for drifting to the lesser pleasures
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rather than the all-satisfying worth of God that we experience through the Lord Jesus Christ.
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Okay, let's go ahead and read our passage in 1 Corinthians 10 this morning.
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God's word says this,
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For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers,
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that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea,
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and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
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and all ate the same spiritual food,
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and all drank the same spiritual drink.
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For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them,
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and the rock was Christ.
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Nevertheless, with most of them, God was not pleased,
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for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
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Now, these things took place as examples for us.
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That we might not desire evil as they did.
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Do not be idolaters as some of them were.
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As it is written,
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the people sat down to eat and to drink,
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and they rose up to play.
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We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did,
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and 23,000 fell in a single day.
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We must not put Christ to the test,
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as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents.
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Nor grumble as some of them did and were destroyed by the destroyer.
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Now, these things happened to them as an example,
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but they were written down for our instruction,
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on whom the end of the ages has come.
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Therefore, let anyone who thinks that he stands
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take heed lest he fall.
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No temptation has overtaken you
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that is not common to man.
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God is faithful.
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And he will not allow,
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he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability,
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but with the temptation,
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he will also provide the way of escape
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that you may be able to endure it.
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Therefore, my beloved,
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flee from idolatry.
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Let's pray.
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Oh, Father, we love you this morning.
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We express our dependence by humbly listening to your word.
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Lord, we need direction so that you would satisfy our hearts.
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Lord, our hearts know no greater treasure
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and no greater value than what we see
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when we experience the love that you've shown to us in Christ.
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And so this morning,
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would you bring fresh clarity to our minds?
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Would you help us to guard against the deceitful way of the heart?
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And we pray that, God,
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you would revive our hearts
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and give us new courage
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for walking in obedience.
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In Jesus' name, amen.
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So as you may be aware,
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Paul, in the book of 1 Corinthians,
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is addressing the church from the early 50s,
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from the city of Ephesus that he's writing from.
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This happened during his third missionary journey,
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and for around 18 months,
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the gospel was proclaimed to this city by Paul,
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along with Aquila and Priscilla
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and the good news of Jesus Christ,
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crucified, risen, and resurrected,
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was received by this New Testament church.
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But much like our context in America,
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the surrounding culture of Corinth was corrupt
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with materialism, positioning for prominence,
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and pagan practices of sexuality.
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The Corinthians, greatly influenced
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by their surrounding culture,
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invited significant compromise into the body.
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In fact, some of the strongest words of the New Testament
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are directed towards these Corinthians,
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who were also divided by quests
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for worldly prominence and gain,
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and compromised by their pursuit of the flesh.
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You see, they had lost their ability
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for resisting the flesh,
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so much that Paul says at the beginning
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of chapter 3 of this book.
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He says,
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But I, brothers, could not address you
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as spiritual people,
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but as people of the flesh,
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as infants in Christ.
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Their infancy was defined
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by their fleshly association.
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And while these types of strong words
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are all throughout 1 Corinthians,
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we are reminded that even
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in the dangerous state of drift,
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Paul expresses great confidence
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in the grace of God
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that served as the anchor of hope
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for this church.
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See, though they are weak in their practice,
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the grace of God is abundantly sufficient
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to lead them in paths of righteousness
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for His name's sake.
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In chapter 1, Paul writes this,
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I give thanks to my God always for you
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because of the grace of God
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that was given you in Christ Jesus.
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that in every way you are enriched in Him
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in all speech and in all knowledge.
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So, we pick up in chapter 10
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as Paul provides words of warning then
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for this church.
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And they follow three basic points
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that we will consider this morning
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in our gathering.
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Here are the three points
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if you're taking notes.
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Number one,
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our shared history
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of misdirected hearts.
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Number two,
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drifting hearts in action.
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And number three,
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how God's faithfulness
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overcomes the tempted heart.
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In consideration of our first point,
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our shared history
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of misguided hearts,
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Paul directs us
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towards a brief history
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of God's people
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in the post-Egypt
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exilic wandering
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in the wilderness.
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Why does Paul want the Corinthians
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to remember the exile experience?
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Well, it's more than just
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a historical knowledge
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that Paul is after.
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He begins to answer this question
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in verse 1 of our text.
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He says this,
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For I do not want you
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to be unaware, brothers,
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that your fathers
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were all under the cloud.
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Paul appeals to the Corinthians
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by calling them
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to a state of alertness.
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They have struggled
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resisting sinful patterns
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because they have been careless,
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they have been groggy,
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they have been unconcerned
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and far from alert.
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The phrase which Paul uses
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in verse 1,
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I do not want you
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to be unaware,
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is captured in some translations
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a little differently.
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And he says in these translations,
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I want you to be aware.
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But I think the former
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is actually more helpful
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because the same root word
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which we derive
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the word agnostic from
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is the one that Paul uses.
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And to be an agnostic,
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as we know,
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means to be without knowledge.
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So Paul does not mean
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just an intellectual knowledge,
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like I said already.
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Rather, the knowledge
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that he speaks of
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is the type that recognizes
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warnings from the past.
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See, the danger of the past
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is meant to awaken
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the Corinthians,
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and it's also intended
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to waken us up,
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and particularly
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any of us
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who are prone
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to slumbering.
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We also see that
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in order to move
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from knowledge
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towards application,
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the Corinthian church
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is called to identify
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the fathers
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with themselves.
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This is really important
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for us to recognize
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because by way of
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our identification
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as God's people,
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we are called
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to do
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the same.
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These are
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our fathers,
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and these
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are our brothers,
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and also
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our sisters
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who were called
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to wander
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in the wilderness
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because of unbelief.
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It's helpful
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to remember
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that the Corinthian church
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was not Jewish
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by lineage,
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just like we are.
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Paul is saying
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that there is
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a union
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that we share
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with God's people
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which transcends
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bloodlines.
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So,
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their training
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is our training,
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their failures,
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are our failures,
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and the same ones
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that our hearts
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will be inclined
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towards.
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It's like
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when we go
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to the doctor
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and for your
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annual checkup,
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the doctor
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provides a long
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list of questions
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about the history
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of health
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in your family.
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So,
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if he discovers
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that there
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is a genetic line
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that traces cancer
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back a few generations,
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then he is going
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to provide
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some very firm
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warning and directions
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about how to guard
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against that danger.
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To do otherwise
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would be disastrous.
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So,
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what Paul is helping us
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to see here
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is that without knowledge,
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either by a lack
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of familiarity
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with the biblical past,
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or
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to be those
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who have knowledge
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but do not apply
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the warnings
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of that knowledge
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to our heart
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situation,
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well,
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that would be
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to embrace
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biblical foolishness
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and infancy.
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Let's continue on
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in verses 2 and 3.
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It says this,
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our fathers
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were all
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under
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the cloud
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and all
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passed
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through the sea
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and all
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were baptized
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into Moses
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in the cloud
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and in the sea
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and all
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ate the same
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spiritual food.
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See,
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God's people
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had experiences
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that would have
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seemed
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to prevent
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them
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from falling
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away
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from faith
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in the living
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God.
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They had
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a unified
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experience,
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didn't they?
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The young
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and the old,
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the strong
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and the weak,
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none of the people
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of Israel
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escaped
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the powerful
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demonstration
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of God's
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mighty deeds
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amongst them.
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In fact,
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during this period,
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God's people
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still bore
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scars
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from slavery
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that they were
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delivered from.
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Their own
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eyes had
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witnessed
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the cries
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and the
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devastation
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from Egyptian
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parents
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who grieved
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when their
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firstborns
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were struck
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down.
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They knew
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what it was
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like to feel
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dry grains
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of sand
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upon their
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sandals
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in the middle
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of the Red
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Sea
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and to see
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the cloud
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of the Lord
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leave day
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after day.
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And yet,
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these people,
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these fathers
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of ours,
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though unified
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died in
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experiences
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and witnessing
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the great
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acts of the
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Lord wrongfully
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trusted in
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their experiences
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while their
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hearts were
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absent of
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faith.
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So,
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Hebrews 4,
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1,
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a familiar
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passage,
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says,
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therefore,
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while the
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promise of
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entering
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his rest
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still stands,
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let us
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fear,
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lest any
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of you
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should seem
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to have
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failed to
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reach it.
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For good
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news came
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to us
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just as
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to them,
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but the
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message that
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they heard
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did not
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benefit them,
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because they
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were not
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united by
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faith with
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those who
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listened.
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And furthermore,
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lest we
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mistakenly assume
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that the
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Israelites
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failed to
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walk by
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faith because
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they didn't
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experience the
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same hope in
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Christ that
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we do,
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there's some
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clarity that
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Paul helps
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us to
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arrive at
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in verse
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4.
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It says
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this,
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for they
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drank from
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the spiritual
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rock that
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followed them,
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and the
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rock was
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Christ.
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See, there
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are differences
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of opinion
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regarding what
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Paul here
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means regarding
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the rock of
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Christ.
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There was a
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rabbinic
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tradition that
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taught there
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was at some
19:23
point a
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literal rock,
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maybe that
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bookended the
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beginning and
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the end of
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the exile
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experience,
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that provided
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a literal
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fountain of
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water.
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But I tend
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to agree
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with some
19:37
others who
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assert that
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this is a
19:38
reference to
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a type of
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the Lord's
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supper meal
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that is
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spiritually
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symbolized
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during their
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time in the
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wilderness.
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See, this
19:50
idea fits well
19:51
with Paul's
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discussion of
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the Lord's
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supper later
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in the
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chapter.
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And on
19:55
either account,
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what is being
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communicated here
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is one
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important thing.
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A communal
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experience,
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even of the
20:05
ministry of
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Christ, does
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not prevent
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hearts that
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can drift
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towards
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unbelief if
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our hearts
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are not
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engaged with
20:18
the Lord.
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It was for
20:21
this reason
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that Paul says
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in verse 6,
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nevertheless,
20:24
with most of
20:25
them God was
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not pleased,
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for they were
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overthrown in
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the wilderness.
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So let's
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take a quick
20:33
minute here
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to reflect
20:35
on the
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nature of
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our own
20:38
hearts.
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You little
20:40
ones who
20:41
are listening,
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your experience
20:44
growing up
20:45
with parents
20:46
that love
20:47
the Lord,
20:48
God's word
20:49
says that
20:50
experience
20:51
is not
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enough.
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Coming to
20:55
church and
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being surrounded
20:56
by other
20:57
believing friends
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and adults
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will not
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save your
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soul.
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There is a
21:04
danger to
21:06
our souls
21:06
to think
21:07
otherwise.
21:09
And adults
21:09
finding a
21:10
church that
21:11
has expository
21:13
reform teaching
21:14
that we
21:15
enjoy,
21:16
that's a
21:16
wonderful gift.
21:18
But it is a
21:19
terrible
21:20
parachute to
21:22
rely on.
21:23
And it
21:24
too can have
21:25
disastrous
21:25
consequences
21:26
if it
21:27
exists to
21:28
serve your
21:29
comforts
21:31
rather than
21:31
to drive
21:32
you to
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the hope
21:33
of your
21:34
salvation,
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namely
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Christ
21:36
himself.
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See,
21:38
we have
21:39
all sat
21:39
through
21:40
great
21:41
sermons
21:41
and been
21:42
led by
21:42
great
21:43
Christ-exalting
21:45
worship
21:45
and yet
21:46
have had
21:46
hearts
21:47
that were
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hardened
21:48
by the
21:49
deceitfulness
21:50
of sin.
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I certainly
21:53
have.
21:53
this is a
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warning,
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brothers and
21:56
sisters,
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and let
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this warning
21:59
have its
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effect by
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awakening us
22:04
from a
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deep
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slumbering
22:06
fog and
22:08
confidence in
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our own
22:10
circumstances.
22:12
Point number
22:13
two,
22:14
drifting hearts
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in action.
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Verse seven
22:18
says this,
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do not be
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idolaters as
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some of
22:21
them were,
22:22
as it is
22:23
written.
22:24
The people
22:24
sat down
22:25
to eat
22:26
and to
22:27
drink and
22:28
they rose
22:28
up to
22:29
play.
22:31
The
22:32
circumstances
22:32
that Paul
22:33
is describing
22:34
here point
22:35
us back to
22:36
the covenant
22:36
relationship
22:37
between Yahweh
22:39
and Israel
22:40
established in
22:42
the Old
22:42
Testament,
22:43
particularly
22:44
Exodus 24
22:45
through 32.
22:49
Now this
22:50
is a
22:51
sobering
22:51
scene which
22:52
Paul is
22:53
referencing.
22:54
The people
22:54
of God
22:55
have agreed
22:56
to keep
22:56
the covenant
22:57
of the
22:58
Lord,
22:59
and the
22:59
covenant
22:59
is confirmed
23:01
by the
23:02
shedding
23:02
of covenant
23:03
blood.
23:05
Just listen
23:06
to chapter
23:07
24 in
23:08
verse 6.
23:10
Moses took
23:11
half of the
23:11
blood and
23:12
he put it
23:12
in the
23:13
basins,
23:14
and half
23:14
of the
23:15
blood he
23:15
threw
23:16
against the
23:16
altar.
23:18
Then he
23:19
took the
23:19
book of
23:19
the covenant
23:20
and he
23:20
read it
23:21
in the
23:21
hearing of
23:22
the people
23:23
and they
23:23
said,
23:24
all that
23:25
the Lord
23:26
has said,
23:28
all that
23:29
the Lord
23:29
has spoken
23:30
we will
23:30
do,
23:31
and we
23:32
will be
23:32
obedient.
23:34
You can
23:34
almost hear
23:35
or imagine
23:36
the confidence
23:37
by which
23:38
the people
23:39
of God
23:39
spoke these
23:40
words.
23:42
And Moses
23:43
took the
23:43
blood and
23:44
he threw
23:44
it on the
23:45
people and
23:46
he said,
23:46
behold the
23:47
blood of
23:48
the covenant
23:48
of the
23:49
Lord that
23:52
he has
23:52
made with
23:53
you in
23:53
accordance
23:54
with all
23:54
these words.
23:57
So what
23:57
happens next
23:58
in this
23:58
account is
23:59
not a
23:59
surprise to
24:00
most of
24:00
you.
24:01
Moses
24:02
delayed
24:02
from
24:03
returning
24:03
from Mount
24:04
Sinai where
24:05
he had
24:06
encountered
24:06
the glory
24:07
of the
24:08
Lord.
24:08
God
24:09
and
24:10
as he
24:11
does
24:11
so,
24:12
the people
24:12
demand
24:13
to
24:14
Aaron
24:15
that
24:15
Aaron
24:16
would
24:16
fashion
24:17
for
24:17
themselves
24:18
idols
24:18
out of
24:19
the spoil
24:20
that God
24:21
had previously
24:22
given into
24:23
their hands.
24:25
So in
24:26
doing so,
24:26
their hearts
24:27
are swept
24:27
away towards
24:29
the desires
24:30
of the
24:30
flesh.
24:31
See,
24:31
they have
24:32
abandoned
24:32
worship of
24:33
the one
24:34
true God
24:34
and they
24:35
have
24:35
turned
24:35
towards
24:36
satisfaction
24:37
in
24:38
food
24:39
and in
24:40
playful
24:40
entertainment.
24:43
Paul
24:44
continues on
24:45
to elaborate
24:45
on some
24:46
other examples
24:47
of the
24:48
misguided
24:48
heart
24:49
amongst
24:50
the people
24:51
of Israel.
24:52
In
24:52
verse 8,
24:53
he says,
24:54
we must
24:54
not indulge
24:55
in sexual
24:56
immorality
24:57
as some
24:58
of them
24:58
did,
24:59
and 23,000
25:01
fell
25:03
in a
25:04
single
25:04
day.
25:06
Now,
25:07
how did
25:07
23,000
25:09
people
25:09
fall
25:10
in one
25:11
day?
25:14
Well,
25:14
it was
25:15
not because
25:16
the people
25:16
of Israel
25:17
were not
25:17
properly
25:18
trained
25:18
for battle.
25:20
It was
25:21
not because
25:21
they didn't
25:22
have enough
25:23
evidence
25:23
that God
25:25
was powerful
25:26
enough
25:27
to destroy
25:28
any enemies
25:29
in opposition.
25:32
No,
25:32
rather,
25:33
they saw
25:33
the attractive
25:34
of the
25:35
daughters
25:36
of Moab,
25:37
and they
25:37
measured
25:38
on the
25:38
scale
25:39
of human
25:39
desire
25:40
whether
25:41
God's
25:41
glory
25:42
among
25:42
the
25:43
nations
25:43
or the
25:44
fleeting
25:45
pleasures
25:46
of a
25:47
one-night
25:48
encounter
25:48
was of
25:49
more
25:50
worth
25:50
and value.
25:52
See,
25:52
that scale
25:53
should not
25:53
be a
25:54
difficult
25:54
one
25:55
for us
25:56
to balance
25:58
and measure.
25:59
But how
26:00
dark
26:01
are the
26:02
recesses
26:03
of the
26:04
wayward
26:04
heart.
26:06
The
26:06
warning
26:07
here is
26:07
a warning
26:08
not because
26:08
it is
26:09
some
26:09
far-off
26:10
danger
26:10
that
26:11
happened
26:11
to
26:11
them,
26:12
but rather
26:13
a grave
26:14
warning
26:15
for us
26:16
because our
26:17
own hearts
26:18
can
26:20
and at
26:21
times do
26:22
drift
26:23
towards
26:23
the lesser
26:24
pleasures
26:25
of the
26:26
world.
26:28
Paul
26:29
provides
26:29
one
26:30
additional
26:30
example
26:31
in our
26:31
text
26:32
in verses
26:32
9 and
26:33
10.
26:35
He says,
26:36
we must
26:37
not put
26:37
Christ
26:38
to the
26:39
test
26:39
as
26:41
some
26:41
of them
26:41
did
26:42
and were
26:43
destroyed
26:44
by
26:45
serpents
26:45
nor
26:46
grumble
26:47
as some
26:48
of them
26:48
did
26:49
and were
26:49
destroyed
26:50
by the
26:50
destroyer.
26:52
So we
26:53
can remember
26:54
many
26:54
different
26:55
examples
26:55
in this
26:56
period
26:56
in which
26:57
the
26:57
people
26:58
of
26:58
Israel
26:58
grumbled
26:59
and complained.
27:01
At the
27:01
waters
27:02
of Marah,
27:03
the people
27:03
of Israel
27:04
responded
27:04
to thirst
27:05
with great
27:07
grumbling
27:07
and it
27:08
was just
27:09
three days
27:10
after walking
27:11
through
27:12
the middle
27:13
of the
27:13
Red Sea.
27:15
In Exodus
27:16
16,
27:17
in the
27:17
wilderness
27:17
of sin,
27:19
only 45
27:20
days removed
27:21
from the
27:21
Red Sea.
27:22
the
27:25
people
27:25
again
27:26
expressed
27:27
disdain
27:27
to
27:27
Moses
27:28
and to
27:29
the
27:29
Lord
27:29
and
27:31
what
27:31
they
27:31
said
27:31
was
27:32
they
27:32
were
27:33
terribly
27:35
desiring
27:36
the
27:36
Egyptian
27:37
meat
27:37
pots
27:38
that
27:38
used
27:38
to
27:39
fill
27:39
them
27:39
and
27:40
their
27:41
request
27:41
to
27:42
Moses
27:42
or
27:43
their
27:44
complaint
27:45
to
27:45
Moses
27:45
was that
27:46
they
27:46
didn't
27:47
even
27:47
have
27:48
a
27:48
chance
27:48
to
27:48
die
27:49
in
27:49
the
27:50
brutal
27:50
land
27:50
of
27:51
captivity.
27:53
So
27:53
do we
27:53
see the
27:54
point
27:54
that
27:54
Paul
27:55
here
27:55
is
27:56
making?
27:57
Our
27:58
complaints
27:58
and our
28:00
groaning
28:00
over our
28:01
temporary
28:01
circumstance
28:03
!
28:04
imply
28:04
that
28:05
Christ
28:05
is not
28:06
enough.
28:09
Maybe
28:09
he appears
28:10
to be
28:10
enough
28:11
to you
28:12
when things
28:13
are going
28:14
well.
28:14
But as
28:15
soon as
28:16
the hunger
28:17
pains
28:17
begin
28:18
or when
28:19
the thirst
28:20
of hard
28:20
circumstances
28:21
arrives at
28:22
our door,
28:23
then the
28:24
worth of
28:24
Christ
28:24
is placed
28:25
back
28:26
on the
28:27
scale
28:27
for
28:28
testing.
28:30
Which
28:30
desire
28:31
has
28:31
greater
28:32
supremacy
28:33
in our
28:35
hearts?
28:36
Our
28:36
idols
28:37
or the
28:38
God
28:38
who
28:38
called
28:39
us
28:39
out
28:40
of the
28:41
great
28:41
darkness
28:41
and into
28:43
his
28:43
marvelous
28:44
light.
28:46
So the
28:47
heart is
28:47
capable
28:47
of this
28:49
you might
28:49
ask.
28:50
Yes,
28:51
it is.
28:52
The
28:52
testing of
28:53
the Lord's
28:53
worth is
28:54
not so
28:55
far from
28:56
us as
28:56
we would
28:56
hope.
28:58
In
28:58
these
28:58
examples
28:59
we're
29:00
reminded
29:01
to be
29:02
aware
29:03
of where
29:03
our hearts
29:04
can go
29:05
in all
29:06
types of
29:07
circumstances.
29:09
In
29:09
some
29:10
circumstances
29:10
our hearts
29:12
respond to
29:13
trials
29:13
by turning
29:14
to idols
29:15
of comfort.
29:18
In
29:18
others
29:19
we respond
29:20
to
29:20
abundance
29:21
with the
29:22
idol
29:22
of
29:23
self
29:23
dependence.
29:26
And in
29:26
other
29:26
circumstances
29:27
we respond
29:28
to God's
29:29
great
29:29
demonstration
29:30
of his
29:31
power
29:32
with
29:33
self
29:33
confidence
29:34
and pride.
29:35
God's
29:36
heart
29:37
So the
29:38
case has
29:39
been made
29:39
from God's
29:40
word this
29:40
morning that
29:41
the human
29:42
heart is
29:43
an unreliable
29:45
and unstable
29:46
foundation
29:47
to depend
29:49
on.
29:50
And it is.
29:51
We must
29:52
not move
29:53
forward so
29:53
quickly that
29:54
we do not
29:55
give weighty
29:55
consideration
29:56
to the
29:57
condition
29:58
of our
29:59
own hearts.
30:00
verse 12
30:02
says
30:02
therefore
30:03
in other
30:05
words here
30:06
comes the
30:07
response that
30:08
Paul provides
30:09
in light of
30:10
all of these
30:11
grave warnings.
30:14
He says
30:14
let anyone
30:15
who thinks
30:16
that he
30:16
stand
30:17
take heed
30:18
lest he
30:19
fall.
30:21
So be
30:22
vigilant
30:23
brothers and
30:24
sisters.
30:24
Be not
30:26
slumbering
30:27
and be
30:28
not
30:28
overconfident
30:30
in your
30:31
own heart.
30:33
Let me
30:34
ask you
30:34
this.
30:35
Where does
30:35
your heart
30:36
go when
30:37
God has
30:38
brought
30:38
abundance?
30:40
Is it
30:41
to self
30:41
satisfaction?
30:43
Does the
30:43
guard on
30:44
your heart
30:45
drop as
30:46
if you
30:47
have landed
30:48
in the
30:48
land of
30:49
safety
30:49
just after
30:50
a week
30:51
of good
30:52
family
30:52
devotions?
30:54
Do you
30:55
at times
30:55
excuse
30:56
yourself
30:57
from
30:58
transparency
30:59
with the
31:00
brothers and
31:01
sisters,
31:02
the saints
31:02
who are
31:03
called to
31:04
help you
31:04
guard against
31:06
the deceitfulness
31:07
of sin
31:08
according to
31:09
Hebrews 3?
31:11
Or where
31:12
do you go
31:12
when the
31:13
Lord has
31:13
removed his
31:15
earthly
31:15
comforts?
31:18
So
31:18
brothers and
31:20
sisters,
31:20
do we have
31:21
anywhere to
31:22
go for
31:23
hope?
31:24
Not from
31:25
our own
31:26
hearts,
31:26
but praise
31:28
be to
31:28
God in
31:29
our third
31:29
point,
31:30
he has
31:30
not left
31:31
us without
31:32
abundant
31:32
hope.
31:34
How God's
31:35
faithfulness
31:36
overcomes
31:37
the tempted
31:37
heart.
31:39
Notice
31:39
verse 13,
31:41
it says
31:41
no temptation,
31:43
no temptation
31:45
has overtaken
31:46
you which
31:47
is not
31:48
common to
31:49
man.
31:50
God is
31:51
faithful,
31:52
and he
31:54
will not
31:55
allow you
31:56
to be
31:56
tempted
31:56
beyond
31:57
your
31:57
ability,
31:58
but with
31:58
the
31:59
temptation,
31:59
he will
32:01
also
32:01
provide
32:02
the way
32:04
of escape
32:05
so that
32:06
you may
32:07
be able
32:07
to endure
32:08
it.
32:09
See,
32:10
Paul uses
32:11
two negating
32:12
words in
32:14
verse 13
32:15
that
32:16
essentially
32:16
cancel each
32:18
other out.
32:18
He could have
32:19
said a little
32:19
differently,
32:21
the temptations
32:22
which have
32:23
come upon
32:23
you are
32:25
common to
32:26
man.
32:27
He knows
32:28
how many
32:29
times the
32:30
evil one
32:31
has distracted
32:32
your heart
32:33
from seeing
32:34
God glorified
32:35
through obedience.
32:37
He knows
32:38
that this
32:38
week it
32:39
may have
32:40
felt like
32:40
500 times
32:42
you were
32:43
tempted to
32:44
drift towards
32:45
this temptation
32:47
that you
32:47
faced.
32:47
And it
32:49
is very
32:50
clear in
32:50
this verse
32:51
that he
32:52
wants us
32:53
to know
32:53
that he
32:55
knows.
32:57
You see,
32:58
it is because
32:58
he knows
33:00
that we
33:01
can and
33:02
we should
33:03
have hope.
33:06
His
33:06
knowledge of
33:07
our sin
33:08
has compelled
33:09
and has
33:10
moved his
33:11
heart in
33:12
such a way
33:13
to show
33:13
us
33:14
compassionate
33:15
and gracious
33:17
loving
33:18
shepherding
33:19
care.
33:21
Remember
33:21
that as
33:22
we failed
33:23
over and
33:24
over in
33:25
our
33:25
temptations
33:26
so much
33:27
so that
33:28
the Bible
33:28
says we
33:29
were dead
33:30
in the
33:31
trespasses
33:31
of our
33:32
sin.
33:33
It was
33:34
at that
33:34
time that
33:35
God sent
33:36
forth his
33:37
own son.
33:39
We know
33:41
from this
33:41
text a
33:43
couple very
33:44
important
33:44
things.
33:47
So let's
33:48
take one
33:49
more look
33:49
at this
33:50
phrase
33:51
which says
33:53
this,
33:54
God is
33:55
faithful.
33:58
See,
33:58
Paul has a
33:59
very specific
34:00
point in
34:01
drawing us
34:02
to the
34:02
faithfulness
34:03
of the
34:04
Father.
34:06
Faithfulness
34:06
is a
34:07
mark of
34:08
consistency.
34:09
That's how
34:10
we normally
34:10
think of
34:11
faithfulness.
34:12
but it's
34:13
also a
34:13
picture of
34:14
one who
34:15
has a
34:15
record of
34:17
fulfilling
34:17
the promises
34:18
that have
34:20
been made.
34:22
So Paul
34:22
is not
34:22
saying that
34:23
you in
34:24
this verse
34:25
have great
34:26
abilities to
34:28
overcome
34:28
temptation,
34:30
but rather
34:31
that the
34:31
one who
34:32
has always
34:33
kept his
34:33
promises will
34:35
keep them
34:36
again and
34:37
he has
34:37
promised to
34:39
bring help
34:40
in your
34:40
temptation.
34:42
as you
34:43
fix your
34:43
eyes on
34:44
the promise
34:44
keeper
34:45
himself,
34:46
the faithful
34:46
one,
34:47
God will
34:48
lead you
34:49
towards the
34:50
way of
34:50
escape.
34:52
The way
34:52
of escape
34:53
is not
34:53
some trap
34:54
door that
34:55
we are
34:55
just to
34:55
look really
34:56
hard for
34:57
in temptation.
34:59
No,
34:59
the way
34:59
of escape
35:00
is seeing
35:01
God as
35:02
the greatest
35:02
treasure
35:03
that he
35:04
is.
35:05
It comes
35:06
by remembering
35:07
that God's
35:07
faithfulness
35:08
is most
35:09
clearly seen
35:10
in the work
35:11
of Jesus
35:12
Christ,
35:12
his one
35:13
and only
35:14
son.
35:17
Listen to
35:17
these words
35:18
of Charles
35:19
Spurgeon
35:20
describing the
35:21
faithfulness of
35:22
Christ's own
35:23
love for
35:24
his people.
35:26
He says
35:27
this,
35:28
there are
35:29
no ups
35:30
and no downs
35:31
in the love
35:32
of Christ
35:33
towards his
35:34
people.
35:35
On their
35:36
highest table
35:37
wars,
35:38
he loves
35:38
them,
35:39
but equally
35:40
as well
35:41
in their
35:42
Gethsemanes.
35:44
When they
35:44
wander like
35:45
lost sheep,
35:46
his great
35:47
love goes
35:48
after them,
35:49
and when
35:50
they come
35:50
back with
35:51
broken hearts,
35:52
his great
35:53
love restores
35:54
them.
35:55
By day
35:56
and by night
35:57
in sickness
35:57
and in sorrow,
35:59
in poverty,
36:00
in famine,
36:01
in prison,
36:02
in the hour
36:03
of death,
36:04
the silver
36:06
stream of
36:07
love ripples
36:08
at their
36:09
side,
36:09
never stayed
36:11
and never
36:11
diminished.
36:12
Forever is
36:13
the sea of
36:14
divine grace
36:15
as its
36:16
flood.
36:18
The sun
36:19
never sets
36:19
and the
36:20
fountain
36:21
never
36:22
pauses.
36:24
See,
36:25
as we
36:25
behold the
36:26
glory of
36:27
God in
36:27
the face
36:28
of Christ,
36:29
God's
36:29
own son,
36:30
our hearts
36:32
can taste
36:32
what the
36:34
superior joy
36:35
actually is.
36:38
Temptation
36:39
towards anger,
36:40
temptations
36:41
towards lust
36:42
and of
36:43
jealousy
36:44
and of
36:45
sexual
36:45
perversion,
36:47
they lose
36:48
all their
36:49
appeal
36:49
before the
36:51
one that
36:52
our hearts
36:53
were fashioned
36:54
to enjoy.
36:57
Let me
36:57
ask you
36:58
this,
36:59
have you
36:59
assumed
37:00
defeat
37:00
in the
37:02
face
37:02
of
37:03
temptation?
37:05
God
37:05
is
37:06
faithful.
37:07
Have you
37:08
neglected
37:09
the power
37:09
of the
37:10
gospel
37:10
to lead
37:11
you
37:11
towards
37:12
victory?
37:14
God
37:15
is
37:15
faithful.
37:17
Or is
37:17
God
37:18
calling you
37:19
again
37:19
to renew
37:21
your fight
37:22
against
37:22
temptation,
37:24
remembering
37:24
that his
37:25
faithfulness
37:26
is
37:27
enough?
37:29
if you
37:30
have not
37:31
put your
37:31
trust in
37:32
Jesus,
37:34
this hope
37:35
may sound
37:36
like an
37:36
amazing
37:37
reality
37:38
to be
37:39
able to
37:40
overcome
37:40
the wayward
37:42
heart.
37:44
See,
37:45
the God
37:45
of the
37:46
universe
37:46
understands
37:47
the heart
37:48
of his
37:49
children
37:49
and their
37:50
inclinations
37:51
towards sin,
37:53
and yet
37:54
he has
37:55
not
37:55
abandoned
37:56
us.
37:57
Well,
37:58
let me
37:58
lovingly
37:59
remind you,
38:00
if you
38:00
have not
38:01
put your
38:01
faith in
38:02
this God
38:03
that we
38:04
are describing,
38:05
then there
38:06
is another
38:06
picture of
38:07
God that
38:07
you must
38:08
come to
38:10
realize.
38:12
God is
38:13
amazingly
38:14
abounding
38:16
in loving
38:17
care for
38:17
his children,
38:18
but he is
38:19
also just
38:20
and he
38:21
hates
38:21
sin.
38:22
See,
38:24
he hates
38:25
sin so
38:26
much that
38:27
God has
38:28
decreed it
38:30
must be
38:31
punished.
38:32
And the
38:33
Bible says
38:33
that you
38:34
are called
38:35
to turn to
38:36
your sin
38:36
this morning,
38:38
acknowledging
38:38
your own
38:39
guilt before
38:40
God,
38:41
and to
38:41
place all
38:42
of your
38:42
trust in
38:44
the life,
38:45
the death,
38:46
and the
38:46
resurrection
38:47
of Christ
38:48
to be
38:49
able to
38:50
be his
38:51
son or
38:51
his daughter.
38:53
This hope
38:54
can be
38:55
yours this
38:57
morning.
38:58
But for
38:59
the rest
39:00
of us,
39:01
God is
39:02
calling us
39:03
to once
39:03
again consider
39:05
the nature
39:06
of our
39:07
own hearts.
39:09
We can
39:09
drift into
39:10
slumbering
39:11
quite easily,
39:13
but we
39:15
are to not
39:15
forget that
39:16
there have
39:17
been many
39:17
greater
39:18
people than
39:19
us that
39:21
have drifted
39:22
away
39:22
from the
39:23
Lord by
39:24
confidence
39:25
in their
39:26
own hearts.
39:28
A closing
39:29
word from
39:29
Psalm 40
39:30
as we
39:32
give one
39:33
more thought
39:34
to this
39:34
God that
39:35
we can
39:35
rejoice in
39:36
who helps
39:37
us in
39:38
our time
39:39
of need.
39:41
Psalm 40
39:41
says this,
39:42
verse 1.
39:43
I waited
39:45
patiently for
39:47
the Lord.
39:49
He inclined
39:50
to me and
39:51
he heard
39:53
my cry.
39:55
He drew
39:56
me up from
39:57
the pit of
39:58
destruction,
39:59
out of the
40:00
miry bog,
40:01
and he set
40:02
my feet
40:03
upon a
40:05
rock,
40:06
making my
40:07
steps secure.
40:08
prayer.
40:09
He put a
40:10
new song
40:11
in my
40:11
mouth,
40:12
a song
40:13
of praise
40:14
to our
40:16
God.
40:17
Many
40:18
will see
40:18
and fear,
40:20
and they
40:21
will put
40:21
their trust
40:22
in the
40:23
Lord.
40:25
Blessed is
40:26
the man
40:26
who makes
40:27
the Lord
40:27
his trust,
40:29
and who
40:30
does not
40:30
turn to
40:32
the proud.
40:33
Skipping
40:34
down to
40:35
verse 16.
40:35
But may
40:37
all who
40:38
seek you
40:39
rejoice,
40:40
and be
40:41
glad in
40:42
you.
40:43
May those
40:44
who love
40:45
your salvation
40:46
continually
40:47
say,
40:49
great is
40:50
the Lord.
40:51
As for
40:52
me,
40:53
I am
40:53
poor and
40:55
needy,
40:55
but the
40:56
Lord takes
40:57
thought for
40:58
me.
41:00
You are
41:00
my help
41:01
and my
41:03
deliverer.
41:04
Do not
41:05
delay my
41:06
God.
41:08
Let's
41:09
pray.