I'm so glad you're back this afternoon.
Thank you for staying. And this Bible study, I believe
will be helpful for you and not just because I'm the one
presenting it, the words are comforting to me, and I hope
that they'll be comforting to you.
I would like to say this about the song that was just LED How
an intro, this study you may be tired of the anecdotes that I
tell about Cambodia but three years of our life were there.
And so it's kind of tied up in our identity.
That was the first song that we ever taught a Christian over
there and very hard to put it into words.
The way I've tried to describe it to folks is that when you
live abroad, and it's similar to not identical but it's similar
to serving in the military abroad.
You do a tour of Duty and when you come back a lot of people
don't understand what you went through.
But there's things that bring up.
Bring up memories of the way. You spend your time and that
song almost every time. It cuts me deep because it
reminds me of that afternoon that Bradley and I taught this
young lady a song and you know one of the first times we
thought this could actually work, you know?
So you know, I'm always grateful to hear this song because it
does bring that memory back. But just two words, What it's
talking about how these ancient words are preserved for our walk
in this world and they ReSound with God's Own Heart.
So let these ancient words in part, I want to impart some of
that ancient word to you. One last time this afternoon.
I hope it's helpful for you. Maybe you've heard this phrase
when you were going through a rough patch, somebody had the
best of intentions and they put their hand on your shoulder.
And they said, you know, God doesn't ever give you anything.
You can't handle For God will never give you more than you can
handle. And I think that that phrase,
they have great intentions and maybe you've used that phrase,
maybe you had the best of intentions.
I know I've used a phrase similar to it.
But if you're taking notes and you wrote down this title, God
will never give you more than you can handle.
Make sure you have an eraser because it won't be the title by
the end of the study. Okay.
Now that phrase God will never give you more than you can
handle. I think comes from a, More or
less the spirit of what 1st Corinthians. 10:13 is saying.
But again, if they get it wrong, And so what we try to mean by
that phrase is hey buck up, you can do it.
God's not going to give you more than you can handle.
You can handle it. Don't worry.
But let's look at what First Corinthians. 10:13 actually
says. And then we need to process it.
Make sense of it. So, what we'll do is, we'll
consider a better understanding of that scripture.
And next we'll consider what a temptation is versus a trial or
as the new King James will call it a trip, a tribulation, right?
And then finally, we'll ask the question, why would we be given
more? Because that in itself kind of
seems a little bit unfair, doesn't it?
That God would give you more than you can handle suddenly?
Now, you know, seems like well, I don't know if I like this.
It's just going to get dumped on me and I'm not going to be able
to handle it. Do I want that in my life?
I think you do. Whether you realize it or not.
I think you do want more than you can handle, and we'll answer
that question together. But first, let's read First
Corinthians 10 verse 13. and it says, No temptation has
overtaken you except such as is common to man, but God is
faithful who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you
are able. But with the Temptation will
also make the way of Escape, You may be able to Bear it.
So the premise of this verse is that God is not going to let any
of us be tempted beyond what we can bear meaning that after you
leave this place and you go back to your life, whatever that that
sin is that you might struggle with the most, and all of us
have different sins that maybe they, they ensnare us easier
than others. Right?
Lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes pride of life, maybe lust
of the flesh is really what? Gets you whereas pride of life.
Isn't your? Maybe it's reversed but God
never lets us be tempted beyond what we are able and so you can
see that that is a bit different than this phrase.
God will never give you more than you can handle.
And so I'm going to go ahead and change the title of this sermon
to State. This God will give you more than
you can handle. We're talking about trials and
tribulations, God will give you more than you can handle.
And this scripture should not be the scripture that we use to
talk about that. The scripture that I think best
helps me understand it. And I hope it's helpful for you
as well as second Corinthians 1, verses 8 through 11.
Now, before we get to that, that's the conclusion that we're
talking about, I think it would be healthy for us to understand
the context of First Corinthians, 10 verse 13 that
God won't let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.
Now, that verse, if you back up one verse, I'd love for you to
have a Bible because we're going to be reading the first part of
this chapter together. First Corinthians 10:12, says
therefore, let him who thinks he He stands, take heed, lest he
fall. Now, what does that have to do
with verse 13? Well, I've Illustrated it on the
board a little bit and guess I could plug it here.
I haven't the whole meeting, but I have a YouTube channel in a
podcast and a website and a bunch of things under the
umbrella of pure and simple Bible.com.
And one of the things that I like to do on pure and simple
Bible that YouTube is make Illustrated whiteboard videos.
And so, you're kind of getting a brief example of it, but I
encourage Go check it out after services.
So verse 13, God's not going to let us be tempted beyond what
were able to bear and he provides a way of escape.
And then if we were to back up that says be careful lest
whenever you stand you actually fall.
And so we have this illustration here of a guy standing on a
little stool and the legs of that school stool are his pride
and arrogance and be careful because you might fall even
though you think you're standing What's that have to do with
this? And what does that have to do
with? Yes.
Well, let's back up and read it because this will help us
understand that your verse 1 through 11, are going to make
sense. Two verse 12 and then verse 12
is going to make sense to verse 13.
So let's back up and let's read verses 1 through 11 moreover
brethren I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers
were under the cloud. All passed through the sea.
All were baptized into Moses in the cloud.
And in the sea, all ate the same spiritual food and all drink.
The same spiritual drink. For they drank of that,
spiritual rock, that followed them.
And that rock was Christ. Wow, these people have a lot of
good stuff. In fact, I would say that, you
know, maybe like this little Trophy up here, you know,
they're the best people in the world, they had Moses and they
got baptized into sea, and they drank from the spiritual Rock.
They had so many good things going for them.
So many blessings. That God had given and those
blessings ended up puffing them up.
And even though they have these blessings, they actually fell
multiple times into some pretty awful things.
He says in verse 5. But with the most of them God
was not well pleased for their bodies were scattered in the
wilderness. Wow they had the trophy for best
follower of God. And yet they abandoned it
because of their pride and they ended up dying verse 6 through
11, provide for examples of how they let go of that that says in
verse 6. Now, these things became are
examples to the intent that we should not lust after evil
things. As they also lusted example,
number one, Do not become idolaters as were some of them
as it is written. The people sat down to eat and
drink and Rose up to play. the second example verse 8 nor let
us commit sexual immorality as some of them did and in one day,
23000 fell A third example, verse 9 nor let us tempt Christ
as some of them also tempted and were destroyed by serpents.
A final example, verse 10 nor complain as some of them also
complained and were destroyed by the Destroyer.
Now all these things happened to them as examples and they were
written for our admonition upon whom the end of the ages have
come. You know, they thought they were
really great. But a survey of the Old
Testament shows that they fell over and over and over again.
And so just because they thought they were great, didn't mean
that they were and so therefore, he who thinks he stands, take
heed, lest he fall, because it's easy for us at times and it was
easy for the Corinthians who the recipients of this letter.
It was easy for them to think we've got Christ.
We've got a church. We've got proper worship, we've
got all these blessings. So it's easy for us to Puff up a
little bit. He says, he thinks, he stands
take heed, lest he fall now at the conclusion of that where
they look at what they could have should have would have been
but then they all fell and then there's this morning, you know
what, you better be careful because you're going to fall to.
If you're not careful. The natural conclusion for us is
to think, man. What's going to happen when we
get tempted, nobody's going to be able to overcome it.
And so this Wonderful beautiful finale is given that God is not
going to let you be tempted beyond what you are able.
And when you are tempted, he will even make a way of Escape.
He did that for them. He didn't let them be tempted
beyond what they were able. This is all on them.
He gave them a way of Escape each time and they didn't take
it. What's going to happen with you.
When Temptation comes, God will give you a way out.
Will you take it? I will you not and friends?
I just want to encourage you with this.
Don't test God, Don't Tempt God. You know we use this as a silly
example and I will too but it's not a silly thing.
Alcohol is a serious thing. But if your temptation is
alcohol, right then don't tempt God by saying you know what?
I'm not going to drink but I'ma go in the bar accessor.
My friends are those tasty peanuts on the bar.
I'm going to eat some of those. I'm going to talk to the
bartender. I'm going to sit next to my best
friend. Is he drinking?
What are you doing? You're not fleeing Temptation,
you're courting. It God gave you a way out.
He opened the door and that door was don't go in there.
Go somewhere else and we can apply this, to any Temptation,
we have flea it, instead of courting it.
Now, if this verse which we used to say, some people have used it
to justify that God's never going to give you more than you
can handle. We've now proven that that's
really not what that's talking about at all.
It's talking about Temptation and so before we talk about how
we're given more than we can handle, the next thing I want to
mention briefly is just asking what's the difference between a
Temptation and the trial. Because you will be tempted and
you will be tried, and God is involved in one of those.
Sometimes we assign both of them to God you know, a Temptation,
which is what I have right here. If I can illustrate it.
A temptation is when we have a desire for something, we're
thinking about it through, this is what I want.
I know it's contrary to God's will but this is what I want and
that desire leads to sin and sin is like missing the mark.
Imagine aiming an arrow at a Target and shooting it and just
completely missing the target. That's what sin is and that sin
leads to death. This is the process known as
temptation. Is got involved in that, this
God put desires into your mind so that you'll fall from grace.
The scriptures will answer that for us in a moment.
What is a trial? Well a trial Works a bit
differently than this and I think a great scripture if
you'll read it with me is Romans chapter 5, it's in the Pew
Bible, page number 17, 34 1734 in the Pew Bible.
And in Romans chapter 5 and will read verse 3 and 4.
And again, I might use the word trial and the scripture we read
is going to use the word tribulation.
I think it's talking about the same thing.
It says And not only that, but we also glory in our
tribulations knowing that tribulation produces
perseverance and perseverance character and character hope.
Now hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been
poured out in our hearts, by the Holy Spirit, who was given to
us. Now, I see a cycle here, right?
So a tribulation or a trial, comes our way.
And that trial is meant to teach a lesson for us to persevere or
to endure and that endurance causes us to grow in our
Christian conduct. Our character gets stronger, and
as a result of stronger character, we hope more fully in
God's plan. And so here's even though the
scripture kind of leaves it at that.
I'm going to do one more arrow. And after we have grown, and in
our hope what happens, the next time we go.
Go through a trial. What happens after you have
successfully had a opportunity to persevere and then grow as a
person and then put your hope in God.
What happened to the trial comes back?
It's easier to endure. What happens when you don't have
the opportunity to grow and the trial comes back.
It's just as hard if not harder is got involved in that.
Yes. We talked about that some this
morning about be careful what you pray for because it just
might come true. You ask for patience.
So what are you Givin? You're given a tribulation,
something or someone is brought into your life and suddenly this
trial is it's causing you to have to endure something.
Maybe this is a person that's causing sorrow or pain and you
have to grow as a person. Your character gets stronger
because you have a stronger sense of Hope in God, and now
you're dealing with This person because you have sympathy for
them or empathy for them. And you're better able to handle
that trial. Let's read over in the book of
James. James chapter 1.
It's on Page 18-49 in your Pew Bible. right at the beginning of
the letter, please, James 1:2 Here, the Bible says my
brethren, count, it all joy. When you fall into various
trials, Let's pause there for a second here.
The Bible Rider is telling us to be joyful.
Would we fall into trial? Are we to be joyful?
And Temptation? I don't think so.
I don't think we're to be joyful, and we're tempted, but
we are to be joyful whenever we're tried.
Why, why are we to have joy? Because we know in verse 3,
knowing that the testing of your faith, produces patience but let
patience have. It's perfect work that you may
be perfect and complete lacking nothing.
So it's another example of this process where God can be
involved in trials and I think also there are Trials of life
where maybe they're not from God, but he can be involved in
trials, and this is intended to show us a way to draw nearer to
him. But let's go back to temptation,
is God involved in those is God, inflicting us with thoughts to
Fall From Grace. Well, we can read about that.
In verse 12, we're in the same chapter.
James 1:12 blessed is the man who endures Temptation for When
he has been approved, he will receive a Crown of Life, which
the Lord has promised. To those who love him.
Let no one say when he is. Tempted, I am tempted by God.
For God cannot be tempted by evil.
Nor does he himself, tempt anyone?
But each is tempted, when he is drawn away by his own desires
and enticed and when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin
and sin when it is full-grown brings forth death.
Just as this temptation cycle or line takes place, the natural
progression goes from desire to sin to death friend.
Oh, and one more thing about this, before we move on to that
last scripture to say, is it wrong?
To be tempted. Is it sinful to be tempted and
when I say tempted what I mean is a choice is put in front of
you, think about it like a scale and you've got on one side, the
choice of obeying God. And the other side is the choice
of disobeying God. And what a Temptation does is it
unfairly? Makes that Disobedience.
Look better. It's put something special
razzle-dazzle on here that says hey it's actually better to
disobey go as one brother told me, the devil always takes more
than he gives. And he made a promise but he
always takes more in the end. and I would just suggest to you
that even though all of us are tempted, May we not feel guilty
to think. Oh, man, being tempted.
I have this desire and those are wrong because, you know what,
Jesus was tempted. It's a book of Hebrews says he
was tempted in all ways that we are except without sin and so
when this starts, just remember that when desire comes into the
Mind, Jesus has been in that. Frame of mind as well or desire
came in. He was able to overcome and you
can overcome to it. Is possible through Christ
overcome, we don't have to go down this road once.
Temptation starts, we can choose to walk away.
Why? Because God promised we can.
Because he promised there is a way of Escape.
There's a way out of it. It may be hard, it may be
costly. It may sacrifice something, but
God's promise to you that, even though you're Desiring or being
enticed, you can let that go and walk away.
This is part of the freedom that comes in Christ.
So rejoice when you go through a trial.
And when you're tempted, give it over to God and flee run from
it. And here's my last question for
today. Why would we be given more than
we could handle? Why should I want that?
Do you want it? Do you want to be given more
than you can handle? I know I'm not going to ask you
to answer but some of you may say.
Nope. I do not want to be given more.
I'd like to just cruise control my way, all the way to the
promised land. You want to be given more than
you can handle. At least I think you should.
And here's why go with me over to Second Corinthians chapter 1.
And we'll read a few verses there and offer an invitation
second Corinthians chapter 1. It's page 1771 and your Pew
Bible if you want to follow along.
And first I want us to look at a scripture that really describes
God in a specific way. If you look at chapter 1 verses
3 through 7, I believe the word Comfort is used 10 times.
That should be a big red flag, as so as we read, there's a big
red flag that goes off. That this is important.
So we're going to read part of it.
Second Corinthians chapter 1, verse 3 and 4.
It says blessed, be the God and father of our Lord.
Jesus Christ, the father of mercies and the God of All
Comfort, who comforts Us in all our tribulation, that we may be
able to comfort those who are in trouble.
With the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
In that great. But there's this cycle that
Comfort comes from God. It's given to those who are in
the middle of a trial. So that whenever you endure and
overcome your task to comfort, the next person going through
the trial. And so it just goes and goes and
goes there's times when you comfort there's times when you
need to be comforted, so why should we be given more than we
can handle? Why do we have to endure loss of
loved ones? Why do we have to be to go
through excruciating pain? Even though we have Christ,
Well, we're going to read it in just a minute and it's verses 8
through 11. But I would just say this and
maybe I should have said it earlier.
The phrase. God will never give you more
than you can handle. I think, is a dubious phrase,
It's subtle. But I think what it does is it
makes people feel guilty unnecessarily.
As though, if you're going through a trial, you better just
suck it up because God will never give you more than you can
handle him and you've been giving this for a reason whereas
this person who's never gone through it.
Well, God knew they couldn't go through it.
So he just gave it to you instead.
I don't think that's the way the Bible operates.
Why are we given more than we can handle?
Verse 8. We do not want you to be
ignorant brethren. Of our trouble, which came to us
in Asia that we were burdened beyond measure above strength.
So that we despaired even of Life.
Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves that we
should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the Dead
who delivered us from. So great a death and does
Deliver Us in whom we trust that he will still deliver us.
You also helping together in prayer for us that thanks may be
given by many persons on our behalf for the gift, granted to
us through many. Paul was given more than he
could handle. Whatever happened that caused
him to write this episode to the Corinthian people.
He said we despaired even of life.
And it was at that moment when when our knees buckled, so to
speak, when we were given more than we can handle that.
We were able to say I can't do this on my own.
I need help. I need God.
And when he recognized that God delivered and he uses it in the
past and the present, the future, he delivered us and he
is delivering us and he will continue to deliver us.
Notice that there are people who are involved in this
Deliverance, it says in verse 11 and I bring this out because we
just talked about it this morning.
You were helping together in prayer for us.
So here's this man who was given more than he could handle.
Who's recognizing, I can't do it on my own.
And part of him recognizing that is giving it over to God, so
that God can deliver him. But also as a group of people
who are praying for him to overcome and to hang in there
and so I leave you with this. Simple thought God does give us
more than we can handle so that each one of us can recognize as
we rightly should I can't do this on my own.
I can't get through life on my own.
I can't get through these trials on my own.
Why? He thinks he stands needs to
take heed, lest he fall? And we have to realize that we
weren't intended to Bear every single Boulder of Life on our
own. We were meant to give it to God
and he delivered by him and have Brethren who can pray for us as
we go through those things and I bet I could go through and give
everybody an opportunity who's been through a major loss that I
could and everything will. Every single one of you would
likely say, I didn't know how I was going to get through it.
In fact, I didn't think I would But through the power of God and
Brethren, I was able to overcome and that's the recipe for this.
God does give us more than we can handle so that we can lean
on him and one another. Thank you very much.
Thank you for the privilege to come and preach for you for
several occasions. I hope that these studies are
helpful and, you know, the lasting gift of preaching.
besides getting to share the gospel with people and helping
bring hope to a lost and Dying World when it comes to edifying,
Brethren the gift of preaching, is the next time you read the
Bible, so the next time you read in 2nd Corinthians 1 or First
Corinthians 10, if you just have one of those Yeah.
Now that makes sense. That's the gift of preaching is
to help Brethren better, appreciate you mentioning the
Bible. And I hope that this meeting has
been encouraging and helpful in that way.
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