Well, that was enjoyable. I hope you enjoyed that as much as I did. Good. Take your Bibles, if you would. Turn to the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 10. 1 Corinthians chapter 10. It's a real privilege to be able to preach and bring the Word tonight. I hope that God blesses all of our hearts through a little bit of time here in a passage that I think is really encouraging and profitable and will even at this special time of the year, I think be a real encouragement to all of our hearts. 1 Corinthians chapter 10, we'll get there in just a little bit. In one of the early scenes of the Pixar movie Up, Carl and Ellie's entire marriage is summed up in a powerful, wordless, three-minute montage. It's unusual in a movie to have three minutes without any words. Their wedding is followed by attempts to follow their dreams. They purchase a home, realize that they're not going to have any children. Carl promises Ellie that he will someday, with her, visit Paradise Falls in Venezuela. He even crosses his heart and hopes to die. Over the ensuing decades as they age together, they save coins in a jar, and their dream is repeatedly threatened by expensive difficulties. A flat tire, a broken leg, a tree that falls on their home, and then finally, Ellie gets a terminal illness. However, after Carl buries his wife, he maintains his commitment to keeping his promise to his late wife. And the rest of the movie is comprised of the ensuing adventures, and for the few that haven't watched the movie, I'm not gonna spoil it for you. Carl epitomizes the ideal husband, a man who keeps his word. We call that faithfulness. Faithfulness means that you keep your promises. When people get married, they make vows to one another. They keep their word. A faithful employee shows up on time. He diligently fulfills his obligations. A faithful pet wags his tail and licks your hand when you walk in the door. He fetches the newspaper from the front porch. But faithfulness in any of these ways just pictures the greater faithfulness of our God. He always keeps his word. He never fails. He is loyal and true all the time. One of the most well-known statements in scripture regarding this truth is contained in Lamentations 3.23. We don't need to turn there, you know it well. Jeremiah is sitting in the smoldering ruins of the city of Jerusalem. It has just been conquered, and all of the residents are being carried off to Babylon. If you can imagine 9-11, picture in your mind the Twin Towers fallen in New York City, and instead picture the entire city in ruins with smoke going up, and anyone who survived being forced to march all the way into Canada. And that's kind of the idea of what happened here. And Jeremiah is sitting there, he's left behind. With God's promises to David in his mind, he writes Lamentations 3, 22 to 23. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning. And if you know it, what's the next phrase? Great is thy faithfulness. God always keeps his word. We find statements of God's faithfulness throughout scripture. And they are often, in fact, almost all the time, they are connected with a specific idea of what God is faithful to do, particular promises. And I'd like us to look tonight at one of those. It's in 1 Corinthians 10, 12 through 14. And if you'll excuse me for doing a little junior church transport here, let's all read these verses out loud together. 1 Corinthians 10, verse 12, here we go. Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath 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 ye are able. But will temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it? Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. These words are powerful and precious. I hope that they're a blessing to us tonight. We fall prey to temptation, don't we? We often sin. Even at this time of the year, we find temptations to greed, to covetousness, to distraction, to despondency. And we are eager often even to jump into sin. It's a sad commentary on our fallen condition. We fall prey to temptation easily. We fall into sin. Fathers get angry at their children. Women covet their friends' beautiful houses. A man lusts after someone else's wife. A boy is mean to his sister. A teenager is disrespectful to her parents. We complain, we gossip, we envy, we become impatient. We could list sins for hours. And yet, this passage reminds us that we must fight hard against temptation because our faithful God has supplied all that we need to avoid sin. The title of the message is God is faithful to fortify us against temptation. We find our first point in verse 12. Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. The idea here is take heed, right from the verse. Take heed. We need to fight presumption. Pride and laziness are really at the root of the idea in this verse. Sometimes we sin because we think that we're not vulnerable. We have it all in hand. We're not at risk. We're either proud or lazy when we think thoughts like that. But did you notice the word at the beginning of verse 12? The word wherefore is a lot like our word therefore. It's what it means here. And as the well-known saying goes, whenever you see a word therefore in scripture, you ought to know what it's there for. Well, it points back. It points back to the verses before. And particularly in verse 6, we see the word Examples. Now these things were written for our examples. And again in verse 11. Now all these things happened unto them for and samples or examples. They're written for our admonition. Well, what things are written? Well, I'm going to do a quick whiz through these verses and what they refer to. And they really pull together chapters upon chapters of Old Testament history. We don't have time to go into all of it very deeply at all. Verses 5 through 11 indicate that the Israelites were overthrown in the wilderness. So we're going back to the Pentateuch. They were overthrown because of their sin. The idea of the word overthrown here is like they were strewn about. Like palm branches would be strewn before a king, but in this case, in the wilderness, they are strewn about dead bodies all over the wilderness. Many died as a result of God's judgment on their sin. And they fell prey to four particular temptations. The idolatrous worship of the golden calf, a temptation to idolatry. And that's in Exodus chapter 32. Take heed that you don't fall prey to idolatry, letter A. Idolatry is especially prone temptation during this time of the year, I believe. We live in a culture full of idolatrous ideas and thoughts, things that we can put before God. But Paul doesn't stop there. He continues with a reminder of the immorality, letter B. And this is at the account of the Moabites in Numbers chapter 25. We live in an immoral culture. There are temptations to immorality around every corner and seemingly at every click and tap. And he goes on and mentions the temptation about complaint about food in the wilderness, a temptation to irritation. The people had been plentifully provided with food. They had manna whenever they needed it. And yet they were irritated with God for his provision for them. And fourthly, there's grumbling about Moses' leadership. We find that account in Numbers chapter 14, but it's insubordination at the root here. They are tempted not to place themselves underneath a human whom God has set up, a fallible human, all the same. They did not do what God called them to and humble themselves underneath God's man. Four temptations here, but yet there's something even earlier in the passage that makes Paul's point even stronger. It's in verses one through four. I'm going to read them. I wonder if any New Testament practices jump out to your mind as I read these verses. I said New Testament practices. Pay attention. Verse one. Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant how that all our fathers were under the cloud and all passed through the sea, and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and did all eat the same spiritual meat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual rock, that followed them, and that rock was Christ. So on the surface, Paul is, under inspiration, recounting Old Testament events here. He's talking about the exodus, going through the Red Sea. He's talking about how they were provided with manna and with water in the wilderness. But the way that Paul phrases this under inspiration is interesting, isn't it? You notice a New Testament word. Which word was that that is a New Testament practice that we do several times a year here? Baptism. So if we have a hint about baptism, what else do you think Paul might be trying to hint at in verses three and four? Very similar part of church life. Eating and drinking something maybe. What do we call it? Communion. the Lord's supper, the Lord's table. It seems as if Paul is saying many things with few words here. He's saying the Israelites were wonderfully privileged to have been delivered through the Red Sea and to have been provided for with manna and water in the wilderness. But you're a lot like them. You've been wonderfully privileged to have been baptized, and you have been wonderfully privileged to repeatedly observe the Lord's table together. Paul's idea is this, that even though you experience repeated and magnificent blessings of the Lord in the context of worship, take heed that you don't fall like they fell. Spiritual privilege, high moments of worship, don't make us immune to temptation. Take heed. But he goes on in verse 13 and says some very encouraging words. There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man. And here's our big phrase, 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's a precious verse, isn't it? He doesn't just say, take heed. He says, take heart. God is faithful and he will help you in the moment of temptation. Fight discouragement. Sometimes we sin because we think it's hopeless. We're gonna sin anyway, so we might as well give in. Just a few days ago, one of our daughters, Vivian, the youngest, she's six, and she said, hey dad, I know how to spell essay. Well, she's heard older siblings talk about having to write essays. I said, oh, great. He said, you know how to spell it? You just spell it S-A. Oh, that's great. And I probably laughed a little bit more than that. Well, I want to give you three essays on taking heart in temptation. Three common discouraging thoughts. All of them start with the letter S. And three helpful truths that start with the letter A. Discouraging thought number one. We think this, my temptation is uniquely severe. Does that thought ever go through your mind? What I'm facing right now is really difficult, unusual. And you know, this is often the case with very private or personal temptations. But because no one else is talking about the sin with which we struggle, we assume that we are the only one or at least we're among the very few people who have ever experienced this temptation or this extremity of temptation. And yet God says in the first part of verse 13, there's no temptation taken you but such as is common to man. Let that word sink in. Your temptation is common. You might be discouraged thinking it is uniquely severe. But let me give you a corresponding A to that. Your temptations are average. And this is important for us to remember. Lest we become too discouraged in the middle of the battle. You think what you're going through is really at the edge of what humans experience? God's word says otherwise. God's word says it's common. Be encouraged by that. But we also often get discouraged with a thought like this. The temptation I'm experiencing is too strong. It's just too strong for me. There's no way I can avoid sinning. I don't have enough willpower to resist. Stories told of a man who had started on a diet to lose some weight. He knew he struggled with resisting sweets especially. He loved to feast on the delicacies of a certain bakery in town. And one day when he had to go downtown, he realized he had to do something about staying out of that bakery. So he prayed, God, You know I'm trying to lose weight. You know I really like those cakes in that bakery. And I know you want to give me good things. So here's my prayer. If you want me to stop at the bakery, then leave a parking space open right in front of the bakery, and I will know it's your will for me to stop there. And wouldn't you know it, God heard and answered his prayer. On the seventh time around the block, he found that parking space. We think sometimes if David and Solomon fell, surely I'll have to fall into sin too. The problem though is not that temptation is irresistible. The problem is that we don't take up God's grace and resist. God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able. The word suffer means allow here. He won't allow us to experience irresistible temptation. That's your A for truth number two. God will not allow you to encounter irresistible temptation. And I encourage you tonight, as you think about the week ahead, if you're planning any sin, or if you're embracing some sort of defeatist mentality about whatever habit has plagued you for years, that you just commit to resisting tonight, and all week long, and forever. and get right back up and say, Lord, I am going to fight with every bit of grace that you have given me. There's no temptation taken, but such as is common to man, and God is faithful. He'll not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able. Resist temptation in your life. With your eyes, with your mind, with your mouth, with your actions, resist. Fight hard. Discouraging thought number three though, we often think this, I am sure to give in. It's inevitable. There is no way that anyone could avoid temptation in my situation. It's not just that I don't have enough willpower, there's just no escape route. And if it wasn't clear before, let me just mention this, that the trick is not willpower. We can't just pull up our bootstraps and we have everything we need in our own selves. by God's power working in and through us, by the Holy Spirit taking His word to bear on our temptation. Verse 13, the third part says that God will with the temptation also make a way to escape that ye may be able to bear it. Truth number three, though you might think I'm sure to give in, God will provide an avenue of escape. Picture an army that's trapped, trapped against a big range of mountains. There's another army that has them nearly fenced in there. And at the last moment, they find the hidden pass between the mountains. There is an avenue of escape. Picture Peter Rabbit trapped in the garden. Mr. McGregor almost has him, and he wiggles through that hole in the fence. Picture a drowning man, and at the last moment when he is about to give in, the life preserver is thrown to him, and he has an avenue of escape. Perhaps you picture yourself as drowning in temptation. It feels like you are almost spiritually dead. And I'm here to tell you tonight that God has provided a way of escape for you. And if you are at your rope's end and you're ready to give in, reach out and take a hold of the Lord like Peter who's drowning in the ocean, the Sea of Galilee there. God's hand is ready to save you. But Paul doesn't just say take heed, He doesn't just say take heart. He doesn't just leave us with encouragement. He gives us one more exhortation. He says, take action. Right now. Act. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. If temptation's before you, you better act now. It's that serious. The story's told of a man who was hunting deer in the Tahama Wildlife Area of Northern California. As he climbed through a rocky gorge, he lifted his head to look over a ledge and saw something move right next to his face. Before he knew it, a rattlesnake struck, just missing him. The strike was so close, however, that the snake's fangs became ensnared in the neck of his sweater. As the snake coiled around the man's neck, he grabbed it just behind its head. A mixture of hissing and rattling filled his ear as he felt warm venom run down his neck. He tried to dislodge the fangs from his sweater, but fell backward and slid down the embankment. Using the butt of his rifle, he untangled the fangs, freeing the snake to strike repeatedly towards his face The man later explained, I had to choke him to death. It was the only way out. Our fight against sin is a thousand times more urgent and more dangerous than a fight with a rattlesnake. Satan is described as a roaring lion. We must take drastic action to fight against sin. Choking sin. at every opportunity. So can I go beyond the passage for a moment and just give you three actions to take against temptation? First, we find in Luke 22, verse 20, this exhortation. Pray that ye enter not into temptation. Now the context is the disciples in the garden. But we can expand the application into the infinite temptations that we encounter. Pray that ye enter not into temptation. Letter A, fall on your knees. Pray, how? Pray that God would prevent you from temptation, that you cannot resist. Pray that God would protect you in the middle of severe temptation. Pray that God would help you, that he would deliver you. Pray for awareness of the way of escape. And this demands that we actually have a lot more spiritual awareness than I think we are accustomed to having. We tend to go throughout our day as if the bulk of the spiritual life is getting things done for God. When the real emphasis of Scripture is this, walking with God. Serving God's important, yes, but fellowship with God is critical. We have got to be close to our Lord. We must slow down and talk to Him. We speed through our day, hardly remembering that there's someone with us every moment. and we ought to be talking with Him, conversing with Him, fellowshipping with Him, communing with Him. Could I bring two other passages to your mind as we head towards a second way to fight temptation? When you think of people in Scripture who fought temptation successfully, does anyone come to your mind? An Old Testament character, perhaps? Caught in a situation that he didn't invent? Joseph. And what did Joseph do? He fled. Flee the situation like Joseph. Like Paul said to Timothy, flee also youthful lusts, but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. Cut off the pathway to sin. In Matthew 5, we're reminded that our hand ought to be cut off if it leads us to sin. Of course, he's speaking metaphorically there. That our eye ought to be plucked out if it causes us to sin. The idea is this, take drastic action. Whatever it takes so that you are not put in the same place of temptation again. If possible, cut off the avenue of temptation and take the avenue of escape. We find in the New Testament a couple of passages that remind us that God's Word is really key to being able to be successful in the middle of temptation. When you look in Ephesians chapter 6 and you go through the armor, there's plenty of protective armor, but near the end of the list we find that we are to take up our sword, which is the Word of God. The author of Hebrews made a big point that God's word is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword. This is our offensive weapon. Don't just fall on your knees and ask the Lord for help. Don't just flee the situation, but do it with God's word in your heart. Fight to the death. Use your sword. At the heart of the passage is the most encouraging part of all. how we started tonight. God is faithful. No matter how hard that we work at resisting temptation, no matter how successful we might be, we know that there's a God in heaven who is infinitely more faithful than we ever will be. And we ought to be able to fall on our knees and worship Him, even in the midst of a fight against sin, because He is faithful. The real power against sin is in our Lord, who dwells within us and walks with us. I've said it before. It really is critical, I think here, for many of us who have grown up in Christian homes, we're taught This verse is powerful for that temptation. This verse is powerful for that one. Use these fighter verses. And can I say this? That you can recite Scripture in such a sterile way that you forgot the God who wrote it. You can recite Scripture in empty ways, but if you recite Scripture to the God who wrote that very verse, and prayerfully rehearse before him what you know he wrote, you enter into conversation with him, the faithful one who will help you in all of these difficulty. In the early morning hours of February 24th, 2022, one of the most defining moments of our current historical situation came about. Russia invaded Ukraine. They escalated a conflict that began really in 2014, and I think we could trace it back for many, many years before that. It has been called the largest and deadliest conflict in Europe since World War II. It's caused hundreds of thousands of military casualties, tens of thousands of civilian deaths. You may remember the early battle of Kiev. when the world predicted that Russia would take Ukrainian capital city. But against all odds, Russian forces being much larger and better equipped, Ukrainian forces repelled the Russians and prevented the imminent downfall of the government and the country. It was really astounding, wasn't it? You remember watching the news, reading the news during that time? We were cheering for Ukraine. On the very first day of fighting, February 24, 2022, President Biden said this. I spoke late last night to President Zelensky of Ukraine, and I assured him that the United States, together with our allies and partners in Europe, will support the Ukrainian people as they defend their country. We'll provide humanitarian relief to ease their suffering. And Putin's aggression against Ukraine will end up costing Russia dearly, economically and strategically. We will make sure of that. And in the contest between democracy and autocracy, between sovereignty and subjugation, make no mistake, freedom will prevail. God bless the people of a free and democratic Ukraine. Now those were pretty powerful words, weren't they? They amount to a promise. To date, the United States has provided more than $64 billion in military assistance over the last two and a half years of the conflict. That's in addition to the $66 billion of assistance that we provided between 2014 and 2022. We gave our word to help fortify this country against their enemy, and we have been faithful Keep our word. And similarly, God will do the same for you. Yet in a much greater, a much more significant fight, he's given you his word on this. And he will be faithful to fortify you against temptation. Let's pray. Father, thank you for the privilege of looking into your word tonight. This passage is gold for us, Father. We thank you for it. We ask that you would help all of us to use it well for spiritual advantage this week throughout all our days to come. I pray, Lord, that you would help any soul tonight hearing of these words who's discouraged. I pray that you would lift them up, encourage them. Lord, I pray that you would help anyone who's ignorant of their temptations, or presumptuous regarding them, to take heed tonight. I pray that you would help all of us, Lord, to find encouragement in your faithfulness. You back up your words, Lord, with your character, and we trust you. Bless us all in these ways in the days to come, in Jesus' name.