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Good morning friends, hope you had a great Sunday…
Today is Monday, June 17 and we’re reading 1 Corinthians 9 together.
Perhaps your Bible has the subtitle “The Rights of an Apostle”, above this chapter. Evidently, in the reports Paul had received from Corinth, he detects an undercurrent of doubt from some concerning his ‘credentials’. There is no doubt about his pedigree and his knowledge of God’s Word, but what about his authority to teach it as he did? So you see Paul’s response in this chapter 9.
Paul begins by asking “Am I not an Apostle?” The word ‘Apostle” is an interesting one. Through the four accounts of Jesus’ life, Matthew, Mark, Luke & John, the word ‘disciple’ is most often used when describing the 12 men who walked with Jesus.
However, it was also used of many other people who believed in Jesus, and looked for opportunities to be in the crowd when He spoke or present when He did miracles, especially if He came to their town. Consider Matthew 27:57 “As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus.” John tells us in John 19:38 “Later Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, because he feared the Jews.” So do you see that a ‘disciple’ was someone who, to some degree believed in Jesus, and sought to learn about Jesus by following Him as much as possible, even if secretly. By this description, there were hundreds of ‘disciples’, 12 of whom had been hand picked by Jesus, and spent a great deal of time with Him.
But look at Luke 6:12-16 “One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. When morning came, He called His ‘disciples’ to Him and chose twelve of them, whom He also designated Apostles…” There it is friends… Jesus Himself selected these 12 to a special relationship with Him. Luke introduces us to this word “apostle” to describe the relationship and its distinction from ‘disciple’.
In Luke 24:9,10 it says “When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven, and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles.” Do you notice the word “Eleven” is capitalized? This was resurrection day. Judas was dead, leaving 11 of the original ‘disciples/apostles’. By capitalizing the number, Luke the author, is distinguishing, without explanation who these 11 were…and everyone understood. But just in case, Luke again used the word “apostles“.
In Acts 1:1,2 Dr. Luke continues his account of the life of Jesus by saying “…I wrote about all that Jesus began to do and to teach, until the day He was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions, through the Holy Spirit, to the apostles He had chosen…”
So…the word “apostle” was a special designation for the men Jesus had personally picked to spend the majority of 3 years with Him, and it was to these men that He entrusted the privilege of being His witnesses, telling His story, to the world, after He returned to heaven. But it was none of these men who came to Corinth, it was Paul…and some in Corinth, therefore, were stirring up the pot of doubt, as to Paul’s legitimacy as a spokesman for Jesus.
That is why Paul wrote this chapter. By the way the criteria for being an Apostle are evidently these: 1. Personally SELECTED by Jesus Himself. 2. Personally TAUGHT by Jesus Himself. 3. Personally COMMISSIONED by Jesus, to take His message (the Gospel) to the world.
Do you recall Acts 9 and Paul’s Damascus road encounter with the risen Jesus in a bolt of light that blinded him and a voice, claiming to be Jesus, that instructed him? That was his selection. You remember in that Acts 9 experience, a man named Ananias also had a vision. Vs. 11 says “In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision…and said “Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore is sight….Go! This man is My chosen instrument to carry My name before the Gentiles and their kings and before the people of Israel. I will show Him how much he must suffer for My name.”
We saw in Galatians 1:11,12 Paul says “I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive if from any man, nor was I taught it, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.” And finally when Paul was in the city of Corinth he had another vision, remember? Acts 18:9-11 “One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: ‘do not be afraid: keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.’ So Paul stayed for a year and a half, teaching them the Word of God.“ Paul’s commission from Jesus was repeated several times in his life.
So here in 1 Corinthians 9 you’ll see Paul going into some detail explaining this matter of his being a genuine Apostle of Jesus Christ, with a commission from Jesus, to bring the Gospel to them in the authority of Jesus. And more… Then, as now, there was the debate…, should Pastors, preachers, evangelists etc. receive financial payment for what they do, or is the commission from God to preach and teach the Word of God something that is a privilege, and these people should have regular paying jobs, to care for their financial needs? I wonder what you think?
You’ll recall Paul had a skill, a paying vocation. He made tents, and in the first century, as today, there were many in that part of the world who needed tents in which to live as they roamed with their flocks. Today they are called Bedouins. So Paul, in many town where he was bringing the Gospel as a pioneer, while he was unknown by the people and there was no church there, evidently would open a little business for making some tents, when he needed cash (Acts 18:2,3). There were other times when Paul did receive financial help from the churches he planted and taught. For Paul it was clear… he never wanted those to whom he brought the Gospel to conclude he was doing so for financial benefit. It was out of love for his Savior and obedience to his calling from Jesus.
Do you see Paul’s powerful statement in vs. 12 “…On the contrary, we put up with anything, rather than hinder the Gospel of Christ.” Paul was determined that nothing would hinder his freedom to preach and teach the Gospel of Jesus, where and when and even how he felt the Holy Spirit leading him. He was under obligation to no human being, no group of Christians, no one church. Paul as accountable to one Master…Jesus the Christ and His commission, was to take the Gospel to as many places as the Holy Spirit would lead him, by any means possible and face any opposition, empowered and sustained by God Himself.
You see Paul’s powerful statement in vs. 22 “…I have become all things to all men so that my all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the Gospel, that I may share in its blessings.” Of course we understand Paul did not personally save ANY. Only Jesus saves…right friends? Paul is saying it was his bringing the Gospel to people who had not heard it, explaining to them so they could understand and as led by the Holy Spirit, that positioned them to respond and trust in Jesus, and be saved!
So my friends… as you and I read through 1 Corinthians 9 may I ask us to reflect on these questions…What’s the life purpose God has called you to for the rest of your life? What eternal value will that purpose have? What impact or influence will that purpose have on the people your life touches, the communities where you live, even your own extended family? In other words. . .what’s the legacy you sense God is calling you to build & leave when He finally calls you home to glory? Isn’t it great to know each of us, all of us, can make a difference in our world, by living our lives transformed by the power of God, where-ever we live in this world…including right where each of us will spend TODAY?
Pastor Doug Anderson 262.441.8785
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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