1Corinthians 9-10:13
Sunday Evening Bible Study
February 13, 2000
Introduction
Paul had been speaking in 1Corinthians 8 about the subject of eating meat sacrificed to idols. He introduced the principle that "knowledge puffs up, but love edifies" (vs.1). The idea is that we can all have the proper knowledge about idols, and that eating something sacrificed to an idol isn’t any big deal. But when it causes a person to stumble, if we are learning to walk in love rather in just our "knowledge", that we will choose to limit our own personal choices and not eat meat if it causes another person to stumble. He summed it up with:
(1 Cor 8:13 KJV) Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.
1Corinthians 9
:1 Am I not an apostle? am I not free? have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? are not ye my work in the Lord?
Paul is going to illustrate the principle of 8:13 in his own life.:2 If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you: for the seal of mine apostleship are ye in the Lord.
:4 Have we not power to eat and to drink?
Don’t we have a right to eat and drink?
:5 Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas?
Apparently other apostles, including Peter, were married.
Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law. I hope the Catholic Church doesn’t mind that Peter, the first pope, was married (Mat. 8:14).
Paul is simply stating that there was nothing wrong with an apostle being married. He had a right to be married, even though he was single.
:6 Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?
Are Paul and Barnabas the only apostles who were supposed to work a job on the side to support themselves? Paul had the right to be supported by the churches he ministered to, but he didn’t use that right.
:7 Who goeth a warfare any time at his own charges?
A soldier doesn’t pay his own way in the army. A farmer enjoys the harvest of his own crops.
:9 For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?
(Deu 25:4 KJV) Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.
When you hitched up an oxen to walk through the reaped kernels of wheat to break up the grain and separate the chaff from the wheat, God wanted the oxen to not be muzzled so they could keep feeding themselves while they worked.
:10 he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
The farmer gets a benefit from the crops he works hard at all year.
:11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?
It is proper for a pastor to be supported by those he ministers to.
:12 If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless we have not used this power; but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ.
Apparently others had been supported financially by the Corinthian church, but Paul didn’t exercise his right to be supported by the church.
:13 Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
If you brought an animal to sacrifice to the Lord, the priests in the temple were given a portion of that sacrifice as a kind of payment.
:15 But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.
Paul is not saying that it is wrong for someone to make their living from ministry. It’s just that he often didn’t use that right.
He did though at times receive support from churches to minister. He received help from Philippi –
(Phil 4:15 NLT) As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this.
It was this help that allowed him to minister full time while he was in Corinth (Acts 18:5).
:16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
Paul has nothing to boast about in preaching the gospel. He saw it as a necessity. He had to do it.
:17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
(1 Cor 9:17 NLT) If I were doing this of my own free will, then I would deserve payment. But God has chosen me and given me this sacred trust, and I have no choice.
:18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.
Paul’s reward was in preaching.
:19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
Paul was not under obligation to minister to people because they paid him, yet he willingly still became their servant anyway.
Though I am paid a full time salary by the church, I’m not here because I’m being paid a salary. There are some who might take a position of pastor in a church simply as a job or career, and they’re in it as long as they get their paycheck.
We started this church because we felt led of the Lord to do it. Even if we weren’t paid a salary, we’d find a way to keep doing this because that’s what God wants us to do.
:20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
When ministering to Jews, Paul talked to them as a Jew, which he was. He wanted to reach Jews for Jesus.
:21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
When talking to a Gentile, Paul didn’t force Judaism on them. In a sense, he acted like a person that wasn’t under obligation to the Mosaic Law. But he also didn’t act as a total heathen either.
:22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
Lesson
Reaching the lost.
It is often the case that the longer a person becomes a Christian, the more detached they become from those who don’t know the Lord.
Paul’s heart was to stay in touch with those who were lost.
Illustration
I have a friend who got his ear pierced so he could minister to kids who had pierced ears.
In contrast, I’ve heard pastors discuss how terrible it is to have an ear or other body part pierced and then list all sorts of theological discussions as to why they think that way.
God has a heart to reach the lost.
God didn’t expect lost mankind to climb a ladder and get good enough to get into heaven. He came down to reach us.
Do you have friends or family that do not know Jesus?
What would it take for them to listen to you? Is there something you could be doing that will open the door for them?
Too often, we as Christians think that we simply need to get out and shoot the non-Christians with our "Gospel-Gun". We tell them the Four Spiritual Laws, and if they don’t respond within 30 seconds, we shake the dust off our feet. We need to consider that for many, it will take a commitment of time. It will take a commitment to be their friend.
Lesson
Know your limits. Know your heart.
The balance is in making sure we aren’t just carnal. I know people who claim that their reason for doing the things they do is to reach the lost, but the fact is, they just love being carnal.
Illustration
A few months ago I decided to try to learn how to play "Pokemon" so I could relate to my kids. I found out I actually liked the game. The more I played it, the more I began to realize that yes, there are some disturbing things in Pokemon. There are demonic elements that you just can’t get around. I found out for a time that I wasn’t sure what to do because I was getting to like playing the game so much. Once I finally came to realize what was happening, I’ve started talking to my boys about the problems with Pokemon. They have decided on their own to sell their games and cards.
:24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
Paul is going to compare the ministry to something like the Olympics. In Corinth, they had the "Isthmian Games", which were very similar to the Olympics. Among the chief contests of the games were the foot races.
The point in a foot race is that only one person is the winner.
Lesson
Do your ministry with excellence.
This is not about "winning" in the Christian life. This is about how you are serving the Lord in your ministry.
It’s not about doing "better" than others, it’s about the attitude that you run with.
(1 Cor 9:24 NIV) …Run in such a way as to get the prize.
You can get all carnal with this picture, thinking that the idea is about beating other people. It’s about excellence in your own life.
If your ministry were to be compared to an Olympic style foot race, what would best describe you?
Are you the guy who has trained hard and prepared well, one who will run with the goal of being the first to hit the tape?
Are you there just to get the T-shirt that says, "I ran in the Games"?
Are you sitting in the stands?
:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
striveth for the mastery – agonizomai – to enter a contest: contend in the gymnastic games; to contend with adversaries, fight; metaph. to contend, struggle, with difficulties and dangers; to endeavour with strenuous zeal, strive: to obtain something
temperate – egkrateuomai – to be self-controlled, continent; to exhibit self-government, conduct, one's self temperately; in a figure drawn from athletes, who in preparing themselves for the games abstained from unwholesome food, wine, and sexual indulgence
corruptible crown – In Paul’s day, the winners of the games received a wreath of fir branches to wear around their head. The fir trees surrounded the Isthmian race course.
:26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
He doesn’t run without a goal in mind. He isn’t just shadow boxing.
:27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
keep under – hupopiazo – to beat black and blue, to smite so as to cause bruises and livid spots; like a boxer one buffets his body, handle it roughly, discipline by hardships
bring it into subjection – doulagogeo – to lead away into slavery, claim as one's slave; to make a slave and to treat as a slave i.e. with severity, subject to stern and rigid discipline
a castaway – adokimos – not standing the test, not approved; that which does not prove itself such as it ought
Paul is not talking about fearing to lose his salvation here. He is talking about becoming unqualified for ministry.
Lesson
Learning self-control.
Paul had a goal in mind, to be excellent in ministry. For that reason, he was willing to pay the kinds of prices that an Olympic skater will pay, doing the kinds of things that are necessary to win.
Illustration
The U.S. Figure Skating Championships were held yesterday in Cleveland with a young gal, Sasha Cohen, 15, who trains at the Ice Chalet in Costa Mesa. The news articles made it sound as if she was a big hit with the crowds, but she had some problems in her performance and couldn’t pull off the win. Here’s from the Register (2-13-2000, Sports, pg.11):
…For Cohen, this competition was all fun and games. She possesses a sweet, childlike innocence. When asked if she still liked to paint, Cohen said with a straight face that unfortunately she didn’t have as much time as she did when she was younger. She talked about going skiing just a few weeks ago, much to the dismay of Nicks (her coach). Never mind that the biggest competition of her life was looming and she was risking serious injury by taking to the slopes. From now on, it won’t be so easy for Cohen, and Nicks claims she’s not the easiest skater to coach. "A lot of people always knew she had talent, but she always lacked discipline," Nicks said. "She’s learning discipline now. But Sasha dances to her own drummer. She probably won’t learn from anyone else because she likes to do things her own way."
Maybe that doesn’t sound so awful for a young 15 year old gal to just be having fun. But it also won’t win gold medals either.
Paul said that he ran as if to win. He disciplined himself to do what he needed to do for excellence.
I’m not suggesting that we become so obsessive and compulsive about our ministry that we get our whole lives out of balance. But that’s a part of our ministry too, being in balance.
1Corinthians 10
:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
Paul is now going to elaborate on this need for self-discipline.
His example he is going to use to illustrate with is going to come from the historical example of Israel as they came out of Egypt.
All these guys that came out of Egypt had the same blessing of being under the "cloud by day", and all had escaped through the parting of the Red Sea (Ex. 14).
:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
Just as we are baptized into Jesus, they had a sort of baptism as they were surrounded by the sea on the sides with the cloud on the top.
:3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
They all got to eat of the special food in the wilderness that God had provided, the manna (Ex. 16)
:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
Twice, when the people had complained about a lack of water in the desert, God used a rock to bring forth water (Ex. 17:1-9; Num. 20:1-13)
Ryrie: Since the Rock is mentioned twice, and is in different settings, a rabbinic legend held that a material rock actually followed the Israelites. Paul, however, says that it was Christ who was with Israel all the way.
:5 But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness.
Just as Paul has warned (9:27) about not becoming "disqualified" or "castaway", for most of the people, that’s exactly what happened to them. Only Joshua and Caleb made it from the Red Sea into the Promised Land.
:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
The Old Testament is a rich resource of historical lessons that we ought to be learning from. We need to learn from their mistakes.
lusted –
(Num 11:4 KJV) And the mixed multitude that was among them fell a lusting: and the children of Israel also wept again, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?
They had been fed "manna" from the Lord, but they got to wishing that they could go back to their old life and the kind of food they had in Egypt.
:7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
This is talking about the incident of the "Golden Calf".
The people had grown bored waiting for Moses to come down from Mount Sinai and asked Aaron to make them something they could worship. He made a calf out of gold. (Ex. 32) The people had a big party.
:8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
This was when Balaam had instructed the Moabites to send in their young ladies to have sex with the Israelites and make them worship the Moabite gods (Num. 25). Though Moses tells us that 24,000 total people died, there were apparently 23,000 that died in the first day.
:9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
The issue here (Num.21:6) was the complaining that the people were constantly doing. After all they had gone through and after all that God had done for them, they were constantly complaining and wishing they could go back to Egypt.
Let go of the old life. God has a new, Promised Land for you. Stop complaining.
:10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
This was another incident (Num. 16) when Korah and others began to grumble about the leadership in Israel. They thought they could do just as good of a job as Moses and Aaron. The only problem was that God had chosen Moses and Aaron.
:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.
Don’t get cocky and think you’ve arrived.
:13 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
You aren’t the first person who has ever been tempted with sin.
God will not allow you to be tempted with something that you are unable to say "no" to.
That’s a really hard thing to swallow. We often give in because we think there is no other way to deal with the situation.
All "temptations" have to come across God’s desk. He knows what you can handle and what you can’t.
I’ve heard of how some people have been tempted with things and have wondered, "Why don’t I ever get to be tempted like that?" Why? Because God knows I couldn’t handle it!!!
God always provides a way of escape.
There is always an "EXIT". You need to look for it. You need to take it.
Illustration
The smartest man on earth, a pastor, and a Cub Scout were taking a plane trip when the pilot came on the intercom and announced that they were having serious trouble and they were going to crash. He suggested that everyone grab a parachute and jump out of the plane. Then the pilot jumped out himself. The three looked at each other and realized that there were three of them, but only two parachutes. The smartest man on earth said, "I’m a very important person, the world needs me, I need to be saved!" He grabbed a parachute and jumped out of the plane. Then the pastor said to the little boy, "Son, I’ve lived a long life and I’m ready to meet the Lord. You take the last parachute." Then the little boy responded. "Hey mister, no need to worry! The smartest man on earth just took my back pack and jumped out of the plane!"
Make sure you’re taking the right way out. Then take it! Don’t wait for the plane to crash!
:14 Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.
:15 I speak as to wise men; judge ye what I say.
:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
:17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
:18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
:19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing?
:20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils.
:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.
:22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he?
:23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.
:24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth.
:25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake:
:26 For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof.
:27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake.
:28 But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that showed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof:
:29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience?
:30 For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
:32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:
:33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.