Flee Idolatry - 11/21/10

Dear Friends,

From talking to you and through emails I've received, I know there are a few of you who do not belong to a local church, but you're longing to be fed and challenged by the Word.  Matt and I are so blessed to belong to a wonderful church that we love where the sermons each week are challenging and gospel centered.    I thought it would be helpful to post an audio link to our sermons along with the notes I (Catherine) took. 

To listen to the sermon, click here and look for:
Flee Idolatry
Series: 1 Corinthians
Speaker: Larry Lazarus
Sermon Date: 11/21/2010
Passage: 1 Cor 10:1~22

The following sermon is based on I Corinthians 10:1-22:

Are you committed to making war against everything that would keep you from pursuing Jesus Christ with all of your heart and might?

The Corinthians became very self-assured and cocky about their faith.  They were casually attending idol temples and mingling with things that dishonor Jesus and they didn't care at all about it.

Paul gives them:
1) A reminder from the past.
2) A command for the present.
3) Comfort for the future.

A history lesson -
Paul reminds the Corinthians of the Israelites.  They all tasted amazing grace but with most of them, God was not pleased.  This happened so that (v. 6) they would be examples for us so that we might not desire evil as they did.  Be careful about not becoming too self-assured by saying, "I'm fine spiritually."  "I don't need to tackle sin, pray, fellowship, etc."  Don't get comfortable with sin in your life and rely on past experiences like baptism, a prayer you prayed, or church membership to assure yourself of salvation.

If you want assurance of salvation, don't look to past experiences.  Ask yourself if you're running hard after Jesus now.  Are you trusting him now?

I John 5:13

There is a way to believe in vain.  If you don't care about Jesus or fighting sin, and you're relying on a prayer you prayed for salvation, you may find yourself disqualified from the race. 

The stakes are high.  This is a very serious race.  Don't take this lightly!  Flee from idolatry.  You can't have a foot in the world and a foot in the church.

Idol: that to which we look for all good and in which we find refuge in our time of need.  False saviors.

What are your idols?
*What captures your greatest zeal?
*Whose approval do you crave the most?
*What do you brag about?
*What do you feel like you need to have in order to be happy?
*What's your non-negotiable?
*What do you covet?
*What are you afraid of most?
*What do you complain about most?
*What's the one thing that if you were to lose it, you'd feel like your life was not worth living?
*What do you turn to for comfort?
*What angers/frustrates you the most?
*What causes you to questions His love for you?
*What do you sacrifice the most for?  (money, time, energy)

They may be good things but when you make them non-negotiables and put them before Christ, they can become instruments of your damnation.

Flee!
(v. 13) No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.  God is faithful.  He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.