5/5/13 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 Rising Above

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1 Corinthians: An Inward Look

Week 5: Rising Above

May 5, 2013

 

GETTING THINGS STARTED

Josh Hamilton is a professional baseball player.  He was a top prospect in the game of baseball, and great things were predicted for him.  But as Hamilton tells in this video, his life didn’t quite go the route he and others thought it might:

iamsecond.com/seconds/josh-hamilton/

 

  • What are your thoughts after seeing this video?
  • Describe how Hamilton talked about drugs and alcohol.  How does this inspire you either to make better choices than you’re currently making or to keep making wise choices, like you’re already doing?
  • Hamilton’s dreams about encountering the devil are so vivid.  What are your thoughts about the difference in his first dream and the second dream?

 

Josh Hamilton tried for a long time to beat temptation and sin on his own.  And like most people, he couldn’t do it.  Temptation beat him every time.  Sin, in the form of drug and alcohol addiction, had a grip on Hamilton.  But Hamilton submitted his life to Jesus’ lordship and surrendered to God.  He accepted Jesus’ sacrifice for his sins and entered into a relationship with Christ.  Suddenly, he was no longer trying to beat temptation on his own.

This is a great thought to keep in mind as we head into today’s lesson.

 

(Afterword: Though this clip was made after he was reinstated clean and sober in 2006 and after his career was resurrected as an All-Star in 2008, the former No. 1 draft pick in 1999 had a relapse with alcohol in January 2009 and February 2012.  He admitted his moments of weakness both times, sought help and was allowed to keep playing in the MLB.  He just got a $125M contract to play with the Los Angeles Angels.

 

Josh Hamilton’s story reveals the need for constant vigilance, humility, and victory over past habits and temptations.  We will never truly “arrive” until we see the Savior face to face and we become as He is--perfect.  Following Christ makes you sinless in standing with the Heavenly Father, but doesn’t mean an automatic sinless life as a Christian.  The good news is that with the help of the Holy Spirit, God’s Word, and a community of fellow believers, there is joy in sinning less.  Not sinless, but sin-less as we look back at how faithful God truly is in our lives and as we look forward to be more than a conqueror and hold tight to the words of Jude 24: “Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy”)  

 

 

Read 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (nlt)

12If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. 13The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience.  And God is faithful.  He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.  When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure.

 

 

This passage comes from a section of the letter where Paul is addressing three specific issues that the Corinthian church is facing.  It comes near the end of a passage where Paul is advising the Corinthians on how to handle the issue of meat that has been devoted to idols.  Some of the meat these Christians would have the opportunity to purchase in the marketplaces could have been meat that had previously been offered to false gods in a shrine service.  Paul instructs these Christians not to eat meat that has been offered to false gods or to eat dinner in a temple of a false god.  Both of these were not to be done so as not to provide a stumbling block for a fellow Christ-follower who might be of weaker faith.

 

Paul then writes the words of verses 12-13 as a way of helping the Corinthians know that the temptations they face are common to other Christians and that they do not have to make sinful or unholy decisions—God always will provide them a way out if they will seek His guidance and act accordingly.  While Paul was speaking of a specific instance and a specific context, his words have tremendous application when applied to a big-picture thinking about sin and temptation.

 

It’s a fitting message for us to know that the temptations we encounter are not unique to us.  Other teenaged Christ-followers deal with the exact same struggles.  And while they might take different forms today, the truth is, most of the sins we are tempted with have been plaguing people for centuries.  We can confidently know that we do not have to give in to temptation.  God will provide us a way out when we are tempted.  It’s a matter of recognizing temptation for what it is, seeking a God-honoring resolution, and then acting on it.

 

This is the fifth of six lessons from the book of 1 Corinthians.  In this lesson we’re going to be looking at how the things we struggle with might not be that unique to us and that in every situation, there is a way for us to avoid letting our temptation turn into sin.  Let’s see how this works.

 

 

1. Temptations confront every Christ-follower

 

  • The Bible teaches that every one of us is confronted by temptation.  In a sense, it is a shared experience that cannot be avoided.  How do you feel about that truth, and why?
  • What do you think Paul is communicating in verse 12?  Is he saying it’s impossible to feel truly confident in how well we’re resisting temptation?  Or is he saying something else?  Explain.
  • What’s the difference between being tempted to sin and actually sinning—the difference between the temptation and the “falling” Paul mentions?
  • Have you ever felt like you were doing well spiritually but then suddenly faced an overwhelming temptation to sin?  What did you learn from that experience?

 

The times we feel really close to God, or like we’re right where we’re supposed to be are awesome times.  We need to soak them up and enjoy them for what they are worth.  But, we can never let our guard down when it comes to our struggle with sin.  As soon as we do, we’re done!  If we’re living our lives in a way that is pleasing to God it means that we have to fight temptation.  And part of fighting it is realizing what we’re up against.  Which brings us to our next point.

 

 

2. Any temptation you face is neither unique nor unconquerable

 

  • Do you ever believe you are struggling with something that is your own personal battle, a situation no one else can relate to or understand?  If so, how does that make you feel?
  • Do you struggle to believe Paul’s statement that others experience the same temptation as you—or that God won’t allow you to endure more than you can handle?  Why or why not?
  • A couple of lessons ago (Your Body, God’s Temple), we talked about the importance of resisting the temptation of sexual sin.  How does Paul’s statement in verse 13 relate to our previous discussion?

 

We all struggle with sin.  And though it may look different in each of our lives, the basic struggle is the same.  Yet we can find hope that as children of God, we have the power of God in us to overcome sin in our lives.  There is no temptation that we can’t say no to; we just have to say no.

 

 

3. God will give you an exit when you are tempted

 

  • What does it mean to stand up to temptation?
  • How does knowing that God will help provide you a way out make you feel?
  • Fighting temptation is a team effort: God and you work together.  God’s part is providing a way out.  What is your role?
  • If we know we have the power to overcome temptation, why do we still sin?  Why can’t we ever live a sin-free life?
  • What role do our choices play in making it easier or more difficult for God to provide that “way out” from temptation?

 

God does provide ways for us to get out from under temptation, to overpower it, and to move on.  We have to do our part, though.  We have to commit to seeking God in the situation and then following through with taking the God-honoring option, and sometimes that means avoiding the situations or people who seem to create the most temptation for us.  While we will never live a sin-free life, we are called to fight with sin, knowing that when we receive the gift of forgiveness through Jesus’ death on the cross, this erases the debt of our sin in God’s eyes.

 

 

ADDITIONAL DISCUSSION

Galatians 6:1-3 (nlt)

1Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path.  And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. 2Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ. 3If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important.

 

  • Read Galatians 6:1-3.  What role do we play in helping each other fight against sin—and in being restored to a place of spiritual health after sinning?

 

  • Why do we often avoid helping our friends deal with the sin in their lives?  Why are we often uninterested in having our friends help us with our struggles?

 

  • Is it better to struggle with your sins alone or to have a friend help you deal with them?  Why?

 

APPLICATION

·         Let’s say you find yourself being tempted to sin, tempted to gossip, or have a lustful thought.  We just read that God will provide a way out.  What does that look like from a practical sense?  What are some different examples of how God might provide you a way out?

 

  • If you have situations or friends who seem to create or encourage the appearance of temptation in your life, what steps can you take this week to pursue a better, more God-honoring path?

 

  • How can we pray for each other and encourage each other to remain strong against temptation—and to quickly, earnestly seek God’s forgiveness if we give in to sin?

 

 

SUMMARY

Temptation is the great equalizer; we all struggle with it.  We may find it difficult to believe, but any temptation we face is neither unique nor unconquerable, and God will give us an exit when we are tempted.  We learned in this lesson that temptation doesn’t have to lead to sin, and we don’t have to stand alone in our pursuit of a God-honoring life.

 

 

For Keeps [Memory Verse]

The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience.  And God is faithful.  He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand.  When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure (1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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