BACKGROUND:
The Corinthian believers needed to be aware that any dabbling at the edges of their former lives of idol worship might lead them back into sin. How much wiser, instead, to flee from the worship of idols. The Corinthian believers needed to be wise enough to know that, because of past association, they should run from some temptations.
It might not be wise for believers to go to feasts where meat had been offered to idols, because it could draw them back into former sins. Even if one person were strong against such temptation, he or she might be a stumbling block for a weak person—actually becoming a temptation for someone who might not be as strong against the temptation to return to idolatry.
Christians participate in Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice when they share the cup (symbolizing Christ’s blood) and eat the bread (symbolizing his body) at the Lord’s Supper. Sharing in this meal signified sharing in its benefits. Since the early days of the church, believers have celebrated this special meal. Taking part in sharing the one loaf with other believers symbolized their unity in one body with Christ.
In Old Testament days, when Jews offered a sacrifice, they ate a part of that sacrifice as a way of restoring their unity with God, against whom they had sinned (Deuteronomy 12:17-18; 14:22-27). By offering the sacrifices and then eating a portion of the gift that had been offered, they were united; that is, they were fellowshipping with God, to whom they had brought their gifts.
Eating at the Lord’s Table means communing with Christ and identifying with his death (10:16-17). Eating at the table of demons means identifying with Satan by worshiping or promoting pagan (or evil) activities (10:19-20). Obviously, Christians cannot do both. To do so is to rouse the Lord’s jealousy. When ancient Israel turned to idols, God punished them severely (10:7-8).
SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read this morning?)
The foundational truth this morning is this - Mature believers/followers of Christ are cognisant of the truth that many things in life can become idols if we are not careful. A great example of this come from the book of Judges and the life of Gideon. Your remember Gideon don't you? Read Judges 6 & 7, if you need a refresher on his life.
Here's the point about idol worship we must get: God gave Gideon a test and God will test you. Before God will ever use you in a significant way He will test you. There will always be a test before God can use you in a significant way. A test of whether you're really going to trust God and obey him. This is what happened in Gideon's life.
The background of the story is that during this time of oppression and depression in Israel, they had decided to take in everybody else's false gods. They were trying to worship God and idols at the same time. They were compromising their faith. God said, "Gideon, I have a task for you to do. Before you do anything else, I want you to go and tear down the idol that your dad built -- the false god that's in your little village."
Judges 6:25 says, "That same night the Lord said to him, `Take the second bull from your father's herd, one of seven years old and tear down your father's altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it." [which was another god. Baal was a fertility god. It was a sexual cult] "Then build the proper kind of altar to the Lord, your God, on the top of this bluff and using the wood of the Asherah, that you cut down, offer the second bull as an offering." So Gideon took ten of his servants and he did as the Lord told him."
He tore down the idol in his life.
What's the idol in your life? What is the Baal in your backyard? God could not bless Gideon until he was ready to obey without question. This incident shows us the three ways that God may test you. And God will test you one of these three ways or maybe all three ways before He can use you significantly.
#1. God may test you spiritually.
This is a test of Who's going to be God in your life. Exodus 20:3, the very first commandment, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." God says I want complete allegiance. I want total obedience. I don't want any compromise. I want to be number one in your life." A spiritual test is "What is number one in your life? What's the Baal in your backyard? What's the idol. It may be a Winnebago. It could be a person, a career, a possession, a position of prominence, status. it could be a place. What is it that competes for your time and energy for number one place in your life? Whatever it is it's a god and God says, Cut it down! You need to do a little spiritual housecleaning. Clean up your own backyard. God may test you spiritually to see what's really important in your life.
#2. God may test you emotionally.
Notice who's altar it was. It was his father's altar. It says he went and tore it down at night because he was afraid of his family. We're talking about a confrontation with tradition. We're talking about a breakdown from the past. He's saying, "My whole family has been worshipping this for years. I'm going to break with tradition." That's an emotional test. Family ties.
Do you ever find yourself limiting your Christian life because of what other people think? Because family members might become upset? It was his dad's idol and he goes and smashes it. Who's going to pay for it?
There was an emotional test here. Sometimes following God means standing alone if necessary. (John 12:43)
The point is, service for the Lord always begins at home. In your own backyard. He said, "Gideon, before you can go out and take on the world let's clean up your act right here in your own family. Service for the Lord starts at home. It doesn't matter what I do or what i say or what I accomplish if my family is falling apart, nothing else really matters. That's my first responsibility. Service for the Lord starts at home.
#3. God may test you physically.
There may be a physical test in your life that God will use to see how willing you are to follow directions and instructions. When you think about this, this was a risky move -- go out at night and tear down the town idol. It didn't matter that his dad had built it and it was his family's. It couldn't have been the most prominent family in town because he said he was the least family. But he went against tradition and it wasn't exactly going to win Gideon a popularity contest. In fact, it could have cost him his life. When you read the next few verses, you'll find that when they woke up the next morning the town formed a lynch mob and came after Gideon because he had done this.
Judges 6:28 says, "In the morning when the men of the town got up, there was Baal's altar demolished and the Asherah beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the altar. They asked each other, `Who did this?' When they carefully investigate they were told Gideon, son of Joash did it.' So the men of the town demanded of Joash his dad, "Bring out your son. He must die because he has broken down Baal's altar and cut down the Asherah beside it." This is a physical test. He could literally lose his life.
The point is this: If you really get serious about serving God expect fireworks. You may cause a riot. You may upset a few traditions or something.
But Gideon obeyed completely. And it affected his father. It influenced his father. His father actually came to his defense even though it was his father's idol that had been torn down. Joash said, (6:31) "Joash replied to the hostile crowd round him, `Are you going to plead Baal's cause? Are you going to try to save him? If Baal is really a god he can defend himself."
That's smart thinking! If he was really a god he could take care of himself. He doesn't need me. How many things in our life that we put up on a pedestal we think are really important and yet when we take them off the pedestal we realize they weren't that important at all. How many things in our life have we thought, "I can't live without that!" and yet when you do live without it, it's no big deal. Those things that we glorify and honor and work and spend our lives for and set as our main goal and then you get it and you think, "It's not the god I thought it was going to be. It's not the pleasure producing item I thought it to be."
Gideon's father came to his defense. I like that! He saw in his son Gideon that made Joash, his father, say, "The kid's right on! go for it son!' Courage is contagious. Faith is infectious. All of a sudden Joash was saying, "My son's right. We shouldn't be compromising."
I pray today's devotional impacts you and makes you think and evaluate. I love you guys. Stay faithful. Stay the course.
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