I Corinthians 5:4-11

Are you one of those really neat and organized people? So, what is it about a mess that you don’t like? For those that live with a person that is passionate about keeping things clean, you know that you can forget to clean something up, or straighten something and they always have the same reaction – "hey clean that up!" This is a common point of contention in a marriage where one of the spouses gets so frustrated with the other who never seems to obtain the same attitude they have regarding cleanliness. They just don’t seem to be listening and you feel they are just disregarding you and simply don’t care. It is like this married couple where the wife wants to keep things clean and the husband actions continues to completely disregards his wife’s wishes. The wife is so frustrated she says it over and over again about keeping things clean. What the wife says: "This place is a mess C'mon, you and I need to clean up. Your stuff is lying on the floor, and you'll have no clothes to wear, if we don't do laundry right now!" What the husband hears: blah, blah, blah, blah, C'mon blah, blah, blah, blah, you and I blah, blah, blah, blah, on the floor blah, blah, blah, blah, no clothes blah, blah, blah, blah, right now !

But there is another relationship where the focus is on the Attitude towards being clean, clean on the inside, clean from Sin. It is our Lord and savior King Jesus' highest priority – It is why He died; it is what he will do before he comes again for His Bride – the Church. And it is our attitude towards sin that we will study tonight.

Let's look at the passage:

"When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord. Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed [I Cor. 5:4-7]."

The greatest nightmare of my life, was the night that I was handed over to Satan. It was 6 years ago now this month. I had been living in the sin of pornography as a Christian man and after God had intervened dozens and dozen of times to stop me from moving from the visual images to the physical act. Until one night, as I picked up the phone and made a fateful phone call and at that point God said, "turn this one over to Satan so that his sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord!" And you see what happened to me should never happen to those that have put there faith in Jesus Christ. But it does, when God has to say - out of his abundant love - "hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord."

Unfortunately it is not popular to talk about, if fact the topic is avoided, but it does! And whenever God has to turn one of his over to Satan, He stands weeping not because he has given up on them, (because he never will) but because he sees the consequence they have allowed into their life and his heart grieves [Gen 6:6]. And as our Lord watches us choose to willingly pursue to live in sin – He records ever tear we shed and he waits for one of His to return.

This is not what God wanted for your life.  You where not created to live in sin but to live in Holiness. You where not created by God to live apart from him, you where created to live fully-filled with his spirit, totally encompassed by God not the world! Sinning will keep you from Holy Spirit or the Holy Spirit will keep you from sinning. The greatest Challenge facing the Church today is the growing warped attitude towards sin. Casually turning back to live in your old sin nature! And it is the story I hear almost every day. The story of Christian men and woman that casually and willfully fall into sin, and in the process destroy their lives, destroy their families and destroy their eternal future. But not here, not with you in this class, and not on my watch as your teacher!

And so let me ask you tonight, What is your Attitude towards sin? You must keep the right attitude towards sin, it is this that Paul addresses in Chapters 5 & 6 of I Corinthians. Paul shifts his focus to another dimension of living a healthy spirit filled life. It is the attitude of Christians that willfully live immoral lives and what the churches responsibility is in terms of discipline. Paul was addressing a very serious and public matter. The text implies this was a well know issue being done by a well know man in the community and Church. Perhaps a man of affluence and influence in the community that was also part of the leadership of the church. In Fact the Church took pride in the fact that a celebrity was attending their church more then the sin he was willfully committing.

How often do we see this in the church, sin running ramped, not being dealt with, allowed to continue, and the Church continues to look the other way, as if to be numb to sin. In fact it is a major issue in the Church and in the lives of Christians. We have stopped taken sin as serious as God does! And each year the Church slips further and further into compliancy with respect to sin. God tell us to keep the right attitude towards sin.

Again, I ask you, What is your Attitude towards Sinning?

Step 1: Grieve Sin – The Right Attitude [I Cor. 5:2]

Three weeks ago I went to a funeral, it was a point of morning the loss of someone I loved. It is amazing all the emotions that you get in touch with when there is a funeral! "And you are proud! [v.2]" Shouldn't you rather have been filled with grief and have put out of your fellowship the man who did this? The word used for grief is the word for grieving and mourning over the dead. Paul makes a powerful point – when you willfully chose sin you chose death and none of the life of Christ – the Holy Spirit cannot operate in you. You are living as the dead live, you are going through the motions in your life, your faith becomes robotic! You can't hear from God, feel God, learn from God – the Benefits uniquely given to Christians are not accessible! "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord [Rom 6:23]." Death is Death, have forgotten what Christ has said to us. Remember what He said to the Adulterous Woman? "Woman where are your accusers? They are gone sir, and Jesus said neither do I accuse you now go and sin no more [John 8:10,11]."

"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer [Rom.6:1-2]?" You are "dead to sin", but Paul said you can be dead "in sin." Let's go back to the text. What is paul trying to say? He is saying the Corinthians should have been so grieved by this mans sin that it should have driven them to prayer. The Corinthians should not have been boasting in their so-called spirituality and strength as a church but mourning over the sin in their midst. They should have been begging for God to restore the fallen brother or remove him and the sin from their fellowship through love and correction.

This is the right Church Discipline. Don’t be "dead in sin" but rather be "dead to sin."

Step 2: Get Rid of Sin - The Right Process [I Cor. 5:7]

Mold in homes can be devastating. A friend of ours wife got so sick she was in a wheel chair for three years. You know the only thing you can do with a little mold is to get rid of it, cut it out!

"Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed [v.7]." Paul says, get rid of sin or sin will get rid of you! The Church must wake up to the effects of habitual sin – it’s effects hurt the Christian and are so powerful they will impact the body! You can’t live for sin and live for Christ! Sin has no restrains, it spreads death and if it is willfully allowed to continue in your life it will spread death in you and in the Body! Here’s the point. If a person willfully lives in sin and shows no sign of repentance that person is saying sin is acceptable, they live for sin not for Christ. And if that person is in any position of influence or leadership in the Church the Church must put him out of the fellowship, until he repents. A Church leader who lives for sin will influence others to live for sin.

We must keep the right attitude towards sin - Step two is, "Get Rid of Sin" come as you are to the cross, but you don’t stay as you are at the Cross. You are accepted as you are if and when you repent and receive the gift Christ Gives you. And Christ's Spirit – The Person of the Holy Spirit - will rein in you! Why, because it's the righteousness of Christ that makes you acceptable to God not sin that makes you acceptable to God.

"But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life [Rom. 6:22]." The right attitude towards sin!

Step 3: Separate From Sin - The Right Time [I Cor. 5:11]

My extended family is in the food business, and when I lived in San Diego I was around food all the time and you can not help but always be eating, and what happened..you put on weight! It is true you are what you eat!

"But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat [v.11]."

Paul says this the best defense is a good offence in the matter of Sin. It is simply to separate yourself from the ongoing consistent influence of sin. Whether it is a person, place or thing of sin!- If you hang around a person of Sin all the time you will be influenced to Sin. If you hang around a place of Sin all the time you will be influenced to Sin. If you hang around a thing of Sin (internet, chat rooms, books, trinkets, horoscope, etc.) You are what you associate with! And God says separate from sin and put a perimeter fence around yourself. This is not to say you don’t live in the world. To the extent you have been given the strength from God, go where he calls you to go, to witness to others. But you must know the difference. When the sin is overcoming you more then you are overcoming it you must separate yourself from it immediately. Paul says – don’t even eat with them! The Bottom line is to protect your faith, relationships and integrity.

We must have the right attitude towards sin.

Grieve Sin, where must you Grieve sin, Get Rid of Sin and where must you Get Rid of Sin? Separate From Sin adn where must you Separate from Sin? PRAY with me the truths found in 1 Corinthians 5:7. "Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed."

What are your favorite commercials? Commercials can be very funny and very annoying. But there is usually a few that are memorable- and what makes them memorable is a line that you never forget. The goal of the writer and producer is to make them as memorable as possible.

I remember a few of the slogans lets see if you remember these:

Wendy’s famous commercial – “Where’s the Beef”

Nike – "Just Do it"

AMX - "Don’t leave home without it" H

How about EF Hutton – "When EF Hutton speaks, people listen.” Who do you listen to? When it comes to decisions in your life who’s voice do you listen to? The fact of the matter is as soon as we stop talking we are all listening to someone.

The most tragic day in human history was the day called the "Fall of Man." This was the day that man listened to - and chose to follow - a different voice. Like no other event in the history of mankind, the Fall of Man had the single most profound impact on man's destiny. Nothing changed the course of history more then what was recorded in Genesis Chapter 3 - No war, no disaster! What was at stake: prior to the Fall of Man – our Relationship with God was perfect and unhindered; why? because man knew no sin. And in order for us to experience all of God’s love, God gave man a very special and personal gift, the gift of "Free Will." God the Creator - requires all of creation to worship him but in his relationship with man God wanted man to experience more of him, more then any other part of his creation did. God is perfect and his love is perfect and his desire for us - his prized creation - is to experience more of him. This can only happen when we choose to love God – it is only then that our love becomes true, real and authentic to Him. This is our highest calling and highest purpose – to Worship the Lord God and Him alone! You see Adam and Eve must have a choice to make a choice! That's why God allowed Satan to talk to them! But the perfect relationship between God and man was broken that day. The Voice of Lies entered the scene and since then life for man has never been the same!

For you see today some of you are listening to this voice. It is not the Voice of Truth – and you are stuck – believing the Voice of Lies You see this is what God wants you and me to know today through the story recorded in Gen 3; that there is a second voice and it is the voice of Lies. And today God want to demolish the Lies and set you free from them. The reality is, we are always listening to someone...

So who are you listening to? For every decision you are about to make, For every word you are about to speak, for every thought you are about to entertain, and for every emotion you are about to feel. This is the question we must answer as we study Genesis Ch.3. In this story God exposes the adversary to God, the second Voice and his Purposes - the Fall of Man - and the plan of God to bring restoration between himself and man. It is this story God calls us to choose The Voice of Truth and to know God is my Defense I shall not be moved. Say that with me – "God is my defense I shall not be moved."

There are three things from this story that helps us make the most important choice of our lives...

To Choose The Voice of Truth you must:

#1. Spot the Voice of Lies - Exposing The Enemy

How many of you have High School kids? You know the challenge, at times they are hard headed and fail to listen to you. As they listen more to the other High school kids they struggle to listen to you! You pray they don’t get connected to the wrong crowd.

Your Father in Heaven says there is a wrong crowd for YOUR spiritual life. Genesis 3:1 "Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made." The serpents name was Lucifer, an Angel created by God. His name means star of the morning and he ruled as the highest of all Gods created beings. He was once the anointed cherub who covered the very throne of God Himself. Like man there was a time when Lucifer knew no sin. He was perfect in God's design but he too was designed with free will. There is no mystery to this being. The name Satan in Hebrew and Greek means adversary . And Lucifer is reveled to be the adversary, a created fallen angel who raised a mutiny against God.

This passage in Isaiah sheds light on Satan's fall from heaven.

"How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star, son of the dawn! You have been cast down to the earth, you who once laid low the nations! You said in your heart,"I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God; I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights of the sacred mountain. I will ascend above the tops of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High [Isa. 14:12-14]."

He wanted to be God. To rule above God - as God. He wanted ultimate authority over all things. He attacked God directly. God cast him down out of Heaven. God has judged him and condemned him and the angels that followed him. Satan exists until God's perfect plan to destroy Him is complete. Satan, the evil serpent, became Gods arch enemy - and it is here that God wants us to recognize that Satan is our arch enemy.

He will do everything he can to hurt God. He has an objective, plan and a strategy to replace God the Creator in His authority and as the object of creations worship. The advisory’s purpose is to get you to choose to replace God in you. That’s what Adam and Eve did and when they acted on Satan’s deception, they unwittingly joined in the mutiny! And because they where the first humans - all the seed of mankind became implanted with a mutinous nature within them – this nature is called sin. Gen 3:1,4-5 The Adversary’s nature and the mutiny is apparent – he immediately calls into question Gods word, Gods motives, everything about Gods nature. And the Voice of Lies comes in a familiar voice with an unfamiliar thought! He said three things that will allow you to spot the voice of lies in your struggle to overcome sin.

vs.1 “Did God really say” – does God really exist, his Word is really not working, He really doesn’t want to help you, you can’t handle this and ether can God.

vs. 4 “You will not surely Die” – God really didn’t mean that is his Word, that doesn’t apply to you, you can do what ever you want- eat,drink,sin- God will forgive you anyway

vs. 5 “You will be Like God” – you don’t need God; you can do this on your own. Your way is the best way, you first before anyone else ,do what every you want, take care of yourself – God helps those that help themselves.

The Adversary's nature is in complete contrast to Gods: John.10:10 "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

The Adversary’s nature is the exact opposite of all that God is: God is Truth – The Adversary is a liar God is ALL Good – The Adversary is ALL Evil God is life and light – The Adversary is murderer and death God is Holy – The Adversary is defilement. You see there are only two voices the Voice of Truth and the Voice of Lies?

What Lie is he whispering to you now, at you sit and read this?

While you are on the Road what is he telling you to do that you would never do or try at home? The Voice of Lies comes in a familiar voice with an unfamiliar thought! Choose the Voice of Truth. "God is my defense, I shall not be moved. To live you must choose the Voice of Truth. You must die to yourself and sacrifice all, just as Christ did

#2. Reject the Voice of Lies – Know How the Enemy Works

As a kid what did you learn from your parents about crossing the street? What would they say? "Look Both ways, before you cross!" Why, because if you didn't you could get hit by someone.

God says the same thing, "Look and Watch. The day sin entered the world and as a result we were all born with the innate tendency to replace God and His authority with our own importance and wisdom. That is called our sin nature because of the adversary position to God prior to his fall he has some power and control over the earth. He is called the God of this age, ruler of the powers of this dark world. The Adversary will do all he can to hide the truth!

How does he speak to us? He will hide his voice as a thought spoken into your life. Like the beauty of the serpent's voices we hear a thought in our thoughts. In every temptation what is at stake – our ability to Worship God and our responsibility to Choose God, our very souls.

Gen. 3:1-11 illuminates on how the Adversary works through temptation: We are confronted - suggestive thoughts. We entertain the thoughts – by discussing them We doubt the consequences – by forgetting or ignoring We think we will be more fulfilled – by putting self first We desire it – by looking - (now lusting)… We commit the sin – by taking and eating – acting on it we lead others to sin by being a stumbling block.

When and where did you stop looking both ways? The voice of Lies comes in a familiar voice with an unfamiliar thought!

Reject The voice of Lies. "God is my defense I shall not be moved To Choose the Voice of Truth you must die to yourself and sacrifice all. "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ as a garment and flee from fleshly desires [Rom 13:14]."

#3. Accept Christ - Know What God Has Done!

Do you remember when your Father was really angry? This was such a time – God's anger burned, His wrath on Satan is perminate and there are consequences established for all mankind.

"So the LORD God said to the serpent, 'Because you have done this, cursed are you above all the livestock…..And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel [Gen. 3:14-15].'"

There is another name for Satan, it is the Accuser. because man has fallen Satan reminds God all the time, And God says – I will put enmity between you and man. Here the word enmity means hatred. Antagonism and hostility God says, Believers are to be angry with Sin and God says to Satan – I am going to use the very created beings you deceived to destroy You And then God so loved his creation that He sent his Son Jesus to become a man, to destroy the work of Satan and who so ever believes in Jesus will not perish with Satan but will instead have eternal life back with me. And I will reestablish our fellowship that I the Lord God created you to have with me.

"For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins [Col. 1:13-14]." God does not listen to the Accuser when it come to those that have received his son Jesus - we are permanently forgiven.

And so who are you listening to? God gave Jesus Christ – God the Son - all authority over the Enemy. It is The name of Jesus that is above all names! Victory is secured over death. "Having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross [Col 2:15]."

If you have not been rescued: Accept Christ- Let Christ rescue you – "for who so ever believes in him shall be saved [Jn. 3:16]."

If You Know Christ: Accept Christ -Strength then simply speak His name – He is the Voice of truth God calls us to choose the Voice of Truth and spot the Voice of Lies.

Reject the lies, accept Christ! "Jesus Christ is my defense I shall not be moved!"

Pray This Verse with Me: Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel! Amen.