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1Corinthians 9

Thursday Evening Bible Study

September 11, 2014

Introduction

Do people see Jesus? Is the gospel preached? Does it address the person who is: Empty, lonely, guilty, or afraid to die? Does it speak to the broken hearted? Does it build up the church? Milk – Meat – Manna Preach for a decision Is the church loved? Target 4400 words / 3500 words

In Paul's day, Corinth was the capitol of the province of Achaia (southern Greece), and was the most important city in Greece.

Corinth was quite the cosmopolitan city. All merchant traffic flowing north and south, as well as east and west, flowed through Corinth.

Corinth was also the center of the world’s greatest immorality.

The Temple of Aphrodite stood on the hill overlooking the city, and every night 1,000 male and female prostitutes would come down into the city and encourage the citizens to “worship” the goddess of love.

Paul had established the church in Corinth in AD 51 on his second missionary journey. He had spent 18 months teaching and building the church before moving on.

It is now AD 56, and Paul is across the Aegean Sea in the city of Ephesus. He’s received a letter telling about the problems and questions in Corinth, and now he’s writing back.

The first issue raised was about the divisions in the church.

(1 Corinthians 1:11 NKJV) For it has been declared to me concerning you, my brethren, by those of Chloe’s household, that there are contentions among you.

The second issue had to do with immorality

(1 Co 5:1 NKJV) —1 It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and such sexual immorality as is not even named among the Gentiles—that a man has his father’s wife!

The third issue was about lawsuits

(1 Co 6:1 NKJV) —1 Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?

The fourth issue was about marriage.

(1 Corinthians 7:2 NKJV) —2 Nevertheless, because of sexual immorality, let each man have his own wife, and let each woman have her own husband.

The fifth issue had to do with eating meat sacrificed to idols

(1 Corinthians 8:1 NKJV) —1 Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.

9:1-27 Rights

:1 Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?

:1 Am I not an apostle?

Paul has been talking about how we as believers need to learn to put a limit on our “rights” for the sake of the gospel.

In the last chapter, the issue was whether or not to eat that had been sacrificed to idols.

In reality, there are no other real “gods”. You aren’t polluted if you ate meat that had been sacrificed to Aphrodite.
Yet there were some believers in Corinth who had weak consciences, and they couldn’t help but think that you were compromising your faith if you ate meat sold at the temples.

Paul made it clear that as loving believers, we ought to be careful about how our “rights” can cause others to struggle.

(1 Corinthians 8:13 NKJV) Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

Now we’re going to see how Paul puts some of this into practice in his own life.

:2 If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

:1 apostleapostolos – a delegate, messenger, one sent forth with orders

There was a group of folks in Corinth who were constantly challenging Paul’s authority, and specifically his authority as an “apostle”.

The title of “apostle” is one that carries authority with it.

There was a group of Jesus’ disciples, the “twelve”, that Jesus called His “apostles”, or “sent ones”.

Paul was not a part of that group, and Paul did not even become a believer for a couple of years after Jesus was crucified, raised from the dead, and ascended into heaven.

Some have suggested that when Judas betrayed Jesus and the remaining eleven decided they needed a twelfth apostle that they should have waited for Paul to come along instead of choosing Mathias.
Yet we have to reason to think they made a mistake in doing so.

When Peter and the others decided they needed a twelfth, they put forth some qualifications:

(Acts 1:21–22 NKJV) —21 “Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection.”
The other eleven thought that an “apostle” (one of the “twelve”) should have been present for the entire ministry of Jesus and a witness to the resurrection.
Even though we have no evidence that Paul was ever present when Jesus ministered to the Jews for three years, we know that Paul was a witness to the resurrection since Jesus appeared to him specifically.

“A”-postles vs. “B”-postles.

It seems that there are two “grades” of apostles in the New Testament.
The “A” Apostles were the twelve.
There were other folks, like Paul, who are also given the title “apostle”.
Barnabas was called an “apostle”.

(Acts 14:14 NKJV) —14 But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes and ran in among the multitude, crying out

Others also were called “apostles”, and I’d call them the “B”–postles.

(Romans 16:7 NKJV) —7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my countrymen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.

(Galatians 1:19 NKJV) —19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James, the Lord’s brother.

Paul gives some other qualifications for apostleship:
(2 Corinthians 12:12 NKJV) Truly the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance, in signs and wonders and mighty deeds.

The working of miracles seems to be part of it.

(2 Corinthians 11:22–25 NKJV) —22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they ministers of Christ?—I speak as a fool—I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. 24 From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep;

Paul was trying to teach the Corinthians the difference between the “false apostle” who wanted to just exercise authority over people, and a “true apostle”, one who was willing to go anywhere, do anything, and even suffer for Christ.

Are there apostles today?

If you have some of these young handsome Mormon missionaries into your home, they will explain to you what is necessary for a church to exist:

(Ephesians 2:20 NKJV) having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone,
After reading this passage with you, they will ask you if your church has “apostles”, because their church certainly does.
Does our church have “apostles”? Of course. We have the writings of the apostles in the New Testament.

I think that you could make a case for those on the mission field being called “apostles”.

They are certain “sent ones”.
But I’d use the word “apostle” very sparingly.

:3 My defense to those who examine me is this:

:3 defenseapologia – verbal defense, speech in defense; a reasoned statement or argument

:3 examineanakrino (“again” + “to judge”) – examine or judge; to investigate, enquire into, question; specifically in a forensic sense of a judge to hold an investigation

Not only was Paul’s apostleship being called into question, so were his rights and actions as an “apostle”.

:4 Do we have no right to eat and drink?

:4 right to eat and drink

Some were questioning Paul’s handling of financial support from the various churches that he had planted.

Some thought that apostles shouldn’t ever receive any support from a church.

:5 Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?

:5 right to take along a believing wife

Some thought that an apostle should be a celebate, single man, or at least never take his wife along on his journeys.

Illustration

A young monk arrives at the monastery. He is assigned to helping the other monks in copying the old canons and laws of the church by hand. He notices, however, that all of the monks are copying from copies, not from the original manuscript. So, the new monk goes to the head abbot to question this, pointing out that if someone made even a small error in the first copy, it would never be picked up! In fact, that error would be continued in all of the subsequent copies. The head monk, says, ‘We have been copying from the copies for centuries, but you make a good point, my son.’ He goes down into the dark caves underneath the monastery where the original manuscripts are held as archives in a locked vault that has ‘ t been opened for hundreds of years. Hours go by and nobody sees the old abbot. So, the young monk gets worried and goes down to look for him. He sees him banging his head against the wall and wailing, ‘We missed the R ! We missed the R ! We missed the R !’ His forehead is all bloody and bruised and he is crying uncontrollably. The young monk asks the old abbot, ‘What ‘ s wrong, father?’ With A choking voice, the old abbot replies, ‘The word was... CELEBRATE !!!’

The implication is that a man in ministry being married would cause the man to not spend as much time doing ministry because he had his wife with him.

:5 the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas

Apparently Jesus’ brothers (perhaps at least James and Jude) were married, and so was … Peter (the first “pope” according to the Roman Catholic church)

Peter even had a mother-in-law
(Matthew 8:14 NKJV) Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever.

They even brought their wives along with them on trips.

:6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working?

:6 no right to refrain from working

These same people were trying to say that all “ministers” should pay their own way and not be supported by the church.

:7 Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?

The soldier is paid to fight. The vineyard owner gets to eat the fruit of his vineyard. The one who tends the flock gets to drink milk from the flock. Natural.

:8 Do I say these things as a mere man? Or does not the law say the same also?

:9 For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.” Is it oxen God is concerned about?

:10 Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.

:9 You shall not muzzle an ox

Paul is quoting from the law of Moses, from,

(Deuteronomy 25:4 NKJV) “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.
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.

Paul’s point is that God didn’t give this law for the sake of the oxen, but to set up a principle that it is proper for the person who works to be paid.

:11 If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?

The principle applies to those doing spiritual work like Paul, or even a pastor.

:12 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.

:13 Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar?

:13 those who serve at the altar

Under the Law of Moses, the priests and Levites did the work of maintaining the Temple and performing the sacrifices.

And they were paid for what they did.

They were paid a portion of what was sacrificed.

:14 Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.

:14 those who preach the gospel

When Jesus sent the apostles out on one of their training missions, He told them,

(Matthew 10:9–10 NKJV) —9 Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, 10 nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food.
The idea was that they were not to take along money for the journey, because they would be supported by the people they ministered to.

:15 But I have used none of these things, nor have I written these things that it should be done so to me; for it would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my boasting void.

:15 But I have used none of these things

Paul didn’t require the churches to pay him, and he’s not hinting that he wants them to pay him.

That doesn’t mean that Paul never received financial support from the churches (just not from Corinth).

The Philippians supported Paul financially.
(Philippians 4:15 NLT) As you know, you Philippians were the only ones who gave me financial help when I first brought you the Good News and then traveled on from Macedonia. No other church did this.
(Philippians 4:10–20 NKJV) —10 But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly that now at last your care for me has flourished again; though you surely did care, but you lacked opportunity. 11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 14 Nevertheless you have done well that you shared in my distress. 15 Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only. 16 For even in Thessalonica you sent aid once and again for my necessities. 17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your account. 18 Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. 19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 20 Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Some people have taken some of Paul’s words and twisted them to say that if you pay your pastor, you are not a good church.

Paul’s whole point of this passage is to make it clear that it’s okay to pay those in ministry.
Yet with the Corinthians, he’s reminding them that he apparently didn’t take any money from them in particular.
(2 Corinthians 11:7–8 NKJV) —7 Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? 8 I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you.

The idea is that he was supported by other churches, while he didn’t accept finances from Corinth.

:16 For if I 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!

:16 woe is me if I do not preach the gospel

Jeremiah tried to stop speaking for God once…

(Jeremiah 20:9 NKJV) Then I said, “I will not make mention of Him, Nor speak anymore in His name.” But His word was in my heart like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; I was weary of holding it back, And I could not.

Paul has a sense of “necessity” from God that he must preach the gospel.

I wish we all felt that more often.

:17 For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship.

:18 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.

(1 Corinthians 9:17–18 NLT) —17 If I were doing this on my own initiative, I would deserve payment. But I have no choice, for God has given me this sacred trust. 18 What then is my pay? It is the opportunity to preach the Good News without charging anyone. That’s why I never demand my rights when I preach the Good News.

:17 if I do this willingly

If Paul preaches the gospel because he wants to, not because he’s paid to, then he has a reward.

:18 the gospel of Christ without charge

This was Paul’s boast, to be able to preach the gospel without charging people for it.

:19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more;

:19 made myself a servant to all

This goes back to how we started the chapter, in not doing things that cause others to stumble (like eating food sacrificed to idols).

Paul had rights as an apostle, but he was willing to lay down his rights and serve others, all for the sake of getting a chance to preach the gospel to people.

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 to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law;

:21 to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law;

:22 to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.

:23 Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.

:22 all things to all men

When Paul was talking to a Jewish person, he could talk all day about his own Jewish heritage.

When Paul was talking to a Gentile person, he had the ability to relate to them, not as a lawless, godless person, but as another human being.

Paul didn’t give up his Jewishness when he ministered to Gentiles, but he also didn’t require a Gentile to become Jewish before he talked to them.
We saw in our study in Acts that Paul was arrested in the Temple because the religious leaders were thinking that he was teaching people to abandon the Law of Moses, which he certainly wasn’t.

Lesson

Identify

It seems that sometimes we are better at telling people why we are different than they are, than why we are the same.
Jesus had the ability to talk to all kinds of people, and break through the barriers they erected between them and God.
Video: The Gospel of John – Woman at the well (starts at 29:53)
With Jesus and the woman at the well, the initial issue was that of a Jewish man talking to a Samaritan woman – a racial and religious set of differences.

There was also another under current, that of a righteous man talking to a sinful woman.

With each issue, Jesus diffused the conflict and was able to speak truth to the woman

I don’t think this verse means that you have to become a drug addict to minister to drug addicts. I don’t think you need to become a thief to minister to a thief. You don’t need to practice homosexuality to minister to a gay person.
I think it means that you learn how to speak to people in a way that displays kindness and respect. It doesn’t mean you compromise your values, but instead of arguing over why you are right, spend time listening to them.

:24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.

:24 racestadion – a space or distance of about 600 feet (185 m); a race course; place in which contests in running were held, the one who outstripped the rest and reached the goal first, receiving the prize. Courses of this description were found in most of the larger Greek cities, and were like that at Olympia, 600 Greek feet in length

:24 prizebrabeion – from brabeus (an umpire); the award to the victor in the games, a prize

:24 Run in such a way

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

Ministry excellence

You need to be careful about the pictures that Paul paints here.
This is not about “winning” in the Christian life and beating others.
This is about how you are serving the Lord in your ministry.
It’s not about doing “better” than others, it’s about “how you run”.
(1 Corinthians 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?

As far as how we do church – this is not about spending more money on glitzy programs than the church down the street.
It’s about doing what you do with excellence.

:25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.

:25 competesagonizomai – to enter a contest: contend in the gymnastic games; to contend with adversaries, struggle

We get our word “agony” or “agonize” from this word.

Paul used this word when he wrote Timothy,

(2 Timothy 4:7 NKJV) I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Paul also used this word to describe the prayer life of one of his friends,

(Colossians 4:12 NKJV) Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

:25 temperateegkrateuomai – to be self-controlled; athletes wo prepare themselves for the games abstained from unwholesome food, wine, and sexual indulgence

Most athletes are very careful about how they eat, sleep, and train.

They exercise “self-control” in order to “win”.

:25 perishablephthartos – corruptible, perishing

 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.

In earlier days, the wreath was made of parsley.
In the Olympics, it was of a wild olive branch.

Ancient athletes ran just for the glory of the race, for a crown that would dry up and rot.

:25 imperishableaphthartos – uncorrupted, not liable to corruption or decay, imperishable

The crown we’re “running” for is an imperishable one, something we will receive in heaven.

We will receive rewards for what we do on earth when we get to heaven.

:26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.

Paul doesn’t run wildly in all directions, he runs with a purpose.

When he “fights”, he isn’t just shadow boxing and swinging at nothing.

He’s swinging to knock out a real opponent.

:26 uncertaintyadelos – uncertainly

:26 fightpukteo – to be a boxer, to box

:26 beatsdero – to flay, skin; to beat, thrash, smite

:27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

:27 I disciplinehupopiazo (“under” + “to look at”) – 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

I think the word speaks of getting a “black eye”, getting punched in the face.

:27 bring it into subjectiondoulagogeo (“enslave” + “to lead”) – to lead away into slavery; to make a slave and to treat as a slave, subject to stern and rigid discipline

:27 disqualifiedadokimos – not standing the test, not approved

; properly used of metals and coins; that which does not prove itself such as it ought

:27 discipline … lest … disqualified

I don’t think Paul is afraid of losing his salvation.

I think he’s afraid of losing his credibility.

Lesson

The value of self-discipline

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

In February, 2000, the U.S. Figure Skating Championships were held in Cleveland. One of the competitors was a young gal, Sasha Cohen, 15, who trained at the Ice Chalet in Costa Mesa.

According to the O.C. Register, she was a big hit with the crowds, but she had some problems in her performance and couldn’t pull off the win.

Video: Sasha Cohen 2000

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.”

I’d guess that Sasha did learn somewhere along the way because by 2006, she won a silver medal at the Winter Olympics in Turin. I’d imagine she figured out the discipline part.

The point of us learning how to be disciplined in our personal lives has to do with our witness in the world.
There are people all around us that need to see that God’s love is real, and they need to see it in our lives.
Video: Prove it to me
When our lives aren’t disciplined to “win” and to do what God wants us to do (like love each other), people around us have a hard time hearing the gospel.
Over the years we’ve all seen pastors fall into sin.
A long time ago it was guys like Jimmy Swaggert and Jim Bakker. Then David Hocking fell – a little closer to home since his church is just in Santa Ana.

I know folks who had been in David’s church and who were devastated.

This last year within our Calvary Family, the pastor of the largest Calvary, Bob Coy, fell.
It can happen. We all can fall.

You might be tempted to think, “but if I fall, I won’t affect anybody”, or at least not as many as Bob Coy has.

You are so wrong. Your family is watching. Your kids are watching you. your co-workers are watching you.

I think a good exercise to go through from time to time is to make a list of the consequences of you falling into that particular sin that keeps calling out to you.

Think of the people you will hurt. Think of the damage to the gospel.

Self-discipline is important. It is worth it.