Use the Right Language to Share the Gospel - 1 Corinthians 9-10

1 Corinthians 9:20-23 (ESV)

To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

Paul is writing to the church at Corinth.   The church had a lot of things going for it.  But it had a lot of things not going, as well.  The believers at Corinth were well gifted.  But there was also major division and major sin in their midst.   The division was partly because of how some in the church viewed Paul’s ministry.   In chapter nine he outlines some of their concerns.  He starts the chapter with these bold statements:

1 Corinthians 9:1 (ESV)

Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord?

He starts the chapter by outlining the rights he has in Christ as an Apostle.  But then he pivots away from those rights and starts to show why he is approaching ministry the way he does.   In the above passage we read that he is willing to set aside his very being for the sole purpose of reaching others with the gospel.   In his approach to win others for Christ he is okay reaching them on their grounds, on their understanding of life.   Paul does not compromise himself or the gospel.  But he does understand that others will hear the gospel message much better if we present it in their language.  The Jews had a specific world view and needed to hear it in the gospel in their language.   On the other hand, the Greeks (those outside the law) needed to hear the gospel presented in their language.   Paul understood modern day communication methods.   When products are marketed today they market the product through the best language of those who will be the potential buyers.  This is Paul’s approach to the gospel.  Changing the language of how we present the gospel does not the change the message of the gospel.  Paul was willing to become all things to all men that by any means he could save them.  Paul was 100% gospel oriented.   He was willing to put all his rights aside to witness for the gospel.    He was willing even to change his approach to life.  He would not violate his standing before Christ but would adjust his approach to win others for Christ.   

Jesus Heals … Souls (Mark 5-6)

Mark 6:53-56 (ESV)

When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.

To say that Jesus could draw a crowd would be the proverbial understatement.    Wherever He went the people followed.  We might want to recall that this is not a time of social media, internet and/or texting.   The popularity of Jesus was in the fact the power of human behavior telling others the great things Jesus was doing simply by word of mouth.  Word of mouth is a powerful marketing tool.  The power of Jesus’ ministry in His day would make any social media influencer jealous in our day.  How hard would it be, however, to get people excited after they have been miraculously feed, healed and taught?  Jesus ministry focused on His teaching, healing and performing exorcisms.  For the 400 years prior to Jesus coming there was silence from God regarding His work and word among the people.   Jesus is the voice of God to them  (John 1:1-3) and they were awaken from their slumber faith.   Now they could not wait to touch His garment, hear Him and see Him.  Wherever they go, Jesus and the disciples were surrounded by people wanting to hear teaching, wanting to be healed and/or wanting to see miracles.  We have to wonder what happened between this point of Jesus’ ministry and the Friday of His crucifixion, when all abandoned Him?   John gives us some hint about this here:

John 2:24-25 (ESV)

But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

John 6:64-66 (ESV)

But there are some of you who do not believe.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 

The key to the above passage is, ... and as many as touched it were made well.  This type of faith was not necessarily saving faith.   Many of those who believed Jesus would heal them would not later believe He could save them.   Popularity did not sway their inner need to be healed of sin.   Regretfully, their physical healing would not always equate to their spiritual healing.     Jesus was popularity for what He did in the sight.   He would not be popular when He wanted to heal them spiritually.   It would be exciting to see someone who could not walk instantly stand up and walk around.  Wow!   But do we believe it is even more exciting to see someone condemned to death by their sin and suddenly saved by Jesus death for them and they now stand before God with no condemnation.    When Jesus was on the earth He was popular for doing great things.   When Jesus rose from the dead to pay for our sins He did even greater things than heal their bodies.  He is now healing souls.  

False Worship Angers God - Jeremiah 1-6

Jeremiah 2:26-28 (ESV)

“As a thief is shamed when caught,

so the house of Israel shall be shamed:

they, their kings, their officials,

their priests, and their prophets,

who say to a tree, ‘You are my father,’

and to a stone, ‘You gave me birth.’

For they have turned their back to me,

and not their face.

But in the time of their trouble they say,

‘Arise and save us!’

But where are your gods

that you made for yourself?

Let them arise, if they can save you,

in your time of trouble;

for as many as your cities

are your gods, O Judah.

These three verses could very well be the summary of Jeremiah’s first six chapters.   God is sending the prophet to call out the way the nation of Israel (to the north) and Judah (to the south) have turned from their God to serve idols.   They have tried to satisfy themselves without God:

Jeremiah 2:13 (ESV)

for my people have committed two evils:

they have forsaken me,

the fountain of living waters,

and hewed out cisterns for themselves,

broken cisterns that can hold no water.

Jeremiah 4:22 (ESV)

“For my people are foolish;

they know me not;

they are stupid children;

they have no understanding.

They are ‘wise’—in doing evil!

But how to do good they know not.”

Jeremiah 5:1 (ESV)

Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem,

look and take note!

Search her squares to see

if you can find a man,

one who does justice

and seeks truth,

that I may pardon her.

The nation of Israel has turned to their own gods, but when they needed God to deliver them they would turn to Him.  God is having it no more.   They were wicked and they did not want God in their lives.  Note the ridicule of them God shows here:

Jeremiah 2:11 (ESV)

Has a nation changed its gods,

even though they are no gods?

But my people have changed their glory

for that which does not profit.

We can’t worship our own inventions and then, in the end, expect God to be there to deliver us.   God knows those who truly follow Him:

John 2:23-25 (ESV)

Jesus Knows What Is in Man

Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many believed in his name when they saw the signs that he was doing. But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man.

Matthew 7:22-23 (ESV)

On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

Empathy While Counseling Trauma - Job 25-26

Job 26:1-4 (ESV)

Job Replies: God's Majesty Is Unsearchable

Then Job answered and said:

“How you have helped him who has no power!

How you have saved the arm that has no strength!

How you have counseled him who has no wisdom,

and plentifully declared sound knowledge!

With whose help have you uttered words,

and whose breath has come out from you?

Job replies!   Replies to what?  The key to understanding the above response of Job (which reeks with sarcasm) is only possible if we read the last words of his friend Bildad’s speech, stated just prior.  Bildad’s third speech to Job is the shortest of all of Job’s three friend’s speeches.  But Job will have a six chapter response to his speech.   Something sets him off to be very sarcastic to this friend in particular and all the counsel of his friends in general.  Let’s read the last verse of the previous chapter and see what Bildad said:

Job 25:5-6 (ESV)

Behold, even the moon is not bright,

and the stars are not pure in his eyes;

how much less man, who is a maggot,

and the son of man, who is a worm!”

Imagine you are counseling someone who has been through great trauma.  They are sitting in front of you and are covered in boils and in extreme pain.  Add to the mix they have lost all ten of their children, their finances have collapsed and their entire staff of workers were also killed in a great disaster.   Plus all their assets were carried off by thieves.   This all happened within a short time period.   Would it be recommended in any psychology books, self-help books, counseling instruction manuals and/or any sociology principles to refer to someone in such trauma as a maggot and/or a worm?  It is really sad that another human being, who has witnessed such pain and suffering, would refer to that person in such a way.  This causes Job to respond sarcastically and ask the question of Bildad (and the other two friends) who has given you such amazing counsel and given you such in-depth knowledge (which drips with sarcasm).   Job’s three friends have gone from wanting to comfort Job to full blown confronting Job.   Anyone who has ever done counseling knows how hard it can be to counsel someone who is in trauma.   But that difficulty should in no way give permission to ridicule them, dismiss them and/or describe them as mere maggots and worms.   This should all fall under a book title, The Dumb Things People Say To Those In Trauma.   Job is hurting. In the next six chapter he will respond to all three friends by declaring his integrity, defending his behavior, questioning wisdom and finally asking for a face-to-face with God (which God will eventually grant).   There are three  takeaways here in this text for when God gives us opportunities to counsel those in trauma:

1. Let’s be humble ourselves and help them heal and be restored into a relationship with God.  
2. Let us not become as equally bitter as the one in trauma may be at this moment in their lives.  
3. Let us not condemn them in our approach, but rather uplift them with words that point them back to God.

Paul said it this way to the churches in Galatia:

Galatians 6:1-5 (ESV)

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. For each will have to bear his own load.

Wait on the Lord - Psalms 36-38

 Psalms 37:7-9 (ESV)

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;

fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,

over the man who carries out evil devices!

Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!

Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.

For the evildoers shall be cut off,

but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.

Waiting is so tough.   No one likes it.  No one volunteers to wait.  When an airline books too many passengers for a flight they often offer vouchers for someone to wait and take a later flight.  You seldom have to wait in a line to get the free ticket, however. It is the one time you might not have to wait while flying.   Waiting is not built into our DNA.   But that is what the above line from King David’s song reads.  He writes to us to be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him ... !   That might be the key in our changing our nature about waiting. It makes a difference, often, what we are waiting for that makes the wait tolerable.   Waiting in line for something you desire is less tiresome than waiting in line because of the inefficiency of those around you.   But waiting for God to provide something by way of His great care and blessing is worth being still.   

But there is one thing that really makes waiting even more stressful, however.  When we are patiently waiting and we see someone jump the line, or be promoted over those who were already waiting.  That is tantamount to a declaration of war.   People do not tolerate line jumpers.  That might be the one single value that brings us all together.   In David’s line above, he warns us to not fret because of evil doers.   Those who do evil things are not waiting. They are taking.   God warns us to not fret over them.   He warns us that when we fret it tends to evil.  So being patient to wait on God is to be done while not fretting over evil doers.  Because if you fret you will become an evildoer.   Evildoers will be cut off, David writes.  A person waiting on God does not fret and start to be evil since they put their trust in God and His timing and His plans.  An evildoer will not be patient and even look like they are prospering.  When we envy them we become like them.   Be still and wait for the LORD, least we too become the evildoers we dislike.  

It is Not Just the Leader - It is the Heart of The Follower - 1 Samuel 11-15

1 Samuel 12:19-25 (ESV)

And all the people said to Samuel, “Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.” And Samuel said to the people, “Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. For the LORD will not forsake his people, for his great name's sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself. Moreover, as for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by ceasing to pray for you, and I will instruct you in the good and the right way. Only fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you. But if you still do wickedly, you shall be swept away, both you and your king.”

In our country there are billions of dollars spent on training leaders, finding leaders, writing about leaders, coaching leaders, firming leaders, hiring leaders, etc.   There is no void in those who want to lead.  From our local PTA and HOA to our organization of the C-Suites, leadership is valued in our society.   In the above passage we read about the first leader (the king) of Israel.  Up to this point God sent leaders to lead Israel (Moses, Joshua).   But when the people entered the promise land the twelve tribes were to posses the land.  The leaders of those twelve tribes were supposed to follow God and He was to be their king.  But, Israel wanted their own king.   They didn’t want a king because they wanted a leader to point them to God.  That had that in Samuel the prophet.   They had family leaders to guide them in their decisions.   The issue was not that they wanted leadership.  The issue was that they wanted a king like the nations around them.  It was not the form of governance that caused a difficulty (God will send His Son to be their King), it was that in their heart they were rejecting God as their king.   If the king and the nation were obedient in their hearts this would not have been an issue.  Later God will give the King David and his heart would follow after God.  The issue for Israel was they desired what the world had and wanted to be governed by the world’s plan and not Gods.   In our governance it is not the leader we have but the heart that trust the leader over God.  It matters not who sits in the chair of leadership if our heart is trusting in the leader and not the God who put the leader in the chair.   God established leadership.  

Psalms 75:7 (ESV)

but it is God who executes judgment,

putting down one and lifting up another.

Our hearts are to follow God, not the one God puts in leadership.  

God’s Promised Blessings - Genesis 48-50

Genesis 49:8-12 (ESV)

8 “Judah, your brothers shall praise you;

your hand shall be on the neck of your enemies;

your father's sons shall bow down before you.

9 Judah is a lion's cub;

from the prey, my son, you have gone up.

He stooped down; he crouched as a lion

and as a lioness; who dares rouse him?

10 The scepter shall not depart from Judah,

nor the ruler's staff from between his feet,

until tribute comes to him;

and to him shall be the obedience of the peoples.

11 Binding his foal to the vine

and his donkey's colt to the choice vine,

he has washed his garments in wine

and his vesture in the blood of grapes.

12 His eyes are darker than wine,

and his teeth whiter than milk.

Israel (Jacob) is about to die.  He has lost most of his eye sight and strength.  Once he pronounces these blessings on his twelve children he will die.   This is a solemn moment but also a powerful moment.   In the above blessing from Israel to Judah we see the passing of the torch of leadership.   Judah’s line of succession will be to be the ruler of the nation of Israel.   Note what Israel says to Judah:

1.  In verse 8 we read that Judah will be praised and honored above his brothers.  They will bow down to Judah (and the descendants of Judah).  King David is from the tribe of Judah.   David was a picture of the Messiah and Jesus was from the tribe of Judah.   This shows God’s plan from the beginning.  

2. Israel uses three terms for the king of the jungle to describe Judah (v. 9).  He will be a lion cub, a lion, as a lioness.  He will be so fierce and feared Israel states, who dares to rouse him?   This speaks to the power and honor and respect Judah would have.  Again the Messiah, Jesus, will be the total fulfillment of this description. 

3. In verse ten we read that Judah will be a ruler who brings all peoples into obedience.   We can see that through Solomon, David and then, eventually, Jesus.

4.  His vine speaks to the blessings he will bring to the nation of Israel (v. 11).   The vine of his leadership will be so full of blessings it will be like a vine you can even tie a donkey to.  If a donkey is tied to a vine of grapes the donkey would eat the grapes.  But Judah will bring such blessings that even the donkey will be able to eat.  So blessed, the foal and donkey can be tied to the choice vine. 

5.  In verse twelve we read that Judah’s eyes will be darker than wine and his teeth whiter than milk.  This could be a reference to his physical health as the appointed leader of Israel.  Or, it could more probably be a way to continue the previous metaphors and explain another aspect of Judah’s prosperity.   Or, even more likely, this reference is showing us that as a result of the previous blessings, Judah’s line of inheritance will result in the beauty and attractiveness of the kingly line to those who follow.   

Judah did not earn any of the above blessings.  Israel just blessed him in such a way.  It was God’s grace on one son who would be the son who would carry out God’s plan for all mankind.   Jesus would come from Judah and bless us in similar, but much more spectacular ways.  He would bring us enteral life.   He would give us spiritual blessings:

John 1:50-51 (ESV)

Jesus answered him, “Because I said to you, ‘I saw you under the fig tree,’ do you believe? You will see greater things than these.” And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.”