Do's and Don'ts

March 2, 2013

Opening Hymns:
Seek Ye First

Scripture Reading:
1 Corinthians 10:1-13

10 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. ² They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. ³ They all ate the same spiritual food ⁴ and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. ⁵ Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

⁶ Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. ⁷ Do not be idolaters, as some of them were; as it is written: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.”^{[a] 8} We should not commit sexual immorality, as some of them did—and in one day twenty-three thousand of them died. ⁹ We should not test Christ,^[b] as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. ¹⁰ And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel.
¹¹ These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the culmination of the ages has come. ¹² So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall! ¹³ No temptation^[c] has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted^[d] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted,^[e] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Message:
In the musical Oliver, the little orphan Oliver lost when he was drawing straw to see who would go up and ask for more gruel. He went up and asked for more, and because of that he was punished. All the other orphans didn’t stand up for him, instead they turned on him. You can hear the children pondering beforehand “What happens when you ask for more?” and after the fact, “Oh, if it’s that bad we should never ask for more.” They learned from his mistake.

While poor Oliver didn’t really deserve to be punished, this instance is a reminder to us that we can learn and change our behavior based on the rewards and punishments of others who have certain behaviors. This is where the scripture today comes in. The Old Testament is full of examples of Do’s and Don’ts (mostly don’ts)…  We can study and learn from what people did in the bible. The bible teaches us to love God and to turn away from idols and sinning. Time and time again we see people falling into the trap of sin and temptation. The good news is that God will provide us a way out of temptation. God will provide a way for us to repent and keep from sinning. With God all things are possible.

Time of Prayer
Dear Lord, thank you for giving us the bible so that we can study and learn the “do’s and don’ts” that help keep us on Your path. Guide us down Your path and keep us from temptation. Let us learn from the mistakes of others, and let us also learn from the perfect actions of Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Lord’s Prayer

Closing Hymn
Sanctuary

May the Lord bless you and keep you: May the Lord make His face shine upon you, and be gracious unto you: May the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace." Amen.

Go in peace, serve the Lord
Thanks be to God