It's good to see you all this morning and thankful for the Lord bringing us together to be able to worship and glorify the Lord Jesus Christ. That's why we're here. Worship Him. Let's turn to our chorus books, page nine, and we'll begin with this hymn, Complete Indeed, and then we'll sing page 10, How Great Thou Art. But first, page nine, Complete Indeed. Complete in thee no work of mine, may take, dear Lord, the place of thine. Thy blood hath pardoned but for me, and I am now complete in thee. Yea, justified, O blessed thought, and sanctified, salvation wrought, thy blood hath pardoned but for me, and glorified thy two shall be. Come, bleed in thee, no more shall sin. Thy grace hath conquered rain within. Thy voice shall bid the tempter flee. And I shall stand complete in Thee. Yea, justified, O blessed thought, And sanctified, salvation wrought, Thy blood hath barred and bought for me. and glorified, I too shall be complete in thee, each want supplied, and no good thing to be denied, since thou my portion, Lord, wilt be. I ask no more, complete in Thee, Yea, justified, O blessed thought, And sanctified, salvation wrought, Thy blood hath barred and bought for me, And glorified I too shall be. Dear Savior, when before Thy bar All tribes and tongues assembled are, Among Thy chosen may I be. At Thy right hand, complete in Thee, A justified, O blessed thought, And sanctified salvation wrought, Thy blood hath pardoned but for me, And glorified I too shall be. great hymn all right page 10 how great thou art oh lord most high thou holy god and savior Thy power and might are more than tongue can tell, But greater far the love that brought salvation, And saved the lost from sin and death and hell. God of love, O God of Calvary How great Thou art, how great Thou art In all the world there is no one like Thee How great Thou art, how great Thou art Once far from God, an alien and a stranger, of hope bereft, a sinner lost and lone. But Jesus came to rescue from the danger, to give us life, He sacrificed His own. God of love, O God of Calvary How great Thou art, how great Thou art In all the world there is no one like Thee How great Thou art, how great Thou art In mercy rich, in love and grace abounding, When we were dead in trespasses and sins, Thine only Son for us was freely given. How great Thou art! In Thee our life began. O God of Calvary, how great Thou art, how great Thou art. In all the world, there is no one like Thee. How great Thou art, how great Thou art. Amen. Let's turn our Bibles to Psalm 2 and Bob's coming to read for us. Psalm 2. Good morning. Please turn with me to Psalm number 2. Why do the heathen rage and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against his anointing, saying, let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us. He that setteth in the heavens shall laugh. The Lord shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath and vex them in his sore displeasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree the Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my son, this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel. Be wise now, therefore, O ye kings. Be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all that put their trust in him. May we pray. Gracious Heavenly Father, we thank you for this opportunity to read thy word that speaks of our Lord Jesus Christ, King of King, Lord of Lords, dear Lord. May we put our trust in his finished work. In Jesus' name, amen. Well, let's take our bulletins and on the inside cover, We'll sing this hymn to the tune of "'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus." I will praise the name of Jesus, prophet, priest, and reigning king. Join with me and bow before him, unto him your homage bring. I will praise the name of Jesus, who descended from above. came to save his chosen people, sent by God in covenant love. I will praise the name of Jesus, who upon Mount Calvary shed His blood to seal my pardon, died from sin to set me free. Jesus, risen, conquering, gracious Friend. Jesus is my Mediator, all my hopes on Him depend. I will praise the name of Jesus, O how good He is to me! I will gladly bow and worship, praise His name eternally. If you will, look with me in your Bible to 2 Timothy chapter 2. 2 Timothy chapter two. Thou, therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also. Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. No man that woreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier. And if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully. The husbandman that laboreth first must be first partaker of the fruits. Consider what I say, and the Lord give the understanding in all things. Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel, wherein I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even unto bonds, but the word of God is not bound. Therefore, I endure all things for the elect's sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory. It's a faithful saying, for if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him. If we suffer, we shall also reign with him. If we deny him, He also will deny us if we believe not, yet he abideth faithful. He cannot deny himself. Of these things put in remembrance, charging them before the Lord, that they strive not about words to no profit, but to the subverting of the hearers. Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings, for they will increase unto more ungodliness, and their word will eat as doth a canker, of whom is Hymenaeus and Philetus, who concerning the truth have erred, saying that the resurrection is past already, and overthrow the faith of some. Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal. The Lord knoweth them that are his, and let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and of earth, and some to honor, some to dishonor. If a man therefore purge himself from these, he shall be a vessel unto honor, sanctified, and meet for the master's use, and prepared unto every good work. Flee also youthful lusts, but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart. But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes. And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient in meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves. If God, peradventure, will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth. and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil who are taken captive by him at his will. Gracious Father, I thank you for your word. Pray that the reading of it by your spirit you'd bring home to our hearts to show us the glory that belongs unto your son, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the gospel that we are privileged to hear, how it honors and glorifies him and that we not get caught up with the strivings of men, of those who are enemies of the cross and who have not been taught by your spirit of Christ but continue to pursue their own way. We know that that would be our case were it not that you'd been pleased in your grace and mercy to deliver us, to call us out. And I'm thankful that you know those that are yours, even some now who oppose this message of Christ and do so to their own ruin and yet if they are ones that you have already chosen and that your son has redeemed we have that confidence that you will yet call them to yourself. I pray that our eyes would not be on others but on ourselves and our own souls needs, that as we meet today around your word that you would be pleased to teach us and not leave us to ourselves. And show us again the glory of Christ through your word. And may he receive all the honor and praise. We give you praise in his precious name, amen. Let's turn in our hymn books to hymn number 51, and we'll stand and sing this together. Praise the Savior, ye who know him. Hymn number 51. Praise the Savior, ye who know Him, who can tell how much we owe Him. Gladly let us render to Him all we are and have. Jesus is the name that calls us. He for conflict fits and arms us. Nothing moves and nothing harms us while we trust in Him. Trust in Him, ye saints, forever. He is faithful, changing never. Neither force nor gall can sever those he loves from him. Keep us, Lord, O keep us cleaving, To thyself and still believing, Till the hour of our receiving Promise joys with thee. Then we shall be where we would be, Then we shall be what we should be, ♪ Things that are not now nor could be ♪ ♪ Soon shall be our own ♪ Amen, you may be seated. Let's turn now to 1 Corinthians 9, 19 to 27. Adam's coming to read for us 1 Corinthians 9, 9 to 27. Good morning. 1 Corinthians 9, 19 through 27. For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews. To them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law. To them that are without law, as without law being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak. I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. Know ye not that they which run in a race run all? But run receiveth the prize, so run that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly, so fight I, not as one that beateth the air, but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. Father, I pray that you would open our eyes to see Christ in the scripture. Be with Ken as he brings forth the message, amen. I've entitled this message, for the gospel's sake. That's what Paul says here in verse 23, this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. He's not saying it just for himself, but that those for whom he's preaching might be partakers of the same gospel that the Lord was pleased to teach him. When we talk about the gospel, A lot of people use that term. It means good news, but most of what we hear today being preached is not good news. It's telling sinners that God loves them, has a wonderful plan for their life, really would like to save them, and that the Lord Jesus actually came and laid down his life for everybody. But alas, unless you accept him, then, you make his death to be in vain. And I asked myself, well, what kind of good news is that? Telling sinners that God's done all he can do and now the rest is up to you, especially since sinners are depraved and blind and lost and dead in their trespasses and sins. You'd be better off going out here to the graveyard and talking to the dead and telling them to do something. That'll never happen. Now, the good news of the gospel, first of all, has to do with the very person of the Lord Jesus Christ. It's good news because of who he is. It's who he is to his father and how the father purposed to glorify his son and honor him even before the foundation of the world and give him a people to come and save. And guess what kind of people he gave him? Sinners. You might not think that that's a very good gift, but that's all there was to give. That was the reason he was to come. If you had somebody say to you, I want to bring my garbage by your house and give it to you, and you can do something with it, you'd probably think, get out of here. I don't need your garbage. I got enough to deal with myself. But that's really what God the Father did. He said to his son, I'm going to create a world of sinners, and out of that world of sinners, I've chosen those that I will give you as their surety, and in the fullness of the time, you'll come and pay their sin debt. And there was agreement, such as the agreement that there is in the Godhead between the Father and the Son and the Spirit. They all work in harmony with regard to salvation. And guess who gets the honor and glory? the Father's purpose that the Son be honored and glorified. And the Spirit coming has no other purpose than to glorify the Son. It's all about the Son. That's what the gospel is. It's not a system of doctrines that you sit and learn or some catechism that you go through and learn how to answer the right questions. No, it's about the person of Christ and his work, who he is and what he accomplished. and where he is now for whom he did it. So this is the gospel that Paul here is defending because he has many naysayers as he went from place to place preaching. And his particular fault was that the Lord had raised him up to go preach to the Gentiles. And the Jews thought that no way he could be an apostle because if he were, he wouldn't be going to the Gentile dogs to preach. But that's who the Lord said he should go preach for. And he was happy to do so because he didn't see himself above those for whom he was preaching. As the Lord had taught him, he was a firebrand delivered out of the fire. And that the only reason he was who he was was because of the grace of God and the work of the Lord Jesus Christ. And that was his message that he delighted in preaching, although facing much persecution. He said in one place, he bore in his body, the marks of the suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ, thinking of how many times he was beaten and stoned and left for dead for doing one thing. exalting the person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. So that's what I want to look at here when he says that what he's doing, writing these Corinthians, what he's doing in preaching, what he's doing and going out into the regions beyond is for the gospel sake. And you can go ahead and put there for Christ's sake, because that who is the subject of the gospel. But in verses 19 to 23 that we read, first of all, with regard to the gospel, we see the freeness to live to Christ without the encumbrances and restrictions of men and traditions. That was one thing that Paul enjoyed about preaching the gospel. He wasn't under anybody's thumb. where he was taking his words and his dictates from some hierarchy up there that was passing down to him what he was to say as he went from place to place. When he says for the gospel's sake, he's saying for Christ's sake, he has but one head. And that is Christ. That's difficult for this religious world to believe that there can actually be a group of people like us that meet together under one head and that's Christ. We're not attached to any denomination. Thank God. Can you imagine if we were directed by some higher authority that would come here and tell us what to do and what to speak and how to live? That's not for the gospel sake. When Paul says here in verse 19, I am free from all men. And he says, yet though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all. Why? That I might gain the more. So living as a free man in Christ, yes, but not an outlaw. He's not a renegade. He's not out there on his own just saying and doing what he wants, but he's on the trail of God's sheep. And that's what a true preacher of the gospel does. They're not trying to get everybody converted, but they're on the trail of God's sheep. He says that I might gain the more. What that means is win the more. He knows that salvation is of God. from beginning to end, and it's God that must do the work in drawing centers, and yet he gladly, freely goes out and speaks to people wherever the Lord gave that opportunity of the Lord Jesus Christ. And that was more important to him to have that freedom to do so than anything that he had ever been involved with to that point. Remember, he at one time had been a Jewish legalist, a Pharisee. When the Lord arrested him on the road to Damascus, he was on his way to arrest more that identified with the name of Christ. But now as a free man, you say, well, how is he a free man? Because Christ has paid his debt and he owed no man anything, not even unto God because Christ had borne it all. And yet we see here in this statement for the gospel sake, down in verse 23, for Christ's sake, it's that those that Christ had redeemed already and that God had justified already by the shed blood of his son, that they also might be brought. I know there are some that argue, well, if God chose them already and Christ died for them already, why even go out and preach? Well, that's because God has ordained that it be through the exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ, that these that he came to save should be drawn. That's the net that is cast and drawn in by God to bring into the fold those for whom Christ had paid the debt. And Paul considered that a privilege to be able to serve Christ in this manner. And yet he recognized that not all men are the same. No matter where you go, the message is the same. Over the years that I was enabled by God to preach the gospel overseas, many different cultures, many different languages. When I would travel from country to country, it was like a new orientation every time because different people did different things. I remember one time I sat down at a bus station and I was with some people and they bought me some of these fried bananas and put it in front of me and said, hey, help yourself. Well, I didn't think anything about it. I reach in with my left hand and I pull out a fried banana and I start chewing on it. Everybody pulled back. And I looked at him, I said, did I do something wrong? They said, you never put your left hand into a plate with anybody, that's your dirty hand. And so they wouldn't eat it. That was a lesson. I'm thinking, wow, whoever thinks about, here, have some fries. OK, I think I will. You grab it with your left hand and start eating. We don't think about that in our culture. But those are the things that you confront. And imagine Paul as a Jew, having been under all those rules and regulations and laws, Now going from place to place in different countries and preaching the gospel, the message is the same. That's the one thing that I rejoice in. The message didn't change, but as he says here, and you can understand why he says this in verse 20, to the Jews, I became as a Jew that I might win the Jews. You say, well, he was already a Jew. Yeah, it didn't change his message when he went to them, but he recognized When he was with Jews, there were certain cultural things that they probably would not tolerate. And just because he was an apostle to the Gentiles, he didn't say, well, fool you on you. I'm going to teach you how the Gentiles do it. No. He came and when he was with the Jews, he did as the Jews did that he might win them. He didn't come with a different message. It was still the message of Christ and him crucified. But nonetheless, he endeavored to adjust his lifestyle, if you will, as much as possible to that which would not offend the Jews and cause them not to want to listen to the message of Christ. And then he says to them that are under the law is under the law that I might gain them that are under the law. But then he goes on in verse 21 to them that are without law. Who's he speaking of there? Well, he's talking about the Gentiles. That as he went to them to preach Christ unto them, probably a Jew observing him with his customs and practice with them would have said, Oh man, he's trying to be like a Gentile. Well, it wasn't that he was trying to be anything, but he knew that in order to preach the gospel for them, that when he was with them, he endeavored not to do anything that would outwardly offend them. And again, that he might win some, is the way he put it up there, gain the more. It's not that our lifestyle and what we do is going to change anybody or bring them to Christ. They still need to hear the message of Christ, but the gospel itself is enough of an offense, isn't it? You don't have to add offense by your practices and what you do. And I've had to learn that. I admit it, I'm a transplant from up north, from overseas, and ever since I came down south here, I've had people tell me, we don't do that down south. Okay, well, I'm not gonna do that or say that anymore while I'm down south. But when you head up north, If you go up there with some of your Southern practices, I remember when we moved down here, we were teaching our kids, because up North, you never said, yes, sir, yes, ma'am, to anybody, unless they were way up in age. And so when our kids came back from down South, and every time somebody said something, they were saying, yes, sir, yes, ma'am. The people they were saying it to got offended. They said, don't call me sir, don't call me ma'am. because that was just not practiced. That's just a little illustration where you make adjustments in order, as Paul said, to win some. But don't forget to say it when you come back down South, because that's the practice out of respect, whoever it is. So here Paul sought to win, not that it was dependent upon him when it says there to gain the more, The idea there is that people would be, by his example, not offended, even though the gospel was an offense, but be sensitive to their needs and identifying with them. And that's how we do when we reach out to people. I think about that whenever I preach on the radio. Do you realize I'm using vocabulary that is so strange to this world? In fact, I had a station manager said to me that one time, they listened through one time and they said, I don't know how anybody can even understand you. And I said, what do you mean? Is the language too, am I using too high a vocabulary? He said, no, it's just that when you talk about justification, when you talk about redemption, when you talk about being elect, he said, that's not anything that any of us ever hears about in our congregations. And I thanked him for being honest. But you don't change your message. What you do is declare it and then explain it. And that's what I attempt to do every time the Lord enables me to preach. But we should be of that mindset, as Paul says here, for the sake of the gospel. aware of people's cultures and backgrounds in order that nothing should stand in the way of them actually, by God's grace, hearing the message of Christ. And that's why he says there, I have become all things to all men that I might by all means save some. He said, to the weak in verse 22, became I as weak that I might gain the weak. And I made all things to all men that I might by all means save some. I wonder how much we think about this even as we deal with our neighbors, acquaintances, people that we run into from place to place. We're not going around thumping people on the head with a gospel and trying to get their attention. Now we develop relationships with people, with the view that if it pleased God, he might be pleased through the message of Christ or the testimony that we have to declare, because that's really what it is to speak of the gospel to others. It's testifying to others what Christ has done for you. You remember when that demoniac wanted to get in the boat and go back across with Christ? He said, no, stay here and go tell your loved ones, go tell your family what great things God has done for you. I get people asking me all the time, how do you testify? If the Lord's done a work of grace in your heart, that's what you tell them. The same thing, how it is that he was gracious to you, the sinner. and how it is that he could declare you righteous as nothing but a sinner. It's not in our righteousness, but that of Christ alone. We should not think that somehow in saying this though, and that's the point I want to make, that somehow God changed his message to appeal to different groups. That he clearly denied already. If you go back to first Corinthians chapter one, But when I was overseas, I ran into so-called missionaries that that's what they were doing. They were changing the message in order to try to win certain ones. A classic case was a missionary that told me he didn't use the Bible to try to so-called evangelize, what he called it, but he was working with the Muslims. He said, I just used the Quran. And so I go through the Quran and I try to find things in the Quran that resemble a little bit of what the gospel might be. And that's what I use, not the Bible because they're offended by the Bible. And I just told them flat out, you've compromised the gospel. What you're doing is elevating the Quran above the inspired word of God. And you're saying that somehow God is going to draw sinners with error. Same thing with translation societies, they'll go in and they'll write a dynamic equivalent of the Bible that we have here. People ask me all the time, why do you just stick with the King James version? Well, it's not that the King James is the inspired word of God, but the text underneath the King James is what God used. And that in the original was the inspired word of God. And of all the translations and translators, this is the one that I find to be the most careful. Even down to, if it's not an equivalent in the original text, they put it in an italic. Because if you've ever done translation, it's difficult. There's not word for word equivalence. I remember my dad worked on translation for years and the language in which he labored, they didn't even have a word for grace or thanks. You never thanked anybody because if you thanked them in that culture and society, that means you were done with them. So if I came to your house and I thanked you for the meal, they're all of a sudden gonna react and say, oh, you didn't like it? Well, yeah, it was a great meal. Well, why'd you thank me? Because if you thank me, that just means you don't want any more. So those are the types of things that Paul would have faced as he went from place to place, but he didn't change his message. Over here in 1 Corinthians chapter one, notice in verse 22, he said, for the Jews require a sign. So you can imagine, even though the Lord did give Paul the gift of of doing miracles from time to time, and Jews that he ran into would have said, well, if we're to believe you, do a miracle, Paul. And he said, the Greeks seek after wisdom. The Greeks, think about the Greek culture. That was what they were all about, knowledge and understanding and wisdom. And so they were expecting Paul perhaps to change his language to speak to them in some sort of earthly wisdom, high vocabulary, if you will. But what does he say in verse 23, but we preach Christ crucified unto the Jews, a stumbling block. So again, yes, the, the message will be a stumbling block because it's a message that gives Christ all the glory. It doesn't leave any part of it to man to contribute with his salvation. So they're offended, a stumbling block and under the Greeks foolishness. How many people have come through here? They're looking for some high study or doctrine. And they come with the idea of being able to contribute themselves. They've been educated. They want you to know it and all these things. And you tell them to sit down just along with everybody else and be quiet and listen to the message of Christ. Well, they get offended. It's not what they're after. So they're gone. Well, better, better they be gone. But that's what Paul says here in verse 24 unto them, which are called. That's why I say we're on the trail of God's sheep. I'm not trying to convince everybody. In fact, I'm not trying to convince anybody. All I'm doing is declaring the gospel of Christ and it says to them that are called, whether Jew or Greek, whatever the cultural background, Christ, the power of God. It's in his Person and his work that God exercises that power to convert sinners and what the wisdom of God Oh to see the wisdom of God in sending his son to satisfy his law and justice that By his work that he earned and established and by his death that he accomplished He has once for all and forever saved that people that the father gave him to say we're not talking about a salvation in progress When I declare the message of the gospel of Christ, we're talking about salvation accomplished, and it may be just now you're learning about it and hearing about it, but you're learning about it and hearing about it now doesn't mean that that then is your salvation. No, it points you back to the person work of Christ that he came to accomplish. So coming back here to my text in 1st Corinthians 9, when Paul says he became all things to all men, that he might by all means save some. He's not talking about changing his message. There's a plea today for a system of accommodation that we have to accommodate people for where they are. And just because they differ with the gospel, don't try to force the gospel down their throat. Don't try to make them change. You change. Well, that's not what Paul is talking about here when he says becoming all things to all men. What he's saying there is, as I mentioned, learning about how they think and move and how they were raised. A lot of that you have to sit and listen. You have to be a good listener with people even before you open your mouth. And I believe that's important as far as finding out where they are and who they are. We're not trying to force this message of Christ on anybody, but as we learn more about a person's background, as we learn more about their upbringing, as we learn more about their culture, Then we ask the Lord to cause us to be able to take this message of Christ and communicate it to them in a way that if God so pleased, he'll open their heart. And that's what Paul says here in verse 23. This I do for the gospel's sake. None of us likes to have to bend and give place to other people just because they, from a different background or culture, we all are selfish. We all like to impose our own. And yet when it comes to the gospel, that's what Paul is saying here, this do I for the gospel's sake. He's willing not to offend people. that the offense be because of certain practices and things that he does over the gospel. If any is going to be offended, let it be the gospel, but not because of any manner that we have or way of speaking that we have. To understand then what Paul meant when he wrote, I become all things to all men, we have to keep that statement in its context. He wasn't just bending over and compromising in order to win some. He was explaining to the Corinthian church, his motivation, why he was submitted to the very lifestyle he was in, which was a hard lifestyle and relinquishing many rights. We saw this already that others had even to be married. or to draw a salary. We saw that last time in verses six through 12 of this chapter. But all of that, he had completely abandoned and given up for this one purpose, that Christ himself might be exalted and the message of Christ be heard through him. That's what his calling was. It was to preach the gospel. And So he said, though I'm free, that's what we saw in verse 19, connecting all of this, yet he belonged to no one. He's made himself, if you will, a servant to everyone. You don't think that's tough, right? Getting along with everybody. That's what he was saying, to win as many as the Lord had purpose. And that's why to the Jews, he became a Jew and to the Gentiles, He became as a Gentile under the law. He became as one under the law, though I myself, he said, am not under the law. Why? Because he's under Christ. So he didn't subject himself to those laws, but he was careful not to offend in those areas where they thought that that law was significant and important for them. If I had some practical things here to say, and I thought about this a lot because I've traveled in many different cultures. I've lived in places where there is no tolerance when it comes to culture. Have a high esteem for your own upbringing and background, but if anybody's from a different background and culture, you know, they give you the stiff arm. But I believe Paul is exhorting us that there's no creature to ever be refused. I don't care what their background or race or culture. In fact, I dare say that many of these we read about in the Bible, if they were to come join us in worship today, you'd probably feel very uncomfortable because we're all white Caucasian type background and that's where we're comfortable and don't get me out of my element. I'd love to bring some of these that I know from across the sea, have them come sit here and not sit here, but take them into your homes and let them live with you for a week or a month. There'll be some adjusting. You'd probably get upset at certain of their practices and cultures. I don't mean to be, you know, give too much information here, but overseas, you know where you pee? In the shower. Can you imagine inviting some of these in and all of a sudden you find out they're peeing in your shower? You're like, oh, we don't do that here. I remember taking a friend overseas one time and on the flight, he came back and sat down and he said, And I know I'm probably giving too much information, but it's just to make the point. He said, I don't know why there's footprints on the toilet seats. And I said, well, where are we headed? We're headed to Africa. And in Africa, what do you do? You get up over a hole and you squat. And that's what they do. They never learned to sit down on a toilet seat. You don't sit on a toilet seat because it's dirty. You know that yourself and you're worried about wiping it up all the time. Well, they take care of that with one fell swoop. They just get up on the toilet seat and swap and then get off. Little things like that, as I said, when you bring them into your home, all of a sudden you're thinking, I don't know, that's different. Well, how willing would we be? That's what Paul is saying here when he says, all things to all men, that he might win some. Let's don't get too comfortable in who we are. I dare say that in glory, the color of those that are in glory, very few are gonna be what we're accustomed to. Just look around right now in the United States. How many are there that really the Lord has ever taught of the gospel? We're very few. But you know what, I get up every week, every morning, Friday and Sunday, I'm preaching to people that I've been overseas and met with, ate with, slept with, singing in a different language and translating a different people. And I'm thinking, this is probably more like what heaven will be like in glory than what we're accustomed to as we sit in our little comfortable settings and feel as if, you know, We're doing all right. But having said that, and I'm not in any way denigrating who the Lord has made us. You know, it's funny how I live here in the States and how I've had to learn to live compared to how I lived when I was overseas. If you saw me back in those days, things that I had to do, things I had to eat, places I had to sleep, other things, you would think, wow. What a different life, yeah, wow, what a different life. But that was then, this is now. I don't have to bring all that here. Someone asked me one time, they said, well, if you went to a place and you had the choice between a hotel and sleeping on the floor or taking somebody's bed that was full of bed bugs or a nice comfortable place, what would you do? I'd say, well, obviously, I'd take the nice comfortable place. I'd pay for the hotel. But if someone was offended, in that culture because I didn't want to stay in their home, you know what I'd do? I'd give up that hotel and go stay, eat their food, sleep on that floor, just like they do. And that's what it is. I believe that's what Paul was describing. And those are precious memories. It's just when I'm talking, it's like another universe that's just flowing out of me right now. But that's how God purposed. But thinking about the ways that we can become all things to all people, I'll just give these practical things to you. First of all, listen. Be a listener. As different people we come across, I know we're often too eager to speak our point and make it plain. And this is one I'm gonna let them know who Christ is. But that's not how we were taught. The Lord dealt with us in tenderness and brought us and drew us to himself through his word. And perhaps the testimony of somebody that was very quiet mannered, didn't have a whole lot to say, but when they spoke, they spoke of Christ. And that was the means that the Lord used. I think back in my own journey, thankful for certain ones that listened to where I was. At that time, at that point, I was ready to tell them everything I thought I knew. And yet the Lord had to show me I knew nothing, laid me low. The second thing is be kind. That should go without saying, shouldn't it? I know that so many take this gospel message and the truth of it and try to beat people over the head with it. Draw your sword, get out there. I'm ready to debate and argue. when in reality, a little kindness would go a long way. Sitting and listening because we forget how it was that the Lord drew us. Wasn't it in his kindness and mercy that he drew us and caused us to know our need and our hearts were turned to him. Thirdly, I've already mentioned this, be sensitive to different people's backgrounds and cultures as you go from place to place. And it's getting more and more like that here in the United States. I hear people complain about it, but they're saying, man, we're getting all these foreigners into our country. Well, who said it was your country? This is God's country. This is God's world. And he has always used displacement of migrants and foreigners to bring his elect to where they would be brought to hear the gospel. I think about that all the time. That's why when I see somebody that dresses different or they're from a different country or speaks with an accent that I'm not accustomed to, I like to find out a little bit about their background. How did you get here? And why are you here? And use that as a means then to, as the Lord directs, that might be one of the Lord's sheep. You never know about it. So be sensitive to their culture and their background as the Lord might open up an opportunity. And fourthly, deal with your prejudice. That's your problem. If you have prejudice of any kind toward any one of God's creatures, remember whose creatures they are. God is the one who created them. And God is the one that put them in your path And if they're gonna hear the gospel, then it's gonna take renouncing any sort of prejudice that you might have towards somebody else, because Christ himself knows no difference between Jew and Gentile, bond or free. And that's what Paul declared. that in Christ we are one. Yes, our desire is not to be offensive, to be inoffensive in any way, but except for the matter of the cross. Don't compromise the cross. The cross of Christ naturally gives offense. I could stand up and whisper the message of the gospel. And that would be an offense to many. It's not how you raise your voice or make a point. It's the message. But it can't be watered down, nor should it. The preaching of the cross, Paul said, is foolishness to who? Those that are perishing. That's why it's foolishness. And our Lord Jesus warned us not to be shocked when the world hates you. You shouldn't avoid offense just because of the gospel. It hated him first. And so the message is going to offend, it offends human pride, it offends sinners' sense of fairness. When you say that God has chosen some and not others, that Christ didn't die for everybody, you're talking about an offense. That's just the complete opposite of what people are hearing. And yet, when it comes to who I am as a person and what it is to speak with people, I've got to let go of what I think might be my rights. I hear a lot about that. That's my right to do certain things. Well, who gave you rights? Any rights we have come from God alone, but we meet people where they are. And as we deal with them, that is what our desire is that they hear of Christ. And Paul to wrap this up in verses 24 to 27, He uses illustrations here of determination, not to know anything, but Christ in him crucified. His attitude, he uses an athlete's attitude. He said, I run and I fight. Sporting events were big in Paul's day, particularly in the Corinthian culture. And that's an example where, you know, Paul used that to endeavor to reach some. Corinth, because of the city being the center of that part of the country. That's where the Olympics began, by the way, it was in Greece. But he uses these figures from arena competition. When you study it in all of his epistles, actually 12 different references of his. Some people say, well, if he was spiritual, he wouldn't be talking about sports. That was the culture of the day. And so he used examples of what was drawn from those, examples of runners, boxers, when he says, when I beat, I don't beat the air. He uses the example of gladiators, of chariot racers, of trophies, all of these things. But he says, run in such a way as to obtain. That's why you train. That's why you compete as athletes. They want to win. And he's just saying with this regard to preaching the gospel, what a delight to go out and preach and see Christ draw sinners. That's a win. Worth every bit of struggle and trial and anything you might've ever given up. Oh, to see one that the Lord is pleased to bring through a word that you spoke in season. You didn't know it was going to be in season, but the Lord did. But he says everyone that competes, competes for that prize. In temporal things, what's our prize? That Christ get the glory. That's what our prize is. And so Paul says he disciplines his body. That Greek word means to strike under the eye, to get a black eye. He said, I'd be willing to get a black eye if for no other reason than to be able to point a center to Christ. And maybe initially they're upset. You know, I've said that before. If someone gets up and runs out and they're upset, that means they heard something. You know who I worry more about? People that come in and sit down and go home. Another message. I think I'll get on with my life. Oh, I love to see people get upset when it comes to hearing the gospel. Why? And fight back, because they do. You'll get a black eye. But Paul said, I don't do all this just for naught. I do it knowing that there are those that Christ has redeemed, God has chosen and them also he must bring. And what a privilege it is to be one of his messengers. You know, Paul's concern is that if after preaching to others, he himself be disqualified, you say, well, how could that be? Well, there are those that have picked up this message for a while. At least they've used the words. And they've preached, you listen to them and you think, wow, the Lord's taught them the gospel. And then you find out later that there came a time they left it. They couldn't stand the isolation. They couldn't stand the opposition. And you say, well, what about them? Well, they're disqualified. Think of Judas Iscariot. For three years, he went around with those disciples preaching the same message that the Lord had taught the disciples to preach. And yet, what did Christ say of him? Son of perdition. And that was Paul's concern, that after every preaching to others, he himself be disqualified. How? By turning away from the message of Christ. That's my one prayer. Doesn't matter how long I've preached, 40 years plus this one gospel, one message, and yet if the Lord doesn't keep me, then I could go the way of all flesh just like anybody. And I know some hear that and they think, oh, I don't think that ever happened. Well, You don't know the heart and you don't know the struggle. But every time I stand to preach, I ask God, keep me looking to Christ, that after having preached to others, I myself not be found to be a reprobate. May God help us. Let's take our handbooks and sing hymn number 258. Let's stand and sing this, 258. He hideth my soul. and the cleft of the rod. ♪ A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord ♪ A wonderful Savior to me He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock, where rivers of pleasure I see. He hideth my soul in the cliff of the rock that shadows a dry thirsty man. He hideth my life in the depths of his love and covers me there with his hand. and covers me there with his hand. A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord. He taketh my burden away. He holdeth me up and I shall not be moved. He giveth me strength as my day. He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock that shadows a dry, thirsty land. He hideth my life in the depths of His love, And covers me there with His hand. And covers me there with His hand. With numberless blessings each moment He crowns, And filled with His fullness divine. I sing in my rapture, O glory to God, For such a Redeemer as mine. He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock that shadows a dry, thirsty land. He hideth my life in the depths of His love and covers me there with His hand. and covers me there with His hand. When clothed in His brightness, transformed to meet Him in clouds of the sky. His perfect salvation, His wonderful love, I'll shout with the millions on high. He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock that shadows a bright thirsty land. He hideth my life in the depths of his love and covers me there with his hand. and covers me there with his hand. Amen. All right, with that, we'll be dismissed. Look forward to next time.