Antioch Odessa
1 Cor 10:23-11:1
  • All My Boast is in Jesus
  • All Creatures Of Our God And King
  • Doxology (Amen)

  • “La practicidad de glorificar a Dios.”

    Good morning church, turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 10. The title of the message today is, “The Practicality of Glorifying God.” The Westminister Shorter Catechism was written in 1646-1647 as was a teaching written down in order to bring the church of England into greater conformity to the Church of Scotland. In this catechism a question is asked about what is the chief end of man. In other words why are we here on earth? What is our purpose. The response was this, “Man’s chief end is to glorify God and enjoy him forever.” When we come to 1 Corinthians chapter 10 and these final verses we see that this is truly the purpose for the Christian life.
    As you think about your life today, your family, your job, your passions, your service, may glorifying God be at the very center of all that you do. May your whole life reflect and show that nothing is greater than glorifying God.
    I hear many people that talk about glorifying God, but you may be here today and wonder, what does this really look like practically speaking??? What does it mean to bring glory to God? Pastor and Author Joel Beeke explains it this way.

    “When we glorify God, we do not add to his greatness but serve as instruments by which he makes himself known.” -Joel Beeke

    John Piper famously said in his book Desiring God, “God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in Him.” He said, “glorifying God means we love him, trust him, are thankful to him, obey him, enjoy him, and take pleasure in Him. Let me ask you this morning, are you satisfied in God, are you content with just God and nothing else?
    Today we want to look at the Practicality of Glorifying God. In church we can talk much about glorifying God and honoring Him, but what exactly does that look like? What does it look like when we don’t do this as well? Paul has now finished his argument with the Corinthian believers about attending temple meals and eating food sacrificed to idols. But what about meat in the marketplace that could have been brought from the temple of these false idols? The reason why this was brought up was that in this Greco-Roman culture the ancient meat sold for human consumption came from pagan sacrifices. At this time there was no general slaughterhouses and meat packing plants for cattle, sheep, or even pigs. Is this a matter of a clean conscience? Are we to do everything in order to please God and help others come to know Christ??? Yes, the whole duty of man is to fear God and obey His commands.
    a. For Paul’s audience it was a matter of knowledge and rights. Knowledge and rights can lead to pride and arrogance. These are not Christian values because it shows us our selfish hearts.
    b. For Paul it was a matter of love and freedom. Love and freedom lead to edification and these are Christian values because they can build up others and ultimately help others come to know Jesus. I hope that you will follow along with me. Let’s begin in verse 23 of chapter 10.
    1 Corinthians 10:23–11:1 ESV
    23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? 31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. 1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
    How do we glorify God?

    1. Glorify God by being a benefit to those around you.

    1. Glorifica a Dios siendo de beneficio para quienes te rodean.

    1 Corinthians 10:23–24 ESV
    23 “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.
    Paul here is talking about things that are lawful or beneficial for the good of our neighbor. Paul wants the believers in Corinth to see that everything was permissible for them. In other words if they wanted to purchase and eat meat that could have been sacrificed to idols, you have the freedom to do that, because it is lawful. Paul is saying, yes we have true freedom, but not everything we do is beneficial for those around us whether they are a believer or unbeliever. In our daily interactions with others, we must take into account others needs as we make decisions. How can we be a benefit to others?
    a. By realizing that not everything is beneficial or good for you. Because we have been bought with a price, we are now God’s, and we are to honor Him by what we do and say. We are no longer free to live how we desire, we are to live for Christ and to help other unbelievers see and know Christ. Not everything that we do or say will be beneficial for the sake of others. If we are not careful or cautious we can cause others to not come to Christ. If our lives are given over to the same things the world is doing like idolatry or sexual sin, people could look at our behavior and say I don’t see Christ Jesus in them. Anything that could cause an unbeliever to miss seeing the goodness of Christ we must be careful not to participate in even when there may be some gray areas that would not be forbidden or considered sinful in Scripture.
    b. By realizing that not everything is constructive.
    As you think about glorifying God, ask yourself will my actions be helpful to others? Will my words and actions build others up or will it bring them down? As Christians we must always think about how we will edify others or help others grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ. Let me give you several ways we as believers can edify or build up others.
    (1.) Point others to God’s Word. God’s Word will always help others to grow and be built up.
    2 Peter 3:18 ESV
    18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
    (2.) Another area is when God’s people come to church and here the preaching and teaching of God’s Word. This causes us to see areas we need to work on in our own lives, but it also brings sanctification by helping us grow in our faith.
    (3.) Another wonderful way that we can help build others up is by showing them the love of Christ. We love others by serving them, showing them kindness, and even forgiving them. As God’s people we must be loving.
    (4.) Finally, we must serve others. One of the great ways that the body of Christ can build others up is by serving people around us. We look for needs and pray, go, and serve the body of Christ.
    Oswald Chambers once said, “one of the ways to recognize a true saint of the Lord’s is that he or she will waive their own rights by obeying the Lord Jesus.”
    c. By realizing we are not to seek our own advantage or good, but our neighbors.
    When you stop to think about how you can bring glory to God, do you think about helping your neighbors? Do you think about how to help those who are lost and don’t know Christ? As believers in Christ we should never do anything to cause harm or hurt to others and especially to the name of Christ. Glorifying God means that we should seek to always do the right thing, in the right ways, and at the right time. Listen to what Paul said to the believers in the church at Philippi.
    Philippians 2:3–4 ESV
    3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
    The perfect example here for us today is that of Christ. When Jesus came to this earth He did not come to live His best life ever. He did not come to make himself famous or please himself. Jesus came to give up his life so that others might have life eternal. Jesus was always thinking about others and how to point them to the Father.
    How do we glorify God? We glorify God by being a benefit to others and then secondly, jot this down.

    2. Glorify God by caring for the conscience of others.

    2. Glorifica a Dios cuidando la conciencia de los demás.

    This is the application part of Paul’s message.
    He wants the Corinthian believers to pursue what is in the best interest of others or for the sake of others conscience. Look at verses 25-30 with me.
    1 Corinthians 10:25–30 ESV
    25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?
    Five different times here Paul uses the word, “Conscience” here. As Paul has taken time to help us see the importance of being a benefit to others he now shares the application part. We must do everything we can to not offend the weak conscience of those who are weak in the faith.
    -The first example that Paul shares is the issue of purchasing and eating what is sold in the meat market. Paul’s assumption here is that idols are not attached to the food being offered in the meat market. So, when you go to the market you can buy and eat anything sold there without having a guilty conscience. This is why Paul tells us in verse 26 that the earth and the things he had created like cattle or sheep have been created by God for us to enjoy and eat. Paul is quoting here from the book of Psalm.
    Psalm 24:1 ESV
    1 The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,
    -The second example Paul gives us is about what is offered at the unbelievers home. Not only can believers go to the market and grab some big juicy steaks or hamburger meat, but they also have the freedom to have a meal with an unbeliever. Paul’s point here is that there was nothing wrong or sinful if an unbeliever invites a Christian into his home for a meal. God has simply given us food for our strength, health, and enjoyment. Having a meal with an unbeliever could lead to some helpful conversations about Christ and we should look for opportunities to share our faith. Meals and dinners can be times where we glorify God by helping our lost friends and family come to a saving knowledge of Christ.
    -The problem here arises in verse 28. What about food offered in idol sacrifices? What should we do? No, we are not to eat of this meal. Now you may be here today and say so what? There is hardly anyone today that may struggle with this issue on food that has been sacrificed to idols. But there are still issues of conflict over what behavior is right for a Christian. Is a Christian free to worship on Sunday instead of Saturday now? Can a Christian be involved in worldly events like going to movies or listening to secular music? Can a believer drink alcohol around a weak believer who has struggled with drinking? Can a believer take part in dancing? While we must not be legalistic in our approach, we are to keep in mind the weaker conscience of other believers, and even those who don’t know Christ yet. Paul wants us to see that the conscience is the controlling factor here and not the conscience of the mature Christian, but of the weaker believer who is still struggling with a pagan background.
    For the sake of those who don’t know Jesus yet and sharing our faith with them we would not want to do anything that could jeopardize the situation. For the sake of a weak believer we should not do anything that may cause them to stumble. There may be things that we as believers need to refrain from so that we don’t lead others into sin or confuse them about a clear conscience. Church, we must be thankful for God and His wonderful provisions throughout this life, however there may come times where it is better to not do something or say something for the conscience of others.
    How are we to glorify God? We are to glorify Him by being a benefit to those around us and caring for the conscience of others and then third.

    3. Glorify God by not being a stumbling block to others.

    3. Glorifica a Dios no siendo un tropiezo para los demás.

    1 Corinthians 10:31–11:1 ESV
    31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32 Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33 just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. 1 Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.
    Paul now brings everything to a close on this food issue by pointing to the theme that believers are to do everything for the glory of God. Paul specifically mentions eating and drinking here in verse 31. When we think about what we do for the glory of God, we should think about the way we live, act, and speak. When other people look at our lives, can they see that the principles and standards that we live by reflect Jesus and not this sinful world? I hope so. When we go back to the Old Testament and look at the Jewish people we see that time and time again they started to mingle with the cultures and nations around them and slowly they began to look like these pagan nations. Over and over again God would send them His prophets to remind them, “Return to the Lord.” Come back to God and honor Him by glorifying His name. God is honored and glorified when His people are faithful and obedient. There are several lessons that we see here that we must be on guard against lest we becoming a stumbling block to those around us.
    a. First of all, don’t be offensive to others.
    The Example here are = Jews, Greeks, the church. Paul is saying practically that we must do everything we can as believers not to be an offense to an unbeliever that we might cause them to come to Christ. On the other side of this we must be careful not to offend a brother or sister to follow Jesus and live for him. There are many ways that this can happen. We can easily offend others by what we say and do. We can become prideful and arrogant. We must strive to be blameless and stay humble as we love those around us. Listen to what Paul said in Philippians chapter 1.
    Philippians 1:10 ESV
    10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ,
    b. Do everything you can, so people will be saved.
    Paul had given his life for the sake of the gospel. More than anything Paul wanted Jews and Gentiles alike to know about the risen Savior Jesus Christ. Paul realized the hope and life saving news of Christ, and he wanted others to come to know Jesus. Paul was not a people pleaser, but he wanted to do whatever he could to help men and women be saved. Yes, the gospel may be offensive to some people, but the souls of men and women hang in the balance of everything. Church, look for opportunities to share your faith with others.
    c. Have godly friendships or role models.
    Beginning in chapter 11 and verse 1, Paul wanted others to imitate him as he himself was seeking to be Christ like. Paul was not arrogant by making this statement. We know that Paul gave up all of his selfish desires and goals to follow Christ and share the good news. More than ever we need godly friends, mentors, and role models in our lives. Parents pray for your children that God would give them godly influences and friends to help them make god-honoring choices and decisions. There are way to many sinful influences in our world today. The devil is the great deceiver and we need to follow people who are faithfully living for Christ and teaching His words correctly.
    d. Seek to be Christ like.
    The last principle that Paul shares with us is to be an imitator of Christ and his life. Jesus Christ the god man stepped out of heaven and came to this earth. Jesus cared for others while he walked this earth. Jesus was kind, compassionate, forgiving, merciful, loving, and just. As we go about our lives we should seek to be Christ like.
    Closing:
    Born on October 8, 1927, Jim Elliot grew up in Portland, Oregon. Elliot was energetic, highly disciplined, intelligent, and gifted in various interests, including music, literature, art, stage performance, public speaking, and poetry. He excelled in his studies and became an outstanding wrestler in college, believing the sport would condition his body and benefit his training as a soldier of the Lord. Growing ever more single-minded in purpose and devotion to Christ, Elliot wanted to glorify God and he began keeping a spiritual journal in college to document his deepening faith. On October 28, 1949, he penned this oft-quoted entry: “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” Jim realized that God had given him his life so that he might glorify God even if it meant that he might loose his life.
    Jim had heard the story of a small but fierce tribe in the Ecuadorian rain forest—an unreached people group known as the Auca Indians (Waorani or Huaorani is what they call themselves). At the time, the tribe was considered a hostile indigenous group that had thus far killed every outsider who had ever ventured into their territory. Jim Elliot felt that God was calling him to these people and he wanted to reach them with the message of Jesus Christ’s love.
    A carefully planned mission to reach the Waorani Indians began so after this. Jim and several other missionaries started with attempts to show the tribe that their intentions were friendly. They flew in supplies and gifts for three months, dropping them in buckets to the people below. They used loudspeakers to transmit hospitable Waorani messages from the plane and through the forest. In time, the Waorani reciprocated with presents of their own. Eventually, the team of five missionaries felt it was time to make contact. On January 3, 1956, the five men landed on a sandbar off the Curaray River, a few miles from the main Waorani village. At first, the missionaries were excited and encouraged by positive encounters with three of the Waorani. But a few days later, ten Waorani men armed with spears returned to the beach camp, fatally wounding all five missionaries. The news traveled around the globe, with the story of their deaths appearing in a photo essay of the January 30, 1956, issue of LIFE magazine. Jim and these missionaries gave up their lives, their families, their everything because they desired to live a god-honoring life. There are many ways today that we can make God-honoring decisions. Pray and seek God as you follow Him. Be obedient and follow what God tells you through His word. Seek godly council and wisdom from the elders and godly leaders.
    Psalm 29:2 ESV
    2 Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness.
    *If you are here today and are going to be baptized, go ahead and make your way back to the baptismal rooms.
    (Close in Prayer) Take a little bit longer here for people to head to the back for baptism.

      • 1 Corinthians 10:23–11:1ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 10:23–24ESV

      • 2 Peter 3:18ESV

      • Philippians 2:3–4ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 10:25–30ESV

      • Psalm 24:1ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 10:31–33ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 11:1ESV

      • Philippians 1:10ESV

      • Psalm 29:2ESV

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