Tickling the Dragon's Tail: When Privilege Becomes Permission

On May 21, 1946, a physicist named Louis Slotin stepped up to a table at Los Alamos, New Mexico, to run an experiment he'd run many times before.

On that table sat a ball of plutonium, which was a core built for an atomic bomb.

See, around it was a shell made of two halves, and if the top half ever closed all the way down on the bottom half, the whole thing would go critical. That means a chain reaction, and a burst of radiation strong enough to kill.

And so the way the experiment worked was Slotin would lower the top half close enough to measure what would happen. But be absolutely sure to never let it close. And to prevent that, they had clear safety rules in place. Which was to use spacers that would keep the two halves apart.

But that was inconvenient, so Slotin didn't use them. He held the top half with his left thumb, and he kept the gap open with… the tip of a flat-head screwdriver.

He had done it that way almost a dozen times. Often in blue jeans and cowboy boots. In front of a room full of people. The scientists even had a name for this kind of work. They called it “tickling the dragon's tail."

Now, I don't know about you, but if I'm tickling a dragon, I want more between me and him than a screwdriver!

Well, that afternoon there were seven other people in the room. And at 3:20 pm, the screwdriver slipped. The top half dropped. The room flashed blue, and a wave of heat rolled over everyone in it. Slotin tasted something sour in his mouth and felt his left hand burning. He jerked the top half up and threw it to the floor, which stopped the reaction.

But it was too late, Because 9 days later, Louis Slotin was dead.

Here's what gets me about that story. Slotin wasn't some rookie. He was the expert. He'd assembled the core for the very first atomic test. And part of the reason he was doing this experiment that day was to train the man who would replace him. Nobody in that room knew that core better than he did. But his skill didn't make the rule unnecessary. It only made him think it was.

Church, the reason I’m telling you this story is because that’s 1 Corinthians 10 in a nutshell. Paul is writing to a church full of experts, and they were tickling the dragon’s tail. And what he shows them, and us, is privilege can’t protect a divided heart.

We must avoid tickling the dragon’s tail by:

1. Remembering Our Fathers (vv. 1–5).
2. Recognizing the Pattern (vv. 6–13)
3. Running From the Other Table (vv. 14–22)

1. Remembering Our Fathers (vv. 1–5).

In Paul’s day, the city of Corinth was full of temples, and the temples were where people ate. In fact, it was so normal, that if your neighbor threw a birthday party or a family celebration, there was a good chance it was held in a temple dining room, with the god as the host.

And when they were invited to the celebration, some of the Corinthian Christians said in chapter 8: “Why not? We know an idol has no real existence.” So they pulled up a chair in an idol’s temple. And in chapter 9, Paul warns them, saying: “Hey, guess what? I too could be disqualified if I got careless. So don’t think you won’t be!” And then in chapter 10, it opens with the word: “For.” Because Paul is about to explain why he just said that.

¹ 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.

1 Corinthians 10:1–5 ESV

Notice that Paul starts with reminding them of “our fathers.” He’s calling Israel’s wilderness generation their fathers. which is sort of odd since he’s writing to a church of Gentiles. And that’s not because the church has replaced Israel as the people of God, it’s because, as Paul tells us in Romans, The Gentiles have been grafted into the story God was writing through Israel.

Then Paul begins to describe the wilderness generation for us: They ALL were under the cloud. They ALL passed through the Red Sea. They ALL were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the Red Sea. And they ALL ate the same spiritual food and drank the same spiritual drink.

In verse 2 he says they were baptized into Moses, even though no one got wet. But Paul still calls it baptism.

What Paul is doing here, is he’s describing Israel’s wilderness journey through the New Testament language of baptism and the Lord’s supper. He’s showing them their similarities.

But even though they were baptized into Moses, whereas we are baptized into Christ, Look at what Paul says in verse 4. He says they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and that rock was CHRIST! This is telling us that long before Christ was born in a manger, He was with His people in the desert, giving them water when they had none. The point is, Jesus was providing for His people then, and Jesus is providing for His people now.

And yet, what does verse 5 tell us? Nevertheless, with most of them God was not pleased, for they were overthrown in the wilderness. “Most of them” is quite the understatement, Because of all the men twenty and older who came out of Egypt, only two made it into the promised land: Joshua and Caleb. The rest were “overthrown” in the wilderness. And that word “overthrown” paints the picture of bodies strewn across the desert. The people who walked through the sea on dry land ended up being buried in the sand.

Now, don’t read too much into this. It doesn’t mean every single one of them went to hell. Moses after all died outside the land too after he disobeyed the Lord. But it does mean their privilege didn’t protect them.

And church, the same is absolutely true for us! Privilege is not protection.

Think about us compared to Israel here. As Christians, we have been baptized (at least we should have), We take part in the Lord’s community - His church. We share in the bread and cup and His table. All of that is gift from God, but none protects us from getting too close to sin!

If you play with sin it doesn’t matter if you’ve been: Baptized. If you’ve been in church your whole life. If read and know your Bible. or how much you serve. The result is the same. The way of the transgressor is HARD! And don’t for a second think that grace will make it easy when our hands finally slip and the two halves collide

The blessings God has given us should make us grateful not comfortable, which is where Paul goes next.

We must avoid tickling the dragon’s tail by:

2. Recognizing the Pattern (vv. 6–13)

In verses 6-13, Paul tells us what Israel’s example was meant to do for us. He writes:

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.

1 Corinthians 10:6–13 ESV

In verse 6, Paul says that Israel’s long story of failure took place, why? As an example for us. The Greek word is the word “typoi,” which is where we get our word “type” from. And the point is, these aren’t just old dusty stories, they are patterns and types meant to teach us.

And what are they to teach us? Verse 6 tells us. They are to teach us to not desire evil as Israel did.

And going after evil always starts how? with desire. With cravings. In Numbers 11, Israel got a new craving. They were tired of manna and started craving the food they had eaten back in Egypt. They could remember the menu but forgot the cost. Which was slavery and bondage!

And so when Israel started grumbling, God said: “Alright, I’ll give you meat.” “In fact, I’ll give meat until it comes out of your nostrils and is loathsome to you!” And so God sends the quail, and “while the meat was yet between their teeth,” the plague strikes. And afterward they named that place Kibroth-Hattaavah, which means: “graves of craving.”

Church, that’s where craving what God forbids always leads! And that craving usually starts small. It starts with a whisper that says: “Why shouldn’t I have that?” “Don’t I deserve this?” “Everybody else gets to!” “What’s so bad about it anyways?” The sin you’re defending next year is the one you feed today. And every one of the four sins Paul lists here grows out of that soil.

The first one is idolatry. And Paul quotes Exodus 32, which says: “And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.” That’s the golden calf incident. And again, what lay at the center of it? Eating… It was a feast.

The second sin was sexual immorality. And for that Paul references Numbers 25, where the women of Moab “invite the people to sacrifices of their gods, and the people ate and bowed down.” Again, at the center of this sin lay a meal. They sat down at the idol’s table, But it led to idolatry and sexual sin.

The third sin, was testing the Lord. In Numbers 21, the people called God’s manna “worthless food.” And it’s bad enough to tell your mom that on Thanksgiving, but it’s a whole other thing to tell God this! And yet that’s what they did! And notice Paul says “they were testing Christ.” Because Christ was the one who fed them and gave them water.

The fourth sin flowed from the third. And that sin was grumbling. After God freed them from slavery. Led them through the divided waters of the Red sea. And fed them in the wilderness… They grumbled and complained over, and over, and over again.

Now why is Paul bringing all of this up to the church in Corinth? It’s because THE EXACT SAME SINS WERE GOING ON! Look, you think our church has problems. Just look at Corinth! They were engaged in idol feasts. Sexual immorality. Testing the Lord. And grumbling and complaining! All of it!

And so Paul comes along and says: “Whoa guys! I don’t think you fully realize what kind of game you’re playing here!” “These things were written down for our instruction, so we might not do as they did and suffer the consequences as they did.” “So if you think you’re able to stand,” “If you think you can ignore the safety procedures God has put in place.” “Don’t be surprised when you fall and the fallout of God’s discipline washes over you!

And as Christians, we have something Israel didn’t have. We have Israel’s example… Which makes our sin and excuses a whole lot worse than theirs. And not only do we have their example. But we live on the other side of the cross! We live with the body and blood that was broken and spilt for us! Not just water and bread from heaven! We live now with living water and Jesus, who IS OUR BREAD FROM HEAVEN!

Notice who Paul warns in verse 12. Not the person who is weak and knows they are in ever-need of God’s help. The person who thinks he stands - the one who thinks he’s strong. Louis Slotin didn’t die because he didn’t know enough. He died because he knew so much and thought his knowledge was enough to protect him!

That’s the danger of growing up in the church. And trust me… I know this as a pastor’s kid. We know what God’s Word says. We know the dangers of sin and the safety measures that we’re to follow… But what often happens? “Oh that’s not for me… I know enough… I’m mature enough…” “That’s for the weak people who can’t handle it.”

But those of you who grew up in the world, and know how terrible sin can really be are often the ones who know better! You know how seeking approval leads to compromise. You know where that website leads. You know how wrong friendships will pull you away from Christ.

And so if you’re like me. If you grew up in the church. You really do need Christians in your life who can warn and encourage you about the deceitfulness of sin! Because as Paul says: “Anyone who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” Because knowledge and privilege cannot protect a divided heart.

And verse 13 shows us this.

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.

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV

This verse is one of the most comforting verses in the entire Bible, but it’s also one of the most misquoted ones. I’m sure we’ve all heard people say: “God will never give you more than you can handle.” Right? Wrong! That’s not what the verse is saying. Paul isn’t talking about hard circumstances here. Paul is talking about one thing, and that one thing is TEMPTATION.

BUT! And praise God for this! God will NEVER let us face a temptation we are not able to escape! And that’s a really great spot for an AMEN!

Look at the three promises we are given here:

First, “no temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.” That means your temptation is not unique. Zach Broom is not some special snowflake where Satan and his minions have come up with some brand new temptation that no one else has ever faced before. I am not the exception. And my excuses are not the exception.

Second, God is faithful. That’s why in Deuteronomy 32:4, Moses called God “The Rock… a God of faithfulness” and the same immovable Rock that followed Israel is the faithful God Who now lives IN YOU! And these warnings aren’t meant to needlessly scare us, they are meant to prepare us. They are God’s means of keeping us from falling like Israel did!

Third, “with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it." Notice what verse isn’t saying… It’s not saying God will provide an escape so you never feel depressed, defeated, or unholy desire again. it says: “God will provide a way of escape FROM THE SIN,” “so that you may be able to ENDURE it.” and the “it” is the TEMPTATION!

Look, as much as I wish God would just flip a switch in me and I would never feel temptation again, it’s not going to happen this side of glory. But in God’s grace He has given us the strength to resist and endure it. So don’t blame God or others for your sin. Own it. Because there is ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS a way out!

But here’s the thing… The way out usually costs you something. For the Corinthians, It costs them social status and enjoyment from turning down the invitation to the banquet at the temple. Which might have cost them a business deal or a friendship. And for you, it’s likely going to cost you something too. Maybe your reputation. Maybe your comfort. Maybe a friendship you’ve been afraid to lose.

The way of escape isn’t free, is it? It comes with a cost. But make no mistake, that cost is nothing at all compared to the cost our sin will bring upon our lives. And so we must run from the table of idols to Christ Himself.

We must avoid tickling the dragon’s tail by:

3. Running From the Other Table (vv. 14–22)

In verses 14-22, Paul writes:

¹⁴ Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. ¹⁵ I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. ¹⁶ The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? ¹⁷ Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. ¹⁸ Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? ¹⁹ What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? ²⁰ No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. ²¹ You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. ²² Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

1 Corinthians 10:14–22 ESV

Paul isn’t angry and annoyed here, He’s loving and tender with them. which is why he starts with: “My beloved.” This is the language of a father pleading with his children.

And after warning them to flee from sexual immorality in chapter 6, He adds to that, saying “flee from idolatry.” Not manage it. Not negotiate with it. RUN from it! Don’t try to get as close as you can to it. Try to get as far away from it as possible!

And then in verse 15, Paul appeals to the thing the Corinthians were the proudest of, their brains. He says: “You’re sensible people. Judge for yourselves.” And then he walks them through logic of why they should RUN from idolatry.

The first reason is because of “The Lord’s Table.” He says, “the cup of blessing that we bless, it is not participation with the blood of Christ?” And that word participation is “koinonia.” Which means fellowship, sharing, and communion.

When we share of the cup, we aren’t just REMEMBERING a fact. We are sharing together in Christ. And that’s why we evangelicals really need to stop saying communion is: “Just a memorial service.” Yes, it’s a memorial service, but the problem is that word “JUST.” Because it’s not JUST a memorial service. And saying that doesn’t mean we need to start thinking the bread and cup literally turn into the body and blood of Christ. Cuz that’s not the case.

Instead, when we gather and take part in Christ’s table, Yes, we are remembering what He’s done for us, but we are also, as Paul says, “participating in the blood and body of Christ.” We are fellowshipping with each other and our Lord, and His death, burial, and resurrection! We are saying: “JESUS IS HERE!” “HE’S ALIVE!” “AND BY HIS BROKEN BODY AND SHED BLOOD WE ARE ALIVE!”

In verse 18, Paul brings it back to Israel again. In verses 1-11 Israel was the warning, but here, Israel’s worship is the proof. When an Israelite brought a peace offering, part of it was burned on the altar, part of it went to the priest, and the people ate the rest… “BEFORE THE LORD.” as Deuteronomy 12 says.

Nobody in Israel thought that was “JUST a lunch.” Anymore than the New Testament teaches that the Lord’s Table is JUST a memorial. It was WITH THE LORD AND BEFORE THE LORD! IT WAS FELLOWSHIP WITH GOD!

That’s the part the Corinthians missed. When they ate at the table of idols, it wasn’t JUST a meal. It was partnership AND fellowship!

Then, in verse 19, Paul is anticipating what he knows the Corinthians are thinking. He knows they are thinking: “But Paul, you just told us an idol is NOTHING - it’s not alive like our God!” And he agrees, but then in verse 20 he points out what lies behind the idol. Which are demons. So yes, the Corinthians were half right. An idol itself is nothing, but demon behind it isn’t. and that demon is gladly accepting the worship that should go only to Yahweh So don’t participate with that - Paul says.

This is why the early church refused to offer incense to Rome’s idols. They knew it was to worship a demon - and they’d rather die than do so! Paul understood this as well, which is why in verse 21, he says: “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons.” The two are completely at ODDS with each other.

Now, most of us our aren’t being invited to pagan temples to share in an idolatrous meal. But make no mistake, we have our own Corinthian version of: “it’s no big deal.”

What am I talking about? How about this little thing called “interfaith prayer meetings.” That’s where Christians get together with other religions and pray to “God.” But that definition of God includes Yahweh and demons.

But that’s not even the half of it, Because Paul tells the Colossians that “covetousness is IDOLATRY.” Think about it: The Corinthians didn’t go to those temples because they loved Zeus. They went because they didn’t want to lose their seat in Corinth. The friendships. The family celebrations. Their place in the city. The idol wasn’t really the statue. The idol was comfort and belonging.

And it’s usually that way with us too. The thing on the surface isn’t the real issue. It’s what we’re looking to it for. Some of us need to be liked. Some of us need to be in control. Some of us need to be comfortable. Some of us need to feel safe. And whatever we need more than Christ will eventually ask us to disobey Him to keep it.

And look, you’re sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. What are the excuses our hearts whisper to us? “I’m strong enough…” “I know better…” “It doesn’t affect me…” That’s not knowledge, that’s privilege trying to protect a divided heart.

So here’s the question. Not, “What’s your idol?” But, “What are you afraid to lose?” Because whatever you’re afraid to lose more than Christ, that’s the idol’s table you’re sitting at.

²² Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?

1 Corinthians 10:22 ESV

God’s jealousy isn’t pettiness anymore than a husband’s jealous for the heart of his wife. God is jealous because we, church are His bride. And He refuses to share us with an idol just like a husband refuses to share his wife with another man.

And in case you think that’s not a big deal, Paul asks: “Are we stronger than He?” The Corinthians called themselves “the strong.” Louis Slotin thought his hands were steady enough too. And his hands were steady, right up until 3:20 that afternoon, when the screwdriver slipped.

So where does this leave us? It leaves us in the same place as Israel. And in the same place as the Christians in Corinth. Every one us has kept a chair at another table, and everyone of us has provoked the Lord. And because of that, we all deserve the cup of God’s wrath.

And it’s that cup that Jesus drank for us in full, So that we might participate with Him, By God’s wonderful grace through faith at His table.

Because Christ drank the cup of judgment, we can drink the cup of blessing. And that’s why we refuse all other tables.

James has a word for the Corinthian problem. He calls it being “double-minded.” The word literally means “two-souled.” One soul at the Lord’s table. One soul at the other one.

And here’s what James tells two-souled people:

⁸ Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

James 4:8 ESV

So leave the other table, and draw near to Christ. Remember this as we go to the Table.

In a moment we are going to participate in Christ’s table. And if you’re here and you’ve never trusted in Christ and followed Him in believers baptism, don’t reach for the bread and cup just yet. instead, first reach for Christ by simple faith. This table isn't a medal for the flawless. It's food for the spiritually hungry. Paul doesn't say examine yourself and stay away. He says examine yourself and come.

So if you’ve done that. If you’ve trusted in Christ, followed Him in believer’s baptism, and are walking in covenant with this church or a church of like faith and practice, Come having left the other table. Come with empty hands and an undivided heart.

This is the manuscript the sermon was preached from, so the recording may differ in places.