4-7-10 1 Cor Message 29: Financial Responsibility

Financial Responsibility

I.          1 Corinthians 9:4-6 Have we not power to eat and to drink? ⁵Have we not power to lead about a sister, a wife, as well as other apostles, and as the brethren of the Lord, and Cephas? ⁶Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power to forbear working?

A.        “power” – The Question

Forbear – to stop or cease (v6)

B.        Should the wife and by extension children be included?

C.        As well as other apostles (v12a also)

II.        1 Corinthians 9:7 Who goeth a 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?

An answer from the secular perspective.

III.       1 Corinthians 9:8-9 Say I these things as a man? or saith not the law the same also? ⁹For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen?

An answer from the Law

Deuteronomy 25:4 Thou shalt not muzzle the ox when he treadeth out the corn.

IV.       1 Corinthians 9:9b-10 Doth God take care for oxen? ¹⁰Or saith he it altogether 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.

A special aside about oxen 9b – 10a.

V.        1 Corinthians 9:11 If we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things?

Carnal vrs Spiritual

VI.       1 Corinthians 9:12 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.

A.        First responsibility to those ministering the Word to them. See v5

Rather* - in preference; preferably; with better reason; in a greater degree than otherwise.

B^**.      All cannot receive this Truth Hammering it would hinder the Gospel

VII.     1 Corinthians 9:13-14 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 with the altar? ¹⁴Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel.

Bottom line v14