WEBVTT

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 We are looking at 1 Corinthians chapter 9 this morning, verses 1 through 18.

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 And I actually didn't write down the page number, but it's in your bulletin.

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 So let me encourage you to turn there with me, 1 Corinthians chapter 9.

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 We're going to look at just the first half of this chapter this morning,

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 and then we're going to come back to the rest next week.

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 Let me pray for us as we're turning there.

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 God, we ask that you would now come and quiet our hearts and help us to listen well to the message of your word.

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 God, we thank you that we can rest in you, that we can repose in you,

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 Lord, that we find in you a great and gracious savior.

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 And Lord, we thank you for your word that instructs us and teaches us and above all reminds us of all that you've done for us in your deep love.

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 Spirit, would you give us hearts that are eager and expectant to hear your word today?

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 We ask this, Father, in Jesus' name. Amen.

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 1 Corinthians chapter 9, verses 1 through 18.

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 Am I not free?

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 Am I not an apostle?

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 Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?

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 Are you not my workmanship in the Lord?

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 If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you.

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 For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

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 This is my defense to those who would examine me.

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 Do we not have the right to eat and drink?

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 Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife,

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 as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?

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 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?

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 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?

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 Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit?

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 Who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?

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 Do I say these things on human authority?

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 Does not the law say the same?

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 For it is written in the law of Moses,

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 Thus you shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.

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 Is it for oxen that God is concerned?

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 Does he not certainly speak for our sake?

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 It was written for our sake,

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 because the plowman should plow in hope,

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 and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop.

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 If we have sown spiritual things among you,

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 is it too much?

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 If we reap material things from you,

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 if others share this rightful claim on you,

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 do not we even more?

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 Nevertheless,

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 we have not made use of this right,

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 but we endure anything,

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 rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.

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 Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service

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 get their food from the temple,

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 and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings?

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 In the same way,

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 the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel

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 should get their living by the gospel,

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 but I have made no use of any of these rights,

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 nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision,

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 for I would rather die

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 than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting.

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 For if I preach the gospel,

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 that gives me no ground for boasting,

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 for necessity is laid upon me.

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 Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.

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 For if I do this of my own will,

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 I have a reward,

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 but if not of my own will,

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 I'm still entrusted with a stewardship.

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 What then is my reward?

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 That in my preaching,

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 I may present the gospel free of charge,

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 so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

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 Well, it's been observed that one of the great moral gains,

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 one of the great moral advances of the second half of the 20th century

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 is the idea that all people,

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 not just some,

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 are to be respected and valued.

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 All people,

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 not just the rich and powerful,

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 are worthy of dignity and respect.

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 All people,

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 including the weak and the poor,

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 people of different color and different nationality,

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 and so on.

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 And for the last hundred plus years,

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 this belief has commonly been expressed

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 by speaking of human rights.

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 Rights.

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 The 1948 UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights

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 is a great example.

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 It says,

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 and it begins by saying that,

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 the recognition of the inherent dignity

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 and of the equal and inalienable rights

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 of all members of the human family

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 is the foundation of freedom,

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 justice,

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 and peace in the world.

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 But of course,

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 we can find earlier examples

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 that speak of human rights

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 in a similar way.

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 We hold these truths to be self-evident,

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 that all men are created equal,

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 that they are endowed by their creator

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 with certain unalienable rights.

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 But among these are life, liberty,

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 and the pursuit of happiness.

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 Famous lines, of course,

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 from the 18th century

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 Declaration of Independence.

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 And I think we can all agree

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 that a widespread acknowledgement

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 of human rights

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 is a great gain.

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 As one writer put it,

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 it's become a way of saying

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 that we,

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 the worldwide community,

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 won't tolerate bullies

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 who exploit people

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 for their own ends.

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 We say that people have rights

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 in order to say

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 that other people

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 don't have the right

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 to abuse or exploit them.

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 So talking about rights,

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 affirming rights,

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 is a good thing.

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 And yet,

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 it can also become problematic,

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 can't it?

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 If affirming human rights

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 is one way of standing up

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 for the weak,

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 of affirming the dignity

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 of all people,

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 it can also become a way

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 for people to justify

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 their own selfish actions.

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 For instance,

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 perhaps I technically

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 have the right

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 to play

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 my favorite

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 Taylor Swift albums

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 nice and loud

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 at 8 a.m.

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 on a Saturday morning.

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 Because, let's be honest,

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 nothing says,

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 good morning,

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 like a little Tay Swift.

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 But the rest

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 of my apartment building

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 will probably be seething

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 with their own bad blood,

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 wishing in their wildest dreams

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 that my apartment

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 became a blank space

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 and reoccupied

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 by someone

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 with a little more

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 musical style.

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 So rights language

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 by itself

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 can be a bit problematic.

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 It can easily be twisted

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 to justify selfishness.

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 My rights are,

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 after all,

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 my rights,

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 and there's nothing

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 you can do about it.

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 But rights language

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 is also problematic

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 because rights

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 can sometimes

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 seem to collide.

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 And haven't we seen

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 this all too close

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 to home?

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 If your right

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 to free speech

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 and my right

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 to a respectful

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 learning environment

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 come crashing

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 into each other,

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 how do we work

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 things out?

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 And who gets

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 to decide?

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 So it seems

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 that on the one hand

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 our widespread

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 affirmation of rights

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 is a great gain,

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 and yet our idea

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 of rights by itself

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 is still in need

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 of something else.

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 Something over

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 and above them,

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 perhaps,

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 that can help us

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 know how to best

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 make use

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 of our many

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 and good rights.

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 In other words,

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 how to really live together

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 in ways that make

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 for peace

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 as opposed to

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 selfishness

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 and conflict.

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 Well, what,

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 if anything,

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 does the Bible

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 have to say

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 about this issue

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 that presses down

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 on us today?

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 And we find,

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 actually,

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 it has quite a lot

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 to say.

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 In fact,

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 our text this morning

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 speaks directly

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 to this issue

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 of rights.

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 And it shows us

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 both that it's

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 proper

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 to defend them,

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 while at the same time

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 it may be best

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 to defer them.

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 So let's look first

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 at Paul's defense

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 of his rights

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 in verses 1 through 14

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 and see what we can learn.

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 Now, remember the context

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 of chapter 9.

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 In the last chapter,

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 we learned that the church

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 in Corinth was divided

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 over the issue

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 of meat offered

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 to idols.

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 Some thought they had

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 the right to eat it,

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 and others thought

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 they most certainly

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 did not.

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 But the issue

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 was more complicated

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 than it seemed

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 on the surface.

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 Because for starters,

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 there were lots

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 of different places

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 where you could come

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 across meat offered

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 to idols in an ancient

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 city like Corinth.

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 The first place

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 was in an actual

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 pagan temple itself.

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 Most pagan temples

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 had dining halls

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 where you could share

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 a meal.

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 In fact,

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 this is where

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 a lot of the business

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 and social networking

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 happened in the ancient world,

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 especially for the upper classes.

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 You didn't go

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 to the Union League

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 for lunch

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 in the first century.

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 You went down

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 to the temple

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 of so-and-so

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 and shared a meal

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 in the banquet hall

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 where the table

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 was set

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 with some freshly

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 prepared fillets

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 recently sacrificed

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 to whatever god

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 the temple happened

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 to be.

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 Did Christians

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 have the right

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 to eat meat

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 in such a place?

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 After all,

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 we know

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 that there's only

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 one true god,

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 right?

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 And we know

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 that these

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 so-called gods

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 and idols

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 aren't really real

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 after all,

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 so why not?

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 That's all

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 some Christians

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 in Corinth

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 were thinking.

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 But second,

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 you could encounter

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 meat offered

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 to idols

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 if your non-Christian

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 friend invited you

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 to their house

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 for dinner.

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 And maybe

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 they would

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 explicitly say

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 that this meat

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 was offered

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 in honor of Apollo,

00:09:31.039 --> 00:09:31.459
 let's eat,

00:09:31.479 --> 00:09:32.459
 or maybe they wouldn't.

00:09:33.519 --> 00:09:33.979
 But remember,

00:09:34.079 --> 00:09:34.819
 meat was a luxury

00:09:34.819 --> 00:09:35.579
 for most people

00:09:35.579 --> 00:09:36.399
 in the ancient world

00:09:36.399 --> 00:09:37.939
 to be invited

00:09:37.939 --> 00:09:38.759
 to a meal

00:09:38.759 --> 00:09:39.799
 where they were

00:09:39.799 --> 00:09:40.699
 serving meat

00:09:40.699 --> 00:09:41.439
 was potentially

00:09:41.439 --> 00:09:42.279
 a big deal.

00:09:43.899 --> 00:09:44.699
 So what about

00:09:44.699 --> 00:09:45.179
 there?

00:09:45.919 --> 00:09:46.600
 Could you eat

00:09:46.600 --> 00:09:47.340
 that meat then?

00:09:47.659 --> 00:09:48.360
 Or should you

00:09:48.360 --> 00:09:48.779
 refrain?

00:09:49.879 --> 00:09:50.579
 Would you offend

00:09:50.579 --> 00:09:51.179
 your host?

00:09:51.939 --> 00:09:52.840
 Was that right?

00:09:55.860 --> 00:09:56.399
 But third,

00:09:56.439 --> 00:09:56.879
 it wasn't just

00:09:56.879 --> 00:09:57.379
 in temples

00:09:57.379 --> 00:09:58.519
 or in private homes

00:09:58.519 --> 00:09:59.279
 that you'd encounter

00:09:59.279 --> 00:10:00.259
 meat sacrificed

00:10:00.259 --> 00:10:00.879
 to idols.

00:10:01.779 --> 00:10:02.500
 Nearly all

00:10:02.500 --> 00:10:02.899
 of the meat

00:10:02.899 --> 00:10:03.500
 that you could buy

00:10:03.500 --> 00:10:03.899
 in the general

00:10:03.899 --> 00:10:04.319
 marketplace

00:10:04.320 --> 00:10:04.840
 came from

00:10:04.840 --> 00:10:05.420
 the leftover

00:10:05.420 --> 00:10:06.240
 sacrifices

00:10:06.240 --> 00:10:06.900
 in the temples.

00:10:08.480 --> 00:10:08.980
 Anything that

00:10:08.980 --> 00:10:09.700
 they didn't cook

00:10:09.700 --> 00:10:10.800
 for the banquet halls

00:10:10.800 --> 00:10:11.260
 was carried

00:10:11.260 --> 00:10:11.780
 to the marketplace

00:10:11.780 --> 00:10:12.460
 and sold.

00:10:12.920 --> 00:10:13.400
 So pretty much

00:10:13.400 --> 00:10:14.160
 all of the meat

00:10:14.160 --> 00:10:15.080
 in a city like Corinth

00:10:15.080 --> 00:10:15.780
 was associated

00:10:15.780 --> 00:10:16.540
 in one way

00:10:16.540 --> 00:10:16.960
 or another

00:10:16.960 --> 00:10:17.500
 with an idol.

00:10:19.080 --> 00:10:19.700
 It was like

00:10:19.700 --> 00:10:20.160
 trying to find

00:10:20.160 --> 00:10:21.200
 a fast food restaurant

00:10:21.200 --> 00:10:22.080
 in the 90s

00:10:22.080 --> 00:10:22.980
 that didn't use

00:10:22.980 --> 00:10:24.580
 partially hydrogenated oils.

00:10:25.080 --> 00:10:26.460
 They just didn't exist.

00:10:27.060 --> 00:10:27.680
 Whether you went

00:10:27.680 --> 00:10:28.380
 to McDonald's

00:10:28.380 --> 00:10:28.780
 or Wendy's

00:10:28.780 --> 00:10:29.320
 or Burger King,

00:10:29.420 --> 00:10:29.780
 you were going

00:10:29.780 --> 00:10:30.320
 to be ingesting

00:10:30.320 --> 00:10:31.100
 a healthy dose

00:10:31.100 --> 00:10:31.840
 of trans fat.

00:10:32.860 --> 00:10:33.720
 So it was

00:10:33.720 --> 00:10:34.620
 with meat

00:10:34.620 --> 00:10:35.300
 in first century

00:10:35.300 --> 00:10:35.660
 Corinth.

00:10:36.360 --> 00:10:37.200
 You could probably

00:10:37.200 --> 00:10:38.000
 trace it back

00:10:38.000 --> 00:10:39.060
 one way or another

00:10:39.060 --> 00:10:39.920
 to a sacrifice

00:10:39.920 --> 00:10:41.160
 to some false god.

00:10:43.220 --> 00:10:43.800
 So you see,

00:10:43.840 --> 00:10:44.320
 the question of

00:10:44.320 --> 00:10:44.680
 whether or not

00:10:44.680 --> 00:10:45.240
 a Christian should

00:10:45.240 --> 00:10:46.100
 eat meat sacrificed

00:10:46.100 --> 00:10:46.700
 to an idol

00:10:46.700 --> 00:10:48.180
 was a multi-sided question

00:10:48.180 --> 00:10:48.920
 and that's why

00:10:48.920 --> 00:10:49.620
 Paul takes

00:10:49.620 --> 00:10:50.960
 three whole chapters

00:10:50.960 --> 00:10:52.200
 to parse the thing out.

00:10:54.100 --> 00:10:54.800
 And as Greg

00:10:54.800 --> 00:10:55.480
 mentioned last week,

00:10:55.519 --> 00:10:56.080
 let me say

00:10:56.080 --> 00:10:57.040
 as a sidebar

00:10:57.040 --> 00:10:57.500
 this morning

00:10:57.500 --> 00:10:57.980
 that today

00:10:57.980 --> 00:10:58.600
 there are some

00:10:58.600 --> 00:10:59.460
 moral issues

00:10:59.460 --> 00:11:00.120
 that take some

00:11:00.120 --> 00:11:01.060
 deep reflection

00:11:01.059 --> 00:11:02.519
 and some nuance

00:11:02.519 --> 00:11:03.719
 for us as followers

00:11:03.719 --> 00:11:04.179
 of Jesus

00:11:04.179 --> 00:11:05.039
 to parse out.

00:11:06.819 --> 00:11:07.699
 At least if we're

00:11:07.699 --> 00:11:08.339
 going to do so

00:11:08.339 --> 00:11:08.779
 in a way

00:11:08.779 --> 00:11:09.979
 that does full justice

00:11:09.979 --> 00:11:10.619
 to the truth

00:11:10.619 --> 00:11:11.259
 of the gospel.

00:11:13.479 --> 00:11:13.879
 In Paul's day,

00:11:13.899 --> 00:11:14.559
 I'm sure there were

00:11:14.559 --> 00:11:15.519
 people on both sides

00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:16.639
 of the idol meat issue

00:11:16.639 --> 00:11:17.859
 who wanted Paul

00:11:17.859 --> 00:11:19.000
 to just say yes

00:11:19.000 --> 00:11:19.719
 or no.

00:11:20.379 --> 00:11:21.039
 Should we

00:11:21.039 --> 00:11:21.779
 or shouldn't we,

00:11:21.899 --> 00:11:22.000
 Paul?

00:11:22.079 --> 00:11:23.079
 Just tell us.

00:11:25.119 --> 00:11:26.039
 But there was more

00:11:26.039 --> 00:11:26.799
 to it than that.

00:11:26.799 --> 00:11:29.899
 Now eventually

00:11:29.899 --> 00:11:30.859
 Paul will deliver

00:11:30.859 --> 00:11:31.579
 a clear yes,

00:11:31.679 --> 00:11:31.879
 no,

00:11:31.979 --> 00:11:32.219
 maybe.

00:11:33.059 --> 00:11:33.740
 And if you haven't

00:11:33.740 --> 00:11:34.839
 yet read ahead

00:11:34.839 --> 00:11:35.740
 through chapter 10,

00:11:36.059 --> 00:11:36.679
 spoiler alert,

00:11:37.339 --> 00:11:38.120
 here's what he says.

00:11:38.519 --> 00:11:39.240
 No to the meat

00:11:39.240 --> 00:11:39.939
 in the idol's temple,

00:11:40.299 --> 00:11:40.859
 yes to the meat

00:11:40.859 --> 00:11:41.359
 in the marketplace,

00:11:41.559 --> 00:11:42.379
 and maybe to the meat

00:11:42.379 --> 00:11:43.059
 in the friend's house.

00:11:47.699 --> 00:11:48.539
 So there are

00:11:48.539 --> 00:11:49.179
 some guidelines

00:11:49.179 --> 00:11:50.079
 Paul can lay down.

00:11:51.779 --> 00:11:52.419
 But there are

00:11:52.419 --> 00:11:52.959
 deeper issues

00:11:52.959 --> 00:11:53.659
 at play here.

00:11:55.000 --> 00:11:56.339
 Deeper heart issues.

00:11:56.799 --> 00:11:59.019
 Some Christians

00:11:59.019 --> 00:11:59.859
 felt like they had

00:11:59.859 --> 00:12:00.539
 a right

00:12:00.539 --> 00:12:01.679
 to eat meat

00:12:01.679 --> 00:12:02.539
 wherever,

00:12:03.039 --> 00:12:03.459
 whenever.

00:12:05.959 --> 00:12:07.459
 But before Paul

00:12:07.459 --> 00:12:08.759
 even parses out

00:12:08.759 --> 00:12:09.379
 whether or not

00:12:09.379 --> 00:12:10.659
 they have such a right

00:12:10.659 --> 00:12:11.539
 and where

00:12:11.539 --> 00:12:12.479
 and when

00:12:12.479 --> 00:12:13.419
 and with whom

00:12:13.419 --> 00:12:14.679
 and under what circumstances,

00:12:14.939 --> 00:12:15.859
 he goes after

00:12:15.859 --> 00:12:16.620
 their hearts.

00:12:18.339 --> 00:12:19.559
 He pushes them

00:12:19.559 --> 00:12:20.199
 to think about

00:12:20.199 --> 00:12:21.719
 how they should be

00:12:21.719 --> 00:12:22.519
 using their so-called

00:12:22.519 --> 00:12:24.019
 rights at all.

00:12:24.019 --> 00:12:27.139
 and to do that,

00:12:28.139 --> 00:12:29.159
 he gives them

00:12:29.159 --> 00:12:29.799
 an illustration.

00:12:31.460 --> 00:12:32.379
 An illustration

00:12:32.379 --> 00:12:33.480
 that they will

00:12:33.480 --> 00:12:34.460
 know very well.

00:12:34.860 --> 00:12:35.319
 An illustration

00:12:35.319 --> 00:12:36.039
 that they've all

00:12:36.039 --> 00:12:37.539
 experienced and seen

00:12:37.539 --> 00:12:38.840
 and that will resonate

00:12:38.840 --> 00:12:39.659
 with each one of them

00:12:39.659 --> 00:12:40.259
 because they've all

00:12:40.259 --> 00:12:40.840
 in some way

00:12:40.840 --> 00:12:41.819
 benefited from it.

00:12:43.620 --> 00:12:45.139
 Paul uses the illustration

00:12:45.139 --> 00:12:46.720
 of himself.

00:12:48.519 --> 00:12:49.279
 Chapter 9,

00:12:49.720 --> 00:12:50.600
 what he's doing here

00:12:50.600 --> 00:12:52.080
 is presenting himself

00:12:52.080 --> 00:12:53.159
 as an example

00:12:53.159 --> 00:12:54.920
 of how Christians

00:12:54.920 --> 00:12:55.920
 ought to approach

00:12:55.920 --> 00:12:56.659
 their rights.

00:12:59.340 --> 00:13:00.360
 And at first,

00:13:01.000 --> 00:13:02.680
 he defends his right

00:13:02.680 --> 00:13:03.940
 as an apostle,

00:13:04.879 --> 00:13:05.740
 for example,

00:13:06.100 --> 00:13:07.740
 to receive financial support

00:13:07.740 --> 00:13:08.360
 from the churches

00:13:08.360 --> 00:13:09.139
 he ministers in.

00:13:09.920 --> 00:13:10.960
 This is my defense,

00:13:11.080 --> 00:13:11.920
 he says in verse 3.

00:13:12.220 --> 00:13:12.820
 Here it is.

00:13:13.480 --> 00:13:14.060
 And he does that

00:13:14.060 --> 00:13:14.600
 in four ways.

00:13:15.279 --> 00:13:15.740
 Real briefly,

00:13:15.899 --> 00:13:16.160
 first,

00:13:16.220 --> 00:13:17.220
 he uses some analogies

00:13:17.220 --> 00:13:18.000
 from everyday life

00:13:18.000 --> 00:13:18.560
 in verse 7,

00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:19.580
 from common experience.

00:13:19.700 --> 00:13:20.399
 Imagine a soldier

00:13:20.399 --> 00:13:21.440
 marching off to war

00:13:21.440 --> 00:13:22.820
 and risking his life

00:13:22.820 --> 00:13:23.680
 but having to pay

00:13:23.680 --> 00:13:24.680
 for his own body armor,

00:13:24.820 --> 00:13:25.800
 his own machine gun

00:13:25.800 --> 00:13:26.420
 and amusician,

00:13:26.600 --> 00:13:27.600
 and his own food and drink.

00:13:27.720 --> 00:13:28.540
 That's ludicrous.

00:13:29.820 --> 00:13:31.060
 Imagine planting a vineyard

00:13:31.060 --> 00:13:31.759
 and not eating

00:13:31.759 --> 00:13:32.440
 any of the fruit.

00:13:33.000 --> 00:13:33.680
 Imagine working

00:13:33.680 --> 00:13:34.300
 at J.Crew

00:13:34.300 --> 00:13:35.200
 and not at least

00:13:35.200 --> 00:13:36.379
 getting an employee discount

00:13:36.379 --> 00:13:37.000
 so you can wear

00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:37.860
 some of the clothes.

00:13:40.180 --> 00:13:41.220
 If all those examples

00:13:41.220 --> 00:13:42.019
 seem ludicrous,

00:13:42.160 --> 00:13:42.759
 well, Paul says,

00:13:42.820 --> 00:13:43.480
 so is the idea

00:13:43.480 --> 00:13:44.139
 of an apostle

00:13:44.139 --> 00:13:45.019
 at least not having

00:13:45.019 --> 00:13:45.800
 a right to some

00:13:45.800 --> 00:13:46.560
 material support

00:13:46.559 --> 00:13:47.139
 from the churches

00:13:47.139 --> 00:13:48.139
 he's ministering in.

00:13:50.519 --> 00:13:50.879
 Second,

00:13:50.979 --> 00:13:51.619
 he uses an argument

00:13:51.619 --> 00:13:52.719
 not from common experience

00:13:52.719 --> 00:13:53.639
 but from scripture.

00:13:54.639 --> 00:13:55.539
 In verses 8 through 12,

00:13:55.599 --> 00:13:56.299
 he quotes a passage

00:13:56.299 --> 00:13:57.159
 from the Law of Moses

00:13:57.159 --> 00:13:58.219
 from Deuteronomy 25.

00:13:58.479 --> 00:13:59.919
 You shall not muzzle an ox

00:13:59.919 --> 00:14:01.299
 when it treads out the grain.

00:14:01.659 --> 00:14:02.039
 Now, of course,

00:14:02.099 --> 00:14:02.879
 the law wasn't

00:14:02.879 --> 00:14:04.419
 just about oxen.

00:14:04.479 --> 00:14:05.019
 It was laying down

00:14:05.019 --> 00:14:06.679
 a principle about work,

00:14:06.839 --> 00:14:07.639
 about labor,

00:14:07.939 --> 00:14:08.959
 and moreover,

00:14:09.079 --> 00:14:10.979
 about the just sharing

00:14:10.979 --> 00:14:13.159
 of the fruits of the work

00:14:13.159 --> 00:14:14.019
 with the workers.

00:14:16.559 --> 00:14:17.799
 And if it applies

00:14:17.799 --> 00:14:18.500
 to oxen,

00:14:18.559 --> 00:14:19.579
 then surely it applies

00:14:19.579 --> 00:14:20.199
 all the more

00:14:20.199 --> 00:14:21.199
 to humans, right?

00:14:24.419 --> 00:14:25.799
 Third, Paul argues

00:14:25.799 --> 00:14:26.619
 by analogy

00:14:26.619 --> 00:14:28.099
 from the temple service

00:14:28.099 --> 00:14:28.619
 in Jerusalem.

00:14:28.759 --> 00:14:29.500
 That's verse 13.

00:14:29.619 --> 00:14:31.199
 If the Levitical priests

00:14:31.199 --> 00:14:31.719
 have a right

00:14:31.719 --> 00:14:32.859
 to receive their livelihood

00:14:32.859 --> 00:14:33.699
 from their labors

00:14:33.699 --> 00:14:34.939
 in the old covenant temple,

00:14:35.939 --> 00:14:37.219
 shouldn't we apostles

00:14:37.219 --> 00:14:38.019
 have a right

00:14:38.019 --> 00:14:39.259
 to receive support

00:14:39.259 --> 00:14:40.099
 from our service

00:14:40.099 --> 00:14:41.479
 in the new covenant temple?

00:14:41.480 --> 00:14:43.039
 the church?

00:14:43.600 --> 00:14:45.120
 The temple of the Holy Spirit,

00:14:45.440 --> 00:14:46.080
 as he calls them

00:14:46.080 --> 00:14:46.920
 back in chapter 3?

00:14:50.240 --> 00:14:51.159
 And then fourth,

00:14:51.340 --> 00:14:52.980
 Paul sort of brings it home,

00:14:53.340 --> 00:14:54.680
 not by way of analogy,

00:14:54.820 --> 00:14:55.680
 but by way of just

00:14:55.680 --> 00:14:56.440
 straight command.

00:14:56.960 --> 00:14:57.560
 Verse 14,

00:14:57.620 --> 00:14:58.240
 in the same way

00:14:58.240 --> 00:14:59.080
 the Lord commanded

00:14:59.080 --> 00:15:00.580
 that those who proclaim

00:15:00.580 --> 00:15:01.060
 the gospel

00:15:01.060 --> 00:15:01.800
 should get their living

00:15:01.800 --> 00:15:02.460
 by the gospel.

00:15:02.960 --> 00:15:03.840
 The Lord here referring

00:15:03.840 --> 00:15:04.620
 as it usually does

00:15:04.620 --> 00:15:05.800
 in Paul to the Lord Jesus.

00:15:07.300 --> 00:15:08.060
 If you come back

00:15:08.060 --> 00:15:08.960
 to the evening service

00:15:08.960 --> 00:15:09.400
 tonight

00:15:09.400 --> 00:15:11.940
 by a strange

00:15:11.940 --> 00:15:13.000
 working of providence,

00:15:13.100 --> 00:15:13.620
 we're actually going

00:15:13.620 --> 00:15:15.040
 to be studying Luke 10

00:15:15.040 --> 00:15:16.480
 where Jesus teaches

00:15:16.480 --> 00:15:17.320
 that very principle.

00:15:17.460 --> 00:15:18.180
 In Luke 10, 7,

00:15:18.240 --> 00:15:19.240
 Jesus says in the context

00:15:19.240 --> 00:15:20.660
 of mission and ministry

00:15:20.660 --> 00:15:21.620
 that the laborer

00:15:21.620 --> 00:15:22.480
 deserves his wages.

00:15:23.960 --> 00:15:24.639
 And Paul will actually

00:15:24.639 --> 00:15:26.220
 quote that same saying

00:15:26.220 --> 00:15:26.600
 of Jesus

00:15:26.600 --> 00:15:27.780
 in 1 Timothy chapter 5

00:15:27.780 --> 00:15:28.879
 along with his Deuteronomy

00:15:28.879 --> 00:15:29.700
 verse about oxen

00:15:29.700 --> 00:15:31.220
 where he makes the same point

00:15:31.220 --> 00:15:32.259
 about ministers receiving

00:15:32.259 --> 00:15:33.540
 support for their labors

00:15:33.540 --> 00:15:34.160
 in the ministry.

00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:37.160
 Interesting,

00:15:37.280 --> 00:15:38.620
 as a total rabbit trail,

00:15:38.960 --> 00:15:40.920
 in 1 Timothy chapter 5,

00:15:41.019 --> 00:15:41.460
 Paul says,

00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:42.759
 as the scripture says,

00:15:43.400 --> 00:15:44.580
 don't muzzle the oxen.

00:15:45.080 --> 00:15:45.660
 The laborer

00:15:45.660 --> 00:15:46.519
 deserves its wages.

00:15:47.280 --> 00:15:48.139
 Very interesting.

00:15:48.920 --> 00:15:49.560
 The only place

00:15:49.560 --> 00:15:50.180
 where we know

00:15:50.180 --> 00:15:50.780
 that that saying

00:15:50.780 --> 00:15:51.860
 of Jesus exists

00:15:51.860 --> 00:15:53.120
 is Luke 10, 7.

00:15:54.060 --> 00:15:55.000
 And Paul says,

00:15:55.080 --> 00:15:56.180
 that's what the scripture says.

00:15:57.759 --> 00:15:58.700
 Did Luke know,

00:15:58.780 --> 00:15:59.340
 did Paul know

00:15:59.340 --> 00:16:00.160
 about Luke's gospel?

00:16:00.879 --> 00:16:02.320
 Was he calling it scripture?

00:16:04.100 --> 00:16:04.540
 Curious.

00:16:04.540 --> 00:16:04.600
 Yes.

00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:10.540
 Now,

00:16:10.620 --> 00:16:11.420
 the main point

00:16:11.420 --> 00:16:13.420
 of 1 Corinthians 9

00:16:13.420 --> 00:16:15.519
 isn't really about pastors

00:16:15.519 --> 00:16:16.139
 being supported

00:16:16.139 --> 00:16:17.360
 by their congregations.

00:16:19.060 --> 00:16:19.680
 Of course,

00:16:19.759 --> 00:16:20.180
 this passage,

00:16:20.300 --> 00:16:20.920
 along with some others

00:16:20.920 --> 00:16:21.940
 like 1 Timothy 5

00:16:21.940 --> 00:16:22.780
 and Galatians 6,

00:16:22.860 --> 00:16:23.540
 certainly teach

00:16:23.540 --> 00:16:24.460
 that congregations

00:16:24.460 --> 00:16:25.100
 should provide

00:16:25.100 --> 00:16:25.740
 for their pastors.

00:16:25.879 --> 00:16:26.639
 And I'm thankful,

00:16:27.440 --> 00:16:28.620
 along with the other pastors

00:16:28.620 --> 00:16:29.259
 here at Trinity,

00:16:29.480 --> 00:16:30.840
 that you members of Trinity

00:16:30.840 --> 00:16:31.740
 do just that.

00:16:31.740 --> 00:16:34.139
 But,

00:16:34.700 --> 00:16:35.680
 the main point here,

00:16:35.779 --> 00:16:36.060
 remember,

00:16:36.399 --> 00:16:37.100
 is that this is

00:16:37.100 --> 00:16:37.980
 an illustration

00:16:37.980 --> 00:16:39.080
 about how

00:16:39.080 --> 00:16:40.519
 all of us Christians

00:16:40.519 --> 00:16:41.320
 ought to approach

00:16:41.320 --> 00:16:42.759
 our rights at all.

00:16:44.379 --> 00:16:45.399
 And Paul here

00:16:45.399 --> 00:16:46.019
 at first

00:16:46.019 --> 00:16:47.980
 defends them.

00:16:49.700 --> 00:16:50.620
 As an apostle,

00:16:50.740 --> 00:16:51.480
 he has certain rights

00:16:51.480 --> 00:16:52.860
 and he can articulate them

00:16:52.860 --> 00:16:54.360
 and provide ample evidence

00:16:54.360 --> 00:16:54.820
 for them.

00:16:56.720 --> 00:16:58.159
 And I think as we

00:16:58.159 --> 00:17:00.360
 think broadly

00:17:00.360 --> 00:17:02.019
 about human rights today,

00:17:03.340 --> 00:17:04.259
 we Christians

00:17:04.259 --> 00:17:05.720
 should not be shy

00:17:05.720 --> 00:17:07.400
 about defending

00:17:07.400 --> 00:17:08.660
 and articulating

00:17:08.660 --> 00:17:09.299
 the rights

00:17:09.299 --> 00:17:10.019
 that we have

00:17:10.019 --> 00:17:10.980
 as human beings.

00:17:12.839 --> 00:17:14.240
 At the highest level,

00:17:14.700 --> 00:17:15.259
 the dignity

00:17:15.259 --> 00:17:15.920
 and honor

00:17:15.920 --> 00:17:17.079
 that every human being

00:17:17.079 --> 00:17:17.839
 is worthy of.

00:17:19.599 --> 00:17:20.360
 In fact,

00:17:20.420 --> 00:17:21.299
 in a Christian framework

00:17:21.299 --> 00:17:22.059
 of reality,

00:17:22.779 --> 00:17:23.880
 the idea of human rights

00:17:23.880 --> 00:17:25.180
 makes a whole lot of sense.

00:17:25.799 --> 00:17:26.360
 Does it not?

00:17:27.200 --> 00:17:28.220
 If there is a good,

00:17:28.440 --> 00:17:28.720
 wise,

00:17:28.799 --> 00:17:29.620
 and holy God

00:17:29.619 --> 00:17:31.219
 who created all things

00:17:31.219 --> 00:17:32.759
 and created human beings

00:17:32.759 --> 00:17:34.159
 uniquely in his image

00:17:34.159 --> 00:17:34.819
 to know him

00:17:34.819 --> 00:17:35.439
 and love him

00:17:35.439 --> 00:17:36.219
 and reflect him

00:17:36.219 --> 00:17:37.039
 in their life together,

00:17:37.399 --> 00:17:38.479
 then all human beings

00:17:38.479 --> 00:17:39.779
 certainly have

00:17:39.779 --> 00:17:40.779
 dignity and worth

00:17:40.779 --> 00:17:42.239
 and must not be

00:17:42.239 --> 00:17:42.759
 trampled on

00:17:42.759 --> 00:17:43.359
 or exploited.

00:17:44.000 --> 00:17:45.139
 Every human person

00:17:45.139 --> 00:17:47.319
 is of incomparable value.

00:17:49.019 --> 00:17:50.299
 They do have rights.

00:17:53.159 --> 00:17:53.979
 One of the ways

00:17:53.979 --> 00:17:54.739
 in which we,

00:17:54.919 --> 00:17:55.739
 I think as Christians,

00:17:55.879 --> 00:17:56.819
 can serve

00:17:56.819 --> 00:17:57.639
 the good

00:17:57.640 --> 00:17:59.040
 of our community

00:17:59.040 --> 00:18:00.280
 is by continuing

00:18:00.280 --> 00:18:01.960
 to hold up

00:18:01.960 --> 00:18:03.560
 a vision of reality

00:18:03.560 --> 00:18:05.880
 based in God's goodness

00:18:05.880 --> 00:18:06.500
 and holiness

00:18:06.500 --> 00:18:07.920
 where we humans

00:18:07.920 --> 00:18:08.600
 are filled

00:18:08.600 --> 00:18:09.700
 with value

00:18:09.700 --> 00:18:10.340
 and purpose

00:18:10.340 --> 00:18:11.000
 and worth

00:18:11.000 --> 00:18:13.040
 regardless of our status

00:18:13.040 --> 00:18:14.100
 or position

00:18:14.100 --> 00:18:15.120
 or ability

00:18:15.120 --> 00:18:16.160
 or what have you.

00:18:16.460 --> 00:18:17.480
 Whether it's in our

00:18:17.480 --> 00:18:18.420
 work life

00:18:18.420 --> 00:18:19.740
 or cultural life

00:18:19.740 --> 00:18:21.080
 or our church life

00:18:21.080 --> 00:18:22.800
 that we keep saying

00:18:22.799 --> 00:18:24.940
 that you

00:18:24.940 --> 00:18:25.960
 and me

00:18:25.960 --> 00:18:27.059
 and everyone

00:18:27.059 --> 00:18:28.240
 regardless of what

00:18:28.240 --> 00:18:28.759
 they believe

00:18:28.759 --> 00:18:29.339
 are created

00:18:29.339 --> 00:18:30.279
 in God's image

00:18:30.279 --> 00:18:32.200
 and are worthy

00:18:32.200 --> 00:18:33.139
 of infinite dignity

00:18:33.139 --> 00:18:33.819
 and respect.

00:18:36.759 --> 00:18:37.480
 Because friends,

00:18:37.559 --> 00:18:38.119
 the reality is

00:18:38.119 --> 00:18:38.940
 a lot of the competing

00:18:38.940 --> 00:18:39.599
 frameworks

00:18:39.599 --> 00:18:41.220
 in which people live

00:18:41.220 --> 00:18:42.460
 actually aren't

00:18:42.460 --> 00:18:43.079
 very good

00:18:43.079 --> 00:18:44.940
 at giving good reasons

00:18:44.940 --> 00:18:45.799
 for why

00:18:45.799 --> 00:18:47.440
 humans have something

00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:48.220
 called rights

00:18:48.220 --> 00:18:49.500
 and why

00:18:49.500 --> 00:18:50.039
 we humans

00:18:50.039 --> 00:18:50.680
 ought to be treated

00:18:50.680 --> 00:18:51.180
 with dignity

00:18:51.180 --> 00:18:51.820
 and respect.

00:18:53.860 --> 00:18:54.580
 If everything

00:18:54.580 --> 00:18:55.120
 we see

00:18:55.120 --> 00:18:55.560
 is simply

00:18:55.560 --> 00:18:56.060
 the product

00:18:56.060 --> 00:18:56.600
 of time

00:18:56.600 --> 00:18:57.120
 and energy

00:18:57.120 --> 00:18:57.680
 and chance

00:18:57.680 --> 00:18:58.580
 and if human beings

00:18:58.580 --> 00:18:59.600
 are just a collocation

00:18:59.600 --> 00:19:00.220
 of chemicals

00:19:00.220 --> 00:19:00.799
 and matter

00:19:00.799 --> 00:19:01.920
 destined to be

00:19:01.920 --> 00:19:03.240
 utterly extinguished

00:19:03.240 --> 00:19:04.060
 when our sun

00:19:04.060 --> 00:19:04.740
 expands

00:19:04.740 --> 00:19:05.660
 and the universe

00:19:05.660 --> 00:19:06.620
 rapidly races

00:19:06.620 --> 00:19:07.259
 ever outward

00:19:07.259 --> 00:19:07.820
 into cold

00:19:07.820 --> 00:19:08.900
 dark oblivion.

00:19:09.759 --> 00:19:10.759
 We can certainly

00:19:10.759 --> 00:19:11.400
 claim

00:19:11.400 --> 00:19:12.400
 that human beings

00:19:12.400 --> 00:19:12.820
 have something

00:19:12.820 --> 00:19:13.539
 called rights

00:19:13.539 --> 00:19:14.779
 but it's certainly

00:19:14.779 --> 00:19:15.340
 hard to say

00:19:15.340 --> 00:19:16.360
 why we have them

00:19:16.359 --> 00:19:17.659
 or what indeed

00:19:17.659 --> 00:19:18.199
 they are.

00:19:22.639 --> 00:19:23.479
 I'm not saying

00:19:23.479 --> 00:19:24.159
 you need to believe

00:19:24.159 --> 00:19:24.479
 in God

00:19:24.479 --> 00:19:25.359
 to be a good person.

00:19:25.599 --> 00:19:26.619
 Most people I know

00:19:26.619 --> 00:19:27.299
 who don't believe

00:19:27.299 --> 00:19:27.659
 in God

00:19:27.659 --> 00:19:28.059
 are actually

00:19:28.059 --> 00:19:28.719
 quite moral

00:19:28.719 --> 00:19:31.519
 but I'm suggesting

00:19:31.519 --> 00:19:32.699
 that it's very hard

00:19:32.699 --> 00:19:33.699
 to know

00:19:33.699 --> 00:19:34.359
 why we ought

00:19:34.359 --> 00:19:35.000
 to treat people

00:19:35.000 --> 00:19:35.719
 a certain way.

00:19:37.059 --> 00:19:37.359
 Treat them

00:19:37.359 --> 00:19:37.899
 a certain way

00:19:37.899 --> 00:19:39.199
 regardless of circumstances

00:19:39.199 --> 00:19:40.659
 regardless of the benefit

00:19:40.659 --> 00:19:41.979
 which is what we mean

00:19:41.979 --> 00:19:42.839
 by human rights

00:19:42.839 --> 00:19:43.179
 right?

00:19:43.180 --> 00:19:46.000
 it's hard to know

00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:46.500
 why we ought

00:19:46.500 --> 00:19:47.080
 to do that

00:19:47.080 --> 00:19:47.700
 when there really

00:19:47.700 --> 00:19:48.259
 is nothing

00:19:48.259 --> 00:19:48.779
 to ground

00:19:48.779 --> 00:19:49.620
 those rights in.

00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:54.080
 So we as Christians

00:19:54.080 --> 00:19:54.700
 ought to keep

00:19:54.700 --> 00:19:55.779
 holding up

00:19:55.779 --> 00:19:57.440
 this vision

00:19:57.440 --> 00:19:58.200
 of life

00:19:58.200 --> 00:20:00.220
 where human beings

00:20:00.220 --> 00:20:00.720
 have dignity

00:20:00.720 --> 00:20:01.200
 and worth

00:20:01.200 --> 00:20:01.720
 and where there is

00:20:01.720 --> 00:20:02.120
 such a thing

00:20:02.120 --> 00:20:02.720
 as human rights

00:20:02.720 --> 00:20:03.259
 because of who

00:20:03.259 --> 00:20:04.039
 God created us

00:20:04.039 --> 00:20:04.460
 to be.

00:20:09.360 --> 00:20:09.840
 Now

00:20:09.840 --> 00:20:11.019
 of course

00:20:11.019 --> 00:20:11.980
 speaking of our

00:20:11.980 --> 00:20:12.640
 dignity and worth

00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:13.300
 as human beings

00:20:13.300 --> 00:20:13.700
 is perhaps

00:20:13.700 --> 00:20:14.660
 speaking of rights

00:20:14.660 --> 00:20:15.540
 at the highest

00:20:15.540 --> 00:20:16.340
 possible level

00:20:16.340 --> 00:20:16.640
 right?

00:20:18.560 --> 00:20:19.000
 But what about

00:20:19.000 --> 00:20:19.900
 all those other things

00:20:19.900 --> 00:20:21.200
 we consider rights?

00:20:22.440 --> 00:20:23.560
 Like Paul's right

00:20:23.560 --> 00:20:24.840
 to receive financial support

00:20:24.840 --> 00:20:25.360
 as an apostle

00:20:25.360 --> 00:20:26.500
 or the Corinthians

00:20:26.500 --> 00:20:27.980
 right to eat

00:20:27.980 --> 00:20:28.660
 idol meat.

00:20:30.860 --> 00:20:31.640
 For us today

00:20:31.640 --> 00:20:32.000
 what about

00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:32.940
 our widespread belief

00:20:32.940 --> 00:20:33.660
 in the right

00:20:33.660 --> 00:20:34.560
 to life, liberty

00:20:34.560 --> 00:20:35.040
 and the pursuit

00:20:35.040 --> 00:20:35.540
 of happiness?

00:20:35.759 --> 00:20:36.580
 Do we have a right?

00:20:36.680 --> 00:20:37.640
 Don't we have a right

00:20:37.640 --> 00:20:38.520
 to comfort

00:20:38.520 --> 00:20:38.980
 and security

00:20:38.980 --> 00:20:39.500
 and happiness?

00:20:39.500 --> 00:20:39.619
 things?

00:20:41.900 --> 00:20:42.500
 Or what about

00:20:42.500 --> 00:20:43.220
 even smaller

00:20:43.220 --> 00:20:43.799
 things?

00:20:45.160 --> 00:20:45.940
 We could make

00:20:45.940 --> 00:20:46.779
 a long

00:20:46.779 --> 00:20:47.779
 laundry list

00:20:47.779 --> 00:20:48.299
 of things

00:20:48.299 --> 00:20:48.960
 that Christians

00:20:48.960 --> 00:20:49.660
 potentially

00:20:49.660 --> 00:20:50.839
 have the freedom

00:20:50.839 --> 00:20:51.420
 or the right

00:20:51.420 --> 00:20:51.900
 to do.

00:20:53.359 --> 00:20:54.339
 Drink alcohol.

00:20:55.440 --> 00:20:55.900
 Get a sweet

00:20:55.900 --> 00:20:56.259
 tattoo.

00:20:57.599 --> 00:20:58.319
 Go dancing.

00:20:59.220 --> 00:20:59.779
 Smoke a cigarette.

00:21:00.319 --> 00:21:00.920
 Go to the movies.

00:21:01.259 --> 00:21:01.819
 Support a political

00:21:01.819 --> 00:21:02.180
 party.

00:21:02.440 --> 00:21:03.140
 Drive a certain car.

00:21:03.460 --> 00:21:03.859
 Live in a certain

00:21:03.859 --> 00:21:04.160
 neighborhood.

00:21:04.559 --> 00:21:05.279
 Go to public school.

00:21:05.660 --> 00:21:06.440
 Go to private school.

00:21:07.180 --> 00:21:07.839
 Go trick-or-treating.

00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:09.359
 Go to yoga.

00:21:10.599 --> 00:21:12.279
 Listen to rock music.

00:21:12.899 --> 00:21:13.740
 Drink caffeine.

00:21:14.379 --> 00:21:15.220
 Save for retirement.

00:21:15.879 --> 00:21:16.759
 Go on vacation.

00:21:17.559 --> 00:21:19.019
 Own a vacation home.

00:21:20.019 --> 00:21:20.679
 Get married.

00:21:21.220 --> 00:21:21.819
 Stay single.

00:21:22.679 --> 00:21:23.299
 Have children.

00:21:24.119 --> 00:21:24.740
 Don't have children.

00:21:25.799 --> 00:21:26.579
 The list could go

00:21:26.579 --> 00:21:27.679
 on and on

00:21:27.679 --> 00:21:28.359
 and on

00:21:28.359 --> 00:21:29.279
 and on.

00:21:31.019 --> 00:21:31.859
 What about

00:21:31.859 --> 00:21:32.519
 all these

00:21:32.519 --> 00:21:33.679
 sorts of rights?

00:21:35.619 --> 00:21:36.579
 From the right

00:21:36.579 --> 00:21:36.959
 to comfort

00:21:36.959 --> 00:21:37.459
 and security

00:21:37.460 --> 00:21:38.100
 all the way

00:21:38.100 --> 00:21:38.640
 down

00:21:38.640 --> 00:21:39.860
 to drinking

00:21:39.860 --> 00:21:40.400
 a drink?

00:21:41.819 --> 00:21:42.340
 What should

00:21:42.340 --> 00:21:42.799
 our approach

00:21:42.799 --> 00:21:43.519
 be to these

00:21:43.519 --> 00:21:44.200
 sorts of

00:21:44.200 --> 00:21:45.319
 individual rights?

00:21:47.279 --> 00:21:47.840
 And here,

00:21:47.940 --> 00:21:48.100
 friends,

00:21:48.140 --> 00:21:48.620
 I think Paul

00:21:48.620 --> 00:21:49.600
 challenges us.

00:21:51.100 --> 00:21:51.720
 Look again

00:21:51.720 --> 00:21:52.100
 at the second

00:21:52.100 --> 00:21:53.100
 half of verse 12.

00:21:55.279 --> 00:21:55.640
 Nevertheless,

00:21:56.400 --> 00:21:57.779
 we have not

00:21:57.779 --> 00:21:58.299
 made use

00:21:58.299 --> 00:21:58.900
 of this right,

00:21:59.700 --> 00:22:00.160
 but we

00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:01.019
 endure anything

00:22:01.019 --> 00:22:02.559
 rather than

00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:03.319
 put an obstacle

00:22:03.319 --> 00:22:04.500
 in the way

00:22:04.500 --> 00:22:05.000
 of the gospel

00:22:05.000 --> 00:22:05.559
 of Christ.

00:22:05.559 --> 00:22:08.799
 here

00:22:08.799 --> 00:22:10.539
 is the

00:22:10.539 --> 00:22:11.399
 criteria

00:22:11.399 --> 00:22:13.299
 we ought

00:22:13.299 --> 00:22:14.039
 to use

00:22:14.039 --> 00:22:15.579
 when considering

00:22:15.579 --> 00:22:16.240
 our rights

00:22:16.240 --> 00:22:17.359
 and how to

00:22:17.359 --> 00:22:17.839
 use them.

00:22:18.500 --> 00:22:19.799
 Even if we

00:22:19.799 --> 00:22:20.899
 have a

00:22:20.899 --> 00:22:21.339
 legitimate

00:22:21.339 --> 00:22:22.099
 right,

00:22:22.500 --> 00:22:23.240
 the question

00:22:23.240 --> 00:22:23.980
 we must

00:22:23.980 --> 00:22:24.799
 ask is,

00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:25.700
 will making

00:22:25.700 --> 00:22:26.679
 use of that

00:22:26.679 --> 00:22:27.419
 right put an

00:22:27.419 --> 00:22:28.240
 obstacle in the

00:22:28.240 --> 00:22:28.980
 way of the

00:22:28.980 --> 00:22:29.720
 gospel of

00:22:29.720 --> 00:22:30.240
 Christ?

00:22:30.240 --> 00:22:30.359
 Christ?

00:22:31.519 --> 00:22:32.539
 And if so,

00:22:32.940 --> 00:22:33.519
 then we

00:22:33.519 --> 00:22:34.039
 ought to

00:22:34.039 --> 00:22:34.799
 voluntarily

00:22:34.799 --> 00:22:35.660
 defer

00:22:35.660 --> 00:22:37.059
 making use

00:22:37.059 --> 00:22:37.359
 of that

00:22:37.359 --> 00:22:37.660
 right.

00:22:39.940 --> 00:22:40.579
 And this

00:22:40.579 --> 00:22:40.859
 is the

00:22:40.859 --> 00:22:41.799
 second big

00:22:41.799 --> 00:22:42.640
 point of

00:22:42.640 --> 00:22:43.039
 our text

00:22:43.039 --> 00:22:43.480
 this morning.

00:22:43.480 --> 00:22:44.099
 Even if we

00:22:44.099 --> 00:22:45.039
 can defend

00:22:45.039 --> 00:22:45.759
 a certain

00:22:45.759 --> 00:22:46.220
 right with

00:22:46.220 --> 00:22:46.759
 airtight

00:22:46.759 --> 00:22:47.120
 biblical,

00:22:47.279 --> 00:22:47.720
 theological,

00:22:47.880 --> 00:22:48.460
 experiential

00:22:48.460 --> 00:22:48.799
 arguments,

00:22:48.900 --> 00:22:49.420
 we still

00:22:49.420 --> 00:22:50.160
 ought to be

00:22:50.160 --> 00:22:51.240
 willing to

00:22:51.240 --> 00:22:52.200
 voluntarily

00:22:52.200 --> 00:22:53.299
 defer it

00:22:53.299 --> 00:22:53.900
 for the

00:22:53.900 --> 00:22:54.720
 sake of

00:22:54.720 --> 00:22:54.940
 others

00:22:54.940 --> 00:22:55.759
 knowing and

00:22:55.759 --> 00:22:56.539
 growing in

00:22:56.539 --> 00:22:56.940
 Christ.

00:22:56.940 --> 00:22:59.059
 Now,

00:22:59.160 --> 00:22:59.580
 quickly note,

00:22:59.680 --> 00:23:00.039
 Paul doesn't

00:23:00.039 --> 00:23:00.539
 say that he's

00:23:00.539 --> 00:23:01.640
 absolutely lost

00:23:01.640 --> 00:23:02.120
 his right or

00:23:02.120 --> 00:23:02.580
 totally,

00:23:02.700 --> 00:23:03.259
 absolutely given

00:23:03.259 --> 00:23:03.500
 it up.

00:23:03.539 --> 00:23:04.080
 He still has

00:23:04.080 --> 00:23:04.460
 the right to

00:23:04.460 --> 00:23:05.000
 receive financial

00:23:05.000 --> 00:23:05.360
 support.

00:23:05.580 --> 00:23:05.920
 As an

00:23:05.920 --> 00:23:06.220
 apostle,

00:23:06.360 --> 00:23:07.039
 he'll always

00:23:07.039 --> 00:23:07.400
 have that

00:23:07.400 --> 00:23:07.660
 right.

00:23:10.340 --> 00:23:10.860
 And on

00:23:10.860 --> 00:23:11.380
 top of that,

00:23:11.440 --> 00:23:11.840
 he in no

00:23:11.840 --> 00:23:12.380
 way says that

00:23:12.380 --> 00:23:13.000
 we can force

00:23:13.000 --> 00:23:13.580
 someone to

00:23:13.580 --> 00:23:14.100
 refrain from

00:23:14.100 --> 00:23:14.440
 using their

00:23:14.440 --> 00:23:14.740
 legitimate

00:23:14.740 --> 00:23:15.019
 rights.

00:23:15.059 --> 00:23:15.360
 For Paul,

00:23:15.400 --> 00:23:15.640
 it is

00:23:15.640 --> 00:23:16.059
 voluntary.

00:23:16.799 --> 00:23:17.480
 But still,

00:23:18.059 --> 00:23:18.920
 the principle

00:23:18.920 --> 00:23:19.620
 remains.

00:23:22.860 --> 00:23:23.259
 If

00:23:23.259 --> 00:23:24.039
 exercising a

00:23:24.039 --> 00:23:24.539
 right puts a

00:23:24.539 --> 00:23:25.460
 potential barrier

00:23:25.460 --> 00:23:26.460
 between someone

00:23:26.460 --> 00:23:27.240
 and the

00:23:27.240 --> 00:23:27.640
 gospel,

00:23:27.779 --> 00:23:28.180
 we ought to

00:23:28.180 --> 00:23:28.960
 be willing

00:23:28.960 --> 00:23:30.680
 to forgo

00:23:30.680 --> 00:23:31.559
 exercising that

00:23:31.559 --> 00:23:31.860
 right.

00:23:34.120 --> 00:23:34.880
 Think of

00:23:34.880 --> 00:23:35.259
 Paul's

00:23:35.259 --> 00:23:35.759
 situation.

00:23:36.920 --> 00:23:37.360
 Here he

00:23:37.360 --> 00:23:37.819
 was,

00:23:38.240 --> 00:23:40.160
 an apostle

00:23:40.160 --> 00:23:40.559
 of the

00:23:40.559 --> 00:23:41.240
 Lord Jesus

00:23:41.240 --> 00:23:41.920
 Christ,

00:23:42.559 --> 00:23:43.039
 commissioned

00:23:43.039 --> 00:23:43.940
 to bring

00:23:43.940 --> 00:23:45.140
 the saving

00:23:45.140 --> 00:23:46.200
 message of

00:23:46.200 --> 00:23:46.700
 Christ,

00:23:46.860 --> 00:23:47.680
 crucified and

00:23:47.680 --> 00:23:48.120
 risen to

00:23:48.120 --> 00:23:48.799
 the Gentiles,

00:23:48.940 --> 00:23:49.940
 to call them

00:23:49.940 --> 00:23:50.500
 to faith in

00:23:50.500 --> 00:23:51.079
 the one

00:23:51.079 --> 00:23:52.220
 true God,

00:23:52.259 --> 00:23:52.620
 to call them

00:23:52.620 --> 00:23:53.140
 out of

00:23:53.140 --> 00:23:53.779
 darkness into

00:23:53.779 --> 00:23:54.120
 light,

00:23:54.400 --> 00:23:55.380
 out of guilt

00:23:55.380 --> 00:23:55.940
 and slavery

00:23:55.940 --> 00:23:56.360
 to sin,

00:23:56.359 --> 00:23:56.959
 an end to

00:23:56.959 --> 00:23:57.479
 forgiveness

00:23:57.479 --> 00:23:58.740
 and freedom.

00:24:03.139 --> 00:24:03.759
 But you

00:24:03.759 --> 00:24:03.879
 know,

00:24:03.939 --> 00:24:04.179
 for your

00:24:04.179 --> 00:24:04.659
 typical

00:24:04.659 --> 00:24:05.599
 first century

00:24:05.599 --> 00:24:06.379
 city dweller,

00:24:06.859 --> 00:24:07.819
 on the

00:24:07.819 --> 00:24:08.159
 surface,

00:24:08.319 --> 00:24:08.759
 Paul looked

00:24:08.759 --> 00:24:09.679
 a lot like

00:24:09.679 --> 00:24:10.819
 the traveling

00:24:10.819 --> 00:24:11.459
 teachers and

00:24:11.459 --> 00:24:12.339
 philosophers who

00:24:12.339 --> 00:24:12.939
 were out to

00:24:12.939 --> 00:24:13.599
 make a profit

00:24:13.599 --> 00:24:14.599
 and make a

00:24:14.599 --> 00:24:14.899
 name for

00:24:14.899 --> 00:24:15.979
 themselves by

00:24:15.979 --> 00:24:16.699
 charging money

00:24:16.699 --> 00:24:17.259
 for whatever

00:24:17.259 --> 00:24:17.839
 it was they

00:24:17.839 --> 00:24:18.359
 were teaching.

00:24:20.599 --> 00:24:20.959
 You see,

00:24:21.039 --> 00:24:21.579
 traveling teachers

00:24:21.579 --> 00:24:22.059
 in the ancient

00:24:22.059 --> 00:24:22.539
 world could

00:24:22.539 --> 00:24:23.199
 support themselves

00:24:23.199 --> 00:24:23.639
 in one of

00:24:23.640 --> 00:24:24.280
 four ways,

00:24:24.640 --> 00:24:24.980
 typically.

00:24:26.040 --> 00:24:26.360
 They could

00:24:26.360 --> 00:24:27.020
 charge fees

00:24:27.020 --> 00:24:27.759
 for their

00:24:27.759 --> 00:24:28.120
 instruction,

00:24:28.540 --> 00:24:28.900
 they could

00:24:28.900 --> 00:24:29.120
 get a

00:24:29.120 --> 00:24:29.759
 wealthy patron,

00:24:30.540 --> 00:24:30.840
 they could

00:24:30.840 --> 00:24:31.259
 beg,

00:24:31.680 --> 00:24:32.259
 or they could

00:24:32.259 --> 00:24:32.660
 work at a

00:24:32.660 --> 00:24:33.060
 trade and

00:24:33.060 --> 00:24:33.780
 support themselves.

00:24:35.120 --> 00:24:35.500
 And because

00:24:35.500 --> 00:24:36.160
 begging and

00:24:36.160 --> 00:24:36.740
 working were

00:24:36.740 --> 00:24:37.140
 considered

00:24:37.140 --> 00:24:37.780
 demeaning,

00:24:38.320 --> 00:24:39.259
 most of the

00:24:39.259 --> 00:24:39.660
 teachers went

00:24:39.660 --> 00:24:40.060
 for the first

00:24:40.060 --> 00:24:40.700
 two options.

00:24:41.380 --> 00:24:41.900
 But because it

00:24:41.900 --> 00:24:42.300
 was hard to

00:24:42.300 --> 00:24:42.740
 find a wealthy

00:24:42.740 --> 00:24:43.140
 patron,

00:24:43.920 --> 00:24:45.100
 a lot of them

00:24:45.100 --> 00:24:45.600
 just ended up

00:24:45.600 --> 00:24:46.120
 charging money

00:24:46.120 --> 00:24:46.440
 for their

00:24:46.440 --> 00:24:46.860
 instruction.

00:24:46.859 --> 00:24:51.299
 Now, if

00:24:51.299 --> 00:24:51.819
 paying money

00:24:51.819 --> 00:24:52.379
 to receive

00:24:52.379 --> 00:24:53.079
 instruction from

00:24:53.079 --> 00:24:53.659
 a teacher who

00:24:53.659 --> 00:24:54.439
 just happens to

00:24:54.439 --> 00:24:54.959
 show up in

00:24:54.959 --> 00:24:55.679
 your life sounds

00:24:55.679 --> 00:24:56.459
 like a strange

00:24:56.459 --> 00:24:58.619
 practice, just

00:24:58.619 --> 00:24:59.399
 turn on public

00:24:59.399 --> 00:25:00.399
 television some

00:25:00.399 --> 00:25:01.479
 Saturday afternoon.

00:25:03.119 --> 00:25:04.019
 And what will

00:25:04.019 --> 00:25:04.579
 you find?

00:25:05.299 --> 00:25:06.299
 Some medical

00:25:06.299 --> 00:25:07.379
 expert or some

00:25:07.379 --> 00:25:08.639
 financial expert or

00:25:08.639 --> 00:25:09.199
 some other

00:25:09.199 --> 00:25:10.659
 expert giving a

00:25:10.659 --> 00:25:11.559
 series of talks

00:25:11.559 --> 00:25:12.439
 about how what

00:25:12.439 --> 00:25:13.979
 they know will

00:25:13.979 --> 00:25:14.779
 make your life

00:25:14.779 --> 00:25:15.039
 better.

00:25:15.039 --> 00:25:17.019
 And if you

00:25:17.019 --> 00:25:17.559
 call now,

00:25:18.240 --> 00:25:19.139
 they will send

00:25:19.139 --> 00:25:19.799
 you the DVD

00:25:19.799 --> 00:25:20.440
 in the large

00:25:20.440 --> 00:25:21.159
 format book

00:25:21.159 --> 00:25:21.940
 containing the

00:25:21.940 --> 00:25:22.740
 full series of

00:25:22.740 --> 00:25:23.500
 talks with all

00:25:23.500 --> 00:25:24.180
 the secrets and

00:25:24.180 --> 00:25:24.879
 insights you need

00:25:24.879 --> 00:25:25.740
 to be happy,

00:25:26.399 --> 00:25:26.740
 healthy,

00:25:27.599 --> 00:25:27.859
 wealthy,

00:25:28.279 --> 00:25:28.819
 and wise.

00:25:29.279 --> 00:25:31.099
 Plus, you get

00:25:31.099 --> 00:25:32.480
 the nice self-righteous

00:25:32.480 --> 00:25:33.700
 tinge of supporting

00:25:33.700 --> 00:25:34.659
 your local public

00:25:34.659 --> 00:25:35.460
 TV station.

00:25:38.879 --> 00:25:39.779
 Beth and I watch

00:25:39.779 --> 00:25:40.519
 a ton of public

00:25:40.519 --> 00:25:40.839
 television.

00:25:40.960 --> 00:25:41.399
 There's nothing

00:25:41.399 --> 00:25:42.079
 wrong with public

00:25:42.079 --> 00:25:42.480
 television.

00:25:45.039 --> 00:25:49.079
 But Paul knew

00:25:49.079 --> 00:25:49.700
 that if he showed

00:25:49.700 --> 00:25:50.359
 up in Corinth

00:25:50.359 --> 00:25:51.839
 asking for money

00:25:51.839 --> 00:25:52.740
 in response to

00:25:52.740 --> 00:25:53.319
 his preaching,

00:25:53.659 --> 00:25:54.319
 he would have

00:25:54.319 --> 00:25:55.279
 seemed like just

00:25:55.279 --> 00:25:56.519
 another Susie Orman

00:25:56.519 --> 00:25:58.159
 or Joel Fuhrman.

00:25:58.720 --> 00:25:59.659
 People would have

00:25:59.659 --> 00:26:00.500
 thought that this

00:26:00.500 --> 00:26:02.139
 Christian thing was

00:26:02.139 --> 00:26:03.399
 just another self-help

00:26:03.399 --> 00:26:05.039
 philosophy, just

00:26:05.039 --> 00:26:05.879
 another thing you can

00:26:05.879 --> 00:26:06.879
 dabble in and pick

00:26:06.879 --> 00:26:07.659
 and choose what works

00:26:07.659 --> 00:26:08.420
 for you and what

00:26:08.420 --> 00:26:10.180
 doesn't, just another

00:26:10.180 --> 00:26:11.000
 thing that will give

00:26:11.000 --> 00:26:11.779
 you a puffed up

00:26:11.779 --> 00:26:12.639
 identity over and

00:26:12.639 --> 00:26:13.279
 against your peers

00:26:13.279 --> 00:26:14.000
 because after all,

00:26:14.079 --> 00:26:14.839
 they don't have the

00:26:14.839 --> 00:26:15.539
 secrets and insights

00:26:15.539 --> 00:26:16.579
 that you now have.

00:26:17.960 --> 00:26:18.779
 And so rather than

00:26:18.779 --> 00:26:19.680
 put an obstacle in

00:26:19.680 --> 00:26:20.339
 the way of the gospel,

00:26:20.519 --> 00:26:21.339
 Paul says he made

00:26:21.339 --> 00:26:22.579
 no use of his right

00:26:22.579 --> 00:26:23.879
 and endured

00:26:23.879 --> 00:26:24.960
 anything.

00:26:28.920 --> 00:26:29.779
 And we know from

00:26:29.779 --> 00:26:30.940
 Acts chapter 18 a

00:26:30.940 --> 00:26:32.379
 little bit of what

00:26:32.379 --> 00:26:33.539
 that anything looked

00:26:33.539 --> 00:26:33.940
 like.

00:26:35.940 --> 00:26:36.879
 Rather than receive

00:26:36.879 --> 00:26:38.579
 financial support from

00:26:38.579 --> 00:26:39.759
 the church that he

00:26:39.759 --> 00:26:40.279
 was planting,

00:26:41.079 --> 00:26:42.460
 he worked a job in

00:26:42.460 --> 00:26:44.259
 the marketplace doing

00:26:44.259 --> 00:26:45.039
 manual labor,

00:26:45.860 --> 00:26:46.559
 building tents,

00:26:47.059 --> 00:26:48.920
 which didn't just

00:26:48.920 --> 00:26:49.960
 consume lots of time

00:26:49.960 --> 00:26:50.440
 and energy,

00:26:51.000 --> 00:26:52.600
 it also put him way

00:26:52.600 --> 00:26:54.079
 down on the social

00:26:54.079 --> 00:26:54.440
 ladder.

00:26:56.160 --> 00:26:56.920
 You know, today we

00:26:56.920 --> 00:26:58.220
 think craftsmen are

00:26:58.220 --> 00:27:00.220
 cool, especially if

00:27:00.220 --> 00:27:01.720
 they grow beards and

00:27:01.720 --> 00:27:02.980
 use words to describe

00:27:02.980 --> 00:27:03.680
 their work like

00:27:03.680 --> 00:27:05.980
 handcrafted or bespoke

00:27:05.980 --> 00:27:07.440
 or artisanal.

00:27:08.880 --> 00:27:09.799
 I mean, if Paul had

00:27:09.799 --> 00:27:10.920
 made tents in Brooklyn

00:27:10.920 --> 00:27:11.759
 today, he'd probably

00:27:11.759 --> 00:27:12.600
 have his own show on

00:27:12.600 --> 00:27:13.180
 HGTV.

00:27:19.360 --> 00:27:20.180
 But in the first

00:27:20.180 --> 00:27:21.320
 century, working with

00:27:21.320 --> 00:27:22.060
 your hands didn't have

00:27:22.060 --> 00:27:23.120
 any cultural clout.

00:27:24.340 --> 00:27:25.779
 It was looked down on

00:27:25.779 --> 00:27:26.900
 and it was undignified

00:27:26.900 --> 00:27:28.160
 because important people

00:27:28.160 --> 00:27:29.800
 didn't work with their

00:27:29.800 --> 00:27:31.259
 hands and influential

00:27:31.259 --> 00:27:32.779
 people didn't work with

00:27:32.779 --> 00:27:33.340
 their hands.

00:27:34.880 --> 00:27:35.720
 And yet Paul was

00:27:35.720 --> 00:27:36.580
 willing to endure

00:27:36.580 --> 00:27:39.120
 anything rather than

00:27:39.120 --> 00:27:40.080
 put an obstacle in the

00:27:40.079 --> 00:27:40.839
 way of the gospel.

00:27:44.279 --> 00:27:45.039
 How about us,

00:27:45.099 --> 00:27:45.359
 friends?

00:27:47.059 --> 00:27:48.019
 Are we willing to

00:27:48.019 --> 00:27:49.079
 endure anything?

00:27:54.179 --> 00:27:55.079
 Are we willing to

00:27:55.079 --> 00:27:57.379
 defer our rights so as

00:27:57.379 --> 00:27:58.460
 not to put an obstacle

00:27:58.460 --> 00:27:59.399
 between our neighbors

00:27:59.399 --> 00:28:00.199
 and the gospel?

00:28:01.319 --> 00:28:02.139
 Or between our

00:28:02.139 --> 00:28:03.099
 brothers and sisters in

00:28:03.099 --> 00:28:03.759
 the church and their

00:28:03.759 --> 00:28:04.980
 growth in the gospel?

00:28:06.059 --> 00:28:07.059
 Which is what Paul is

00:28:07.059 --> 00:28:07.759
 concerned about at the

00:28:07.759 --> 00:28:08.460
 end of chapter 8.

00:28:08.460 --> 00:28:12.400
 Now the tricky thing

00:28:12.400 --> 00:28:13.039
 about concrete

00:28:13.039 --> 00:28:14.019
 application here is

00:28:14.019 --> 00:28:14.840
 that it's so

00:28:14.840 --> 00:28:16.180
 relationship and

00:28:16.180 --> 00:28:17.660
 context specific.

00:28:18.980 --> 00:28:19.740
 What throws an

00:28:19.740 --> 00:28:20.400
 obstacle in the way of

00:28:20.400 --> 00:28:21.160
 the gospel in one

00:28:21.160 --> 00:28:21.880
 place or in one

00:28:21.880 --> 00:28:22.840
 relationship might not

00:28:22.840 --> 00:28:23.640
 do so in another.

00:28:24.640 --> 00:28:25.539
 So this would be a

00:28:25.539 --> 00:28:27.420
 great question as you

00:28:27.420 --> 00:28:28.420
 go out to lunch today

00:28:28.420 --> 00:28:29.360
 with your friends.

00:28:30.279 --> 00:28:31.480
 A great question to

00:28:31.480 --> 00:28:31.980
 discuss.

00:28:32.440 --> 00:28:33.440
 What particular

00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:35.019
 rights in my life,

00:28:35.140 --> 00:28:36.500
 if I were to keep

00:28:36.500 --> 00:28:37.720
 exercising them,

00:28:37.960 --> 00:28:38.700
 might throw an

00:28:38.700 --> 00:28:39.539
 obstacle in the way

00:28:39.539 --> 00:28:40.099
 of the gospel?

00:28:42.180 --> 00:28:43.559
 We need to be doing

00:28:43.559 --> 00:28:45.359
 this kind of discernment

00:28:45.359 --> 00:28:45.980
 in community,

00:28:46.180 --> 00:28:46.440
 friends.

00:28:46.720 --> 00:28:47.819
 We need each other's

00:28:47.819 --> 00:28:49.279
 eyes to see and to

00:28:49.279 --> 00:28:49.640
 discern.

00:28:52.319 --> 00:28:53.079
 But as I thought

00:28:53.079 --> 00:28:53.779
 about it, here's one

00:28:53.779 --> 00:28:54.660
 example for me

00:28:54.660 --> 00:28:55.480
 personally as a

00:28:55.480 --> 00:28:55.740
 pastor.

00:28:55.839 --> 00:28:56.299
 And you might think

00:28:56.299 --> 00:28:57.220
 this is crazy, but

00:28:57.220 --> 00:28:57.799
 here it is.

00:28:59.240 --> 00:29:00.279
 I think as a pastor,

00:29:00.400 --> 00:29:01.460
 I technically have the

00:29:01.460 --> 00:29:03.380
 right to register with

00:29:03.380 --> 00:29:04.140
 a political party,

00:29:04.140 --> 00:29:05.580
 whether it be Democrat

00:29:05.580 --> 00:29:06.480
 or Republican or

00:29:06.480 --> 00:29:07.259
 Green or whatever.

00:29:08.720 --> 00:29:09.680
 I also think that as

00:29:09.680 --> 00:29:10.400
 a pastor, I have the

00:29:10.400 --> 00:29:11.700
 right, in the right

00:29:11.700 --> 00:29:12.660
 context, in the proper

00:29:12.660 --> 00:29:13.560
 context, not from the

00:29:13.560 --> 00:29:14.500
 pulpit or not from any

00:29:14.500 --> 00:29:15.280
 gathered church setting,

00:29:15.960 --> 00:29:16.600
 but in the proper

00:29:16.600 --> 00:29:17.400
 context, I think I have

00:29:17.400 --> 00:29:18.240
 the right to talk about

00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:19.040
 who I'm personally

00:29:19.040 --> 00:29:19.780
 going to vote for and

00:29:19.780 --> 00:29:20.040
 why.

00:29:23.480 --> 00:29:24.140
 But you know, even

00:29:24.140 --> 00:29:24.759
 though I certainly

00:29:24.759 --> 00:29:27.200
 have that right, I'm

00:29:27.200 --> 00:29:27.900
 probably not going to

00:29:27.900 --> 00:29:28.520
 register with a

00:29:28.520 --> 00:29:29.140
 political party.

00:29:30.540 --> 00:29:31.360
 And I'm probably never

00:29:31.360 --> 00:29:32.020
 going to talk a lot

00:29:32.020 --> 00:29:32.860
 about who I vote for

00:29:32.860 --> 00:29:33.280
 and why.

00:29:35.140 --> 00:29:35.840
 How come?

00:29:38.040 --> 00:29:38.780
 Because I think it

00:29:38.780 --> 00:29:39.500
 would potentially put

00:29:39.500 --> 00:29:40.480
 an obstacle in the

00:29:40.480 --> 00:29:41.500
 way of the gospel for

00:29:41.500 --> 00:29:43.400
 me as a pastor to

00:29:43.400 --> 00:29:44.460
 strongly affiliate with

00:29:44.460 --> 00:29:45.160
 any one party.

00:29:46.560 --> 00:29:47.600
 Because ultimately, the

00:29:47.600 --> 00:29:49.460
 church stands apart from

00:29:49.460 --> 00:29:50.540
 any one political party,

00:29:50.780 --> 00:29:52.140
 just as it stands apart

00:29:52.140 --> 00:29:53.560
 from any one nationality

00:29:53.560 --> 00:29:54.140
 or culture.

00:29:55.660 --> 00:29:56.620
 And in my particular

00:29:56.620 --> 00:29:57.740
 role as a pastor, I

00:29:57.740 --> 00:29:58.900
 wouldn't want anyone to

00:29:58.900 --> 00:29:59.980
 think that this church

00:29:59.980 --> 00:30:02.460
 or the gospel itself

00:30:02.460 --> 00:30:04.000
 means buying into a

00:30:04.000 --> 00:30:05.000
 particular political

00:30:05.000 --> 00:30:06.099
 platform or agenda,

00:30:06.200 --> 00:30:07.059
 whether it's right or

00:30:07.059 --> 00:30:08.299
 left or center or up

00:30:08.299 --> 00:30:08.680
 or down.

00:30:11.359 --> 00:30:13.460
 Now, I'm not saying

00:30:13.460 --> 00:30:14.759
 that all Christians

00:30:14.759 --> 00:30:15.619
 should do the same

00:30:15.619 --> 00:30:16.960
 thing, that all

00:30:16.960 --> 00:30:17.519
 Christians shouldn't

00:30:17.519 --> 00:30:18.140
 register with this or

00:30:18.140 --> 00:30:18.920
 that party or shouldn't

00:30:18.920 --> 00:30:19.960
 strongly advocate for a

00:30:19.960 --> 00:30:21.019
 particular candidate.

00:30:22.019 --> 00:30:22.920
 Surely, actually, there

00:30:22.920 --> 00:30:24.440
 should be robust,

00:30:24.640 --> 00:30:25.460
 articulate Christian

00:30:25.460 --> 00:30:26.460
 voices in politics.

00:30:26.460 --> 00:30:27.680
 And I'm very thankful

00:30:27.680 --> 00:30:28.599
 for those that exist.

00:30:28.599 --> 00:30:32.259
 But in where God's put

00:30:32.259 --> 00:30:33.559
 me in my role as a

00:30:33.559 --> 00:30:35.179
 pastor, I wouldn't want

00:30:35.179 --> 00:30:36.919
 my personal political

00:30:36.919 --> 00:30:38.459
 leanings to stand in the

00:30:38.459 --> 00:30:39.579
 way of anyone coming to

00:30:39.579 --> 00:30:41.179
 grips with the gospel of

00:30:41.179 --> 00:30:43.159
 Jesus Christ, whose

00:30:43.159 --> 00:30:45.119
 lordship is over every

00:30:45.119 --> 00:30:47.439
 party and every tribe and

00:30:47.439 --> 00:30:47.959
 every tongue.

00:30:52.000 --> 00:30:55.139
 Now, honestly, that's not a

00:30:55.140 --> 00:30:56.420
 very costly thing for me to

00:30:56.420 --> 00:30:56.800
 give up.

00:30:58.840 --> 00:31:00.880
 I don't visit CNN four

00:31:00.880 --> 00:31:01.520
 times a day.

00:31:04.500 --> 00:31:05.820
 It seems kind of like a

00:31:05.820 --> 00:31:06.420
 small thing.

00:31:08.280 --> 00:31:08.860
 But, you know, I think

00:31:08.860 --> 00:31:09.720
 along the way, as we think

00:31:09.720 --> 00:31:10.360
 about this a little more

00:31:10.360 --> 00:31:11.280
 deeply, I think along the

00:31:11.280 --> 00:31:12.380
 way, we actually all

00:31:12.380 --> 00:31:13.960
 encounter moments when

00:31:13.960 --> 00:31:15.720
 giving up our rights feels

00:31:15.720 --> 00:31:17.380
 hard and is hard.

00:31:19.000 --> 00:31:20.080
 And it may not look as

00:31:20.080 --> 00:31:21.680
 massive as Paul giving up

00:31:21.680 --> 00:31:22.940
 his financial support or

00:31:22.940 --> 00:31:23.940
 the Corinthians refusing

00:31:23.940 --> 00:31:24.640
 to eat meat.

00:31:26.420 --> 00:31:27.279
 But, you know, when I've

00:31:27.279 --> 00:31:29.560
 worked a long week and

00:31:29.560 --> 00:31:31.480
 it's Friday night and I

00:31:31.480 --> 00:31:33.039
 just can't wait to crash

00:31:33.039 --> 00:31:35.180
 and sleep in, I sort of

00:31:35.180 --> 00:31:36.019
 feel like after a long

00:31:36.019 --> 00:31:37.259
 work week, I have a right

00:31:37.259 --> 00:31:39.360
 to a good night's sleep.

00:31:41.920 --> 00:31:43.480
 A right to a little peace

00:31:43.480 --> 00:31:44.259
 and quiet.

00:31:47.060 --> 00:31:48.279
 But when one of my kids

00:31:48.279 --> 00:31:51.080
 wakes up crying and I need

00:31:51.079 --> 00:31:52.199
 to go to them because

00:31:52.199 --> 00:31:53.960
 they're sick or because

00:31:53.960 --> 00:31:54.639
 they're having a bad

00:31:54.639 --> 00:31:57.000
 dream and then as soon

00:31:57.000 --> 00:31:58.099
 as that one falls asleep,

00:31:58.220 --> 00:31:59.139
 the other one wakes up

00:31:59.139 --> 00:32:00.259
 because they wet the bed

00:32:00.259 --> 00:32:01.699
 or because they want to

00:32:01.699 --> 00:32:03.220
 drink a water again.

00:32:06.899 --> 00:32:08.460
 I start to feel the tug

00:32:08.460 --> 00:32:11.980
 in my heart of giving up

00:32:11.980 --> 00:32:14.119
 what I feel is my right.

00:32:16.419 --> 00:32:17.599
 I don't want to give up my

00:32:17.599 --> 00:32:18.460
 right to a peaceful night.

00:32:18.599 --> 00:32:19.539
 I deserve a peaceful night.

00:32:19.639 --> 00:32:20.899
 I worked hard all week and

00:32:20.900 --> 00:32:21.759
 now it's being stripped

00:32:21.759 --> 00:32:23.540
 away one crying kid at a

00:32:23.540 --> 00:32:23.940
 time.

00:32:28.259 --> 00:32:29.660
 And not wanting to let go

00:32:29.660 --> 00:32:32.060
 of my rights, I get angry

00:32:32.060 --> 00:32:33.600
 and I get impatient.

00:32:37.320 --> 00:32:38.560
 And instead of displaying

00:32:38.560 --> 00:32:39.840
 the gospel in that moment,

00:32:40.360 --> 00:32:42.880
 I display my own selfishness.

00:32:42.880 --> 00:32:47.320
 I have such a right to have a

00:32:47.320 --> 00:32:52.140
 right to a certain quality of

00:32:52.140 --> 00:32:53.400
 life, a certain standard of

00:32:53.400 --> 00:32:53.660
 living.

00:32:54.700 --> 00:32:56.000
 I have such and such a

00:32:56.000 --> 00:32:56.380
 profession.

00:32:56.720 --> 00:32:58.640
 I make such and such a salary.

00:32:59.080 --> 00:33:00.740
 Therefore, I ought to have this

00:33:00.740 --> 00:33:02.180
 size house or drive this size

00:33:02.180 --> 00:33:03.480
 car or wear these sorts of

00:33:03.480 --> 00:33:03.900
 clothes.

00:33:05.320 --> 00:33:06.620
 Now, of course, there's nothing

00:33:06.620 --> 00:33:07.840
 wrong with those things in and

00:33:07.840 --> 00:33:08.340
 of themselves.

00:33:08.339 --> 00:33:10.980
 But what if giving up some of

00:33:10.980 --> 00:33:14.459
 those rights meant that we

00:33:14.459 --> 00:33:15.899
 could invest more in kingdom

00:33:15.899 --> 00:33:16.339
 work?

00:33:18.859 --> 00:33:20.379
 Would we be willing to surrender

00:33:20.379 --> 00:33:21.059
 some of those almost

00:33:21.059 --> 00:33:22.799
 unconsciously held rights for the

00:33:22.799 --> 00:33:23.559
 sake of the gospel?

00:33:25.079 --> 00:33:26.639
 Even if it meant living at a lower

00:33:26.639 --> 00:33:28.579
 standard of living than many of our

00:33:28.579 --> 00:33:29.459
 professional peers?

00:33:29.460 --> 00:33:34.460
 And what about our right to

00:33:34.460 --> 00:33:35.779
 personal independence and

00:33:35.779 --> 00:33:36.279
 flexibility?

00:33:37.440 --> 00:33:39.140
 Think, for example, of caring for

00:33:39.140 --> 00:33:40.120
 an elderly parent.

00:33:42.319 --> 00:33:43.940
 Are we willing to give up some of

00:33:43.940 --> 00:33:46.740
 our rights and to be tied down to

00:33:46.740 --> 00:33:49.400
 caring for them, visiting them,

00:33:50.440 --> 00:33:52.279
 calling them, possibly even taking

00:33:52.279 --> 00:33:53.380
 them into our own home?

00:33:54.460 --> 00:33:56.539
 Even if it means losing a lot of

00:33:56.539 --> 00:33:58.360
 our freedom, losing a lot of the

00:33:58.359 --> 00:34:00.759
 flexibility and independence that we

00:34:00.759 --> 00:34:01.879
 cherish so much?

00:34:03.979 --> 00:34:05.199
 Even if it means that our

00:34:05.199 --> 00:34:06.479
 profession might take a hit?

00:34:11.000 --> 00:34:12.739
 What about our right when someone

00:34:12.739 --> 00:34:16.159
 has wronged us or hurt us to pay

00:34:16.159 --> 00:34:16.719
 them back?

00:34:19.019 --> 00:34:20.679
 To pay them back usually through

00:34:20.679 --> 00:34:24.079
 cold silence or quiet, even polite

00:34:24.079 --> 00:34:24.759
 indifference.

00:34:27.179 --> 00:34:28.119
 Let's be honest.

00:34:28.360 --> 00:34:29.960
 None of us are out to kill each

00:34:29.960 --> 00:34:30.220
 other.

00:34:30.900 --> 00:34:32.579
 But man, we can kill with our

00:34:32.579 --> 00:34:33.640
 silence, can we not?

00:34:37.420 --> 00:34:39.660
 Are we willing to give up even this

00:34:39.660 --> 00:34:45.180
 right to get even and do the costly

00:34:45.180 --> 00:34:46.039
 work of forgiveness?

00:34:46.039 --> 00:34:52.440
 You see, friends, at this level, at the

00:34:52.440 --> 00:34:53.980
 heart level, forgoing our rights is

00:34:53.980 --> 00:34:54.639
 much harder.

00:34:57.079 --> 00:34:58.300
 That's part of the reason why Paul

00:34:58.300 --> 00:35:00.420
 just doesn't lay down rules because

00:35:00.420 --> 00:35:01.800
 he wants to get down deep.

00:35:05.619 --> 00:35:06.559
 And it's much harder.

00:35:08.000 --> 00:35:09.759
 And that all pushes us to ask the

00:35:09.759 --> 00:35:10.599
 question of how.

00:35:10.599 --> 00:35:14.579
 Where do we find the motivation, the

00:35:14.579 --> 00:35:16.259
 ability to actually do that?

00:35:17.739 --> 00:35:20.119
 All of us, I think, naturally want to

00:35:20.119 --> 00:35:22.960
 defend our rights, but few of us have

00:35:22.960 --> 00:35:25.059
 the strength to really defer them.

00:35:25.059 --> 00:35:34.619
 And where that strength comes from, I think, is

00:35:34.619 --> 00:35:36.599
 the third thing, the third big point that we

00:35:36.599 --> 00:35:37.360
 see in our text.

00:35:38.219 --> 00:35:42.320
 In the last paragraph of our text that we

00:35:42.320 --> 00:35:44.880
 read, verses 15 through 18, Paul speaks of his

00:35:44.880 --> 00:35:46.380
 ground for boasting.

00:35:47.380 --> 00:35:49.880
 And in a parallel expression at the end of the

00:35:49.880 --> 00:35:52.159
 paragraph, he speaks of his reward.

00:35:52.159 --> 00:35:53.500
 They're one and the same thing.

00:35:56.119 --> 00:35:58.359
 And he explains that for him, merely

00:35:58.359 --> 00:36:00.440
 preaching the gospel doesn't actually give

00:36:00.440 --> 00:36:01.500
 him anything to boast about.

00:36:01.940 --> 00:36:03.619
 Jesus has commanded him to preach the

00:36:03.619 --> 00:36:05.420
 gospel, therefore he has to preach the

00:36:05.420 --> 00:36:05.719
 gospel.

00:36:06.099 --> 00:36:07.960
 He's not doing this of his own will.

00:36:08.039 --> 00:36:09.519
 It's not like he chose one day to say,

00:36:09.619 --> 00:36:10.379
 oh, you know what I should do?

00:36:10.420 --> 00:36:11.579
 I should give up this and preach the

00:36:11.579 --> 00:36:11.799
 gospel.

00:36:11.960 --> 00:36:13.899
 No, he's doing it by the will of Christ.

00:36:14.079 --> 00:36:16.759
 So there's no reward for Paul in simply

00:36:16.759 --> 00:36:17.759
 preaching the gospel.

00:36:19.019 --> 00:36:20.739
 Just like we wouldn't give sort of

00:36:20.739 --> 00:36:22.139
 accolades to a certain kind of

00:36:22.139 --> 00:36:24.539
 car because it accelerates when you push

00:36:24.539 --> 00:36:25.379
 the gas pedal.

00:36:25.699 --> 00:36:27.500
 That's just what cars are supposed to do.

00:36:27.579 --> 00:36:28.659
 They do it by necessity.

00:36:31.460 --> 00:36:33.739
 So if Paul's reward isn't just the

00:36:33.739 --> 00:36:35.119
 preaching of the gospel, what is it?

00:36:38.940 --> 00:36:42.480
 That by voluntarily making no use of his

00:36:42.480 --> 00:36:46.259
 rights in the gospel, he can then offer

00:36:46.259 --> 00:36:48.420
 the gospel free of charge.

00:36:48.420 --> 00:36:51.940
 Isn't that a beautiful phrase?

00:36:51.940 --> 00:36:54.119
 Free of charge.

00:36:57.920 --> 00:37:00.159
 There's the reward, Paul says.

00:37:02.659 --> 00:37:04.300
 Now some have thought that Paul is

00:37:04.300 --> 00:37:06.400
 speaking of a heavenly reward here,

00:37:06.760 --> 00:37:09.139
 something that will come to him in the

00:37:09.139 --> 00:37:10.180
 new heavens and the new earth.

00:37:10.179 --> 00:37:14.879
 But others have understood Paul to be

00:37:14.879 --> 00:37:17.779
 saying that the offering of the gospel

00:37:17.779 --> 00:37:20.879
 itself free of charge is the reward.

00:37:24.879 --> 00:37:25.960
 How could that be?

00:37:26.179 --> 00:37:30.339
 How could the offering itself be the reward?

00:37:30.340 --> 00:37:36.440
 I wonder if you've ever seen something beautiful,

00:37:37.019 --> 00:37:40.820
 been really captured by it, and then wanted

00:37:40.820 --> 00:37:42.980
 others to see it and experience it too.

00:37:44.660 --> 00:37:46.360
 I remember visiting an art gallery with my

00:37:46.360 --> 00:37:49.100
 brother a number of years ago, and I was so

00:37:49.100 --> 00:37:50.660
 excited to take him with me.

00:37:50.880 --> 00:37:52.760
 He studied art in college as graphic designer,

00:37:52.900 --> 00:37:53.260
 blah, blah, blah.

00:37:53.500 --> 00:37:55.900
 I was so excited to take him with me because

00:37:55.900 --> 00:37:57.820
 I'd been there before and there was a certain

00:37:57.820 --> 00:37:59.559
 picture I really wanted him to see.

00:37:59.980 --> 00:38:02.460
 I think it was a Monet painting, like one of

00:38:02.460 --> 00:38:04.500
 his 4,000 paintings of water lilies.

00:38:05.500 --> 00:38:07.880
 But this one, for some reason, really struck me.

00:38:09.080 --> 00:38:11.960
 I remember looking at it and thinking that the

00:38:11.960 --> 00:38:14.860
 canvas almost looked like it was actually water

00:38:14.860 --> 00:38:16.440
 reflecting the light of the setting sun.

00:38:16.500 --> 00:38:17.580
 It was mesmerizing.

00:38:18.840 --> 00:38:20.400
 And I looked at prints of it afterwards, and

00:38:20.400 --> 00:38:22.360
 they just couldn't do it justice to just standing

00:38:22.360 --> 00:38:23.400
 before the real thing.

00:38:24.900 --> 00:38:27.240
 So I drug my brother through this gallery and

00:38:27.239 --> 00:38:30.000
 into the room where it was hung, only to find

00:38:30.000 --> 00:38:33.879
 that the painting had actually been loaned out

00:38:33.879 --> 00:38:35.079
 to another museum.

00:38:38.019 --> 00:38:40.159
 This is the National Gallery in London.

00:38:40.299 --> 00:38:41.939
 We were on the other side of the world, and

00:38:41.939 --> 00:38:43.579
 guess where they were loaning it out to?

00:38:44.619 --> 00:38:45.979
 Some museum in the States.

00:38:46.059 --> 00:38:46.619
 It was ridiculous.

00:38:47.859 --> 00:38:49.479
 I was so disappointed.

00:38:54.019 --> 00:38:56.039
 Now, maybe for you, it's not a Monet painting.

00:38:56.039 --> 00:38:56.739
 I get that.

00:38:58.800 --> 00:39:01.719
 But maybe you've pointed out a sunset to someone as

00:39:01.719 --> 00:39:02.800
 you're walking down the street.

00:39:04.699 --> 00:39:07.619
 Or maybe you've hiked with a friend to a favorite

00:39:07.619 --> 00:39:08.219
 waterfall.

00:39:10.259 --> 00:39:12.619
 Or maybe you've even handed your earbuds to a friend

00:39:12.619 --> 00:39:14.619
 and said, you've got to listen to this.

00:39:15.940 --> 00:39:18.420
 What are we hoping for in those moments?

00:39:18.420 --> 00:39:23.440
 What was I hoping for in that moment just before I discovered

00:39:23.440 --> 00:39:25.900
 the Monet had been shipped to a far-off museum?

00:39:29.599 --> 00:39:32.599
 I mean, at a very simple, maybe, but profound level,

00:39:32.659 --> 00:39:36.780
 I was hoping that he would be able to see what I saw,

00:39:37.340 --> 00:39:40.360
 to experience what I had experienced,

00:39:40.360 --> 00:39:44.300
 and that somehow we'd be able then to share together

00:39:44.300 --> 00:39:46.300
 in this thing of beauty.

00:39:47.800 --> 00:39:50.800
 And I wasn't really wanting anything beyond that.

00:39:51.300 --> 00:39:54.680
 I wasn't expecting the museum to give me a commission

00:39:54.680 --> 00:39:56.500
 or a kickback on our entrance fee,

00:39:56.920 --> 00:39:58.000
 because I showed it to him.

00:39:58.539 --> 00:40:01.000
 I wasn't expecting my brother to buy me lunch

00:40:01.000 --> 00:40:02.620
 for showing him such a cool painting.

00:40:02.619 --> 00:40:06.460
 None of that was the reward.

00:40:07.659 --> 00:40:10.319
 The very act of helping him see what I saw

00:40:10.319 --> 00:40:11.980
 and of getting him to see what I saw,

00:40:12.179 --> 00:40:13.500
 that was the reward.

00:40:14.779 --> 00:40:17.359
 Because the thing itself was worthy of beholding.

00:40:21.339 --> 00:40:24.420
 When Paul says that presenting the gospel free of charge

00:40:24.420 --> 00:40:26.279
 is itself his reward,

00:40:27.319 --> 00:40:29.440
 it's because in doing so,

00:40:29.440 --> 00:40:32.760
 he gets to participate in a process

00:40:32.760 --> 00:40:34.360
 of helping others to see,

00:40:34.579 --> 00:40:37.039
 to experience what he himself saw,

00:40:37.260 --> 00:40:38.760
 self-saw and experienced.

00:40:40.539 --> 00:40:42.920
 A beauty so ravishing

00:40:42.920 --> 00:40:45.860
 that it changed his life forever.

00:40:49.720 --> 00:40:52.639
 That there was one who was in very nature God

00:40:52.639 --> 00:40:57.260
 and who possessed every right of God himself.

00:40:57.260 --> 00:41:02.440
 The right to glory and honor and freedom and strength.

00:41:03.140 --> 00:41:05.240
 But who, though being equal with God,

00:41:05.380 --> 00:41:07.020
 didn't exploit those rights,

00:41:07.100 --> 00:41:09.920
 but gave them up and became a lowly servant

00:41:09.920 --> 00:41:13.800
 and died on a cross for the sins of humanity.

00:41:16.540 --> 00:41:18.100
 Friends, what is our sin?

00:41:20.240 --> 00:41:23.900
 Is it not grabbing to ourselves rights

00:41:23.900 --> 00:41:25.900
 that aren't rightfully ours?

00:41:25.900 --> 00:41:28.780
 Putting ourself in the place of God

00:41:28.780 --> 00:41:31.119
 and demanding the right to run our own lives

00:41:31.119 --> 00:41:33.700
 and our own world apart from him,

00:41:33.860 --> 00:41:34.800
 without him,

00:41:35.039 --> 00:41:36.300
 even against him.

00:41:39.660 --> 00:41:41.300
 But friends, what is our redemption?

00:41:44.820 --> 00:41:46.440
 In a beautiful reversal,

00:41:46.639 --> 00:41:47.480
 Jesus Christ,

00:41:47.599 --> 00:41:49.440
 the one true rightful one

00:41:49.440 --> 00:41:51.639
 who has every right,

00:41:52.639 --> 00:41:54.800
 empties himself of those rights.

00:41:55.900 --> 00:41:57.660
 and dies our death

00:41:57.660 --> 00:42:00.019
 and rises again

00:42:00.019 --> 00:42:03.840
 so that all who trust in him

00:42:03.840 --> 00:42:06.400
 might be forgiven and made right with God.

00:42:06.400 --> 00:42:13.539
 when Paul presents the gospel free of charge,

00:42:13.780 --> 00:42:15.660
 making no use of his rights,

00:42:15.960 --> 00:42:19.700
 he becomes an illustration of the gospel itself.

00:42:20.700 --> 00:42:23.119
 The good news of the grace of God

00:42:23.119 --> 00:42:25.180
 that costs us nothing,

00:42:26.059 --> 00:42:28.940
 but that costs Jesus everything.

00:42:28.940 --> 00:42:33.000
 And friends,

00:42:33.059 --> 00:42:35.260
 every time you and I are presented with an opportunity

00:42:35.260 --> 00:42:38.300
 to lay down our rights for the sake of others,

00:42:38.880 --> 00:42:42.639
 we are offered with the prospect of the same reward.

00:42:42.639 --> 00:42:45.900
 The reward of becoming,

00:42:46.119 --> 00:42:48.119
 in the very shape of our life,

00:42:48.379 --> 00:42:49.539
 a display of the gospel.

00:42:49.659 --> 00:42:51.940
 The reward of helping others to see

00:42:51.940 --> 00:42:54.279
 and to experience in a tangible,

00:42:54.659 --> 00:42:55.679
 incarnate way,

00:42:55.759 --> 00:42:57.440
 the beauty of what Jesus has done

00:42:57.440 --> 00:42:59.259
 for you and for me.

00:43:00.219 --> 00:43:01.519
 The thing that's grabbed us

00:43:01.519 --> 00:43:02.539
 and turned us around

00:43:02.539 --> 00:43:04.980
 and made our lives completely different forever.

00:43:04.980 --> 00:43:10.280
 wouldn't that be a reward?

00:43:11.420 --> 00:43:15.380
 To participate in that kind of work.

00:43:20.380 --> 00:43:22.539
 So friends, yes, rights are a good thing.

00:43:23.659 --> 00:43:25.480
 Something to cherish and to uphold.

00:43:26.740 --> 00:43:29.320
 But don't you see that only the gospel of Jesus Christ

00:43:29.320 --> 00:43:31.659
 can help us use our rights in the right way

00:43:31.659 --> 00:43:33.940
 as a means of loving others

00:43:33.940 --> 00:43:34.940
 and building them up

00:43:34.940 --> 00:43:37.240
 and displaying the love of Christ to the world?

00:43:40.960 --> 00:43:43.599
 And may we be willing to lay down our rights

00:43:43.599 --> 00:43:46.940
 to share in that great reward.

00:43:49.179 --> 00:43:49.900
 Let's pray.

00:43:56.039 --> 00:43:58.700
 Father, we confess that we need your Holy Spirit

00:43:58.700 --> 00:44:02.639
 to take these truths

00:44:02.639 --> 00:44:05.039
 and actualize them in our hearts

00:44:05.039 --> 00:44:05.839
 and in our lives.

00:44:07.379 --> 00:44:09.559
 God, we are so prone to defend

00:44:09.559 --> 00:44:14.679
 and yet so hard-pressed

00:44:14.679 --> 00:44:16.299
 to defer.

00:44:18.219 --> 00:44:19.799
 Lord, I pray that you would give us wisdom

00:44:19.799 --> 00:44:20.659
 for this task.

00:44:23.359 --> 00:44:24.779
 God, I pray that you would help us

00:44:24.779 --> 00:44:25.960
 to see times when

00:44:25.960 --> 00:44:27.940
 the giving up of our rights

00:44:27.940 --> 00:44:29.539
 would not be the right thing to do.

00:44:29.539 --> 00:44:32.099
 God, that we would be willing

00:44:32.099 --> 00:44:36.139
 to stand up for those who are oppressed

00:44:36.139 --> 00:44:37.199
 or who are wronged

00:44:37.199 --> 00:44:39.279
 or who are being trampled upon.

00:44:39.940 --> 00:44:41.139
 Pray that you would give courage

00:44:41.139 --> 00:44:42.960
 to those who are in relationships

00:44:42.960 --> 00:44:44.659
 or situations that are abusive

00:44:44.659 --> 00:44:46.820
 where their rights have been taken away.

00:44:47.059 --> 00:44:48.119
 God, I pray that you would help them

00:44:48.119 --> 00:44:49.820
 to see that their rights are a good thing

00:44:49.820 --> 00:44:51.139
 and they are worthy of defense

00:44:51.139 --> 00:44:53.199
 and worthy of standing up for.

00:44:56.659 --> 00:44:58.579
 But God, I pray that you would also help us

00:44:58.579 --> 00:44:59.659
 to see those times

00:44:59.659 --> 00:45:00.379
 and those moments

00:45:00.379 --> 00:45:01.279
 and those relationships

00:45:01.279 --> 00:45:03.400
 where we need to lay them down

00:45:03.400 --> 00:45:06.779
 and bear a cost.

00:45:09.460 --> 00:45:11.159
 Lord, knowing that whatever cost we bear

00:45:11.159 --> 00:45:13.219
 is nothing compared to what you bore for us

00:45:13.219 --> 00:45:16.919
 and knowing that for the joy set before you,

00:45:17.699 --> 00:45:18.959
 you bore the cross

00:45:18.959 --> 00:45:20.919
 and that there is joy before us

00:45:20.919 --> 00:45:22.639
 in following your pattern.

00:45:25.639 --> 00:45:27.059
 Father, we ask this not

00:45:27.059 --> 00:45:29.619
 in our own worthiness

00:45:29.619 --> 00:45:30.679
 or in our own rights

00:45:30.679 --> 00:45:31.759
 but in the rights of the name

00:45:31.759 --> 00:45:33.059
 of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

00:45:33.500 --> 00:45:33.879
 Amen.

00:45:33.879 --> 00:45:34.039
 Amen.