Bible Studies for Life
Jesus Displayed
1 Corinthians 9: 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! 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. 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 call from God was to boldly proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” (15:1-3). Paul did not boast about his preaching because he had nothing to boast about since it was not his choice to do it anyway.
He was compelled to preach! God had saved him to preach the gospel (Acts 22:21), and empowered him to do so. The Lord Himself had chosen Paul to take the gospel to “Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel” (Acts 9:15). Thus, he was obligated to keep proclaiming the gospel at all costs.
Paul asserted that he was entrusted as a steward of the Lord’s gospel. He had no choice but to preach the gospel faithfully expecting nothing in return. Thus, no one could accuse him of abusing his power or authority for personal gain. He refused to do or take anything that might distract from the furtherance of the gospel.
1 Corinthians 9: 19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. 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; 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. 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. 23 And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
Paul was a Jew and a Pharisee. He was also a Roman citizen. That meant he had certain rights and privileges (freedoms) that most people in the Roman Empire did not enjoy. Nonetheless, he had made himself a “servant unto all.” Paul had for the sake of Christ and the gospel given up his personal freedoms for the good of everyone to hear the gospel.
The purpose of Paul’s sacrifice of his freedom was to win more people to Christ through the gospel. He was more than willing to let go of his personal privileges to get opportunities to share the gospel with as many people as possible. He also wanted to reach as many kinds of people as he could. To do that Paul was willing to accommodate himself to the various cultural and religious environments in which he moved- but not compromising the gospel in any way.
Paul started with his own people group, the Jews. Thus, he became like a Jew to win Jews to Christ. Paul had no problem conforming to the practices of Jewish traditions “as under the law” when necessary if it furthered the winning of Jews to Jesus as their Messiah. In contrast to the Jews, those “without law” were the Gentiles. Gentiles naturally did not know or practice the law of Moses nor had any previous revelation from God. Nonetheless, when in Gentile cultures Paul would become as one “without law” to win them to Christ as well.
Paul said he was still under the law to Christ. In other words, he abided by the higher moral standards reflective of a genuine follower of Jesus. Paul summarized his work among all the groups. None of his rights were as important as his mission to win people to Christ and build them up in the faith.
1Corinthians 9: 24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 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. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 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.
In the ancient games only the first-place winner got the prize. In the case of Christianity, every person who repents and places faith in Christ receives an eternal inheritance in Christ. Paul urged the believers that they should run their race of faith with the same intensity as a sprinter in the games.
Paul wrote that believers in Christ receive an incorruptible crown. Paul ran with a specific goal in mind (spreading the gospel) and fought boldly against the enemies of the gospel! The apostle recognized the importance of keeping himself in good physical, spiritual, and moral condition, as well as having self-discipline, for the battle he waged for the gospel’s sake. He was not concerned about losing his salvation. Rather his concern was living in such a way so that he did not stumble so as not to fulfill the mission Jesus had given him to preach the gospel. He did not want to be found unworthy of the stewardship given to him as a servant of God.
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Rejecting Legalism
Matthew 12 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn and to eat. 2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.
As Jesus and His disciples passed through grainfields, His followers began to pick and eat some grain. This was allowed by the Mosaic law (Deut. 23:25). But over time, religious leaders let their man-made ideas about the law twist what God actually intended. So, when the disciples picked grain from the field, the Pharisees accused them of violating the Sabbath. To them, picking grain was harvesting, while rubbing the grain to separate the kernel from the husk was threshing. The law allowed the disciples to take some of the grain (Deut. 23:25). But the Pharisees cared more about their own traditions than about God’s law and His people.
Matthew 12: 3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him; 4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests? 5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? 6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. 7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless. 8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
Jesus responded with an account from 1 Samuel 21, a story these experts of the law would have known well. A priest gave the Bread of the Presence to David and his men for their nourishment. Jesus was saying that some needs supersede ceremonial law. Showing mercy is more important than protecting traditions. The second illustration from the Old Testament involved the temple priests who offered daily sacrifices- even on the Sabbath. Yet, God declared them innocent of violating the Sabbath because they were doing what was necessary in the worship of Isreal.
Rebuking the Pharisees, Jesus taught that God is more concerned with our hearts than with our adherence to man-made, religious rituals. He also pointed to Himself as being greater than the temple and its priesthood.
Matthew 12: 9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue: 10 And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him. 11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out? 12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days. 13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other. 14 Then the Pharisees went out, and held a council against him, how they might destroy him.
Upon reaching the local synagogue, Jesus encountered a man with a shriveled hand. He authenticated His claim to be Lord of the Sabbath by restoring the man’s hand. The Pharisees asked Him if it was legal to heal on the Sabbath. Jesus responded with a question of His own drawn from daily life: If their animal fell into a ditch on the Sabbath, would they pull it out or let it stay? Jesus emphasized that people matter more than animals, so it was lawful to help them on the Sabbath.
Jesus then commanded the man to stretch out his hand. When he did, his hand was restored. But the Pharisees were unmoved. Because Jesus threatened the traditions of the Pharisees, they began to plot how to kill Him.
Jesus offers mercy, not religious rules.
We should avoid judging others based on their adherence to a religious tradition or practice.
We should give greater attention to the condition of our heart rather than to adherence to man-made rules.
We must seek to make our priorities and practices consistent with what God values most.
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