Amen. when I have her brother Ray. Come on.
Well, good morning, everyone. how's everybody doing
And
Well, I'd like you to turn to first Corinthians 10 i'm going to have the new King James which is the pubile Bible.
Translation. When I get this microphone out of the way here
Let's open in a word of Prayer and then we'll take a look at hopefully.
Message. It will encourage you, our Father. We come before you, and we thank you for the Lord Jesus Christ.
We enjoy. the lord's supper we're we were able to express our thanks, and dwell upon the magnificent sacrifice that you made to free us to deal so effectively.
With sin to put it away, and then to sanctify us to to give us your presence and access into the throne Room of Grace, and to intercede for us.
There's so many benefits and you have a lifetime to explore, and and an eternity.
Lord, thank you for being kind to us, and for this time of the reading of your public word, that you would bless it, and we give you thanks in Jesus His name.
Amen. So today I wanted to talk about the danger of over confidence and our theme verse would be for Corinthians 10 verse 12.
If anyone thinks he stands, take heed, lusty fall.
The danger of our confidence There's a story of a Bible student that was at Seminary and at 1 point. He, you know he had come from a liberal background.
1 point he was reading about jesus's miracles and he decided he just didn't believe in it.
So he went into his Professor's office, and he said you know I just don't believe in miracles, and he took a seat in front of him, and the professor is that right?
He said, Would you mind getting up and closing the door?
And so, as he got up, Professor sprung around the desk kicked him right in the took us his head bang down the door, and he said, If you don't see stars that would be a miracle.
So there is a Somebody made the observation once that those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it, but quote is most likely due to writer and philosopher.
George sent Anaya, and in its original form it said this: Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it, and this observation certainly applies the first Corinthians chapter 10 versus 1 13 which is our
passage for today. Paul states, and first Corinthians one.
He says: Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware or ignorant about those who have gone before us.
Our fathers. So what Paul is going to do in this chapter is, he was Israel and their past, since, as a warning to us, and an example that we should not use our Christian liberty in a way that would be detrimental to
our own spiritual life or soul. but to do that we have to actually turn back to first Corinthians 9, and Paul uses himself as an example.
So in for Corinthian study uses Israel an example.
But first he starts with himself. I want you to notice the warning first, and first Corinthians 10, and it says this first Corinthians 10 verse, 12.
Our theme for the message, and we'll get there in a minute.
Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
Now the context for the use of verse one here i'm sorry.
First Corinthians 10 verse 12. Let him who thinks he stands take he, lest you fall.
With respect to the Corinthian Church and their exceeding of Christian liberty.
And they have great faith in their discernment.
This is what Paul discovers, and they are indulging in questionable things.
They're loaded with gift certainly, but spiritual maturity is lacking, and Paul is saying to them that if you are confident in yourselves, and you have knowledge that has puffed you up, we deals of that in chapter 8 this
question this could lead to your being disqualified for minister.
It could lead you to be coming in outcast, and your behavior could result in being a stumbling block to someone else.
It could hinder your ministry. and finally, this behavior could be detrimental to your soul, your own spiritual life.
And so Paul has the heart of of a missionary.
He considers them himself to be his. their their spiritual father and so he's concerned about this, and so he brings up 3 issues. He addresses them in 3 chapters.
The first issue is, you could your before could stumble.
Someone deals with that in chapter 8 he talks about behavior that's detrimental to ministry chapter 9. and then he talks about the behavior that is detriment detrimental here on spiritual life in chapter 10
and the application here is because you begin to exercise your liberty in a certain way.
As you're doing that all of a sudden you can find yourself once again in bondage.
You, you might regress into the old life and so you are doing things you used to do before you were converted in the Christian life, and the chapter that we're looking at is a warning. again that be careful if you think you can indulge in this
and indulge in that. And so Paul now gives us the principles to deal with this, regardless of whatever the sins indulged in.
May be so. if you're, gonna write something now it would be good to write these things down, So there are 3 important questions to ask ourselves regarding Christian liberty, will it stumble? someone else?
Will it hinder my ministry? Will it be detrimental to my soul?
Will bring the end to bondage. Will it stumble?
Someone else? Will it hinder my ministry? Will it be detrimental to my soul, will bring me into bondage?
And the answer, if the answer is yes to any of these, we want to flee or avoid these things.
Because of the danger involved. So knowing this Paul uses israel's past as an illustration of the danger of being overconfident, let's turn to first Corinthians, 9 versus 24 through 27 first.
Corinthians 9 verses, 24 through 27, and Paul begins with a familiar phrase. If you're familiar with his epistle, epistles, verse for screenings, and Ivers 24 says, this do you not
know. Do you not know that those who run in a race all run but one receives the prize?
Notice the word. all all run, but only one foot race, or receives the prize.
And so he goes on to say, run in such a way that you maintain it.
Verse 25, and everyone who competes for the prize is temperate or disciplined in all things.
Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown.
But we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus, not with uncertainty.
Thus I fight not as someone who beats the air like a boxer that is ineffective, but I discipline my body and bring it into subjection.
Last, when i've preached others on myself should become discouraged, so all the racers practice discipline in their training routine, they they do it all for a prize a laurel wreath that will will wilt and wither and
fade away. The crown is temporal I remember watching footage of professional box.
There's training and the training is just extraordinary I mean the you know skipping of rope, the the passing of this medicine ball.
You know the there's a certain thing that they practice you know where they have something that tilts back and forth, and their body moves in the opposite direction to give their opponent a moving target.
All the time. My Tyson and his prime was just ferocious.
He was a a guy that was always on the attack. He was always closing the distance.
He was always providing a moving target, and then, when he got close enough, he was just devastating same with racers.
They do all sorts of crazy things to train I remember mentioning before, and other sermons about long-distance runners and the training that they do.
And it's just they're they're focused on the price, and this is what Paul is referring to.
However, Paul's crown is not something that will fade away. In contrast Paul says: Having started this Christian race, I practice self-discipline in order to win the race.
Paul says I want to be the band who wins and i'm going to run in such a ways to get the prize.
So when we come into first grade themes Chapter 10.
Paul picks up this theme. the use of Christian liberty has the potential of an endangering one spish a spiritual life or soul.
And so let's come back to the theme again first Corinthians 10 verse 12.
If, therefore, let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.
Now, if there are 3 main lessons in this portion that we're looking at for scareinthians 10 versus 1 13.
The first 4 verses deal with this. blessings are no guarantee of success.
The second portion versus 5 through 10 deals with this.
A good beginning does not guarantee a good ending.
And finally, the versus 11 through 13. God can help us overcome temptation, so blessings are no guarantees to success versus one through 4.
But a good beginning does not guarantee a good ending versus 5 through 10, and God can help us overcome temptation versus 11 through 13.
So let's take a look at first Corinthians 10. and starting in verse one he says this: Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware, or ignorant that all our fathers
were under the cloud, all pass through the sea. The first 2, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink.
For the drank of that spiritual rock followed them, and that rock was Christ.
So we have information that is provided as a type of Christ, and then that type is defined.
It clearly says, inverse for that rock that they were found was Christ, or that they drank from?
Was Christ. So remember, I mentioned the word all in chapter 924, because it is the key to the first war versus in first Corinthians.
10 all of us are running a Christian race. So you notice that Paul starts in verse. One, he says, Do not be unaware, ignorant, or in Warsby said this, said, that there is danger to maturity as well as to
immaturity. You know we're always worried about the new believer, you know, baby Christian, and and having them take having the root formed deeply in Christ Jesus, and we should be you know we want to encourage people but there's
also warning to those that are mature, too. I remember.
Dan Smith, one of the kindlyest gentlemen I ever met. and we're in a conference one time, and he said, You know all of us foolishness is right around the corner and he was probably in his seventies
I remember Bill Mcdonald doing the Mini Conference.
Probably probably probably in the late nineties. and he was again in his eightys, and he was expounding on the upper room discourse, and he said, You know, if you think about something long enough.
You'll do it and again. he was in his eighties this guy wrote 90 books.
He was a legend in brethren and assemblies, and he said this, and and very sincerely we have to be careful.
So we're sure Christ i'm sure Christian might say Well, i've read the Bible 15 times, or I've got it all together.
I've been saved for 30 years, but the scriptures are quite clear that pride goes before destruction in a haughty spirit before a fall, proper 16 or 18.
So we have to be on guard. And now this is not a doom and gloom message.
I mean this is this is meant to encourage us. But Paul has some deep things to say.
Here. I think Paul is saying that no one is immune from a fall.
Even Paul had a thorn in his flesh. He begged that it would be taken away, but God understood what was in him, probably more obviously more than he did, and he kept that thorn in place.
And he said, My grace is sufficient for you the path for dealing with this is my grace.
Course the book of Hebrew says it's good for us to be established in grace. Not in rules.
We've just we just got down with the book of Galatians, and we dealt with that quite a bit.
Remember everyone runs the race, but only one receives the prize.
The reference here is to paul's personal aim to finish that race set before him, and not let up one bit.
You know a prayer that I used to hear a lot. was when people get up and pray, they would say you know, and praying for you know so and so, and I pray that they would finish.
Well, i've heard mature older believers pray that prayer alluding to themselves, You know, I pray, that I would finish the race well, and so they're acutely aware that they would like to finish the race, remember Bob.
and Carolyn for all these to do our Friday night Bible study.
They're just hilarious actually and they talked about picking up burial plots, and like yep right in the grave.
That's where we're going right in the grave and they wanted to finish well right in the grave.
You know not anything. Get in the ring the great So we want to finish.
Well, Paul and all of us, for that matter, want to hear these words.
Well done, good and faithful servant, Matthew, 25, versus 23.
So what Paul is saying is that the Israelites had a good beginning.
So we look at first, Grant being 10 correct the instant the verse. 4 verses.
They had a good good beginning, a great beginning. They had spiritual blessings and advantages, yet they came out of Egypt, and very few entered into the promise land.
They came out of Egypt and did not enter in perhaps is many as 2 million people came out of the wilderness, but only Cab and Joshua entered into that generation, for you people that are good.
At math. it's like point. Oh, Oh, Oh, Oh, 1% So it's not a really good percentage here.
It's a very sobering biblical fact so we need to be careful that we finish the race that before us once again versus one through 4.
Paul uses the word all 5 times, all were under the cloud, all pass through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, all like the same spiritual food, and all drink the same spiritual drink all of them experience, them fantastic
fantastic benefits, and miracles and god's visible presence, as shown by the cloud by day, and the fiery pillar by night.
Think about this. During the day they saw a pillar rising high in the sky.
That was the Lord's presence at night it was a fiery pillar.
If you look at some of the commentaries like jewish commentaries, they'll whether this is an embellishment or not.
But they, the Jewish people, considered that fiery pillar to be God's presence, but also scaring away wild animals in the wilderness and protecting them.
So think about seeing that night after night they all ate the same spiritual food and drink the same spiritual drink, but with most of them God was not pleased.
Not well, please, and of course that's an understatement. so we need to be diligent in our walk.
Now, of course, these are the Israelites. We have Christ in dwelling in us, but it's just an example that Paul writes down to the New Testament Church here, so we need to be sure that we begin well run well and end
well. and this also applies to the Church. Have you noticed that not every Christian or every servant of the Lord who starts well has His blessings?
And well, I think you probably observe that there are people that just simply for whatever reason, pause, or if the the race is going on, they might just go to the curbside, and just rest whatever it is.
So It's not just how you start it's How you run and finish the race that's set before us, and of course Hebrews talks about this for instance.
Hebrews 12. Let us run the race. This set before us.
Let us remove those sinful things that so easily entangle our progress, and such additionally, we need to stay in the race and follow the rules so as not to be disqualified.
Now what were the blessings that the Israelites enjoyed here?
I meanm gonna switch to my paper notes. And there were 5 things that they enjoyed.
They they were under the cloud, so the pillar of cloud by day that God provided for Israel.
For 40 years. This cloud was seen at night, the pillar of fire, a reminder that the Lord was there, and would never leave them.
He says, I will never leave you, nor forsake you any visibly showed that Paul is saying is that they had this awesome blessing of the presence of God the protection of God, and the guidance of God Now in addition to
that the Israelites also had All of them passed through the sea.
And what Paul is referring to here is that They observed perhaps the greatest Old Testament example of God's power, probably the most the the greatest, display of God's power in the Old Testament literally took the engine of of
Pharaoh's economy the israelites and rip them right out.
He affected. I mean he hit Farrah with different plagues, and some of the plagues were really extraordinary 1 point the Lord just kind of flips the switch.
It becomes dark, and they say that it was a darkness unlike ever that had ever been experienced before.
I remember preaching on this one other time. another time as it ends the Lord strikes down the firstborn son.
At that point the Lord the Lord just crushed Pharaoh and the Israelites left. not only that it was sort of it was completely blood, this. there was no blood that was shed as the user lights left and the is
the Egyptians were more than happy to pay them for all the wages that had been withheld.
They were just more than happy to load them up with everything they wanted.
They just simply wanted them out of there. So they left and then passed through the the sea.
This wall of water, and they walked through. Now that would have been quite a spectacle to see whether it was a land bridge or whatever they saw.
This mountain of water. As they walked through on dry ground, Lord made it drive, and so they saw that, and they were removed from the furnace of Egypt.
All of them were baptized into moses and they didn't get wet.
They were. What the baptism here that Paul is referring to is the identification with Mo Moses.
Moses is authority, and such identification with him, just like the Christian who is baptized, identifies with the call crucifixion called burial and co-resurrection of Jesus, Christ as it, says in Roman 7
we Paul uses the analogy of married couple If one dies, the remaining couple is free to remarry, and so we've effectively been married to another, which is Jesus Christ.
Where he goes, we go so They were separated from Egypt.
The old life. they're following moses identified with Moses and they see, in addition to that spiritual food they receive so spiritual food.
This mana what's really called it's just called what is it? It tastes like honey wafers, and God just provides that which is a remarkable thing.
He's feeding all of these people their shoes never wore out their clothes, never wore up.
This is a massive provision that the Lord is making, and they experience all of that.
And yet many most did not enter into the promised land.
Every day God provided for them. the some seventy-eighters, 25.
I remember reading this in the King James. They were fed the corn of heaven.
What is what what is called what man is called. This is angels food.
This is what they were fed, and of course this is a picture of Jesus Christ in John 6.
He is the bread of life. and the analogy, then, is, we are hungry.
We reach outside of ourselves, we put something inside of ourselves in.
It becomes a part of us. We have hunger spiritually for the Lord Jesus Christ.
He provides a provision for us, we take it in, we appropriate it, and he becomes a part of us.
Picture of salvation. Jesus is our spiritual food. I am the bread of life.
So they were baptized into Moses. They drank the same water, they drank the same, they ate the spiritual food, and they drink of that rock which is Christ.
Now remember when Wolf was alive, he gave me this Dvd.
About some of the archaeological finds that they they found in Saudi Arabia and other archaeologists.
I'm not sure if if this was real or not but the point is that in that Dvd they picture this massive rock that Moses touched with his staff, this thing broke open and was able to feed 2 million people but essentially a lake
of water came out. when Jesus is feeding the 5,000 in in mark.
Chapter 6. The Greek word that is used there is that It's not just that they got a little taste.
They got all that they wanted, and there was something left over.
They gorged themselves on what the Lord provided. And so this is what was happening with the children of Israel.
Now. So they were excited. They were satisfied. They started.
Well, then, these blessings, though didn't seem to affect them right they didn't.
They didn't they didn't seem to go on into the Promised Land, because the book of Hebrews talks about that.
They it wasn't mixed with faith they disbelieved God, and they continually showed behavior that was displeasing to the Lord.
And you know the in our particular case. we we have a danger of having a multitude of spiritual blessings.
But they don't give us license to sin right the greater the privilege is the grade of the responsibility that we have.
And you can say, Well, yeah, I was born again, i'm in a great church.
I read the Bible. I have Christian family and friends but again, he's warning us like he stands take heed less default.
And so Paul is making this explanation to us in this warning.
You can start well, you can have many blessings like Israel.
But they did not all please God, and end well so we go on to the second lesson versus 5 through 10; and as we mentioned before, we have a good beginning, but it doesn't guarantee a good ending but with many of
them. God was not well pleased, and this is, of course, a huge understanding, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.
As it says, they were overthrown. chapter 9 verse 27 talks about being cast away.
Now again. This is the Israelites we're talking about Paul says I beat my body.
I keep it under subjectionless. Having preached to do others having blessings, opportunity, mystery, I find myself to be cast away.
Here we find Paul saying in verse 5 I don't want you to be overthrown, as they were in the wilderness here, so we need to keep guard on our behavior.
Certainly in our lives we need to self-examine ourselves.
Certainly the Lord's supper is a great opportunity to examine ourselves before we we take of the Emblem.
Let's read versus 19 through 10 together first, Corinthians 10 versus 6 through 10, and it says this: Now these things became our examples to the intent that we should not last step evil.
Things, as they also lusted, and do not become idolaters, as some of them, as it is written to.
People sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
Nor let us commit sexual immorality as some of them did, and in one day 23,000 fell first 9.
You'll let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed by serpents, nor complain, as some of them also complained and were destroyed by the destroyer.
So Israel's great failure. israel's great fall is depicted here care we have a great contrast.
They had all of these blessings, but with many of them God was not well pleased.
He describes the experience at the border of the Promised Land, as it is known as Katish Barnea.
When they are going to go into the land. They sent 12 spies.
His spies came back and 10 of them said we can't go in.
They're giants in the land it's a land that eats up its inhabitants.
It's terrible let's go back to egypt and Joshua and Caleb said No, it's ours.
God promised it to us let's go in and take the land, and the people wanted to stone them, and they hated these words of faith.
So Paul is talking about the the fact, or the That time of unbelief and fear experienced by the Israelites.
Unbelief and fear will keep you from experiencing the blessings of the victorious Christian life.
God wants you to go into a land of abundance on that Amen.
God has a land of abundance for you. God wants you to enter in, but fear and unbelief will keep you from entering in so heavy begun.
With all of these blessings does it guarantee a good ending came out of Egypt.
They passed through the seat they had the cloud the pillar of fire, and they would not go in.
Let's look at verse 6 again now these things became our examples to the intent that we should not lost step for evil things, as they also lusted they lusted after evil thing, and that's the warning now we're some
of their sins. What were the some of the sins that provoked to God?
We we noticed the first one in verse 7, which is idolatry.
They rose up to play. now, as some as a bible commentator said, they didn't rise up to play part cheesy.
They rose up to engage in drunken orgies and I remember when I was in school taking a psychology class. They've done a lot of studies about group behavior, and it is very very well known that an individual do something in a group, that they
won't do individually, or something about a group and I dynamic that can really get a crowd going.
And this is what happened. Think about what happened here. Moses goes up on the mountain at some point.
They? they have no idea where he is. They ask, Where did this fellow Moses go?
And in Louisiana they convince Aaron to build this golden calf, and of course he gives one of the greatest excuses ever.
If you have children here's some dooies but Aaron basically says, you know, they gave me all this gold.
I threw them in the fire and now came this cap it's like if you realize, ever listening to your children, the step that they ask you to believe is so far fetched and and yet errands up there and Moses comes
down from the mountains at the 10 Commandments. he hears what he thinks is war.
Joshua says this is the sound of war and Moses Doesn't bite.
He knows what's happening. He breaks the 10 commandments and he deals with the sin in the camp.
But the point of the matter is, they wrote up to play and engaged in idolatry.
So they had come to Katish barnia They were filled with fear and unbelief, and they didn't want to go in, and when they were there they engage in idolatry.
They allowed something to get in between them and the Lord that delivered them.
Moses deals with that issue, and we are also to take this warning about idolatry in our own lives.
Whatever would get in the way of our love for the Lord.
He wants us to love Him with our all of our hearts, soul and mind, and not let anything get in the way, and that will keep us from finishing.
Well if if that's allowed to happen, the second sin is fornication. Verse 8, Paul says, let us not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day 23,000 fell God judged them for
their sin Here the references to numbers 23. The lesson is, God does not want this for us as people.
He wants purity. I remember being in a conference when time with Mike Atwood, and he was preaching a particular section inscription.
He says, you know, when we are not pure mocking god's purity, and I was like, Wow, that's strong language.
But it's true William barclay said only a passionate love for purity can save man from impurity.
But notice the third sin tempting the Lord. We read in verse 9 here.
Why this print is getting smaller and smaller, for me i've got all these floors. Fred Guy has one I've got about 50 billion, you know, when we go to the elders meeting occasionally.
Fred will ask me to drive along with him at 1 point.
I never told him this, but he had that eye that needed to be fixed, and I thought, Hmm.
Yeah, i've got 2 eyes he's got one working I 3 eyes is better than 2. me.
But at least it's a full house so anyway. verse 9, says this, nor less tempt crisis.
Some of them also tempted and were destroyed by serpents. So what we're talking about here is poisonous snakes killing the people they're being killed by this and they cry out finally to Moses Moses
goes to the Lord, and God tells Moses what to do.
Make a brand abroad a brass servant, brass being the medal of judgment. put it on a pole, stick it in the ground, and tell people to look on it and live.
Just simply look and live it's a picture of salvation to date, look upon Jesus, believe on him it's that simple and live, enjoy eternal life.
If someone here in the audience does not know Christ Jesus as their Savior, look and live today while it is still called today, I make this urgent plea to you.
Consider the claims of Christ. Jesus believe in your heart that God is raised him from the debt, and you shall be saved.
All right, hallelujah it's free so as we continue here.
We think, about John 3 16, the famous first, but versus John, chapter 3 versus 14 and 15 speak about Jesus being lifted up.
He had to be lifted up to pay for the sins of the world.
Notice also chapter first, Grinthians, 10 verse, 10 complaining or murmuring.
If you listen to the word murmuring it sounds like complaining, Mom, I hear my kids during a book, or sometimes i'm doing it.
But they complained they were destroyed by the destroyer.
This is Numbers 16. the rebellion of Cora and Moses prayed to grow God.
The ground opened up and closed up again, who says the bible is boring.
That's one of the most riveting sections in the Bible.
It's Radical, but the application here is in the area of Christian liberty.
However, there are many who do not want to listen to Church leadership to their own detriment.
These are God established authorities and in addition to other authorities, and you're wise to take counsel.
So God has established these things to give us counsel, and He gives us plenty of warnings.
But who knows his his chest tisement might come for someone? now, as we're getting close to the end here, we want to wrap up, and we're looking at versus 11 through 13 Let's read these together.
Now all these things happen to them as examples and we're written for our admission, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.
First 12. Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed less default. That's our theme, and one of the most important versus probably in all of the Bible, for our walk with him.
No temptation is overtaken you as except such as is common to man.
But God is faithful when not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape.
When I'm counseling people and I also have an accountability partner, too.
It is amazing that this verse right here gives us so much with respect to dealing with temptation.
Sometimes your dealing with something or Maybe it's sort of bitterness, or whatever it is, and you forget how really clear some of these verses are designed to help us.
So let's look at versus 11 Here We learned that God can help us overcome temptation.
You may think, let's end this on a good note and you could say, Well, right, let's let's end the message on a good note.
Let's have some happy thoughts God can help us overcome temptation.
That's a happy thought, and the application is let him who thinks he stands.
Take he less default. If you can think that there is no hope you need to read verse 13 Israel's history is a warning and admonition to us.
If we don't know history we're bound to repeat it so the change?
What are you talking is israel's pattern of sin here is a good instruction to us to avoid certain things that goes before destruction.
A haughty spirit before a fall, a pattern of life that develops besetting sins that can sneak in if we're not careful in our walk.
Think about. Peter was just an excellent example of this in the New Testament.
Here he denies the Lord Greece, he and and think about what he did.
He traveled with Jesus, He ate with Jesus. He hung around with Jesus.
One of the most moving things is first John Chapter, one where the writer is describing the relationship that he had with the Lord Jesus Christ.
We gazed upon, we looked at, and we lived with him.
We saw where he lives. One of the first things that Jesus says is come and see.
Come to see where I live. Other times Jesus says, What do you want?
What What do you want me to do for you? The disciples came.
They experienced Jesus Christ. And yet here Peter denies Jesus he doesn't just deny me denising with curses, and he crashed a horrible fall.
Basically what he was saying to to Jesus was you know these other disciples are a bunch of knuckleheads.
I'm strong enough, i'm not going to fall and yet he is the first one to take a fall looking at his life.
A pattern emerges that led to his fault it's a trend.
So first he was overconfident that's our theme let him He who thinks he stands to be lest he fall, Jesus said, All of you are going to be
Doesn't say that or it's Okay, in this instance or maybe I need to get a looser translation.
Maybe do some hermeneutics on it I don't think it really says it.
Now it really says that. so he says you know what lord you're wrong.
I'm strong enough i'm Peter i'm the rock and these other disciples there, weak, but not me, and it's amazing.
Peter again argues with the Lord and Peter as we're observing him.
What we're thinking is watch out the second pattern that emerges as Peters trend downward was his prayerlessness.
Jesus goes back to them in the garden of get 70, and they are sleeping.
And he says that can't you even just stay up for 1 h.
Are, Are you not praying and and i'm watching and waiting?
This is the hour of one of the most important hours in jesus's life?
Can't you stay awake. Jesus found them all sleeping prayer is like that.
We can kneel down to pray and fall sleep you know it's like somebody has said this forms a nice little cup.
You know you're kind of printed from I remember, one of the elders, when I first came to the assembly, would tell me that he would wake up in the middle of night, and he would start praying and I thought
Wow! and I believe that but for me I wake in the middle of the night.
I start print it goes right. But yeah, So the thing is, we want to be villagin but vigilant.
But Peter was over confident and prayer less then and again.
We're talking about exercising a Christian liberty the set The third thing with Peter was that he was following from afar off.
We can think of the believer kind of along parallel lines.
Believer can stop going to church. You can stop fellow shipping with God's people.
He can stop praying, and all of a sudden a big fall is going to happen.
And fourthly, with Peter. he was in the wrong company. He was warming himself with those who were enemies of Christ.
And that's what can happen with the believer you stop fellow shipping with God's people, You stop making contact with them.
You stop praying and suddenly find yourself in a place that is very, very far from the Lord with people that do not like the Lord, and use language and all sorts of things that are not got honorary here.
He is hanging around with the enemies around the fire, and you wonder why Peter fell.
Notice. verse 13. No temptation is or taking you such as is common to man.
And so we're just breaking this down as we finish up here.
No temptation is overtaking you, except such as his common demand.
If you talk to people. We finished up in Galatians, and we think about Galatians Chapter 6.
It opens up with mature believers coming along. Someone was caught up in a sin, a sin that has surprising strength.
And the point is that someone who is in that position and others you can hear this will say, Well, i'm being tempted with something that nobody else has ever experienced.
Nobody in the world in the history of the world, has ever experienced this temptation, and the Bible is saying no common to man whatever.
It is it's common to man and then it says the God is faithful.
He wants to work in your life. He wants to come alongside.
God will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, even if the temptation is the strongest that you've ever felt it's still not as strong as it could be.
Because God is intervening. but with the temptation rules I mean the way of escape that you may be able to bear to bear it in those times of temptation.
What we're training to do in the Christian life. is to wait for that door that opens to believe that to have confidence that it at some point this temptation will be over.
Nobody really experiences temptation all of the way. Only Jesus Christ did.
Dave Mcleod, in his book on Hebrews, uses a wonderful illustration.
Jesus is like that tree during a category 5 hurricane that withstands all of the hurricane experiences that were the tree that breaks off and goes down with the wind somewhere.
You know whatever in Florida. Jesus with steward the full force of temptation, and he's able to aid us during those times.
He's able to help us in our weaknesses because he experienced what it was like to be human.
He is our great Intercessor think about luke i'm sorry Mark Chapter 6 where he compels them to get in a boat across the Lake of Galilee.
He's up on a mountain interceding for them and then, of course, he walks on the water and comes to their aid.
Subtentations are a test. Scott permits them he's not the author of them, but God is faithful, and I love that God is faithful, and you have to humbly pray if you do not observe the if
you engage in that type of pattern like Peter did, you surely will fall additionally.
God is truthful or faithful. with respect to his protection for you, magnificent promise!
Verse 13. Memorize this verse. it can really help you.
So as we're concluding here we want to be careful that the blessings here that we're given the guarantee that we will end well, and you will end well if you humbly depend on him remember that a
good beginning doesn't mean a good ending we want to finish well by applying diligence here.
We want to receive the prize. We want to receive those crowns and cast them at his feet because He did it all.
Remember that God is able to help you, but you must trust him and look to Him.
Let's brave our father. we come before you in Jesus his name are so grateful to look at this portion of Scripture.
We're thankful that you inspired, Paul to write these things down for us. we're grateful Laura that we can help one another.
Come alongside one another, and we're grateful Lord for the fellowship that we enjoy as we wait for return.
Give us a blessed week. Help us to discern your body as we go through the week.
We thank you, Lord, and praise you in Jesus His name.
Amen.