1 Corinthians 9 - Part B

Number what we read in Jeffrey I can do everything.

But for the sake of what I will do certain things means eating meat because the stumbler will so I will say no to a certain privilege that I have no there is no such thing as an idol, not a real God is a false God. So I have that knowledge, but I balance out my knowledge we as believers impact others in their spiritual today on connect with Skip Heitzigs, Skip shares how you can balance love and knowledge to encourage others in there for before we begin, we want to let you know source that helps you see God's power to all the circumstances of your life. Life is hard time. That is a harsh but accurate philosophy with into this gentle encouragement. But, that's right, in the most difficult circumstances God can intervene as he did for Joseph Joe and through the resurrection of Jesus here Skip I think the fact there may not be two more hopeful words than these two words but God because they point us to the great interrupter, the one who can powerfully and graciously interrupt our live with his plans and change our lives forever help you understand some of the Bible's most profound… You can have more hope for change in your life.*It's 10 message teaching series… Our thanks $35 and more today to help connect more people to the only one can radically change a life. But God CD collection today. You get online securely connectwithskip.com/offer or call 892 1888 first going to dance chapter as we Jewish height for today's Paul the apostle is the same as the original in the New Testament the apostles doctrine also the foundation of the church was built upon the apostles and the problem so I think there are 12 original apostles, and in a firm sense there are no more.

That does not continue today but in a functional sense it does because did you know that the term apostle shows up about 75 times in the New Testament and it doesn't just refer to the 12. Sometimes Paul is called an apostle sometimes Barnabas is called an apostle sometimes Timothy is called an apostle. On one occasion Andronicus and Julia are called apostles.

So there are names of other people besides the 12 and besides, even Paul better also called apostles to say what what what is that mean exactly in a functional sense. I believe a modern apostle is a missionary somebody who was sent out from a church usually goes into an area of plants and sows and works in an area spiritually speaking and and that's how the New Testament I believe treated that functional gift of apostleship.

So for example, there was a document after the New Testament called the D.K I'm some of you have heard me refer to that over the years that the did a key or the D.K it's set in Greek the D.K is a document that is considered the teaching of of of the apostles and it was an instruction manual for local churches on how to spot a true prophet from a false prophet, a true missionary. It is called an the idea of somebody sent out who is a missionary and how to spot a true or false one. So in a functional sense. I think a missionary fulfills an apostolic role so no, there are more, no more apostles. Yes, there are many more apostle and accent okay and by none apostleship you are verse two if I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you, I came to your area of Corinth spent 18 months in that area lead people to Christ planted a church taught you, and then moved on my defense to those who examined me, is this, do we have no right to eat and drink, do we have no right to take along a believing wife as you also the other apostles the brothers of the Lord and Cephas or is it only Barnabas and who have no right to refrain from working. This is sarcasm easy Zeneca making a sarcastic remark look all the other people that are even sent out by you have certain rights and privileges. Is it only myself. Paul and Barnabas, who have no rights whatsoever, except we have to work in provide for ourselves now.

Paul did work when he came to Corinth were told the story next chapter 18 he comes to Corinth he meets a couple who got kicked out of Rome. They were tentmakers by trade.

Their name was Priscilla and Aquila, Paul met them. He was a tent maker skiing up Paul Yost is the Greek word, somebody who works with hides and cards them up and makes tense, usually out of either cloth or most typically hides. That's what he worked with Paul was professionally worked in the secular field is the tentmakers so he came into that area. Worked with temps worked in that tent Guild with that couple and and and provided for himself.

Here he gives a defense. Don't we have the right to eat or drink. That is, don't we have the right as apostles. Those set out church planters missionary do we have the right to be supported by the flock or by the church so that we can eat and drink in that provision. I do we do we have the right, no right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles the brothers of the Lord and Cephas note Cephas or Peter is mentioned there is no record that Peter ever went to Corinth, but because there was a following in Corinth. People follow Peter. We learned that in chapter 1 into some set I'm up all time of Cephas. I am of Apollo, so there was the knowledge of Peter and some people gravitated toward him as a natural leader, the New Testament indicates that Peter was married men interesting. The first pope was married.

I say that tongue in cheek we know in the New Testament that Peter's wife's mother fell sick and Jesus healed her. So apparently after the resurrection. When Peter would travel and do his ministry. He took along his wife and his wife is supported along with Peter and that was the practice of the other ones who were sent out the other apostles, even the brothers of the Lord. They took their believing wives and the churches took care of them, gave them financial remuneration impulsive. That is my right as well. Now he's going to give in the next few verses for arguments and then he's gonna bring it back. He's we get for arguments why those in the ministry, including himself as an apostle have the right to be supported by the people that they that they work with, or are sent out from his for arguments. The first argument is in verse one, and that is the argument of comparison. Hey, to compare myself to Peter to the other apostles. They have the right if they have the right, and I have the right, that's the first argument. The argument of comparison comparing himself to other servants of the Lord.

The second argument is in verse seven that's the argument from human experience. Here is whoever goes to war at his own expense, who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit, or who attends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock. If you were to go to war for any army of any nation on this earth. The Army would not save you. Welcome to our army, but you have to buy your own gun and your own bullets or if you wanted to join the United States Air Force and fly in F-18 they would say well you know. Usually the F-18's run about $66.9 million but will sell it here for $50 million but you have to buy then you can fly in our Air Force know they will provide that very expensive piece of equipment for you to fly because whoever goes toward his own expense, the government will take care of that the country the nation the Army will pay for the precious human experience over plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit got there and grab some of the grapes mad. I will pick them yet. There's still a little bit sour but couple weeks.

No problem, or take him home, put them on your table or who attends a flock and is not drink of the milk of the flock do I say these things as a mere man or does not the law say the same thing also. Now he gives the third argument.

The argument from Scripture. The law and the law.

He is referring to is Deuteronomy chapter 25 verse four he quotes that verse nine for it is written in the law of Moses.

You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain. You understand that picture right that a threshing floor. It was flat usually made out of stone and they would take the sheaves of the harvested wheat and lay them all out in threshing floor than they would have their oxen usually just get on top of it and and just walk and it would crush the chaff from the edible part underneath it and then the guy would come in in the afternoon when the breezes come by tossed it up in the air with the winnowing fork. The wind would come by and below the chaff away, and the heavier kernels of grain would fall down to the threshing floor but since you have the ox walking around all day long on the threshing floor doing the work for you. You don't put a muzzle on its mouth. You let it eat whatever he finds in the threshing floor. It would be cruel to put a device on an ox while he is doing the work for you. Let me part of it. So that's the Scripture in Deuteronomy Paul quotes Deuteronomy 25 and then he applies it, he says, is it oxen that God is concerned about or does he say it all together for our sakes and he answers the question for our sakes. No doubt he can write that down for oxen. Oxen don't have Bibles that a look that stuff up claim that versus their own.

That was a principal that also covers what we do as apostles was written for our sakes, no doubt this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope that he who thrashes in hope should be a partaker of his hope. If we have sown spiritual things for you. Is it a big deal or a great thing if we reap your material things.

We came to Corinth, you did know about Christ. We spread the gospel. We share the gospel. Many of you responded.

Now you have relationships that are vibrant with Christ in your part of a vibrant Christian community are growing in her faith. There is spiritual fruit. We have worked spiritually in Corinth isn't really a big deal if we are to partake of your material blessings. If you support those who did that. Now that is the same principle.

By the way, in Romans chapter 15 I just remind you of it in verse 25 he says now I am going to Jerusalem to minister to the saints for it please those from Macedonia and a kayak to make a certain contribution for the poor among the saints who are in Jerusalem it please them indeed and they are there debtors for if the Gentiles have been partakers of their spiritual things, their duty, that is the Gentile duty is also to minister to them in material things. Same principle, the Jewish people gave Gentile believers a foundation, a heritage now in Jerusalem there losing their jobs because their temple related the Pharisees were making all the people who believe in Christ and preach the resurrection. There making them forfeit their income and their their financial benefit. So Paul went out and took a collection of the Gentile churches for the poor believers in Jerusalem. The same principle they've given us a spiritual heritage is the big deal if we give them a material investment or heritage. So he took he was had no qualms in receiving an offering for that reason, that's the idea in first Corinthians chapter 9 if we have sown the spiritual things for you.

Is it a great thing if we reap your material things he continues. If others are partakers of this right over you.

Are we not even more nevertheless, we have not used this right but endure all things, lest we hinder the gospel of Christ. Okay, that's that that's a real over writing thought of these two chapters member what we read in chapter 8 I can do everything but for the sake of love.

I will do certain things if it means eating meat beating me causes you to stumble, I will do it, so I will say no to a certain privilege that I have, even though I know that there is no such thing as an idol there.

That's not a real God.

It's a false God does nothing really behind it.

So I have that knowledge, but I balance out my knowledge with love. Now Paul is applying it personally.

I as an apostle have the right to receive offerings from you be supported by you, Peter does at the other apostles do with the brothers of the Lord do it. But even though I have that right. He said nevertheless, we have not used this right.

This is called restraining himself saying no to her right that he had a privilege of the ad. We endure all things, lest we hinder the gospel of Christ, do you not know that those who minister the holy things of the things in the temple and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar, so in Jerusalem, whether it's a burnt offering or peace offering, or a meal offering, or a burnt offering, the priest always got a portion that was for himself and his family.

Part of it was offered to the Lord. Sometimes the entire animal was in a burnt offering was offered to the Lord, but the priest was able to take on the hides of the animals so they could be used for his own tent or for coverings for his family. In other cases, you got a portion of the meat like the fire. The right shoulder and other portions you it was given a token of the meal offering. He always got a portion of the sacrifice was given so that is the argument from Scripture.

Even so, verse 14, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel. That's his fourth argument.

The fourth argument of why it's okay for apostles or servants of the Lord to take financial remuneration from those that they work around is because Jesus himself said so the Lord said so, that's the idea what it says the Lord commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel over to Jesus command that when he sent the 12 up around Galilee in the gospel of Matthew. He sent them out and he said no. When you enter into a village. Don't take gold silver or copper in your money belt don't take a bag don't take two tunics don't take sandals don't take a staff for the workman is worthy of his wage eat the things they put before you. The Lord is going to take care of you use the hospitality of the people you go to. So Paul remembers that Jesus said that that is quoted from the Gospels and he brings out a periods. It's the argument from from Jesus Christ, the Lord's command of those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel but I verse 15 I have use none of these things, nor have I written these things, that it should be done so for me, for it would be better for me to die then that anyone should make my posting.

Boyd, verify, preach the gospel.

I have nothing to boast of for necessity is laid upon me. Yes, woe is me. If I do not preach the gospel and I will say what was you. If you do not preach the gospel for if I do this willingly. I have a reward. If against my will. I have been entrusted with the stewardship. What is my reward then that when I preach the gospel. I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel. Paul wanted to be able to boast not in himself but in the fact that God had been so good to him that he didn't need.

When he came to Corinth to take any kind of financial benefit from the current D&C. He was a tent maker.

He had the wherewithal to provide for himself, that doesn't mean he he never took financial support he did when he writes second Corinthians. He makes a reference to this, he said. I robbed other churches that I might minister to you did mean you literally went in like stole from them, but the ideas that he let others give to his ministry so that he could minister freely to the Corinthians, he was still getting support not to Corinth from other places so that he could minister to Corinth. Also, when he wrote to the Philippians he said are you did send Adel once and again for my necessities.

So he received from different places to be able to minister and in the case of Corinth, he wanted to be able to say to them, though I have certain rights as a leader as a pastor as an apostle.

As a teacher, I forsaken that right so that I can have the the absolute freedom in the Lord at as a labor of love, but I love this.

I love her 16 and 1745 preach the gospel. I have nothing to boast of for necessity is laid upon me. Yes, woe is me. If I do not preach the gospel. There was a there was a compulsion and Paul. He was driven by the calling that God gave him on the Damascus Road. The Lord told him I you will be of vessel to bear my name before the Gentiles before kings and before the children of Israel. And when you read his life from that point on. It's like this guy is like the ever ready bunny right is that even a thing anymore is probably such an old commercial so you wind it up and keeps going.

As you know Paul, just nothing dissuaded him. He just kept moving on from place to place. Get beat up, thrown in jail moves on, gets up to wife's the blood off his face goes back into town list, render, B preaches again, unstoppable. We wrote to the Galatians he said I was separated from my mother's womb to be an apostle.

We at this church have a process of ordination where we take young men in the ministry watch their lives and identify their gifts lay hands on them. We take them through a course so they can learn the theological implications and be suited theologically to do it but it's not like will you know I I think I'd like to be in the ministry. If you think you'd like to be in the ministry, you should be in the ministry. Charles Spurgeon had a school administrator, class, and he told his students. If if you can do anything else in the world besides preach the gospel. If you can do that. Do it.

His implication was it's only if you you have to preach the gospel. I have to be in the ministry like yeah I think that would be a good gig.

Maybe I'll try this, don't do it if you can be satisfied doing anything else. Do that thing I know for me.

There's only one thing I I can do is what I do that there's a certain compulsion you you want to make sure you have to do it. Acts chapter 20 before Paul left Ephesus, he said to the elders, take heed to yourselves and to the flock whom the Holy Spirit made you overseers, and it's until you know that the Lord is made you for that thing to do that otherwise should then Skip the message from the series expound first Karen you Skip to share how you can keep these messages coming your way to connect you and many others around the world with God's truth financial questions.

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