.
All right.
Let's find our seats.
Song number 75.
On Jordan Stormy Banks.
Song number 75.
All right.
Let's sing it out on that first.
On Jordan Stormy Banks I stand and cast a wishful lie.
To Canaan's fair and happy land where my possessions lie.
I am bound for the promised land.
I'm bound for the promised land.
Oh, who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the promised land.
All of those wide extended plains shines one eternal day.
There God the son forever reigns and scatters night
away.
I am bound for the promised land.
I'm bound for the promised land.
Oh, who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the promised land.
No chilling winds nor poisonous breath can reach that helpful
shore.
Sickness and sorrow, pain and death are felt and feared no
more.
I am bound for the promised land.
I'm bound for the promised land.
Oh, who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the promised land.
Oh, who will come and go with me?
I am bound for the promised land.
Amen.
Brother Remy, would you pray for us?
Amen.
Does everyone have a rejoice in the Lord slip?
Or no?
Okay.
If not, I'm sorry.
Let's do song number 349.
Song number 349.
Amen.
On the first.
Oh, spread the tidings round.
Wherever man is found.
Wherever human hearts and human woes abound.
Let every Christian tongue proclaim the joyful sound.
The comforter has come.
Amen.
The Comforter has come, the Holy Ghost from heaven.
The Father promised, give.
Oh, spread the tidings round wherever man is found.
The Comforter has come.
Verse 3, lo, the great King of kings,
with healing in his wings to every captive soul.
A full deliverance brings, and through the vacant sails,
the song of triumph rings.
The Comforter has come.
The Holy Ghost from heaven, the Father's promised, give.
Oh, spread the tidings round wherever man is found.
The Comforter has come on the last.
Oh, boundless love divine, how shall this tongue of mine
to wandering mortals tell the matchless Grace divine,
that I, a child of hell, but in it divine.
The Comforter has come.
The Holy Ghost from heaven, the Father's promised, give.
Oh, spread the tidings round wherever man is found.
The Comforter has come.
Amen.
Good afternoon.
Welcome to Church Foundation Baptist Church.
Let's take our bulletin to go through them real quickly.
Brother Sean has some bulletins.
Anybody need one?
Raise your hand if you need one.
All right, hope everybody's having a great week.
On our front cover, we have our verse of the week.
It says, lion lips are abomination to the Lord,
but they that deal truly are his delight.
Proverbs chapter 12, verse 22.
And our service times are Sunday morning at 10 30 AM,
Sunday evening at 3 30 PM, and Thursday Bible studies,
6 30 PM.
We're in 1st Corinthians chapter 10.
And we're going to do the last of the chapter.
We only did four verses, I think, in the last service.
So we'll be doing the rest of them tonight.
Our soul winning times are listed below.
We had soul winning this afternoon.
And how many salvations did we get?
Amen, praise the Lord.
Any from Sunday?
Was there one Sunday?
I think there was one Sunday.
OK, so we've had three so far this week.
Praise God.
Three salvations, all right.
And then if you look down, you can see the praise report.
And then this coming Saturday, so yeah,
this Saturday at 11 o'clock, we're
going to have a soul winning marathon in Longview,
Washington.
I'll put the address in the WhatsApp group.
So if you are not in the WhatsApp group,
then you're not going to get the address.
So if you're not, let me add you tonight.
If you're planning on going, just text me.
If you're not in the WhatsApp group too, you can text me.
I'll get you the address.
I'll try to make some maps.
We've hit some of the same areas.
A few times, so it'd be nice to hit some new fresh areas.
I don't think Longview's been getting their doors knocked
very often.
So I think we're probably the only ones in town that do it.
I could be wrong about that, though.
Longview's pretty receptive.
We're going to have lunch provided.
We're going to have Panda Express.
And honey, remember, remind me to bring plates.
Because remember, Panda Express does not provide plates
anymore.
Did they provide silverware last time, do you remember?
No?
No forks?
I think they do.
Does anybody want to vote?
This is the only chance I'm going
to let you to have a vote.
Who wants orange chicken the most?
Raise your hand.
All right, what about, what's the other kind?
Somebody say something different.
No, no teriyaki.
That's voted down.
No, I'm just joking.
Beef and broccoli, yeah.
No, she doesn't get any of these thing specials.
No, we'll get a variety.
So broccoli beef is usually what we get.
Orange chicken, the children eat that like it's candy.
And then what else?
What was the other one?
Teriyaki?
Teriyaki, all right.
So does anybody like the brown rice?
Raise your hand if you like the brown rice.
OK, there's not enough brown rice.
Well, there's a few brown rice people, you health freaks.
Anyway, so fried rice and then, OK, some greens.
All right, yeah, all right, I'll make sure.
Who's planning on going?
Are you voting and not even going?
I'm going.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, 10.
OK, and then children, so quite a few.
I'll make sure we get plenty of food.
So 11 o'clock, we'll start the soul winning.
We'll go for two hours.
We'll get Panda Express.
And then can somebody look up the weather right now,
real quick while I'm talking, and tell me
what the weather's supposed to be in Longview on Saturday?
So yeah, then we'll do lunch for an hour,
and then we'll hit it for another two hours.
So probably 4 o'clock will be done.
So if you have any questions, just see me after service
or say something in the WhatsApp group.
Did anybody find the weather for me?
That is perfect.
That's perfect.
No wind?
Just a slight breeze?
OK.
Well, I'm excited about going up to Longview and go to soul
winning.
Then we have the music ministry meeting is on August 24th.
That's at 6 PM, and snacks will be
provided and a refreshing beverage of some sort.
So anybody that wants to be involved or already is involved
with the music ministry, and that just
means playing in the orchestra or piano or song waiting,
please be here for that.
6 PM, like I said.
And September 2nd, I'll be preaching in Cincinnati, Ohio
at the Fundamentalist Conference.
And Pastor Roger Jimenez will be there.
Pastor Enrique Reyes and Deacon Oliver Gonzalez
will be there preaching also.
So looking forward to going to that.
The home school field trip to Sky Zone
is September 21st at 9.40 AM for a two hour jump
time in Vancouver.
See Miss Rachel Woods for details on that.
And then I'll be preaching at Pure Words Baptist Church
on October 3rd and October 5th.
We'll be preaching at the Fire Breathing Baptist Fellowship
at Steadfast Baptist Church.
And then Pastor Jimenez will be here preaching for us
on November 7th for the PM service.
And then there'll be extra soul winning
going on for the remainder of the summer.
I'm not sure how long we're planning on doing that for.
But there's been a lot of extra soul winning going on.
And a lot more people getting saved.
Lots of doors getting knocked.
So anyway, Brother Sean puts on the extra times right now.
We still have there's soul winning tomorrow.
Are you planning on doing the soul winning tomorrow at 3?
OK.
Soul winning tomorrow at 3 PM.
And so Saturday is going to be replaced with the soul winning
marathon, OK?
And let's see.
We're family integrated church.
You guys know all this stuff.
I don't think we have any first time visitors.
So I'm just going to skip that.
Did anybody not get their birthday
sang to them who had a birthday?
You didn't get your birthday sang to you?
Who's raising their hand?
What's going on here?
No, Gabe.
Did Gabe not get his birthday sang to him?
Oh, Annabelle.
Wow.
Already?
Huh?
The 26th?
It's not this week.
Huh?
It's not this week.
All right.
We need to get that in the bulletin, though.
Rylan, will you remember?
Remember, we'll thrash you.
OK.
So anyway, I think that's it for announcements.
Let's sing another song and we'll receive the offering.
All right, song number 58.
Song number 58.
Song number 58, He, The Pearly Gates, will open on that first.
Amen, on that first.
Love divine, so great and wondrous.
Deep and mighty, pure, sublime.
Coming from the heart of Jesus, just the same,
through tests of time.
He, the pearly gates, will open so that I may enter in.
For he purchased my redemption and forgave me all my sin.
Like a dove when hunted, frightened,
as a wounded fawn was I. Broken hearted, yet he healed me.
He will heed the sinner's cry.
He, the pearly gates, will open so that I may enter in.
For he purchased my redemption and forgave me all my sin.
Love divine, so great and wondrous.
All my sins he then forgave.
I will sing his praise forever for his blood, his power to save.
He, the pearly gates, will open so that I may enter in.
So that I may enter in.
For he purchased my redemption and forgave me all my sin.
In life's even tide at twilight, at his door I'll knock and wait.
By the precious love of Jesus, I shall enter heaven's gate.
He, the pearly gates, will open so that I may enter in.
For he purchased my redemption and forgave me all my sin.
Amen. At this time, we're going to have the offering.
And, Brother Sean, would you bless the offering?
Dear Jesus, thank you for this day, Lord.
Thank you so much for our Church, Lord, and our pastor.
I pray that you would just bless them and bless the Church, Lord.
I pray that you would do the mighty work of this offering.
Lord, please bless the gift and the gift of Jesus.
Amen.
All right, everybody.
Let's bow for prayer.
Let's go to the Lord.
Let's bow our heads together.
Heavenly Father, we thank you, Lord, so much for this wonderful day.
We pray for, Lord, just mercy in our prayer requests and, Lord, we know that you hear
us and we're thankful for that.
Lord, we pray for all those that are sick and also for Ms. Sarah Holmes and her family
and just pray that she gets comfort from the passing of her mom and that, Lord, we'd
be a blessing to her as Church family and friends and also that people would get saved
at the memorial service and, Lord, for Matt Marshall's mom that she is having some post-concussion
issues.
I pray, Lord, that you would just help her and lift her up and heal her and, Lord, for
Brother Temo, prayer for his work dealing with some problems there and just pray that
you would help him, Lord, with those issues, whatever those are, and strengthen him, Lord.
And for Brother Robert Alcorda, who wants to pray for a man named J.J. who we met out
soul-winding, who wants to get back in church and serve you, Lord, and just pray you'd
help him and motivate him to do those things.
Lord, for an upcoming appointment on the 27th, for reassuring answers.
For Blake, prayer that he would have an opportunity to work day shift as soon as possible, Lord,
you know the need.
And also for my wife, Sherry, faithfully pray for her friend's urgent unspoken, Lord, she
has a friend that has an urgent unspoken and pray, Lord, that you'd answer that according
to your will.
And for Sheila's son, Ricky, his living situation, too unspoken, and for guidance for Ethan,
and also for her health and pain that she's been going through, Lord, I pray you would
help her and heal her.
And for your provision while she waits for things to come through that need to come through
for her, Lord.
And also for Miss Sarah Miller, prayer that she gets the right job offer, and also continued
prayer, Lord, for Miss Leilani, for her living situation, Alana, for prayer for Max's mom's
test results to come back in, and for Miss Jessica, and for Ryland's dad's surgery, we
know that it went well, and pray that you'd help him and heal him.
And for Bowie's, we praise you, Lord, that, oh, these are prayers, praises, Lord, we praise
you that Bowie's test results came back in, good news.
And also for all the ladies that are pregnant, Lord, we pray that you just help them to watch
over them and bless them, and that their children would be born healthy and safe, and
for the moms, Lord, for them to be healthy and safe during delivery and while they carry
the babies, Lord.
And we pray for our church in Hawaii, Lord, and we pray for our church in Spokane, Lord,
and all of our church plants in England, Lord, we praise you for all the great things you're
doing in all of them, pray that you just continue to bless our church here at home, in Jesus'
name we pray, amen.
Good evening, everybody, it's nice to see you this evening.
If you turn with me to the book of 1 Corinthians, chapter 10, the book of 1 Corinthians and
chapter 10.
First Corinthians, chapter 10, the Bible reads, Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should
be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the
sea, and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and did all eat the
same spiritual meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that
spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ.
But with many of them God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
Now these things were our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil
things as they also lusted.
Neither be ye idolaters, as some of them, as it is written, the people sat down to eat
and drink and rose up to play.
Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed and fell in one day three
and twenty thousand.
Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of serpents.
Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer.
Now all these things happened unto them for our ensamples, and they are written for our
admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest ye fall.
There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man, but God is faithful,
who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation
also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
I speak as to wise men, judge ye what I say.
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?
For we being many are one bread and one body, for we are all partakers of that one bread.
Behold Israel after the flesh.
Are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
What say I then, that the idol is anything, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols
is anything?
But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils and not
to God, and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils.
Ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table and of the table of devils.
Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?
Are we stronger than he?
All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient.
All things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth.
Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
For the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof.
If any of them that believe not, bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go.
Whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
But if any man say unto you, this is offered in sacrifice unto idols.
Eat not for his sake that showed it, and for conscience sake.
For the earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof.
Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other.
For why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience?
For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
Whether therefore ye eat or drink or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
I give none offense, neither to the Jews nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God,
even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of
many that they may be saved.
Brother Alex, would you pray for us?
Amen.
All right, we're in 1 Corinthians chapter 10, and this is part two.
So we covered the first four verses last week, and that was about 27 minutes worth of preaching.
I'm getting some weird echo here around.
We're trying to work out all the bugs, the system.
We took us a long time over at the other building, but it just seems to be a challenge.
Can everybody hear me okay?
Okay.
So let's pick up at verse...
Let's see.
Let's look at verse number four.
It says, and did all drink the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual rock
that followed them, and that rock was Christ.
But with many of them, God was not well pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
So let's have a word of prayer.
Heavenly Father, we thank you, Lord, so much for this great church, and Lord, for all that
you do and provide for us.
Pray, Lord, you'd help me, and you fill me with your spirit tonight as I preach.
I pray that you would fill me with power and boldness as I preach your word, Lord.
I pray the church would have ears to hear what the Spirit says unto them tonight.
In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.
So Christ is that rock that it was talking about, and basically Paul's just kind of given
us some spiritual things to look at from the Old Testament that are an example or an ensemble
for us to follow even today.
And so what happened to these people that God was not well pleased with?
Well, God punished them, didn't He?
He punished them.
Some people He killed, and so these are things that make the anger of the Lord wax hot against
His people.
Now, obviously, the children of Israel, I wouldn't say that every single person was
saved that went out into the desert from Egypt.
Obviously, we know some of them weren't.
Some of them were rebels against the Lord.
Some of them were false prophets, and so obviously not all of them were saved, but the nation
of Israel represents to us like what we are saved Israel.
We are spiritual Israel.
So when you look back at the Old Testament, it's to look back as if that was God's chosen
people at that time because it was, right?
So what it says, with many of them, God was not well pleased.
And it says, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
Now, I'm just going to kind of go to some of the Old Testament passages when it's dealing
with this because it kind of helps us get a little bit of a clue as to why God was so
angry with them, but it says many of them, but many of them God was not well pleased.
Well, that whole first generation was killed in the wilderness because of all the temptings
and things that they did that made God angry.
But what specifically did He finally say, you're not going into the promised land?
What was it?
Does anybody remember?
Unbelief.
Yeah, it was unbelief, but they did something.
So He sent the spies out and only two of the spies had a good report.
That was Caleb and Joshua.
And so the rest of them were saying, we can't beat these guys.
And basically, so yeah, it was unbelief.
They didn't believe that they had the ability to go in and conquer the promised land.
So that's a good answer, but God was not pleased with that.
And as a matter of fact, they said, okay, well, we'll do it now.
And then they went and they got their butts kicked and God said, you're going to, you're
going to go and you're going to be, you're going to die in this wilderness.
So why was he not?
Why was he angry with him?
We'll look at Numbers chapter 14, verse 29, Numbers 14, verse 29, and just want to keep
a finger here or a bookmark in first Corinthians chapter 10, and we'll just go back and forth
to some of these scriptures, but why wasn't he well pleased with them?
Well, one of the problems was, is that they murmured against God, but I'll cover that
twice.
So, but look at Numbers 14, 29 says your carcasses shall fall in this wilderness and all that
were numbered of you, according to your whole number from 20 years old and upward, which
have murmured against me.
So God said, you know what, all the people that have murmured against me, those people
are not going in now, anybody from 20 years old and upward.
So that generation didn't count for anybody that was 20 and under.
And so I would just say this, that God really holds you responsible to be an adult at the
age of 20.
And so the people could not go to war.
They weren't joining the military until what, 20 years old.
So when God counted all the soldiers and the men that were ready to go into battle, 20
years old.
So, and I'm not saying that you're still a kid at 19 and a half or whatever, but God
considers it that you're not an adult yet.
So, you know, the world has its views on adulthood versus what the Bible says.
And the Bible has a lot of different views than the world does quite frankly, but let's,
so God said he was going to, he was going to make their carcasses fall in the wilderness.
That means they're dead bodies, right?
Let's look at first Corinthians back at verse number six, first Corinthians 10, six says,
now these things were our examples to the intent.
We should not lust after evil things as they also lusted.
So what's the example that we're not supposed to lust after evil things as they also lusted.
Now let's look back at Numbers chapter 11, verse number four.
So they specifically fell lusting this group of people.
And it wasn't just like people that were of the 12 tribes of Israel.
There was a mixed multitude of people that weren't necessarily tribal people, but there
was, there was this whole big mixed multitude that was with them.
And so God, he's saying that there's these things that are, that we're going to look
at tonight are examples to the intent that we should not lust after evil things.
So as they also lusted, so look at verse number four in Numbers 11, it says, and the mixed
multitude was among them, that was among them, fell a lusting.
And the children of Israel also wept again and said, who shall give us flesh to eat?
So you know, and the funny thing is, is that God probably would have done anything that
they asked that he asked, you know, but see God, when he gets, when you start whining
and crying like this and murmuring against him, it makes him angry.
And he still is going to give you the things that you want, but he's going to give you
more than what you want, right?
And they, they eventually had so much flesh to eat that it was coming out their nostrils.
But look at verse number five, it says, we remember the fish, which we did eat in Egypt
freely, the cucumbers and the melons and the leeks and the onions and the garlic, but now
our soul is dried away.
There's nothing at all beside this manna before our eyes.
And of course we know that the manna represented Jesus Christ, right?
The bread that came down from heaven, manna, right?
And so they, they were dissatisfied with what God was giving to them.
They were dissatisfied with the things of the Lord and what happens to people when they
just get dissatisfied with Christ?
Well, they just want to go back to whatever was the best, whatever they thought their
old life was so good about their old life.
But see, sometimes people forget, you know, how bad that old life was.
And sometimes when people get backslidden or get out of church, it doesn't take long
for them to realize, you know, this is a mistake.
I need to go back.
But sometimes people are too proud to do that and they just won't go back.
And so they just choose to destroy themselves and their family.
Because if you continue on in that, in that thought pattern, God will destroy you.
And God's not going to just let things go forever.
And especially if you know what you're supposed to be doing, especially if you know what God
is expecting of you.
So if you go to a church like this, you know what God's expecting of you.
And so if you just fall out and, and just use any excuse you can to get out of church,
that's not a good thing.
So, but it's, these people are just remembering the things that they liked about Egypt.
But they forget about the part where they were in hard bondage and they were having
a, at one point, Pharaoh was making them go and get their own straw and then to make the
brick and mortar.
And they still had to make as much as they made before they had to go get their own straw.
So God, the Egyptians were providing the straw for them to do whatever they did to make these
bricks.
You know, they were under hard bondage.
They were just being afflicted terribly.
But all they could think about was the fish that they could eat freely, the cucumbers,
the melons, the leeks, the onions and the garlic.
And they forget that Jesus is way more important than that.
You know, man shall not live by bread alone, but every word that proceeded out of the mouth
of God.
So God's word is way more important than leeks and garlics and onions and cucumbers and melons
and all that stuff.
And obviously we need food to live.
But these people, the mixed multitude fell a-lusting.
And so God was angry with them for these things.
He was not pleased with them.
Turn back to 1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 7.
1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 7 says, Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them, as
it is written, that people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
Obviously it's referring back to Exodus chapter number 20.
Let's turn to Exodus chapter 32.
Let's turn to Exodus 32 and verse number 4.
So the Bible's saying don't be idolaters.
And you know, in a room like this, I don't think anybody grew up bowing down and worshiping
statues unless you were Catholic.
I'll just try to hide behind the toothbrush over there or whatever she's got, oh, it's
a pencil.
It looked like a toothbrush.
Anyway, so if you were in the Roman Catholic church or if you were a Buddhist or if you
were something like that, then that might be something you struggle with.
But like most people didn't grow up like worshiping statues and things like that.
But back then it was a big deal, and it is still a big deal in a lot of countries.
India, big time idol worship.
You know, China, Japan, a lot of these Asian countries, they worship Buddha or some form
of that.
And there's like just, you know, Indians at the totem poles, right?
And they'll say, they didn't worship them.
They were graven images, okay?
Don't try to give me that garbage.
But anyway, so Exodus 32 verse 4 says, and he received them at their hand and fashioned
it with a graving tool after he had made a molten calf, it's talking about Aaron, and
they said, these be thy gods, O Israel, was brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it.
And Aaron made proclamation and said, tomorrow is a feast to the Lord.
And they rose up early in the morning and offered burnt offerings and brought peace
offerings, and the people sat down to eat and to drink and rose up to play.
So that's the scripture that it's quoting there in 1 Corinthians chapter 10.
But what were they doing?
They made a molten calf.
Aaron proclaimed and said, these be thy gods, O Israel.
So it wasn't just one god, they were saying it was two gods.
They made two calves, right?
And Aaron's excuse was that he just threw it in the fire and poof, the calves came out,
right?
So it wasn't a very good excuse.
I don't think Moses bought that necessarily.
But part of it is that they built this, so he built this altar, so obviously they're
offering offerings to it.
And he said, tomorrow is a feast to the Lord.
So there's all these, idolatry just isn't someone bowing down to a statue.
People serve these gods.
People serve them and do things for them and eat and make sacrifices in the name of
those gods, and it's a wicked sin.
It's part of it.
And it says they ate and drank and rose up to play.
They sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.
You know, Joshua is hearing the noise, he thinks it's a noise of war, but it's really
Pantera playing down at the camp or whatever.
Moses said it's the sound of singing do I hear.
And they were dancing and singing around this thing.
And so idolatry is a wicked sin, but you know, it doesn't just have to necessarily be some
kind of statue you bow down to.
Anything you put in the place of God is idolatry.
So what would you say one big thing is that Americans worship in this country?
Sports, television, you know, football, yeah, the flag.
That's a good, that's a true statement there.
But I was just thinking of football.
I was listening to Pastor Jones' sermon the other day and he was talking about how that
guy at the bridge, you know, I'm talking about an I-5 and he waves his 12-man flag and he's
like, whoo!
You know, he's all painted up or whatever, rain, sun, you know, sleet, hail, snow, doesn't
matter what it is, if it's game day, he's up there with that flag.
That's dedication, you know.
That's dedication.
There's people that do that with signs, you know, that say repent and stuff, so don't
get me wrong, there's those kind of people too.
But you know, he's really excited, you know.
Would the God that we'd be as excited about God as people are about someone's putting
a leather pigskin through, you know, crossing a goal line.
Or catching a great pass or, you know, running a great run or making a great tackle, you
know, everybody just jumps up and they're, whoo, yeah!
But you know, we don't get that excited about God.
That's a problem, you know, and I'm not saying that we need to act like that in here, I'm
just saying that, you know, people need to be excited about God.
And so when we're more excited about things like that than we are about God, then that
can be an idol in our life if you sit home and watch the game on the television instead
of coming to church.
That's not right.
You know, obviously if you're sick and you happen to squeeze in the game somewhere between
the live streams, I'm not gonna, you know, whatever, but I'm just saying that there are
people that skip church, there are people that skip church for lots of different things
and you know, your family can become an idol to you.
Your family can become an idol.
People can worship their own children and not even realize it.
And then their children are telling them what to do.
And you know, I need family time.
Well, I don't think there's anything wrong with family time, but you know, God is supposed
to be first in our life and so we should try our best to serve Him first and then obviously,
you know, our family.
But anyway, so let's look at verse number eight back in our text.
Verse number eight back in 1 Corinthians chapter 10 says, neither let us commit fornication
as some of them committed and fell in one day three and 20,000.
So he's making this example of Numbers chapter 25, turn to Numbers chapter 25.
Now fornication is obviously, you know, what happens, supposed to happen between a husband
and wife, you know, when they're married.
But when you're not married, that's fornication.
So anyway, look at Numbers 25 verse number one, it says, and Israel abode and shittim
and the people began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.
So what does God consider fornication?
He considers it whoredom.
And so whoredom is a wicked sin.
It's the same thing.
Because it's saying neither let us commit fornication, but look how whoredom does.
You know, it's used interchangeably here because it says Israel abode and shittim and the people
began to commit whoredom with the daughters of Moab.
And they called the people under the sacrifices of their gods.
See how idolatry is tied in with the sacrifice of their gods and whoredom.
And the people did eat and bowed down to their gods.
And Israel joined himself unto Baal Peor, and the anger of the Lord was kindled against
Israel.
Now, how do I know it's talking about this specific thing?
It's because Balaam actually is the one that got them to do this.
Balaam is the one that he tried to curse the people of the Lord, and then God wouldn't
allow him to do that.
And then Balaam actually just said, well, hey, let's just get them to commit fornication
with these people.
And it was the people of Moab that were actually trying to get Balaam to curse the nation of
Israel.
And so it's a wicked sin to commit fornication.
How do I know that?
Well, God killed 23,000 of them in one day, right?
So he was super angry.
It says, let's see, the anger of the Lord was kindled against Israel.
And so if you're a Christian, then this is a sin that you should avoid.
Does God call for the death penalty in the law for someone that fornicates?
Does anybody know the answer to that?
No.
That's not a death penalty.
That doesn't mean that God won't kill you for doing that sin.
Not all sins are the death penalty, but every sin you commit, God can put you to death for
if he feels like it.
He can put you to death for any sin because all sin leads to death anyway.
So even though it doesn't call for the death penalty in the law, you're still going to
die someday because of the sins that you commit.
It doesn't matter how small the infraction is.
If you steal a pencil, that is still something that you would die for, ultimately.
If all you did was steal one pencil in your whole life, you'd still die and go to hell
for that.
You're like, that doesn't seem like a very big deal.
Well, it is the God.
It's not us.
It's not our place to judge.
It's God's word that is the truth.
And if you commit one sin, you've committed them all, right?
So let's see, turn it back to 1 Corinthians chapter 10, look at verse number nine.
It says, neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted and were destroyed
of serpents.
So tempting Christ is something that you can do that really angers the Lord.
And it says, and some of them also were tempted, or excuse me, some of them also tempted and
were destroyed of the serpents.
So look at Numbers chapter 21, we'll see how that all shook loose.
So we're not supposed to tempt Christ.
Now look at Numbers chapter 21 verse four, how did they tempt him?
Well, let's see what it says.
And they journeyed from Mount Hor by the way of the Red Sea to compass the land of Edom,
and the soul of the people was much discouraged because of the way.
So it was a hard road that they were going down.
And people, you know, Christians, we can get this way sometimes too.
We get discouraged because the way is hard sometimes.
And like in a church like ours, the way can be hard sometimes.
There's a lot of battles.
There's a lot of fighting, you know, and we're on the front lines.
So the heat of the battle is going to come down upon us a lot of the times.
And people get wary of that.
And I understand that.
And you know, I'm not a big fan of having to fight all the time either, but it's just
something that happens when you serve the Lord.
So there's always going to be battles coming.
You know, just think about the whole time, the whole book of Exodus, the whole book of
Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, it was filled with battles.
It was just filled with just, you know, the people were mad at Moses for whatever reason.
And they just, you know, revolted against them.
And you know, false prophets rose up and God dropped them down into hell.
And you know, the serpents were biting people because they spake against God.
You know, there's just battle after battle after battle to get into the promised land.
It was battle after battle after battle.
Joshua had to go in and conquer the promised land with the children of Israel, battle after
battle after battle.
What about the book of Judges?
Battle after battle after battle.
I mean, just so on, 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 and 2 Kings, 1 and 2 Chronicles, filled with
battles.
You know, we act like just nothing, no bad battle's ever supposed to happen.
People are never going to talk bad about us.
People are never going to try to fight us.
That's just the opposite of what you see in the Bible.
People are always trying to fight the people of God.
And so sometimes we just got to get settled in, just say, you know what, I'm sick of this,
but you know what, the battle's going to come.
And the battle is going to rage.
And obviously we get our times when there isn't battles going on.
But it's just the way the Christian life is.
The way is hard sometimes.
That's why the Bible says we're supposed to take up our cross daily and follow after Christ.
Because it's a daily battle.
It's a daily battle with our flesh.
It's a daily battle against the devil.
It's a daily battle against the circumstances in our lives.
It's a daily battle against temptation.
There's just multiple battles.
It's not just one battle.
It's not just false prophets or all these weirdos attacking all the time.
It's just your daily life.
Your daily life can take you right out.
You know, if things just go bad with your job and you feel like, you know,
things are just falling apart at home or whatever, those kinds of battles can get you out of the fight
because people just get tired of fighting.
But, you know, we just got to get our strength from the Lord.
And that is ultimately what's going to save us.
Look at verse number 5 in Numbers chapter 21.
It says, And the people spake against God and against Moses.
Wherefore have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?
For there is no bread, neither is there any water, and our soul loatheth this light bread.
What's the bread that they're talking about again?
What's the light bread?
They're talking about Jesus.
You know, Jesus says, My burden is light.
Right? So this light bread, you know, that it's talking about.
Our soul, you know, loatheth and hates this light bread.
And so when it says, Neither let us tempt Christ, well, what are they doing?
They're saying, We don't want that light bread.
We don't want that light bread.
You know, and they spoke against God and against Moses.
Why? Because the way was hard.
And so a lot of times even Christians will get caught up and just be like, I'm just sick of all this.
And, you know, they just don't want to serve God anymore.
And they want to, you know, bag on their leadership and call out their leaders and things like that.
But it says that these people were tempting Christ.
And so we've got to make sure that we're not getting our soul wrong.
We need to make sure that we don't loathe the bread.
You know, Jesus is that bread of life, and we can't ever get sick of it.
Every day we're supposed to pick up that bread and eat it.
Right? We're supposed to, you know, and that manna tasted like honey and fresh oil.
And so what does the Bible say that's sweeter than the honeycomb?
Right? God's word.
And so it's something that we need to do daily and get in our daily life.
It's like Jesus doesn't come down and wake you up and nudge you and go, Oh, it's time to get up, Brother Tomo.
Time to get up.
All right, kneel down and pray with me.
You know, we have to purpose in our heart to serve the Lord.
We have to purpose in our heart to take up our cross daily and follow after Him.
It's not easy.
And if you can get off track so easy in your schedule, it just has to be one hiccup, one late sleep-in that you do.
You know, one early morning where you have to go into work can throw off your whole schedule for Bible reading and prayer.
And it's hard.
Believe me, I know it's hard.
But we have to do that.
We can't just load that bread.
We have to wake up.
Hey, and sometime during the day, you better be eating that bread in the morning, in the evening.
Hey, set alarms reminders on your phone.
Set alarm reminders on your phone to pray.
You know, just like label it.
You guys got phones, right?
Got smartphones?
Everybody in this room have a smartphone except for the kids?
Some of the kids have them too?
No.
But think about this.
We set our alarms for all kinds of different things to wake up in the morning so we can go to work.
Why don't you set one to wake you, you know, to just have you pray?
You know, because we're forgetful people.
We forget stuff or we just get busy and we forget to do stuff.
Hey, just make that alarm.
And, you know, if you're on a Bible reading schedule and you know you have to read this many chapters to keep on schedule, well, then set your alarm.
Set your alarm for the lunchtime or for the afternoon or for the evening and get your stuff done.
Pray.
Purpose to get on your knees at least one day, one time a day.
You know, Daniel did it three times a day, but if you just would do it one time a day, I'm sure it would help your life some.
But, you know, we get down, things are happening, you know, and it seems like sometimes when the worst things are happening in people's lives, the last person they go to is the Lord.
They just forget, oh, you know, they act like it's God's fault or something.
You know, God just let this happen.
Well, just sometimes time and chance happen to all people, you know, so it says that when they tempted Christ, you know, they spoke against God.
They spoke against Moses and said that their soul loatheth this light bread.
So obviously they're tempting Christ.
They're talking smack about the leadership.
They're talking bad about God.
They're talking bad about the word of God, which is Jesus Christ.
It says the Lord sent fiery serpents among the people, and they bit the people, and much people died or of Israel died.
So these are all things where God is like killing people that are the children of Israel.
Now, am I saying all these people are saved?
I'm not saying that, but you know what?
Some of them probably were because Christians can commit the same sins that worldly people commit.
You know, sometimes people are like, well, I wasn't saved.
You know, I grew up and I was bad because I wasn't saved.
Well, you still knew those sins were wrong when you weren't saved.
You know, everybody has a conscience.
So people just like to make excuses, and they're like, oh, that person was raised in a Christian home.
I can't believe they did that.
Well, how about, you know, maybe you weren't raised in a Christian home, but you know what?
As a teenager and as a young child, I knew things were wrong and still did them anyway.
I know that I was doing something wrong.
Everybody knows that.
You know, just because you weren't saved doesn't mean you don't know something's wrong.
There's people that live moral lives that aren't even saved.
And they're probably more moral than a lot of Christians are.
So anyway, look at 1 Corinthians chapter 10, verse 10.
It says, neither murmur ye as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer.
So just murmuring.
What is murmuring?
You know, like someone says to do something to your boss at work, and you're like, you know, you just like walk off.
You're complaining.
It's like complaining.
So look at Numbers chapter 16, Numbers chapter 16, verse number 41.
See, God doesn't like it when we complain about our situation, when we murmur.
You know, we have the privilege to go to the God of all heaven and earth who created all things,
and He knows us by name.
You know, He knows us.
He knows how many hairs are on our head.
He knows everything about us, and we can go to Him for anything we need,
but sometimes we still just complain instead of just going to the Lord and asking Him to help us.
Look at Numbers chapter 16, verse 41.
It says, but on the morrow, all the congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and against Aaron,
saying ye have killed the people of the Lord.
Now, this is after Korah dropped down into the pit.
Now, I don't know if you guys understand this, but when someone gets dropped straight into hell, that person's not saved, right?
Is that person saved?
And so, no, they're not saved.
So they're saying that you have killed the people of the Lord.
So, but are they really the people of the Lord that they killed?
No, but see, they had the hearts of a lot of people, and this is a dangerous thing in Christianity.
Today, you see these people, you know, get smoked or get preached against, and then they, you know, the people, like, get upset.
It's like, you know, people complain that we preach too much about false prophets and the reprobate doctrine and all that stuff, too.
But it's like the apostle Paul seeks not to warn people day and night with tears that these people would rise up out of their own congregations,
that people would come and not spare the flock, and they would come and destroy the congregation.
It's like night and day, he's preaching and telling them these things, and people still just don't get it.
I don't understand this mentality.
Oh, you killed the people of the Lord.
Yeah, I mean, modern day, we preach against them.
We can't actually kill them yet, but we preach against them, and we say, hey, this is where they're wrong.
This is where they're just wicked.
You know, it's one thing to preach against someone that's saved, and I agree that sometimes we shouldn't do that, but sometimes there's times when we should.
But when someone's definitely just a false prophet or reprobate, there's nothing wrong with preaching against them, and that's our way of killing them.
Okay, but then people will go, you know, you've killed the people of the Lord.
It's like Billy Graham's not the people of the Lord.
And whoever, Ravi Zacharias is not the people of the Lord, but people are upset.
I don't want to hear how people, you know, are roasting in hell.
It's like, hey, if you don't get away from that person, you're going to be just like them, just like Korah.
And they said, get away from Korah and his company, didn't they?
Why?
Because anybody that pertained to Korah went down with the ship.
And so when these people are following these false prophets and these false teachers, you know, we're just trying to warn them, hey, get away from that person.
Because you're going to go down to the pit just like they are.
Now it says in verse 42,
And it came to pass when the congregation was gathered against Moses and against Aaron, that they looked toward the tabernacle of the congregation, and behold, the cloud covered it, and the glory of the Lord appeared.
And Moses and Aaron came before the tabernacle of the congregation, and the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, get you up from among this congregation that I may consume them as in a moment.
And they fell upon their faces.
So these people are complaining because, and did Moses kill them?
Moses didn't kill them, did he?
Who killed Korah and his company?
God, he's the one that opened hell up.
Moses didn't have the power to open hell up.
You know, he just said if they die the common death, then, you know, God hasn't called me.
And then they didn't die a common death, did they?
Anybody ever seen hell open up and people drop into it before?
Because I haven't seen that.
But I believe it happened.
It says, get you up from among this congregation that I may consume them as in a moment.
And they fell on their faces.
And Moses said unto Aaron, take a censer and put fire thereon from off the altar and put on incense and go quickly into the congregation and make an atonement for them, for there is wrath gone out from the Lord and the plague is begun.
So God just, he just started immediately just killing people.
A plague began.
And how do I know he was killing people?
Well, look what it says.
And Aaron took as Moses commanded and ran into the midst of the congregation and behold, the plague was begun among the people and he put on incense and made an atonement for the people.
And he stood between the dead and the living and the plague was stayed.
So when people have a plague, whatever this plague was, was killing people.
And he stood between the dead and the living.
Obviously, that's a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ.
That's a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ standing between the dead and the living.
And hey, when you're a soul winner, you're also standing between the dead and the living, you know, there's a plague upon all people in all reality.
It's that plague is sin.
And we're standing between them, heaven and hell, trying to intercede for them.
And obviously, Christ is the one that paid the ransom for everybody.
But when we go and try to preach these people the gospel, you know, you're basically trying to stand between them and death and trying to help them get into heaven.
And so the atonement was made.
But what was the whole problem?
Why? Why was this happening?
Because the people murmured against the Lord and against his men.
And because of that, they were destroyed by the destroyer.
Look at verse number 49, same chapter.
It says, And they that died of the plague were 14,700.
How do I know God was killing them?
Well, it says 14,700 died.
Why? Just simply murmuring and complaining against the leadership.
And complaining against the Lord.
And basically sticking up for false prophets and false teachers.
Isn't that what they were doing?
You killed the people of the Lord.
They didn't kill the people of the Lord.
So this angered God to the point where he smoked 14,700 beside them that died about the matter of Korah.
So this is directly connected to the matter of Korah.
So that's not even talking about just all the men that died of the matter of Korah.
But that matter of Korah, what did it do?
It drug 14,000 other people out of the congregation and they were killed too.
So just I mean, I think this is a great lesson for us today because people get upset when people get preached against.
I understand that there's a lot of blowback and things like that that happen.
But you know, the thing to do is not to complain against God and to complain against the people that are preaching what's right.
Now turn back to 1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 11.
The Bible says all these things happened unto them for in samples and they are written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come.
And guess who that is?
That's us in this room.
You know, we're closer than this time when this was written.
And it says then was the ends of the world come.
So we're way closer to the ends, right?
So we're 2000 years past this point.
So we're getting closer.
We're way closer than they were.
And he said, this is written for our admonition upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
A lot of people are like they get saved and they get on fire for God.
They're like, I would never go back to doing that.
I would never do this sin.
I would never do this.
And hey, anybody is capable of committing any sin that they've ever committed in their lives.
So it says, if you think that you stand, take heed lest you fall.
Because once you just get all high and mighty and ultra spiritual and all this stuff, you know, you better just take heed because you could fall too.
Anybody could fall.
Look what it says in verse 13, there hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man.
We all have common sins.
And obviously your sin might not be the same as my sin, but we all have common sins.
We all have sins that were more common to commit than other people might be.
You know, everybody has their own besetting sin, so to speak, but we don't want to still live in those besetting sins.
We need to break free from those chains and God can help us to do that.
But sometimes some sins are harder to conquer than others, aren't they?
So, but it says there's no temptation taking you, but such as common to man.
But God is faithful.
Does it say man's faithful right there or does it say God is faithful?
See, we're not faithful.
We're not faithful like we should be because we all commit sin.
But God is faithful.
And what's it say? Who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able.
So we are able to fight off the sin in our life, but we just fail to do it.
But God is still faithful.
He's still going to allow you a chance to get out of that sin that you're being tempted with.
It says, but with the temptation also will make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it.
Because there's some, there's sins that we are more drawn to.
There's sins that are really hard for us to not do.
But God will help us and he will make a way for us to escape that we could be able to bear that.
So you just have to resist.
You have to resist the devil.
Get yourself out of situations where you could commit the sin that's besetting you.
You know, if you if you know that you're every time you get a chance to do A, B, C or D, you're going to commit that sin.
Well, then put yourself out of that situation.
That'll be a big help to you.
But, you know, we're all tempted to sin and we all have sins that are common.
You know, obviously there are certain sins that aren't common.
I'm not even going to get into that right now, but most sins are common.
You know, lying, stealing, adultery.
Those things are common to man, you know, but there are some are more wicked than others, obviously.
But God will help us and he will help us to to fight that temptation off.
But we have to actually try.
You know, you can't just say, God, you know, if whatever you're let's say, what's what's an addiction that people would have if your addiction is smoking, you know, and then you quit smoking.
But then you're always around people that smoke.
Well, guess what's going to happen?
You're going to start smoking, you know, so and quitting smoking is really hard if you've ever been a smoker.
It's very difficult.
So, you know, so you can't just keep hanging around or, you know, doing the same things that will cause you to commit that temptation.
So anyway, look at what it says in verse 14.
Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
So here Paul is going back to the idolatry thing.
He's saying, hey, we need to flee from this sin.
And what does that mean?
Run away from it.
And that would be anything that we are doing that would be considered idolatry.
Now, again, obviously, you know, I've never bowed down to a statue before in my life.
And it's just not my cult.
A lot of people just have that culture.
So it's not like some big thing that we deal with.
But again, you know, we can commit things that would be, well, I always think of people that are gardening when we're out sowing.
They're literally bowing down prostrate forth in their gardens and digging and trying to plant things.
They're like Cain, you know, they're bowing down to the wrong thing, right?
You know, like, hey, you want to go to church or hey, you know, and they're like not interested.
You know, they just keep digging in their yard.
But would you say that there's people that actually worship their own property?
I mean, when I see a nice spiffy yard, I mean, it's a 99.9% chance that person's not getting saved.
But there is always that one chance, right?
But most of the time, if someone has like, you know, they have statues in their yard and everything's just nice and trimmed up.
I don't have time to do all that.
So I know that what they really love is that yard.
Or if you go to that house that has, there's a house in Vancouver here somewhere that we've knocked on the door.
And they have like, you walk up and it's just like Seahawks, everything, flags hanging down banners.
And it's like, gee, I wonder what their idolatry is.
So we got to flee from those things that we love.
You know, obviously, video games can be a thing like that, too.
Video games can be something that you would idolize.
I mean, and I'm not saying video games are going to throw you into hell or something like that.
But I'm just saying that if you spend more time playing video games than you spend reading your Bible and being spiritual, then that's, what do you call that?
Is it lasciviousness?
It's anyway, it's not good.
All right.
You're doing something way more.
And obviously, we work our jobs longer than we're spiritual.
I get that.
But I'm talking about hobbies and things that take you away from the things that you need to know.
I mean, if you've played video games for nine hours today and you haven't read your Bible, you're not right with God.
It's just that simple.
So, flee from idolatry.
It says, I speak as to wise men, judge you what I say.
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?
For we being many are one bread and one body.
For we are all partakers of that one bread.
Talking about the body of Christ, obviously.
But it says, behold, Israel, after the flesh, are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
What say I then, that the idol is anything or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is anything?
But I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils and not to God.
And I would not that you should have fellowship with devils.
So, anything that is sacrificed to any God, it doesn't matter what their name is, then those people are actually sacrificing to literal devils.
That's what the Bible says, right?
So, now is the idol anything, though?
Is it actually a real devil?
No, it's something they carved to venerate that demon, which they call whatever name, Buddha.
Or whatever name, or Shiva, or whatever.
They make these graven images and then they bow down to them and they worship them and they bring them little drink offerings.
You ever been to like a Chinese restaurant and they have like the little Buddha, the little golden Buddha?
It's got like an orange peel on its hand or, you know, whatever, a bowl of rice.
Those are like, they're sacrifice, they're feeding that, they think that they're feeding that God.
And I don't even think that Buddhists believe that Buddha is a God.
But, I don't know, it's a lot of strange stuff.
But, you know, I'm hoping when I go into one of those places that they haven't sacrificed all the food that they're preparing to that little Buddha.
So, or praying some blessing over it or something.
But ignorance is bliss, is it not?
So, anyway, it says, so these Gentiles, they're sacrificing these, you know.
And obviously, in this culture, we don't really deal with it that much.
But, you know, you do have the kosher laws.
And like you have rabbis that bless these things.
It's like part of making it kosher, something that only, you know, Jews won't eat things unless it's kosher, basically, at least if they're practicing.
So, and then also halal meat is also something that like people that are in the religion of Islam,
they have the same thing like an imam blesses that beef or whatever it is before they slaughter it.
But I would say to you that the God that the Jews worship is not the God of the Bible, first of all.
And the God of the Muslims is not the God of the Bible, even though they try to say it is.
So, who are they blessing that meat to or blessing it to their false gods?
So, I personally think that like that's something that we should avoid.
You know, if you know something's kosher or whatever, you know that a priest blessed that or whatever.
And if you're ignorant of it, then you're ignorant of it.
You know, if you're accidentally already solved something and someone says, hey, is this kosher?
And you're like, dang it.
Well, you didn't know beforehand, so you don't have to go with a knife and scrape it all off or whatever.
But anyway, but look at Deuteronomy chapter 32.
Actually, turn to 2 Kings chapter 5, I'm going to read Deuteronomy 32 16.
It says, they provoked him to jealousy with strange gods, with abominations provoked they him to anger.
They sacrificed unto devils, not to God, to gods whom they knew not, to new gods that came newly up,
whom your fathers feared not.
So, even in Deuteronomy, God says that these strange gods are actually devils.
And so, devils are fallen angels that have come from heaven and they fell with Lucifer.
A third of the angels fell with Lucifer and now his name is Satan, right?
So, now, obviously, we shouldn't be eating at the table of devils.
We shouldn't be, you know, participating in any kind of pagan religion where they've sacrificed whatever the main course is to their other gods.
But check out what happened with Naaman when he got saved, okay?
So, Naaman was, he had leprosy and he was told by Elisha to go dip in the Jordan seven times and his, you know, leprosy be cleared.
And he's like, this dirty river or whatever, he's like, he's irritated, he's upset.
But then the lady is just like, hey, you know, if he asked you to do something simple, would you, you know, hard, would you do it?
And I'm just paraphrasing, but, you know, he's like, okay, well, I'll go do it.
So, he does it.
And it says, so he gets, he ends up getting healed.
And so, and I believe he got saved.
But look at verse 17, it says, Naaman said, Shall there not, I pray thee, be given to thy servant's two mules, burden of earth?
For thy servant will henceforth offer neither burnt offering nor sacrifice unto other gods, but unto the Lord.
So, what's the first thing he did?
He saved, he's already like a pagan.
He's already worshiping other gods.
But what's he say right away?
I'm not going to sacrifice any offerings to any other gods but the Lord.
So, right off the bat, he learns this truth.
And look what it says, in this thing, the Lord pardoned thy servant, that when my master goeth into the house of Reman to worship there, and he leaneth on my hand, and I bow myself in the house of Reman, when I bow down myself in the house of Reman, the Lord pardoned thy servant in this thing.
So, basically, he's saying, I'm going to go in here, I'm not going to sacrifice to these devils anymore.
But when I go in there, it's part of my job, because he was like a military commander, and he was like, basically, the second in command of this guy, to the king, I think.
And then he says, pardon me for bowing myself to this idol, you know, he's like basically saying, I don't really mean it, you know, I don't mean it in my heart.
So, you know that, but God, you know, isn't okay with that.
God's still not okay with that.
So, it's just like Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, you know, they wouldn't bow down to the, you know, once they played, or Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they wouldn't bow down to the music, even though they could have just, couldn't they have just like bowed down and pretended, you know, you know, they didn't really believe in that, that stuff, but they could have just bowed to get through it, but they stood for what was right.
So, and I'm not saying this guy's a bad guy, I think he's trying, you know, but when we do that as Christians, it is compromise.
So, if we were to do something like we knew something was blessed by some false priest or false religion, and we ate it anyway knowingly, I think that's wrong.
So, and so this guy here, Naaman, he said, pardon my servant when I do this thing.
James, chapter four, verse seven, 17 says,
therefore, to him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
So, when we know something's wrong, and we do it anyway, it's sin, right?
So, turn to 1 Corinthians, chapter eight, verse four.
1 Corinthians, chapter eight, verse four, we were covering this a couple weeks ago, a few weeks ago.
It says, as concerning, therefore, the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know the idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.
So, what's he trying to say?
The idol really is nothing, and even if you eat the meat, it doesn't have some, like, demon living in it or something, okay?
So, once you're saved, you know, the devil can't even possess a Christian.
Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.
So, the devils might be able to vex you or mess with your life, but they can't possess you.
And so, I think the same thing.
As a saved person, you know, you're not going to have some ill thing happen, like the demon's not going to get in you through the meat or whatever, or if you, you know, around this idol, you know, and I would like to break every idol I see.
You know, I really would, but, you know, that's not really going to win them to Jesus when you smash their idol and leave the card, you know, it's like, come visit us at Sure Foundation Baptist Church.
You're like, you know, what happened to Buddha?
Anyway, but now turn back to 1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 22.
So, I'm going to try to make sure I teach this correctly here.
1 Corinthians chapter 10 verse 22, it says, do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?
Are we stronger than he?
All things are lawful to me, but all things are not expedient.
And expedient means suitable or appropriate.
So, not everything is appropriate for us to do.
Not everything, you know, there's things called manners, and sometimes our manners, you know, it might not be wrong for us to have certain mannerisms that we do.
But it can be offensive to other people, and so it might not be the best thing to do.
It says all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
And edify means to improve somebody morally or intellectually.
Not everything that we do, you know, it says all things are lawful, but not all things are good for us to do, basically.
Not all things are suitable or appropriate at that time.
Now, look at verse 24, it says, let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth.
Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no conscience for conscience' sake.
So, you know, say you're soul winning, or you're in another town, you're trying to reach people for Christ, and it says, whatever's sold there, that eat, asking no question for conscience' sake.
What is that saying?
Well, a lot of the meats back then were probably sacrificed under idols.
Now, if you don't want to get in trouble, or you don't want to do something wrong, then don't ask.
It says don't, asking no questions for conscience' sake.
So if it's been sacrificed under idols, and you don't know that, and you eat it, you're fine.
So, I mean, that might not make sense, but that's the truth, because you don't know.
So don't ask any questions about it, and then you're fine.
If you go to the Chinese buffet, and little Buddha's over there with the orange peel in his hand, and a bowl of rice, you don't go up and go, hey, did you sacrifice all of this stuff to Buddha, you know, just eat the Chinese food, or whatever, and you'll be fine.
Just don't ask.
So, and it says, for the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof, and we're his children, amen.
It says if any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and you'd be disposed to go, so they bid you, they say, hey, we'll come over for dinner, and it says whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience' sake.
So just eat what's put before you, don't be rude, don't say, is this sacrificed under idols?
Did you use kosher salt on this?
Is this halal meat by any chance?
Just don't ask, you know, and you're okay.
But see, the difference is, is when you know that it is, and you eat anyway, okay?
Look at verse 28, it says, but if any man say unto you, this is offered in sacrifice unto idols, he flat out just tells you, right?
Eat not for his sake that showed it, and for conscience' sake, for the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof.
Conscience I say not thine own, but of the other, for why is my liberty judge of another man's conscience?
So, but it's saying, don't eat it for conscience' sake.
Don't eat it because you know it is, and that person, if that person's a believer or an unbeliever,
either way, you're gonna offend that person if you eat that meat.
You're gonna be like, I can't believe he's eating meat sacrificed unto idols.
So, and you might ask this question, well, is it morally wrong to eat meat sacrificed unto idols,
false gods, or as they really are, devils?
Is it morally wrong to do that?
And my answer to that, I believe it is.
So, is it morally wrong when you know it's sacrificed unto idols?
And I'll prove it with the Bible.
Turn to Revelation chapter two, verse 18.
Revelation chapter two, verse 18.
Says, and unto the angel of the church of Thyatira write,
These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes unto a flame of fire,
and his feet are like fine brass,
and of Thy works in charity and service and faith,
and Thy patience and Thy works,
and the last to be more than the first.
Notwithstanding, I have a few things against Thee,
because Thou sufferest that woman Jezebel,
which calleth herself a prophetess to teach.
So, strike number one, there's a prophetess named Jezebel,
and they're suffering her to teach, okay?
So, that's not something that God allows.
The Scripture condemns that, and it says,
and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, strike two.
So, this woman's pretty wicked, right?
So, she's trying to teach them that it's Joyce Myers, okay?
And she's trying to seduce the servants
to commit fornication, and what's it say?
To eat things sacrificed unto idols.
So, is it a sin to teach,
to eat things sacrificed unto idols?
Yes.
So, if you're taught that, and you do that, is it a sin?
Yes, absolutely it is.
Says, and I gave her space to repent of her fornication.
She repented not.
Told I'll cast her into a bed,
and them that commit adultery with her
into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds,
and I will kill her children with death.
Doesn't sound like a very good thing to have happen, right?
And all the churches shall know
that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts,
and I will give unto every one of you
according to your works.
So, I think the Bible's very clear right here.
This is Jesus talking right here, and he says,
you know, that she's teaching
to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
And so, I would say, is it morally wrong?
Yes.
So, again, how do you reconcile these things?
Well, don't ask any questions.
Just don't ask.
You know, there's people, like,
someone was telling me something about, like,
they saw some kind of Muslim-looking writing on,
whatever you call it, what do you call that?
I don't know, it's Sanskrit or whatever.
Probably Saudi Arabian, or what is it?
I don't know.
Whatever that, like.
Arabic.
Yeah, Arabic, thank you.
Good night, I can't think.
So, Arabic.
So, there's Arabic writing on it,
and they're like, what does this mean?
Don't ask!
If you don't wanna know whether it's halal meat,
then just don't ask the question.
You don't have to eat it.
You know, you don't have to read it.
I mean, you don't have to know.
Just eat it and shut up.
Make some, you know, some food.
It's good, all right?
So, but, you know, if you know that it is, it's sin.
Let me prove it to you one more time here.
Acts chapter 15, verse 28.
And I can prove it many other different times,
but Acts 15, 28 pretty much seals the deal in my mind.
Verse 28 says, for it seemed good to who?
The Holy Ghost.
And to us.
So, the apostles, the Holy Ghost, he's God, right?
To lay upon you no greater burden
than these necessary things,
that ye abstain from meats offered to idols.
And from blood, and from things strangled,
and from fornication, from which if you keep yourselves,
you shall do well, fare you well.
So, what are they saying?
It seemed good to the Holy Ghost.
So, if it seems good to the Holy Ghost,
don't you think that's pretty, you know,
if God's saying that he thinks that you should abstain
from meats offered unto idols,
then I think that that's the right thing.
If the apostles come to the same conclusion,
then I think it's wrong.
So, in Exodus chapter 20, verse three, it says,
thou shalt have no other gods before me.
Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image.
And in verse five, it says,
thou shalt not bow down myself to them, nor serve them.
So, part of idolatry is serving them.
Part of that is sacrificing meat unto idols.
And so, is the idol anything?
It's not anything.
It doesn't really mean anything to us.
But if someone that's not safe sees you partaking
in some kind of sacrifice unto idols,
or they know that it's wrong in some way, shape, or form,
then you shouldn't partake in it.
And if it's someone that's safe, same thing.
You know, we don't wanna offend people,
even though it might not be really that big of a deal.
But what is a big deal is if you know it is,
and you still do it anyway.
Let's finish it off here.
First Corinthians chapter 10, verse 30 says,
for if I by grace be a partaker,
why am I evil spoken of for that which I give thanks?
Whether therefore you eat, or drink, or whatsoever you do,
do all to the glory of God.
So sometimes there's little nuance rules about eating.
And hey, we should just do it for the glory of God.
If we're gonna offend somebody,
if we're gonna make someone fall,
if we're gonna make their conscience weak,
then we shouldn't give offense.
Look at what it says.
Give none offense, neither to the Jews,
nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God.
So if you're over at some Jews house
that you're trying to win to the Lord,
don't break out the pork chops.
I mean, it's offensive.
Same thing with Muslims or whatever.
I mean, they don't eat pork.
We don't have those restrictions as Christians.
But the Gentiles can be offended in other ways also.
So, nor to the church of God.
So we should just give none offense
when it comes to these types of things.
And it says, even as I please all men in all things,
not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many,
that they may be what?
Saved.
All boiled down to not offending people
so that you can get them saved.
So I know we're red-blooded Americans
and we like to do things a certain way,
but if you're in a different country, things are different.
Who's been to different countries and gone soloing?
They have different things.
They're just things that you would follow
that you wouldn't normally follow in a different place.
So, it's good to know the customs of people.
And if someone puts something in front of you to eat,
it's rude to refuse it.
Don't you think?
I mean, obviously if you're not hungry,
but it's still rude, you can at least take a bite
of that eyeball or whatever they're trying to give you.
So anyway, let's wrap it up here.
So let the Bible stories be an example in your life
as a warning about crossing God.
Because all those things that were mentioned
in the first part of this chapter,
they're pretty serious things.
And God's anger is gonna wax hot
when we commit these kinds of sins.
Idolatry, murmuring, rebellion,
fornication, and tempting Christ.
Don't ever wax wanton against Christ.
And rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft.
I mean, that's a hard saying.
So we're not knowingly to eat, meet, sacrifice
than to idols.
And that includes halal and kosher as far as I'm concerned.
And so, and also Asian eateries where,
you know, for a fact that, you know.
So I think last time I was talking about this,
I was talking about this place we went to in California.
And like they had like buddhas everywhere.
I just wanted to smash them.
But one day we will get to smash them, amen.
Get to beat them up, smash them, grind them into powder
and all that stuff.
But just remember this, if you don't wanna, you know,
if you wanna eat something and you're not sure,
just don't ask them.
And then you'll be in the clear, okay?
Lord, we thank you so much for this chapter in the Bible.
Pray that you just bless us as we go our separate ways
and take us home safely.
Pray that you would just Lord bless this church
and pray for the so many marathon that we got coming up
on Saturday.
Pray that many people would be saved.
In Jesus' name we pray, amen.
We pray that you would just God bless you.
Song number 437.
Amen, Psalm number 437 on the first.
Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.
He is trampling out the vintage
where the grapes of wrath are stored.
He hath loosed the faithful lightning
of his terrible swift sword.
His truth is marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah.
His truth is marching on.
I have seen him in the watchfires
of a hundred circling camps.
They have built it in an altar
in the evening dews and damps.
I can read his righteous sentence
by the din of faring lands.
His day is marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah.
His day is marching on.
He has sounded forth the trumpet
that shall never sound retreat.
He is sifting out the hearts of men
before his judgment seat.
Oh, be swift, my soul,
to answer him, be jubilant, my feet.
Our God is marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah.
Our God is marching on.
Last verse.
In the beauty of the lilies,
Christ was born across the sea
with the glory in his bosom
that transfigures you and me.
As he died to make men holy,
let us die to make men free
while God is marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah.
While God is marching on.
Amen.
Brother Sean, would you dismiss this
in a word of prayer?
Lord, thank you so much for this day.
Thank you so much for that sermon, Lord.
I pray that you would put those truths
in our hearts, Lord,
that you would bring us here.
Amen.