Shalom dear brothers and sisters. We thank the Lord for the privilege that we are blessed with to be able to study together this interesting letter of the first Corinthians, a letter that the apostle Shaul Paul wrote to the believers at Corinth, who had many, many needs and, sadly, many situations and circumstances which was necessary for the apostle Shaul Paul to write them such a strong letter. We have covered thus far the first eight chapters of 1 Corinthians, and we have arrived to the ninth chapter. And I would like, beloved brothers and sisters, to read with you this message from the first 14 verses of 1 Corinthians, chapter 9. Hopefully you have the word of God in your hand, open the scriptures, and please follow me as we read in the Brit HaChadasha, in the New Covenant, the New Testament, 1 Corinthians, chapter 9, verses 1 to 14.

And I'm reading, Shaul Paul continues, and he's speaking to the Corinthians, and he says, Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus the Messiah, our Lord? Are not ye my work in the Lord? If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you, for the seal of my apostleship are ye in the Lord. My answer to them that do examine me is this. Have we not power or authority or right to eat and to drink? Have we not authority, power, to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord and Cephas?

Or I only and Barnabas have not we power or right to forbear working? Who goes to warfare any time at his own charges? Who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? Say I these things as a man, or sayeth not the law the same also? For it is written in the law of Moses, betorat Moshe, Thou shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn? Doth God take care for oxen? Or sayeth he, eat all together for our sakes? For our sakes no doubt this is written, that he that ploweth should plow in hope, and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things? If others be partakers of this power over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless, we have not used this power, but suffer all things lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ, the gospel of Messiah. Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? And they which wait at the altar are partakers of the altar? Even so has the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. And so, beloved brothers and sisters, I will stop here in verse 14.

The remaining verses from verse 15 to verse 27, the apostle Shaul Paul will continue to deal with the liberties that he, as an apostle, also have as others. And so here we are in the ninth chapter of the book of 1 Corinthians. We remember that 1 Corinthians chapter 8, 9, and 10, this is a section in the book of, in the letter that Shaul Paul wrote to the Corinthians, which deals really, beloved brothers and sisters, with the liberties of the people of God. In fact, we have covered already the eighth chapter. And if you remember, the apostle Paul concluded 1 Corinthians chapter 8 with this statement in verse 13. Wherefore, if meat or if food make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend or to be offended.

Verse 13 lead us immediately into chapter 9, verse 1, all the way to the end, really, of chapter 9. And in these verses, beloved brothers and sisters, the apostle Shaul Paul is presenting before the Corinthians his defense concerning the liberty that one has. And specifically in chapter 9, he will present the liberty that he personally have and how he seeks to be wise as to how to use liberties. And setting this example before the Corinthians, he seeks to help them to learn from his own personal life. Again, to remind you that the Corinthians wrote letters to the apostle Paul. And as they wrote him these letters, and specifically that one single letter in chapter 7 and verse 1, He said to them, "Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me." In that letter that they wrote to him, there were various questions that the Corinthians had, And so, beloved brothers and sisters, in the whole first letter to the Corinthians, Shaul Paul is responding to the questions that the Corinthians had.

And of course, one of the questions was, they wanted to know things concerning liberties that they might have or might have not, and how to handle the situation, especially with things in relationship to eating food that had been offered unto idols. And so, if you remember that the apostle Paul explained to them in this eighth chapter concerning the eating. What is verse 4 is concerning, therefore, the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols. And if you remember, as we have covered 1 Corinthians chapter 8, we have learned that Shaul Paul told them that there are those that are strong believers, believers, and there are those who are weak believers.

Everywhere, wherever you are, wherever local assembly you are participating, or local church, local congregation, you will notice, beloved brothers and sisters, that there are those who are stronger believers, mature believers, and there are those who are new believers, and they are young, and maybe don't have maturity as yet, and we need to learn how to walk with one another, and how to encourage and to build up the family of God. So, if you remember, Paul mentioned in chapter 8 that we know that idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one in verse 4. In other words, there is only one God, idols are nothing.

If someone offers a sacrifice unto an idol in a certain temple in Corinth, really, this is merely an outward expression, a false, a fallacy. It's really, there is no God, there is only one God, these idols are nothing but man-made. And therefore, the food that has been offered to idols, and if someone will eat from it, it will not make any difference. We have liberties, but yet we must be careful how we conduct ourselves in relationship to other believers. Now, of course, we are not to seek after any food that is offered to idols, but in the city of Corinth, there was the market, and there was also the selling of food outside of the temples where there were idols there, and the Corinthians came from this kind of lifestyle, and so they wanted to know how to handle the situation.

What should we do? It was cheaper to buy food that was sold by these temples of idols after they had these sacrifices, then they sold their meat, their food, and some who were not as well-to-do went to buy food from where it was cheaper, rather than to go to the more expensive market in the center of the city. And so Paul sought to help them to know that, really, they are weak and strong believers, and we need to learn how to treat one another. Obviously, if somebody could not buy food from a high-expensive place, he could buy it from the temple market, and there he would, simply because the idols are nothing, there is only one living God, and the Lord Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah, is the only one that provides salvation, and therefore nothing that we eat that we don't even know where it comes from to affect any of the spiritual relationship with God.

We are not seeking for idols, we are not seeking for food offered to idols, but we don't know, the Corinthians didn't know where to, whatever food that they might purchase somewhere in Corinth, because everything in Corinth was an idol worship. Even the one, the food that was sold in their ordinary markets, somehow came from idolatry. And therefore, Paul taught the Corinthians that they need to be sensitive to one another, but really, if food makes your brother to be offended, then Paul said at the end of chapter 8, verse 13b, "If I will eat no food, no flesh, while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to be offended." In other words, if my brother is going to be offended if they see me eating food that was offered to an idol, which is no God, which is simply an idol, whether wood or gold or silver, nothing.

He or she might be offended that Paul is teaching the lessons of sensitivity, even in our liberties. And that's how we enter into the ninth chapter. Actually, in the ninth and the tenth chapter, Paul is really, what does he do here? He's presenting, notice that, two-fold way whereby he shows that how to conduct oneself, and even though one has liberty, we don't have to use our liberties at all times, even if we have those liberties, because at times we might offend one another. And so this is a very important lesson, beloved brothers and sisters, that we need to learn from the Lord to use wisely even our liberties.

And therefore, chapter 9 and chapter 10, Paul is illustrating here the liberty that he has in chapter 9. And later on in chapter 10, he will apply this and speak about the nation of Israel in Israel's history, and the lessons that we all must learn as believers in this present day of the church age. And so in these first 14 verses, the Apostle Shaul Paul presents his right to receive financial support from the believers at Corinth, and the liberty that he has as an apostle to receive their support. Then in verses 15 to the end of the chapter, the Apostle Shaul Paul also shows that he chose not to use that liberty to receive the financial support from the Corinthian believers, the assembly in Corinth.

And he used his own personal life as an example to the Corinthian believers as to how to handle liberties. Paul did not want to offend anyone. He didn't want to offend the Corinthians. And therefore, in chapter 9, he presents his right to receive financial support from the Corinthians because of the liberty that he had in his service for the Lord. And he also shows in the second half of 1 Corinthians chapter 9 that he chose not to take this liberty and not to receive the financial support from the Corinthian believers, especially in light of their spiritual condition because their spiritual condition only showed that they were carnal believers.

Those saints positionally, but a carnal saints that did not behave as saints ought to behave. And so the first 14 verses, Paul defend his liberty as an apostle. And so you notice what he began in, first of all, in verses 1 and 2, he's affirming the fact that he is an apostolos, a shaliach in Hebrew, apostolos in Greek, an apostle. He used himself as a mature apostle, a mature believer, and he's presenting before the Corinthians his defense of the liberty that he has. And yet how he would react, relate in that liberty that he has as an apostle. So in verses 1 and 2, notice we read in verse 1, am I not an apostle?

Am I not free? Have I not seen Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus the Messiah, our Lord? Are not ye my work in the Lord? Verse 2, if I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to you. The seal of my apostleship are ye in the Lord. You notice he began, beloved brothers and sisters, by presenting the fact that he is an apostle. And he is defending the fact that he is an apostle, the word apostle in Greek, apostolos. He was the one that was sent by the glorified Messiah Yeshua. The Lord Jesus the Messiah, according to Acts chapter 9 and the first nine verses, he called him to be an apostle, to be sent by him, and to go to become the apostle unto the goyim, unto the Gentiles.

Not everyone is an apostle. There were only these twelve apostles. Judas was the one that was chosen to become part of the apostle, but eventually he was the one that betrayed the Lord, sold him, sold the Lord Yeshua the Messiah for 30 pieces of silver. Silver, he was the one that killed himself, and he was replaced by Matityahu. Then, beyond these twelve apostles to Saul and Paul, there were no others. The Barnabas was one that was called an apostle, but he was not in the same way as the twelve and the apostle Saul and Paul. Therefore, if you remember in Acts chapter 9, we do read specifically that the Lord Jesus the Messiah said to the apostle, to Saul, whose name was also Paul.

He said to Saul. He said to him, "Arise, and go unto the city, and it shall be told what you must do," after he saw the glorified Messiah on the road on the way to Damascus. And so, in verse 15, the apostle Paul received from Hananias, the word of the Lord, that the Lord said unto Hananias, "Go thy way, for he," this is Shaul Paul, "is a chosen vessel unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and the kings and the children of Israel, for I will show him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake." So, the Lord Yeshua the Messiah chose Shaul Paul as he had chosen the twelve apostles in the land of Israel when he was Yeshua, that is, he was with his own people in the land of Israel.

He had selected these twelve apostles who became the ones that were sent by him to be messengers of the gospel. We read in Matthew 10 and verse 2, "Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: The first was Simon, who is called Peter, Andrew and James and John, Philip, Bartalmar, and Thomas, and Matthew, and James, and Libius, and Simon, and Judas Ischariot, who also betrayed him." These twelve Jesus sent forth. But you remember later on, Judas was the one that betrayed the Lord, sold the Lord, and he was actually, he was not chosen to be an apostle in a sense, to go forward, to continue on.

He was chosen for the season when he was among the apostles, only to fulfill what was written in the Psalms of Israel and the prophets of Israel, that my own familiar friend, with whom I walked to the house of the Lord, betrayed me and sold him." And that's what we have learned in the book of Acts. And the one that was qualified to be an apostle was one that saw the Lord in his resurrection. And so, Matityahu was chosen later on to become the one that will replace Yehuda Ishkrayot. And so we have these twelve, plus the apostle Shaul Paul, according to Acts chapter 1 and chapter 9.

So, first of all, the apostle Shaul Paul defended the fact that he was an apostle. And as an apostle, he had the liberty to be supported by God's people. He had the liberty to eat food as the servant of the Lord that will be supported by God's people. And any messenger, any servant of the Lord, is one that is called by God to serve God's people. And therefore, God's people are called to support the servants of the Lord in their ministry. Well, in Ephesians, just want to read one more verse. In Ephesians chapter 2, we read in verse 20, concerning the assembly that it was built upon the foundation of the apostles.

Ephesians 2:20 And prophet Yeshua HaMashiach, Jesus the Messiah himself, being the chief cornerstone. So, the apostle Shaul Paul is, first of all, defending the fact that he is an apostle. And he says, notice again, verses 1 and 2 of 1 Corinthians chapter 9. Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have liberty? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Another one, I have seen the glorified Messiah. This is a reference to Acts chapter 9 and the first nine verses. He saw the glorified Messiah on the way to Damascus. He continued, "Are not ye my work in the Lord?" In other words, as an apostle, he is the one that went to Corinth and ministered the word of God to the Corinthians and was used by the Lord to establish the local assembly at Corinth.

They are the believers at Corinth. They were the one that are the work of the ministry that the Lord sent Paul, Shaul Paul, to minister the word in Corinth as well. And they came to know the Lord. You remember we read in Acts chapter 18, verse 1, after these things, Paul departed from Athens and he came to Corinth. And it was there, we do read, that he ministered in Corinth and was used by the Lord, who told him in verse 9 of Acts chapter 18, "Be not afraid, speak, hold not thy peace. I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee, for I have much people in this city." In other words, Yeshua, the Messiah, told the apostle Paul that in this city of Corinth he hath much city whom he hath chosen.

And Shaul Paul was called to go to minister the word and to speak, not to be afraid, but to speak the gospel. And according to verse 11 of Acts chapter 18, he, that is Shaul Paul, continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them. So, beloved brothers and sisters, the apostle Shaul Paul went to Corinth, went to the synagogue first, as it was his custom to preach to the Jewish people first, and then to the Gentiles. And then he ministered the word of God in Corinth for one year and six months, and he taught them and he led them to come to know the Lord and to grow spiritually.

But you see, sadly, they apparently behave like little children and they were fighting friction among themselves. And the whole book of Corinthians shows us the condition of the Corinthian believers. There were immorality, there was divisions, they were taking each other to court, there were divorces. They did not abuse their liberties. And here in these chapters 8, 9, and 10, the apostle Shaul Paul presents the need to know how to use liberties that the believers have. And how much do we need today, beloved brothers and sisters, to know how to handle the liberties that we as believers have today in this present day of the church age. Not to abuse liberties, but to know that liberty that we might have should be used with the guidance of the Holy Spirit of God in our lives.

So, verses 1 and 2, Paul affirming his apostleship and his liberty. He said to them in verse 2, if I be not an apostle to others, he says to them in verse 2, yet doubtless I am to you and for you are the seal, like the stamp of my apostleship in the Lord. So, the proof that he was an apostle is the local assembly of the believers in Corinth. And apparently, the Corinthians charge him and challenge him. And that's why he has to respond in such a way. They did not appreciate sufficiently the apostleship of the man by the name of Shaul Paul. Sadly, that's why he is speaking to them right now as he is responding to their questions.

And our beloved brothers and sisters, from the remaining verses of this portion, 1 Corinthians 9, verses 3 to 14. So, Shaul Paul is showing to the Corinthians the various liberties that are available to him as an apostle. And that he will be careful as he is using these liberties because he didn't want to offend anyone. So, if you remember at the end of chapter 8 and verse 13, he says, Wherefore, if food, if meat or food, in Hebrew, ochel, in Greek, broma, if broma, if ochel, if food make my brother to offend, to be offended, I will eat no food, no flesh, while the world's standing, lest I make my brother to offend or to be offended.

Now, mind you, we need much wisdom in that because sometimes the weak brother might take care because of his or her weakness. They will abuse this by not allowing any liberties to those that have liberties and freedom in the Lord to eat certain things or to keep a certain day or to various liberties that one has. One must be wise as to how he or she using those liberties. But the point is not to abuse these liberties and sometimes purposely to offend one another. So, notice in verses 3 to 14, Shaul Paul is presenting various of the liberties that are available to him. First of all, notice he's answering now in verse 3.

And he said, my answer. Notice that? My answer to remind you that he mentioned in chapter 7 and verse 1 concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me. They question him. So, now he's answering in this portion in connection with liberties. So, he's saying, my answer to them that do examine me is this. Well, some have examined him. And some have questioned his apostleship. So, Shaul Paul is showing them that he, various liberties that he has that he, that are available to him and he is going to use liberties wisely. And so, in verse 3 says, mine answer to them that do examine me is this. And he began to tell them in verse 4, have we not power.

The English, it says power. It should be right or authority. Have we not right to eat and to drink? Well, we have a right to eat and to drink. We are apostles. We are serving the Lord. We can eat just like you are eating. We should be able to eat and drink just like everybody else. Because we are human beings that have a need like others. One has a job, an occupation here in this world. A regular secular occupation. The apostle Shaul Paul was ministering the word of God. And he says, have we not authority or right to eat or to drink? Notice that word for power is mentioned also in other verses here in this 9th chapter.

In verse 5, in verse 6, in verse 12, in verse 18. The word for power is the word in Hebrew, z'chut. Z'chut or a shoot. In other words, we should be able to have liberties just like other people have liberties. The word for power simply means in the Greek, it's the word e-x-o-u-s-i-a. And it has simply to use liberties or right. It's just another word to say we have authority, liberty, power, just like someone else have the same liberty. So he continues and he says in verse 5, have we not the right to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, as the brethren of the Lord and Siphaz?

In other words, don't we, namely me and Barnabas, have the same right to lead into the ministry of the Lord's work a sister? Meaning believing a woman that is our wife. Apparently by now the Apostle Paul, who most likely was married, must be a widower. His wife may have been already died. And he says, aren't we have the same liberty as others to have a wife, sister, a wife, as the other apostles? The other apostles apparently were married. And the brethren of the Lord that were also married. And even Siphaz. Remember, we learned from the Gospel of Matthew that Siphaz, that is Shimon Petos, he was married.

And therefore, the Apostle Shaul Paul says, shouldn't we have the same liberty as the other apostles? And also as the brethren of the Lord, as Siphaz, Simon Peter. Therefore, he says, we have that liberty. We have that privilege. We can eat. We can drink. And he says, we have that liberty just like the others have. He continues now, notice that, in verse 6 to verse 14 of this chapter. And here in these verses, the Apostle Shaul Paul is presenting the fact that he also have the authority or the right, the liberty to refrain from the secular work in order to be supported by the people of God that he can continue to do the ministry of the Lord among the saints of God.

And this is very important because God does raise full-time ministers or servants who are called to serve the Lord and the Lord's people in a full time. Therefore, they would leave their secular job and are going to spend full time sharing the gospel, ministering to the saints, teaching the word of God. And Paul is the one that was an apostle sent by the Lord, Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah, to preach the gospel to the Gentiles, to the goyim, to the nations of the world. So, in verse 6 to 14, in this portion of 1 Corinthians chapter 9, Shaul Paul is emphasizing this when he's writing to the Corinthian believers. So, notice a few things that we learn here from these verses, from verse 6 to verse 14.

First of all, he says in verse 6, "Or I only and Barnabas have not we the right, the power, to forbear working?" He is asking the question to the Corinthians, he says, "What about myself? What about Barnabas?" "Don't we have the right, as servants of the Lord, to stop working, to stop taking care of ourselves financially, and being cared by the Lord through his people?" Of course he has this right. You see, he's questioning this, he's sending this as a question, but the answer is yes. And so, he continues in verse 7 onward, and you notice what he does, beloved brothers and sisters. He's giving an illustration.

First of all, he illustrates in verse 7 an illustration of a soldier, or a farmer, or a shepherd. He says in verse 7, "Who goes to warfare any time at his own charges?" "What soldier is going to fight a war for the country, and paying his own way in order to receive all the ammunition, and the clothes, and the armor that he needs to go to fight a war?" No! He will be taken care by the military of that country who will provide the means so he can go out and fight. He continues, and he uses in verse 7 the illustration of a farmer. "Who planteth a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof?" How can a farmer work the ground, and not able to eat of the fruit of the work of his labor from the farm, from the ground?

He's just not right. He has that liberty. He continues, and he says in the same verse 7, looking at continuing, and mentioning in verse 7, he is speaking of the shepherd, or the one who is working with flock. He says, "Or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock?" You see, beloved brothers and sisters, Paul is very practical. He is providing these illustrations in order to help the Corinthian understand that he himself has liberty to do certain things, to be supported by the Corinthian financially, as the minister of the gospel, who ministered to them, who as an apostle who came and led them to the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah.

He is sharing with them that he has certain liberties that he has as an apostle, as a servant of the Lord, just like a soldier, like a farmer, and like a shepherd, has the liberties to be taken care by the land, or the country, or the sheep that he is taking care of. He has the liberty to eat of the fruit of his labor. You see, that's very important. And again, he's connecting all this with the previous chapter, 1 Corinthians chapter 8, concerning the food that is offered unto idols, and concerning the liberties that believers may have, and to realize that even though we have liberties as believers who believe in the only true God, and the Messiah Jesus Yeshua, and believing the truth, we still need to learn to use our liberties wisely.

And not to be careless to offend one another, and to harm one another, because if we do so, we do not advance the ministry of the Lord among his own people. Amazingly, in verse 7, 1 Corinthians 9 and verse 7, He's asking these questions of the Corinthians. Three times used the word who. Who goes to warfare at any time at his own charges? Who plantes a vineyard, and eateth not of the fruit thereof? Or who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? Naturally, yes, of course, he has the right. Now, remember, that everything that we have here in these chapters, 8, 9, and 10, the liberties, and how to use liberties, is always in view of the day that one day we all are going to stand before the Lord, the judgment seat of the Messiah.

2 Corinthians 5 and verse 10. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, of the Messiah. And every one of us will have to stand before the Lord, and he will ask us, How did you use the liberties that I have given unto you? Have you been in hindrance to one another? Have you offended your brethren, or you sought to be wise in using liberties wisely? You remember, in 1 Corinthians 3, we read of a time that we all have to stand before the Lord. Notice, 1 Corinthians 3 and verse 6, 7, 8, and 9, we read. Notice that, 1 Corinthians 3, verse 6. "I have planted, and Apollos has watered, but God gave the increase.

So then neither is he that planteth is anything, neither he that watereth, but God is the one that gave the increase. He that planteth and he that watereth are one, and every man shall receive of his own reward according to his own labor. For we are laborers together." In verse 9, "We are laborers together with God, ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building according to the grace of God, which is given unto me as a wise master builder. I have laid a foundation, and another builders thereon, but let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon." In other words, take heed, why? Because one day every man's work shall be manifest according to verse 13 of 1 Corinthians chapter 3.

And therefore, in light of it, we have to know how to use the liberties that we have, and to be careful not to offend and to cause our brethren to stumble. And therefore, Paul is using this 9th chapter to show that he has liberties, but he is an example as to how to use one's liberty. And so he continues now, notice that. We are in verse 8 onward. 1 Corinthians chapter 9, verse 8, 9 and 10 gives us an illustration from the law that God had given to our people Israel, the law of Moses. The law teaches us these principles. Notice what we read in verse 8. "Say I these things as a man?" In other words, this is my opinion, you think?

"Or sayeth not the Torah, the law?" The same also. For it is written, and he is now going to quote Torah Moshe, the law of Moses, that God had given to his people Israel. It is written, "In the law of Moses, thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn." Does God take care for oxen? So in other words, Paul is quoting a verse from the book of Deuteronomy, which God have instructed Israel through his servant Moses, that you shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. In other words, as the ox is serving in the fields of Israel, in the land of Canaan, the Hebrew, the one who is a farmer, he is responsible not to muzzle, not to close the mouth of the ox.

Why? Because the ox can work, can pull what he pulled behind him in order to get the ground ready in preparation for sowing seeds and so on. But as he is working, don't shut his mouth, don't cover his mouth so he can eat as he is working. He has the liberties to eat while he is working. Just like the servant of the Lord, just like the apostle Shaul Paul has the privilege and the liberty to eat while he is serving God's people. And God's people need to realize that, the Corinthians needed to realize that they should have cared for the apostle Paul. God's people should support the ministry of the Lord's work because otherwise the servant of the Lord could not continue to go out and minister the Lord's work.

He needs to do other things and be limited, but there are some who do so, as the apostle Paul will show us. That he was doing regular work while supporting himself, yet he had the liberty and the privilege to be able to be cared for by the Corinthian believers. And so we read in verse nine, it is written in the law of Moses, thou shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. And then he asked the question, does God take care of the oxen? Or he continued verse 10, sayeth he it altogether for our sake? In other words, why do you think God wrote this in the, in his word, gave the instruction to his people, Israel?

Isn't that applied to us believers today in the present day age of the church age? Isn't it a lesson that we should learn from this as well? The answer is yes. In verse 10b, he said, for our sake, no doubt this is written. Of course, it was written for Israel's sake in days of all. But all scripture is profitable, given by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit of God and is given for us for our benefit. Therefore, this is written for our sake, no doubt, Paul is saying. In verse 10b, he said that he that ploweth should plow in hope, and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.

He that ploweth and he that thresheth should be able to eat of the ground because he's working and he should be taken care of so he'll be strengthened and could be able to continue on in the service that he had. So it is, beloved brothers and sisters, in the work of the Lord, God's servants need to be cared for by the people of God graciously so they can continue on to do the work of the Lord. And how thankful are we, my wife and I, over the years for believers that have prayed for us, as well as supported us financially, enabled us to continue to serve our Lord Yeshua the Messiah in a ministry that he had given unto us.

And that's applied to all the servants of the Lord who sincerely seek to minister the gospel, to preach the message, to edify the believers, to teach the word of God and minister the word of God. So God's people are to support those who serve the Lord, that they will continue to do so with the help of the Lord. But notice, beloved brothers and sisters, he continue, and he says now in verse 11, Paul said, If we have sown unto you spiritual things, Paul is writing to the Corinthians, if we taught you and spiritually have ministered to you, to edify you, to lead you to the Messiah, to help you to rightly divide the word of truth, to spend time with you, to edify you spiritually, If we, if we, if we sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your material, your carnal things?

Notice the exchange, beloved brothers and sisters. If God's people benefit from the servant of God, if the Corinthians benefit from the apostle Paul, who came to the city of Corinth and led them to the Lord and stayed with them and ministered to them, Isn't it the right thing for them to take care of the apostle Paul from their carnal things, material things? This is very, very important, beloved brothers and sisters, to understand it. And that's why the apostle Paul is sharing this, to help the Corinthians to understand this principle. There is a verse in Romans, but also in Galatians 6, in verse 6, Let him that is taught in the word communicates unto him that teaches in all good things.

Be not deceived, God is not mocked. For whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption. And he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Let us not be weary in well-doing, or in due season we shall reap if we faint not, beloved brothers and sisters. In verse 10 we do read, As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. In other words, Paul teach the Corinthians the principle, if they benefited from the servants of the Lord spiritually, from Paul and Barnabas, they ought to care for him in material things as well.

There is a verse in Romans 15 and verse 25, 26 and 27. Paul wrote in verse 25, But now I go unto Jerusalem to minister unto the saints. For it has pleased them of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain contribution for the poor saints which are at Jerusalem. Verse 27 It has pleased them verily, and their debtors they are. For if the Gentiles have been made partakers of their spiritual things, their duty is also to minister unto them in carnal things. In other words, Paul is teaching the principle, if one has benefited spiritually from the servants of the Lord, it is the right thing in return to also minister to them with their carnal or material things.

It is just the order that we have it in the Word of God. And the law itself teaches it according to 1 Corinthians chapter 9. The principle is there. Israel was taught there by the Lord himself in the law. Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. God does take care of the ox, and he also does take care of his servants. And the apostle Paul is sharing this with the Corinthian saints. And you notice he continues in verse 12. As we are heading towards the end of this message, in verse 12, 13, and 14, Paul says, If others could, why not Paul, if he wanted the Corinthians to take care of him, he had this freedom, liberty, as a servant of the Lord.

We read in verse 12, if others be partakers of this power, this right, this liberty over you, Corinthians, he is speaking to the Corinthians, are not we rather? In other words, Paul is saying to them in verse 12, If you provide and meet others' needs, don't you think that we have the same right also to receive your support, your financial support, your material support, your carnal support? If others be partakers of this right over you, are not we rather? Nevertheless, we have not used this power, this right, but suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. You see what he is saying to the Corinthians?

We had this power, we have this right, because we served you, led you to the Lord, established the local assembly, fed you spiritually. You should take care of us. Nevertheless, lest the gospel of Christ, the gospel of the Messiah will be hindered. We did not use this authority. What an amazing lesson we learned. When you see the apostle Paul, he was a tent maker. And so he took care of himself, with the Lord's help, as the Lord provided for him, lest he will hinder the gospel of the Messiah. An amazing servant of the Lord. He continued, and now in verse 13 and 14, the example of the priests in the temple in Jerusalem, in the land of Israel.

And he says, Do you not know that they which ministered about the holy things live of the things of the temple? He is now making a reference to the temple in the city of Jerusalem, where the Kohanim, the Leviim, the servants of God, who are from the tribe of Levi, They which minister or serve in holy things, meaning in things set apart, for in spiritual things, in the things in the history of Israel, in the temple, the Levites were serving. There was a tribe that was serving the people of Israel. They were called to be specifically a priestly tribe. He said they live of the things that are of the temple.

He said, And they which wait at the altar are partakers of the altar. You see, beloved brothers and sisters, the apostle Shaul Paul making a reference to the history of his people in days of old, that they receive the support of the rest of the nation of Israel while they serve them in the temple in the city of Jerusalem. A reference, for example, is found in Leviticus 6. There we do read, listen to this, in verse 14, And this is the law of the meat offering, of mincha, the meal offering. The sons of Aaron shall offer it before the Lord, before the altar. And he shall take a handful and he tell you all the order of the things that they were to do.

And then we read at the end that they shall eat it. His sons eat. And the remainder of the roof shall Aaron and his sons eat. Verse 16. And Aaron and his children who served in the temple in Jerusalem had the privilege of eating of the mincha, of the offering themselves. How interesting, beloved brothers and sisters. This is an amazing lesson that we learn here. In chapter 7, we read in verse 36, Leviticus 7, 36. The Lord commended to be given to them of the children of Israel in a day that he anointed them by a statute forever throughout their generation. This is the law of the burnt offering, and of the meal offering, and of the sin offering, and the trespass offering, and of the consecration, and of the sacrifice of the peace offering which the Lord commended Moses in Mount Sinai.

In other words, God had given this instruction and the servants of the Lord participated within the sacrifices that were offered on behalf of the children of Israel. And so you notice how Paul is always going back to the Hebrew Scriptures and applying these truths in the present day for the believers in the present day of the church age. And therefore, the example of the priest in the temple was given in verse 13. Do you not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? And they which wait at the altar are partakers of the altar. Wonderful lesson to learn, and the Corinthians needed to learn this from the Apostle Paul.

There are other passages to read, like Numbers 18, how the priest would be privileged to eat of the offering that were offered unto the Lord at the temple, and the tabernacle earlier, and then later on at the temple in Jerusalem. And Paul made this application as he's writing to the Corinthians concerning the liberty that he had to be supported financially, practically, by the Corinthian believers. But he, notice that we already read, in verse 12 of chapter 9, 1 Corinthians 9, but he says we did not use this, as he mentioned that in these verses. We have this authority, but nevertheless we have not used this liberty or this right, but we suffered all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of the Messiah.

This is found in verse 12. And finally, beloved brothers and sisters, in verse 14, Paul did say that the clear decree that the Messiah, Jesus himself, Yeshua himself said, when he was here on earth, 1 Corinthians 9, 14, even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. They which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. And you remember, we can read of this in the gospel of Luke and in chapter 10. I'll read these verses. Very interesting. We do read in chapter 10 and verse 1. After these things, the Lord appointed others 70 also and sent them to and to before his face into every city and place whither he himself would come.

Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few. Pray ye therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest. Go your way. Behold, I send you forth as lambs among wolves, carry neither purse, nor scrip, nor shoes, and salute no man by the way. Into whatsoever house he enter, first say, Shalom, peace, be to this house. And if the son of peace be there, your peace shall rest upon it. If not, it shall turn to you again. And in the same house remain, eating and drinking such things as they give. For the laborer is worthy of his hire.

Go not from house to house and into whatsoever city you enter, and they receive you, eat such things as are set before you. You notice this, beloved brothers and sisters, what an amazing statement this is. Because in verse 14, the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah, himself gave this instruction to the apostles and to the disciples whom he sent 70, two by two, to go out and as they go to share the message of the gospel and whatever they said before you eat. And then he said at the end of verse 7, for the laborer is worthy of his hire. The laborer is worthy of his hire. That is an amazing statement that was spoken by the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah himself.

The laborer is worthy of his hire. The apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 9, in these first 14 verses, he presented before the Corinthians that he has liberty because of who he was, an apostle, and the servant of the Lord has liberty to be supported by God's people. But Paul himself did not abuse the liberties that he had but wisely knew when to take it and when not. And therefore, the Corinthians should know how to treat one another and to realize that the liberties that they might have, they need to know how to use these liberties and not to abuse them. And that way, God will bless them in their local assembly.

And beloved brothers and sisters, as we conclude this message, may the Lord help us all to know how to use liberties wisely in order that we will instead of offend one another, but instead of doing so, that we will be an encouragement and support to one another and edify one another that the weak will become strong and grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior, Jesus the Messiah. God bless you, my dear friend. Until the next time, we say to you all, Shalom, Shalom.