Chapter 8 focused on Christian liberty and the inappropriate use of our Christian rights when it harms the faith or conscience of other, less mature believers. Paul will now apply these principles to his own ministry and mission strategy.

We focus tonight on the topic of paid ministry work. Paul’s apostolic rights and credentials, and a really crucial philosophy of ministry we all need to understand and embrace for the church to advance in American culture!

Following Christ in 21st Century Corinth – Week 12

presented 12 December 2018

1 Corinthians 9: 1-27

AUDIO

Lecture Handout

9_1 through 9_27 Handout Week 12

Lesson Notes

  • Verses 1-2 – Paul’s status as an apostle
    • Several of his letters imply that people question his apostolic status or authority
      • For some it’s because he’s different from other apostles (he didn’t know Jesus until after His resurrection)
      • For some they thought less of him because he wouldn’t take money like other prominent Greco-Roman speakers and debaters
      • Apostles – in Greek means to be sent out, so is he specially sent out by Christ?
    • Paul presents a series of rhetorical questions with implied “YES” answers to establish credibility
      • Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Didn’t I lead you to Christ?
      • Even if others doubt his apostolic credentials, he certainly was an apostle to the church in Corinth
      • They are the seal of his apostleship -> a seal was the proof of authenticity (picture an old-time wax seal) for his apostleship
  • Verses 3-7 – Pay for ministry
    • Shouldn’t they be able to eat and drink to at least have the church cover their basic cost of living?
    • And to support a family (bring a wife along)
      • The other apostles apparently did, including Peter (whom the Corinthians seem to have had personal contact with)
      • The brothers of Jesus apparently did (James, Joseph, Simon, Judas – per Matthew 13: 55)
    • Again, rhetorical questions: are Barnabas and Paul the only ones without the right to do ministry and not have to also work another job to support themselves?
    • Verse 7 presents 3 analogies of people who clearly get compensated for their labor
      • Each is highly applicable to ministry
      • A soldier – and we frequently use military analogies for the discipline, hierarchy, and mission of Christians
      • A vineyard – we see frequent tending, growing, planting analogies for ministry (as for example 1 Corinthians 3: 5-8)
      • Tending a flock – As pastors, we are under-shepherds tending God’s flock
  • Verses 9-10 – Scriptural basis for financial support
    • Law says don’t muzzle an ox when it treads out grain – Deuteronomy 25: 4
    • If God is concerned for justice for a laboring animal, He is even more concerned for the people laboring for His glory and mission
    • Luke 10: 7 – Jesus said the laborer deserves his wages
  • Verse 11 – If we have sown spiritual things among you -> should reap materials things
    • Verse 12 – particularly in light of their apostolic “fathering” of the Corinthian church
  • Verse 12b – the truly interesting thing after all that discussion!
    • Paul and Barnabas don’t exercise their right to receive pay
    • They would endure anything rather than create an obstacle to somebody’s acceptance of the gospel
    • So people can’t claim they’re in it for the money
    • Because Corinth was so prosperous as a city, there might have been more than normal suspicion about their motives, because having money and being suspicious about others wanting your money happens frequently
    • This was a particular concern in light of the culture of “rhetoricians for hire” in Corinth
  • Verses 13-14 – This doesn’t invalidate the right to be paid by the church
    • Verse 14 – He references Jesus’ words, probably Luke 10:7
    • Jesus commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should make a living from it
  • Verse 15 – Reiterates he doesn’t want their money
    • Wants to be able to “boast” in his free preaching
    • Verse 16 – He can’t help but preach the gospel – he doesn’t do it for money
      • When you’re a preacher, you must preach, Jeremiah’s fire in the bones
  • Verse 17 – God gave Paul a stewardship regardless of whether he gets paid
    • Paul often speaks of the gospel as a stewardship
    • We don’t own or control the gospel, but have a sacred trust to pass it on carefully and accurately from generation to generation
  • Verse 18 – What’s Paul’s reward?
    • Presenting the gospel free of charge!
    • Preaching and proclaiming the gospel is a huge delight
    • We think of sharing as a burden, but it’s a joy!

Paul’s Philosophy of Missions & Ministry (1 Corinthians 9: 19-27)

This is the principle behind chapter 8 on idol meat and chapter 9 on why Paul won’t accept money.

  • Verse 19 – Paul surrenders his freedom in order to win more people to Christ
    • As we mature in Christ, we realize our freedom isn’t for us to do whatever we want with
    • We should be willing to surrender our freedom for the benefit of others
    • It’s a voluntary choice, but it’s a gospel choice to subordinate our freedom to someone else’s salvation
  • Verse 20 – To reach Jews, he followed the Law and lived and taught like a Jew
    • To reach them for the gospel he needed to be reasonably acceptable to them
    • He does not feel bound by the Law, but will act according to it for their sake
  • Verse 21 – To gentiles, he lived as a gentile – ones outside the Mosaic Law
    • But subject to the law of Christ – the limits on what you can do as an ambassador of Christ
    • We have tremendous freedom on food, drink, and dress
    • We don’t have freedom on the things Jesus commanded or forbade, or the ethical core of the Law (like the 10 Commandments)
  • Verses 22-23 – Explains Paul’s willingness to adapt and contextualize strategy to reach people for the gospel
    • Modeling the proper attitude toward the weak and the lost, contra the Corinthians in chapter 8
    • This point is huge!
      • Churches are seldom very accepting of this principle
      • Usually we’re willing to be exactly as we are for all time that by the means we prefer we might save very, very few
      • The church in America must regain the attitude of reaching to the lost and meeting them where they are. Or the current churches in America will die and be replaced by churches that obey Christ
    • Christians in America need to let go of the adamant insistence on things like style of music, order of worship, church decor, day or time of service, style of dress, or single translation of the Bible in order to reach the lost
    • All must be within the boundaries of the Law of Christ, of course
    • Chapter 8-10 is about morally neutral things, not prohibited or commanded things
    • The reality is there are more morally neutral things in any era than Christians typically like to admit
      • We tend to fall into a legalism that condemns society rather than offering the gospel and trusting its transformational power on people and culture
      • In missionary work this is called contextualization -> how much can and should a Christian adapt to the culture around them to better share the gospel – language, idioms, diet, clothing, church days, etc.
      • In a predominantly Muslim culture for example…
  • Verse 24 – Corinth was famous for biannual athletic games second only to the Olympics in their importance, so Paul introduces sports metaphors
    • As Christians we’re to run all out, lay it all out there for the gospel, holding nothing back
    • Of course, all who are faithful will get God’s prize – so the analogy breaks down a bit, but the point is don’t be lukewarm!
    • Who here can honestly say they are putting it all out there for the gospel? I certainly don’t feel like I could make that claim
  • Verse 25 – Exercise self-control rather than standing on your rights or crying “legalism” every time your behavior as a leader is questioned by other, less theologically astute Christians
  • Verse 26 – Athletes sacrificed tremendously to win a wreath of leaves that will quickly die
    • Our crown in heaven is eternal and imperishable
    • How much more should we be willing to sacrifice for that?
    • So work AND LIVE with a purpose
  • Verse 27 – And discipline yourself not to fall into sin after preaching to others
    • Doesn’t refer to losing salvation, rather back to 1 Corinthians 3: 12-15 and God’s evaluation of our works and  His praise or rebuke for their quality

 

Next Week:

1 Corinthians 10: 1-22