Nathan Brosher
May 27, 2026
1Corinthians 10:1-11 NLT - 1 I don't want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago. All of them were guided by a cloud that moved ahead of them, and all of them walked through the sea on dry ground. 2 In the cloud and in the sea, all of them were baptized as followers of Moses. 3 All of them ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all of them drank the same spiritual water. For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Yet God was not pleased with most of them, and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 6 These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, 7 or worship idols as some of them did. As the Scriptures say, "The people celebrated with feasting and drinking, and they indulged in pagan revelry." 8 And we must not engage in sexual immorality as some of them did, causing 23,000 of them to die in one day. 9 Nor should we put Christ to the test, as some of them did and then died from snakebites. 10 And don't grumble as some of them did, and then were destroyed by the angel of death. 11 These things happened to them as examples for us. They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.
1. Deception of Proximity
Spiritual experiences do not equal spiritual maturity.
“The greatest danger to believers is often not open rebellion, but subtle deception that slowly pulls the heart away from devotion to Christ.”
Sin rarely begins with action. It begins with craving, dissatisfaction, entitlement, wandering affection.
John Bevere, author/pastor - “The enemy uses subtle deception and offended hearts to quietly pull believers away from the truth.”
James 1:14-15 NLT - 14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.
Desire gives birth to sin.
Derek Prince, author/pastor - “Deception is the greatest threat to the Church, coming from the inside rather than through open persecution from the outside.”
2. Idolatry is often subtle.
Idolatry is anything that competes for your trust, affection, identity, or obedience.
· V7 - “Don’t become idolaters.”
3. Take Heed Lest You Fall.
1Corinthians 10:12-13 NLT - 12 If you think you are standing strong, be careful not to fall. 13 The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
Pride blinds people to deception.
C.S. Lewis, (The Screwtape Letters) - “The safest road to Hell is the gradual one; the gentle slope without sudden turnings.”
1 Corinthians 10:13 - When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure.
4. We can’t drink from both cups.
1Corinthians 10:14-22 NLT - 14 So, my dear friends, flee from the worship of idols. 15 You are reasonable people. Decide for yourselves if what I am saying is true. 16 When we bless the cup at the Lord's Table, aren't we sharing in the blood of Christ? And when we break the bread, aren't we sharing in the body of Christ? 17 And though we are many, we all eat from one loaf of bread, showing that we are one body. 18 Think about the people of Israel. Weren't they united by eating the sacrifices at the altar? 19 What am I trying to say? Am I saying that food offered to idols has some significance, or that idols are real gods? 20 No, not at all. I am saying that these sacrifices are offered to demons, not to God. And I don't want you to participate with demons. 21 You cannot drink from the cup of the Lord and from the cup of demons, too. You cannot eat at the Lord's Table and at the table of demons, too. 22 What? Do we dare to rouse the Lord's jealousy? Do you think we are stronger than he is?
Divided Allegiance is Deception
Matthew 6:24 NLT - 24 "No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.
James 1:8 NKJV - 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.
1Corinthians 10:23-24 NLT - 23 "All things are lawful," but not all things are helpful. "All things are lawful," but not all things build up. 24 Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor.