WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:07.540 Well, good evening, everyone. Thank you so much for your warm welcome, Willie. And let me bring 00:00:07.540 --> 00:00:13.640 the prayers and the greasings of your brothers and sisters in Grace Church Montrose. It's wonderful, 00:00:13.839 --> 00:00:19.679 really, really is wonderful to be with you. As we read from 1 Corinthians, would you please 00:00:19.679 --> 00:00:23.859 open up back up there if you'd close your Bibles? That's where we're going to be spending all our 00:00:23.859 --> 00:00:29.280 time together this evening. And let's pray, let's ask God in prayer one more time for his help 00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:38.240 as we open it up and dig into it together. God, our Father, we pray this evening, please 00:00:38.240 --> 00:00:48.740 speak clearly to us. Help us to understand how we as your people should live in a way that 00:00:48.740 --> 00:00:58.100 honors you and seeks the best for others. Pleased by your Spirit, the Spirit who inspired your 00:00:58.100 --> 00:01:03.500 words, illuminate it for us this evening, so that we would not just be hearers of your 00:01:03.500 --> 00:01:11.799 words, but doers of it as well. Work through us and in us this evening, we pray in Jesus' 00:01:11.960 --> 00:01:15.819 name. Amen. Amen. 00:01:16.700 --> 00:01:23.560 Now let me open up a time together, just asking you a question. I wonder if any of you know 00:01:23.560 --> 00:01:31.960 how many selfies somebody in their early 20s is predicted to take in a lifetime. I wonder if any 00:01:31.960 --> 00:01:37.680 of you have got a guess. How many selfies do you think somebody is predicted to take? We've got quite 00:01:37.680 --> 00:01:43.079 a quiet audience in here. For those who are online, there is no one speaking at all. The answer is, how 00:01:43.079 --> 00:01:53.459 many? A thousand. A thousand in a lifetime. No, the number is 25,700 selfies somebody in their early 20s is 00:01:53.459 --> 00:02:00.439 predicted to take in their lifetime. Or to put it into another metric, people are predicted to take, 00:02:01.299 --> 00:02:10.620 spend 53 hours per year taking selfies. 53 hours per year taking selfies. If that's you and you need to 00:02:10.620 --> 00:02:13.800 seek help, come and talk to one of the elders afterwards. I'm sure they'd like to pray for 00:02:13.800 --> 00:02:21.680 deliverance for you on that. One of my slight bugbears is I gave up social media a while ago, 00:02:21.719 --> 00:02:26.500 but every so often I look over my wife's shoulder and look at her pictures, whether that's on 00:02:26.500 --> 00:02:33.219 Instagram or Facebook or whatever it is. You know, historically what you would do if you had a camera, 00:02:33.379 --> 00:02:37.080 what you would have done is you would have looked in an event and you would have looked through a lens 00:02:37.080 --> 00:02:42.340 and taken a picture of something. But what happens now is instead you turn the picture against you, 00:02:42.900 --> 00:02:48.220 your phone against you, and now you become front and centre. And where my issue is, is when it comes 00:02:48.220 --> 00:02:54.520 to pictures of weddings. So often I see pictures of people going to weddings, but I never see a 00:02:54.520 --> 00:02:58.920 picture of the people actually getting married. Normally it's a picture of the selfie of the two 00:02:58.920 --> 00:03:03.860 people or the one person who's been, and you never find out who it was that got married or how they 00:03:03.860 --> 00:03:11.620 looked or how they dressed. What we're looking at this evening together is a passage in a letter that 00:03:11.620 --> 00:03:18.960 Paul wrote to the early church in Corinth. And what he wants them to do, what God wants us to do, 00:03:19.120 --> 00:03:25.720 as his people, is to decenter ourselves. Take ourselves out of the centre of the frame 00:03:25.720 --> 00:03:33.720 and seek to put God in his glory and others in their good right in the centre of it. 00:03:34.820 --> 00:03:40.320 And particularly the goods that Paul speaks about here, what he's doing in this section of 1 Corinthians 00:03:40.320 --> 00:03:43.960 that we've come to the end of here, I'll explain a little bit more about that as we go along, 00:03:44.820 --> 00:03:50.160 is he wants to make sure of the salvation of all his brothers and sisters and those who he meets in 00:03:50.160 --> 00:03:57.940 his community. And where we are here is at the end of a section in 1 Corinthians, 1 Corinthians chapter 8 00:03:57.939 --> 00:04:05.020 through to 11 verse 1. And here is the culmination of his arguments. What Paul is doing is he's trying 00:04:05.020 --> 00:04:14.979 to help the church in Corinth think about what does it look like to live as God's people in a world 00:04:14.979 --> 00:04:22.779 that rejects and ignores God. What does it look like for those who have been transformed by the grace of God, 00:04:22.779 --> 00:04:29.719 whose lives have been turned upside down to live in a world that is the other way around to the way we now see the world? 00:04:30.319 --> 00:04:34.739 You see, what Paul says is that those who have believed in Jesus 00:04:34.740 --> 00:04:44.340 are now shaped by a wisdom that looks totally opposite to what the world pushes forward. 00:04:45.699 --> 00:04:51.060 A wisdom that is rooted in the fact that Jesus, the King of all creation, 00:04:51.699 --> 00:05:01.699 came to die on a cross, living in poverty amongst people whom he came to save and was rejected by. 00:05:01.699 --> 00:05:08.680 And so what Paul wants us to do is to de-centre ourselves and our chief consideration must be 00:05:08.680 --> 00:05:14.740 the salvation of others and the glory of God. And that shapes all that we do. 00:05:15.279 --> 00:05:23.599 This whole section is deeply helpful for you on that front. I'd really encourage you to read through it. 00:05:24.180 --> 00:05:27.819 But I've got two big points for you this evening. If you're those people who like to take notes, 00:05:27.819 --> 00:05:34.099 I've got two points for you. And the first point this evening is this. Eat and don't eat. 00:05:35.300 --> 00:05:42.639 Eat and don't eat. Now it's my fault I should have said that we should have read from verse 23. 00:05:42.759 --> 00:05:48.399 So let me just read it for completion's sake. Verse 23, Paul says this, 00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:54.399 I have the right to do anything, you say, but not everything is beneficial. I have the right to do anything, 00:05:54.879 --> 00:06:01.479 but not everything is constructive. You see, this is kind of sums up what Paul is trying to do here. 00:06:02.120 --> 00:06:09.359 While the Christians have the ability to do certain things, while they have been freed by the grace of God, 00:06:09.360 --> 00:06:14.360 that is not what is to shape the decisions that they make. 00:06:16.360 --> 00:06:22.960 Their rights must be set aside when they're seeking the good for others. 00:06:23.600 --> 00:06:25.560 Responsibility over rights, we might say. 00:06:26.639 --> 00:06:30.319 And so here, what Paul is saying, and he kind of gives us a few case studies here, 00:06:30.780 --> 00:06:35.060 is he's saying this, eat and don't eat. Have a look at those two case studies with me. 00:06:35.139 --> 00:06:35.900 Verse 25, 00:06:35.899 --> 00:06:41.439 Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, 00:06:42.199 --> 00:06:46.079 for the earth is the Lord's and everything in it. 00:06:46.579 --> 00:06:52.639 So here, the first case is, imagine this, you're going to the local market and you are walking along 00:06:52.639 --> 00:06:56.159 and you're walking in your tweed jackets, one of those lovely kind of middle class markets, 00:06:56.459 --> 00:07:01.079 and you're walking along and you walk past and you see this venison in one corner 00:07:01.079 --> 00:07:05.479 and you see this lamb in another, you see this chicken in another place and pork in another. 00:07:05.899 --> 00:07:10.259 And what Paul is saying is, as you walk down and you're looking at these different meats, 00:07:11.779 --> 00:07:14.939 you're not to worry about where they've come from. 00:07:15.839 --> 00:07:21.419 You're not meant to pull aside the man or the woman who's manning the stall and say, 00:07:21.759 --> 00:07:23.259 where did this come from? 00:07:23.359 --> 00:07:25.099 What happened to it before it came here? 00:07:25.279 --> 00:07:26.099 Who touched it? 00:07:26.239 --> 00:07:27.199 How was it killed? 00:07:27.560 --> 00:07:29.539 Who was it sacrificed to? 00:07:29.540 --> 00:07:34.600 What Paul is saying here is, don't worry about that, it's all. 00:07:34.939 --> 00:07:37.939 Your conscience need not be panged on that front. 00:07:38.600 --> 00:07:42.439 Fear not, you can eat this food however you want. 00:07:42.500 --> 00:07:44.840 Or here's the other scenario that we get. 00:07:45.280 --> 00:07:45.540 Verse 27, 00:07:45.540 --> 00:07:49.620 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, 00:07:50.060 --> 00:07:54.439 eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. 00:07:54.439 --> 00:07:59.360 What Paul is saying here is, imagining that you're invited around to a meal, 00:08:00.079 --> 00:08:03.800 you've sat down at a table, the food is put in front of you. 00:08:04.319 --> 00:08:06.699 Once more again, you don't need to stop and say, 00:08:07.579 --> 00:08:09.139 hey, where did this come from? 00:08:09.800 --> 00:08:10.879 Who touched it on the way? 00:08:11.019 --> 00:08:11.899 How was it killed? 00:08:12.379 --> 00:08:13.800 Who was it sacrificed to? 00:08:13.800 --> 00:08:15.939 No, instead, Paul says, 00:08:16.460 --> 00:08:19.620 you can eat it freely without your conscience panging, 00:08:20.079 --> 00:08:22.040 without any fear or anxiety. 00:08:22.500 --> 00:08:25.400 You can take that with joy and thanksgiving. 00:08:26.360 --> 00:08:29.379 The passage just before what we're reading now, 00:08:30.319 --> 00:08:35.180 Paul was telling them that they are in no way to eat food 00:08:35.180 --> 00:08:37.620 which have been sacrificed to idols. 00:08:38.460 --> 00:08:39.440 Yet here he's saying, 00:08:39.440 --> 00:08:42.360 you don't need to fear where the food comes from, 00:08:42.360 --> 00:08:44.259 even if it has been sacrificed to idols. 00:08:44.600 --> 00:08:45.519 What's the difference? 00:08:45.960 --> 00:08:48.940 In this scenario, back in this, earlier in the chapter, 00:08:49.379 --> 00:08:51.700 this is going into a temple where you are, 00:08:52.120 --> 00:08:53.539 people know what's going on, 00:08:53.759 --> 00:08:55.100 where the food is being given, 00:08:55.700 --> 00:08:58.080 obviously and openly in an act of worship. 00:08:58.820 --> 00:08:59.560 And what Paul is saying, 00:08:59.680 --> 00:09:00.659 by doing that, 00:09:01.180 --> 00:09:03.960 you are uniting yourself to the God 00:09:03.960 --> 00:09:06.320 whom that food has been eaten to. 00:09:07.240 --> 00:09:08.860 But here Paul is saying, 00:09:09.440 --> 00:09:10.820 you don't need to worry about that 00:09:10.820 --> 00:09:12.640 because, verse 26, 00:09:13.440 --> 00:09:15.420 for the earth is the Lord's 00:09:15.420 --> 00:09:17.800 and everything in it. 00:09:18.760 --> 00:09:20.100 And so what Paul is wanting 00:09:20.100 --> 00:09:21.680 the Christians here to know, 00:09:21.740 --> 00:09:23.500 and he wants us to remember is this, 00:09:24.320 --> 00:09:27.100 is we don't need to ask where it came from 00:09:27.100 --> 00:09:29.060 because as Christians, 00:09:29.060 --> 00:09:30.820 we know that everything 00:09:30.820 --> 00:09:34.360 comes from the hands of the good God 00:09:34.360 --> 00:09:35.200 whom we serve. 00:09:35.200 --> 00:09:38.520 He's saying we don't need to worry 00:09:38.520 --> 00:09:39.500 or be anxious. 00:09:40.900 --> 00:09:42.360 He said all we need to do 00:09:42.360 --> 00:09:43.520 when we receive food 00:09:43.520 --> 00:09:45.780 is to receive it with thanksgiving. 00:09:46.420 --> 00:09:48.560 Because we remember a good God 00:09:48.560 --> 00:09:50.980 who gives good gifts, 00:09:51.680 --> 00:09:53.460 seeking the good of his people 00:09:53.460 --> 00:09:56.220 to sustain us as we live in this world. 00:09:57.480 --> 00:09:58.960 The earth is the Lord's 00:09:58.960 --> 00:10:00.240 and everything in it. 00:10:01.159 --> 00:10:02.820 It's that reminder for us 00:10:02.820 --> 00:10:05.159 to whenever whatever God gives us 00:10:05.159 --> 00:10:07.000 is to thank you for us. 00:10:07.720 --> 00:10:08.419 I know so often 00:10:08.419 --> 00:10:10.740 when we gather together for meals, 00:10:11.580 --> 00:10:13.060 when we thank God for the food, 00:10:13.120 --> 00:10:14.220 it can be quite perfunctory. 00:10:14.360 --> 00:10:15.139 We've got a toddler 00:10:15.139 --> 00:10:16.879 who we're teaching the prayer for 00:10:16.879 --> 00:10:17.899 and at the moment 00:10:17.899 --> 00:10:19.159 it seems to be more of a password 00:10:19.159 --> 00:10:20.740 for him to get to the food quicker 00:10:20.740 --> 00:10:22.180 than having for us. 00:10:22.220 --> 00:10:23.799 So he tries to pray before I do. 00:10:23.940 --> 00:10:25.039 Thank you God for food. 00:10:25.320 --> 00:10:25.580 Amen. 00:10:25.779 --> 00:10:26.200 Let's eat. 00:10:26.200 --> 00:10:29.160 But it's a reminder here 00:10:29.160 --> 00:10:32.259 that wherever the food has come from, 00:10:32.920 --> 00:10:34.300 we don't need to be fearful. 00:10:35.500 --> 00:10:37.120 We can be joyful 00:10:37.120 --> 00:10:38.480 and thankful 00:10:38.480 --> 00:10:40.440 for what God has given us. 00:10:40.960 --> 00:10:42.220 And so what Paul is saying here 00:10:42.220 --> 00:10:43.460 to the church is eat. 00:10:43.980 --> 00:10:45.759 Eat without your conscience panging. 00:10:46.300 --> 00:10:47.940 Because you know there is one God 00:10:47.940 --> 00:10:50.840 who has given good gifts to his people. 00:10:51.680 --> 00:10:53.900 Yes, have a look at where he goes then 00:10:53.899 --> 00:10:55.579 in verse 28. 00:10:56.699 --> 00:10:58.659 But if someone says to you, 00:10:59.240 --> 00:11:01.659 this has been offered in sacrifice, 00:11:02.419 --> 00:11:03.559 then do not eat it, 00:11:04.000 --> 00:11:06.259 both for the sake of the one who told you 00:11:06.259 --> 00:11:10.679 and for the sake of conscience. 00:11:15.819 --> 00:11:16.959 Here the issue, 00:11:17.539 --> 00:11:18.639 what Paul is saying, 00:11:19.240 --> 00:11:21.279 is that our own conscience 00:11:21.279 --> 00:11:22.860 is freed and liberated. 00:11:22.860 --> 00:11:25.300 We trust and we know 00:11:25.300 --> 00:11:26.399 who God is 00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:28.100 and what he has given us. 00:11:29.220 --> 00:11:30.940 But the concern here, 00:11:31.379 --> 00:11:32.960 the way that the decision 00:11:32.960 --> 00:11:34.419 is made by a Christian 00:11:34.419 --> 00:11:37.060 is not primarily about 00:11:37.060 --> 00:11:38.620 what we can do 00:11:38.620 --> 00:11:40.240 or what benefits us, 00:11:41.000 --> 00:11:43.279 but what another thinks 00:11:43.279 --> 00:11:44.080 that they can do 00:11:44.080 --> 00:11:47.560 and what might benefit them. 00:11:49.360 --> 00:11:50.460 This kind of shifts. 00:11:50.539 --> 00:11:51.460 This is what we're saying 00:11:51.460 --> 00:11:52.580 about the shift 00:11:52.580 --> 00:11:54.340 and the worldly mentality, 00:11:54.840 --> 00:11:55.980 the worldly wisdom 00:11:55.980 --> 00:11:57.120 that shapes the whole 00:11:57.120 --> 00:12:00.259 of what Paul is trying to undo here, 00:12:01.180 --> 00:12:02.740 is that the worldly mentality, 00:12:02.960 --> 00:12:04.080 if it is lawful, 00:12:04.139 --> 00:12:04.980 then I can do it, 00:12:05.080 --> 00:12:05.820 no matter what. 00:12:07.700 --> 00:12:09.780 But the mentality of the kingdom of God says, 00:12:10.180 --> 00:12:11.000 wait a second, 00:12:12.000 --> 00:12:13.680 what can I do 00:12:13.680 --> 00:12:15.580 that serves others? 00:12:15.580 --> 00:12:18.500 de-centers ourselves 00:12:18.500 --> 00:12:19.060 and thinks, 00:12:19.420 --> 00:12:20.120 think to ourselves, 00:12:20.259 --> 00:12:21.020 what is the good, 00:12:21.139 --> 00:12:21.900 what is the benefit, 00:12:22.060 --> 00:12:22.920 what is the advantage 00:12:22.920 --> 00:12:24.240 for another? 00:12:25.460 --> 00:12:26.639 Who is it that is asking 00:12:26.639 --> 00:12:27.400 this question? 00:12:27.639 --> 00:12:27.860 Well, 00:12:28.100 --> 00:12:29.020 if you have a look down 00:12:29.020 --> 00:12:29.840 at verse 00:12:29.840 --> 00:12:30.680 20, 00:12:31.040 --> 00:12:31.320 30, 00:12:31.480 --> 00:12:32.200 verse 32, 00:12:32.360 --> 00:12:33.180 do not cause anyone 00:12:33.180 --> 00:12:33.700 to stumble, 00:12:33.820 --> 00:12:34.540 whether Jews, 00:12:34.860 --> 00:12:35.180 Greeks, 00:12:35.340 --> 00:12:36.480 or the church of God. 00:12:36.860 --> 00:12:37.940 This can be a question 00:12:37.940 --> 00:12:40.120 from a Jewish person, 00:12:40.700 --> 00:12:41.240 a Greek, 00:12:41.460 --> 00:12:42.080 these would have been 00:12:42.080 --> 00:12:43.360 the two dominant people 00:12:43.360 --> 00:12:44.320 that they would have encountered 00:12:44.320 --> 00:12:44.800 in Corinth, 00:12:45.399 --> 00:12:47.240 or a Christian as well. 00:12:48.639 --> 00:12:50.120 Someone whose conscience 00:12:50.120 --> 00:12:50.980 might be panged 00:12:50.980 --> 00:12:52.659 by what you are doing. 00:12:55.220 --> 00:12:55.740 So, 00:12:55.940 --> 00:12:57.740 let me put forward to you 00:12:57.740 --> 00:12:58.980 a few case studies 00:12:58.980 --> 00:12:59.680 that might help us 00:12:59.680 --> 00:13:01.300 to translate it to here. 00:13:01.659 --> 00:13:01.879 You see, 00:13:02.180 --> 00:13:03.100 what Paul is doing 00:13:03.100 --> 00:13:03.960 is he's thinking through 00:13:03.960 --> 00:13:06.080 one of the most prominent examples 00:13:06.080 --> 00:13:06.820 that is going on 00:13:06.820 --> 00:13:07.740 in the life of Corinth. 00:13:08.420 --> 00:13:09.539 But underneath this 00:13:09.539 --> 00:13:10.120 are principles 00:13:10.120 --> 00:13:11.320 which are meant to shape 00:13:11.320 --> 00:13:12.539 the life of Christians, 00:13:12.539 --> 00:13:13.860 not just 00:13:13.860 --> 00:13:16.360 1900 years ago, 00:13:16.579 --> 00:13:17.559 but shape the way 00:13:17.559 --> 00:13:18.740 that we think 00:13:18.740 --> 00:13:20.639 our service 00:13:20.639 --> 00:13:21.679 here in Edinburgh 00:13:21.679 --> 00:13:22.740 and wherever it is 00:13:22.740 --> 00:13:23.459 that you are from. 00:13:24.419 --> 00:13:24.980 And so let me 00:13:24.980 --> 00:13:26.199 put a few 00:13:26.199 --> 00:13:27.179 forward of these. 00:13:27.259 --> 00:13:28.059 And I wonder if you want to, 00:13:28.360 --> 00:13:29.319 I'll give you some answers, 00:13:29.559 --> 00:13:30.179 but these are ones 00:13:30.179 --> 00:13:31.399 for you to think through 00:13:31.399 --> 00:13:32.759 and consider 00:13:32.759 --> 00:13:33.779 what does it look like 00:13:33.779 --> 00:13:34.240 for you 00:13:34.240 --> 00:13:35.039 as you seek to 00:13:35.039 --> 00:13:35.879 live out 00:13:35.879 --> 00:13:37.240 what Paul says here. 00:13:37.819 --> 00:13:38.519 So imagine 00:13:38.519 --> 00:13:39.939 you're at work 00:13:39.940 --> 00:13:42.140 and you've made 00:13:42.140 --> 00:13:42.960 the long walk 00:13:42.960 --> 00:13:43.600 this week, 00:13:43.760 --> 00:13:44.280 the temperatures 00:13:44.280 --> 00:13:44.960 have gone up 00:13:44.960 --> 00:13:46.320 and you've made 00:13:46.320 --> 00:13:47.440 that long walk 00:13:47.440 --> 00:13:49.040 to the Bacon Bussey shop. 00:13:49.520 --> 00:13:51.160 You've just been craving it. 00:13:51.840 --> 00:13:52.720 You get all the way 00:13:52.720 --> 00:13:53.440 there and back, 00:13:53.480 --> 00:13:54.360 it's taken 20 minutes 00:13:54.360 --> 00:13:54.740 to get there, 00:13:54.800 --> 00:13:55.760 20 minutes to get back 00:13:55.760 --> 00:13:56.960 and your back 00:13:56.960 --> 00:13:58.480 is dripping with sweat 00:13:58.480 --> 00:13:59.640 but you think 00:13:59.640 --> 00:14:00.500 this is the best 00:14:00.500 --> 00:14:01.500 Bacon Bussey in town, 00:14:01.600 --> 00:14:02.120 this is wonderful. 00:14:02.280 --> 00:14:02.980 You sit down 00:14:02.980 --> 00:14:03.680 and you're just about 00:14:03.680 --> 00:14:04.380 to unwrap it 00:14:04.379 --> 00:14:05.820 and then one of your 00:14:05.820 --> 00:14:06.899 colleagues comes over, 00:14:07.019 --> 00:14:07.799 a devout Muslim. 00:14:09.639 --> 00:14:10.500 What do you do 00:14:10.500 --> 00:14:11.279 in that scenario? 00:14:12.980 --> 00:14:14.159 You're free to eat it. 00:14:15.120 --> 00:14:16.039 As a Christian, 00:14:16.279 --> 00:14:16.820 you are free 00:14:16.820 --> 00:14:17.799 to eat that food. 00:14:18.659 --> 00:14:19.980 As a citizen of Scotland, 00:14:19.980 --> 00:14:20.700 you are free 00:14:20.700 --> 00:14:22.559 to eat that sandwich. 00:14:25.000 --> 00:14:25.939 But here, 00:14:26.360 --> 00:14:26.939 the concern 00:14:26.939 --> 00:14:27.600 for the Christian 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:28.379 is the salvation 00:14:28.379 --> 00:14:28.919 of another 00:14:28.919 --> 00:14:30.120 and by eating 00:14:30.120 --> 00:14:30.639 that food, 00:14:30.759 --> 00:14:31.519 are you stopping 00:14:31.519 --> 00:14:33.059 that colleague 00:14:33.059 --> 00:14:33.720 standing, 00:14:33.720 --> 00:14:34.899 sitting with you 00:14:34.899 --> 00:14:35.980 and talking with you 00:14:35.980 --> 00:14:36.779 over that remaining 00:14:36.779 --> 00:14:37.940 20 minutes of lunch? 00:14:38.540 --> 00:14:39.240 These are the kind 00:14:39.240 --> 00:14:39.759 of questions 00:14:39.759 --> 00:14:40.519 that are being put 00:14:40.519 --> 00:14:41.600 for us. 00:14:42.660 --> 00:14:43.700 What about something 00:14:43.700 --> 00:14:45.860 like doing yoga? 00:14:48.139 --> 00:14:48.660 Now, 00:14:48.779 --> 00:14:49.340 I know there's probably 00:14:49.340 --> 00:14:50.060 lots of different 00:14:50.060 --> 00:14:50.920 opinions on this 00:14:50.920 --> 00:14:51.600 and some might not 00:14:51.600 --> 00:14:52.720 have opinions at all 00:14:52.720 --> 00:14:53.920 about what yoga is, 00:14:55.019 --> 00:14:56.300 where it's come from. 00:14:56.460 --> 00:14:56.940 Many people 00:14:56.940 --> 00:14:57.720 who practice yoga 00:14:57.720 --> 00:14:58.800 nowadays don't do it 00:14:58.800 --> 00:14:59.259 with any kind 00:14:59.259 --> 00:15:00.279 of spiritual impact. 00:15:00.399 --> 00:15:01.060 It's more about 00:15:01.060 --> 00:15:03.019 body and mental health. 00:15:03.720 --> 00:15:04.480 But some Christians 00:15:04.480 --> 00:15:05.160 really struggle 00:15:05.160 --> 00:15:05.879 with this, 00:15:06.379 --> 00:15:07.200 seeing it as 00:15:07.200 --> 00:15:08.220 an abandonment 00:15:08.220 --> 00:15:09.480 of worship of God. 00:15:10.519 --> 00:15:11.080 And so while you 00:15:11.080 --> 00:15:11.620 think that you 00:15:11.620 --> 00:15:12.240 might be free 00:15:12.240 --> 00:15:13.080 because the yoga 00:15:13.080 --> 00:15:13.960 that you go to 00:15:13.960 --> 00:15:15.060 has no kind 00:15:15.060 --> 00:15:15.519 of spiritual 00:15:15.519 --> 00:15:16.139 undertones, 00:15:16.860 --> 00:15:17.620 what happens 00:15:17.620 --> 00:15:18.139 if one of your 00:15:18.139 --> 00:15:18.860 friends says, 00:15:19.580 --> 00:15:20.720 do you know 00:15:20.720 --> 00:15:21.399 that that's 00:15:21.399 --> 00:15:21.879 worshipping 00:15:21.879 --> 00:15:22.399 another God? 00:15:22.500 --> 00:15:23.120 What do you do 00:15:23.120 --> 00:15:24.460 in that moment? 00:15:24.600 --> 00:15:25.019 You are free 00:15:25.019 --> 00:15:25.440 to do it. 00:15:25.500 --> 00:15:25.920 Maybe you can 00:15:25.920 --> 00:15:26.660 keep it silent 00:15:26.660 --> 00:15:28.120 and don't tell 00:15:28.120 --> 00:15:29.160 anyone else about it. 00:15:30.200 --> 00:15:30.879 Or finally, 00:15:31.019 --> 00:15:31.620 and here's one 00:15:31.620 --> 00:15:32.620 that I won't give 00:15:32.620 --> 00:15:33.200 an answer to you, 00:15:33.220 --> 00:15:33.620 but I wonder 00:15:33.620 --> 00:15:34.240 if it's this. 00:15:34.340 --> 00:15:35.360 I think it might 00:15:35.360 --> 00:15:37.480 not be as much 00:15:37.480 --> 00:15:38.019 as controversial 00:15:38.019 --> 00:15:38.600 as it would 00:15:38.600 --> 00:15:39.899 have been a year, 00:15:40.060 --> 00:15:40.879 18 months ago. 00:15:41.820 --> 00:15:42.820 What happens 00:15:42.820 --> 00:15:44.960 if somebody 00:15:44.960 --> 00:15:45.580 you know, 00:15:46.580 --> 00:15:47.899 when it came 00:15:47.899 --> 00:15:48.539 to the COVID 00:15:48.539 --> 00:15:49.799 crisis, 00:15:50.720 --> 00:15:51.039 thought to 00:15:51.039 --> 00:15:51.360 themselves, 00:15:51.740 --> 00:15:52.700 I can't go, 00:15:52.899 --> 00:15:53.580 I can't be in 00:15:53.580 --> 00:15:54.179 the living room 00:15:54.179 --> 00:15:55.019 with you if you 00:15:55.019 --> 00:15:56.000 don't wear a mask. 00:15:56.440 --> 00:15:57.000 Yet you think 00:15:57.000 --> 00:15:57.360 to yourself, 00:15:57.480 --> 00:15:57.960 I don't want to 00:15:57.960 --> 00:15:58.279 do it. 00:15:58.340 --> 00:15:58.980 I don't have to 00:15:58.980 --> 00:15:59.320 do it. 00:15:59.320 --> 00:15:59.980 There's nothing 00:15:59.980 --> 00:16:00.379 in the law 00:16:00.379 --> 00:16:01.020 that says this. 00:16:01.500 --> 00:16:02.280 It makes life 00:16:02.280 --> 00:16:03.480 uncomfortable for me. 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:04.900 What do I do 00:16:04.900 --> 00:16:05.500 in that moment? 00:16:05.560 --> 00:16:05.920 One of your 00:16:05.920 --> 00:16:06.540 neighbours comes 00:16:06.540 --> 00:16:07.000 around, 00:16:07.440 --> 00:16:08.040 wants to talk 00:16:08.040 --> 00:16:08.460 to you, 00:16:09.500 --> 00:16:10.660 but they demand 00:16:10.660 --> 00:16:11.280 that you wear 00:16:11.280 --> 00:16:11.620 a mask. 00:16:11.700 --> 00:16:12.240 What do you do 00:16:12.240 --> 00:16:12.860 in that moment? 00:16:14.020 --> 00:16:14.680 And what Paul 00:16:14.680 --> 00:16:15.420 is saying here 00:16:15.420 --> 00:16:15.960 is he's saying 00:16:15.960 --> 00:16:16.500 when you're 00:16:16.500 --> 00:16:17.120 making this 00:16:17.120 --> 00:16:17.580 decision, 00:16:18.460 --> 00:16:20.200 think about 00:16:20.200 --> 00:16:20.480 them. 00:16:21.540 --> 00:16:22.060 Think about 00:16:22.060 --> 00:16:22.760 their goods. 00:16:23.760 --> 00:16:24.120 Think about 00:16:24.120 --> 00:16:25.040 their benefits. 00:16:26.020 --> 00:16:26.420 Think about 00:16:26.420 --> 00:16:27.660 their salvation. 00:16:27.659 --> 00:16:30.079 because that's 00:16:30.079 --> 00:16:30.439 what Paul 00:16:30.439 --> 00:16:31.019 says here 00:16:31.019 --> 00:16:31.419 as we get 00:16:31.419 --> 00:16:31.919 to the final, 00:16:32.120 --> 00:16:32.559 our second 00:16:32.559 --> 00:16:33.279 point is this 00:16:33.279 --> 00:16:34.079 and if you're 00:16:34.079 --> 00:16:35.000 those note takers, 00:16:35.120 --> 00:16:35.439 here's your 00:16:35.439 --> 00:16:36.059 second point. 00:16:36.779 --> 00:16:37.100 What Paul 00:16:37.100 --> 00:16:37.759 says here 00:16:37.759 --> 00:16:38.459 is when 00:16:38.459 --> 00:16:38.860 you're making 00:16:38.860 --> 00:16:39.659 your decisions, 00:16:40.379 --> 00:16:41.139 do all for 00:16:41.139 --> 00:16:42.879 God and 00:16:42.879 --> 00:16:43.659 all for the 00:16:43.659 --> 00:16:44.100 good of 00:16:44.100 --> 00:16:44.439 others. 00:16:45.539 --> 00:16:46.219 Do all 00:16:46.219 --> 00:16:46.799 for God 00:16:46.799 --> 00:16:48.219 and all 00:16:48.219 --> 00:16:48.719 for the 00:16:48.719 --> 00:16:49.879 good of 00:16:49.879 --> 00:16:50.199 others. 00:16:50.699 --> 00:16:50.959 And what 00:16:50.959 --> 00:16:51.459 happens here 00:16:51.459 --> 00:16:51.980 is this is 00:16:51.980 --> 00:16:52.459 now Paul 00:16:52.459 --> 00:16:53.120 kind of zooming 00:16:53.120 --> 00:16:53.980 out right at 00:16:53.980 --> 00:16:54.620 the end of 00:16:54.620 --> 00:16:55.220 his arguments 00:16:55.220 --> 00:16:56.620 of this section 00:16:56.620 --> 00:16:57.879 of Paul's 00:16:57.879 --> 00:16:58.480 first letter 00:16:58.480 --> 00:16:58.779 to the 00:16:58.779 --> 00:16:59.159 Corinthians. 00:17:00.039 --> 00:17:00.700 Paul zooms 00:17:00.700 --> 00:17:01.320 right out 00:17:01.320 --> 00:17:01.899 here and 00:17:01.899 --> 00:17:02.560 he focuses 00:17:02.560 --> 00:17:03.100 on the 00:17:03.100 --> 00:17:03.560 driving 00:17:03.560 --> 00:17:04.220 principles 00:17:04.220 --> 00:17:05.559 for us 00:17:05.559 --> 00:17:06.299 as Christians 00:17:06.299 --> 00:17:06.859 as we 00:17:06.859 --> 00:17:07.359 seek to 00:17:07.359 --> 00:17:07.980 live in 00:17:07.980 --> 00:17:09.740 this world 00:17:09.740 --> 00:17:10.819 in a way 00:17:10.819 --> 00:17:11.200 that is 00:17:11.200 --> 00:17:12.079 honoring to 00:17:12.079 --> 00:17:12.460 Jesus 00:17:12.460 --> 00:17:14.059 and honoring 00:17:14.059 --> 00:17:14.720 to those 00:17:14.720 --> 00:17:15.319 whom we 00:17:15.319 --> 00:17:16.079 are around. 00:17:16.880 --> 00:17:17.099 And so 00:17:17.099 --> 00:17:17.640 Paul says 00:17:17.640 --> 00:17:18.299 the two 00:17:18.299 --> 00:17:19.440 driving 00:17:19.440 --> 00:17:19.940 principles 00:17:19.940 --> 00:17:20.519 are these. 00:17:21.559 --> 00:17:22.000 Glorify 00:17:22.000 --> 00:17:22.480 God 00:17:22.480 --> 00:17:23.500 and seek 00:17:23.500 --> 00:17:24.079 the good 00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:24.759 of others. 00:17:25.140 --> 00:17:25.519 Glorify 00:17:25.519 --> 00:17:25.900 God 00:17:25.900 --> 00:17:26.359 and seek 00:17:26.359 --> 00:17:26.740 the good 00:17:26.740 --> 00:17:27.180 of others. 00:17:28.559 --> 00:17:28.819 So this 00:17:28.819 --> 00:17:29.139 evening 00:17:29.139 --> 00:17:29.379 is 00:17:29.379 --> 00:17:31.220 good 00:17:31.220 --> 00:17:32.319 regular 00:17:32.319 --> 00:17:32.839 members 00:17:32.839 --> 00:17:33.420 of the 00:17:33.420 --> 00:17:33.639 free 00:17:33.639 --> 00:17:33.920 church. 00:17:34.059 --> 00:17:34.200 You'll 00:17:34.200 --> 00:17:34.579 remember 00:17:34.579 --> 00:17:35.420 the answer 00:17:35.420 --> 00:17:35.759 to the 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:35.940 first 00:17:35.940 --> 00:17:36.379 question 00:17:36.379 --> 00:17:36.639 of the 00:17:36.639 --> 00:17:36.879 shorter 00:17:36.879 --> 00:17:37.539 catechism. 00:17:38.220 --> 00:17:38.460 What is 00:17:38.460 --> 00:17:38.900 the chief 00:17:38.900 --> 00:17:39.379 end of 00:17:39.379 --> 00:17:39.680 man? 00:17:40.279 --> 00:17:40.539 It's 00:17:40.539 --> 00:17:41.299 to glorify 00:17:41.299 --> 00:17:41.779 God 00:17:41.779 --> 00:17:42.660 and to 00:17:42.660 --> 00:17:43.180 enjoy 00:17:43.180 --> 00:17:43.639 him 00:17:43.639 --> 00:17:44.119 forever. 00:17:46.059 --> 00:17:46.359 You see 00:17:46.359 --> 00:17:46.700 this has 00:17:46.700 --> 00:17:46.920 kind of 00:17:46.920 --> 00:17:47.440 shaped 00:17:47.440 --> 00:17:48.059 all of 00:17:48.059 --> 00:17:48.379 Paul's 00:17:48.379 --> 00:17:48.740 arguments. 00:17:48.859 --> 00:17:49.019 If you 00:17:49.019 --> 00:17:49.259 just 00:17:49.259 --> 00:17:49.680 flick 00:17:49.680 --> 00:17:49.980 back 00:17:49.980 --> 00:17:50.319 with me 00:17:50.319 --> 00:17:51.019 a page 00:17:51.019 --> 00:17:51.579 or so 00:17:51.579 --> 00:17:52.079 you will 00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:52.779 see in 00:17:52.779 --> 00:17:53.980 1 Corinthians 00:17:53.980 --> 00:17:54.779 chapter 8 00:17:54.779 --> 00:18:02.940 verse 5. 00:18:03.019 --> 00:18:03.279 For even 00:18:03.279 --> 00:18:03.680 if there 00:18:03.680 --> 00:18:04.299 are so 00:18:04.299 --> 00:18:04.700 called 00:18:04.700 --> 00:18:05.079 gods 00:18:05.079 --> 00:18:05.359 whether 00:18:05.359 --> 00:18:05.660 in 00:18:05.660 --> 00:18:05.980 heaven 00:18:05.980 --> 00:18:06.680 or 00:18:06.680 --> 00:18:06.839 on 00:18:06.839 --> 00:18:07.119 earth 00:18:07.119 --> 00:18:07.399 as 00:18:07.399 --> 00:18:07.700 indeed 00:18:07.700 --> 00:18:07.899 there 00:18:07.899 --> 00:18:08.000 are 00:18:08.000 --> 00:18:08.220 many 00:18:08.220 --> 00:18:08.579 gods 00:18:08.579 --> 00:18:08.740 and 00:18:08.740 --> 00:18:08.980 many 00:18:08.980 --> 00:18:09.460 lords 00:18:09.460 --> 00:18:10.319 yet 00:18:10.319 --> 00:18:10.799 for us 00:18:10.799 --> 00:18:11.099 there 00:18:11.099 --> 00:18:11.259 is 00:18:11.259 --> 00:18:11.539 but 00:18:11.539 --> 00:18:12.639 one 00:18:12.639 --> 00:18:13.059 God 00:18:13.059 --> 00:18:13.779 the 00:18:13.779 --> 00:18:14.139 father 00:18:14.139 --> 00:18:14.500 through 00:18:14.500 --> 00:18:14.839 whom 00:18:14.839 --> 00:18:15.139 all 00:18:15.139 --> 00:18:15.559 things 00:18:15.559 --> 00:18:15.980 came 00:18:15.980 --> 00:18:16.160 and 00:18:16.160 --> 00:18:16.359 for 00:18:16.359 --> 00:18:16.680 whom 00:18:16.680 --> 00:18:16.859 we 00:18:16.859 --> 00:18:17.119 live 00:18:17.119 --> 00:18:17.579 and 00:18:17.579 --> 00:18:17.779 there 00:18:17.779 --> 00:18:17.960 is 00:18:17.960 --> 00:18:18.200 but 00:18:18.200 --> 00:18:18.920 one 00:18:18.920 --> 00:18:19.460 Lord 00:18:19.460 --> 00:18:20.559 Jesus 00:18:20.559 --> 00:18:21.160 Christ 00:18:21.160 --> 00:18:21.920 through 00:18:21.920 --> 00:18:22.299 whom 00:18:22.299 --> 00:18:22.680 all 00:18:22.680 --> 00:18:23.059 things 00:18:23.059 --> 00:18:23.559 came 00:18:23.559 --> 00:18:24.160 and 00:18:24.160 --> 00:18:24.460 through 00:18:24.460 --> 00:18:24.940 whom 00:18:24.940 --> 00:18:25.799 we 00:18:25.799 --> 00:18:26.180 live. 00:18:27.460 --> 00:18:27.759 This 00:18:27.759 --> 00:18:28.400 is the 00:18:28.400 --> 00:18:29.840 core 00:18:29.840 --> 00:18:30.559 confession 00:18:30.559 --> 00:18:30.960 this 00:18:30.960 --> 00:18:31.319 is the 00:18:31.319 --> 00:18:31.920 central 00:18:31.920 --> 00:18:32.460 truth 00:18:32.460 --> 00:18:32.740 that 00:18:32.740 --> 00:18:33.360 shapes 00:18:33.360 --> 00:18:34.039 everything 00:18:34.039 --> 00:18:34.620 that we 00:18:34.620 --> 00:18:34.880 do 00:18:34.880 --> 00:18:35.180 as a 00:18:35.180 --> 00:18:35.519 church 00:18:35.519 --> 00:18:36.579 that 00:18:36.579 --> 00:18:36.740 there 00:18:36.740 --> 00:18:36.900 is 00:18:36.900 --> 00:18:37.160 one 00:18:37.160 --> 00:18:37.360 God 00:18:37.360 --> 00:18:37.559 this 00:18:37.559 --> 00:18:37.680 is 00:18:37.680 --> 00:18:37.840 the 00:18:37.840 --> 00:18:38.279 central 00:18:38.279 --> 00:18:38.660 truth 00:18:38.660 --> 00:18:38.880 which 00:18:38.880 --> 00:18:39.340 shaped 00:18:39.340 --> 00:18:39.840 the 00:18:39.840 --> 00:18:40.240 worship 00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:40.539 and 00:18:40.539 --> 00:18:40.720 the 00:18:40.720 --> 00:18:41.120 life 00:18:41.120 --> 00:18:42.059 of 00:18:42.059 --> 00:18:42.600 Israel 00:18:42.600 --> 00:18:43.299 hero 00:18:43.299 --> 00:18:43.700 Israel 00:18:43.700 --> 00:18:43.980 there 00:18:43.980 --> 00:18:44.180 is 00:18:44.180 --> 00:18:45.279 one 00:18:45.279 --> 00:18:45.700 God 00:18:45.700 --> 00:18:47.460 there 00:18:47.460 --> 00:18:47.620 is 00:18:47.620 --> 00:18:48.019 one 00:18:48.019 --> 00:18:48.259 God 00:18:48.259 --> 00:18:48.680 alone 00:18:48.680 --> 00:18:50.039 and 00:18:50.039 --> 00:18:50.160 so 00:18:50.160 --> 00:18:50.380 this 00:18:50.380 --> 00:18:50.519 is 00:18:50.519 --> 00:18:50.740 what 00:18:50.740 --> 00:18:51.000 Paul 00:18:51.000 --> 00:18:51.160 is 00:18:51.160 --> 00:18:51.380 saying 00:18:51.380 --> 00:18:51.600 there 00:18:51.600 --> 00:18:51.759 is 00:18:51.759 --> 00:18:52.100 only 00:18:52.100 --> 00:18:52.560 one 00:18:52.560 --> 00:18:52.880 true 00:18:52.880 --> 00:18:53.240 God 00:18:53.240 --> 00:18:54.420 only 00:18:54.420 --> 00:18:54.779 one 00:18:54.779 --> 00:18:55.019 God 00:18:55.019 --> 00:18:55.480 worthy 00:18:55.480 --> 00:18:55.660 of 00:18:55.660 --> 00:18:55.860 all 00:18:55.860 --> 00:18:56.039 our 00:18:56.039 --> 00:18:56.519 worship 00:18:56.519 --> 00:18:57.340 the 00:18:57.340 --> 00:18:57.539 one 00:18:57.539 --> 00:18:57.700 God 00:18:57.700 --> 00:18:57.880 who 00:18:57.880 --> 00:18:58.299 shapes 00:18:58.299 --> 00:18:58.799 every 00:18:58.799 --> 00:18:59.340 decision 00:18:59.340 --> 00:18:59.660 that 00:18:59.660 --> 00:18:59.940 we 00:18:59.940 --> 00:19:00.200 are 00:19:00.200 --> 00:19:00.380 to 00:19:00.380 --> 00:19:00.740 make 00:19:00.740 --> 00:19:02.360 and 00:19:02.360 --> 00:19:02.460 so 00:19:02.460 --> 00:19:02.759 part 00:19:02.759 --> 00:19:02.840 of 00:19:02.840 --> 00:19:02.960 what 00:19:02.960 --> 00:19:03.100 that 00:19:03.100 --> 00:19:03.360 looks 00:19:03.360 --> 00:19:03.539 like 00:19:03.539 --> 00:19:03.660 is 00:19:03.660 --> 00:19:03.779 it 00:19:03.779 --> 00:19:04.240 means 00:19:04.240 --> 00:19:04.600 don't 00:19:04.600 --> 00:19:04.920 dine 00:19:04.920 --> 00:19:05.120 with 00:19:05.120 --> 00:19:05.259 other 00:19:05.259 --> 00:19:05.700 gods 00:19:05.700 --> 00:19:06.400 don't 00:19:06.400 --> 00:19:06.680 do 00:19:06.680 --> 00:19:07.060 something 00:19:07.060 --> 00:19:07.420 that 00:19:07.420 --> 00:19:07.779 would 00:19:07.779 --> 00:19:08.440 suggest 00:19:08.440 --> 00:19:08.680 any 00:19:08.680 --> 00:19:09.400 legitimacy 00:19:09.400 --> 00:19:10.080 to 00:19:10.080 --> 00:19:10.340 another 00:19:10.340 --> 00:19:10.759 god 00:19:10.759 --> 00:19:11.299 don't 00:19:11.299 --> 00:19:11.440 do 00:19:11.440 --> 00:19:11.700 anything 00:19:11.700 --> 00:19:11.980 which 00:19:11.980 --> 00:19:12.160 would 00:19:12.160 --> 00:19:12.700 bind 00:19:12.700 --> 00:19:13.140 you 00:19:13.140 --> 00:19:13.720 to 00:19:13.720 --> 00:19:14.100 another 00:19:14.100 --> 00:19:14.500 god 00:19:14.500 --> 00:19:17.279 because 00:19:17.279 --> 00:19:17.759 they are 00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:17.940 not 00:19:17.940 --> 00:19:18.319 true 00:19:18.319 --> 00:19:18.660 they 00:19:18.660 --> 00:19:18.819 are 00:19:18.819 --> 00:19:19.240 empty 00:19:19.240 --> 00:19:20.799 and 00:19:20.799 --> 00:19:20.899 there 00:19:20.899 --> 00:19:21.019 is 00:19:21.019 --> 00:19:21.160 just 00:19:21.160 --> 00:19:21.500 one 00:19:21.500 --> 00:19:21.859 lord 00:19:21.859 --> 00:19:22.119 who 00:19:22.119 --> 00:19:23.000 demands 00:19:23.000 --> 00:19:23.279 the 00:19:23.279 --> 00:19:24.039 full 00:19:24.039 --> 00:19:24.619 allegiance 00:19:24.619 --> 00:19:25.079 of 00:19:25.079 --> 00:19:25.319 his 00:19:25.319 --> 00:19:25.740 people 00:19:25.740 --> 00:19:28.200 and 00:19:28.200 --> 00:19:28.379 so 00:19:28.379 --> 00:19:28.680 what 00:19:28.680 --> 00:19:28.980 Paul 00:19:28.980 --> 00:19:29.139 is 00:19:29.139 --> 00:19:29.420 saying 00:19:29.420 --> 00:19:29.559 is 00:19:29.559 --> 00:19:29.720 that 00:19:29.720 --> 00:19:30.259 we 00:19:30.259 --> 00:19:30.559 must 00:19:30.559 --> 00:19:31.059 consider 00:19:31.059 --> 00:19:31.399 in 00:19:31.399 --> 00:19:31.980 everything 00:19:31.980 --> 00:19:32.279 that 00:19:32.279 --> 00:19:32.460 we 00:19:32.460 --> 00:19:32.899 do 00:19:32.899 --> 00:19:33.639 how 00:19:33.639 --> 00:19:33.920 can 00:19:33.920 --> 00:19:34.240 God 00:19:34.240 --> 00:19:34.460 be 00:19:34.460 --> 00:19:35.059 glorified 00:19:35.059 --> 00:19:35.339 look 00:19:35.339 --> 00:19:35.539 at 00:19:35.539 --> 00:19:36.039 their 00:19:36.039 --> 00:19:36.460 verse 00:19:36.460 --> 00:19:37.200 31 00:19:37.200 --> 00:19:39.240 so 00:19:39.240 --> 00:19:40.100 wherever 00:19:40.100 --> 00:19:40.420 you 00:19:40.420 --> 00:19:40.779 eat 00:19:40.779 --> 00:19:41.140 or 00:19:41.140 --> 00:19:41.559 drink 00:19:41.559 --> 00:19:42.140 or 00:19:42.140 --> 00:19:42.640 whatever 00:19:42.640 --> 00:19:43.180 you 00:19:43.180 --> 00:19:43.539 do 00:19:43.539 --> 00:19:45.240 do 00:19:45.240 --> 00:19:45.380 it 00:19:45.380 --> 00:19:45.740 all 00:19:45.740 --> 00:19:46.019 for 00:19:46.019 --> 00:19:46.160 the 00:19:46.160 --> 00:19:46.600 glory 00:19:46.600 --> 00:19:47.039 of 00:19:47.039 --> 00:19:47.340 God 00:19:47.340 --> 00:19:49.140 this 00:19:49.140 --> 00:19:49.279 is 00:19:49.279 --> 00:19:49.580 the 00:19:49.580 --> 00:19:50.080 very 00:19:50.080 --> 00:19:50.480 first 00:19:50.480 --> 00:19:50.759 thing 00:19:50.759 --> 00:19:51.000 that 00:19:51.000 --> 00:19:51.340 we 00:19:51.340 --> 00:19:51.740 must 00:19:51.740 --> 00:19:51.980 think 00:19:51.980 --> 00:19:52.220 about 00:19:52.220 --> 00:19:52.480 as 00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:52.720 we 00:19:52.720 --> 00:19:53.480 wake 00:19:53.480 --> 00:19:53.640 up 00:19:53.640 --> 00:19:53.740 in 00:19:53.740 --> 00:19:53.880 the 00:19:53.880 --> 00:19:54.180 morning 00:19:54.180 --> 00:19:54.360 the 00:19:54.360 --> 00:19:54.559 very 00:19:54.559 --> 00:19:54.880 first 00:19:54.880 --> 00:19:55.180 thing 00:19:55.180 --> 00:19:55.400 as 00:19:55.400 --> 00:19:55.580 we 00:19:55.580 --> 00:19:56.620 consider 00:19:56.620 --> 00:19:57.039 what 00:19:57.039 --> 00:19:57.220 our 00:19:57.220 --> 00:19:57.559 weeks 00:19:57.559 --> 00:19:57.960 going 00:19:57.960 --> 00:19:58.080 to 00:19:58.080 --> 00:19:58.259 look 00:19:58.259 --> 00:19:58.480 like 00:19:58.480 --> 00:19:58.700 what 00:19:58.700 --> 00:19:58.880 our 00:19:58.880 --> 00:19:59.200 very 00:19:59.200 --> 00:19:59.620 first 00:19:59.620 --> 00:20:00.460 decision 00:20:00.460 --> 00:20:00.880 as 00:20:00.880 --> 00:20:01.059 we 00:20:01.059 --> 00:20:01.360 meet 00:20:01.360 --> 00:20:01.580 other 00:20:01.580 --> 00:20:02.039 people 00:20:02.039 --> 00:20:02.380 as 00:20:02.380 --> 00:20:02.620 we 00:20:02.620 --> 00:20:03.440 consider 00:20:03.440 --> 00:20:04.200 big 00:20:04.200 --> 00:20:04.500 life 00:20:04.500 --> 00:20:05.019 choices 00:20:05.019 --> 00:20:05.319 is 00:20:05.319 --> 00:20:05.680 saying 00:20:05.680 --> 00:20:06.840 how 00:20:06.839 --> 00:20:07.119 can 00:20:07.119 --> 00:20:07.359 we 00:20:07.359 --> 00:20:07.740 do 00:20:07.740 --> 00:20:08.220 whatever 00:20:08.220 --> 00:20:08.519 we 00:20:08.519 --> 00:20:08.879 do 00:20:08.879 --> 00:20:09.359 to 00:20:09.359 --> 00:20:09.519 the 00:20:09.519 --> 00:20:09.899 glory 00:20:09.899 --> 00:20:10.139 of 00:20:10.139 --> 00:20:10.419 God 00:20:10.419 --> 00:20:11.559 here 00:20:11.559 --> 00:20:11.779 for 00:20:11.779 --> 00:20:12.119 Paul 00:20:12.119 --> 00:20:12.379 he's 00:20:12.379 --> 00:20:12.639 saying 00:20:12.639 --> 00:20:13.639 for 00:20:13.639 --> 00:20:13.759 the 00:20:13.759 --> 00:20:14.019 people 00:20:14.019 --> 00:20:14.220 in 00:20:14.220 --> 00:20:14.639 Corinth 00:20:14.639 --> 00:20:15.959 they 00:20:15.959 --> 00:20:16.299 must 00:20:16.299 --> 00:20:16.879 look 00:20:16.879 --> 00:20:17.119 like 00:20:17.119 --> 00:20:17.279 a 00:20:17.279 --> 00:20:17.679 people 00:20:17.679 --> 00:20:18.500 whose 00:20:18.500 --> 00:20:19.179 lives 00:20:19.179 --> 00:20:19.459 are 00:20:19.459 --> 00:20:20.179 shaped 00:20:20.179 --> 00:20:21.000 solely 00:20:21.000 --> 00:20:21.740 by 00:20:21.740 --> 00:20:21.899 their 00:20:21.899 --> 00:20:22.319 concern 00:20:22.319 --> 00:20:22.579 to 00:20:22.579 --> 00:20:23.199 worship 00:20:23.199 --> 00:20:23.879 God 00:20:23.879 --> 00:20:24.279 in 00:20:24.279 --> 00:20:24.759 Christ 00:20:24.759 --> 00:20:26.959 their 00:20:26.959 --> 00:20:27.500 true 00:20:27.500 --> 00:20:28.459 distinctiveness 00:20:28.459 --> 00:20:28.939 as a 00:20:28.939 --> 00:20:29.379 church 00:20:29.379 --> 00:20:31.179 is 00:20:31.179 --> 00:20:31.459 seen 00:20:31.459 --> 00:20:31.679 in 00:20:31.679 --> 00:20:32.099 saying 00:20:32.099 --> 00:20:33.059 there 00:20:33.059 --> 00:20:33.220 is 00:20:33.220 --> 00:20:33.519 one 00:20:33.519 --> 00:20:33.859 God 00:20:33.859 --> 00:20:36.019 one 00:20:36.019 --> 00:20:36.259 God 00:20:36.259 --> 00:20:36.779 alone 00:20:36.779 --> 00:20:37.240 and 00:20:37.240 --> 00:20:37.579 he 00:20:37.579 --> 00:20:38.059 alone 00:20:38.059 --> 00:20:38.299 is 00:20:38.299 --> 00:20:38.440 who 00:20:38.440 --> 00:20:38.619 we 00:20:38.619 --> 00:20:39.039 worship 00:20:39.039 --> 00:20:39.480 and 00:20:39.480 --> 00:20:39.839 obey 00:20:39.839 --> 00:20:42.700 he 00:20:42.700 --> 00:20:43.139 alone 00:20:43.139 --> 00:20:43.500 is 00:20:43.500 --> 00:20:43.639 the 00:20:43.639 --> 00:20:43.899 one 00:20:43.899 --> 00:20:44.119 that 00:20:44.119 --> 00:20:44.359 is 00:20:44.359 --> 00:20:45.359 worthy 00:20:45.359 --> 00:20:46.000 of 00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:46.680 glory 00:20:46.680 --> 00:20:46.980 and 00:20:46.980 --> 00:20:47.539 praise 00:20:47.539 --> 00:20:47.779 and 00:20:47.779 --> 00:20:48.079 honor 00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:49.180 and 00:20:49.180 --> 00:20:49.279 so 00:20:49.279 --> 00:20:49.639 everything 00:20:49.639 --> 00:20:49.879 that 00:20:49.879 --> 00:20:50.139 we 00:20:50.139 --> 00:20:50.500 do 00:20:50.500 --> 00:20:51.720 will 00:20:51.720 --> 00:20:51.899 be 00:20:51.899 --> 00:20:52.339 shaped 00:20:52.339 --> 00:20:52.759 by 00:20:52.759 --> 00:20:53.039 that 00:20:53.039 --> 00:20:53.759 concern 00:20:53.759 --> 00:20:55.819 and 00:20:55.819 --> 00:20:56.720 seeking 00:20:56.720 --> 00:20:57.139 the 00:20:57.139 --> 00:20:57.460 good 00:20:57.460 --> 00:20:57.700 of 00:20:57.700 --> 00:20:58.059 others 00:20:58.059 --> 00:20:59.819 and 00:20:59.819 --> 00:20:59.899 so 00:20:59.899 --> 00:21:00.039 this 00:21:00.039 --> 00:21:00.139 is 00:21:00.139 --> 00:21:00.279 what 00:21:00.279 --> 00:21:00.559 Paul 00:21:00.559 --> 00:21:00.720 is 00:21:00.720 --> 00:21:00.940 saying 00:21:00.940 --> 00:21:01.139 then 00:21:01.139 --> 00:21:01.299 that 00:21:01.299 --> 00:21:01.460 we 00:21:01.460 --> 00:21:01.619 are 00:21:01.619 --> 00:21:01.940 called 00:21:01.940 --> 00:21:02.359 to 00:21:02.359 --> 00:21:02.700 seek 00:21:02.700 --> 00:21:02.859 the 00:21:02.859 --> 00:21:03.000 good 00:21:03.000 --> 00:21:03.099 of 00:21:03.099 --> 00:21:03.279 others 00:21:03.279 --> 00:21:03.440 and 00:21:03.440 --> 00:21:03.740 that's 00:21:03.740 --> 00:21:03.879 where 00:21:03.879 --> 00:21:04.099 he 00:21:04.099 --> 00:21:04.519 finishes 00:21:04.519 --> 00:21:05.480 this 00:21:05.480 --> 00:21:05.819 section 00:21:05.819 --> 00:21:05.980 that 00:21:05.980 --> 00:21:06.079 we're 00:21:06.079 --> 00:21:06.319 looking 00:21:06.319 --> 00:21:06.500 at 00:21:06.500 --> 00:21:06.720 here 00:21:06.720 --> 00:21:07.000 have a 00:21:07.000 --> 00:21:07.100 look 00:21:07.100 --> 00:21:07.220 at 00:21:07.220 --> 00:21:07.480 verse 00:21:07.480 --> 00:21:08.279 32 00:21:08.279 --> 00:21:10.240 do 00:21:10.240 --> 00:21:10.440 not 00:21:10.440 --> 00:21:10.839 cause 00:21:10.839 --> 00:21:11.299 anyone 00:21:11.299 --> 00:21:11.620 to 00:21:11.620 --> 00:21:12.240 stumble 00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:12.600 whether 00:21:12.600 --> 00:21:13.299 Jews 00:21:13.299 --> 00:21:13.779 Greeks 00:21:13.779 --> 00:21:14.079 or the 00:21:14.079 --> 00:21:14.339 church 00:21:14.339 --> 00:21:14.539 of 00:21:14.539 --> 00:21:14.819 God 00:21:14.819 --> 00:21:15.600 even 00:21:15.600 --> 00:21:15.759 as 00:21:15.759 --> 00:21:15.920 I 00:21:15.920 --> 00:21:16.140 try 00:21:16.140 --> 00:21:16.339 to 00:21:16.339 --> 00:21:16.799 please 00:21:16.799 --> 00:21:17.400 everyone 00:21:17.400 --> 00:21:17.640 in 00:21:17.640 --> 00:21:18.079 every 00:21:18.079 --> 00:21:18.460 way 00:21:18.460 --> 00:21:19.299 for 00:21:19.299 --> 00:21:19.460 I'm 00:21:19.460 --> 00:21:19.640 not 00:21:19.640 --> 00:21:20.039 seeking 00:21:20.039 --> 00:21:20.279 my 00:21:20.279 --> 00:21:20.480 own 00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:20.880 goods 00:21:20.880 --> 00:21:21.900 but 00:21:21.900 --> 00:21:22.100 the 00:21:22.100 --> 00:21:22.500 goods 00:21:22.500 --> 00:21:23.059 of 00:21:23.059 --> 00:21:23.460 many 00:21:23.460 --> 00:21:24.140 so 00:21:24.140 --> 00:21:24.400 they 00:21:24.400 --> 00:21:24.660 may 00:21:24.660 --> 00:21:25.000 be 00:21:25.000 --> 00:21:25.700 saved 00:21:25.700 --> 00:21:27.259 so 00:21:27.259 --> 00:21:27.319 you 00:21:27.319 --> 00:21:27.480 see 00:21:27.480 --> 00:21:27.580 they 00:21:27.580 --> 00:21:28.539 about 00:21:28.539 --> 00:21:29.819 seeking 00:21:29.819 --> 00:21:29.900 good 00:21:29.900 --> 00:21:30.519 good 00:21:30.519 --> 00:21:30.740 of 00:21:30.740 --> 00:21:31.120 others 00:21:31.120 --> 00:21:32.039 and 00:21:32.039 --> 00:21:32.140 he 00:21:32.140 --> 00:21:32.680 defines 00:21:32.680 --> 00:21:32.900 for 00:21:32.900 --> 00:21:33.059 us 00:21:33.059 --> 00:21:33.220 then 00:21:33.220 --> 00:21:33.500 what 00:21:33.500 --> 00:21:33.680 is 00:21:33.680 --> 00:21:33.840 the 00:21:33.840 --> 00:21:34.100 good 00:21:34.100 --> 00:21:34.299 of 00:21:34.299 --> 00:21:34.640 others 00:21:34.640 --> 00:21:35.740 it 00:21:35.740 --> 00:21:36.120 means 00:21:36.120 --> 00:21:36.319 to 00:21:36.319 --> 00:21:36.700 be 00:21:36.700 --> 00:21:37.539 saved 00:21:37.539 --> 00:21:38.880 and 00:21:38.880 --> 00:21:39.000 his 00:21:39.000 --> 00:21:39.480 concern 00:21:39.480 --> 00:21:39.840 is 00:21:39.840 --> 00:21:40.120 if 00:21:40.120 --> 00:21:40.240 he 00:21:40.240 --> 00:21:40.400 wants 00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:40.539 to 00:21:40.539 --> 00:21:40.700 see 00:21:40.700 --> 00:21:41.000 people 00:21:41.000 --> 00:21:41.580 saved 00:21:41.580 --> 00:21:42.240 the 00:21:42.240 --> 00:21:42.740 danger 00:21:42.740 --> 00:21:43.100 is 00:21:43.100 --> 00:21:43.779 causing 00:21:43.779 --> 00:21:44.340 a 00:21:44.340 --> 00:21:44.779 stumbling 00:21:44.779 --> 00:21:45.160 block 00:21:45.160 --> 00:21:45.500 for 00:21:45.500 --> 00:21:45.680 them 00:21:45.680 --> 00:21:45.799 where 00:21:45.799 --> 00:21:45.900 he 00:21:45.900 --> 00:21:46.100 talks 00:21:46.100 --> 00:21:46.319 there 00:21:46.319 --> 00:21:46.740 about 00:21:46.740 --> 00:21:47.539 do 00:21:47.539 --> 00:21:47.700 not 00:21:47.700 --> 00:21:47.940 cause 00:21:47.940 --> 00:21:48.180 anyone 00:21:48.180 --> 00:21:48.360 to 00:21:48.360 --> 00:21:48.660 stumble 00:21:48.660 --> 00:21:49.259 literally 00:21:49.259 --> 00:21:49.440 it 00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:49.759 means 00:21:49.759 --> 00:21:50.059 putting 00:21:50.059 --> 00:21:50.240 a 00:21:50.240 --> 00:21:50.720 stumbling 00:21:50.720 --> 00:21:51.100 block 00:21:51.100 --> 00:21:51.580 before 00:21:51.579 --> 00:21:59.199 someone else. So it's like a toddler when they are playing with their toys and they leave a 00:21:59.199 --> 00:22:05.240 train in the way so often that can cause a stumbling block for parents. And that's his 00:22:05.240 --> 00:22:13.199 concern here. Anything that might protrude, anything that might hinder, anything that might 00:22:13.199 --> 00:22:20.579 block and turn people to turn around and walk away, that is what Paul wants to do. Except for 00:22:20.579 --> 00:22:24.619 the most important thing, and we'll think about that in a moment, only one thing should cause people 00:22:24.619 --> 00:22:35.480 to push away, but not the church seeking their own rights, their own benefits above others. 00:22:37.679 --> 00:22:43.220 So whether it's Jews or Greeks or the church of God, our concern must be how is this going to 00:22:43.220 --> 00:22:50.099 make sure that those who are maybe already in the church, how can we make sure they do not lose their 00:22:50.099 --> 00:22:56.759 salvation or walk away? How does this make sure that those who are considering Jesus don't walk 00:22:56.759 --> 00:23:04.259 away because of the foolish things that we do? And so when Paul then says here, he says, 00:23:04.379 --> 00:23:12.119 even as I try to please everyone in every way, Paul's not here talking about being people pleasers. 00:23:12.939 --> 00:23:18.439 I know for many of us, people pleaser is quite a negative and a kind of a derogatory way of calling 00:23:18.440 --> 00:23:22.720 someone. You never call yourself a people pleaser, or maybe you do sometimes. Normally you talk about 00:23:22.720 --> 00:23:28.220 it to someone else when they're making a decision that you don't like that they've made. But what 00:23:28.220 --> 00:23:35.180 Paul is saying here is when he's talking about pleasing everyone, he's talking about this idea of not 00:23:35.180 --> 00:23:45.380 putting stumbling blocks, but making sure that people can see Jesus. That is his grace concern. 00:23:45.380 --> 00:23:52.140 Because what Paul is saying here is the only thing that should offend, the only thing that should 00:23:52.140 --> 00:24:04.660 cause people to stumble, is the gospel itself. You see, what Paul has been driving at throughout 00:24:04.660 --> 00:24:14.120 this letter, where he begins is he talks about the nature of the gospel. How it upends our understanding 00:24:14.119 --> 00:24:25.039 of reality. What he says is earlier in this letter is that the gospel seems like foolishness and 00:24:25.039 --> 00:24:35.179 weakness to the watching world. Because it does. For a people who were concerned about wisdom and 00:24:35.179 --> 00:24:39.379 sophistry, for a people that were concerned about power and influence. 00:24:39.380 --> 00:24:51.060 What Paul was saying is that all the church does is preach a crucified savior. All the church does 00:24:51.060 --> 00:25:03.320 is put their trust in a man who was overwhelmed by the Roman Empire. You see, the gospel is rooted in this, 00:25:03.319 --> 00:25:13.359 is that Jesus, the one who was rich beyond measure, became poor. The one who was greater than all became 00:25:13.359 --> 00:25:24.559 weaker than all. So that whoever puts their trust in him can be saved. The very heart of the gospel is of a weak, 00:25:24.559 --> 00:25:37.019 vulnerable, vulnerable, rejected savior. This is a message that put many people off. People laughed at the 00:25:37.019 --> 00:25:44.779 Christians then and they still many times laugh at Christians now. But Paul says it is that and that 00:25:44.779 --> 00:25:53.940 alone that people should reject. Not the people who try to stand in front of it, who put in stumbling blocks in 00:25:53.940 --> 00:26:01.940 front of it, in front of that. I'm reading a book at the moment about a woman who went in the mid-noughties 00:26:01.940 --> 00:26:12.000 to do some mission work in Afghanistan. She worked in a small rural town and she talked about what life 00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:18.500 looked like for her. And she talked about the clothing that she would have to wear every time that she 00:26:18.500 --> 00:26:26.079 walked out of the house. And it was really interesting the way that she vindicated what she did. She said, 00:26:26.500 --> 00:26:34.799 those are the rules. That's what's demanded of a woman in this area and that's what I will do. 00:26:35.799 --> 00:26:44.259 As a Christian, she could have worn what she wanted, knowing she was loved and accepted by her God. 00:26:44.259 --> 00:26:51.980 But so that she could reach the women in that area, her concern was not to push any stumbling blocks 00:26:51.980 --> 00:26:59.779 which were getting the way. And so often for us, what we must remember is this, is that perception is key. 00:27:03.279 --> 00:27:08.539 We're quite a visual people, aren't we? And so often we will see something and make a judgment 00:27:08.539 --> 00:27:14.500 almost immediately. I don't know if you know this, people can make their first impression of someone 00:27:14.500 --> 00:27:23.000 within, I think it's two seconds. I don't know what my impression that I gave you this evening was like. 00:27:23.839 --> 00:27:26.159 Hopefully you have pulled back from whatever it was. 00:27:28.399 --> 00:27:34.099 But if you think of what it's like for these people who see us as Christians, 00:27:34.099 --> 00:27:42.079 what are the decisions that we make? Are we those who are known with a deep concern for others, 00:27:42.379 --> 00:27:48.199 who would lay down our rights so that we can seek the good and benefit of others, 00:27:48.299 --> 00:27:53.240 which is ultimately their salvation? And so this is what Paul is saying. 00:27:54.119 --> 00:27:56.639 Paul says this as he finishes. Verse 1, 00:27:56.640 --> 00:28:04.840 follow my example as I follow the example of Christ. Back in chapter 9, Paul talks about how 00:28:04.840 --> 00:28:10.980 as an apostle of Jesus, as one sent by God, 00:28:12.860 --> 00:28:20.080 he was due to be paid by the people, those who are Christians. They were to financially support him. 00:28:20.079 --> 00:28:27.899 Yet he said he laid aside that responsibility so that they could hear and know and trust the gospel 00:28:27.899 --> 00:28:38.899 and live in light of that gospel. And so Paul says, imitate me, follow my example as I follow the example of Christ. 00:28:38.900 --> 00:28:45.840 Because again, as we thought about that, Jesus set aside his own goods 00:28:45.840 --> 00:28:55.800 to be spat upon, to be rejected, to receive slander and false accusations, 00:28:56.800 --> 00:29:03.540 to be beaten, to be nailed to a cross, 00:29:03.539 --> 00:29:11.019 laying down all that belong to him, all his rights as the king of the universe, 00:29:11.779 --> 00:29:15.399 so that we might be saved. 00:29:16.119 --> 00:29:20.099 Jesus died on the cross, bearing the wrath of God in our place. 00:29:20.960 --> 00:29:25.139 He who knew no sin became sin so that we might become the righteousness of God. 00:29:25.480 --> 00:29:29.220 And what Paul is saying here is, there is the ultimate example for us. 00:29:29.220 --> 00:29:33.700 The one in whom we have found life 00:29:33.700 --> 00:29:37.220 was the one who laid down his life for us. 00:29:40.120 --> 00:29:44.620 And so what Paul is saying is, therefore, we must lay down ourselves 00:29:44.620 --> 00:29:49.180 so that we can seek the good of others. 00:29:51.980 --> 00:29:55.140 Now this evening, what I've been doing, and I've given you examples, 00:29:55.140 --> 00:29:58.660 but what Paul is giving here is principles which shape. 00:29:58.660 --> 00:30:01.460 I can't tell you what to do in every situation. 00:30:03.620 --> 00:30:08.140 But ultimately, what Paul is saying, and he's given us these driving principles, 00:30:09.040 --> 00:30:11.380 but most importantly is he gives us a picture. 00:30:13.480 --> 00:30:14.980 He points us to Jesus. 00:30:16.680 --> 00:30:18.160 And he says, look at him. 00:30:19.040 --> 00:30:20.480 Look at all he's done for you. 00:30:22.160 --> 00:30:25.540 And that's what the life that he calls us into as his followers. 00:30:25.539 --> 00:30:30.700 As we seek the good and the salvation of others. 00:30:31.700 --> 00:30:34.559 And we seek to glorify God in everything that we do. 00:30:34.559 --> 00:30:40.399 And we seek the good and the glow. 00:30:40.399 --> 00:30:41.679 And he says, the beautiful thing with the friend, 00:30:41.919 --> 00:30:43.599 and theidän of the family we make the two are, 00:30:43.700 --> 00:30:43.779 for God's sake. 00:30:44.679 --> 00:30:45.099 Thanks Hangody. 00:30:45.220 --> 00:30:45.759 Here there are three how it tells him who was the one who was the one 00:30:45.759 --> 00:30:46.359 who I am so is, and he tells him, 00:30:46.500 --> 00:30:46.559 and he's given us today. 00:30:46.720 --> 00:30:47.339 And that's what he means. 00:30:47.339 --> 00:30:48.539 And I think everybody can continue to you. 00:30:50.179 --> 00:30:51.099 And he'sacts a lot of emotion. 00:30:53.259 --> 00:30:54.379 We can only do this i remember. 00:30:55.079 --> 00:30:55.539 다고, and of course, 00:30:55.720 --> 00:30:57.339 because one of the other words 00:30:57.379 --> 00:30:58.500 most importantly, 00:30:58.940 --> 00:30:59.819 on this LED network, 00:30:59.839 --> 00:31:00.679 did he give us 70 points.