Talking Yourself into Demon Worship | Making Room Week 5 | Andrew Cromwell

Talking Yourself into Demon Worship | Making Room Week 5 | Andrew Cromwell

Ways to Plug in During this All Church Series:

• Attend every Sunday
• Get in a small group
• Read the entire book with us! ”MyChurch” on YouVersion
• Small group curriculum table; 1 Corinthians journals; nice Bibles

1 Corinthians 14:26 ESV: What then, brothers? When you come together, each one has a hymn, a lesson, a revelation, a tongue, or an interpretation. Let all things be done for building up.

1 Corinthians 8:1-13 ESV: Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God. Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

1 Corinthians 9:1-2, 12, 19 ESV: Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.

1 Corinthians 10:20-24 ESV: No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.

Three Problems

1. The Knowledge Problem:

→ Knowledge doesn’t equal .

1 Corinthians 8:1-3 ESV: Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.

2. The Rights Problem: 

→ More rights doesn’t mean more .

1 Corinthians 10:23 ESV: “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.

3. The Worship Problem:

→ Worship is more than an activity, it is .

1 Corinthians 10:20-22 ESV: No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

Three Solutions

1. The Knowledge Solution: 

→

2. The Rights Solution:

→

1 Corinthians 9:19 ESV: For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.

3. The Worship Solution:

→ !

1 Corinthians 10:14 ESV: Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV: 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.