Starting Well But Finishing Badly - Zac Poonen
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Summary
The speaker uses the Israelites' failure to enter the Promised Land, despite experiencing many miracles, as a warning that spiritual gifts and experiences do not guarantee God's favor. He emphasizes that Christians must guard against carnal living, even while exercising spiritual gifts, and reminds the audience that every temptation they face is within their ability to overcome because God is faithful. The ultimate way of escape from temptation is through humility.
Outline
The message in plain words, in the order it unfolds. Select a time to jump the video to that moment.
God was not well pleased with the IsraelitesPaul warns the Corinthian church using the Old Testament example of the Israelites who experienced countless miracles yet failed to please God.
Carnal believers exercising spiritual giftsThe Corinthian believers were enriched with knowledge and spiritual gifts, yet Paul called them fleshly and carnal babies because of jealousy and strife among them.
Every temptation can be overcomeGod controls the intensity of every temptation according to our maturity level and always provides a way of escape so we can overcome it.
Material blessings do not equal God's pleasureHaving a good job, a house, and earthly provisions does not prove that God is well pleased with someone, just as daily manna in the wilderness did not mean God was pleased with Israel.
Paul's ambition to be well-pleasingPaul's primary ambition in life was not earthly success or material provision, but to be well pleasing to God.2 Corinthians 5:9
Jesus as the ultimate exampleWhile the Israelites experienced daily miracles and God was not well pleased, Jesus experienced zero miracles for thirty years and the Father declared He was well pleased.Matthew 3:16–17
Choosing holiness over miraclesBelievers must examine their hearts to see if they truly desire a life free from sin, anger, and lust rather than chasing supernatural experiences and answers to prayer.Hebrews 4:15
Discipline like an athleteJust as athletes discipline themselves rigorously to win an earthly prize, believers must earnestly train themselves to win the commendation of God.
Joshua and faithful leadershipUnlike the rebellious multitude, Joshua and Caleb remained faithful to God, and Israel served the Lord throughout Joshua's lifetime and the days of the elders who survived him.
Saul's humble beginning and failureSaul began as a very humble king hiding among luggage, but he eventually overstepped his boundary into priestly duties and lost his kingdom because of disobedience.
David's downfall in later yearsAfter decades of faithful leadership and being a man after God's own heart, David grew relaxed in middle age, leading to grave sin with Bathsheba and a failure in parenting his sons.
Paul's warning to the Ephesian eldersPaul warned the elders of Ephesus that wolves would enter and divisions would arise from among themselves through leaders drawing disciples after their own favorites.
The warning to the church in EphesusDecades later, the church in Ephesus had many good deeds and stood against evil, yet they had left their first love and faced the threat of having their lampstand removed.
The cycle of movements and the overcomer remnantThrough church history, every major spiritual movement has eventually drifted from God, but God always preserves a remnant of humble, self-judging overcomers in every generation.
