Chapter 9 was all about how Paul walked in his freedom and now Chapter 10 Paul will give the example of how the Nation of Israel had lost its freedom…

1 Corinthians Chapter 10 Verses 1 – 2

• Why a cloud? Because they were in rough territory, man…hot, baking hot sun…and this is what God does with a heart, a life, a situation given to Him.  He provides the shade.  So many sweat and struggle through their issues and they put so much more hardship into the mix than necessary.  When if you just trust the Lord, His guidance is like a cloud in the mid-day sun.  It’s amazing, the situation doesn’t go away, and many times it doesn’t even change, YOU change. 
• Turn over to Matthew Chapter 7 and look with me at verses 24 – 27. Look at the description of the storm.  It is the exact same in both accounts.  But in one, the storm wins.  What changed?  The house, not the storm.  Don’t look to win the argument.  Don’t look for the advantage or the upper hand…look for the shade.  Where is the Lord at…that’s how you beat storms! 

1 Corinthians Chapter 10 Verses 3 - 5

• The nation of Israel was blessed by God, provided for by God, privileged by God, defended by God, even guided by God…but only 2 out of 2 million ever entered into the Promised Land. They all recognized and even followed the leading of the Lord in the form of the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.  God’s presence and power evident and undeniable…
• They all passed through the Red Sea seeing water miraculously stand as walls on either side of their company as they passed through on solid and dry ground! Unmistakable and you would think forever-impactful proof of the superiority of God!  They all ate ba-manna-bread that would just be there each morning for them!  Out in the desert, no 7-11’s for hundreds of miles and yet they never went hungry!  They all drank fresh Perrier out of a rock!  I mean come on!  What else do you need to just say, “That’s it…I’m gonna commit!”
• But Paul says here even though they had all of this provision, all of this protection, all of this proof, they were still serving themselves…next verse he will call them idolators filled with lust and even though they saw, they acknowledged, they professed, they talked about it, they walked in it…God was not well pleased and only 2…Joshua and Caleb…ever made it past that long walk of no home in the wilderness to enter in the Promised Land! For all their blessings and spiritual experiences and knowledge, they never entered into what God really had for them.
• They ended up “scattered,” and that word in the Greek is Sounds a lot like catastrophe and it literally means overthrown.  Used only here in the Bible.  All this proof, all this provision, all this privilege and yet so many are not able to get past wanting for self, serving themselves and living for self.  Self-worship…and the result of that is catastrophic on a life, on a marriage, on a career, on a ministry, on a heart…
• And yet look at this, Paul says here that the spiritual Rock which was Christ…followed THEM! This blows my mind.  Why?  Why did He follow them?  He wasn’t pleased with them.  The answer is because 1) they had a great need and 2) He loves them.  I’m with the Lord, I’m close to the Lord, I know He is with me!  But could it be that He is following you…you’re living thirsty…you’re living in need.  I want you to know that God’s plan and will and call upon you is that you follow Him and that need and that thirst become fully satisfied…and you grow up and change, man…you mature, you fill with grace and purpose and capacity and love…and follow Him right into the Promised Land with a God that is well pleased…

1 Corinthians Chapter 10 Verse 6

• What happened to the nation called by God, freed by God, provided for by God is not just an interesting historical narrative but it is a practical illustration for us to personally apply to our own lives. One very important lesson pointed out here by Paul is that although they were completely free, independent from Egypt and although they were entirely the people of God…even encountering Him and witnessing His power daily…lust tripped them up.
• You say, “Well, I don’t have a problem with lust.” Listen lust doesn’t have to be just having to do with sex.  1 John 2:16-17 says, this is what we can say about what the world is filled with.  Lust of the eyes, lust of the flesh, and the pride of life.  This is presented to us as one in the phrase, “The lust of the world.” 
• When Paul references this he is referring to Numbers Chapter 11 where we are given the account that the people tired of manna and lusted for after meat. They weren’t happy with what they had.  Making bamana-bread every day.  Tired of putting manna-aise on errrrything.  Romanna cheese!  Manna-deran chicken!  HA!  They grew weary of God’s provision.
• Isn’t that really what lust is…not being satisfied with what God has given you…wanting something else…someone different. This is a real danger.  The issue really isn’t that what God has given you isn’t right for you…the issue is that you’re not willing to make it work.  You’re not willing to change the house and so the storm keeps winning.
• 2 Corinthians 8 is key to this. Look at verse 12.  For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.  And so, we have a principle, a truth…that lust is an act of the will…entirely controllable (for the Christian).  But if you don’t control it you turn into a big complainer, a fighter, a sand castle builder and the storms come and ultimately time and time again, you end up the loser. 
• God gave them the meat. You know that right.  Moses argued with God.  “Where are we going to get meat to feed a couple million people?  You want me to hunt for years?  You want me to go back to the Red Sea and start a commercial fishing company?”  But Moses did what I do so often…I don’t even give a moment to the thought that God has His own ideas…and I should just wait and trust Him and watch. 
• And so, God gave them meat…but there’s a critical critical lesson for us in Psalm 106:13-15…their lust was satisfied for the moment with the meat but because of it, they ended up with leanness in their soul. Shallow people.  Feeding lust ends entirely with more lust.  That’s simply how the flesh operates.  And so, build up some spiritual strength to walk in wisdom because lust is a killer and we all have it to scrap with.

1 Corinthians Chapter 10 Verse 7 - 8

• Oh man, and the reference Paul is giving here is to the Golden Calf! Remember?  Moses goes up on the mountain and while he is away, well he was away for a while and the people became impatient and so they commanded Aaron to make for them an idol.  Aaron, should have said no but we see a complete lapse of character and sprint right into foolishness when you seek to please people and not God!
• And when Moses came back down the mountain do you remember what Aaron said? I put the gold in the fire and this calf just popped out!  We think he’s lying but hey…perhaps it was a demonic work! Why would I say that!?  Because the image was a cow.  This wasn’t supposed to be a different god…the interesting thing is that this was intended to be a representation of the God that brought them out of Egypt…a representation of God Himself…but here’s the issue and why I believe there could have been demonic work here….
• Why a cow? Because a cow is gentle, providing…benign…and that is often the image that people make of God Most High but He’s not a cow and He’s not only a Lamb, He is also the Lion!  And so when times are hard and things are tough and God is calling you through that fire to strengthen and mature and become fireproof and ACTUALLY trust Him (you can’t ever trust Him if it doesn’t require distrusting yourself)…then many times folks complain because they have made God the cow…(You’re supposed to MOOOOOVE in my life!  He already moooooooved at Calvary!  HA!)…which He is not!
• If I allow my heart or anything else to fashion a representation or idea of God for me then at best it will be a partial representation…if you want a good look at what God is like, look to Jesus…the expressed image of His person. And how do we get a good look at Him?  Psalm 40:7, “Behold I come; in the volume of the book it is written of Me.”  (Repeated for us in Hebrews 10:7.) The Word of God…knowing it, investing in it and receiving/applying it…that is how we throw the calf back into the fire within our heart of hearts.

1 Corinthians Chapter 10 Verses 9 – 12

• Paul says that Israel in the wilderness should be an example for them and for us. To observe, to consider and to learn from…because if God had 2 million things He wants to bless you with, do through you and for you in your life and out of those 2 million things you are able to receive and carry out only 2 then I personally (and I’m a bit harder on myself than some) I personally would say that I have absolutely failed at life.  And so how did they fail….?
• Essentially, they could never submit their flesh to the Lord. They could never get out of the rut of self-service and self-worship.  Serve the Lord, not lust.  Say no to the meat if that’s what your brother needs.  It’s got the best taste, they use that Bacchus BBQ sauce!  The good stuff….it’s cheap, best deal out there and will save you so much money….but instead, you love your brother!
• Serve the Lord, not an idol…don’t serve knowledge or your rights or entertainment…stay away from sexual immorality and if God has put authority in your life…watch out man…don’t be a complainer…no authority is given except as is given by God (recall the words of Jesus to Pontius Pilate)… walking in the flesh, giving yourself to the flesh rather than to serving God, the end result is destruction by the destroyer.  The enemy has come to do nothing but kill, steal and destroy, but Jesus said, I have come that you may have life and have it abundantly!
• God has given you the best of materials…materials to last for all times and outlast any storm…but what you build is entirely up to you…