1 CORINTHIANS 9-10

Question:
How would you react if a total stranger
came up to you and began asking you very
personal questions about your marriage?
Why would you react the way you would?

    Question:
    What if the person was a passing acquaintance?

    Question:
    What if the person was someone who was came over
    last week to help you to repair, or build something?

    Question:
    What if the person was a close friend?

    Question:
    Which one would be easier to talk to?  Why?

    Question:
    Why is each person considered differently?

Question:
What causes a friendship to develop?

    Question:
    What is the initial start?
        – Conversation?

    Question:
    What helps it to grow?
        – Personality, similar likes and/or dislikes.

Question:
Is it a good idea for a Christian to walk up to a lost person
he doesn’t know and start witnessing to him?
Why or why not?
    – Sometimes we may need to develop an acquaintance first.

Question:
What are some things we can do that would make
another person more receptive to what we have to say?
    – Help with some task.
    – Find a common interest between us;
      if none exists, spend some time asking and
      learning about some interest he/she has
      (asking questions shows we are interested in them).

Question:
Do people respond easier to:
    – A person who tends to talk down to them?
    – A person who tends to talk up to them?
    – A person who talks to them as a peer?

    Question:
    What should that tell us about laying the groundwork
    for witnessing, or the witnessing itself?
        – Don’t speak with a “holier than thou” attitude.
        – Learn to be humble….there is a reason the Bible
          says we should be humble as Christians.

Question:
If we are developing a relationship in order to open up
an opportunity for witnessing, are we being deceitful?
Why or why not?

Question:
How could we prepare the way for witnessing
to someone we used to “party” with?

1 CORINTHIANS 9:
VERSE 19:
Paul was free from all men – his only Master was Christ, and
yet he made himself a servant to all, in order to reach others.

Question:
Servant?
    – One who serves (Paul was serving God (and others)
      by making himself available to share the Gospel).

VERSE 20:
Look at Paul’s adaptability:
    – He became like a Jew in order to reach the Jews.
      (he had Timothy, a half Jew, circumcised in order
      for him to be able to work among Jews (Acts 16:3)).

    – He also became like those under the law when needed.

      Question:
      How were they different than the Jews?
          Jews – nationality
          Under the law – religion

VERSE 21:
    – He also became like those without the law
      (those without a list of laws like the Jews had;
      it could be referring to the Gentiles).

VERSE 22:
    – He became like those who were weak
      (those who thought eating meat sacrificed
      to idols was wrong; their faith was not
      strong enough to be confident it was okay).
      Paul wouldn’t eat the meat either,
      out of respect for them and their beliefs.

VERSE 23:
Paul made special efforts to adapt to different
groups of people in order to spread the Gospel.

VERSE 24:
In the race of life, we are all competitors, but
as Christians, we are all winners of an everlasting life.

VERSE 25:
If we are to be good Christians,
we need to practice self-control
(this means that sometimes we need to adjust
to differ groups and environments).

The world races for a worldly crown, but
as Christians we race for something much greater.

VERSE 26:
Paul knew his goal, he exercised self-discipline, and
he was certain he would be successful in his efforts.

He wasn’t like a boxer swinging wildly at the air,
he aimed carefully at his goal and kept everything on target.

VERSE 27:
Paul resisted being a slave to his body;
instead he made his body a slave to himself.

He knew it was easier to tell others
what to do, than to do it himself;
he was afraid that he might not do what he
called on others to do, and in the process
he would lose his usefulness to Christ.

Question:
What happens when we lose our usefulness to Christ?

1 CORINTHIANS 10:
VERSE 31:
Paul says we should devote
all of our energies to glorifying God.

VERSE 32:
Try not to offend others,
or cause a bad reflection on the church.

VERSE 33:
Do all of these things, not for your own glory,
but that many will benefit through being saved.

SUMMARY:
    – Make the necessary adjustments in order to lead others to Christ.

      We should not expect others to adapt to us and our ways,
      instead we need to adapt to who they are and their ways.
      In other words, we should never expect others to adjust to
      any arrogance or ‘righteous’ attitudes of ours;
      instead, we need to adjust to what would make others more
      receptive to what we have to say.

     We need to be friendly (not condescending), humble (not arrogant),
     kind (not forceful), flexible (not rigid), loving (not demanding), etc.

    – People in the church who are not maturing,
      need our help in order to grow.
      We should never overlook the magnitude of
      what the Lord can do through us, when we let Him.

    – We need to sensitive to how we can offend others
      (both Christians and non-Christians).
      Love should be at the core of all that we do:
      “Love never fails…” (1 Corinthians 13:8)
      When we are motivated by love, our efforts will not fail.
      “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not
      boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not
      self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record
      of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with
      the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes,
      always perseveres.” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7)
      Note:
           Ask yourself how many of these qualities of Jesus
           are present in your own life and attitude.

    – We should never participate in God’s work in order
      to gain personal glory; we should be motivated
      by a sincere desire to see others saved.

CHALLENGE:
    – Learn how to avoid offending others.
      (this next week – don’t offend anyone in any way).