Sermon Manuscript for the 3rd Sunday of Lent, March 23

1 Corinthians 10:1-13

Things to Remember! Things to Practice!

1.     If you only look at today’s passage, you might think it’s just a piece of advice Paul gives to the Corinthian church, but considering the overall context—that Paul had exchanged several letters with them—it’s not merely advice, but a record of Paul’s resolute exhortation.

2.     First of all, what Paul conveys in today’s passage is a story about the ancestors of the Jews, being told to the Gentiles. Although Paul consistently emphasized the Gentiles’ freedom regarding the law and their lack of responsibility to keep it, through today’s passage, we see Paul discussing things that must still be observed. We must understand that these words came after much deep contemplation from Paul.

3.     As you well know, the Corinthian church was a church filled with comprehensive problems. The members formed factions and fought among themselves, distinguishing between body and soul—thinking that the body couldn’t be saved and could thus be used carelessly, leading to sexual immorality. There were ethical debates, doubts about Paul’s apostleship, idolatry, disorder in worship, and disputes over the resurrection—the church was exposed to every problem imaginable.

4.     The letter Paul sent to such a church was written with patience and deep reflection, and we must understand how fortunate we are today to be able to read such an important letter.

5.     Paul’s clear proposition to the Corinthian church is not the future-oriented eschatological confession, “If you believe in Jesus, you will be saved,” but rather the present action of “If you believe in Jesus, you are saved right now.” He teaches the meaning of the gospel and salvation as something realized now.

6.     The salvation that Paul proclaimed and taught emphasized the present. The confession “we are saved now” doesn’t mean we will be saved in the future; it means that those who are saved now must live a life worthy of that salvation. This was Paul’s powerful message to the Corinthian church and the early church.

7.     However, contrary to Paul’s will, the Corinthian church had too many issues. As mentioned before, it was a church gathered by the saved, yet it failed to understand the present nature of salvation and lived recklessly. Paul’s concerns about this can be seen in today’s passage.

8.     As mentioned earlier, Paul tells the Gentiles about the Jewish ancestors. In verse 1, Paul begins by saying, “I want you to know this,” and talks about what their ancestors experienced.

9.     “Our ancestors were all under the cloud and passed through the sea.” This verse refers to the events during the Exodus, when God led Israel out of Egypt. Paul speaks figuratively, so we can’t know for sure how well the Corinthian believers understood this. Through the Exodus story, Paul explains God’s efforts to save Israel.

10.  Under Moses’ leadership, all the Israelites ate the same food and drank the same water while journeying through the wilderness. But in verse 5, it says, “God was not pleased with most of them.” It says “most of them perished in the wilderness.”

11.  To Paul, the fact that some of the Israelites who came out of Egypt perished in the wilderness is related to his strong emphasis on the present nature of salvation. Paul thought that people who say “we will be saved” or “we were saved” fail to properly understand the meaning of salvation. You often hear people say, “I used to go to church diligently,” or “I’ve received grace before,” or “I’ll go to church diligently in the future,” or “If I try hard, I’ll receive grace.” These are familiar phrases. But Paul insists that right now, we receive grace and salvation.

12.  Most of those who perished in the wilderness did so for the following reasons: God saved them through the Exodus and rescued them from slavery. But in verse 7, it says they committed idolatry. In verse 8, it warns against sexual immorality, saying 23,000 people fell dead because of it. This sexual immorality refers to idolatry. After the Exodus, when Moses was absent, they made a golden calf and 3,000 people were killed. In Numbers 25, due to intimate relations with foreigners—which also involved idolatry—24,000 people died. In the Bible, most references to sexual sin relate to idolatry.

13.  Paul tells the Corinthian church, filled with Gentiles, that even though their ancestors, the Jews, acted as though they were specially chosen, they were weak in the present walk with God and worshiped idols, for which God judged them severely.

14.  Verses 9 and 10 convey a special message. “Do not test Christ!” It references, “They tested Christ and were killed by snakes.” In verse 10, Paul warns against grumbling, saying that grumblers faced destruction.

15.  These cryptic verses summarize the events in Numbers 20. Moses planned to take the shortcut “King’s Highway” through Edom to reach Canaan and wrote to the king of Edom, promising not to take any produce or water, and to pay for any water drunk by livestock. The king refused, so Moses and the Israelites had to take a longer route. Then the people began to grumble. In Numbers 20, as soon as they grumbled, without warning or mediation from Moses, God sent venomous snakes, and many Israelites died. Soon after, God told Moses to lift up a bronze serpent, and whoever looked at it would live.

16.  This is a well-known story. In John 3:14-15, Jesus says, “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up.” Paul summarizes both stories in verses 9 and 10.

17.  The key point in these two verses is grumbling. In the Corinthian church, filled with grumbling and complaints, Paul shares what their Jewish ancestors experienced. In verse 11, Paul says that all these events were written “as examples for us.”

18.  From this, we can identify two major problems in the Corinthian church: idolatry and grumbling/complaining. Expanding on this, the two things the church must be most cautious about are idolatry and grumbling.

19.  In verse 12, Paul says, “Let the one who thinks he stands be careful not to fall.” This ambiguous statement likely targets those who are well-established or leaders in the church. Most issues in the Corinthian church stemmed from those who had some position or seniority in faith. Paul warns them to be cautious about idolatry and grumbling.

20.  Verse 13 shifts from the previous discussion. Let’s read verse 13 together.

21.  Verse 13: “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”

22.  The phrase “common temptation” in the original Greek is “peirasmos anthropinos,” literally meaning “human temptation.” This implies, in contrast, something like “temptation given by God.” So this phrase can be interpreted as trials we bring upon ourselves.

23.  Based on this, this verse is not about God giving us strength to overcome any hardship, but a warning that we fall into trials and troubles due to our own actions.

24.  Paul is warning that human-made problems can prevent people from enjoying the salvation received in Jesus Christ. Idolatry and grumbling are the most significant issues within churches.

25.  Idolatry often means being interested in gods other than God, but practically speaking, it refers to the priority we assign to our faith in life. Paul isn’t saying church should be your life’s top priority. Rather, to live out the present salvation, we must live as those who are saved—walking with God daily, remembering Jesus’ mission, and living as Christians in the world.

26.  The Corinthian church failed in this. Gentile churches often prioritized their own circumstances, causing problems because they didn’t enjoy the salvation they already had.

27.  Complaints and grumbling arise from close encounters with reality. We cannot always have good experiences. When faced with awkwardness or discomfort, we may fail and respond with grumbling.

28.  The Corinthian church was prominently filled with idolatry and grumbling. Paul tells them that these problems weren’t unique to them. The Israelites after the Exodus also had these two problems, and they exist in any faith community.

29.  Paul clearly states that these problems are not from God but created by humans. If God gives trials or hardships, they are ones we can endure.

30.  Churches are always exposed to these two problems. The reason churches struggle with them is a failure to grasp the present nature of salvation.

31.  There was a monastery known for deep spirituality and grace. Many visited, and the monastery thrived. But suddenly, visitors stopped coming. The atmosphere worsened, complaints rose, relationships soured, and people missed the past. The abbot sought advice from his mentor, who visited and, before leaving, said, “Tell no one, but Jesus is here in disguise.” Word spread quickly. People, wondering who Jesus might be, treated each other with care. Respect returned. Word spread, and the monastery regained its grace and spirituality.

32.  This is an illustration used by Thomas Merton and Henri Nouwen. A simple story, but filled with deep meaning.

33.  A friend serving as an associate pastor in a large church in Korea said last week that a church leadership meeting turned into a fight with cursing. Most church divisions stem from conflicts that cross the line—because of idols people trust more than Jesus, and because grumbling and complaints explode.

34.  It’s not surprising. Paul’s concerns about the Corinthian church are the same as what we experience today. Paul emphasizes the present nature of salvation. We are saved. Then we must live as saved people. If we see salvation only as future, we become unfaithful in the present.

35.  Remember this well, and strive to live as saved people. Please live as if Jesus, in disguise, is with us right here, right now.