Is It Okay for Christians to Drink Alcohol? – Pastor Morgan Lekgetho Mogagabe

In His Presence Ministry International

Date: 05 December 2021

Sunday Sermon

Speaker: Pastor Morgan Lekgetho Mogagabe

Theme: Is It Okay for Christians to Drink Alcohol?

Time: 9 am till 11 am

Reference Scriptures:

King James Version

John 2:7-11

7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. 8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. 9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom. 10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. 11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

New International Version

Luke 22:18

For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”

Isaiah 5:11-22

11 Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them!

22 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:

Proverbs 20:1 – “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.”

… The above proverb depicts wine and strong drink as actors in their own right.

English Standard Version

Romans 14:21

21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble.3

Proverbs 23:29-30

Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? 30 Those who linger long at the wine, Those who go in search of mixed wine.

1 Corinthians 8-9

Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak.

Habakkuk 2:15-16

15 Woe unto him that giveth his neighbour drink, that puttest thy bottle to him, and makest him drunken also, that thou mayest look on their nakedness! 16 Thou art filled with shame for glory: drink thou also, and let thy foreskin be uncovered: the cup of the Lord’s right hand shall be turned unto thee, and shameful spewing shall be on thy glory.

1 Corinthians 10:23

“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive.

Ephesians 5:18

Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,

Micah 2:11

If a man walking in the spirit and falsehood do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.

Psalm 127:2

…….for so He giveth His beloved sleep

Sermon Notes

John 2-7-11 are very often one of the handful and proof texts that people throw out to say that Scripture says drinking alcohol was actually encouraged by Jesus or that it is something that the Body of Christ should do at the very worst that it’s a liberty that we could engage in. I want to take you through a journey through the Scriptures today. And I want to speak directly to your hearts into your mind about this very important subject that I believe the enemy or adversity is using to destroy both the witness of the church and the individual lives of believers, I will not apologize for a single thing. I am going to say there are some that are going always a legalist there are some who probably going to say I am not going to go far enough. I am simply going to point you in the Word of God. I want to challenge. Allow me to speak into your lives perhaps reshape the way you think about this particular subject: Is it Okay for Christians to Drink Alcohol?

Would you join me in prayer Heavenly Father, Thank you for your incredible Word and we pray now, As we read Holy scriptures and study it and I truly understand it.

Is it Okay for Christians to Drink Alcohol?

Someone sent this question to the Ministry and I’d like to take a moment to answer. The question is as follows: I would like to know if it’s Okay for Christians to be drinking? When I asked some Christians about it, their response is that Jesus drank wine, so it’s okay. I myself don’t drink and haven’t for several years because of the negative consequences and effects thereof to me, to my siblings, to my home life and to my family. I did quit drinking long before I became a Christian, but now more than ever, I see Christians that have taken up drinking and they try to convince me that it’s okay. The question above has an impact on almost all of us in one way or another.  This is probably because you might all have held some strong opinions on this subject. Let me take you through the journey of my life concerning the issue of alcohol. In my early years of ministry, I was very adamant and very outspoken against consumption of alcohol on any level and a lot of that is because of my biology and my personality. In my younger years, it was not conducive for me to drink and I became convinced as the Lord took His place in my life that it wasn’t something I should yield myself to.

My father was alcoholic. He was a drunkard. His liver was damaged by alcohol. He died because of alcohol at the age of 57. Because of the effects of alcohol that I saw when I was growing up, I couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to consume it. However, as time passed, I became aware of even other Pastors that would have a glass of wine at dinner and they seemed to be Ok with that. Even though I became less judgmental and I want to share with you an approach which I used that narrows the corridor of temptation to alcohol consumption. It’s something that every person has to consider.

You may find yourself under circumstances where you might be tempted to drink alcohol but you must not give in to such. I remember at one time I went to the United States of America.  When we came from the airport and went to my hotel room, the CEO for PHRU invited me for a drink and I ordered a juice but when the drinks came and I had a sip I felt a hot sensation in my chest and that was not the Holy Spirit. It was some alcoholic strong stuff.

I was bold enough to ask what was it that I was drinking and who had ordered it since I had ordered a juice. I did not whisper but I shouted loudly. You must not give in to something just because of shame. You must be bold about your faith. Now, imagine if I had succumbed to that temptation, what kind of a pastor would I have become?

When people invite you for a drink or offer you alcohol, you not say that my pastor says I must not drink but you should rather respectfully tell them that you don’t drink. Alcohol is not good for your health and it does not solve your problems but it is rather a stumbling block. Its only Jesus Christ who can close the gap or emptiness in your life.

Ask yourself if alcohol has any effect on you at all. Do you booze in order to get high or to feel relaxed?  I have heard people say that it helps them to relax. Such a motive is wrong. If you have any worries that are troubling you, you must rather invite Jesus into your life and make him your habitation because he cares for you. He’s the one that is able you to remove your sorrows any day. Alcohol will not take away your problems.

There are some people that enjoy a glass of wine during meals because they say it highlights or accents flavors. If that’s genuine and you could care less about any of the affect that alcohol might have, then okay, I’ll cut you a little slack, but be sure you don’t do it in front of somebody else who wants to get drunk or do it for the wrong reason. That’s what is called being a stumbling block and that’s why I think this leaves a very small margin for drinking. Most people who consume alcohol do so for the feeling of drunkenness that it gives them and not just because of the connoisseurs’ taste of a fine wine.

Now I agree there are probably some of those who do it for the taste and it’s not up to me to decide that. It’s the Lord Jesus you will be dealing with and so don’t try to fake me out about whether or not your motive is okay and you’re not doing it because you feel something. I could care less but you gotta settle that issue with the Lord, because if you don’t, alcohol will become a wide open door to the enemy of your soul and it will destroy your life even if you think you are drinking for the right motivation. If somebody else sees you as a believer consuming alcohol, this becomes a stumbling block and they can’t handle it.

You will be responsible for allowing the enemy to access other people’s lives through you and so these are things you need to consider. Can you actually consume alcohol and avoid the social void without anybody else knowing you’re doing it. Can you consume a beverage with alcohol in it with no regard for consequences or without any motivation of how it will make you feel?

If you think it can relax you or make you sleep, you must know that it is only God who can do that for you… Psalm 127: 2 For so He giveth His beloved sleep.

Be honest about it. These are things you have to settle for yourself because there’s a lot at stake.

Thank you for allowing me to answer this question: Is it Okay for Christians to Drink Alcohol?

I declare that we are to have nothing to do with the unfruitful works of darkness. I declare that our lives are to be Holy because Jesus is Holy and that we bear the name of Our Savior Jesus and because we are in fact Christians. Lord help us to handle this time today in a way that pleases you. God, we ask that you would bless us now as we stay in your presence, in Jesus name.

There is a passage that people drag out saying Jesus is approving of alcohol. Let me help you deconstruct that very thought right here and right now. Those who believed that you have the liberty to drink alcohol, let us consider the full weight and measure of that scripture and some assumption that you have made in the past about this subject. Because it is my contention that most Christians have an improper view of Alcohol because they have not ever had a pastor talk about what I taught you today. You see, wine was the normal drink of that day and so you have to be very careful about making doctrine out of something that was the situation then and yet it is no-longer the situation today.

©2021 Morgan Lekgetho Mogagabe

Many Thanks, I love you and I’m praying for you!

CREDITS

Sermon Script Writer: Morgan Lekgetho Mogagabe

Church Editor: Ms Bawinile Mahlangu

Address :Chiawelo Ext3, Soweto

Ministry: IHPMI

© 2021 Morgan Lekgetho Mogagabe