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You Don’t Have to Learn Everything the Hard Way

Text: 1 Cor. 10:1-11

We have always heard the expression, "He learned that lesson the hard way." You have heard others say, "The best way to learn a lesson is the hard way. That latter statement is not necessarily so.

The Bible teaches in 1 Cor. 10:11 that we should learn from the failures of others, in order that we would not personally fail ourselves. It is the wise man that will learn from the experiences of others. When he does so, it spares him from the heartaches and troubles that the other man’s sin or failure cost in his own life.

The Apostle Paul refers us to the nation of Israel. Israel had known the glory and presence of Holy God. If you will recall, while the chosen nation was in the wilderness, God led them with a cloud by day and a column of fire by night. Both the cloud and the pillar was symbolic and suggestive of God’s divine presence.

One of the most memorable of all the events where God manifested His power and glory on their behalf, was when He opened up the Red Sea. Israel passed through the parted waters upon dry ground. Of course you recall that Pharoah and his armies were destroyed, when God caused the walls of water which stood back and made the passage-way for the Israelites to pass through, fell and drown Pharoah and his armies.

According to verse 2, the passing through the sea was a picture of baptism. They followed Moses, into and through the water, and came out on the shore. It was a picture of baptism. The baptismal candidate when he is baptized, goes down into the water and comes up out of the water. It is to picture the believers death to the old life and the resurrection to the new life. Believer’s water baptism also speaks of the death, burial and the resurrection of our victorious Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The water that stood up on the top of the heaps of water, which made the passageway for the children of Israel through the Red Sea,may have been like clouds over the people of Israel. It stresses the mode of immersion for baptism not sprinkling.

Note:

I am sure that King David would do things differently if he could go back. He would not have wanted to learn the hard way how the "sword of the Lord" could be over ones house, because of His sin of adultery and murder.

So many times young people learn lessons the hard way, because they will not listen to those who are older and wiser. It would be better to listen and stay out of trouble, than to go headlong into the situation, and then try to get out of the dilemma.

Every event recorded in O.T. Scriptures has a pre-written purpose. Dr.Roy Laurin has written: "They are types that serve as warnings. They are events which offer strong persuasions. They have been recorded not merely to serve as events of fact. They have spiritual value. The more we know the Scriptures, the better we know the true manner of life."

We stand on the brink of a new order of things in this world, thus it should motivate us to let the Old Testament and New Testament Scriptures teach of us what we need now, and what lies ahead for this world and the church.

The Apostle warns the Corinthians they were not to be ignorant but rather informed (v.1). The only way for us to be "one our toes" is to take heed to the examples and warnings of those who have lived before us in this life.

Israel had many privileges, but in spite of them, they were not safe from temptation. God made it possible for the Jews to leave Egypt. He opened up the Red Sea, and provided guidance and food for Israel in the wilderness. The Bible says a "Rock" followed them and that Rock was Christ.

I. Let’s See A Dear People

Israel was a very special people to God. The Lord even called the nation, "the apple of the eye." Since the eye is so precious to one’s life, God has protected the eye in a very special way. He has recessed it with a strong bones around to help protect it. Also, the Lord has put eyebrows above it, and eyelashes on the upper and lower lid that closes, to help catch debris and dust that could cause irritation and injury to the eye.

Not only is the eye special to us, but it must be to God because of the way he has provided for it and protected it. Do you know that the eyeball tissue is one of the fastest healing tissues in the body to heal?

The nation of Israel was very special to God; the "apple of his eye." But now, there is an elite and special group of people called "the church." Don’t ever kid yourself about the care that Jesus has for the church. He loves us deeply and everlastingly.

What you consider as "dear" to you, provisions are made for. If the church is dear to Jesus, and it is, then He has made much provision for us who have been born of God, and birthed into the family of God. We are a "dear" people unto the Lord.

A. Dearness is seen in death angel and blood on doorposts.

See Exodus 12

Death would come to firstborn in the land, except for those who place the blood of the sacrificial animal over the doorposts and lintel.

God offered deliverance to His people if they would apply the blood. The Lord shows His goodness to us, in giving us an opportunity to have the blood of Christ applied to our lives.

B. Dearness is seen in deliverance at the Red Sea.

What a miracle of love God manifested toward the Jews when He parted the waters of the Red Sea. The children of Israel did not get bogged down in the mud of the riverbed, because where the water had been had been miraculously dried up by the Lord. Not an Israelite had mud on his or her sandal. God showed his love for His people when He parted the waters.

God is still parting waters in the life of His children.

He does it over and over again. He is a God of deliverance and power!

Dearness is shown in God’s provision of guidance.

God led Israel with a cloud by day and a column of fire by night. Because God wants to guide us proves His love for us.

Dearness is shown in God provision of food & water.

See 1 Cor. 10:2-4.

The Bible says, "A rock followed them." Did a literal rock roll along behind them to provide water? Some of the Jews believe that but God has a spiritual rock in mind. There was a spiritual rock following them, named Christ. Jesus was in the wilderness with the Jews. Christ was before Bethlehem. He went with Israel and met their everyday needs. He sent down quail and manna for them to eat in the wilderness. He caused their shoes not to wear out. Can you imagine a pair of shoes lasting you for forty years? I do well if mine lasts me a year.

There is no doubt that God’s people are precious and dear to Him. You are important to His cause upon this earth.

Let’s See a Dear People

You have the option of either pleasing or displeasing God. Let me warn you that you do not want to face the consequences of displeasing the Lord. The Jews lost their lives because of sin. They refused to properly face their transgression against Holy God.

Sin will take you further than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay and cost you more than you want to pay. Sin may have some pleasure but it also has its future, dreadful payday.

Their sins brought about their overthrow in the wilderness.

Note:

If America is not careful, her sins will cause her to be overthrown by a wicked nation, that is, if we do not repent of our sins in this fair land. If America does not repent of her sins and perversions, God will cause us to dwindle into a state of insignificance in this present world.

In Rev. 3:19 Jesus said, "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent." Their must be a turning from sin and unto the Lord.

What were Israel’s sins?

They lusted for evil things. Our nation all the time is finding more and more ways to be evil.

It is strange that Israel, after being delivered from the slavery of Egypt,wanted to go back rather than face the difficulty that lay ahead for them.

So many long for sinful things such as drugs, alcohol, and illicit sexual pleasures even when God has pronounced woe upon those who do. The end of that kind of lifestyle is death.

Sin is not just in doing something. Jesus sin from the outward act to the inward attitude.

Rather than being loyal to the Lord, they were loyal to idols- the products of man’s imagination. Some of the Corinthians thought they could partake of the idol worship without God sending punishment their way. But, God let them clearly know how He felt about idols.

God said in Lev. 19:4, " Turn ye not unto idols, nor make to yourselves molten gods: I am the LORD your God."

The Psalmist said in Ps 97:7, "Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods."

The Bible tells us, "God is Spirit, and they that worship, must worship Him in spirit and in truth" (Jn. 4:24). We do not worship candles or statues of the virgin Mary, but the Lord Jesus Christ, through and in the Spirit of God.

A modern day counterpart to idols would be anything that takes more of our time, thought and energy than God. Your idol might be an automobile, a car, a boat, a motor home, a house, a yard, etc. Idols are works of men hands that receive more of their devotion that the One who made the heavens and the earth.

They were committed fornication or sexual immorality (v.8). As a result in one day, some 23,000 died because of sexual sins. This goes back to Numbers 25:1-9. There was licentious intercourse with the daughters of Moab. God sent a plague and as a result the 23,000 people died.

Aids is a plague that has entered our society. It is a part of the judgment of God on the sinfulness of our day. There are other incurable sexually transmitted diseases that are here as a judgment from Almighty God upon the sin of immorality.

If you are saved your body is the temple of God. It is to have no part with sexual immorality (1 Cor. 3:16). Young people should keep themselves pure for the marriage bed.

The Scripture says, "Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of serpents."

One of the greatest temptations they faced was to try God and say, "I can go ahead and do what I want to do because God is kind and full of love- He will forgive." They forgot the holiness and justice of God. God does love but that does not do away with the demands of His holiness and justice.

You had better never think you can do what you want to do and God will forgive. You are trying to tempt God too far when that is your attitude.

True grace brings a person into an attitude of submission and surrender to God. The Bible says the grace of God teaches us to "deny ungodliness and worldly lusts"(Titus 2:12). Grace gives us the power to resist all that is unlike God that comes our way.

God sent serpents to bit and kill many of the Israelites (Numb. 21:6). Many Jews died. The only remember was the serpent lifted up on a pole. When they looked they were healed from the bites and lived. That speaks of the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. We should be inviting people to look and live because sin has bitten all and brought death (Rom. 5:12).

The children of Israel became notorious for complaining. Murmuring was manifest by what they said behind the scenes. There was not an open rebellion by all, but many were murmuring. The complained about the leadership of Moses and Aaron, about the manna and the quail. It was difficult for them to be satisfied no matter what came. They were grumblers. They met life with a frown instead of a smile.

Remember Korah who led a rebellions against Moses? Numbers 26:10 says, " And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up together with Korah, when that company died, what time the fire devoured two hundred and fifty men: and they became a sign." It pays not to join the murmuring crowd. The consequences are too great because you will face a holy and righteous God if you do. When they strove against Moses they strove against God Himself. Don’t let your lips get too loose; they will get you into trouble with God.

I. Dear People  II. Displeased God

A. Serpents- The Old Testament calls them "fiery serpents." Because of their poisonous bites, the body would run a fever due to the entrance of poison into the body. Through the Lord sent the fiery serpents, though thousands died due to the sin of the people, God in the midst of it all provided a solution. Moses was to put a serpent upon a pole. All who looked unto it lived (Numb. 21:8.9).

It pays not to allow sin to enter into your life for it is like poison; sin will destroy you if you do not confess it and forsake it. That is taught by precept and example throughout the Bible.

Verse 10 speaks of being "destroyed of the destroyer."

The Bible definitely refers to Satan as a destroyer. See John 10:10. Jesus said the "Thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy, but I am come that ye might have life and have it more abundantly."

This could refer to the angels who execute the judgment of God. Heb.11:28 refers to an angel who smote the first born that were in Egypt. Also, an angel smote four score and five thousand in the camp of the Assyrians in just one night (2 Kings 19:35). It is most likely this Scripture refers to one of God’s angels that executes divine judgment.

No one can sin without having to face the consequences of sin.

God loved Israel so much in spite of her sin. Israel rejected the Messiah, but He has not divorced her. He simply gave the Gentiles opportunity to come to Him for salvation, due to Israel’s rejection of Him. In spite of their idolatry and sin, God is not through with the chosen nation of Israel. Ro 11:1 says, "I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin." God has not cast away, divorced, or forgotten about his the natural seed of Abraham.

God’s love does not change and vary as does a weather-vane in the wind. It is eternal, stable, and steadfast.

God is jealous over his people. He will not stand for rivals when it comes to our love for Him. God forbade idolatry (Ex.20:3).

An overabundance of jealousy in a marriage can ruin it. Someone said that Eve was so jealous of Adam that when he came home each night she would count his ribs.

When God is jealous there is nothing evil about it. It is good. He has a right to be because he purchased us with His own blood. He has claims upon us because he is the one who brought man into existence; also, Christ is the one who paid the price for man’s redemption.

It is dangerous to commit spiritual adultery by going after other gods. God called it, "Whoring after their gods" (Ex. 34:15.16).

Many today picture the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament as two different beings. They are one in the same and God has not changed (Heb. 13:8). God will still judge sin.

1. God will deal with the sinner.

2 Cor. 5:11 says, "Knowing the terror of the Lord, we persuade men." God will judge the unrepentant sinner severely in the lake of fire (Rev.20:15).

2. God will deal with the saint.

Heb. 12:6 teaches that He scourges every son that He receives. Even the saint cannot sin and get by.

.Conclusion:

Let’s live for the Lord and give Him our all and our best. You don’t have to learn everything the hard way. Learn from Bible characters the easy way, rather than learning lessons the "hard way."

SERMON FROM TOM WALKER, D.D.
Zion Hill Baptist Church- Marion, NC--USA

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