It’s time to start, so let us open with prayer.
The title of our teaching today is: Learn From Bad Examples
Our scripture reading is found in 1 Cor 9:24-27 and 10:1-13
In verse 24, the Apostle Paul uses the familiar metaphor of a race to illustrate the Christian life. He is drawing a comparison to athletic competitions, like the Isthmian Games held near Corinth, which his readers would have been familiar with.
When Paul said, "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize?" This highlights the competitive nature of athletic races in ancient Greece, where only one runner would be awarded the prize (a perishable crown or wreath).
Paul is emphasizing that while many may participate, only those who strive and run in a specific way will achieve the ultimate reward.
When Paul said, "So run that you may obtain it." This is an exhortation for believers to approach their spiritual journey with the same dedication and discipline that an athlete shows in preparing for and competing in a race.
Paul encourages the Corinthians to live their faith with intentionality and purpose, not running aimlessly. The goal is not just to participate but to strive for victory and to receive the promised "imperishable crown," which represents eternal reward.
Paul emphasizes the importance of self-control and discipline in this spiritual race, just as athletes need strict training and self-discipline to succeed.
Unlike the temporary rewards of earthly competitions, the prize for Christians is eternal and will never fade away.
In essence, 1 Corinthians 9:24 calls Christians to a life of focused and dedicated discipleship, striving for the eternal prize that awaits them through faithfulness to Christ.
The heart of the matter is to live a life of fruitfulness because Jesus has all kinds of scary things to say about those who are unproductive and bear no fruit with their lives.
In Luke 13:7, Jesus said: “Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground?”
In John 15:5, 6, Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing. If you do not remain in me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire, and burned.”
And referring to the man who buried his talent, in Matthew 25:30, Jesus said, “Throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
You can interpret what Jesus said in those verses however you want to. But in the light of eternity, I’m not taking any chances.
So, I choose to believe Jesus is referring to hellfire because there are too many other scriptures to support that stance.
One interpretation is that you will miss out on eternal rewards, but you will still be allowed into heaven. The other is Do not pass Go, do not collect $200, you are going straight to jail in hell.
So, either way you interpret it, it’s bad. So, let’s talk about fruit production and how to get our game on. Shall we?
WH, are you with me? Oh yeah, we are the church. We ain't going no where.
According to the Bible, the Word of God is likened to seed. Our heart is the soil. Once the seed of God’s Word is planted in the soil of our hearts, it must be watered, fertilized, weeded, and protected.
If conditions are met, God’s nurturing and transformative power will eventually cause the seed of His Word in your heart to sprout, develop into a mature plant, and bear fruit.
The soil of your heart must be kept moist. All growth of the seed will stop if the soil of your heart lacks moisture. I repeat, if the soil of your heart is not kept watered, it will become dry and harden over time. And the seed of God's Word requires daily watering.
Hebrews 3:13 says: “But exhort one another daily, while it is called Today; lest any one of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”
This scripture mandates that each one of us obtain an accountability partner whom we are to exhort daily with the reading of God’s Word.
To keep the seed moist, you don’t have to throw a whole bucket of water on it; just a daily amount is needed to sustain it.
The children of Israel were instructed to gather only enough manna to sustain them daily. Jesus said, “I am the bread of life.” The Word of God is our daily bread.
After it is consumed, it turns into water that keeps the soil of our hearts moistened around the seed.
The scripture says sin will cause the soil of your heart to become hardened. Thus, it is critical to prevent the hardening of your soil by avoiding sin. And the way we prevent the soil of our hearts from becoming hardened is by watering.
And the way we avoid sin is by watering the Word with the Word, because not only is the Word of God likened to seed, it is also likened to water.
"Watering of the word" refers to the act of being cleansed and transformed by God's Word, as described in Ephesians 5:26, which states, "he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word." It signifies that God's Word, like water, has the power to purify and renew the spirit, mind, and soul.
Just as water cleanses the body, God's Word cleanses the soul, purifying thoughts, motives, and conscience.
The "washing of water with the word" is instrumental in the process of sanctification, making believers holy and setting them apart for God's service.
God's Word has the power to renew the mind, replacing negative thoughts with positive ones and transforming lives.
By dwelling on and obeying God's Word, believers experience a transformation that leads to spiritual growth and maturity.
The phrase “washing of water with the word” emphasizes the importance of engaging with Scripture regularly, through reading, meditation, and prayer.
The phrase "watering the word" refers to the role believers play in nurturing the spiritual growth of others.
The concept of "watering the word" is associated with 1 Corinthians 3:6-8: "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow".
The fruits of spiritual nourishment are demonstrated through love, joy, peace, patience, and other virtues, which reflect God's Word and Spirit in a believer's life.
"Watering the word" is a call to actively participate in spreading and nurturing God's Word, relying on Him for the results.
Jesus said: “They that abide in Me will bear much fruit.” And what does it mean to abide? 1 John 3:6 says, “No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.”
We shall bear much fruit as long as we stay connected, stay plugged in, stay focused, fix our eyes, set our faces as flint, stay determined that nothing will stand in our way between us and the eternal rewards of knowing Christ and following Him.
Now, let's learn from some bad examples on what not to do
Verse 7 in our lesson texts says: Neither be ye idolators as were some of them; as it is written, the people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
Imagine the significance of what happened here. Why did some of the Israelites forsake God after all He had done for them?
He freed two million people from Egyptian slavery with ten miraculous plagues. He parted the Red Sea, delivering them from certain death by the pursuing army, led them by a pillar of a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night, and provided water and manna for them in the wilderness.
In Exodus 6:7, God promised to be their God, and they His people, entering a unique covenant relationship.
This relationship is a marriage between God and Israel. God presented the Ten Commandments and the Law, which Israel agreed to in Exodus 24, which represented their "wedding vows."
A covenant feast described in Exodus 24:9-11 sealed this relationship.
Those who ascended to attend this feast were Moses, Aaron, Nadab, Abihu, and seventy elders of Israel.
They saw the God of Israel
Under God's feet, there was something like a pavement of sapphire, clear and bright like the sky.
God did not harm these leaders of the Israelites, even though they saw Him.
They saw God and ate and drank in His presence, signifying fellowship and the sealing of the covenant.
This moment highlights a special revelation of God's glory to the leaders of Israel.
The fact that they saw God and lived, and even ate and drank in His presence, demonstrates God's mercy and desire for fellowship with His people.
The meal shared in God's presence symbolized the solemn commitment of both God and the Israelites to the covenant agreement made at Mount Sinai.
The description of the sapphire pavement suggests a glimpse of God's heavenly realm and the beauty of His presence.
This passage underscores the awe-inspiring nature of God's presence, the importance of the covenant relationship, and God's willingness to enter into fellowship with His people, even in their human limitations.
The experience served to strengthen their faith and impress upon them the reality and power of God.
Yet, while Moses received the Law on Mount Sinai, just 40 days after this covenant, the scripture says: “They rose up to play.” Israel created and worshiped a golden calf, then engaged in immoral and lewd activity.
Imagine your spouse committing infidelity immediately following your wedding; this is what Israel did, mirroring what Christians do today when they do not prioritize God.
So, let us be very careful here, saints. We serve a jealous God who demands our constant attention. Isaiah 26:3 says: “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”
Do you see how this is for our good? Because if we fail to keep our focus on God, we will surely fall into sin like some of the children of Israel did, just like every one of us has done in the past.
1 John 5:19 says: “We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one.”
Ephesians 2:1 says: “And you hath he quickened.” The he in this verse, of course, is the Word of God. Psalm 119:50 says: “Thy Word hath quickened me.” Quicken means to make alive.
Ephesians 2:1 says: “And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:
Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 says: “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God?
Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor those who cheat people will inherit the kingdom of God.
And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
As for our redeemed eternal spirits, we continue to live in a body of flesh that only wants to please itself. Our flesh couldn’t care less about God, His law, or our neighbor.
The Bible says: The heart of man is above all deceitful and desperately wicked. And this is the man our spirits have to contend with every day. Jesus said, “The spirit is willing, the flesh is weak.”
But as long as the apostle Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he was able to walk on the water. Keeping the commandments of our God is much like walking on water. Jesus said, “Apart from Me, you can do nothing.”
Scripture says: “If you through the Spirit will put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.” Thus, as long as we keep our focus on Jesus, we too can do the impossible. The Bible does not say, “I can do a few things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Nor does it say, “I can do some or many things through Christ.” What does it say, Church? The Bible says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”
Galatians 5:16-25 says: “This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.
(What?! Wait a minute! You mean that it is possible to faithfully avoid fulfilling the lusts of the flesh?! That is what you just heard from God’s Holy Word. And that is why God demands that we keep his commandments because he has provided the means for us to do so, by faith in the supernatural helper He has placed on the inside of each one of us who are saved. But let’s continue)
For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would. But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law.
(This means also, any time you make a deliberate choice to satisfy the evil desires of your flesh, you will go right back under the law and suffer the consequences. But how could we be so wicked as to show our God such disrespect and lack of appreciation for all He has done for us?
After all, God is the one who enables us to enjoy pleasure. He is the one who enables us to see, hear, smell, taste, touch, and experience the pleasurable things of this life.
So, how could we take the members of our body that God gave us to enjoy pleasure in the right way and use them in a wrong way and sin against the very God who made us and suffered on a cross and in hell for us?)
Continuing in Galatians 5: Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, self-control.
Against such, there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (And walk means: Don’t stop!)
Back to our lesson text, Verse 8 says: Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day twenty-three thousand. This is a cautionary verse that warns against sexual immorality.
It reminds believers of the serious consequences of such behavior, citing the example of the Israelites at Shittim who perished in a plague for joining in sexual immorality with Moabite women and idol worship. The verse serves as a warning to avoid the same pitfalls and to be mindful of the seriousness of this type of sin.
Jesus said that if you look at a woman with lust, you have committed adultery or sexual immorality with her already in your heart.
This also includes pornography. When you look at someone with lust, even if it’s on a computer screen, you are breaking the 10 commandments.
James 2:10 says: If you break one commandment, you have broken them all. And Romans 3:23 says all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. That means no one has lived their entire life without sinning except the Son of God, Jesus Christ.
That is why the Bible says that we all need a savior to save us from the consequences of sin, which happens to be, according to the Bible, eternal separation from God in the lake of fire. But to atone for sin, you need to apply perfect, sinless blood, which can only be found in Jesus Christ.
Romans 13:14 says: Don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires. Thus, this scripture forbids even imagining yourself committing immoral acts with someone.
So, not only is looking at someone with lust a sin, but fantasizing or daydreaming lustfully is also a sin that we must avoid.
Verse 9 of our lesson text says: Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
Here are the ten times the Israelites tested the LORD in the order in which they occurred:
Lack of faith before crossing the Red Sea (Exodus 14:11–12)
Complaints about the bitter water at Marah (Exodus 15:24)
Complaints in the Desert of Sin (Exodus 16:3)
Hoarding excess manna (Exodus 16:20)
Gathering manna on the Sabbath (Exodus 16:27–29)
Complaints about the lack of water at Rephidim (Exodus 17:2–3)
Idolatry with the golden calf (Exodus 32:7–10)
Complaints at Taberah (Numbers 11:1–2)
Complaints about the lack of food (Numbers 11:4)
Refusal to trust God and enter the Promised Land (Numbers 14:1–4)
No adult Israelites out of two million people who left Egypt during the exodus were permitted to enter the Promised Land. This was a severe punishment, solely for their lack of faith in entering the land.
But their lack of faith and hardness of heart did not happen overnight. They had tested the Lord ten times. The cumulative effect of these repeated tests is no doubt what led to this judgment.
As Moses stated in Numbers 14:18, the Lord is truly "slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression." God's patience and mercy are evident, delaying judgment.
This mercy toward Israel clearly illustrates 2 Peter 3:9: "The Lord is... patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."
In other words, God offers many second chances. Thus, Romans 2:4 says: “It’s the goodness of God that leads men to repentance.”
Nevertheless, God has a line of mercy that can be crossed over for those who take his mercy for granted.
Proverbs 29:1 says: Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.
This is why Hebrews 3:13 says: “Exhort (encourage, or warn) one another daily, while it is called 'Today,' lest any one of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.”
Did the Bible say exhort one another once a week, three times a week, or six times a week? No! The Bible says to warn and encourage one another DAILY, lest any one of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.
That means if we fail to exhort our accountability partner daily, we are violating the scripture mandate and therefore sinning. Thus, God must know something we don’t. Imagine that…
God knew that we would need tangible support from our fellow members of the body of Christ to keep us encouraged.
1 Peter 4:1 says: “Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin.”
Let me ask you: Are you done with sin?
Proverbs 17:3 says: “Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the LORD tests the heart.”
Deuteronomy 8:2 says: “Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years, to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.”
And that is exactly what God is doing with each of us today, testing us daily to know what is in our hearts to see whether or not we will keep his commands. Because God wants to know who loves Him. Jesus said, “This is love for God to keep the commands.” And keep means daily for the rest of your life.
The Bible tells us repeatedly in the scriptures that we can, by faith in the Holy Spirit to strengthen us, keep the commands of God and live as overcomers and more than conquerors.
And not only does the Bible say we can. The bible says we must.
Psalm 119:4 says: “Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.”
And when you stand before the judge of all the earth, don’t even try to present any excuses for why you failed to keep the commandments and live blamelessly.
Because Revelation 14:3, 4 says: “And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth.
These are those who did not defile themselves with women, for they remained virgins. They follow the Lamb wherever he goes. They were purchased from among mankind and offered as firstfruits to God and the Lamb. No lie was found in their mouths; they are blameless.”
Therefore, if you try to present any excuses for failing to keep the commandments and live blamelessly to King Jesus, He might ask you: How were these 144,000 evangelists able to keep the commandments and live blamelessly, and you were not able? Did I not say in My Word: “This is love for God, to keep the commandments?”
In Matthew 7:22, Jesus said: “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
And here’s the verse that erases every doubt about whether or not a mere mortal can keep the commandments of God through faith in the power of the Holy Spirit, who is our helper and advocate.
1 Corinthians 10:13 says, “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.”
This verse states that God will not allow any temptation to be more than you can endure, which eliminates every excuse for sin. This means you can endure temptation any time and every time by faith in the One whom Jesus has sent to live in you to be your helper.
Jesus said, “All things are possible for them that believe.” And the opposite of that is true: Nothing is possible for them that doubt.
If you believe you can live righteously by faith in God to help you, you will succeed in doing so. But if you are like most who believe that as long as we are living in the flesh, we will never be able to live faithfully, then you will not be able to. Because scripture says: The Just shall live by his faith, which means the unjust will die by his doubt.
Salvation is all about faith. As it is written in Ephesians 2:8: “For by grace are you saved through faith.”
Satan will never show you the dark side of sin and its enduring consequences. He will only show you the glamor of sin and how much fun you will have while it lasts. As it is written: “There is pleasure in sin for a season.” But when the seasons change, look out!
Romans 2:9 says: “Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil.”
Proverbs 28:1 says, “The wicked flee when no one pursues.
And I don’t have time to site all of the curses the disobedient are subject to that are pointed out in Deuteronomy 28 in verses 15 all the way through 68.
Then of course, the main concern is what happens to sinners after they die.
Psalm 73:19 says: “How are they brought into desolation, as in a moment! they are utterly consumed with terrors.”
Revelation 14:11 says: “And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. They will have no relief day nor night.”
But why suffer and live with shame and guilt and in constant fear of God’s judgment, when you can have peace and enjoy the blessings that God bestows upon those who obey Him, which are also listed in Deuteonomy chapter 28 in verses 1-14.
Psalm 119:165 says: “Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.”
Psalm 106:3 says: “Blessed are those who act justly, who always do what is right.”
By the way, that verse would not be in the Bible if it was impossible to always do what is right.
That is why God has given us a helper, which leaves us without excuse.
Ecclesiastes 2:26 says: “For God giveth to a man that is good in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he giveth travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. “
Proverbs 22:4 says: “By humility and the fear of the LORD are riches, and honour, and life.”
Psalm 84:11 says: “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.”
And that verse would not be in the Bible either if it was impossible to walk blameless by faith in God to help you.
Proverbs 10:24 says: “The desire of the Righteous shall be granted.”
So, not only will God supply all of your needs according to His riches in glory as it says in Phillipians 4:19 but right there in Proverbs 10:24 it says God will also give you the desires of your heart.
And finally, let me read you what it says in the 6 verses of Psalms 128
1 Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in his ways.
2 For thou shalt eat the labour of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.
3 Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house: thy children like olive plants round about thy table.
4 Behold, that thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the Lord.
5 The Lord shall bless thee out of Zion: and thou shalt see the good of Jerusalem all the days of thy life.
6 Yea, thou shalt see thy children's children, and peace upon Israel.
The book of Revelation tells us that there is coming a time when time will be no longer. Therefore, seeing that we are approaching the very end of things spoken of by God’s holy prophets, let us take heed to what our beloved Brother Peter said in his 2nd book in 3:14, “So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him.”
This weekend, we are participating in an event called No More Delay. Hebrews 12:1 says: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down (or delays us), especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”
And when we keep ourselves from sin by faith in God to help us, the Bible says the wicked one or a demon cannot touch us. The Bible says: Give no place to the devil. When we sin, that is when we open the door for a demon to get all up in our business, like what we saw this weekend manifesting in so many people.
What needless suffering when God has provided us a supernatural helper called the Holy Spirit, who will strengthen us in the time of weakness and prevent us from falling prey to the devil. So, let us live holy saints so we can keep that devil under our feet and off the top of our heads. Amen
Let us pray
Thank you for your attention. You are blessed in Jesus' name!