The Great Escape
Contradict Movement 4.14.2025
1 Corinthians 10:1-14 - “For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, 2 and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 and all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
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.
14 Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.
In this passage, Paul begins with a reference to the Exodus (the Exodus recorded in the book of the Bible called Exodus) --- and I’m sure many of you are aware that Exodus means Escape!
The descendants of Abraham were in slavery in Egypt and God set them free --- they escaped!!! It was after a series of ten plagues against the Egyptians that Pharaoh finally said, “Go, leave.”
Paul says that the escapees were all at this time “under the cloud”, referring to how God guided them by a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night. When Pharaoh changed his mind and went after God’s people to bring them back into his ownership, God led them to the Red Sea and hid them in the cloud, so that the Egyptians could not see them. They then all passed through sea, as God split the sea and made a path for them to walk right through it to the others side. This is what Paul is referring to when he says they were all baptized into Moses and the Sea. They all then ate of the same spiritual food and drink, as God provided for them miraculously with bread falling from heaven and gave them water that sprang forth from a rock. And Paul tells us that the spiritual rock from which they drank was Christ!!!
From the Exodues narrative, we see that God provided not only the escape but also the provisions after the escape… and we know that the provisions afterwards are the most important part of any escape plan!
Paul Newman in Cool Hand Luke was really good at escaping prison… but he had no plan after he escaped… and so he kept getting brought back…
In Shawshank Redemption, Andy had a plan once he broke out of prison… and he made it safely to Mexico with all the money to live comfortably for the rest of his life.
From our real USA history, if a slave during our time of slavery escaped… the slave needed the Underground Railroad or the slave wasn’t making it into settled freedom.
In Scripture, God provided both the Escape and the Provision!!!
With Paul’s language describing their Exodus as a baptism, he is making us consider our salvation in Christ as our Exodus (our Escape)!
We’ve been set free from captivity to sin and the Devil… we’ve been baptized into Jesus and the waters of his baptism… we eat and drink of the spiritual food… communion… which is Christ! God provided the escape and he has provided the provisions until we make it home! For the Israelites, it was making it home to the Promised Land (the land that had been promised by God to their forefather Abraham) … for us it’s making it to the New Heavens and New Earth.
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But what’s the problem with them and with us as we wander this life to our promised land???
Idolatry!!!
We are warned against idolatry!!!
Vs. 7 Idolatry – "Do not be idolaters as some of them were." (v.7, referring to the golden calf in Exodus 32)
Vs. 8 Sexual immorality – "We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and 23,000 fell in a single day." (v.8, referring to Numbers 25:1-9 --- The people of God lived in Shittim and there they worshiped Baal, which involved sexual orgies.)
Vs 9 Testing Christ – "We must not put Christ to the test, as some of them did and were destroyed by serpents." (v.9, referring to Numbers 21:4-9 --- they’re questioning God --- why did you bring us from Egypt to this wilderness with no food and water… so God sent fiery serpents upon them…)
Vs 10 Grumbling – "Nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer." (v.10, referring to Numbers 16:41-49 --- The Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron and a plague broke out, killing 14,700 people.)
These are the temptations we face too --- Idolatry, sexual immorality, testing Christ, and Grumbling…. and oh how we tend to grumble!
1 Corinthians 10:11-13 – “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.”
God provides an Escape!!! He gives us an Exodus… It’s not just an escape from the consequences of sin… he provides an escape from temptation…
1. Endurance to withstand temptation… God does not guarantee a removal of temptation, but his provision may be the endurance to withstand the temptation, to not succumb to the allure of Satan’s candy.
2. Escaping the sinful situations and people that lead us to sin… Here we can think of Joseph. He ran from Potipher’s wife, but this ultimately landed him in prison. However that prison was a provision against future temptations from her seduction to adultery. The provision of escape from temptation may not always be comfortable or easy.
3. The Escape is the Guidance of God’s Word… This is how Jesus resisted the Devil’s temptations. The Devil twisted God’s Word, but each time, Jesus countered with the Word of God in its proper proclamation and application. God’s Word is available to us for our protection against temptation.
4. Pray ---- Jesus told his disciples to watch and pray… so that they don’t fall. We should not neglect prayer, and this involves bringing in trusted brothers and sisters in Christ to pray for us too.
5. Other Christians… Other Christians can help you resist the temptations. This involves confessing your sins to another, sharing your temptations and struggles with someone else for help.
But these are not the means by which we often try to escape, are they?
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Growing up my favorite store was a place called The Great Escape! It’s a small chain in Middle TN that sales used comics, cards, games, books, and CDs.
Such items and the culture that comes along with them are common idols of our age. Collectibles of any sort can quickly become our idols. They are what we tend to hold on to and cling to for escape from the pressures and struggles of life.
Such idoltary can manifest in several ways:
Seeking Identity in Things – Some people define themselves by what they own or collect. Their sense of worth comes from what they have rather than who they are in Christ.
Escaping from God’s Call – Instead of dealing with struggles through prayer or Scripture, people might retreat into entertainment or nostalgia as a coping mechanism, avoiding the time, effort, and pain of spiritual growth.
Sacrificing for the Wrong Things – Idols always demand sacrifice. Some will spend untold hours, energy, and money on collectibles, but neglect their time with God, family, or church. Were we invest the bulk of our time and resources reveals where are heart is.
I do not mean to say that all forms of colletibles are idols, but we need to be careful about how our hearts cling to them or follow them in relationship to God’s callings in our lives.
The True Escape
The irony is that people visit The Great Escape to find treasures of this world, but God’s “Great Escape” is from idolatry—escaping from false hopes to the only real treasure: Jesus Christ.
Instead of escaping into things that fade away, God provides an escape into His presence (Psalm 16:11).
Instead of chasing temporary joy, we find lasting satisfaction in Christ (John 6:35).
Instead of being enslaved by stuff, God calls us to worship Him alone (Exodus 20:3-5).
For some, The Great Escape store is a fun retreat (it is for me, as are all record shops), a place to step away from the stress of life. In a much greater way, God is our refuge (Psalm 46:1), providing a way of escape not just from sin, but into His peace and presence. This place of refuge is in Christ’s Word and Sacraments (in the Church).