Actual Facts
Notes
Transcript
A bit about Corinth
A bit about Corinth
The church in Corinth was founded somewhere between AD 50-53.
The city itself was one of the most influential and wealthy in the area at the time due to it’s multicultural make up, it’s sought after bronze at times considered by some to be more precious than gold. The city center that Paul worked in as a tent maker was not the original city of Corinth, that one was destroyed by Rome in 146 BC the inhabitants were sold into slavery and the place stood virtually empty for just over a century until Julius Cesar re-settled it with freedmen, veterans and laborers, it is possible that there was a substantial contingent of Jews early in it’s resettlement, we do know that the Jewish people living there did have some influence as there was a lintel found with synagogue of the Hebrews inscribed on it.
The city was resettled to establish and celebrate Roman culture, values, and religion. This would be addressed by Paul in his letters and during his mission to the area, we will get into that later. In fact much of what we read in Paul’s two letters to the Corinthian church is to help them navigate how to live, and grow in a city that needed the Gospel.
The truth is
The truth is
“Everything is permissible,” but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible,” but not everything builds up. No one is to seek his own good, but the good of the other person.
I want to talk about something that has been brewing in the church at large in America for a long time. It’s no secret that we live an a polarized world. As followers of Christ there is a place for us in that world and I would like to suggest that the place we are to inhabit is one of the most precarious, if that is we are representing Jesus. In these verses Paul is setting up to deal with an issue that was causing issues in the church in Corinth. Remember we talked about the fact that Corinth was set up as a center for roman culture values and religion. That religion being the worship of Roman Gods. Idols were obviously there depicting these roman deities, and there is a Dilemma due to the fact that there were Jewish and Gentile believers worshiping together in this church. When we read these words about we should realize something. They could be interpreted as. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. When we read not everything is beneficial when we read not everything builds up we begin to see how we as followers of christ are supposed to live and move and have our being in Christ and in our freedom and in case it’s not clear fro that Paul then goes on to say it very plainly. Don't see your own good but the other persons good. Everything we do should be filtered through the understanding of what’s best not for myself but for that person. And here’s the catch. Something that is really important for us to grasp. Pauls not just talking about the other person that is in the same faith base as you and I are. He’s not just talking about the people that these Christ Follwers saw on a regular basis when they met togehter. Paul is talking about more than just the people that they liked and belived the same as and hung out with he’s talking about all other people.
The truth is that’s what Jesus did when he stepped out of Heaven and into this eathly existence. He saught the good of humanity when he stepped into our existence.
Don’t ask don’t tell
Don’t ask don’t tell
Eat everything that is sold in the meat market, without raising questions for the sake of conscience, since the earth is the Lord’s, and all that is in it. If any of the unbelievers invites you over and you want to go, eat everything that is set before you, without raising questions for the sake of conscience.
Pau is making an important point here. If you are going to put yourself in a position to eat with someone that doen’st belive the way you do, don’t impose your chosen restrictions on them. Don’t go into the dinner and say. “oh well you know I’m a Christ follower, and I know you invited me and I know i said yes but really I just I need to make this stand and not eat this food that you put in front of me, because well I’m a Christian and we just dont do that.
Now before we dig into this a bit lets be clear. Paul first of all tells everyohne that hey look you can eat stuff the earth is the Lords and all that is in it. When you go to dinner at a persons house that doen’st belive like you do don’t go in with the idea that you are going to show off how pious you are by pointing out that you can’t eat certain things ,in fact don’t even ask about what’s being served just dig in,. Heres the thing, some of us skip over that one little bit of this that is the linch pin of this whole thing. “AND YOU WANT TO GO.” If you choose to go into that situation with a group of peiple that you know does not believe and follow the same rueles and lawas as you, that doesn’t claim to be a flollwoer of christ don’t expect them to abide by the rules that you have decided Jesus wants them to abide by. Don’t even ask shut up and eat the bacon as it were.
BUT…and here’s the thing to remember. Be wise about it. Paul goes on in verse 28 to say this.
But if someone says to you, “This is food from a sacrifice,” do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who told you, and for the sake of conscience.
We do what we do not for ourselves but for others. In fact Paul goes on to say, look you don’t stop eating because it’s wrong, you stop eating because that person’s faith could be rocked if you eat this.
Why we do what we do
Why we do what we do
So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.
So many times what we think matters really doesn’t in the grand scheme of things. Why do you walk with Jesus? That’s the question we must ask ourselves on a regular basis. Why am I doing what I’m doing? Is my faith a membership card to some club full of rules and regulations. Do I make sure everyone knows I’m a follower of Christ because it somehow gives me a sense of power or superiority? Am I following christ simply for the Fire Insurance? Or am I following Christ out of the recognition that I was designed by GOd to be in a walking around in the cool of the day relationship with Him? Because of all that was done from Genesis all the way through till now and beyond to bring humanity back into the place it was designed to be? Is my faith about Me or about God? That’s, because when my faith is about me, I end up shaping God into my own image instead of leaning into the truth that I was created in the image of God? That’s why this next part is so important because it tells us how Jesus wants us to behave...
Give no offense to Jews or Greeks or the church of God, just as I also try to please everyone in everything, not seeking my own benefit, but the benefit of many, so that they may be saved.
We all need to look at what we are doing and saying and living, we need to take stock and realize that our words and our actions matter.
If i were to sum up these verses it would be this.
Don’t expect people that are not where you are in your faith to act the way you think they should act.
If a person is not a follower of Christ, stop tryihng to hold them to the standard that other Christians are heald to. Stop pointing out all the things they are doing wrong based on the faith and life that you live, based on the blessed truth that you have the privelege to live in. Expecting someone to live by the club rules when they don’t have a membrership is wrong. Stop being offensive and holding them to some standard that they have not recognized. But wait there’s more. Not only are we not supposed to hold non-believers to the standard of Christianty that we have picked we are supposed to be mindful of the people that follow christ just like we do. We need to stop and think before we flaunt our freedoms and our understandings in front of those that we share our faith with. We need to stop before we comment, think before we eat, pause before we push play. As a Christ follower it’s our job to think of the other person before we think of ourselves and not just the other person that believes like we do but also the person that doesn’t . We look at what’s best for everyone else first becasue in doing so we are doing what Jesus did. Which brings us to what Paul says next.
Imitate me, as I also imitate Christ.
That’s what we are supposed to be doing. That’s what we are to be about. Paul is not saying do everytihng I do because I’m right. Paul is not saying do all the things I do. There’s sometting important to recoginze there.
Imitate me, AS I ALSO IMITATE CHRIST.
Chew the meat and spit out the bones.
This Week’s Challenge
This Week’s Challenge
Have some bacon. What I mean is this.
Stop being more concerned about your image and lean into being more like Christ.
Interact with a friend that doesn't know Christ
Interact with a fellow Christ follower
Treat both the way Jesus would treat them…Put their needs above yours!