Those that He has called to Himself by faith in Jesus were chosen by Him for that relationship long before they were ever born. It means to remain or endure in a situation, specifically with the idea of awaiting something else. Text: Acts 19:1-20 Sermon Series: On Mission. There are times when we should avail ourselves of opportunities. Someone was just as able to be called to God through Christand to live for Jesus just as faithfullyin a state of slavery as much as in a state of freedom. In our last time together, we talked about Pauls answer to this important question from 1 Corinthians 7:12-14. In verses 17-24, we see that Paul applies this principle to all of life. NOTE: Paul was separated unto Christ from his mother's womb but not saved until the Damascus Road Galatians 1:15; Acts 9. Heaven is open, as St. Stephen saw it open (Acts 7:55); and we hear God when He addresses us in Baptism, in Holy Communion, in confession, and in His Word as it proceeds from the mouth of the men who proclaim His message to the people." --Martin Luther (1/19/1538 [LW 22:202])-- Send Pastor Mark Schlamann an email. Picking Your Fights - 1 Corinthians 9:1-23. Are you single, married? Were on a mission to change that. He used circumcision and slavery as illustrations to describe God's sovereignty over the social and religious barriers of his day. Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. The question at Corinth was: When we come to Christ, what should we abandon? Playing To Win - 1 Corinthians 9:24-27. 21 Were you a bondservant when called? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. A- He has discussed marriage and divorce. Paul talks about this in terms of "living as you are called." This calling is not talking about your vocation, it is talking about your identity in Christ and how you live your life in response to that. The main point of my message this morning can be stated as a declaration and as a prayer. All of us are prone to asking whether or not the grass may be greener somewhere than where we are living our lives right now. In a word, the application of Paul's principle to cultural distinctives is this: Don't fret and don't boast about your present state of cultural distinctives; they are of little importance to God compared to whether you are devoting yourself, soul and mind and body, to obeying his commandments, which are all fulfilled in this: "Love your neighbor as yourself" (Romans 13:810; Galatians 5:14). The question isn,t am I at the right job or church? He also gives us some illustrations of what this principle should look like in some specific cases. 24 So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.1 Corinthians 7:17-24, ESV The first word is assignments, I see this in verse seventeen. 28 And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears, we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming.1 John 2:28, ESV 1 Corinthians:7:32 . For he who is called in the Lord while a slave is the Lords freedman. No new uncircumcised believer in Christ was required to become circumcised or to hold to the traditions passed on by Moses. God looked upon us when we were dead in our sins and trespasses, when we were nonresponsive to God. Either waywhatever the cultural or social situation we are called in, we are to do as Paul says in verse 24. We will pervert Paul's teaching and miss his intention if we take the sentence, "Let the uncircumcised not be circumcised" (verse 18), and make it an absolute prohibition of cultural adaptations. First, God is very much more concerned with the way you do the job that you now have than he is with whether you get a new job. 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. By: Pastor Jacob Gerber | Series: 1 Corinthians. Paul gives a resounding no in verse 3. Stay Where You're Called (1 Corinthians 7:17-24) In the eleventh century, King Henry III of Bavaria grew tired of court life and the pressures of being a monarch. And in this vocation or station in life another calling comes from God. Our separation from the world as Gods holy church is not marked by ceremonial circumcision, but by holy obedience that God graciously enables through Christ by his spirit in our lives. But if you translate it as a command to seek freedom, the true point of the passage is obscured. The most important thing is your faith and obedience and keeping the commandments of God. In those days, people would often sell themselves into slavery to pay off debts. We want the Bible to give us clear answers. You have heard this morning about how He transforms the lives of all those who trust Him. Paul went on to tell them that, if their unbelieving husband or unbelieving wife resented their new life in Christif they hated their faith so much that they did not want to stay with them any longerthen the believer should allow that unbelieving spouse to go. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity. In light of the glorious heavenly calling that we have received, our earthly circumstances are in fact rather unimportant. For many of us that may mean turning over a new leaf tomorrow morning. We areeach of usto remain with God in that state in which we were called. These three statements of Paul's principle divide the text into two parts. You would not work whenever you please, but you would work at the pleasure of the president, every moment of your life. Zacchaeus became a new creation by faith in Jesus. In verse 21, he wrote, Were you called while a slave? What do the scriptures teach about how God leads and directs the various circumstances in our lives? Christianity is a message that the calling of God transformations whatever you are doing so that you can remain there. 1 Corinthians 7:17, ESV So in answer to their question, he told them no. That is the great message of this mornings passage. He should not become uncircumcised. He looks to the slave who may feel hopeless and says, "In Christ you are a free man. Or to put it another way: How you do your job is a big part of your obedience to Jesus. by Alistair Begg. office@harvestpca.org | (402) 558-4119, Copyright 2023 Harvest Community Church (PCA) | Site Map | Terms & Privacy, Jesus Divides the Earth Matthew 10:3442, No Comfort for the Lonely City Lamentations 1:1-22, "Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage" (1 Corinthians 7:1016), The Present Form of this World is Passing Away (1 Corinthians 7:25-31) . One time he uses the word "calling" in this vocational sense, namely, in verse 20. And then, Paul went on to give us another illustrationthis one having to do with social structures. John 7:14-24 Study Guide What's the Deal with Jesus? Ill show you where Im going to be getting these terms from. It may be that He calls us to that place for the initial stages of our walk with Him; and all so that He can train us for what He has for us in the future. He found it to be exhausting and difficult and almost impossible to keep. Let him not seek circumcision. There is provision for freeing slaves in the Old Testament, and we are familiar with a tax collector who became a preacher and fishermen who became missionaries. The question this morning is do you hear Gods effectual call? We are to live in the same family with God. Sermon Your Job as Ministry Jun 14, 1981 Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 John Piper Article The Spiritual Power of Staying Put Why Christians Are Slow to Leave Jan 19, 2023 Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:17-24 Scott Hubbard Article The Best Form of Slavery Feb 11, 2012 Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:22 John Piper Article And again, he says the same thing in verse 24; Brethren, let each one remain with God in that state in which he was called. Literally, the apostle Paul wrote, In whatever you were called, brethren, in this remain before God. And note carefully the manner in which Paul tells us to remain in that calling; that is, with God. What do we mean by this? Do not be concerned about it. Paul had planted the church in Corinth on his second missionary journey ( Acts 17:16-18:17 ). What should you do? Was anyone called while uncircumcised? Stay in the relationship you were in when God called you to faith. Any duration. Scripture: 1 Corinthians 7:17-24. But that is not the way Paul has used it eight out of the nine times it occurs in this paragraph. Bethany Bible Church Sunday Message; January 27, 2019 from 1 Corinthians 7:17-24. 1 Corinthians 7:17,20 But as God hath distributed to every man, as the Lord hath called every one, so let him walk. That place that we were in when He called us was no accident. Paul is a very unfashionable thinker and, therefore, eternally relevant. Why is this? The Bible tells you to love your neighbor as yourself and that looks different in different relationships. What did I say, what didnt I say? He makes them new creations from their inner-most being, and calls them to walk faithfully with Him in the outer life. 7 Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: "It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman." 2 But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. Specifically, the definition that we are going to get about what this calling is toward is in verse twenty-four. Let me suggest a few things. Bible Study & Sermon Videos; 1 corinthians 16:17-18; 1 Corinthians 16:17-18. Do not be concerned about it; but if you can be made free, rather use it. No matter how difficult his circumstances was, no matter how menials the assignments he was given, what a joy to abide in the presence with God. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? He makes me lie down in green pastures. We are thankful for this. For the scriptures to frame how we are looking at this question. 18Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Do not be concerned about it. We are to walk as faithful followers of Jesus in whatever place of life it is that God has called us to Himself. If we translated this really literally, it would go like this, Only to each as God assigned, in the situation in which God has called each thus let him walk.. We can say in this situation, how can I serve? Let each one remain in the same calling in which he was called. This isnt to sugar coat slavery; it could be a very bad condition and thats why people did try to save up money to buy their own freedom. Now if we read the word called as it is translated there it almost sounds like what Paul is saying is that we are called to these assignments. The early church lifted up the single lifestyle. Why You Should Preach This Book. We are to go to the same job or the same schoolbut were to now do it all as before God, and as His servants, and with trust in Him, and as unto His glory. They are made brand new on the inside. The point is: when you are called into the fellowship of Christ, you gain a new set of radically Christ-centered priorities; so much so that if you are a slave, it should not cause you to fret. This was meant for all of Gods people in Christ. If that is true, then we need to think through our opportunities and our assignments with that lens. This is seen most clearly in 1 Corinthians 1:23, 24, where Paul says, "We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." He showed Zacchaeuas love and mercy; and He even went to Zacchaeus house for dinner. The people group that God assigned you by your birth is in no way a hinderance to believing the gospel and following after the call of Jesus Christ to believe in him. All Videos Images Commentaries Devotionals Other Translations Sermons Related Scriptures Podcasts Blogs. We are to live in the same neighborhood with God. In the last analysis, nothing else will matter but that. Gods Calling Teaches Us to Abide with God. 1 Corinthians 7:19, ESV Sermon . New practices and habits begin to be embraced. The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want. There was a monk whose name was Brother Lawrence who wrote a booked called, Practicing the Presence of God. In other words, coming to faith in Christ does not make a person want to abandon relationships appointed by God, but to sanctify them. Circumcision was an old covenant symbol and the purpose of the picture was to point to a person, the person of Jesus Christ and out of the Jewish circumcised people came the Lord Jesus Christ. He is not to become uncircumcised. A life that is lived in faith to Jesus and the way the he appoints for believers to live in. Now; if you have never placed your faith in Jesus and trusted Him as your Savior, I believe He is offering a call to you right now. 1 Corinthians 7:15-16, ESV . The Jews were separated physically from other people by the sign of circumcision that God gave to them. The Bible doesnt say yes it will or no it wont. 18 Was any man called when he was already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. This is actually a remarkable thing, if you were a Jew, one of the primary things you were called to do was to be circumcised. If you are Mexican, don't try to become American; if you are American, don't try to become Mexican. In both of those cases, Paul is saying remain in your assignments, whatever they may be as you await the hope of glory when Christ returns. We will have confidence when Jesus Christ returns. Gods presence enables us to abide in whatever assignments we have. 18 Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Theme: We are to walk as a faithful Christian in the place of life where God has called us to Himself. I have a responsibility to my wife that no one in heaven or earth shares. John 5:19-29 Study Guide: Jesus Gives Life, John 5:30-47 Study Guide: The Scriptures Point to Me, John 6:22-40 Study Guide: I am the Bread of Life, John 6:41-59 Study Guide: Jesus Addresses the Skeptics. We're the "church on the hill. Its taking the objective teaching of scriptures and applying it to the specifics of our lives. Likewise he who is called while free is Christs slave. As the Bible tells us, if the Lord Jesus sets us free then we are free indeedeven if, culturally speaking, we are still in a state of slavery. We pray. Denomination: Salvation Army. Some Jewish men made themselves Hellenisticthat is, members of Greek cultureby doing so. 1 Corinthians 5:1-13 Study Guide: The Sin of Tolerance. It may be helpful to think of these as three pieces of bread in a double-decker sandwich (like a Big Mac). Please place your trust in Him. Do they love Jesus in a way that through the challenges of life they will never be a hinderance to following Jesus? God alone rules each circumstance of life. Likewise, he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. You dont need an objective ruling, you need illumination. 1 Corinthians 7:17-24: Christianity and Staves: E. Hurndall : 1 Corinthians 7:20-24: Pulpit Commentary Homiletics. Community Group Study Guide Living the Life God has Given, John 12:20-26, 44-50 Study Guide: We Wish to See Jesus, Matthew 28:18-20 Study Guide: The Great Comfort of the Great Commission, John 12:12-19 Study Guide: The Triumphal Entry or \"A New Kind of King\", John 11:45-57 Study Guide: Under Pressure, We are a part of the Bay Area chapter of The Gospel Coalition, John 10:31-42 Study Guide: The Works of God, John 11:1-27 Study Guide: I Am the Resurrection and the Life, John 11:28-44 Study Guide: I am the Resurrection and the Life Part 2: The Love of God in the Face of Death, 1 Corinthians 15:12-20 Study Guide: Being Raised with Christ, 1 Corinthians 15:20-34 Study Guide: Living in Light of the Resurrection, 1 Corinthians 15:35-49 Study Guide: Resurrection Bodies, 1 Corinthians 15:50-58 Study Guide: The Death of Death, 1 Corinthians 16:1-24 Study Guide: Growing up in Christ, John 1:14-18 Study Guide: The Word Became Flesh, John 1:19-34 Study Guide: Behold the Lamb of God, John 1:35-51 Study Guide: A Call to the Curious, John 2:1-12 Study Guide: From Water to Wine, Gideon Week 1 Study Guide: Hiding from God, Gideon Week 3 Study Guide: With Great Power, John 2:13-25 Study Guide: Clearing Out the Temple, John 3:14-21 Study Guide: Jesus High and Lifted Up, John 3:22-36 Study Guide: He Must Increase, I Must Decrease, John 4:46-54 Study Guide: In Need of a Miracle. He was considered a traitor to the covenant promises of Israel, and a robber of his own people. So, we bring in these ideas of following the will of the Lord. 29. It doesnt give you a point system; its not one of those teen magazines where you can fill out the quiz and get a point score answer to find out who your perfect mate is. Its a good question. This is my rule in all the churches. Gods joy gives us perseverance in the midst of sorrow. Even if you are free, you are not free. What Paul is talking about here, hes not laying out the gospel message about what Jesus Christ has done for us. . The innocent believer is not bound to the deserter. Praise God for the total transformation that comes from being a new creation in Christ. Paul says that its good, if you can, to remain in the situation that you are in. Rather, we are to walk as a faithful Christian in the very place of life where God has called us to Himselfand to let Him use us there, in that place, as His witnesses for Christ. For holy Scripture causes a hard knot in this matter, in that the Apostle says, that, by commandment of the Lord, the wife ought not to depart from . If you have an opportunity to go and follow a different religion that rejects the Lord Jesus Christ, that in sin. This is why we look for a word of the Lord, you dont need a word from the Lord, you already have it. We wonder if life would be greener somewhere else, but Christians have this additional element where we are thankful for the green pastures that our good shepherd has led us. (All Scripture is taken from The New King James Version, unless otherwise indicated). As a Jewish man, he would never have been indifferent to the covenant sign that God gave to his ancestor Abraham. Do not be concerned about it Paul didnt mean, of course, that it was a matter of indifference that someone was a slave. An opportunity we are going to see is a lawful and properly available path where we might change our circumstances. 22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. 3 The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. Our new Preaching Suite solution makes it easy to prepare, preach and archive your sermons. God's revealed will for you (the only will you are responsible to obey) is your sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:3), not your vocation. O God, give me the grace to obey your commandments, which I know are all summed up in this, to love my neighbor as myself. Introduction. When we read this and we have to ask, okay I have this job opportunity in front of me. Is yours a menial job? This is all made clear in 1 Corinthians 1. Putting the two applications of Paul's principle together, the teaching seems to be this: Obeying the commands of God (v. 19) and enjoying his presence (v. 24) are so vastly more important than what your culture or your job is that you should feel no compulsion to change your position. Instead, wherever we are, we can be content. This is my rule in all the churches. 17 Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. He says if you have an opportunity to gain your freedom, avail yourself of that opportunity. And Paul's answer is: You don't need to abandon your vocation if you can stay in it with God. The Bible tells us that He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:7). As one commentator, Lenski, writes, Paul is taking the minor idea of these assignments that we have, and he is including them with the major blessing to the call to faith in Jesus Christ.. Literally verse twenty says, each one in the calling in which he was called, in this let him remain. Here is the closest place that Paul uses calling in the way that we usually mean it, our responsibilities, our vocation, the assignments that we have in life. Respond to Gods effectual call through faith in Jesus. Now obviously, staying in that place in which He called us assumes that it is not an inherently sinful place. Gods peace gives us comfort in the midst of our tears. Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? I have to think, do those things line up? When you serve your master, you are not serving him, but the Lord. The old legalism said, "You must be circumcised in order to be saved (Acts 15:1). You must be white in order to be approved." Thats not what Im saying.The Bible talks about how husbands should relate to wives, but the Bible doesnt tell Jacob how he should relate to Allison. And do you remember what Zacchaeus did? How do I sort through my own mixed emotions when Im trying to make decisions on how to live in the various circumstances of my life? In calling us to Himself in Christ at the time He did, and in the place of life He did, and under the circumstances He didwith that upbringing we had, or in that cultural setting in which we live our lives, or with that social standing He has given us in this worldHe has not made any mistakes. You have the same objective passages to look at, but you need to look at how that will be applied in your situation. These are our assignments, the relationships that God has given us to live in. ", 18245 NW Germantown Road Apollos then went to Achaia (of which Corinth was the capitol) where he gave a powerful witness to the messiahship of Jesus (Acts 18:24-28). Now, Paul is then drawing the application of this point to probably one of the most difficult circumstances to find yourself in, that of a bondservant, a slave. Effectual calling is the work of Gods almighty power and grace, whereby (out of his free and special love to his elect, and from nothing in them moving him thereunto) he doth, in his accepted time, invite and draw them to Jesus Christ, by his word and Spirit; savingly enlightening their minds, renewing and powerfully determining their wills, so as they (although in themselves dead in sin) are hereby made willing and able freely to answer his call, and to accept and embrace the grace offered and conveyed therein. The calling is the call to believe upon the Lord Jesus Christ. Never mind." Westminster Larger Catechism, Question 67 Again, in verse eleven Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. you should give the resounding answer: "His will is that I maintain close fellowship with him and devote myself to obeying his commandments." 1 corinthians 7 17 24, Sermon series on 1 corinthians 7 17 24, Sermon series about 1 corinthians 7 17 24. And now, as we continue our study in 1 Corinthians 7, we find that this was not just a principle meant only for marriage. But he allows the exception that if the relationship is abandoned and destroyed apart from your desire or control by the unbelieving partner, then let it be. Now that they were made new on the inside, did their condition as married people also need to change? Sermon Central Share a Sermon; Try PRO Free; Help; Sign In; Sermon . Second, as we have seen, the command to stay in the calling in which you were when converted is not absolute. Likewise, he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. Genesis 5:22-24 They may look the same on the outside, but their inner beingtheir spiritis completely transformed. Again, Gods calling intersects whatever people groups you were born into so that you dont have to join a new one. Even in there God made a way that he powerfully calls us out of ourselves and open our eyes to see Jesus and how good and glorious and radiant he is. 19 For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.1 Corinthians 7:17-19, ESV Part 2: The Truth from God, John 7:37-39 Study Guide: What's the Deal with Jesus? He has kept those relations in place for a reason. This sermon (1 Corinthians 1: 10 - 17) was preached at West Ewell Evangelical Church, Surrey, on Sunday 15 March 2015. This calling from God is different, on the one hand, from our vocational "calling" and, on the other hand, from the general call to repent that goes out to all men. 8 To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am.1 Corinthians 7:8, ESV Our sovereign God makes those of us who trust in Jesus into new creations on the inside; but He then calls us to remain in the place where He has called us on the outsideand to thus let Him show forth His work in us to others who are also in that place. Our big idea today is this,We can abide in our circumstances because God calls us to abide with him. 17 Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him Learn more about Desiring God Ways to Follow. In chapter 1, verse 9, Paul says, "God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." For 33 years, he served as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church, Minneapolis, Minnesota. The principle that Paul had already taught in relation to marriage is here mentioned clearly three times. Let him not become uncircumcised. Most Popular. If you are married and you have an opportunity to divorce your spouse and go after someone else, the Bible tells you that is sin and you may not do it. Caleb Greggsen pastors an English-speaking church in Central Asia. You are where you are by divine assignment, even if you got there by fraud. so it be allowed, having put her away, to marry another. First, I believe we should learn to be confident in Gods call for us. They were called into a relationship with Jesus Christ from the midst of a sinful culture. 24 So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.1 Corinthians 7:24, ESV. "So brethren," Paul concludes in verse 24, "In whatever state each was called, let him remain with God." There's the crucial phrase. That's basically what uncircumcision and circumcision stood for. . He says in verse twenty-two, Paul says you are missing the point, you dont have to worry about the ethnic or national boundaries that existed in the old covenant because the call of Jesus Christ comes to all kinds of people in all kinds of cultures and the call says, follow Jesus where you are. 11 (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife.1 Corinthians 7:11, ESV "Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will be established" (Proverbs 19:21). Father we ask that you will give us grace to seek you, to seek your will, to seek your favor, especially as we wrestle though a thousand difficult questions. Paul is saying that change, as good as it is and as much as you should pursue it if you can, that change is unnecessary in light of what we are called to in Christ. Each of you should continue to live in whatever situation the Lord has placed you, and remain as you were when God first called you. *"This date is an approximation of when this sermon was delivered." THE text does not say that time is short. God can save you and make you clean. Lets have enough confidence in Gods call upon us to trust Him in it, and to let Him use it, and to even thank Him for it. They had clearly been transformed on the inside; and there were many changes that were happening on the outside too. As Richard Hayes writes, To be the slave of a powerful master could be an honorable station. Were you called while a slave? I think we have a great example of this from the Bible. Their condition as married people did not need to change. To every person. We abide in Christ now, so that when he appears with all his holy angels and all the armies of Heaven, we wont be frightened. 1 Corinthians 1:1-17 - God Calls Us to Unity - Study and Obey . Gods life gives us courage as we walk through the valley of the shadow of death. Your Job as Ministry. And for those of us who have already trusted Him, lets walk as a faithful Christian in the place of life where God has called us to Himself. Romans 3:23 - 24: "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Not only that, but this translation does not do justice to all the words in the Greek ("even" and "rather") which come out in the alternative translation: "Were you called as a slave? Your job is to search the scriptures and ask how this speaks into the general principles as you are praying for illumination. Rather, the Jewish follower of the Jewish traditions who came to Christ was encouraged to remain in the cultural traditions in which he was called, and to live faithfully for Jesus in it. He ought to be able to say, "Never mind." You were bought with a price. Use it to obey Christ and thus "adorn the doctrine of our great God and Savior" (Titus 2:10). Text: Romans 4:1-5, 13-17. What he is talking about here is the situation that a believer, someone who has been called to faith in Jesus Christ and has responded with saving, justifying faith to the call of God, that we believers are called to live a life where we are living in a way that is defined to us by the word of God.
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