Likewise, he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. God's revealed will for you (the only will you are responsible to obey) is your sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:3), not your vocation. b. What do we mean by this? The Time is Short "The time is short." 1 Corinthians vii. Sunday services at 10:30 am. We talk about language where we say that God is leading me here or some people say that they have a word from the Lord. Part 1: Is He the Christ? With God! Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. The upshot of this is that whether a person is a slave or a freedman, it ought not be the cause of his despair or his pride. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Imagine you had an opportunity to work as a low-level staffer at the White House of, pick your president I dont want to get into politics, whichever president you would most like to work for past or present, think about that person and lets not get into politics. by Alistair Begg. There are times when we should avail ourselves of opportunities. This is a very unfashionable teaching in contemporary western society, because it cuts the nerve of worldly ambition. In the assignment in which the call of God came to you, walk in that. Were not automatically required to move out of our neighborhoods. Now I want to start this morning by defining three terms that we will be using. Text: Acts 19:1-20 Sermon Series: On Mission. This wasnt meant just for the believers in Corinth. This is the same point he was making with cultural differences like circumcision: Were you uncircumcised? Let no man enslave your soul. Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters. Sermon Your Job as Ministry Jun 14, 1981 Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 John Piper Article The Spiritual Power of Staying Put Why Christians Are Slow to Leave Jan 19, 2023 Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 Scott Hubbard Article The Best Form of Slavery Feb 11, 2012 Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:22 John Piper Article So the principle that the apostle follows is: stay in your God-ordained relationships; do not seek to abandon them or destroy them. Romans 3:23 - 24: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. He could have said, "For being a slave is nothing, and being a freedman is nothing, but keeping the commands of God is everything." So, what does Paul mean, dont worry about circumcision, just worry about keeping the commands of God. You have to be asking does this person really love Jesus. The opportunities may arise and if so, you are free to take them as long as its to a good thing. Encourage my heart when I tend to despair, and humble me when I tend to boast. Are we doing this in response of faith and the obedience to Jesus Christ in whatever circumstance we find ourselves in? Our big idea today is this,We can abide in our circumstances because God calls us to abide with him. Do you see how he praised God for it? "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established" (Proverbs 19:21). Now Paul talks about those who are slaves or free. 18Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? All of us, in whatever assignments we find ourselves, we are the slaves of Jesus Christ and that transcends any worldly employment or assignment. Jun 14, 1981. Gods Calling Transcends Horizontal Assignments Then Paul gives the theological reason for this admonition. This, then, is a very important principle for new creations in Christ. Community Group Study Guide Living the Life God has Given, John 12:20-26, 44-50 Study Guide: We Wish to See Jesus, Matthew 28:18-20 Study Guide: The Great Comfort of the Great Commission, John 12:12-19 Study Guide: The Triumphal Entry or \"A New Kind of King\", John 11:45-57 Study Guide: Under Pressure, We are a part of the Bay Area chapter of The Gospel Coalition, John 10:31-42 Study Guide: The Works of God, John 11:1-27 Study Guide: I Am the Resurrection and the Life, John 11:28-44 Study Guide: I am the Resurrection and the Life Part 2: The Love of God in the Face of Death, 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 Study Guide: Being Raised with Christ, 1 Corinthians 15:20-34 Study Guide: Living in Light of the Resurrection, 1 Corinthians 15:35-49 Study Guide: Resurrection Bodies, 1 Corinthians 15:50-58 Study Guide: The Death of Death, 1 Corinthians 16:1-24 Study Guide: Growing up in Christ, John 1:14-18 Study Guide: The Word Became Flesh, John 1:19-34 Study Guide: Behold the Lamb of God, John 1:35-51 Study Guide: A Call to the Curious, John 2:1-12 Study Guide: From Water to Wine, Gideon Week 1 Study Guide: Hiding from God, Gideon Week 3 Study Guide: With Great Power, John 2:13-25 Study Guide: Clearing Out the Temple, John 3:14-21 Study Guide: Jesus High and Lifted Up, John 3:22-36 Study Guide: He Must Increase, I Must Decrease, John 4:46-54 Study Guide: In Need of a Miracle. If so, the application is clear, respond. Paul is not saying that a professional thief or a Corinthian cult prostitute should stay in the calling in which they were called. The third word is calling or called, and we see this all over this passage. He used circumcision and slavery as illustrations to describe God's sovereignty over the social and religious barriers of his day. Now that they were made new on the inside, did their condition as married people also need to change? Or to put it another way: How you do your job is a big part of your obedience to Jesus. Never mind. 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 (ID: 1640) In 1 Corinthians 7:17-24, Paul called for stability and contentment among believers regardless of their station in life. Between the top two pieces are verses 18 and 19 where the principle is applied to the issue of circumcision and uncircumcision. The second is opportunity, I see this word in verse twenty-one. They might be translated slightly differently in your Bible, but we are going to go with the words that ESV has since thats what Im preaching from. And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. This is actually a remarkable thing, if you were a Jew, one of the primary things you were called to do was to be circumcised. 1 Corinthians 7:17 Sermons: Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, so let him walk. Most people in the world have no experience of lasting joy in their lives. And for those of us who have already trusted Him, lets walk as a faithful Christian in the place of life where God has called us to Himself. Do you notice how he was able to say how thankful he was for his calling? There is no clear objective rule on this. March 17, 1904. Never mind. This is my rule in all the churches. So I command in all the churches. The old legalism said, "You must be circumcised in order to be saved (Acts 15:1). Let's read 1 Corinthians 7:1724. Confirming the Witness of Christ. Sermons on 1 Corinthians 7:17-24: showing 1-15 of 94 Sort By Scripture Clear Scripture Filters Rating 5 stars 4 stars or more 3 stars or more Any Rating Date Last Week Last Month Last 3 Months Last 6 Months Last Year Any Time Denominations Adventist (1) Anglican (1) Assembly Of God (4) Baptist (30) Calvary Chapel (2) Show more Language English (93) If they were called to God in a state of cultural freedom, then they are to be faithful to walk with Jesus Christ as His servants within their liberty. These questions plague us.This passage doesnt establish our circumstances as unalterable. Many of them demanded that the Gentiles who were coming to Christ now needed to become circumcised and to follow the traditions passed on by Moses. Should the believer pull out in order to keep pure? Not for an answer, but for the wisdom that other believers, who are further along in the faith perhaps, have gained through the Holy Spirits illumination in their lives as they have been faced with similar questions. It doesnt mean that you are fixed there forever, but the default is bloom where you are planted. Jesus said, Seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all of these things will be added to you. He was talking about food and clothing, but we get anxious about our life situations too. Imagine you had the opportunity to work for that person as a low-level staffer at the White House. However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. But Paul deepens our understanding with a new theological reason. We can say in this situation, how can I serve? Seek the illumination of the Holy Spirit as you evaluate assignments and opportunities. We need to remain in the same calling in which we are calledunless and until God calls us to another place of life. Its important to remember that when someone comes to faith in Jesus, it wasnt only thenat that momentthat God had begun to work in their lives. Rejoice in the Lord and hope in him and you will be freer than all the anxious nobles." Either way, we belong completely to Jesus as His new creations. How you fulfill the demands of that job is just as essential in life as what you do here on Sunday. Recent Sermons "Jesus Divides the Earth" - Matthew 10:34-42 Pastor Jacob Gerber, February 26, 2023 "No Comfort for the Lonely City" - Lamentations 1:1-22 Pastor Andrew Lightner, February 19, 2023 Facebook Phone Email . Once we are made new on the inside, things begin to change on the outside. In verse 18, he wrote Was anyone called while circumcised? If you are Mexican, don't try to become American; if you are American, don't try to become Mexican. Again, there is no point system. Rather, he meant that ones place in the social structure as a slave didnt affect whether or not someone was able to be a follower of Jesus. Here begins our text in 1 Corinthians 7:17. Am I living my best life now? 21 Were you a bondservant when called? Praise God for the total transformation that comes from being a new creation in Christ. With these other questions since you can take a different job or you can go to a different church, we have to ask harder questions. Then verse 24, "So, brethren, in whatever state each of you was called, there let him remain with God." To make a decision in light of your effectual calling. The idea of abiding in a situation while you are awaiting something bigger, we see most clearly in 1 John 2:28 For example, when Jesus when off to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane, he told his disciples abide here while I go to pray. The idea was wait here until I come back. Was anyone called while circumcised? John 7:14-24 Study Guide What's the Deal with Jesus? The circumstances you are in are relatively unimportant because of the glory that God is calling to you in Christ. (All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated). Gods call transforms and transcends us, as one commentator writes, in all of the circumstances that we find ourselves in. And so ordain I in all churches abide. And the reason the person who is free can say, "Never mind," is similar: "He who was free when called is a slave of Christ." Second, I suggest that we should always be flexible to change. The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 April 21, 2002 Intro: Again Paul seems to be alluding to a series of questions presented to him. All things truly have become new. Do they love Jesus in a way that through the challenges of life they will never be a hinderance to following Jesus? (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity. But the apostles and church leaders met together, and prayed together, and declared from the Lord that this was not necessary. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? What matters is whether we are being encouraged and humbled by the presence of God. He wrote; But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk. Were you called while a slave? Let's all pray before we set out to work: "God, go with me today and keep me conscious of your presence. We pray that if there are some who do not know Jesus Christ that you would right now be working in their hearts. Paul then wrote a letter to the Christians at Corinth warning them "to have no company with sexual sinners" (1 Corinthians 5:9), but that letter has been lost to us. Notice verse 17, "Let everyone lead the life which the Lord assigned to him, and in which God has called him." Stay in the relationship you were in when God called you to faith. Second, as we have seen, the command to stay in the calling in which you were when converted is not absolute. One of the problems in the church at Corinth was the uncertainty about how faith in Christ should affect the ordinary relationships of human life. God used Pauls place of calling mightily. Do not be concerned about it. He made application to Prior Richard at a local monastery, asking to be accepted as a contemplative and spend the rest of his life in the monastery. It seems wholly out of place between these to say, "If you can gain your freedom, do it." Prepare your messages on God's Word in 1 Corinthians with sermon outlines or an . Again, Gods calling intersects whatever people groups you were born into so that you dont have to join a new one. Stay where you are and obey God. The things that we didnt want to do before, we now begin to love to do. Text: Acts 20:17-38 Sermon Series: On Mission. We pray this in Christs name. In calling us to Himself in Christ at the time He did, and in the place of life He did, and under the circumstances He didwith that upbringing we had, or in that cultural setting in which we live our lives, or with that social standing He has given us in this worldHe has not made any mistakes. If everything on the inside is new, should we then completely get rid of every aspect of the outside life and start over? He should not become uncircumcised. But as you see, Zacchaeus didnt remain in that sinful lifestyle any longer. What do the scriptures teach about how God leads and directs the various circumstances in our lives? Introduction I am reminded of the illustration by Emo Phillips: I was walking . Even in there God made a way that he powerfully calls us out of ourselves and open our eyes to see Jesus and how good and glorious and radiant he is. a- Paul at this time is single. 24 So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.1 Corinthians 7:17-24, ESV I have to think about the specifics of that in relation to who I am and who she is. Another example in verses 1216 is the question, What should we do if one marriage partner puts his or her faith in Christ but the other doesn't? 19 For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. The call of God which puts us into believing, loving fellowship with Jesus is a powerful, effective call that draws us to the Son (John 6:44, 65). John 6:60-71 Study Guide: Where Else Would We Go? He says in verse twenty-two, Then Paul turns in verses 2123 to apply his principle to the issue of whether one is a slave or a freedman. 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 New American Standard Bible 17 Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this way let him walk. It is no accident that you are where you are. Any duration. But their husbands or wives had not done so. You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. The people group that God assigned you by your birth is in no way a hinderance to believing the gospel and following after the call of Jesus Christ to believe in him. How do you know if they are good or if you should pursue them? We wonder if life would be greener somewhere else, but Christians have this additional element where we are thankful for the green pastures that our good shepherd has led us. That place that we were in when He called us was no accident. All of us are prone to asking whether or not the grass may be greener somewhere than where we are living our lives right now. It may be that He calls us to that place for the initial stages of our walk with Him; and all so that He can train us for what He has for us in the future. Again, in verse eleven Quietness Of Spirit . But having said that in verses 12 and 13, the apostle does allow that, if the unbelieving partner deserts the believing partner and wants nothing more to do with the believer, then the believer is not bound forever to the relationship. 21 Were you a bondservant when called? Luke 1:26-45 Study Guide: What did Mary Know? This is my rule in all the churches. It may be helpful to think of these as three pieces of bread in a double-decker sandwich (like a Big Mac). Paul says, white is nothing, black is nothing, red is nothing, yellow is nothing, but keeping God's commandments is everything; therefore, don't try to switch cultures. The Bible is an objective word; and it speaks objectively to some situations.There are other situations that are subjective. Gods Calling Transcends Vertical Assignments 7 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: "It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman." 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. In verse 19, Paul wrote, Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing And we should understand that Paul, in saying this, didnt mean that such things didnt matter. Thats because its a manifestation of Gods providential work in our lives. Is yours a menial job? And thirdly, I believe we should always strivewherever He has usto be a faithful witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. I have to think, do those things line up? His concern is not to condemn job changes, but to teach that you can have fulfillment in Christ whatever your job is. Am I in the will of God? So, these are the horizontal assignments, the boundaries, the people Gods. When I read in Ephesians five that I need to lay down my life for my wife, I have to think about my conversations with her. The calling is the call to believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ. The innocent believer is not bound to the deserter. Never mind. Paul could have given the very same theological reason for this position as he did in verse 19. How can I love the Lord God with all my heart, soul, mind and strength and how can I love my neighbor as myself wherever I am?What this passage teaches us is that we cannot search for satisfaction in what we are doing, but in how we are doing what we are doing. As Richard Hayes writes, To be the slave of a powerful master could be an honorable station. In a word, the application of Paul's principle to cultural distinctives is this: Don't fret and don't boast about your present state of cultural distinctives; they are of little importance to God compared to whether you are devoting yourself, soul and mind and body, to obeying his commandments, which are all fulfilled in this: "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Romans 13:810; Galatians 5:14). The Bible doesnt say yes it will or no it wont. Am I doing the right thing? 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 Study Guide: Why Not Rather Be Cheated? Gods Calling Transcends Vertical Assignments Our new Preaching Suite solution makes it easy to prepare, preach and archive your sermons. So, as a church we are not separated as this holy huddle that is kept away from all peoples everywhere. Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 Single And Whole Contributed by Rick Gillespie- Mobley on May 30, 2018 | 5,574 views This sermon deals with the reality that every single person is a whole person. Ultimately your circumstances are of deeply secondary importance. First, I believe we should learn to be confident in Gods call for us. But Paul was urging that this was not at all necessary for a believing Jewish person to do. This is my rule for all the churches. Paul says you dont have to worry about different groups of people, the horizontal assignments you have. This is all made clear in 1 Corinthians 1. Devote yourself to that with all your heart, and take whatever job you want. The first word is assignments, I see this in verse seventeen. And note one more thing. In chapter 1, verse 9, Paul says, "God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." As a Jewish man, he would never have been indifferent to the covenant sign that God gave to his ancestor Abraham. 1) God put us here. Some Jewish men made themselves Hellenisticthat is, members of Greek cultureby doing so. Indeed, becoming a slave of the right person could be a career choice. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? The early church lifted up the single lifestyle. One is the work of the Holy Spirit in the objective inspiration of the Bible. 3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. He has sovereignly called us as He did for a purpose. This passage teaches us that we can all calm down; we dont have to get anxious about our calling in life. Besides this, we know that there are some jobs in which you could not stay and obey God's commands: e.g., prostitution, numerous forms of indecent and corrupting entertainment, and others in which you may be forced to exploit people. Paul is a very unfashionable thinker and, therefore, eternally relevant. You dont need to change your social status, just respond right now and repent in faith. The Sermon below tackles about the Biblical teachings about marriage, marital relationship and divorce. New practices and habits begin to be embraced. Let him not become uncircumcised. To be circumcised, of course, was to bear upon ones self the covenant sign of Israel. This sermon (1 Corinthians 1: 10 - 17) was preached at West Ewell Evangelical Church, Surrey, on Sunday 15 March 2015. We can remain our situations because we abide with God. Even though he or she may claim to be a Christian, but does he or she really love Jesus? Up to this point Paul has been talking about remaining in the situations that we find ourselves in in our marriages. What if its not just me, what if Im disobedient not to go? Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:1-7. We begin to treat our daily responsibilities and duties more seriously. The first time is in verse 17; where Paul writes, But as God has distributed to each one, as the Lord has called each one, so let him walk.. Apollos then went to Achaia (of which Corinth was the capitol) where he gave a powerful witness to the messiahship of Jesus (Acts 18:24-28). 1 Corinthians 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. We have in this congregation nurses, teachers, carpenters, artists, secretaries, bookkeepers, lawyers, receptionists, accountants, social workers, repairmen of various sorts, engineers, office managers, waitresses, plumbers, salesmen, security guards, doctors, military personnel, counselors, bankers, police officers, decorators, musicians, architects, painters, house cleaners, school administrators, housewives, missionaries, pastors, cabinet makers, and many more. To be perpetually mindful of his presence and favor. But if you translate it as a command to seek freedom, the true point of the passage is obscured. So all Christians, and only Christians, are called in this sense. Part 2: The Truth from God, John 7:37-39 Study Guide: What's the Deal with Jesus? Christians are prone to this too. Our separation from the world as Gods holy church is not marked by ceremonial circumcision, but by holy obedience that God graciously enables through Christ by his spirit in our lives. Stated as a prayer, the main point today is: Father, grant to us all the grace to be conscious of your presence at our work and to obey your commands in all our vocational relationships. When you are called to Christ, even as a bondservant you dont belong to your master but to the Lord. Bible Study & Sermon Videos; 1 corinthians 16:17-18; 1 Corinthians 16:17-18. You must be white in order to be approved." In verse 23, Paul said, You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. And that is the true condition of a new creation in Christ, whether they are a slaves or freedmen. 21 Were you a bondservant when called? As a tax collector, he was a sinful man. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.1 Corinthians 7:23, ESV Its not that we have a different Bible and the infallible word of God is just open to interpretation. Paul is saying that in the new covenant the separation of people groups by national entities is no longer important. Don't let that be a care to you; but, even if you can become a freedman, rather make use of (your present position)." Paul then learned of divisions . Specifically, Paul talks about the divisions between the Jews and the Gentiles. We should learn to accept His calling, and to be confident in it, and to even thank Him for it. You would not work whenever you please, but you would work at the pleasure of the president, every moment of your life. Let him not be circumcised. If a Gentile man became a believer in Jesus the Jewish Messiah, he himself did not have to then become Jewish. Then he looks to the noble free man and says, "Do not become proud, for in Christ you are a slave. Some of them had become born again by faith in Jesus, and were now brand new creations in Christ. 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Bethany Bible Church Sunday Message; January 27, 2019 from 1 Corinthians 7:17-24. Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: "It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman." 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. In other words, so that we can have by the transformed lives to the gospel lives that are lived obediently to what God is calling us to. Paul says you are missing the point, you dont have to worry about the ethnic or national boundaries that existed in the old covenant because the call of Jesus Christ comes to all kinds of people in all kinds of cultures and the call says, follow Jesus where you are. And do you remember what Zacchaeus did? Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. Gods peace gives us comfort in the midst of our tears. Application. But instead make obedience a big deal; make the whole aim of your life to obey the moral law of God. "A man's mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps" (Proverbs 16:9). Text: Romans 4:1-5, 13-17. 23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. 11 (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife.1 Corinthians 7:11, ESV I have a responsibility to my wife that no one in heaven or earth shares. Ill show you where Im going to be getting these terms from. We are to live in the same neighborhood with God. Heaven is open, as St. Stephen saw it open (Acts 7:55); and we hear God when He addresses us in Baptism, in Holy Communion, in confession, and in His Word as it proceeds from the mouth of the men who proclaim His message to the people." --Martin Luther (1/19/1538 [LW 22:202])-- Send Pastor Mark Schlamann an email. The question this morning is do you hear Gods effectual call? Now; this fundamental principle is given to us in three verses. 44:54. When you serve your master, you are not serving him, but the Lord. 17 Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. 18 Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? We are to "remain with God" rather than be bitter about how our life has unfolded and work hard to try to fix it (1 Corinthians 7:17, 24). He makes me lie down in green pastures. We are thankful for this. And what we all need to hear is that what lies most on the heart of God is not whether we move from one to the other, but whether in our present work we are enjoying God's promised presence and obeying his commands in the way we do our work. Putting the two applications of Paul's principle together, the teaching seems to be this: Obeying the commands of God (v. 19) and enjoying his presence (v. 24) are so vastly more important than what your culture or your job is that you should feel no compulsion to change your position.
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