Sermons on 1 Corinthians 10:33

… church of God, even as I try to please everybody in every way. Listen to what he says. This is the heart of a disciple maker. For I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, so that they may be saved. He's living for the sake of the glory of Christ and others. Now listen to what says in 1 Corinthians 11, 1, follow my example as I follow the example of Christ. What a bold statement for Paul to come on the scene and say, you guys follow me and you will be following Christ. Some of your translations say, imitate me and you will be imitating Christ. Is that a bold statement or what? For you say to the people in your sphere of influence, follow me and you will be following Christ. Are we supposed to say that? Isn't that a little bold? No, that's exactly what we're supposed to say. That's the essence of what this whole thing is about. And it's not just a moment where Paul was feeling pretty confident. Go over to Philippians chapter 3. Look at Philippians chapter 3. He says the same thing again. Look at Philippians chapter 3, verse 17. Underline these verses. Make a note. This is a picture of what it means to stake your life in showing others Christ. …

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… You don't want to harm your testimony, because that's what comes in the next verse. Just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking My own profit, but the profit of many, so they may be saved. I don't want to do anything that's going to cause somebody to think I'm not a believer. And if I conduct myself with alcohol the way the pagan world does, that may cause someone to be indifferent to the gospel. And then a final question. Would it wound my conscience if I did it? You don't want to wound your conscience. This again is Romans 14. You want your conscience to function sensitively. It's a God-given mechanism that warns you. It's your warning system. You don't want to train yourself to ignore your conscience. You don't want to have a seared conscience. You don't want to have a scarred conscience. You don't want to train yourself to ignore the accusing that comes out of a conscience that's offended because you have done something against your convictions. …

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First. His meekness under abuses, and his love to his enemies. There were multitudes that hated him, but there is no appearance of his hating any. The greater part of the world where he went, were his enemies. But he was the friend of every one, and laboured and prayed earnestly for the good of all. And when he was reproached and derided and buffeted, still it was with meekness and gentleness of spirit that he bore all, and wished well to them none the less, and sought their good 1 Cor. iv. 12, 13. “Being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; being defamed, we entreat.” In that period of his great sufferings when he went up to Jerusalem, and there was such an uproar about him, and the people were in so furious a rage against him, eagerly thirsting for his blood; he discovered no anger or ill will towards his persecutors. At that time when he was a prisoner through their malice, and stood before king Agrippa, and Agrippa said, “Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian; and his blood-thirsty enemies were standing by; he replied, “I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost and altogether such as I am, except these bonds. ” He wished that his accusers, and those who had bound themselves with an oath that they would neither eat nor drink till they had killed him, had all of them as great privileges and as much of the favour of heaven as himself; and that they were altogether as he was, except his bonds and imprisonment, and those afflictions which they had brought upon him. He did not desire that they should be like him in that affliction, though it was the fruit of their own cruelty. And when some of the Corinthians, whom he had instructed and converted from heathenism, had dealt ill by him, had hearkened to some false teachers, that had been among them, who hated and reproached the apostle; he tells them, in 2 Cor. xii. 15. notwithstanding these abuses, that still he would very gladly spend and be spent for them, though the more abundantly he loved them, the less he should be loved by them. If they returned him no thanks for his love, but only ill will and ill treatment, still he stood ready to spend and be spent for them. And though the apostle was so hated, and had suffered so many abuses from the unbelieving Jews, yet how does he express his love to them.? He prayed earnestly for them. Rom. x. 1. “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved.” And he went mourning for them. He went about with a heavy heart, and with continual grief and sorrow, from compassion for them, under the calamities of which they were the subjects; and he declares in the most solemn manner, that he had so great desire for their salvation, that he could find it in his heart to wish himself accursed from Christ for them, and to be offered up a sacrifice, if that might be a means of their salvation. Rom. ix. 1, 2, 3. We are to understand it of a temporal curse. He could be willing to die an accursed death, and so be made a curse for a time, as Christ was, if that might be a means of salvation to them. How are those reproved by this, who, when they are abused and suffer reproach or injury, have thereby indulged a spirit of hatred against their neighbour, a prejudice whereby they are always apt to entertain a distrust, and to seek and embrace opportunities against them, and to be sorry for their prosperity, and glad at their disappointments. …

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