Dear congregation, the words that are central to this morning's proclamations are, you'll find them in 1 Corinthians 10 verse 13, where we read, there has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man. But God is faithful. who will not serve you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it, to bear the temptation. Well, the theme for the sermon this morning is temptation and the way to escape from it. So it is about temptations and the way to escape from those temptations. Two points of attention, two thoughts. First, temptation to sin. We hear in 1 Corinthians 10 about temptations, temptations to sin, to do evil. And the second thought is, escape from temptation because we also hear how to escape from temptations in our life because we all experience temptations. An important topic this morning since we are surrounded by many temptations continuously An important lesson, how to escape from temptation. So the first thought, temptation to sin. Well, in the first part of our text verse we read, let's read it again. There has no temptation taken you. but such as is common to man. So the first question actually is here, who is this you? Well, that's not so difficult to answer because in the first verses of this letter, we read Paul, that's the man, the apostle who writes this letter, to the church of God, which is at Corinth. There's one church of God. And that one church of God, whatever name it has, that's not important, is gathered together in local congregations. Well, and here is such a local congregation, part of the Worldwide Church of God, in that enormous metropole, city, Corinth. God called a congregation into being there in that city. He called, through the preaching of the word, people out of the world. He set them apart. And in that sense, make them holy in the sense of set them apart. And since that time that they were called out of the world, they gathered together. But by the way, as is always the case with the church, as soon as we gather, problems begin. Because we are flesh, what a privilege it is to be called out of this world, set apart in the sense God's property. But do you recognize it? Just look to your own heart, not around, please. Just look to your own heart. As soon as we gather, and because we are all flesh and we are all weak, the problems begin. Well, the same thing here in Corinth, nothing new under the sun, but tragic, tragic. Well, this congregation at Corinth, came into existence through the work of the Apostle Paul during his second missionary journey. You can read that story in Acts 18. You read there how a large crowd of both Jew and Gentiles came to conversion, a mighty work of God in this big city. But we are hardly three years later, and Paul takes his pen and writes this letter. Tragic. So sad. Just imagine. Called out of the world. Set apart by God. You began a Christ-centered life. Three years later, So sad and so tragic what is happening in Corinth. It piles up in that letter. You know what the main problem is in Corinth? And just in three years, free reformed Beau Aveneau, be careful. Watch yourself. In three years time, from a leading a spiritual-minded life, they turned into a worldly-minded life. From having a spiritual disposition, the whole congregation turned around, and now, three years later, it has a worldly disposition. The church became proud, self-centered. We know what wisdom is. The wisdom of the world, indeed. Because the true wisdom is Christ and Christ is crucified. The true wisdom is to be found in humbleness. Never in pride, never. But as a result of this pride here in Corinth, many divisions were found. I like that pastor, I like that pastor, I like, I like, the sermon is too long, this, that, all kinds of problems. As a result, right, divisions, words, even lawsuits among the brothers and sisters, lawsuits. There should be unity, peace, divisions and lawsuits. even immorality, of course, it always goes together. As soon as we lose our Christ-centeredness, as soon as we are no longer filled with the Spirit, as soon as we are no longer humble and needy, things go wrong. Immediately, it begins with pride, divisions, people that walk away, And then it's followed by immorality, by abuse. Well, just read the letter at home. Tragic, sad, sad. Apparently, the men there in Corinth, they live as carnal men. And again, the church became worldly-minded. All what they need, And that's Paul's aim, that's why he writes this letter. They must become Christ-centered again. That's the longing of his heart, to turn the congregation around. That they will come to repentance and see Christ again, and live again Christ-centered life, Spirit-filled God-honoring. Oh, he ends his letter with those words, if any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be an anathema, a curse. Do we love Christ? Do we love Christ personally as a congregation? Is Christ your central? If not, You are a curse. Deep words, deep words. Well, this morning, indeed, those words come to Grand Rapids. And those who attend this service from home or any other place, now or later, and they have much to say to us. Before I move on, let's ask ourselves, just personally, and give an answer between you and God. Just be open and honest. Are you carnal or are you spiritual? There's nothing in between. We are either carnal or spiritual. Are you worldly-minded or spiritual-minded? Again, there's nothing in between. Are you proud or do you humble yourself? There's nothing in between. There is no in between. Do we live holy or unholy? There's nothing in between. Do we live a Christ-centered life or self-centered? And I ask these questions myself. Let's continue to read our text first. But do you agree with me that those words are deep and important? Questions we must ask ourselves because we all will meet God at one day. We do not know when. It might be in an hour from now. And then those questions are of the utmost importance. Well, let's continue to read. There has no temptation taken you but such as common to man. This sentence means that the temptations that came to the congregants in Corinth are common temptations. Temptations that are common to All mankind, common human temptations. In other words, the temptations here are not special. They happen to every one of us in every time and every place. What are temptations? Let's begin also there. What are temptations? Well, you could translate this word also as test or trial. And indeed with temptations, it is like a two-sided coin, right? A coin has two sides. On one hand, the temptation leads to evil, to sin. On the other hand, that same temptation is a test and trial. Both are true. The temptation in itself is an external circumstance, something outside of us, but that makes an appeal to the desires in us. So something outside of us that appeals to our inner desires. And the devil uses temptations, those external circumstances, to arouse lusts in our heart, that we fall in sin. He tempts us to do evil. Therefore we pray, lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, because we are so weak. Maybe you are strong. This pastor isn't. I'm not. In myself, I am weak and not able to resist any temptation. None. Not even one. Not even the smallest. We need Christ. We need him. So weak. Oh, and therefore the Lord tells us, watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit is willing, I hope your spirit is willing to serve the Lord, to lift God up in the midst of your life, wherever you are. But the Lord continues, but the flesh is weak. You see, in that external circumstance that serves as a temptation, right? The devil uses that external circumstance and that temptation to arouse evil. But that same temptation, external circumstance, serves as a test or trial. And therefore, James writes, blessed is the man that endures temptation for when he is tried, tested, tempted, he shall receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to them that love him. And James writes also, my brethren counted all joy when you fall into diverse temptations, right? With one hand, we ask, Lord, lead us not into temptation, I am weak. And on the other hand, we hear counted joy. When you fall into temptation and the Lord is with you, there is that way to escape. It makes you stronger in the Lord. But you know what a point is here at Corinth? They became so worldly minded that they didn't resist the temptations. They fell into temptations. Without Christ, we are nowhere. I'll come back on that later. Without Christ, we will not be able to resist the temptations. Paul quotes here in 1 Corinthians 10, the history of the 40-year desert journey of the Israelites. He brings that desert journey very close to us. That desert journey is not something, you know, far removed from us, removed in the sense of time and place. No. That desert journey is actually quite close to us. in verse one just read verse one we read there moreover brethren i would not that you should be ignorant how that all our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea so he begins to write about a 40 year period of traveling through the desert but he speaks about the man traveling there as our fathers and by using these words of our fathers, Corinth, partly Jew, partly Gentile, over 2,000 years later, right? Again, partly Gentile, but he writes our father, and we hear the same words. 4,000 years later, in Grand Rapids, our fathers, That story there is part of our life story. Our fathers were there in the desert. And it appears that our fathers there in the desert are not so different from us. They were exposed to temptation. And the question is, how did our fathers back then in the desert deal with those temptations? And another question, even more important, how did the Lord deal with our fathers back then in the desert? Because we know that our fathers, back then in the desert, fell into temptation, that they sinned. There was no resistance. They didn't persevere, they didn't endure. They fell into sin. What did the Lord do with them? Important questions. We read in verse 6, now these things were written for our example. What our fathers back then long ago in a totally different place far from here experienced in the desert is an example for us. Why? We read, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things. That we should not lust. They lusted after evil things. And Paul becks Corinth and he becks Ephrosyne, Grand Rapids. Oh, do not lust after evil things. Look to your fathers in the desert long ago there. Look to them. Oh, they lusted. And what happened to them? What happened to them? You know, the temptations that our fathers so long ago experienced in the desert, and the temptations that the people in current experienced, and the temptations that we experience in our life, they are not different at all. No. The temptations you experience and you wrestle with, that cause you and me to fall into sin are not exceptional. Don't think that you are an exception. You are not. Those temptations are common to mankind in all time and all places. They're universal and they surround us everywhere and always. They appeal to our desire. They arouse a desire. Lust. Lust. But you know what the problem is? The temptation itself is neutral. The question is, what is the direction of your heart? What is the focus of your heart? Where is the desire? Where is your desire? What is the direction of your desire in your heart? That's the question. When we live Christ-centered, we will withstand those temptations and be made stronger in faith. But when we live carnal, worldly-minded, when our direction is self-centered direction, we will fall into sin. Let's listen to what Paul writes about that desert journey. In verses six through ten, six through ten, he gives us five events or occasions in the wilderness where our fathers, again, our fathers were tempted. What are those five vocations? First of all, they lusted. There was lust in the heart. Second, they fell into idolatry. That's the second temptation. The third one, they fornicated. The fourth one, they tempted Christ. They were impatient. And the last one, they murmured. five external circumstances that triggered a misdirected desire in their life, and they fell into sin. They lusted, they fell into idolatry, they fornicated, they tempted Christ, and they murmured. But you know, these things are not neutral. Although the temptation itself is neutral, our response to temptation is not neutral. No, not at all. Hear what the Lord does to our fathers or did to our fathers back then in the desert when they fell into temptation. Verse nine, they committed fornication and 23,000 fell in one day. They committed fornication. And 23,000 died. That's how serious our life is. And what we do with temptations. It's so serious. It's a matter of life or death. Verse 10, they tempted Christ. They were impatient. They didn't wait on the Lord. Impatient. They tempted Christ and were destroyed. Yeah, you hear it correct. How often are we impatient and do not wait on the Lord? They were impatient. They didn't wait on the Lord. They fell into sin. They were destroyed. our response to that neutral external circumstance that we call temptation matters. It matters. And then verse 11, they murmured. Is there one of you here this morning that Does not murmur in his life? Is there one that never murmured in his life? I think you all murmured, right? I did murmur. I did. They murmured and were destroyed. Why did Paul? choose these five examples, right? Of lusting, falling into idolatry, fornication, tempting Christ, and murmuring. You know, because there were many similarities between the temptations in the desert and the response there in the desert, and the temptation in Corinth, and the response to these temptations. But also, let's be honest, here, in the 21st century, the temptations around us, It's not so different at all. How alive idolatry is among us. So alive. The same is true with whoredom or fornication. What an attraction sexuality can be. And let's be honest, often it does not stay within the safe walls of marriage. And we do evil, we fall into evil. How much can we tempt Christ by rebelling and disagreeing with him and his way with us? How often do we murmur about God's way with us, his dealings with us? And we long for a different way and a different life. You see, our life matters. how we deal with temptation matters. And it's evident from those examples here, and from the whole letter of Corinth, that temptations are often strong, so strong. And that from our point of view, it is impossible, impossible to withstand and to not fall into temptation. From our point of view, just impossible. Why? Well, first of all, man, we are characterized by desire. There is always a desire in our life. But since the fall, our desire is misdirected, there we have our problem. Every human being is a human being that desires with lusts. The question is, what is the direction of our desire? Second reason why those temptations are so strong, and it's almost, not almost, it is impossible to withstand them, is that earth has brought forth thorns and thistles since the fall. Life brings sorrows, trouble. And those troubles and sorrows and tensions fuel our longing. We seek rest and peace. But again, because our desire is misdirected, without God's grace, we fall into sin. And sin's our fault. That's the third thing. We are so weak. We are unable to cope with temptations in ourselves. Well, let's move on to the second thought. An escape from temptations. an escape. Is there an escape? Yes, there is. There is, brothers and sisters, there is. Well, let's begin here. Our fathers in the desert could not resist temptations and many of them fell and they died there in the desert and they were destroyed. But let's now first read verse four and five. Verse four and five. What a contradiction. Just read it. Verse four and five. They did all, all our fathers in the desert back then, they did all drink the same spiritual drink. They drank of that spiritual rock that followed them. That rock was Christ. But with many of them, God was not well pleased. for they were overthrown in the wilderness. Oh, how poignant is reality, right? They all shared in the same spiritual privileges. Privileges. They all shared in the same privileges. But with many of them there, the Lord was not well pleased. Why? Because there was a desire for evil in their hearts. and not a desire for God who is the source of all good. You know, in our deeds, our hearts are laid open, laid bare. Hear the words of the Lord Jesus. They are not different. A good tree brings not false corrupt fruit. Neither does a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit, for every tree is known by his own fruit. Our response to temptations depends on the direction of our heart. A good tree will bring forth good fruit, and an evil tree will bring forth evil fruit. The words of the Lord. Just consider this, right? Our fathers back then in the desert, they shared in the same privileges, the same blessings of the Lord. But with many of them, the Lord was not pleased. Being a member of Free Reform Church Ball Avenue is not enough. Being baptized is not enough. It's not saving. Being under the Word Sunday after Sunday is not enough. It's not saving in itself. Even attending the Lord's Supper is not saving in itself. It's not a kind of hocus pocus and you attend the Lord's Supper and you are saved. No, it's not. Oh, we can be so proud, so self-centered, proud that we are a member of a particular denomination, better than other denominations. Proud because of our theological tradition and heritage. But without a changed heart, without conversion, without repentance and faith, it is all in vain. That's the lesson from the desert. It's about the direction of our heart, What a lesson! Just read verse 12. Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth take heed, lest he fall. You know, being saved is not a sin like, I am a sinner, Christ died for sinners, so I am redeemed. Because I am a sinner, Christ died for sinners, so I am redeemed and saved. How true this is. It is not a sum. It is not a rational sum. It's not. Faith, never forget it, has to do with our mind, heart, and soul. Faith has to do with our mind, knowledge. Oh, we need that knowledge, who we are, who God is. And therefore, being here, listening to sermons, attending the services, doing Bible studies, it is of the utmost importance because we need knowledge to be saved. But faith is not only a matter of knowledge, of mind, it's also a matter of heart. And our heart in the Bible is the birth chamber of our actions. That's our heart, the birth chamber of our actions. And it's so important that there is faith in our heart, that our actions, right, are influenced. by Jesus Christ and his word. And thirdly, as a consequence, faith is a matter of our soul, our human existence, of our whole human being. Faith is a matter of inner man and outer man, of attitude and actions. And we cannot take things for granted. We could deceive ourselves. And at the core, it is a matter of the direction of our existence. Mind, soul, heart. The direction of our heart. But the direction of our heart will become clear in our daily life, in the choices we make. We cannot become, well, we could become now, despondent like the disciples asked who then can be saved lord it's impossible then who then can be saved and we wonder about at our text words who can resist the temptations to evil our fathers in the desert couldn't resist Those Christians in Corinth couldn't resist. We can't resist. Who then can be saved? But now the Apostle Paul comes to the heart of his message. And now he's going to encourage us, to build us up. Let's continue to read verse 13. There has no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man. Don't think that your temptation is exceptional. It's not. It is common to all mankind. We continue to read, and that is important, underlying these words, but God is faithful. How can we resist temptations and overcome temptations? But, there is the but of the gospel, God is faithful. Again, it's about the direction of our heart. Is our heart directed toward the triune God? Is our desire to lift up God the Father, to live a Christ-centered life and a Spirit-filled life? That's the question. God is faithful. And not only faithful, he is strong. He is able to do what is impossible for us, but he can do it. He can do the impossible. God is faithful. You know, the possibility of salvation is with the Lord. The possibility of living a sanctified life and holy life is with the Lord and not with us. It lies entirely with God. God is faithful, but impossible from our side, impossible. Let's therefore repent, but with God, he is faithful. Even when we are weak, even when we at times fall into sin and cannot withstand temptations, but, oh, that's sweet, but God is faithful. all Paul at length had demonstrated already before that God is faithful. Just read the first four verses here. The first four verses of chapter 10. I like to read them again. And just hear God's faithfulness toward our fathers back then in the desert. Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant how that our fathers were under the cloud. all passed through the sea, were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, did all eat the same spiritual meat, did all drink the same spiritual drink, for they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. You see how faithful God is? So faithful. He led, He chose Israel. He led them through the Red Sea. He declared them to be His people. He made a covenant with them. He provided for them manna, quails, water through that rock. Oh, God was so faithful to all the Israelites, every one of them, so faithful. God is faithful. He is. What a benefit He bestowed upon His people without making a distinction. As it were, God was continually engaged in disposing his goodness with acts of love toward an unfaithful people. He continued to draw them with his love in spite of their unfaithfulness. God showed himself to be such a good doing God, the fountain of all goodness. What a mighty deeds. The Lord performed there in the desert. God is faithful. And there in life's the key to staying afloat in the midst of temptations. God is faithful. And we see the same faithfulness here. God has called us out of the world. He has set us apart. He gave us the sign and seal of baptism, which says, You are mine! Give me your heart! He gave us the sign and seal of the Lord's Supper, where weak believers can and will be strengthened in their faith and build up in their faith. Oh, we have the many gifts here. We have the gift of God's word, of preachers, of a church building, of elders. What a gift. God is faithful and he does not make any distinction. Here we are. How great is God's faithfulness? And in the end, We see that faithfulness in Christ. Even back then in the desert, it was about Christ. Because Paul writes, they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. Oh, we see God's faithfulness in Christ. He died for sinners. not for righteous people, but people that fail, that people that cannot withstand temptations, people that are misdirected in their desire. And he gave his only begotten Son, and that Son gave himself. What a gift it's all about. Christ, there we see God's faithfulness. And now we come to the second part of our text verse. Let's read verse 13. But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Yes, we are surrounded by temptations. Yes, indeed, we cannot withstand them. No, it's impossible in our own strength. But here, God is faithful. He will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear those temptations a way to escape a way out with God there is an escape route always it's like um you know with that image there of the people of israel standing before the Red Sea, behind them the Egyptians, before them the sea. Is there a way out? And there we have the mediator of the Old Testament, Moses. And he strikes the sea with his staff, and there is an escape route. a perfect, a passage through the sea, through the huge temptation there in front of those people. And from there, for 40 years, God gave them the cloud. And under that cloud, they were safe. Under Christ's wings, we are safe. How to withstand We come to a close of the sermon, but some practical lessons, how to withstand temptation. First, a very practical lesson. I would like to remind you of Joseph, Genesis 39. There we read about Joseph during the time of Potiphar, a courtier of Pharaoh. And there we read Genesis 39, verse six and seven. And Joseph was a goodly person, well favored. It means handsome in form and appearance. He was a handsome young man. And then we continue to read in Genesis 39. And it came to pass after these things that his master's wife cast her eyes upon Joseph. And she said, lie with me. Oh, and here Joseph is tempted, but by those external circumstances, that external trigger, tempted to evil, to sin. An attempt, it is an attempt to stir up the wrong desire in his heart. Let's continue to read how Joseph responds, verse eight. We just read, he refused. He refused, that's it. And he explains his refusal. Verse nine, and this is important. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? You see, Joseph had the Christ-centered life, a God-centered life, a spirit-filled life. That's the secret of his life. What is the secret in the end of Joseph's life? Well, you read in the Joseph story several times the words, and the Lord was with Joseph. Oh, the Lord is so faithful. Oh, and his blessings are unspeakable. The Lord looked with mercy upon Joseph. But there is another side to this coin. because the Lord loved Joseph first. Joseph, in response, loved the Lord above all. And so we read those words. How then can I do this great wickedness and sin against God? Here you have a practical illustration of the words of our text. There has no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man, but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able, but will with the temptation also make a way to escape that he may be able to bear it. But you know, in the end, That way to escape is Christ and Christ alone. In him, we see God's faithfulness towards sinners, towards people weak as we are, people that fall into temptations. But God is so faithful in Christ, and He is given as the way, the way out, the way of escape. In Him is a perfect salvation. In Him is a safe way. In Him is the truth. In Him is unspeakable joy. In Him is wisdom. In Him is all we need. In the end, how can we Resist and withstand temptations only in Christ. Don't try it in your own strength. It is about the direction of your heart. Is there this longing for righteousness? Is there this longing for Christ? Christ, I need you. I can't without you. I'm weak. I cannot withstand temptations. I'm too weak. But Christ, please fill my heart with your spirit. It's about Christ having in your heart. A very practical, the third lesson. How does Christ abide in our heart? John 15, abide in his word. Open God's word early in the morning with the day spring. Open it during the day. Meditate upon God's precious promises. Abide in his word. Abide in Christ. He is the conqueror. He overcame our enemies. With him and in him, we can withstand temptations. Without him, we are powerless. You see, it is about the direction of our heart. Is Christ everything and over you? Is Christ over you? Do you fall into temptations? Is there that weakness with you and in you? Flee to Christ. Embrace Him. Confess your weakness. And abide, abide in Him. abide in his word you have the promise where you will abide in him in his word he that's the promise he will abide in you god is faithful amen let's seek the lord in prayer