Think about the battle over the bottle, the dilemma of drinking that's been in play for eons. What do you do? I mean, what do you say? Can Christians consume alcohol? The answer is yes. Did you know that? As you look at the Bible, the answer is yes. We do need to understand, against the backdrop of consuming alcohol, Ephesians 5, verse 18, which is the central text of this series. The Apostle Paul wrote this, And do not get drunk with wine, for that's debauchery, but be filled with... spirit.
[00:03:51]
As I unpack the whole issue of drinking, that's obviously a major issue. But the big issue is what and who are you filling your life with? That's the deal. So Paul uses alcohol as a metaphor. Again, can I drink this? Paul says, just as someone has too much to drink, which leads to drunkenness and debauchery, just as someone does that. Think about, Paul says, your life before the Lord. Think about how we all have the opportunity to be controlled, to be filled with the Holy Spirit of God.
[00:04:50]
We're controlled by alcohol when we're drunk. Yet Paul says, no, no, no, that's not the deal. We need to be controlled by the Holy Spirit of God. Because after all, we all we're made and are made to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
[00:05:52]
But again, I say, and this is going to shock some of you, the Bible does give us liberty, freedom regarding concern. assuming beverage alcohol, but it's very direct about drinking excessively and being drunk. The Bible says categorically, unequivocally, that drunkenness and excessive drinking is a sin before God.
[00:06:11]
A loss of good judgment ...This is from the Bible. Impaired thinking, diminished moral restraint, actions that harm personal or gospel reputation, compromised physical condition. That's what it means to be drunk, to be wasted, wasted, to be smashed, or whatever you want to call it.
[00:07:54]
So, if I drink in moderation, if you choose to drink in moderation, one of the, you could say, benefits would be it gladdens the heart. However, not excessively and not to a point of drunkenness.
[00:08:51]
But it talks more about the warnings of alcohol than the wonderful aspects of it that gladdens our heart. But it does say, again, we're free to drink. So those here who don't drink, don't look down your noses at someone at a restaurant. Oh, that person, they're a member of Fellowship Church and they're drinking. They're going to hell. You, no, no.
[00:10:28]
If you choose to drink though, if you choose to do so, and again, I know some do, some don't, but if you choose to do so, let me kind of talk about the pros of making this decision, the right decision to drink, if that is where you are. Number one, it should be a prayerful decision, if you choose to drink. Have you ever prayed about it? Have you ever taken it to God?
[00:11:25]
For everything created by God is good, even wine. Sorry, Baptist. And nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer. I've gotta ask you straight up, just between me and you, have you prayed about it?
[00:12:07]
Notice also, not only is it a prayerful decision, it's a personal decision. It's personal, isn't it? First Corinthians 8, 9, be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a, stumbling block.
[00:12:54]
If you're out somewhere and you're drinking and a weaker brother or sister sees you drinking, they could say, well, man, you drink, so I guess I will too. And the stats are sobering, pun intended. One out of 10 become problem drinkers. Let me say that again. One out of 10 people who drink become problem drinkers. They become alcoholics.
[00:14:30]
So, we see it's a prayerful decision, a personal decision. And there's .There's another decision, and I'm talking about, again, the freedom we have to drink. It's a periodic decision. It's periodic. The Bible talks a lot about staying away from much wine, which would be excessive drinking or drunkenness.
[00:15:43]
If you drink every day, I would definitely tell you from my experience and hours and hours of research and counseling, I would definitely say to put a little warning sticker on that to go, okay, I'm going to take that to God. God, I am going to give... Thank you. that to him, because again, alcohol offers, yes, feeling good, I talked to a friend of mine, I said, why don't you drink? He said, well, it makes me feel good, okay. And I talked to another friend, I go, well, why don't you drink? He said, because of the buzz. I understand that. We understand that. It's kind of an escape. But the tough part is you come back to your issues. And it can be, as we all know, a very, very addictive issue.
[00:17:06]
So I'll say it once again, please understand me, we have the freedom to drink. Yet we have to drink prayerfully, personally, and periodically. Does that make sense? So if I see you out drinking, I'm not going to judge you. No, I'm not. I'm not.
[00:18:06]
Let's talk about the mockery of alcohol. Did you know alcohol mocks us? You ever thought about that? The Bible says in Proverbs 20, verse one, wine is a mocker and beer a brawler. Whoever is led astray by them is not wise. The mockery of alcohol.
[00:19:31]
They only show you just one little aspect of drinking. Community, connection, watching the game together. They don't show you, though, the other stats. They don't show you what you're doing. They don't show you what you're doing. that half of American adults have a family history of drinking problems or alcohol addiction. They don't show you, I'll say it again, that one out of 10 become alcoholics. They don't show you that less than 10 % of individuals with alcohol use disorder receive treatment.
[00:20:15]
Alcohol lies to you and me, takes us by the hand, it's okay. Everything's cool, have one, have another. Cheers. Can I drink this?
[00:21:19]
If you make a pet, out of alcohol, out of substance, it's just a matter of time before it bites. The mockery of alcohol, the mayhem of alcohol, and how about the mastery of alcohol? Drunkenness distracts us from God's purpose.
[00:24:46]
The Bible says, let us walk properly, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness. Also, there's that potential...for addiction that I just talked about. You can see in 1 Corinthians 6, verse 12, all things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be dominated. I mean, is that addiction or what? I will not be dominated by anything.
[00:25:13]
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self -control. Against such things there is no law. I've gotta ask you once again, can I drink this?
[00:27:12]
So, as we empty out, as we dump out alcohol, let's replenish that with the Holy Spirit of God each and every day, all right?
[00:30:08]
