Liberty, Love, and the Spirit: A Biblical View on Alcohol

• Biblical Liberty vs. Drunkenness [00:04:02 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor establishes that the Bible permits drinking but categorically forbids drunkenness, using Ephesians 5:18 to argue that the core issue is what fills one's life (Spirit vs. wine).
• Definition of Drunkenness [00:07:02 ▶️ 📄]
  > Citing Wayne Grudem, the pastor defines drunkenness not just by intoxication but by loss of judgment, impaired thinking, diminished moral restraint, and harm to reputation.
• Principles of Consumption [00:11:41 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor outlines three criteria for drinking: it must be a prayerful decision, a personal decision (avoiding being a stumbling block to others), and a periodic decision (not daily).
• The Deceptive Nature of Alcohol [00:19:31 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor pivots to argue that alcohol 'mocks' and lies to consumers, citing marketing statistics and crime data to show the hidden dangers and costs of alcohol abuse.
• The Deception of Alcohol Marketing [00:20:11 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor contrasts the positive imagery of alcohol advertising with hidden statistics on addiction, violence, and lack of treatment.
• The Dangers and Consequences of Alcohol [00:23:08 ▶️ 📄]
  > Using Proverbs 23, the pastor describes alcohol as causing woe, sorrow, and physical harm, likening its effect to a snake biting.
• Spiritual Mastery and Addiction [00:25:22 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor argues that alcohol leads to domination and works of the flesh, contrasting it with the fruit of the Spirit and self-control.
• Repentance and Spiritual Filling [00:28:12 ▶️ 📄]
  > A liturgical moment where the congregation is invited to unclench their fists from alcohol and ask for the Holy Spirit.
• Practical Application (Dry April) [00:29:36 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor challenges the congregation to abstain from alcohol for the month of April to demonstrate reliance on the Holy Spirit.

• Sermon Illustration [00:00:25 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor holds a beer bottle at the start of the sermon to visually address the tension and nervousness of the congregation regarding a pastor drinking on stage.
• Sermon Illustration [00:13:37 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor shares a personal anecdote about his upbringing in a pastor's home where alcohol was never present, explaining that he chose not to drink in high school and college to avoid being a stumbling block to others.
• Sermon Illustration [00:15:07 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor uses a hypothetical analogy of 'Ed Young Airlines,' where one out of ten planes crash, to illustrate the statistical risk of alcoholism (1 in 10 drinkers become problem drinkers) and why one might choose not to fly (drink).
• Sermon Illustration [00:10:03 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor references Jesus' first miracle of turning water into wine at the wedding in Cana to illustrate that alcohol can be part of celebration and that Jesus did not abstain.
• Sermon Illustration [00:23:45 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor shares a personal anecdote from age 10 where he handled a snake to impress a girl, only to be bitten when he removed his glove, illustrating how alcohol 'bites' those who treat it casually.
• Sermon Illustration [00:25:42 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor recounts his time playing basketball at Florida State University, describing a co-ed dorm with a full bar on the bottom floor to illustrate the accessibility and cultural normalization of alcohol.

• Pastoral Charge [00:12:29 ▶️ 📄]
  > The pastor urges all demographic groups within the congregation to personally pray about their decision to consume alcohol.
• Pastoral Charge [00:29:36 ▶️ 📄]
  > Challenge the congregation to abstain from all alcoholic beverages for the entire month of April.
• Pastoral Charge [00:30:08 ▶️ 📄]
  > Instruct the congregation to replace alcohol consumption with daily reliance on the Holy Spirit.
• Pastoral Charge [00:28:27 ▶️ 📄]
  > Lead the congregation in a physical and spiritual act of surrendering their struggles with alcohol to God.

[00:00:25] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]
[00:00:25] Oh, I'm sorry. This is the way you're supposed to pour it, right? I know this makes some of you really nervous. You're like, Ed, my pastor in church with a beer. I understand that. I respect that. Still others of you are saying, man, Ed, why don't you drink the beer? Your sermon will be much better. I understand that as well.
[00:01:27] can I drink this? I know that many of you are here today from, wow, numerous backgrounds.
[00:01:46] Maybe you look at your life and you look great on the outside, but maybe America's most popular drug has you in the throes of addiction. You know you drink excessively, no one else really knows. You're functioning. You're going throughout your day, but you know
[00:02:17] it has a grip on your life. I respect you for showing up because you knew what I was going to talk about. Still others here, you look back on your family history and you say to yourself,
[00:02:38] I don't know about this. I have some horror stories I could tell you, and you've seen the results of alcohol and how it even affects you today. I respect you and honor you for being here.
[00:03:01] Others are like, I don't have a problem. I drink a couple of beers or have some drinks after work to knock that edge off. I mean, come on. I know some here are defensive. I get it.
[00:03:24] I know some are like, Ed, you get onto the people who drink. Everyone should be a teetotaler.
[00:03:33] Some of you have that mentality. Well, today's message is the BYOB, bring your own Bible. We're going to see what, thank you, what the Bible says about this hotly debated topic. Think about the battle over the bottle, the dilemma of drinking that's been in play for eons. What do you do?
[00:04:02] I mean, what do you say? Can Christians consume alcohol? The answer is yes. Did you know that?
[00:04:17] As you look at the Bible, the answer is yes. We do need to understand, I guess, the backdrop of consuming alcohol, Ephesians chapter 5, verse 18, which is the central text of this series.
[00:04:36] The apostle Paul wrote this, and do not get drunk with wine, for that's debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit. So I want you to understand this as I talk. As I unpack the whole issue of drinking,
[00:04:53] that's obviously a major issue, but the big issue is what and who are you filling your life with?
[00:05:04] that's the deal. So Paul uses alcohol as a metaphor. Again, can I drink this?
[00:05:23] 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.
[00:05:51] So we're controlled by alcohol when we're drunk. Yet Paul says, no, no, no, that's not the deal.
[00:05:58] We need to be controlled by the Holy Spirit of God. Because after all, we all were made and are made to be filled with the Holy Spirit. But again, I say, and this is going to shock some of you,
[00:06:14] The Bible does give us liberty, freedom regarding consuming beverage alcohol, but it's very direct about drinking excessively and being drunk.
[00:06:33] The Bible says categorically, unequivocally, that drunkenness and excessive drinking is a sin before God.
[00:06:44] but there is a way to drink, a right way to drink that does not lead to excessive drinking or drunkenness.
[00:07:00] What does it mean to be drunk?
[00:07:02] Have you ever thought about that?
[00:07:04] That's kind of a nebulous answer.
[00:07:07] I mean, what do you say about that?
[00:07:14] Well, theologian Wayne Grudem wrote this about drunkenness. And here is what he lifted off of the pages of scripture about this situation.
[00:07:27] And, you know, when I talk about don't be drunk with wine, which leads to debauchery, you could talk about weed. You could talk about, I mean, all sorts of other substances. I hope you understand that. But let's just talk right now about alcohol, which is the most dangerous drug
[00:07:46] and the number one drug in America.
[00:07:49] Here's what Dr. Grudem says about what it means to be drunk.
[00:07:53] 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.
[00:08:15] That's what it means to be drunk, to be wasted.
[00:08:22] to be smashed or whatever you want to call it. The Bible tells us in Psalm 104, verses 14 and 15, you cause the grass to grow for the livestock and plants for man to cultivate, that he may bring
[00:08:43] forth food from the earth and wine to gladden the heart. 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.
[00:09:02] However, not excessively and not to a point of drunkenness. Now, you know as well as I do that it's an exception for people to stop before things turn into excessive drinking.
[00:09:21] I've seen it done before I've been at parties and situations However, it is an easy road, isn't it?
[00:09:33] To walk down One turns into two Two turns into three And then suddenly you find yourself Drinking like that every single day The Bible does say there is a right way to do that So if you choose to drink
[00:09:54] Yes, the Bible says wine can and does gladden the heart.
[00:09:58] Think about Christ's first miracle.
[00:10:03] That's where he turned H2O into Merlot.
[00:10:05] Remember that?
[00:10:06] He kept the party going.
[00:10:10] And we know the disciples drank wine.
[00:10:12] John the Baptist, though, chose not to drink.
[00:10:17] So we have wine talked about and alcohol talked about throughout Scripture.
[00:10:21] Over 200 times, the Bible mentions this subject.
[00:10:28] But it talks more about the warnings of alcohol than the wonderful aspects of it that gladdens our heart.
[00:10:38] But it does say, again, we're free to drink.
[00:10:42] So those here who don't drink, don't look down your noses at someone in a restaurant.
[00:10:48] Oh, that person, they're a member of Fellowship Church and they're drinking.
[00:10:55] They're going to hell.
[00:10:58] No, no.
[00:11:01] And on the other hand, those here who drink, because we have groups that do and groups that don't, don't look at someone who chooses not to drink and go, oh my goodness.
[00:11:15] I mean, they've totally messed me up.
[00:11:18] They've rained on my partay, so to speak.
[00:11:22] No, no, no, we can't do that.
[00:11:25] If you choose to drink though, if you choose to do so, And again, I know some do, some don't.
[00:11:31] 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.
[00:11:41] Number one, it should be a prayerful decision if you choose to drink.
[00:11:45] Have you ever prayed about it?
[00:11:48] Have you ever taken it to God?
[00:11:52] We go back to scripture.
[00:11:54] Obviously, this message is gonna be loaded with scripture because God is the expert on this.
[00:12:01] So it should be a prayerful decision, 1 Timothy 4, 4 through 5, for everything created by God is good, even wine.
[00:12:12] Sorry, Baptists.
[00:12:16] And nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.
[00:12:29] I've got to ask you straight up, just between me and you, prayed about it? I'm talking to young people. I'm talking to single adults. I'm talking to those going through difficult circumstances and situations. I'm talking about those in their
[00:12:49] 60s, 70s, 80s. Have you prayed about it? So it's a prayerful decision. Notice also, not only is it a prayerful decision, it's a personal decision. It's personal, isn't it? 1 Corinthians 8, 9, Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block.
[00:13:18] People ask me, okay, Ed, because that's my name, they ask me about alcohol, and they ask me about being around it so much, and let me just talk about my younger years.
[00:13:37] from the time I was born until, let's say, 22 years of age.
[00:13:45] I was around alcohol a lot, a lot.
[00:13:52] Obviously, growing up in a pastor's home, dad and mom didn't drink.
[00:13:57] Alcohol was never in the house.
[00:14:00] But when I talk about this issue and when I answer these questions, I tell people, you know, I did not drink.
[00:14:09] in high school, and I did not drink in college. Why? Why? Because of this stumbling block issue.
[00:14:25] And that's something we really have to consider, friends. 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
[00:14:56] problem drinkers. Let me say that again. One out of 10 people who drink become problem drinkers.
[00:15:07] They become alcoholics. What have I told you? I am opening a brand new airline and this airline has the best jets money can buy, but there's one kind of negative bit of news. One out of 10 of my
[00:15:25] planes crash. How many of you would sign up, would buy a ticket from Ed Young Airlines? No one.
[00:15:37] You'd be like, Ed, one out of 10 crash. That's right. I mean, think about the other nine. So So we see it's a prayerful decision, a personal decision.
[00:15:50] And there's another decision, and I'm talking about, again, the freedom we have to drink.
[00:15:57] It's a periodic decision.
[00:16:00] It's periodic.
[00:16:02] The Bible talks a lot about staying away from much wine, which would be excessive drinking or drunkenness.
[00:16:14] Periodically is an issue that we have to debate in our minds and think about We need to consider our family of origin We need to consider our lives We need to consider our influence Is it a stumbling block or not?
[00:16:39] And then we need to think about drinking periodically what is drinking periodically? It's not every day. It would be maybe on a special occasion or at a celebration of a blessing or something along those lines. If you drink every day,
[00:17:10] 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 want to take that
[00:17:24] to God. I am going to give that to him. Because again, alcohol offers, yes, feeling good. I talked to a friend of mine. I said, why do you drink? He said, well, it makes me feel good. Okay. And I
[00:17:42] talked to another friend. I go, well, why do 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
[00:17:55] issues. And it can be, as we all know, a very, very addictive issue. So I'll say it once again.
[00:18:08] 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 let's talk about now let's pivot as they say you know isn't that kind
[00:18:36] of one of the big words like people use these days you know I'm gonna pivot no don't you like that pivot it's kind of a basketball term it is a it is a basketball term you know you you have a
[00:18:48] pivot foot and you pivot and you can go and move in different directions. So March Madness, see, I've got the ball. We've been talking about, okay, we are free to consume alcohol. Not excessively, but we're free to do that. So now I'm going to pivot and talk about why you should maybe
[00:19:14] become a teetotaler? Why should you abstain from beverage alcohol? Let's talk about that.
[00:19:31] Let's talk about the mockery of alcohol. Did you know alcohol mocks us? You ever thought about that?
[00:19:37] The Bible says in Proverbs chapter 20, verse 1, wine is a mocker and beer a brawler.
[00:19:50] Whoever is led astray by them is not wise.
[00:19:56] The mockery of alcohol.
[00:19:58] Think about the $1.7 billion that alcohol companies spend on marketing.
[00:20:11] It's a lot, isn't it?
[00:20:15] They only show you just one little aspect of drinking.
[00:20:21] Community, connection, watching the game together.
[00:20:28] they don't show you though the other the other stats they don't show you 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 ten become alcoholics they don't show you that less than 10 percent
[00:20:53] of individuals with alcohol use disorder receive treatment they don't tell you that 40 percent of violent crimes involve alcohol use by the offender. They don't tell you that 32% of all traffic fatalities point to alcohol. They don't tell us that. Alcohol lies to you and me.
[00:21:21] Takes us by the hand. It's okay. Everything's cool. Have one. Have another. Cheers. Can I drink this. I have so many funny stories about running into people over the years, people who were members of Fellowship Church, who were drinking when I walked into the restaurant
[00:21:53] or party. Funny stories. Adults, you know, doing this, and they see me. Hey, how you doing, man?
[00:22:09] I just want to tell you, I love Fellowship Church, and it is absolutely amazing. I'm involved now.
[00:22:18] I'm like, come on, my man. So we hide it, don't we? And our alcoholic companies hide it as well, and they mock us all the way to the bank. We write checks for insurance and taxes and all that.
[00:22:43] we are paying squillions of dollars for alcohol abuse. Again, they don't show you the busted up marriages, the fragmented families. They don't. It's the mockery of alcohol. Also, the mayhem of alcohol. Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaints? Who has needless
[00:23:08] bruises. Who has bloodshot eyes? Those who linger over wine, Proverbs 23 says, who go to sample bowls of mixed wine. Do not gaze at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down
[00:23:25] smoothly. In the end, it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. Your eyes will see strange sights and your mind will imagine confusing things. Does that say it or what? I was 10 years
[00:23:45] old and someone captured a snake in our neighborhood and no one knew if it was poisonous or not. And they brought the big jar over and I was, you know, looking at it. And, uh, you know, I, I think I
[00:23:59] really know animals and wildlife a lot, even at a young age. And I wanted to impress a little group of kids in my neighborhood, especially my girlfriend at the time. Sorry, Lisa, Tina Arrowood.
[00:24:10] So I unscrewed the lid of this jar and there the snake was, you know. I put on some work gloves, picked the snake up, no problem. I said to my brother, Ben, Ben, take off my left glove.
[00:24:28] He took it off. And when I put my hand back on the snake, he latched on to this finger, blood everywhere, I begin to scream bloody murder. If you make a pet out of alcohol,
[00:24:51] 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. The Bible says, let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness.
[00:25:22] Also, there's that potential for addiction that I just talked about. You can see in 1 Corinthians chapter six, 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
[00:25:42] dominated by anything. When I played basketball at Florida State, I don't know if you know I did, but I played, we lived in a co-ed dorm, privately owned dorm, all the basketball players. We got
[00:26:00] our own rooms, maid service. I don't know how we did it. Well, we got in trouble later, but we did it. The bottom floor in this dorm was a full bar. I remember coming home from class
[00:26:17] It's Margaritaville in the Florida State Room.
[00:26:21] Head down to the basement.
[00:26:26] I've not talked to very many people who had a full bar in their dorm.
[00:26:31] Maybe you have.
[00:26:32] I haven't.
[00:26:32] I just wanted to throw that in.
[00:26:35] Also, the mastery of alcohol, it helps me work in the flesh.
[00:26:48] The Bible says in Galatians 5, 19 through 21, now the works of the flesh, that's the worldly system, are evident. Sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, and it goes down, drunkenness, just again. And then the juxtaposition between that
[00:27:08] compared to the fruit of the Spirit, what's the fruit of the Spirit? 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 got to ask you once again, can I drink this? I want us to do
[00:27:28] something right now in the last few moments of this message. I want us to do your hands like this, everyone, please. Do your hands like that, and then your hands like that. I just showed you
[00:27:46] a prayer from the Quakers, and we're going to pray this prayer right now about this sensitive and power-packed subject. Would you bow for prayer with me? Every head is bowed and every eye is closed. Father, and let's clench our fists together. We all come here today
[00:28:12] with our fists clenched.
[00:28:17] And especially, God, over this issue of alcohol, the battle over the bottle.
[00:28:27] Right now, God, in my life and in every life here, may we unclench our fists.
[00:28:37] Just unclench your fists and drop everything at the foot of the cross.
[00:28:44] Now let's turn our hands heavenward and let's ask God to fill us with his Holy Spirit.
[00:28:57] Lord, fill us, fill us with your spirit.
[00:29:06] May our lives never be the same.
[00:29:09] In Jesus' name.
[00:29:12] You can look at me now.
[00:29:15] Again, I gotta ask you, can I drink this?
[00:29:20] Well, here's the homework.
[00:29:21] We're gonna do a little exercise.
[00:29:24] I'm gonna challenge all of you to embark on a dry April, a dry April.
[00:29:36] I want you to join many of us as we say before the Lord, you know what, we're not going to consume any alcoholic beverages for the month of April.
[00:29:52] If you have a pushback, you probably have a problem.
[00:30:00] Oh, I can stop anytime, Ed.
[00:30:02] Oh, really?
[00:30:06] Well, let's see what will happen.
[00:30:08] So as we empty out, as we dump out alcohol, Paul, let's replenish that with the Holy Spirit of God each and every day. All right. Well, next week, I wanted to continue next week. We will move down this path and you won't believe what's
[00:30:39] going to happen. I'm telling you, you won't believe it, but seriously, can I, can I drink this? I mean, this has been a, this has been a tough sermon for me. I mean, hi guys. Thank you

[00:30:56] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]
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