Shalom, my dear friends and dear brothers and sisters. We are continuing together with the study of the letter of 1 Corinthians. And I would like you, please, to turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 9 in this session. And I'm going to read from verse 15 to the end of the chapter. 1 Corinthians chapter 9 verse 15. Paul, Paul, Shaul, is speaking to the Corinthians, and he continued to tell them in verse 15. But I have used none of these things. Neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me. For it were better for me to die than that any man should make my glorying void. For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of.

For necessity is laid upon me, yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the gospel. For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward. But if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. What is my reward, then, verily, that when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ, the gospel of the Messiah, without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain them all. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews.

To them that are under the law, as under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law. To them that are without law, as without law, being not without law to God, but under the law of Messiah, the law of Christ. That I might gain them that are without law, that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak I became as weak, that I might gain the weak. I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some. Some. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.

Know ye not the day which run in a race, run all, but one receive the prize, so run, that he might obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery, or prize, is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. I therefore run, not as uncertainly, so fight I, not as one that beateth the air, but I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast away, or disapproved. Beloved brothers and sisters, I will stop here with the reading of this interesting portion of 1 Corinthians, beloved brothers and sisters.

Again, we are realizing that as we are studying the letter to the Corinthians, we learned very much of the condition that existed at Corinth. And we emphasize it all the time because Shaul Paul was writing to a local assembly that was in a state of disarray. So, sadly to say, when God's people are not walking in the light of God's word, in submissiveness to his word, under the leadership of the Holy Spirit of God, we all are capable to wander. We are prone to go astray and disobey the Lord whom we love, who loved us first and gave himself for us. But the grace of God is towards us on a regular basis as it was in days of old towards the Corinthian believers.

Here you have the servant of the Lord, the shaliyah, the apostle, who was so much concerned with the condition at Corinth, that wrote this long letter appealing to them to correct matters in their local assembly. As you and I need to do so in our own various local assemblies, congregations, churches, kehilot. Even today, some 2,000 years later. And so in the ninth chapter, beloved brothers and sisters, the apostle Shaul Paul set himself as an example. An example of one who restricts his own liberty for the benefit of others. This is exactly what we all learn from the person of our Lord, Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. As we read of him that touches always our hearts in the book of Philippians, in that letter.

As we read as well in the prophet Isaiah prophetically of the promise of the coming of the Messiah. As we read in Philippians chapter 2. "Though he was in a form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in likeness of a man, and being found in a fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." And so from the Lord, Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah, we learn of humility. We learn of how he gave his life a ransom for many.

And you and I, who are believers today, benefited from the fact that Yeshua, the Messiah, gave his life for us. Died on a shameful cross in order to pay for our sins. And here, the apostle Shaul Paul is seeking to communicate with the believers at Corinth, the necessity to do as much as we can in a practical way, not to offend one another. And if you remember at the last verse of 1 Corinthians chapter 8, Shaul Paul said, "Wherefore, 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." What a principle!

Very, very difficult to practice. And yet, with the Lord's help and with the Lord's wisdom, that is what we are called to do. And so in the ninth chapter, beloved brothers and sisters, we have already covered the first 14 verses. We have these two points that Shaul Paul seeks to communicate with the believers at Corinth the last verse after the last verse of chapter 8, where Paul emphasized the need not to use liberties and to have proper priorities in our lives for the benefit of God's people and for the benefit of the Gospel. So in the first 14 verses, which we have already covered, Paul shows that he has a right to receive support, financial support as an apostle from the believers at Corinth.

And yet, if you remember, in verse 12, he says, "Nevertheless, we have not used this right or this power, but suffered all things that we should not hinder the Gospel of the Messiah, the Gospel of Christ." So Shaul Paul said, even though, as an apostle, based upon the Word of God, the apostles, the servants of the Lord had a right to be receiving support from the people of God. And some at Corinth were examining him. If you remember, he said in verse 3 of 1 Corinthians 9 of this chapter of our, he said, "Mine answer to them that do examine me is this." And he presented before the Corinthians that he served them, they should have supported him, they should have cared for him, and they should have not examined him in a sense that they found fault in him for no reason, and did not appreciate his ministry, took care of others instead of taking care of the ones who really served them.

And you remember, he said, he gave the five arguments as to why God's servants ought to be supported by God's people. He doesn't only speak about himself, but he speaks in general of all the servants of the Lord. And you remember, in the first 14 verses, he gave us this five-fold presentation or argument concerning as to why the Corinthians should support his work, and why in general, God's people are called to support the servants of the Lord. And you remember these five points? Number 1 verses 1 to 6, "I am an apostle." Number 2 verse 7, "This is really the human experience." It is a responsibility that is even in nature here.

The laborer is to eat of the fruit of his labor. Thirdly, even the Torah, the law that God had given to our forefathers, the people of Israel, and he's taking us back to Deuteronomy 25 and verse 4, and that ox is not to be muzzled as he is treading the ground. When he's plowing, God taught Israel that even the ox need to eat while he's working. And Paul also made a reference to the fact that the laborer is worthy of his hire. As Yeshua the Messiah said that he's quoting this to Timothy in 1 Timothy chapter 5 verses 17 and 18, the words that the Lord in his lifetime said that the laborer is worthy of his hire.

Wherever you work, whatever you do in this world, you deserve to eat of your labor. Even the natural life, it is in the same way, if you work in a certain company, you do a certain job, you earn your living from that job, and then you purchase your food, and you purchase for your needs, and you're taking care of yourself by the labor that you are working. The laborer is worthy of his hire. Just to remind you, in 1 Timothy chapter 5 and verse 17 and 18, we do read, listen to this, Let the elder that rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially they who labor in the word and in doctrine for the scripture saith, Paul is saying to Timothy, number one, he's going back to Israel's history.

Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. That is given in the Torah, in the law. This is the principle of life that God had given to Israel. Secondly, and the laborer is worthy of his reward. And the reference, of course, is to the Gospel of Luke, where Yeshua himself, the Messiah, himself was instructing the disciples in his days. And before he died, he instructed his disciples there that they are, as they go out to serve God, the laborer is worthy of his hire. I'm just going to read Luke chapter 10. And we read that he had appointed 70, and he sent them two by two in verse 1.

But notice what he told them in verse 6 and 7. And if the son of peace be there as they are going out to share, your peace, your shalom 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. In other words, you make sure that sharing the message of the Word of God from house to house, and if someone stops and accepts you and accepts the ministry that you share with them, you are to stay in this house, you are to drink, you are to eat, and you are to enjoy what they are providing for you.

Why? Because the laborer is worthy of his hire. Then we read also that in verses 13 and 14 of our study of 1 Corinthians chapter 9, in verses 13 and 14, Paul emphasized that it is a practice in biblical days that the priests and the Leviim, the Kohanim, they received, they benefited from the sacrifices that they offered. And so we have quoted Leviticus chapter 6 and Leviticus chapter 7 and chapter 27 and the Numbers chapter 8, where God instructed his people of Israel to take care of the servants who served in the tabernacle and in the temple. There was the tithing and there was the benefits that the Kohanim, the Leviim received, even from the sacrifices, they had a portion for themselves.

So now after Shaul Paul have established this truth, he continued now to instruct the Corinthians from verse 15 to the end of the chapter. In this second portion of 1 Corinthians chapter 9, Paul defends his right now to refuse. Listen to this. Listen to this. To refuse to receive support from the Corinthians. In other words, in the first 14 verses, Shaul Paul pointed to the fact that he has the right as an apostle to receive support. And he set himself as an example that he did not take it from them because he didn't want to offend anyone and he was very sensitive to others. Now they should have supported him.

They should have supported him. They should have supported the work of the Lord. Just like in any work of God in the world today, God's people are called to support the laborers that work in the gospel, in the work of the Lord. But Paul set for us an example here that he is very sensitive, having priorities right in his life. And especially remember that we are studying the letter that he was writing to the Corinthians. The Corinthians spiritual condition was very sad. Though they were saints, yet in their behavior, they surely didn't behave as saints. And so now, beloved brothers and sisters, Paul is giving to us in these verses.

He is presenting here before us the example of himself that while he had liberty, he practiced in his liberty as an example in order to lead others to Christ, to the Messiah. And in order to benefit the believers, those who are belonging to the Lord. In chapter 6 of the Gospel of Matthew, and in verse 33, we read: "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you." In other words, he has the promise of the Lord that if you will seek the kingdom of God, God will take care of his servants. Even though some various assemblies or various churches fail to support the servants of the Lord.

Yet the Lord will support his own servants because the Lord is faithful to those who serve him. So notice this, beloved brothers and sisters. Here, Paul gives three reasons, from verses 15 to 27, as to why he has also the right to refuse support from a local assembly such as the Corinthian. And so in verses 15, 16, 17 and 18, Paul explained to the Corinthians why he chose not to exercise his liberty and receive support from them. And he did not take support from them for the gospel's sake. Notice this, that expression for the gospel's sake has been already mentioned, or the gospel of Christ is mentioned already in verse 12, you remember?

Nevertheless, verse 12 in the middle, we have not used this power or this right, why? But we suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ. Besorat HaMashiach, the gospel of the Messiah. And so notice this, as he's moving along now in these verses. Verse 15, Paul did not want that his statements will be kind of voided. In other words, he wanted to do that which was right. So in verse 15, he says, but I have used none of these things. Neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me, for it were better for me to die than that any man should make my glowing void.

In other words, you see, he wrote these things to the Corinthians. Some might say, oh, he's writing this letter to us, so we will support him and we'll take care of him financially. But Paul said to them right away here in verse 15, that he did not want that the Corinthians will assume that he's seeking to glory in himself or to glorify himself. He wanted them to understand that as an apostle who led them to Yeshua, the Messiah, to the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, he has a right to be taken care of by them because he led them to the Lord. And they are, they are the one, he's the one who led them to the Lord.

They are the one that are like a letter that shows here is the, those that were led, them using the apostle Paul to lead them to Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. So he said to them, you know, whatever I wrote to you, but I have done these things, whatever I've done for you, I didn't do it. And whatever I wrote to you, I didn't write this, that it should be done unto me, that you will support me. Notice verse 15. But I have used none of these things, neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me, he says. He says, and then he continues, he says, it is better for me to die than any man should make my glowing void.

In other words, others came and glorified themselves, but he did not want to glorify himself. He did not assume by sharing this letter with them that he is seeking some glory for himself. Not at all. In fact, if you remember, in chapter 2, he was already writing to them in the earlier portion of the letter. And I, brethren, when I came unto you, I came not with excellency of speech, of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you save Jesus Christ, Yeshua HaMashiach, and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.

And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in a demonstration of the Spirit and of power. That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of man, but in the power of God. I did not come to you glorifying myself. And so, here he is telling them in verse 15, that he did not write what he wrote in order for them to give him, to support him. But he wrote to them in order for them to understand the relationship that they have with him, and the responsibility that they have towards God's servant. In verse 16 of 1 Corinthians chapter 9, Paul preached the gospel.

He said, I do not want to do that. I wanted to honor the Lord. I didn't do it for my personal gain. You remember, this is an amazing verse here in verse 16. In other words, what he said, I preached the gospel out of not personal glory, but I wanted to honor the Lord. I said, I have a conviction, personal conviction. I didn't do it for my benefit, but I have personal conviction. For though I preached the gospel, I have nothing to glory of. For it is not, as he says, for necessity is laid upon me. This is his personal conviction. I sense the necessity to share the message of the gospel with others.

Because I want others to come to know the Messiah. This is fascinating. Then he said that, this is a very interesting verse, Woe unto me if I preach not the gospel. What a beautiful expression. What does that mean, woe unto me if I preach not the gospel? In other words, if I don't let other people know who Yeshua is and what Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah have done. It is a loss for them. And if they will not hear the message of the gospel, they will ultimately, will not be able to be led to the Lord. Now, of course, God is not limiting himself with Shaul Paul or with you or me.

God has many ways to lead others to the person of his son. But Paul understood something that really convicted him. And you remember already in Romans chapter 1 and verse 16, For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, of the gospel of the Messiah. And one might ask him, Shaul Paul, why aren't you ashamed of the gospel? And he says in the very same verse, For it is the power of God. It is the ground upon which God can save a sinner. It is the power of God. Why? Because the gospel, the Besorah is Christ, the Messiah, died for our sins. According to the scriptures, 1 Corinthians chapter 15.

We'll get to it later on. And he was buried and he rose again, according to the Hebrew scriptures. So the Messiah came. The Messiah died. The Messiah was resurrected from among the dead. He finished the work of redemption. His blood was shed. He died the just one for the unjust in order to bring us to God. And therefore, Paul said, I am not ashamed that there is a way where a sinner can receive forgiveness of sins. And this is such a challenge for us all. Have you come to know the Lord? Have you accepted the Lord Jesus as your Lord and Savior? Have you come to realize that without him, without the Messiah, Jesus, who shed his precious blood, died for your sin and sins, you will never be able to be right with God?

And Paul said, I am not ashamed of the gospel of the Messiah. Why? Because it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes. Not everyone that earn it and work for it and buy it and keeping certain rules, men's rules and all sorts of human rules. No, it is because the ground for our salvation depends entirely upon the finished work of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah. And if you only believe sincere faith in him, you will be accepted. Again, listen to this verse. For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. For it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes.

To the Jew first and also to the Greek. And then he continues in verse 17 of Romans chapter 1. And for therein, for in that gospel, the righteousness of God revealed from faith unto faith, as it is written, the just shall live by faith. God declared the sinner who believe in the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, righteous. The righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith. In other words, as we believe and accept the gospel message that the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, God, the Son, became a man, died for the sin of this world, was buried and rose again for our justification, whoever believed in him will never perish, but have everlasting life.

And Paul belabored this here in 1 Corinthians chapter 9 when he said, I preach the gospel out of personal conviction. I don't do it for any gain for myself, he said. Woe is me if I preach not the gospel. He continued in verse 17, beloved brothers and sisters, and he's saying to them, for if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward. But if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me, in other words, he's saying I present the gospel willingly. If I do it willingly or when I do it willingly, not because somebody pay me, not because you Corinthian would give me something, you examine me, you are trying to find some fault in me, and yet I'm reminding you that I have led you to the Messiah.

I came to you, I ministered to you the gospel, I have established the local assembly, I'm not saying it for my glowing, I'm just letting you know, and you should have recognized my apostleship. But apparently, sadly, they examined him, they always tried to find fault. Well, you could see the condition that existed there at Corinth, throughout the whole book, the whole letter, you could see the sad condition that existed in this local assembly. So Paul wanted to assure them that he preached the gospel willingly, and he did so willingly, the Lord will reward him. Even if they do not appreciate, even if the Corinthians do not appreciate his service, oftentimes how true it is that the servants of the Lord are not appreciated by those whom they serve.

Many times, the support of the servants of the Lord was provided by those who don't even receive the ministry that those who should have supported the servants of the Lord should have provided. But again, we live here in this world. Failure in us all. But God knows every situation. And the servants of the Lord are called to trust God. Called to trust the Lord Yeshua, Jesus the Messiah. So the apostle said in verse 17, notice he used this expression, and I think it is fascinating as we learn from the Brita Hadashah, from the new covenant, of this present age, the dispensation that we live in, the economy, oikonomia.

This is a different era, different dispensation that we live in today since the death, burial, resurrection of our Lord Jesus the Messiah and his exaltation and the coming of the Holy Spirit of God. God knew that at his first coming, the Messiah will not be accepted by the nation of Israel. Then that he will be accepted at his second coming for his people, Israel to establish the Messianic kingdom that God had promised to his chosen people, the nation of Israel. And he will accomplish this to the latter. But we live in a different era, different dispensation. Here it is called the word oikonomia. Economy in the manner whereby God is dealing now in the world, he is building the ecclesia, the church, Jew and Gentile united together into that one body.

Notice Paul being Jewish ministering to the Gentiles at Corinth. And it's wonderful to see in this present age where Jew and Gentiles are united into that one body. And that's why Paul is saying in verse 17, he says, if I do this thing willingly, I have every word. But if it is against my will, he says, look, it's not against my will because a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. and that word dispensation comes from the Greek word oikonomia. That economy is speaking of the present day age in which, notice that it's mentioned also in Ephesians chapter 3, the whole third chapter of the letter to the Ephesians.

It's very important to understand because Paul there explained to us that this present age dispensation in the ancient days of the church age is a unique age because it was not known to mankind in days of old. It was not known by the prophets of Israel either. God did not reveal it unto them. I'll read you just a verse or two in Ephesians chapter 3. For this cause I, Paul, verse 1, the prisoner of Jesus the Messiah for you Gentiles, if ye have heard of the dispensation of the economy of the grace of God which is given me towards you, how that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery as I wrote afore in a few words whereby when ye read ye might understand my knowledge of the mystery of Messiah, the mystery of Christ which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit.

In verse 9 of Ephesians 3 Paul said and to make all men see what the fellowship of the mystery, notice that again, which from the beginning of the world has been hid in God who revealed all things by Jesus Christ, by Yeshua the Messiah. So this dispensation has been given unto the apostle Paul and he's ministering this now, the truth of the gospel to the Corinthians and he's saying to them I don't do this in order for you to give me something. I do not want to take anything from you because of your condition, because of you challenging me and because you examining me and try to find faults in me and Corinthians you need to have a correct perspective as to your responsibility.

notice in verse 18 of 1 Corinthians chapter 9 where we are, Paul did not want to abuse the power, his power in the gospel. He did not want to charge anyone for preaching the message of the gospel.

They should have known that they should have supported him as any local churches who have servants of the Lord raised and go out to serve the Lord have this responsibility as it was in Israel's history when the people of Israel were called to support the Kohanim and the Leviim in various ways and as God provided for them right from the altar where the sacrifices were placed on the altar God provided a portion for his servant this is a principle that is given to us by God and in life in nature and so in verse 18 Paul says what is my reward then verily that when I preach the gospel I may make the gospel of

Christ without charge that I abuse not my power or my authority or my right in the gospel he did not want to abuse his right he could have taken from the Corinthians demand this from them but he didn't he actually writing to them now that he has not only a right to receive from them but also he has a right to refuse to receive support from them and that's what he's pointing here in these verses beloved brothers and sisters so he's giving them three reasons that Shaul Paul explaining why he refused support from the Corinthians and specifically because of their condition apparently in 2nd Corinthians chapter 11 we read that he was serving as a

tent maker 2nd Corinthians chapter 11 we read in verse 6 but though I be rude in speech yet not in knowledge but we have been thoroughly made manifest among you in all things he's saying to the Corinthians in his second letter have I committed an offense in abasing myself that he might be exalted because I have preached unto you the gospel of God freely I robbed other churches taking wages of them to do you service and when I was present with you and wanted I was chargeable to no man when he had a need he was chargeable to no man for that which was lacking to me the brethren which came from Macedonia supplied and

in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome unto you and so will I keep myself see the condition there in Corinth was sad the apostle Paul is mentioning this to them beloved brothers and sisters he says in verse 10 of 2nd Corinthians 11 as the truth of Christ is in me no man shall stop me of this boasting in the regions of Achaia wherefore because I love you not God know but what I do that I will do that I may cut off occasion from them which desire occasion that wherein they glory they may be found even as we in other word Paul did not want from the Corinthians to support him because

of the manner whereby they thought of him sadly how they behave and so the first reason out of the three reasons are found here in 1 Corinthians chapter 9 verses 15 to 18 Paul he chose not to exercise this liberty for the gospel sake then notice in verses 19 to 23 he wanted to set an example as his servants because he wanted to do it for the gospel sake but for the sinner's sake he preached the gospel he served God not out of any other motive except for the gospel sake and now for sinners sake notice verse 19 Paul was free and yet he made himself a servant in verse 19 he said for though

I be free from all men yet have I made myself servant unto all that I might gain them all in other words I am free I don't have any accountability to anyone and yet beloved brothers and sisters Shaul Paul said I made myself a servant if we want to serve God we have to develop an attitude of servants we are called to serve the Lord you remember what we read in 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 these verses in verse 5 it says and I'm reading 2nd Corinthians chapter 4 verse 5 for we preach not ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord and our serve your servants for Jesus sake for Yeshua sake we are servants for Yeshua

sake that is very important principle to understand anyone in Israel's history who served our people of all the people of Israel they were serving the nation out of love for the nation Habakkuk is called the embracer of Israel the lover of Israel Jeremiah was the weeping prophet who loved his people who wrote the book of lamentation concerning his own people who were punished now but allowed by the Lord to bring the Babylonian in and to take the people of Israel the Jewish people captive he wept for his people when you think about Isaiah and you think about all the prophets of Israel how they loved the people of Israel and serve them as servants it

is the same today beloved brothers and sisters when we serve the Lord we have to love God's people Shaul Paul loved the Corinthians and he served them and he ministered to them in verse 20 we read in verse 20 we read how Paul notice verse 20 21 22 and 23 Paul shows us that he was sharing the message of the gospel as a servant and he did it towards others out of love for others while he mentioned earlier in verses 15 to 18 that he chose to exercise to use these liberties that he have for the gospel sake here Paul is becoming an example towards others and he does sharing the message of the gospel

for the sinner's sake so he was free he made himself servant verse 19 and then he says this is such an amazing lesson in verse 20 unto the Jews I became a Jew that I might gain the Jews let me remind you that Paul did not need to become a Jew he was a Jew he was a Jewish man he was an Israeli he was a Hebrew of the Hebrews but he understood his own people the Jewish people and their need and he sought to gain them for the Messiah by seeking to reach them where they were nor does he continue in the same verse 20 and he said there to them that are under

the law as under the law that I might gain them that are under the law well who are under the law the Jewish people God gave to our people of Israel the Torah the law and so Shaul Paul said listen I would seek to maintain the law not because now under the law of Christ under the law of the Messiah but my people of course he would not violate the gospel but he would go far in order to reach his people to remind you beloved brothers and sisters he was a Pharisee of the Pharisees Shaul was when he come to the law he said of himself he was perfect in the sense that he abides

by the law that God had given to Israel and beyond you remember what we read in Philippians chapter 3 he mentioned this the apostle Paul of himself when he was writing about himself he said but what things were gained to me account for loss for Christ you remember what he said of himself though I might have confidence in the flesh Philippians chapter 3 verse 4 if any other man think that he has whereof he might trust in the flesh I more I was circumcised on the eighth day that is a Hebrew circumcision and I am from the stock of Israel of the tribe of Binyamin a Hebrew and Hebrew of the Hebrews is touching the

law a Pharisee concerning zeal persecuting the assembly touching the righteousness which is in the law blameless so Shaul give us here an example and he says listen I would do anything without to violate the gospel the grace of God but I would do anything to gain the Jewish people to come to recognize that they can be redeemed and forgiven on the basis of the gospel message of the word of God that the Messiah has come and he died for our sins and was raised again for our justification but he goes beyond in verse 21 he said to them that are without law this is to the Gentiles to the goyim as without law in other

word he would come he would go to the Gentiles that's what he did to the Corinthians synagogue from the Jewish community in Corinth they continued to follow after Christ after the Messiah but then he went to the Gentiles in Corinth and he led many to come to know the Lord Jesus the Messiah as the Savior and Lord but you notice what he said to them that are without law as without law but then he adds he says be not without law to God but under the Messiah that is so important beloved brothers and sisters the law of the Messiah is the law of love the law of love God so loved the world and gave

his only begotten son that whosoever believeth on him shall not perish but have everlasting life God gave the Messiah to pay for the sin of this world that is the love of God that is the law we say in Hebrew the law of the Messiah the law of Christ you remember what we read in 1st Corinthians chapter 13 though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not love I am become a sounding brass and a tingling symbol and though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have not love I am nothing

and though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not love it profits me nothing love suffer long you can put the word Messiah Messiah Christ Christ Messiah love suffer long the Messiah Christ is kind love envious not love want is not itself love is not puffed up does not behave itself unseemly not seeking her own is not easily provoked think no evil rejoice not in iniquity but rejoicing in the truth bear all things believeth all things in doing all things love never faileth Yeshua Jesus never fail Messiah Christ never failed everything else will fail but the law of Christ the law of

Messiah that I might gain them that are without law oh beloved friend what a wonderful truth to learn of the love of our Lord Jesus the Messiah this is what was the burden of Shaul Paul he wanted to share this truth that there is a way whereby a sinner can be forgiven and the way that he or she can be forgiven is by turning to the lover of their soul our blessed Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah and so in these verses 1st Corinthians chapter 9 verses 19 to 23 Shaul Paul is emphasizing the door he was free he made himself a servant he learned from his master Jesus the Messiah himself to the Jews he

became as a Jew that I might gain the Jews to the one that under the law I became as one as under the law that I might gain the one that is under the law to them that are without law as without law being not without law to God but under the law of the Messiah that I might gain them that are without law this verse 21 in verse 22 he said to the weak I became as weak that I might gain the weak I made all things to all men that I might by all means save some of course he is not the Savior but he is a servant of the Savior he is

a servant of the Messiah of Christ of God who have gone to Corinth and elsewhere to share the message of the gospel so Paul did all this for the sake of the gospel as he says in verse 23 for this I do for the gospel sake that I might be partakers thereof with you I wanted you to come to know the Lord Yeshua Jesus the Messiah I led you to him and I wanted to identify with the love of the Lord Jesus for all men and I love you and I share with you the gospel I wanted you to benefit from this and you notice that in 1st Corinthians chapter 9 and verse 12 if

others notice he used the word others many times if others be partakers of this power over you are not we rather nevertheless we have not used this power but suffered all things lest we should hinder the gospel of Christ this expression others in verse 14 again he used that word notice that even so has the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel in other words he used that expression of the gospel many times in order to be preached unto others and so you have these words in verse 16 17 18 even in verse 23 this I do for the gospel sake so beloved brothers and sisters this is the

second reason that Paul is explaining why he had refused support from the Corinthians number one because he wanted to do it for the gospel sake lest someone will say oh you are we are paying you to share the gospel secondly he did it in verse 19 to 23 for the sinner sake for the benefit of sinners and now thirdly in verse 24 25 26 and 27 he did it for his own sake Paul's concern for the possibility of some to say that he did it only for some personal gain that he shared the gospel he wanted for his own conscience sake he refused to take support from the Corinthians because of first of all their

behavior their attitude that might show that they would be inclined to find fault in Paul and he didn't want them to stumble as you remember how we concluded 1st Corinthians chapter 8 verse 13 if meat make my brother to be offended I will eat no flesh while the world standeth lest I make my brother to be offended so notice these final verses of 1st Corinthians chapter 9 verse 24 to 27 in verse 24 Paul encouraged others to run faithfully and so he said in verse 24 know you know the day which run in a race run all but one receive the prize so run that ye may obtain so Paul is setting an example here

he's saying listen run the race I want to be an example for you run the race continue to follow after the Lord Jesus the Messiah continue to live for him run the race and so all of us beloved brothers and sisters when we became redeemed we are really in a race not a race against one another but together with one another and the race is to please the Lord you remember in Hebrews chapter 12 the Jewish author who wrote to his Jewish brother and said to them wherefore seen we also compass about with so great cloud of witnesses let let us run lay aside every weight and the sin this is the sin of disobedience

the sin which does so easily beset us and let us run with patience the race that is set before us notice verse 2 looking unto Yeshua Jesus Yeshua Jesus the Messiah the author and the finisher of faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and he sat down at the right hand of the majesty on high that's the truth that we learn in scripture that the believers are in a race not against one another but together with one another but there is a prize that is awaiting a reward we are not called to run for the benefit of the reward but we are to run realizing that

God is honored when we are living for him in Philippians chapter 3 we read in verse 13 brethren I count not myself to have apprehended but this one thing I do forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before I press towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus in the Messiah Yeshua so we have the example and the encouragement that Paul gave to the Philippians as the Hebrew author gave to the Jewish believers to whom he wrote notice in verse 25 we are here in 1st Corinthians chapter 9 verse 25 Paul encouraged to seek incorruptible prize that crown that is incorruptible

and every man that strive for a mastery or for a prize is temperate in all things now they do it to obtain corruptible crown but we this is me Paul you Corinthian Philippian and you and I brothers and sisters whoever you are we are called to run in order that we will ultimately obtain an incorruptible crown in scripture we have many crowns that are promised to faithful believers who live for the Lord in these days and seek to honor him in their life how wonderful the crown that I promise to give to the people of God all these crowns that are mentioned in scripture really simply just another way of encouraging the believers to continue

to follow the Lord here we have in 1st Corinthians 9 25 incorruptible crown in 2nd Timothy chapter 4 and verse 8 we have the crown of righteousness in James chapter 1 and verse 12 we have the crown of life in 1st Peter chapter 5 and verse 4 we have the crown of glory in Hebrew in 1st Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 19 we have the crown of rejoicing beloved brothers and sisters the incorruptible crown the crown of righteousness the crown of life the crown of glory the crown of rejoicing these crowns are simply representing rewards that faithful believers who live for God serving God here in this world will receive when we are going to

stand before the Lord at the judgment seat of the Messiah and this crown that we will receive simply because of faithfulness as here in this world one is serving the Lord but you see beloved brothers and sisters as the Lord will give us this crown we will cast these crowns before the Lord himself and notice what we read in Revelation chapter 4 and verse 4 and around about the throne and the four and twenty seats and upon the seats John says I saw four and twenty elders representing really the believers of this present day of the church age sitting clothed in white raiment speaks of righteousness that we receive because of the work of Christ

of the word of Messiah and they had on their heads crowns of gold these are the Stephanos crowns not diadem but Stephanos crowns out of obedience and service for the Lord and this is wonderful beloved brothers and sisters that these crowns will be cast before the Lord and because of who he is he is worthy he is the one that deserves to receive these crowns they will be cast before him and there we will realize that everything that we receive was given to us by the Lord even the strength to be able to serve him here in this world and that's what the apostle Paul is seeking to explain that we are called to be

faithful and to live for him here in this world and so notice that in verses 26 and 27 in conclusion Paul encouraged to fight a good fight with determination because when we continue on and fighting meaning to be under the submission of the Lord to be led by him ultimately one will be approved by the Lord who will say well done good and faithful servant and so in verse 26 we read I therefore so run not as uncertainly he says so I so fight I not as one that beat the air no I'm running a certain sure run the race to seek to honor the Lord I don't beat the air I run in a

way that is pleasing to the Lord to use me as a vessel of honor and then he noticed at the end of this chapter verse 27 he says but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection why lest that by any means when I have preached to others I myself should be a cast away and that word for cast away a better word is disapproved the cast away his servants no because his servants will never be cast away his people will never be cast away because they are redeemed they have eternal life they will never perish but that expression here is disapproved Paul wanted to be approved by God he want to be

approved by God that God will be pleased with him with whatever he did here in this world and what an encouragement it is for you and I beloved brothers and sisters and dear friends may the Lord help us to have this desire to live for him and be approved by him notice what we read in the book of Daniel when Daniel received his revelation concerning his people Israel the Michael in Daniel chapter 12 at that time shall Michael stand up the great prince this is verse one which standeth for the children of thy people this is the people of Daniel he said that there shall be a time of trouble this is the tribulation period

but thy people shall be delivered out of it God said to Daniel through the angel Michael many of them that sleep in the dust verse two shall be awake some to everlasting life and some to everlasting shame and contempt but then he says in verse three and they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of their firmament they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever in other words to Daniel and to Daniel's people who live godly even during the days of trouble in the history of Israel the godly in Israel who serve God like Daniel like Moshe like Eliyahu like Yeshayahu like Yerimiahu and all the men the servants of

God those that we read about and those that we don't God will reward them and for you and I today of this present day age beloved brothers and sisters God the Lord Jesus the Messiah will reward the faithful servants and that's why Shaul Paul said at the end of 1st Corinthians chapter 9 verse 27 but but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection lest that by any means when I have preached to others I myself should be disapproved he wanted to be approved by the Lord Jesus the Messiah he wanted to be pleasing to him if any man's work abide which he has built thereupon he shall receive a reward 1st Corinthians

chapter 3 and verse 14 well beloved brothers and sisters and dear friends may the Lord bless us and encourage us to continue to serve the Lord here in this world because soon and very soon the Lord Jesus the Messiah is coming to take us to be with him in glory God bless you until the next time we would say Shalom Shalom