2022-03-20 – Year C – Lent 3 – The Rev. Canon Christopher M. Klukas
Exodus 3:1-15; Psalm 103:1-12; 1 Corinthians 10:1-13; Luke 13:1-9

Billy Graham one of the greatest preachers and evangelists of the 20th cent.
- “Mr. Graham preached the Gospel to more people in live audiences than anyone else in history—nearly 215 million people in more than 185 countries and territories…Hundreds of millions more have been reached through television, video, film, and webcasts.”
- In many ways, he is a great example to follow. But not in every way.
“My father’s relation with the family has been awkward…because he has two families: BGEA [the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association] and us. I always resented that. We were footnotes in books — literally. Well, we’re not footnotes. We are real, living, breathing people.”

Examples for our Instruction

1 Corinthians 10:11 – “happened as an example”
- If everything in the Bible was rendered into a movie in a literal way, it would not be rated PG!
- Good examples and bad ones. Remember that the stories written in the Bible are both examples of WHAT to do as well as examples of WHAT NOT to do.
- C.R.A.S.E. Active Attacker training. Had lots of examples of Active Attacker events as well as examples of what helped people survive.
1 Corinthians 10:11 – “written down for our instruction”
- High school year books – created for the people in the pictures.
- The stories in the Bible weren’t written down for the people who experienced them. They were written for you…for us…for our instruction.

Take Heed

1 Corinthians 10:12 – “Let anyone who thinks he stands take heed”
- “Take heed,” blepo (Gk.) this is the kind of word you might write on a road sign: “to beware of, to watch out for, to pay attention to.”
- Proverbs 16:18 – Pride
1 Corinthians 10:1-4 – Can you imagine experiencing these things first hand?
- v. 5 “nevertheless…”
- Idolatry (v. 7), sexual Immorality (v. 8), testing Christ (v. 9), grumbling (v. 10)
- If these people could witness these awesome demonstrations of God’s presence and power and then fall in significant ways, you can too.
The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill podcast.
- There are so many prominent pastors whose ministries have been destroyed because of their sexual sins or spiritual abuse.
- Instead of looking down on them, I need to learn from their sins
- But not just their sins, my own sins as well.

When I went to college, I had a number of different campus ministries to choose from. I dabbled in all of them, but I also joined a fraternity and that became my primary social group. I stopped going to church. I discovered alcohol. I wasn’t living a godly life. I didn’t stop believing in God, but I was far from him.
- I am one of those whose life was saved from the pit (Psalm 103:4)
Dr. Bob Smith, co-founder of AA – “I realized that no amount of willpower could keep me away from a drink. The only thing that could keep a drunk sober was telling his story to another drunk.”
- Remembering your sins and failures is a good practice.
  - Helps you to remain humble, this is the virtue which opposes pride
  - Your story can serve as a warning to others
  - Your story can bring hope to others

John Newton “Our sins are many, but His mercies are more: our sins are great, but His righteousness is greater: we are weak, but He is power.”