If you will remain standing and take your Bibles and turn to the book of First Corinthians. First Corinthians, chapter nine. First Corinthians, chapter nine, and we'll be in verses one through fourteen. This is the word of the Lord. Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus, our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defense to those who would examine me. Do we not have the right to eat and drink? Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the law say the same? For it is written in the law of Moses, You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain." Is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope, and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. This is God's word. Let us pray. Our Father in heaven, we thank you for this day and for the gift of your scripture and the gathering of your people. And now, Father, we ask that you stamp with your own seal of approval and blessing on the reading and the preaching of your infallible word. Amen. And please be seated. Last week, Dirk preached through the passage in 1 Corinthians chapter 8 that describes the limit of Christian liberty. Sounds kind of contradictory, doesn't it? The limits of Christian liberty. Limits that are determined. by the love we have for our fellow Christians, by the great concern that we should have for the welfare of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Now, by that, I mean that we ought to pay attention to the state of a fellow believer's conscience and how we can either positively or how we might adversely affect what a fellow believer can interpret through our actions. And so, Paul comes to the conclusion in chapter 8 that our Christian liberty and our self-judged rights must come to an end. Must come to an end when another Christian believer is offended. He says we ought never to be the source of a brother's stumbling in their Christian wall. That same sort of discussion is continued in the first half of chapter nine that we just read. As Paul uses an example of his own personal situation, he writes this epistle and this portion of the epistle in somewhat of an unusual manner, as if he is interrogating the reader. There are 17 questions in the first half of the ninth chapter, four in the very first verse. So let's get started. The first point I want to bring up is that Paul is an apostle. A man who has apostolic rights. Let me read to you again, verses one through six. Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus, our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defense to those who would examine me. Do we not have the right to eat and drink? Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife or do, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord in Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? Verse one, am I not free? This question is a result of the situation with many of the people at the Corinthian church. They've been saying that they are free, free to do what they wanted to do. To eat meat offered to idols. to go to the pagan feast. They say we can rub elbows with the pagans and not be affected. And Paul says, all right, you Corinthians say that you have some freedom. I have some freedom, too. But back in chapter eight, he cautions the church in Corinth to not overstep their freedom. There are limitations to the freedom that they seek. But if anyone were qualified, to possess such freedom in an unfettered way, Paul asserts that it would be him. And then he asks, am I not an apostle? Paul has been wounded by the criticism of his apostolic status. Some of his opponents in Corinth and beyond have claimed that Paul could not have met the apostolic requirements drawn up when the apostles cast lots to appoint Matthias as successor to Judas. An apostle in the mind of these critics was required to have followed Jesus from the time of his baptism in the Jordan River to his ascension at the Mount of Olives. And he had to have been a witness of Jesus' resurrection. And though Paul was not numbered among the twelve, And though he had missed many of the instructions that Jesus gave to his closest disciples, Paul knew that Jesus had called him to be an apostle to the Gentiles. Have I not seen Jesus, our Lord? Yes. Paul defends his apostleship based on his experience on the road to Damascus, an experience that confirmed the resurrection of Jesus. No one in Corinth could dare claim that they were ignorant of Paul's conversion experience and Jesus' personal appearance to him. Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? The Corinthians had to admit that if Paul had not come to them and proclaimed Christ's gospel they would still have been living in spiritual darkness. And so, as Gentile Christians, they themselves were proof positive that Paul was an apostle to the Gentiles. And they had to agree that the work of founding and nurturing a church is not a human endeavor that can be accomplished apart from the presence and power of the Lord himself. verses two and three. If to others, this is what it says, if to others, I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defense to those who would examine me. In other words, Paul is saying that since he had planted the Corinthian church, he was saying to the church members that while there may be those who doubt his apostleship, that cannot be the case with this church. With them, he must be recognized as an apostle. The only other possibility was that the person who questions his qualifications was just not a believer or a plant to put in place to disrupt the activities and the growth of the church. But the evidence of his office The seal of the truth of his office were the presence of the believers themselves in Corinth. At this point, Paul, having established that he is an apostle and pointing out that the presence of the Corinthian church is the seal and the proof of that office. At that point, Paul begins to assert that he as an apostle, he has his own rights to. Do we not have the right to eat and drink? Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord, like James and Jude and Cephas, that is, Peter? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no rights to refrain from working for a living? Here's the point of his claim. He's saying, as a minister of God, not to mention as an apostle, shouldn't I have the right to expect that at least food and drink will be provided to me? And don't we have the right to marry a Christian woman and have her minister with me wherever I go? The other apostles like Peter. and the half-brothers of Jesus, and several of the other apostles were married. And they were ministering wherever they went through contributions from the churches. And when Paul somewhat sarcastically writes, or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? These two had just as much right as anyone else to receive financial and material support for their efforts. They voluntarily chose not to receive their livelihood from their work in the ministry. They could have demanded it, but they decided not to. And why they did that is something we will be examining a little bit later. We know that Paul chose to be single. But here in this passage, he is pointing out that he has a right, every right to be married and to receive remuneration and support from the people that he serves. We have here the principle that workers, workers and their wives, whether pastors, missionaries or evangelists, workers for the gospel, have the right to receive sustaining support from the people to whom they are ministering. And so this is the first point that Paul is an apostle and as an apostle, even he and his family, if he had a family, he has the right to be compensated for his ministerial efforts. To prove that Paul is a minister of the gospel, he is entitled to material support of the Corinthian congregation, and so Paul begins to muster more proof to support his case. The first of these additional proofs is that such compensation is customary to all societies. Verse 7 says this, who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? Paul gives three ordinary examples here to demonstrate that paying workers is customary. It's customary everywhere. Soldiers don't fight and do soldierly things half a day and then spend the remainder of the day at a civilian job in order to pay for lodging, clothes, food, and then buy their own weapons to use. Nor does a farmer plant a crop and then not partake of the harvest. Similarly, a shepherd tending a flock, is he not entitled to some of the milk of the flock as part of his payment? Nor do the farmer and shepherd put away the tools and bed down the sheep and then head off to their civilian job. No, the soldier, farmer and the shepherd all are paid for the work that they do. This is a customary thing. It is right and it is expected. And Paul's point is, why shouldn't it be true for the workers of God as well? Next, Paul says in verses eight through 12a. That this compensation is in God's law. Verse 8 says this, Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the law say the same? For it is written in the law of Moses, You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain. Is it for oxen that God is concerned? I'm not here to say, nor Paul is not either, saying that God is unconcerned about animals of any kind. But his question rhetorically is, is it for oxen that God is concerned in this situation? No, that's an example. Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. If we if we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? If others share this rightful claim on you, do we not even more? The principle that workers should be paid for their completed work is not founded upon mere human judgment, but on God's law as well. The illustration that Paul cites comes, as I said, from Deuteronomy 25 verse 4. The idea is that oxen were to be allowed to eat part of the grain as they were working to thresh the crop. That was the payment for the work that the ox received. Then Paul says to the effect that if oxen are paid for their work, shouldn't the human worker also be compensated? And he mentions that he and his fellow workers who provide spiritual benefits to the church, shouldn't they receive at least material things to serve as their proper compensation? Remember that the churches in Macedonia That is, Philippi, Thessalonica, Berea, and others financially supported Paul on a consistent basis while he worked among them. They had little wealth and were undergoing persecution. They gave beyond their ability to give, and Scripture says, out of their great poverty. Their attitude and practice set the standard for ministry support. Apparently the Corinthian church hadn't received the information about supporting Paul and his team. See, Paul knew that the Corinthians had financially been giving money to Peter and Apollos at one time. And they probably still were. At least during the time that Paul is penning this letter to the Corinthian church. Next, in verse 13, We get the point of compensation for spiritual work like physical labor. It is the universal pattern. It's the universal pattern in any sort of spiritual activity around the world, whether it be Christian, Jewish, or pagan. Verse 13 says this, Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service Get their food from the temple and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings. Now to me here, Paul seems to be piling on. Most likely, he's talking about the Levites who serve in the temple in Jerusalem and at the altar within the temple. They were compensated for their service by the tithes of animals and crops. as well as the portions of the sacrifices that were made there. And it seems as though, Paul being right, this is a universal pattern of support, whether, as I said, for the Jewish temple or a pagan one, to compensate the ministry workers through the gifts and sacrifices of the worshippers. Such compensation was also ordained by Jesus. Verse 14 says this, in the same way the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. Paul had the right to ask for support because the Lord had ordained the principle. Those who proclaim the gospel should receive their compensation from the gospel. This is a principle reiterated both in the Old Testament and in the New. In Luke chapter 10 verse 7, Jesus tells his 70 disciples he dispatches to remain in the same house eating and drinking what they provide for the laborer deserves his wages. And Paul may have been thinking about some other unrecorded teaching from the Lord to substantiate this point. The Lord commands his people to offer support to those who minister to them. But he does not command those who minister to accept the support. Paul chose not to accept it. He wanted the Corinthians to know that in every way he was entitled to material support. Paul was entitled to it as an apostle, as a customary policy among all societies that workers are to be compensated for their work. as part of God's law, as part of the universal pattern in all places of worship, and as a command from Jesus. Yet, as we see, Paul would not take payment. And I think we find the reason for that in verse 12b. I haven't read it again since the opening of this sermon. You see, compensation is not the supreme concern for Paul. It's not his major argument. Not at all. Paul has a higher priority on his mind when he decides not to accept support from the Corinthians. He says in this latter half of verse 12, Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. And again, this goes back to his concern in chapter eight last week and other problems we saw in previous sermons with the Corinthians themselves. Well, for the purposes of this week's message, let me make a few brief concluding observations. Here in 1 Corinthians, whether it be an issue of meat to idols, or who can receive the ordinances, or a problem of sexual immorality, or lawsuits between believers, or marital status, or spiritual gifts, you name it. For Paul, the foundational point for every Christian in settling any problem is to maintain the priority of understanding and communication of the gospel. Let me say that again. The foundational point for not just first century Christians, but every Christian in settling any problem, internal or external, is to maintain the priority of understanding and communication of the gospel. The gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ as Paul carried it to the Gentiles. Paul will write and preach and teach about an amazingly wide variation of topics, from the second coming of Christ to head coverings, from justification to the fate of Israel. to spiritual gifts and on and on. In all of his thirteen epistles, he tackles just about everything you can think of. He seems to be interested in everything as well. These topics reflect his past and the effects of his rebirth. But Paul's guiding star and priority as an apostle was singular. It was the gospel. It's the thing that drove him. It was his focus, his passion. His life was preaching and teaching the gospel. He did not go to Corinth to plant a church. Say that again. He did not go to Corinth to plant a church. He went there to promote the gospel. And as a result of his obedience to his call, a church emerged. by the work of the Holy Spirit. He didn't go to Philippi to get thrown into jail with Silas because he was establishing some parachurch ministry, or even, my deference to Tom, or even to establish an adoption agency for orphans, as admirable and as needed as those things are. What Paul was saying and what his primary aim was this time was eminently clear. It was the gospel. In Romans 1 verse 1, he opens the epistle with a self-description. He says, Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God. And here are some other scriptural identifiers that Paul uses about his relationship with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Romans 1.16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans chapter 5 verses 15 and 16 But on some points I have written to you very boldly by way of reminder Because of the grace given to me by God to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles in the priestly service of the gospel of God so that every offering of the Gentiles might be acceptable and sanctified by the Holy Spirit. First Corinthians 117. We did this, it seems like a year ago. For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel. And not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. First Thessalonians 2 4. But just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. Second Timothy 1 8, this is the last one, don't worry. There's tons of them. Therefore, do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me, his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God." In his epistles, Paul refers to the gospel 73 times. After his encounter with the Lord Jesus on the way to Damascus, he centered his life and judged himself on his obedience to the gospel as a special ambassador for Christ. It's no wonder. It's no wonder he will state in verse 12 in our passage today, we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. Well, more about this subject next week, let's pray. Our Lord and our God, you have honored us by calling us through the proclamation of the gospel, not by human wisdom or reasoning, but by your power. Bring to our minds that all that we are and will be is tied to the reality. Of Jesus Christ and him crucified. Remind us continuously that your divine will is found in your word. and that our guide is the gospel through the Holy Spirit. And Great Father, if it be your will, should there be anyone here today who does not know you or is deliberately rebelling against you, draw them to yourself that they too might be convinced of their sins and turn to the only one who can save their soul. We ask that through the Holy Spirit, your work in our lives be to conform us closer to what you want us to be. We are sword and our shield in the authority of Christ we pray. Amen.