For love of Christ
Apologies for the reduced audio quality
Introduction
- Example of CT Studd and Fred Orr
- What did the apostle Paul give up?
- He was a man at the forefront of the Jewish cause
- He gave it all up
- Christ had become his all
- We see someone who is willing to forgo his rights and endure poverty for the gospel
- He rarely stood on his rights
- He often gave them up for the Lord
- Chapter 8-10 form a unit - forgoing ones rights to see the gospel prospering
- Those with a strong conscience about eating meat scarified to idols - should forgo meat if eating in front of weaker brother (8:13)
- A worker is worthy of his wages - he is happy to forgo his rights (v12b)
- He is not in it for the money
- He preaches the gospel free of charge
- He supports himself from his own hands
- He does the willingly
- He has the necessity to preach the gospel laid upon him
- We should be willing to forgo some of our cultural preferences to win others over (9:19-20)
- Give no offense with regards to food (10:32)
- Be inflexible about the gospel - be flexible about tradition and culture
- Be willing to forgo your rights
- Why - because Jesus was like this
- Christ emptied Himself
- Christ was obedient to the death on the cross
- How much are we prepared to humble ourselves and to forsake our rights for the love of Christ and the gospel
- Overview:
- Paul challenging the church about the financial commitment to gospel workers (v1-15)
- An example to follow (v16-18)
- We need to support our Pastors and pay them well - not rely for example on Missionaries
- Corinth was a prosperous city but they were discriminatory in the way they supported preachers
- 2 Cor 11:8-9 - Paul received freewill offerings from other churches
- He should have been supported by the Corinthians but he need the money from others...
- ...even though he worked night and day with his own hands
Paul challenging the church about the financial commitment to gospel workers (v1-14)
- Paul asked many questions - 16 questions!
- Paul is challenging them
- He is using Old Testament scriptures and common sense language
- Are we living according to God's word?
- Paul is under attack (v1-6)
- He is an apostle - the last to see Jesus (1 Cor 15:8)
- His work - these people became Christians through his ministry
- Beware of those that spread lies and split the church
- Does he not have a right to eat and drink or have a wife?
- Must they continually work to support themselves?
- Paul's rebuttal - commonsense (v7-8)
- Even those in secular fields would benefit from the 'fruit of their hands'
- It should not be any different in the work of Jesus Christ
- Paul's rebuttal - the Old Testament (v9-10)
- Deut 25:4
- You should not be muzzling gospel workers - example
- God is not talking just about oxen - there is a spiritual principle
- Paul's challenge (v11-14)
- If they have reaped spiritual things - are they not entitled to material things?
- There is a right to material things
- Yet they have not used this right - lest they hinder the gospel
- 2 Cor 8 - He is more concerned that they would be a cheerful giver
- The giving of the church encourages our pastor
- We do not profit from the gospel
- Example of Mark Driscoll and Hill Song
- The Old Testament priests were entitled to a portion of the offering
- Those who preach the gospel - should live form the gospel
- Luke 10:7
- 1 Tim 5:18
- Are the younger as generous as the older?
An example to follow (v15-18)
- Paul willingly preached the gospel
- He felt compelled to do so - he could do nothing else
- Woe to him if he does not preach the gospel
- He would not ask for money and so abuse the gospel
- He preaches free of charge - though people may support him
- What rights should we forgo?
- Example of Dr Martin Lloyd-Jones
- What areas of our lives need self-denial?
- In what ways can we support gospel work?
- More prayer?
- More practical support?