Drinking

I.          Drunkenness is an old problem among men

             A.         The earliest record is Genesis 9:21

                          1.          Noah was acquainted with the effects of wine - Matt 24:38

II.         The effects of alcohol

             A.         Prov 20:1 - It deceives the mind.

             B.         Isa. 28:1-3,7-8 - It causes errors in judgement

             C.         Hab 2:15 - It lowers moral standards

             D.         Prov 23:29-33 - Detailed description of the effects

                          1.          Causes depression, moodiness, contentions

                          2.          It loosens the tongue

                          3.          You injure yourself and don’t feel it or remember the event

                          4.          Redness of the eyes

                          5.          It is referred to as a poison - vers 32

             E.         It is addictive. A person under its influence would do just about anything for another drink - Joel 3:3

III.        Drunkenness is condemned

             A.         A woe is pronounced on those who drink continually - Isa 5:11

             B.         A woe is pronounced on the heros of drinking - Isa 5:22

             C.         The kingdom of Babylon was destroyed while King Belshazzar attended a drunken feast - Dan 5:1-4, 30

span>             D.         Luke 12:45-46 - The unfaithful steward gives himself over to drink

             E.         You cannot be sober, vigilant while drunk or suffering from a hangover - Luke 21:34

             F.         Drunkenness is firmly condemned among Christians - I Cor 5:11; I Cor 6:9-10

IV.       Reasons for drinking

             A.         I may drink a bit, but I don’t get drunk

                          1.          I Pet. 4:3-4 - Things Christians no longer do

                                       a.          oinophlugia - “Excess of wine”

                                                    (1)        “An overflow (or surplus) of win.” - Strongs

                                                    (2)        Down and out drunk

                                       b.          Komos - “Revellings”

                                                    (1)        “A revel, carousal, the concomitant and consequence of drunkenness” - Vines

                                                    (2)        Drunken party that adversely affects a person’s behavior

                                       c.          Potos - “to drink” - translated banquetings

                                                    (1)        “It is not of necessity excessive” - Synonyms of the N.T.- R.C. Trench

                                                    (2)        Social drinking

             B.         Jesus approved of drinking by turning water to wine - John 2:1-10

                          1.          Remember that the Bible is very clear in its condemnation of drunkenness

                          2.          Jesus had 6 jars, each holding 20 to 30 gallons, filled with wine

                          3.          120 to 180 gallons of alcoholic wine would make a large number of people drunk, especially after already drinking

             C.         Didn’t Paul recommend wine to Timothy? - I Tim 5:23

                          1.          Recommendation is a little wine for medicinal purposes

                          2.          Oil and wine were common medicines - Luke 10:34

<                          3.          The use of medicine is not an approval for casual use

V.         We need to be sober minded - I Thess 5:5-9