Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Opening Illustration: Thailand Shoe Tying

I’ve shared this story briefly many years ago.

But years ago I served as a missionary in Thailand.

It was a fascinatin time in my life where I learn so much about ministry, about culture, about idolatry.

Thailand is a country steeped in overt idolatry.

There are golden statues and temples on nearly every corner.

And throughout a day you will find virtually every person in society stopping to light incense and make offerings to their particular local deity.

The local Christians had a challenge before them, and I recall a debate about this one day after Church.

One woman shared that when her whole office goes out to lunch, they all stop as they pass the local temple, get down their knees and say a quick prayer to that local God.

This sweet woman asked the question, “Now that I’m a Christian—what do I do?

If I don’t bow down with them, I’ll be outcast from my peers and likely ultimately lose my job, and perhaps even more in terms of my friends and lifestyle.

But if I bow down I feel like I’m forskaing God.”

It was a great conversation.

One young man said, “You know what I do.

When my office does the same thing, I just bow down with them and take the moment the tie my shoe.

it’s only the heart that matters.

If you know you’re okay with God, then the outward actions are secondary.”

Personal

That story is difficult for us to relate to because it has to do with idol worship and cultural elements that are a bit foreign to us.

However, the challenge that those Thai Christians faced is the same challenge we all face in Chicago every day.

How do we live in the midst of an idol-worshiping culture.

After becoming a Christian, are there limits on what we should and shouldn’t do in society.

Yoga in its truest sense is worship to a false god.

Do Christians need to leave their Yoga studio, or is it possible to do all the same motions and just know your heart is right with God.

It’s the same question.

How about the music we listen to and enjoy.

Before you were a Christian, there were lots of concerts and songs you would have enjoyed.

But now that you’re a Christian, can you sing those same songs and attend those same concerts.

What do you say to your friends who want to go.

Same question as my Thai friends.

Context: Christians & Culture

In today’s passage Paul deals with a very similar issue in the 1st century context.

The specific issue they were facing was eating meat that had been offered to an idol.

And the whole conversation is around Christians and culture.

How do Christians now behave while living in a polytheistic idolatrous culture.

What old practices can we still do?

What old practices do we need to stop?

Where does our friendship with the world now have limits?

While we’re studying 1 Corinthians 8 today, the section actually extends all the way through 1 Corinthians 10.

And so, we will be in this inquisition into cultural engagement for the next few weeks as we study these chapters.

Today’s big idea is simple.

A desparate desire to build others up in Christ drives our ethics.

Move 1: The Knowledge Principle (8:1-3)

The Apostle begins...

1 Corinthians 8:1-3 “1 Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.”

This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. 2 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.”

Now Concerning… New Topic

The phrase ‘Now concerning,’ means that Paul is taking a new turn in his letter.

He has been addressing on set of topics, and now he turns and addresses an entire new set of talking points.

The new topic is food offered to idols.

In our 21st century context, this concept is foreign to us.

The essentials that you need to know are that in a culture inundated by idol worship, as 1st century Corinth was, food that had been used in some kind of idol worshiping ceremony was everywhere.

Someone would bring an offering to a local temple where an idol was housed.

Part of the meat was burned on the temple altar.

Then, as part of that ceremony, there was typically a feast of some kind where friends, neighbors, elites from society would gather together with the person who made the sacrifice, and feast on the meal.

All of that would have been done with the express purpose of worshiping that idol.

Lastly, whatever meat was remaining was sold to local butchers who then sold it for common use in homes throughout Corinth.

The Question Arises

So the question arises, if you’re living in 1st century Corinth and you’re now a Christian, what do you with meat?

Especially since, a good percentage of the meat sold in butchers was likely offered to an idol at some point.

What if your friend invites you to a feast at a local idol where he is going to make a sacrifice and then all his friends are going to enjoy the meal after.

Can you go now that you’re a Christian?

What if you miss the idol worship part, and just arrive for the meal.

That’s just a meal right?

Certainly you can hang out with your friends.

What if you’re at the butcher, do you need to ask the butcher which meat was offered to an idol and which meat wasn’t?

What if you’re at the butcher and its really overt, there is a clearance on all the beef from last nights ceremony down the street.

Can you buy it?

These questions might sound foreign to us.

But it has everything to do with Christians engaging in culture.

What lines prohibit us from participating.

Where can we just know our heart is right with God so we’re good, we can join with no problem?

And where would it really be wrong for us to participate like we used to.

After all, Paul has already instructed back in chapter 5, that it would be impossible for us to fully remove ourselves from all the world’s dealings.

So how do we answer these questions.

Either Driven by Knowledge or Driven by Love

Paul’s principle is that there are two ways you could go about making these decisions.

One way is to rely on knowledge as the driving principle.

The other way is to rely on love as the driving principle.

And his opening two verses are a bit of aswipe at those who are relying on knowledge.

He says, “knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”

What is this knowledge he’s talking about.

Well, he explains that knowledge in verses 4-6.

He says

1 Corinthians 8:4-6 “4 Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that “an idol has no real existence,” and that “there is no God but one.” 5 For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.”

Their Arguments

How does he describe our knowledgee as Christians.

Verse 4, ‘We know that an idol has no real existence.’

Further, we know that, ‘there is no God but one.’

So likely, he’s quoting the arguments the people in Corinth were making at this point.

They had been saying something like this, “Paul—In our hearts we know that these are just idols.

We’re not really worshipping them.

We are Christians now, so we know that there is only one God.

So what difference does it make if we go spend time with our friends eating good food.

It’s about our heart, and since we know the truth, we should be free to eat whatever meat we want.

Whether or not it was offered to an idol means to nothing to us.” Paul actually, in verse 6 affirms their knowledge of the one true God.

They are accurate in what they say the know.

And in verse he expands it with this beautiful Christological verse that explicitly states the divinity of Jesus Christ.

He’s affirming what they know, ‘I’m glad you and I agree on those principles.’