We have been conditioned to respond to sound bites. Politicians use them and news reporters use them. A sound bite is a short phrase used to try and condense a larger topic to a talking point that is easily understood. They often end up as catch phrases. Politicians use sound bites to paint their opponent as a bad person or themselves as a good person. “Make America Great” and “Build Back better” were carefully tested before rolled out to the public. Once they tested well, they were repeated as sound bites by those who supported that position. The opposite is also true. Political parties create sound bites of their opponent that will make them sound horrible. They do this by editing away the full context of a speech and then keep the one short phrase that makes the opposition look crazy. They then feed those sound bites to the media or incorporate them into commercials during election cycles. It’s very effective. News reporters use sound bites to tell a story quickly. The average news story is about 60 seconds long, so there is no time to clearly explain the situation. They edit full interviews from multiple people down to short statements to try and give an overall impression of the situation. A story can be slanted in any direction based on editing. Obviously, the main problem in both of these situations is the editing that takes place, because it can severely damage the full context of what is being said and change its meaning entirely. When it comes to hearing a sound bite, context is everything.
You know who else likes to use sound bites? Christians. We repeat sound bites from a message we’ve heard a pastor preach on Sunday morning. And we also like to use bible verses as sound bites to support a position we believe. If you are going to quote scripture, you need to understand the context of what you are saying, otherwise you will be editing the context and making it say whatever you want it to say. Today we are going to look at several popular christian sound bites and give them some context so we can actually understand them. Let’s begin with one we have all heard someone say: “God will not give you more than you can handle.” And while that’s a comforting thing to hear, it’s not accurate as a biblical quote nor as a biblical principal. The concept comes from 1 Corinthians 10:13 and the actual quote is this: “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability.” That didn’t say anything at all about being given more than we can handle. It said we wouldn’t be tempted beyond what we could handle. Here’s the entire passage in context. 1 Corinthians 10:6-13 “6 Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. 7 Do not be idolaters as some of them were; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” 8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. 9 We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents, 10 nor grumble, as some of them did and were
destroyed by the Destroyer. 11 Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. 12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” The context here is that Paul is telling the Corinthians that the Children of Israel in the wilderness failed when they were tempted to serve other gods, indulge in sexual immorality and be complainers when things didn’t go to their liking. He says that temptation is common to everyone, but God will always provide a way to escape the temptation, so you can avoid committing sin. It doesn’t say anything about not having more than you can handle. Being tempted to sin and having a situation that is more than you can handle are two very different things. This passage is teaching that you won’t be tempted to sin...in such a powerful way that you can’t resist it. It’s saying that your current temptation has been around a long time and many others have faced it and God will provide a way to escape the trap of the temptation. Here are a couple of verses that are almost never used in context. They are both in the same book and chapter. One of them we talked about a couple weeks ago. Have you ever quoted this verse? Philippians 4:13 “13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.”
That sounds great and we like to pull it out when have to do something that makes us uncomfortable. But let’s look at the verses that come before it so we can establish what Paul means by this. Philippians 4:10-13 “10 I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at length you have revived your concern for me. You were indeed concerned for me, but you had no opportunity. 11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. 13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Yes, Paul said, “I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” But before you quote that to yourself as you walk in to ask your boss for a raise, look at what Paul describes as “all things.” Philippians 4:11-12 “11 Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. 12 I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.” Paul is not just talking about when you have a difficult thing to do or tough situation to deal with. He’s talking about being content in any and every circumstance. So if you get the raise, great, but if not, we are to be content. The point is not that God makes us strong enough to do anything we want...but that we can endure all things because He gives us strength. The secret he says he has learned is in verse 11, and it’s to be content no matter what is happening to or around him.
Stop and think for a minute about being content when you are in abundance. What does that look like? Have you ever thought about needing the strength that God can give you when you are in a time of plenty? Were you content during that time or did you still want a bigger house, nicer car or those new shoes? Do you not need strength to keep from constantly wanting more? I believe Paul is talking bought much more weighty issues than those things. He was in prison when he wrote this letter to the Philippians. He lays out a case for it being just as difficult to have plenty as to be in need. And speaking of being in want. Here’s our next sound bite. Philippians 4:19 “19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” “My God will supply all my needs.” How many times have you said that? Wow, we sure do love that one, but the problem is that we like to put our wants into the same category as our needs. But we’ll get to that in a minute. Let’s look at the rest of the verses to establish the context. Philippians 4:14-19 “14 Yet it was kind of you to share my trouble. 15 And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only. 16 Even in Thessalonica you sent me help for my needs once and again. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. 18 I have received full payment, and more. I am well supplied, having received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent, a fragrant offering, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasing to God. 19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
These verses come right after Paul tells us that the secret is to be content with whatever circumstance we are in. Again, he is in jail and is telling them that his needs have been taken care of by God through their gifts. And because they were obedient to God through taking care of Paul’s needs, God would take care of all their needs. Because he said in the earlier verses that he was content in whatever circumstance he was in, he can now rejoice over the fruit that would be produced in them because of their obedience. This is why we don’t claim that verse to try and convince God that He has to give us the money to make a car payment on a car we can’t afford. It’s not a need, it’s a want. Just because you over extended yourself financially doesn’t make God liable for covering your mistake...or was it greed, envy or maybe pride that you are asking Him to join you in? We have taken sound bite verses out of context and twisted what the Bible says in order to try and get what we want. You’d be shocked at how little you actually need versus what you want. Do you have any extra clothes in your closet? In the last 5 years how many thousands of dollars have you spent on your wants? Will you regret that if you find out that a brother was in need and you could have used that money to help him? Here’s a very popular one. Check out this verse from Matthew. Matthew 7:1 “Judge not, that you be not judged.” Jesus is the one who said this, and of course, many Christians quickly bring this verse up when they are doing something they
already know they shouldn’t be doing. But does it really mean no one can call out wrong behavior in another person? Let’s see what the context of the following verses have to say. Matthew 7:1-5 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.” Clearly this passage is more about making sure you are clear of sin before you talk to a brother about theirs. This is shown again, in John 8 when the Pharisees brought Jesus a woman who had been caught in adultery and they wanted to know if He thought she should be stoned. Jesus applied the same principle then when He said, “He who is without sin, cast the first stone.” When they all left her alone, Jesus told her to go and sin no more. Jesus clearly had rendered a judgment that she was in sin, but He had saved her from the penalty of her sin. That is exactly what he has done for us. We have been judge guilty of sin, but Jesus has saved us from the penalty of that sin. His message is the same for us: “Go, and sin no more.” This next one is something I heard a lot growing up. Luke 18:25 “25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”
So, obviously based on this verse, a rich person can’t go to heaven, because money is the root of all evil...right? Nope, that is not at all what this verse is saying. First, the verse that I just intentionally misquoted is from 1 Timothy 6:10 and what it actually says is: “10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils...” But Let’s get back to the Luke verse and check it in context. Luke 18:18-25 “18 And a ruler asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 19 And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good except God alone. 20 You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery, Do not murder, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother.’” 21 And he said, “All these I have kept from my youth.” 22 When Jesus heard this, he said to him, “One thing you still lack. Sell all that you have and distribute to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” 23 But when he heard these things, he became very sad, for he was extremely rich. 24 Jesus, seeing that he had become sad, said, “How difficult it is for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God! 25 For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” Jesus was using a term that was very well understood in His day. The “eye of a needle” was a term used to describe a smaller opening in a city wall that would be difficult to fit a camel through. So if your were trying to enter the city through the eye of a needle, the first thing you would have to do is remove all the cargo that your camel was carrying. The camel had to be unburdened with all of the “stuff” it was carrying to fit through the narrow gate. The same principle applies to us. A lot of money can buy us a lot of stuff. We have to be careful of how much stuff we are
burdened with and carry around, so that it doesn’t prevent us from entering the narrow gate that is used to describe heaven. Looks like Jesus is basically saying, you can’t take it with you. There are a couple more verses to look at, that come right after this passage. Let’s jump down to verses 29&30. Luke 18:26-30 “26 Those who heard it said, “Then who can be saved?” 27 But he said, “What is impossible with man is possible with God.” 28 And Peter said, “See, we have left our homes and followed you.” 29 And he said to them, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, 30 who will not receive many times more in this time, and in the age to come eternal life.” On it’s own this seems to imply that if we have left our stuff to follow Jesus, we will get a lot more stuff here on earth. Does that sound right? Well, it does if you look at it like this. Here at FUEL we are a family and if you’ve left your family in order to follow Jesus, welcome home...we are now your family. If a member of our family is in need, guess who will take care of them? That's right, the family. If Laura and I needed a place to live, how many people here would be willing to take care of that need? You see You don’t just have the brothers and sisters you were born with. You now have all of the family of God. The point is that you now have access to all the resources of your heavenly father, through His children, who take care of each other. This is how the original church in the book of Acts operated and it’s how I can say: Philippians 4:19 “19 And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
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