Dear Christian friends:

Today our text talks about temptations and in the text St. Paul is warning people about temptations. He is not warning unbelievers, but believers, Christian church members like you and me.

Often we church members become careless about temptation and have a false trust. We don't feel the need to pray and trust in God and His Word and promises to defend ourselves against temptation.

We think, "I am strong in faith; I'm baptized and confirmed and I joined the church. I hate sin and wickedness. I will not fail." Like Peter to all of us who carelessly trust ourselves and despise prayer and God's armor Paul says, "If you think you can stand, be careful you don't fall." (verse 12) Don't act so smart and tough, or you will fall. So let us attend to our text and consider,


He warns us by telling us what happened to Israel when they trusted themselves and not God. They went to church and prayed and heard God's Word regularly. (1 Corinthians 10:1-5) But they were careless and did not really understand their weakness. They did not listen with sorrow and did not pray with true eagerness. They didn't understand the strength of their enemy.

Moses went up Mt. Sinai to get the Ten Commandments. They asked Aaron to make a golden calf. They danced around it and said, "This our god which led us out of Egypt." They drank wine, got drunk and did many sex sins with one another. Twenty-three thousand were killed when Moses came down from the mountain. They were not sorry and refused to change.

Another time when it was hot and no water they complained against Moses. "So the Lord sent poisonous snakes among them to punish them, and many of them were bitten and died." (Numbers 21:6 TLB) They lost their faith and their lives.

This happened to warn us. "Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!" (1 Corinthians 10:6&12) We are often tempted to love other things and not God.

We can't see God, but we can see our money and friends and police. Israel couldn't see God so they made a golden calf. They did not trust his word and promises through Moses.

So you and I are often tempted and fail to resist temptation. Do you pray daily? Do you read your Bible daily? Are you eager and hungry for God's Word? Do you eagerly support the church and the preaching of God's Word? No, most of our deaf do not. Why? They don't think it is really necessary and important.

We have other gods: Money, our jobs, our play, pleasures and friends. We trust these as we should trust God. You never fail to go to work without first asking your boss. But you fail to go to church and not ask God. You never fail to pay your rent or house payment, but often we fail to pay for support of our Church and God's work.

So why do we fail to support our Church and God's work? Because money is really our God that we respect and trust. We can't see God. We have only His Word in the Bible and His promises.

So let us be warned and wake up. We are in very serious danger. We may lose our faith and salvation. God many destroy us as He did some of Israel.

Now consider why Israel fell into temptation. They trusted themselves. Trust God. (verse 13) He will help you to resist that temptation and to conquer it through prayer and hearing His Word of Jesus and the Lord's Supper.

His Holy Spirit will come and live and rule in your heart so that you trust God's Word and promises and love Him and praise Him even in hard times. Even in sickness or when your health fails or your job fails. He will not give you more trouble than you can stand.

He knows how strong you are and He knows how to lead you and test you. Sometimes you will think God is wrong or that He doesn't care. Then hurry to His Word and read His promises and pray to Him and quote back to Him His Word and promises. Ask Him to save you or to help you suffer that temptation or trouble.

He will not fail you.

Amen.