“All for the Glory of God”
1 Corinthians 10:23-11:1
Sermon by
Mark A. Horne
H.A. Ironside tells a story about a good friend of his named Paul Rader. Rader knew three ministers in his life who came from the South and each had a remarkable characteristic, which portrayed unselfish acts of kindness and love to whomever might be around them. When Rader asked this particular preacher why he was so unselfish in his love, the preacher responded that he owed it all to a circuit rider that came to his hometown every two weeks.
The preacher went on to describe the circuit rider as a lean, cadaverous looking man of Abraham Lincoln’s type. One Sunday, while the circuit rider was in town, he preached two sermons – one in the morning and one in the afternoon. In between the services, the ladies in the church served a picnic lunch for all to attend. Great platters of fried chicken, ham and other meats were laid out on gleaming white tablecloths; these were surrounded by stacks of biscuits, corn pone, hard-boiled eggs, cakes and other delicacies. When everything was ready and set in place, the assembled group sat down on the lawn to enjoy the feast.
There was a group of boys who always got up to the front of the group so they could get their hands on the platter of chicken. But on this day they weren’t so fortunate. The crowd was larger than normal and they were told to wait until the elders were served. The boys scurried off angrily and went back behind a shed to indulge in the past time of shooting dice. They appointed the youngest of them to keep watch and periodically tell them how much food was going to be left for them.
Ruefully, the young lad came back with report after report of platters of fried chicken disappearing; yet more seemed to be coming out of the nearby wagons. Suddenly he came back with a grievous report – “the circuit preacher is an old squirrel! He has eaten all he could and now he is filling those big pockets in his long tail coat full the only chicken that’s left!” All the boys peered around the barn and saw the truth for themselves.
In just a moment a woman exclaimed, “look at the circuit preacher’s plate – you all have neglected him. Hand over that plate of fried chicken…” and she began to heap more upon his plate. He nibbled on them a few more minutes, then again placed them in the pockets of his coats. The boy’s now seething in anger.
The preacher got up with the rest and backed away from the group of adults. The boys intently watching him because they knew that he was going to store the “loot” of chicken in his baggage for safekeeping. But after he got some distance from the crowd, he turned and hurried off toward the barn. The angry boys, running into each other and hurrying tried to get the dice up before the preacher made it to them. Oh how they had wished the second call to lunch had came sooner! The preacher arrived “boys,” he said, “I was afraid they were forgetting you so I saved a lot of the white meat and the drumsticks for you.” Out came the chicken that had been stuffed into the circuit-preacher’s coat. The boys were captured. They eventually were led to Christ by this same preacher in their life. Several became missionaries, three went into the ministry at home, and one became the preacher that touched evangelist Paul Rader.
What can Ironside, or Rader, or even the preachers owe to the salvation they received from God? What do we owe God for our salvation? There is nothing but one thing – which is Glory that is due Him.
Paul discusses with the Corinthians what it means to bring glory to God. I believe we can look at our passage this morning and bring from it three points.
1) As a follower of Jesus Christ, if we are to bring glory to God we have to put the other person’s well being before our own.
2) If we are to bring glory to God, we have to keep our conscience clear and not hinder the conscience of our brother or sister.
3) If we are to reach the lost, we have got to do everything for the glory of God.
As a follower of Jesus Christ, if we are to bring glory to God we have to put the other person’s well being before our own. In our passage this morning Paul is answering for his church the question, “is it ever lawful for us to eat what has been sacrificed to idols?” Paul straight out answers this question in verses 23-24. Yes, there are times when it is lawful.
Yet as we learned in chapter 6, the Corinthians perverted Paul’s instruction on the matter. The Corinthians perverted the issue for one main purpose, they wanted to feed their selfishness and not the neighbor they sat with or was invited by. Paul tells them that though there are times when it is all right to eat sacrificed meat – it is never all right to eat the sacrificed food if the edification of a brother or sister is in danger. Just like the circuit preacher who was stuffing chicken in his pockets, if we are truly concerned with the edification and salvation of our brothers and sisters we must be concerned enough to promote their welfare.
Those who allow themselves to indulge everything, though it might not be sinful at the time, will eventually run into what is evil. We must always think about what we are doing and whom we are doing it with. We must always be aware of who is around and might be peering around the corner to see how we act. Yes, if we are to bring Glory to God we have to put the other’s well being before our own. Jesus gave His disciples a lesson on what kind of sacrifices we must make in order to bring God glory. In Mark 12:41 it reads… You see how the Corinthians missed Paul’s point? Though circumstances may look like they are ok lawfully, if we don’t put the other first, if we don’t give all we have, if all we do is take and eat to indulge our selfish desires – then we have done nothing to bring glory to God. We have done nothing in the edification of His church.
If we are to bring glory to God, we have to keep our conscience clear and not hinder the conscience of our brother or sister. In verses 25-30 Paul puts together a couple of scenarios for the Corinthians to think about. First, what does a Christian do at the grocery store? Second, what does the Christian do at the Christian do at dinner with a non-believer?
Remember how Corinth was set up. If one wanted to buy food, they did so at the market that was located right in the middle of the city. This was where all of the produce was and the local meats as well. But what was interesting is when some animals were sacrificed to the pagan gods; the leftover meat was sold in the market. Paul tells his readers that they need not be so rigorous in questions that they ask the butcher if the meat they have was sacrificed to an idol. Paul is stating that though he doesn’t want them to eat meat offered to an idol, if they eat the meat it is still owned by God. The food offered to an idol has not been offered to anything – it is still food. It is still apart of God’s creation. What should be important for them is that God has richly provided them with food. He has given them something to eat. If conscience will allow, eat it. Don’t uncover something that might hinder the conscience.
This would be like us buying clothes that were cut and sewed by Chinese Confucians. I’m sure that most of us would not buy something if it was prayed over and lifted up to Confucius. Yet Paul tells us that as long as we don’t have our conscience bound - then it is all right to wear those shoes made in China. Confucius is nothing but an idol. A sweater is a sweater and we must give God glory for His provision.
The second scenario Paul sets up is that of dining with non-believers. Remember that in Corinth one would often be invited by pagans to eat with them meat that they sacrificed in the temple. It was considered taboo to eat alone all the meat that you had offered to be sacrificed. It was customary to invite others to dine with you. Paul tells the Corinthians that it is all right to eat this meat if you did not know it was idol meat. They could and should go to the feast and eat what is set before them as long as they don’t ask questions.
But in verse 28 Paul brings out the issue of self versus God again. If someone has publicly stated that any of the food had been sacrificed to an idol then they should refrain. But notice the reason why. It has nothing to do with the conscience of the Christian. It has to do with the conscience of the non-believer. We know that everything is God’s. We know that there is only one true God. What we must keep in mind is that we should be very cautious of doing what may prejudice the conscience of others. Again, we must not hurt our brother or sister by doing or saying something that might put them in a position to think God is arbitrary. “That Christian is living just like me…why do I need his God?” This is prejudice we must work hard not to portray.
If we are to reach the lost, we have got to do everything for the glory of God and not commit evangelical atheism. Here Paul lays down a general rule for the Corinthians and for all Christian conduct. In all we do we should aim to glorify God. And by living this rule, we must be careful not to offend any in the church. Paul uses the term Jew, Gentile, or the church so they understood that culture makes no difference. Christian is a Christian, no matter what birthright he claims. Matthew Henry says, “Our own humor and appetite must not determine our practice, but the humor of God and the good and edification of the Church.” Just as the circuit preacher pressed home his love for God with boldness by the example he showed those boys, we must do the same with everyone we come in contact with. Whether we decide not to partake in listening to crude jokes at the hunting club, or abstaining from drinking wine around those who may stumble from the act, or any other example you may recently found yourself in – we must always do what we do for the glory of God.
I want to close with this final illustration that Dr. Bruce Narramore tells. He says:
“I once counseled with a well-respected evangelical minister. He was fundamental in all his doctrines and preached the Word of God with much authority. He stood up for the Scriptures and was against many evils in the city. He was somewhat a fighter and was always looking for an opportunity to play the role of a biblical prophet. One day he came to my office complaining of the difficult time he was having with his associate minister’s wife. It seems she was spreading many rumors through her gossip at the local beauty parlor. After relating his story with much hostility in his voice he said to me, ‘Narramore, just how far do you carry this forgiveness bit!’ I replied, ‘Seventy times seven.’ But he didn’t seem to get the message. If I had said, ‘Rev. Jones, just how far do you carry the virgin birth bit?’ I would have been the subject for next Sunday’s sermon. But when it came to a personal frustration near the minister’s daily life he was essentially atheistic. Many Christian’s live this way. We hold to the fundamentals of the faith, but when it comes to the matters of personal living such as forgiveness, hostility, worry, (and putting the other first), we are really no different than the atheist.”
Where are you walking in your daily life? Are you living to bring glory to God as the circuit preacher to those boys? Or are you living your life as the minister who wanted to put his frustration above forgiving his sister in Christ? Pray today that you will do as Paul has lain before us in Scripture this morning. Do everything for the glory of God. Put your brothers and sisters well being ahead of yourselves including their consciences.
Let Us Pray: Dear Heavenly Father, strengthen us when we fail you in our daily walk with you. Help us to see the need that a brother or sister may have that we may not hinder their understanding of who you are. Father we want to bring you glory. Help us to do so. And if there is someone here who may not know you, may your Word touch their heart in such a way that they realize the need to know you as the Redeemer. In your most Holy and Precious name, Jesus Christ, we pray, Amen.