Don't Slip and Fall

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

You might be thinking that at least today I have it together, I got this, it’s going to be a good day.  Then think back to February. Weather. An ice storm.  You think you are on stable ground, but black ice is reflected from the street lamps.  Ok, I got this, there is more traction on the snow.  Not.  Wrong.  Ice coats the surface. And down you go.  You crawl to safety as your family laughs at you.

Then the devil of technology rears up affecting your phone, TV, Computers.  Warnings about hacking appear daily.  We are generally ok until something breaks, whether it’s an ankle, electronics, or plumbing.

Now I know that some of you think you know enough to fix the problem.  How many of you have made things worse - tinkering with stuff you really have no clue about?  Accept your limits and get help.  Some say it’s easier for women to do this than men?  Am I right?

And then what happens until things get fixed? You are at risk for more things going wrong.  You miss the text that you don’t have to go to church Sunday, and while your gone, your water pipe bursts and you come home to a mess. Yes?

As your preacher, though I wish I could, I can’t help you with any of this.  I can encourage you to watch out, to regularly examine your faith. Perhaps, even walk with you during challenging times.  Are you on solid ground? Or not.

Paul’s congregation in Corinth perhaps was thinking that because they were forgiven, they could do pretty much what they wanted.

Paul, hundreds of years later, somewhat sarcastically wrote in Romans Chapter 6,

“What shall we say then? Shall we keep on sinning so that grace may increase? … Should we continue to sin, because we are not under law but under grace? Absolutely not!” (Romans 6:1,15).

Just as we learned lessons from Jesus resisting temptation, we can learn from the Israelites and Paul’s congregations.  We can learn how not to falter, trip up or fall away from God, just because for a time it seems we are getting away with it. Paul exhorts us,

“Now these things took place as examples to warn us not to desire evil things the way they did… All these things that were happening to them had meaning as examples, and they were written down to warn us, to whom the end of the ages has come.”

Why did God give us these scriptures? To help us not to do the same exact thing.

Most of us lose our temper with the people we are closest to.  We love them the most but treat them the worst because we think we can get away with it.  My mom and dad have to love me.  I don’t owe them obedience, or respect, or need to be loving.  They are always going to be there.

While I think we don’t intend to, we can think and behave toward God in the same way.  He’s always there.  I can just do what I want and I’ll ask for forgiveness later tonight when I say my prayers.

And what if there isn’t a later?  We cannot predict the future.  Recent tornadoes have robbed people of their future. We at Zion’s Red Church have mourned in the past few years the accidental loss of members and people we know.  Each day is a new gift.

Again, are we like children who try to see how much they can get away with before they are caught or their parents become furious? Testing the limits, we say.   Are we testing Christ?  And may not so much with immoral behavior but with our inattention, our lack of investment in our relationship with God.

If we are careless, if we think all is good because God is faithful and we don’t have to work on our relationship, Paul says watch out: Let him who thinks he stands be careful that he does not fall.  We need God.  He holds us upright.

Almost every generation feels that this is the moment that Jesus needs to return and save the world.   But, Jesus needs us to take action to make things right, to use the tools and examples he gave us of love, compassion, charity, inclusiveness.  To take a stand, keeping our commitment to God.

We are fortunate that God keeps his promises to us, remaining faithful when we are not.  So let us live like it. Let us be the tree that bears good fruit, not bad. We can show our gratitude by following Jesus and living like him.  Let us treat people the way Jesus did.  Let us not get lazy in our faith, taking God for granted. Pray, read the Word, join a Bible study and share a meal with Jesus in the Lord’s supper.  Faith is an action word.

These activities shore up our confidence and give us the strength to stand against what is evil.  The strength to say no to peer pressure, or to colleagues who suggest doing what you know is wrong.   These activities help us get through the valleys I spoke about recently, because we become stronger with Jesus.

Are you flat on your back, on your own, crawling to seek a safe haven?  You do’t need to do this.

God is faithful. He will not allow you to be tested beyond your ability, but when he tests you, he will give you the trust, fortitude, and resilience so that you will come through it.  God is right there with you.

Reach out to the hand of God who will help you stand up, now and forever.  Amen.