1. “Learning From Bad Examples!”
1 Corinthians 10:1-13

3. If we were to construct a Bad Examples Hall of Fame…

4. to learn from the bad example of Israel
Purpose:
to learn from the bad example of Israel

5. I Israel Had ADVANTAGES (vv 1-5)
A. Israel Had God’s Guidance (v 1)

6. Cloud by day… pillar of fire by night… There was no doubt God was leading them on their journey…

7. I Israel Had ADVANTAGES (vv 1-5)
A. Israel Had God’s Guidance
B. Israel Had God’s Deliverance

8. What a sight this must have been to behold!

9. I Israel Had ADVANTAGES (vv 1-5)
A. Israel Had God’s Guidance
B. Israel Had God’s Deliverance
C. Israel Had God’s Provisions
D. Israel Did NOT Have God’s Approval

10. A person can be actively involved in a church, a good citizen, engaged with their community and by the world’s standards good as good can be; yet…

11. II Israel Did What We MUST NOT (vv 6-10)
A. Craved Worldly Things

12. What of our cravings? The more we have the more we want and material things become gods!

13. Luke 12:15
“…watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”

14. II Israel Did What We MUST NOT (vv 6-10)
A. Craved Worldly Things
B. Idolatry

15. Remember the golden calf episode
Remember the golden calf episode? Idolatry comes from the root word of idol. By definition idolatry is…

16. Today, we are tempted to hold our jobs, houses, cars, families in high esteem…

17. II Israel Did What We MUST NOT (vv 6-10)
A. Craved Worldly Things
B. Idolatry
C. Act Immorally

18. Sexual sin will ALWAYS take a person out of step with God’s approval!

19. II Israel Did What We MUST NOT (vv 6-10)
A. Craved Worldly Things
B. Idolatry
C. Act Immorally
D. Test the Lord

20. Pivotal word here is impatient – their timetable was quicker than God’s…

21. II Israel Did What We MUST NOT (vv 6-10)
A. Craved Worldly Things
B. Idolatry
C. Act Immorally
D. Test the Lord
E. Grumble

22. People who find little if anything else to do but complain are out of step with God…

23. III Israel is GOOD as a BAD Example (vv 11-13)
A. Be a Good Example

24. “Know history and make it! No history and repeat it!”

25. III Israel is GOOD as a BAD Example (vv 11-13)
A. Be a Good Example
B. Take Heed

26. Pride is a pitfall… Let the self-confident take heed, lest they too fall!

27. III Israel is GOOD as a BAD Example (vv 11-13)
A. Be a Good Example
B. Take Heed
C. Trust in the Lord

28. God will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are personally able to bear. We have His Word!

29. Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf
“Some of the best leadership examples I received as a young officer were from terrible officers. I mean, absolutely morally bankrupt officers who had no redeeming qualities…”
Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf

30. Conclusion and Summary
Even the worst examples (such as Israel) can be used to accomplish the purposes of Christ if we, the people of Christ will carefully and faithfully learn good from bad examples!