1 Corinthians 10:1-22: Will you rise above your family's failures? / Jeff Struecker

Big Idea: Will you rise above your family's failures?

1 Corinthians 10:1-22

I. There are dark moments in every story. 

1 Corinthians 10:1-5

Now I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. They all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ. Nevertheless God was not pleased with most of them, since they were struck down in the wilderness.

II. Knowing your family history won’t change your future.

1 Corinthians 10:6-11

Now these things took place as examples for us, so that we will not desire evil things as they did. Don’t become idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and got up to party. Let us not commit sexual immorality as some of them did, and in a single day twenty-three thousand people died. Let us not test Christ as some of them did and were destroyed by snakes. And don’t grumble as some of them did, and were killed by the destroyer. These things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our instruction, on whom the ends of the ages have come.

III. Every generation is tempted to turn from Jesus

1 Corinthians 10:12-13

So, whoever thinks he stands must be careful not to fall. No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.

IV. Today is a chance to change the course for your family.

1 Corinthians 10:14-22

So then, my dear friends, flee from idolatry. I am speaking as to sensible people. Judge for yourselves what I am saying. The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, since all of us share the one bread. Consider the people of Israel. Do not those who eat the sacrifices participate in the altar? What am I saying then? That food sacrificed to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, but I do say that what they sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons! You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons. Or are we provoking the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

Next Steps: 

• Believe: I need Jesus to wash away my sin today.
• Become: I will flee from temptation this week. 
• Be Sent: I will set an example by my words and actions this week.

Discussion Questions: 

1. If you could write a book about your family history, what would your title be?
2. Are there any repetitive cycles in your family history?
3. Have you learned a lesson from a family mistake?
4. What is your vision for your family in 20 years? Are you working toward that vision?
5. Since temptation is common in every generation, what can you do to prepare for it? 
6. Have you made a mistake that you hope the next generation will avoid?
7. Ask the Holy Spirit for the strength to break a cycle of sin.