Sunday, July 13, 2014

On 7-20-14, 1 Corinthians 10:12-22 or 1 Corinthians 10:6-22 will be our Adult Sunday School/Uniform Series/International Sunday School Lesson herein is my commentary. This lesson is known by some as Overcoming Temptation

Overcoming Temptation
 1 Corinthians 10:12-22 or 1 Corinthians 10:6-22
International Sunday School Lesson
July 20, 2014
                                                                                 


Commentary
By
Jed Greenough

Worship, adoration, admiration, veneration, adulation, idolization and reverence, these are all words that are synonyms for idolatry.  If you look at them it might be easier to apply today’s scripture to our own lives.  You see idolatry wasn’t just one of the examples that Paul was talking about to the Corinthians and that the issue is just the past for us.  No, idolatry, as you can see from the synonyms above still exists today and so does the need to resist it as Paul encouraged.
I can say with complete honesty that I have been guilty of admiration to excess.  From the time I was a teen and into my 20’s I thought that the basketball player Dr. J could just about walk on water.  I went to great lengths to see anything or read anything about him.
To his credit as far as sports stars go he did a great job as a role model and he even had a Christian show on cable.  But you know I learned a lesson when some things later came to light about his personal life and even though I was older it hurt but it was a great example to me about idolization’s error.
This is a minor illustration but there are many more serious things that tempt us.  Sometimes all we have to do is look around our house and see where we have given something or things too much adoration or been to fanatical about.  Perhaps the evidence is in the driveway or the bank accounts or other examples might be found in our social media or elsewhere electronically.
The point for us is, just as Paul said to the Corinthians, “If you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!”  Temptation is everywhere, idolatry takes many forms.  We must examine our lives and once we identify it ask God to remove it and help us to overcome more of the same in the future.

For Discussion:
1.      Discuss examples from the Bible that can serve to help us from being tempted or to overcome temptation.
2.      Discuss how we test the Lord.
3.      Discuss the seriousness that God holds grumbling.
4.      Discuss the blessing that verse 11 is for us.
5.      Discuss verse 13.
6.      Discuss ways that people get caught up in idolatry.
7.      Discuss examples of idolatry that can exist with things like the internet, sports, hobbies…
8.      Discuss how our example as Christians is viewed if we should participate in non-Christian activity.
Upcoming Lessons

July 27    Seek the Good of Others, 1 Corinthians 14:13-26
August 3  Consolation Granted Through Prayer or Comfort in Times of Trouble, 2 Corinthians 1:3-11
August 10 A Community Forgives or Forgiveness and Restoration, 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:11
August 17 Treasure in Clay Pots or Treasure in Earthen Vessels, 2 Corinthians 4:2-15 or 2 Corinthians 4:1-15




Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 Biblica. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved

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