1 Corinthians | Session 9 | Flee from Idolatry 10:1-22 Big Ideas: • Receive with meekness the truth. • Idolatry and Worship James 1:21-25 21 Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. 22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. Idolatry and Worship 1 Corinthians 10:1-12 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” 8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. • We were created to worship God. • Idolatry is when we worship something other than God. • You either worship the creation or the creator. • Worship is a Lifestyle. • Who/what do you worship and pay devotion to? What idols do you have in your life? “When we cease to worship God, we don't cease to worship, we worship anything.” -CS Lewis Video “When a man falls on his knees and stretches out his hands and says, our father which art in heaven, he is doing what seems natural to him.” -A.W. Tozer 1 John 5:21 (amp) Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. (from anything and everything that would occupy the place in your heart that is due to God) Idolatry does not always involve sinful things but sometimes good things in the wrong position. Spouse = good (but a bad god) Kids = good (but a bad god) Work = good (but a bad god) Money = good (but a bad god) God hates idolatry in any form. 1 Corinthians 10:13-22 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15 I speak as to wise men; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread. 18 Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 19 What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? 20 Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons. 22 Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He? 1 John 2: 15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever. You either worship the creation or the creator. Romans 1:20-25 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Professing to be wise, they became fools, 23 and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man—and birds and four-footed animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, 25 who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. Take Away: 1. What are some good things in your life that may be in a wrong position and in danger of idolatry? 2. When you examine your thought life, what are some thought patterns that are prone to lead you away from God unto other things? A Test of True Worship of God (Job 1:13-22) “You do not find out if you’re a worshiper on Sunday morning. Anybody can worship in church on Sunday morning. The saints are gathered in holy convocation, the musicians hold the instruments, the worship leader is anointed and ready with a killer song list, and the singers are prayed up and fired up. If you can’t worship in church on Sunday morning, you’re a stone! Let me tell you when you find out if you’re a worshiper: when the bottom of your world caves in, and everything you’ve ever known begins to crumble around you, and you don’t understand why everything hurts so much. What will you do now? Will you fall down before your Creator and worship? Or will you listen to the voices in your ear that accuse God, and then get angry at Him? Will you worship, or will you curse? Job is the ultimate model of extravagant worship. When everything was taken from him, including his ten children, he fell before the Lord and worshiped.” -Bob Sorge Pray over Lees Announce property update: www.catalystnwa.com/build