Yet if you are in the condition of a bondservant, understand you dont need to seek a change from that either. 4 For the 1 Corinthians 7 | Resources from Ligonier Ministries He used circumcision and slavery as illustrations to describe God's sovereignty over the social and religious barriers of his day. His concern is not to condemn job changes, but to teach that you can have fulfillment in Christ whatever your job is. And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him. Now, notice that later on in verse twenty-one, God doesnt prohibit slaves from leaving their circumstances. How do I bloom where Christ has put me? It was a sovereign on purpose; and was guided and arranged by Him for the manifestation of His glory in and through us. The things that we didnt want to do before, we now begin to love to do. We dont need to find an island that we can settle in and populate that is just for Christians, sealed off from the rest of the world. They had clearly been transformed on the inside; and there were many changes that were happening on the outside too. And to a certain degree, that new inner life also has an impact on the outer life. Again, Gods calling intersects whatever people groups you were born into so that you dont have to join a new one. This calling from God is different, on the one hand, from our vocational "calling" and, on the other hand, from the general call to repent that goes out to all men. Paul is a very unfashionable thinker and, therefore, eternally relevant. 1 Corinthians 7:17-31. Spit-Shine Tomorrow's Sermon Before You Go To Bed Tonight By Rick Malm on March 2, 2023 7 Ways To Keep From Killing Your Message By Carey Nieuwhof on March 1, 2023 People Listen In Different Wayscan You Reach All Of Them? Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? If we are faithful in the place where He has called us, then He is better able to lead us to another place of calling if He so chooses. Do you remember the story of Zacchaeus the tax collector in Luke 19? 1 Corinthians 7:17,20 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. Then he looks to the noble free man and says, "Do not become proud, for in Christ you are a slave. That is the great message of this mornings passage. 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. Then Paul expands that principle to show us that its a general principle that should affect all of our lives. If the Bible tells you something directly and you were planning on going in a different direction, you are objectively sinning.The Bible says to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength. 1 Corinthians 7:17-24: Christianity and Staves: E. Hurndall : 1 Corinthians 7:20-24: Pulpit Commentary Homiletics. I have to think about my actions, what did I do, what didnt I do? We dont pray for an answer but for an illumination. Never mind. The idea of abiding in a situation while you are awaiting something bigger, we see most clearly in 1 John 2:28 We pray. 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 . 18 Was any man called when he was already circumcised? Then Paul gives the theological reason for this admonition. We can say in this situation, how can I serve? 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 7:17-24 New International Version Concerning Change of Status 17 Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. Paul then learned of divisions . My life is to obey God and enjoy his presence.". You have a master, its the Lord Jesus Christ. . so it be allowed, having put her away, to marry another. Quietness Of Spirit . The real contrast, it seems to me, should be expressed as: "Don't let your slavery make you anxious, but instead use it." "So brethren," Paul concludes in verse 24, "In whatever state each was called, let him remain with God." To what degree should the outside be changed? And then, Paul went on to give us another illustrationthis one having to do with social structures. office@harvestpca.org | (402) 558-4119, Copyright 2023 Harvest Community Church (PCA) | Site Map | Terms & Privacy, Jesus Divides the Earth Matthew 10:3442, No Comfort for the Lonely City Lamentations 1:1-22, "Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage" (1 Corinthians 7:1016), The Present Form of this World is Passing Away (1 Corinthians 7:25-31) . 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. In the process, the theological reason for it will emerge also. 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. And do you remember what Zacchaeus did? First, God is very much more concerned with the way you do the job that you now have than he is with whether you get a new job. 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. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Study Guide: Such Were Some of You, 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 Study Guide: Bought With a Price, 1 Corinthians 7:1-9 Study Guide: The Beauty of Marriage, 1 Corinthians 7:8-16 Study Guide: Approaching Difficulties in Marriage, 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 Study Guide: Living the Life God has Given, 1 Corinthians 7:25-40 Study Guide: Christian Singleness, 1 Corinthians 8:1-13 Study Guide: When You're 100% Right and 100% Wrong, 1 Corinthians 9:1-23 Study Guide: Surrendering Your Rights, 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 Study Guide: Run to Win the Race, 1 Corinthians 10:1-14 Study Guide: A Way Out of Temptation, John 17 Study Guide 2: Sharing in Community, John 17 Study Guide 3: Sharing in Mission, John 17 Study Guide Part 4: Growing in Christ, 1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1 Study Guide: Glory to God in All Things, 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 Study Guide: Because of the Angels, 1 Corinthians 11:17-34 Study Guide: The Lord's Supper, 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 Study Guide: Spiritual Gifts for the Common Good, 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 Study Guide: One Body, Many Members, 1 Corinthians 13:1-8 Study Guide: Love Never Ceases, 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 Study Guide: When the Perfect Comes, 1 Corinthians 14:1-25 Study Guide: Pursuing Love and Desiring the Gifts, 1 Corinthians 14:26-40 Study Guide: Orderly Worship, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 Study Guide: Gospel Centered Faith. So, what does Paul mean, dont worry about circumcision, just worry about keeping the commands of God. 18Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:17-24. Amen (1 Timothy 1:12-17). But that is not the way Paul has used it eight out of the nine times it occurs in this paragraph. Here Paul is telling us assignments in which we are called to abide as we wait for the full fulfillment that Jesus is calling to. March 17, 1904. 1 Corinthians 6:1-8 Study Guide: Why Not Rather Be Cheated? So the principle that the apostle follows is: stay in your God-ordained relationships; do not seek to abandon them or destroy them. For those principles from your word, for the clear teaching of your word to so saturate everything we think and do that your Holy Spirit can illuminate our responsibilities, our vows, our promises, the needs of others around us in a way that accords with what you have taught in your word. Now, dear brothers and sisters; how do we apply this principle? John 6:60-71 Study Guide: Where Else Would We Go? Application. Thats why slave of Christ, in verse twenty-two, could be an honorable designation suggested a position of some authority.. There was a monk whose name was Brother Lawrence who wrote a booked called, Practicing the Presence of God. They are made brand new on the inside. Were you called while a slave? Now, in actual fact, the whole section - from verse 17 through to the end of the chapter, at vs40, really ought to be . Paul went on to say, but if you can be made free, rather use it. Remaining in the cultural situation in which God called us didnt necessarily mean that God may not call us to a different cultural situation later on in life. Our new Preaching Suite solution makes it easy to prepare, preach and archive your sermons. 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 Once we are made new on the inside, things begin to change on the outside. 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. 1 Corinthians 7:24 - Bible Hub There's the crucial phrase. 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) But instead make obedience a big deal; make the whole aim of your life to obey the moral law of God. 18 Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Now if we read the word called as it is translated there it almost sounds like what Paul is saying is that we are called to these assignments. Then and only then may circumcision (as Paul implies in Romans 2:25) and other cultural distinctives become beautiful, in a very secondary and derivative way as expressions of the obedience of faith. 1 Corinthians 1:1-17 - God Calls Us to Unity - Study and Obey Rather, the Jewish follower of the Jewish traditions who came to Christ was encouraged to remain in the cultural traditions in which he was called, and to live faithfully for Jesus in it. This is clear from the fact that he had Timothy circumcised (Acts 16:3), and from his own statement that he becomes all things to all men that he might save some (1 Corinthians 9:22). O God, give me the grace to obey your commandments, which I know are all summed up in this, to love my neighbor as myself. But the apostles and church leaders met together, and prayed together, and declared from the Lord that this was not necessary. | Download (0.2KB), Worship Time Childcare provided for children ages 0-7, Revival Prayer Meeting, 6:00 pm at the church, Church Prayer Group, 7:00 pm at the church, Men's Breakfast, 7:30 am at the 185th Shari's. For this objective teaching of the eternal word of God recorded for us in the scriptures of the Old and new testaments, which is the only rule to direct us concerning God and what duty we owe to God. Our responsibilities to our families, to our work, to our neighbors, to our churches. Never mind." Not only that, but this translation does not do justice to all the words in the Greek ("even" and "rather") which come out in the alternative translation: "Were you called as a slave? 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. One is the work of the Holy Spirit in the objective inspiration of the Bible. Let's read 1 Corinthians 7:17-24. *"This date is an approximation of when this sermon was delivered." THE text does not say that time is short. What matters is not whether our job is high or low in man's eyes. 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. This is my rule in all the churches. Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. 1 Corinthians 7:17 Sermons: Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, so let him walk. Paul is saying that change, as good as it is and as much as you should pursue it if you can, that change is unnecessary in light of what we are called to in Christ. No, Paul says this is my rule in all the churches. 24 and are . What if its not just me, what if Im disobedient not to go? 17-24). Understand that ancient slavery, the kind that Paul was familiar with at this time, was very different than the kind of slavery that was practiced in the United States until the Civil War. 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 - Sermon Writer 1 Corinthians. The "called" are not all who hear the preaching, but those who receive it as wisdom. He also gives us some illustrations of what this principle should look like in some specific cases. You are not my life. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17). Never mind. They were believers who now, suddenly, found themselves married to non-believers. The new legalism would say, "You can't be circumcised if you want to be saved. 1 Corinthians 7:17 Sermons: Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one He had betrayed his own Jewish kinsmen; and he was collecting taxes from them for the Roman government. But as you see, Zacchaeus didnt remain in that sinful lifestyle any longer. 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Responsible Freedom - 1 Corinthians 8:1-13. Why You Should Preach This Book. Search the scriptures, but not for an answer. You dont have to leave what you are doing; you dont have to quit your job and enter full time vocational ministry. 18 Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? You are called in whatever assignment you find yourself to abide with God through faith in Christ. When we are called into a relationship with Jesus, God calls us in a place where we still have our old friends and old relations. Sunday services at 10:30 am. (All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated). The Time is Short "The time is short." 1 Corinthians vii. This is why we look for a word of the Lord, you dont need a word from the Lord, you already have it. ", 18245 NW Germantown Road But Paul was urging that this was not at all necessary for a believing Jewish person to do. 1 Corinthians 7:24 Sermons: Brothers, let each one, in whatever Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) Thats because its a manifestation of Gods providential work in our lives. He says if you have an opportunity to gain your freedom, avail yourself of that opportunity. 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. 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. 3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal . This is the second principle that Paul goes on to say is that what the gospel does is undercut the very foundation upon which chattel-based slavery, possession-based slavery rests. He repented of his sinful practices. Its not quite what Paul is dealing with, but we might as well address it since Paul comes close to the topic. We are to live in the same family with God. But how much of these things on the outside needed to change? Remain, if you are free as you are. But it's true. Instead, wherever we are, we can be content. Let him not seek circumcision. Their sins are completely forgivencast into the sea of Gods pardoning grace. Our big idea today is this,We can abide in our circumstances because God calls us to abide with him. Am I doing the right thing? Look carefully at that phrase as God has distributed to each one. Everything, everything falls before the priority of God. One of the most amazing and encouraging verses in the Bible is 2 Corinthians 5:17. "Each Has His Own Gift from God" (1 Corinthians 7:1-9) 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. All things truly have become new. This is my rule in all the churches. Text: Acts 19:1-20 Sermon Series: On Mission. It is no accident that you are where you are. We can paraphrase the verses to show the difference between the general call and the effective call: Paul says, "We call everyone to believe in Christ crucified, but many Jews find this call to be a stumbling block, and many Gentiles find this call to be foolishness, but those who are called (that is, powerfully and effectively drawn to Christ) find the gospel call to be the power and wisdom of God.". This is my rule in all the churches. And in this vocation or station in life another calling comes from God. Introduction. All Videos Images Commentaries Devotionals Other Translations Sermons Related Scriptures Podcasts Blogs.