History is Prologue

HISTORY IS PROLOGUE
I CORINTHIANS 10:6-13

6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10 nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

In the name of Jesus:

Someone much wiser than me (my wife, Luann) has a saying, which rings true: History is prologue. History has a way of showing us the way to the future, of repeating itself time and again. Another way of saying this is by stating the old adage, one learns from one’s mistakes. When you learn from your mistakes, it can be a painful proposition, in that you have the painful experiences to live through in order to try to do something differently. If you have ever gotten into credit card debt, you know from painful experience how difficult it is to get out from under that burden. How much easier it would be if we could learn from other people’s mistakes, for it is less painful for us but we can benefit greatly in learning from the experience of others. Sadly, we are slow to learn from the experience of others. Oh that the Lord would give us open ears and hearts to hear and learn from the experiences of the people of Israel! For in our text today, the Apostle Paul cites several examples from the Old Testament people on how God expects us to live. These serve as types, as examples of how we are to live our lives as God’s children.
God called the nation of Israel to be His own people. Why did God call the Jewish nation to be His own? Not by their might, not by their own power, not by their own gifts. God called them by His grace. God repeated said that He would be their God and they would be His people. Called by God, Israel was expected to live as God’s people. But learning from history, we see that Israel serves as a powerful example for us, as a people who forgot about God, worshipped idols, and fell into sin and was punished by God. Paul cites five illustrations for the Church at Corinth in this letter. He does so because the people of the Church of Corinth were prone to the same sins. They needed to hear this message. You and I do as well.
Paul begins by reminding the people:” 6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. “ Who desired evil? Once Israel set out from Egypt immediately after the Exodus, some craved for the meat and vegetables they ate in Egypt while still captive. Their freedom from Egypt, their deliverance by God was not enough. They grumbled and complained to God. Yes, God gave them manna and quail from heaven, but some perished, being struck with a plaque. Food became their god and God punished them accordingly.
The sin of coveting reared its ugly head again when God gave to Moses the Ten Commandments. Paul writes: “7 Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” When God was speaking to Moses on Mount Sinai, some grew impatient in waiting for God to act, and urged Aaron to construct a gold calf along with an altar where the people would now worship. This was in direct defiance of the First Commandment where God said: “You shall have no other gods.” God’s anger was kindled against the people, so much so that God nearly wiped out the entire nation! God only relented when Moses interceded for the people.
Paul warns the Corinthian Church, as well as you and me, to guard against falling into sexual immorality. Just as Israel worshipped the golden calf and fell into sexual sin, some of the people in the church at Corinth were acting the same way. As Israel worshipped the gold calf, the people’s worship of this idol degenerated into sexual sin. They were guilty of breaking the First and Sixth Commandments! So too some in the church at Corinth indulged in idolatry and lived as if they were sexually emancipated. Paul had to warn them, and his warning is to us as well, that the sexually immoral, including adulterers and homosexuals, will not have a part of God’s kingdom:” Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality.”
Paul next cites a third illustration, another example of sexual sin: “ 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. “ Israel didn’t learn from their mistake with the golden calf. You would think that they would, but they didn’t. For later in the plains of Moab the Moabite people invited God’s people to live as they did, and so God’s people turned their back on God once again and participated in idolatry and the fertility rites of the pagan Moabite religion. Once again, God’s anger was kindled so that He sent a plague to kill thousands of those who participated in this immoral act and the leaders who encouraged the people to sin were killed as well.
God’s anger was kindled against Israel many more times, Paul here cites two instances, where God’s people complained bitterly against God and His Word. “9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10 nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. Throughout their wilderness trek the Israelites continually complained and grumbled along the way. They said that there was: “no food and water and we detest this food.” They were not satisfied with what the Lord had provided them, and even when the people were about to enter the Promised Land, they balked at Joshua and Caleb’s report of how beautiful the land was. In spite of the many blessings of God, the people complained and doubted God and His Word. And God punished them with death.
Why did the Israelites travel for 40 years in the wilderness? Simply because they continued to doubt the Lord, placing their trust in their own wisdom or the idols of others instead of trusting in the God who saved them. And Paul writes: “11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written do down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. “ God would not be mocked and God will never be mocked. His judgment is swift and certain. He has punished sin and will punish sin. Paul called the people at Corinth to turn from their sinful ways and to trust in Christ for forgiveness and all things. He wanted the people at Corinth to learn the painful lessons of Israel from the past.
Paul tells us: “12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. “ Recognize the sinful times that we are living in. God has called you by His grace in the waters of Baptism. Just as God called the people of Israel out of bondage in Egypt, so He has called you out of the bondage to sin. He has healed you by the wounds of Christ. You have been freed from the power of sin, Satan, and death. So how now should you live?
Too many people have not learned from the lessons of the past. After receiving forgiveness, they go on and live their lives as if God does not matter. They repeat their sinning, retuning to their former ways of life. Even though they were baptized, they have turned their backs on Christ and hold fast to the evil deceptions of Satan and the culture we live in. As the Apostle Peter has written: “22 What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.” (2 Peter 2:22).
The very same thing can happen to you unless you seek to stay on the path that the Lord has placed you on. The same evil that attacks those who have fallen away from Christ attacks you too! The same sinful flesh which has lured them to sin and death lures you as well. So what shall you do? Repent of your sins. Trust in Christ for forgiveness. God is faithful and just. God says if you confess your sins He will forgive you your sins and cleanse you from all unrighteousness. There is only ONE MAN who lived the way that God wanted Him to live, and that is Jesus, who lived to do the will of the Father. Jesus alone trusted in God with all of His heart, soul, and strength. It pleased the Father to nail His Son to the cross, so that whoever looks to Christ will be saved. Jesus is the very Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
In your Baptism God has called you from the darkness of sin into the light of Christ. If anyone is baptized in Christ that person has put on Christ. Your body has now become a temple of the Holy Spirit; so don’t live so as to satisfy your carnal flesh, live instead to give glory to God. You have been bought with a price, not with silver or gold but with Jesus’ very own body and blood on the cross. So now, live to honor God with the life He now has given to you.
Who will you live for? Who will you place your trust? Satan will throw everything he can to make you fall in your walk with God. But Christ is faithful. He is your ever-present Help. When tempted, God will give you help in time of need. Today He comes as your ever-present Help, offering to you Christ’s very body and blood for the forgiveness of sin and the strengthening of your faith. He promises in Scripture: ” No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” Rooted and made strong in Christ, you will give glory to God.
So stand in Christ. Rely on His grace. Live your life to the glory of God, living not for yourself but for Christ’s glory and the salvation of sinners. Yes, pride comes before the fall, so remain humble, daily confessing your sins and placing your trust in Christ as your Savior. You cannot serve God and the world. So learn of Christ, trust in Christ. Live for Christ. He will never fail you and He will never let the righteous fall.
Amen