Glynlea Grace United Methodist Chruch

Scripture

1 Corinthians 8:1-13

Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that "all of us possess knowledge." "Knowledge" puffs up, but love builds up. ² If any one imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. ³ But if one loves God, one is known by him. ⁴ Hence, 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." ⁵ For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth -- as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords" -- ⁶ 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. ⁷ However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through being hitherto accustomed to idols, eat food as really offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. ⁸ Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do. ⁹ Only take care lest this liberty of yours somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. ¹⁰ For if any one sees you, a man of knowledge, at table in an idol's temple, might he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols? ¹¹ And so by your knowledge this weak man is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died. ¹² Thus, sinning against your brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. ¹³ Therefore, if food is a cause of my brother's falling, I will never eat meat, lest I cause my brother to fall.

Focus and Function

Focus: As Christians, we must build each other up. We must remind each other that we

are children of God. The Holy Spirit works through each one of us to prepare us

for God's work. The more we seek to build each other up, the more the Holy

Spirit can prepare us for Kingdom work. In this way, we become better at

accomplishing our God given mission of making disciples of Jesus Christ for a

transformed world.

Function: To encourage the congregation to actively seek ways to love and build each

other up.

The Sermon

I. Introduction: Show scene from the Movie “Officer and a Gentleman”

A. Zack Mayo joins the navy and attends Officer Candidate School (OCS) to become a Naval Aviator.

B. Mayo begins OCS with a poor, self-centered attitude and runs into conflict with the Drill Instructor, Gunnery Sergeant Foley.

C. Mayo’s attitude changes throughout the movie. He becomes less self-centered and more focused on helping his fellow candidates. This change in attitude is demonstrated on the obstacle course.

- Mayo is about to break the obstacle course record. While running the obstacle course he passes Casey Seegar, who can’t get over one of the walls.

- Right before Mayo finishes the course, he turns around and goes back to the wall where Casey is. He encourages her and pushes her to complete the course. He came in last with Casey but they both passed. Gunnery Sergeant Foley looked on with approval.

D. Mayo finally realized that as candidates they needed to work together and build each other up.

E. The church must have the same attitude!!! As followers of Jesus Christ, we must build each other up.

II. The church can not accomplish its mission unless we build each other up

A. Our mission: We are committed to the mission of the church to make disciples of Jesus Christ for a transformed world

B. To accomplish this mission we must build each other up by:

1) Teaching each other about Jesus and His way

2) Encouraging each other to share the good news and serve others

3) Holding each other accountable (Helping each other to live a Godly life characterized by love)

4) Helping each other with our needs

C. The reason we have fellowship with each other is not just to have fun. It’s to build each other up so we can go out into the world to share the good news and serve others in the name of Jesus Christ.

III. The Apostle Paul had to remind the church in Corinth to build each other up.

A. The church in Corinth was divided. There was a lot of infighting among various cliques. Paul wrote the church to encourage them to drop their petty differences and to start loving each other.

B. In 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 Paul is addressing the issue of whether or not Christians should eat meat that was sacrificed to idols.

- Paul starts of by saying that they need to focus on loving each other in order to build each other up. The New Living Translation puts it this way, “Now let's talk about food that has been sacrificed to idols. You think that everyone should agree with your perfect knowledge. While knowledge may make us feel important, it is love that really builds up the church. ² Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn't really know very much. ³ But the person who loves God is the one God knows and cares for.” (! Cor. 8:1-3)

- Then Paul explains that eating meat sacrificed to Idols is not a horrible thing to do. After all, the idols they were sacrificed to are worthless pieces of metal or wood. BUT…..

- If eating meat sacrificed to idols causes another persons faith to be challenged or causes a split, then don’t eat meat sacrificed to idols!!! Again, the NLT puts it this way, “So now, what about it? Should we eat meat that has been sacrificed to idols? Well, we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God and no other. ⁵ According to some people, there are many so-called gods and many lords, both in heaven and on earth. ⁶ But we know that there is only one God, the Father, who created everything, and we exist for him. And there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom God made everything and through whom we have been given life. ⁷ However, not all Christians realize this. Some are accustomed to thinking of idols as being real, so when they eat food that has been offered to idols, they think of it as the worship of real gods, and their weak consciences are violated. ⁸ It's true that we can't win God's approval by what we eat. We don't miss out on anything if we don't eat it, and we don't gain anything if we do. ⁹ But you must be careful with this freedom of yours. Do not cause a brother or sister with a weaker conscience to stumble. ¹⁰ You see, this is what can happen: Weak Christians who think it is wrong to eat this food will see you eating in the temple of an idol. You know there's nothing wrong with it, but they will be encouraged to violate their conscience by eating food that has been dedicated to the idol. ¹¹ So because of your superior knowledge, a weak Christian, for whom Christ died, will be destroyed. ¹² And you are sinning against Christ when you sin against other Christians by encouraging them to do something they believe is wrong. ¹³ If what I eat is going to make another Christian sin, I will never eat meat again as long as I live-- for I don't want to make another Christian stumble.

- Verse 13 can be re-stated in three ways

1) If what I say is going to make another Christian sin, I will never say it again as long as I live-- for I don't want to make another Christian stumble.

2) If what I do is going to make another Christian sin, I will never do it again as long as I live-- for I don't want to make another Christian stumble.

3) If what I advocate is going to make another Christian sin, I will never advocate it again as long as I live-- for I don't want to make another Christian stumble.

- Paul’s main point: We should never do anything to encourage a fellow Christian to sin. We should never tear down a fellow Christian. Instead, we should build each other up.

IV. Conclusion

A. The communion table brings us together as one body, the Body of Christ. As we partake of the bread and juice, the Holy Spirit unites us into one body.

B. It is actually the Holy Spirit building us up through each other.

C. Come to the Communion table and be united with the one body.