Grace Church Wednesday Nights - 1 Corinthians Pt 18

All Things to All Men

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1 Corinthians 9:19-27 (ESV)
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19. For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.

This is part of a big section that started with chapter 8.  He is basically telling the people that they are right in their theology but wrong in your application.  Love should be what consider when dealing with others.  If something is immature and thinks something is a sin, then it is a sin. 

Paul, as we established, had a right to be paid but did not since he did not want to be a stumbling block to them.  These verses are a continuation of how he does things.  His driving purpose in everything that he did was to win people to Jesus Christ.

20. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law.

21. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law.

22. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.

It is quite clear that the purpose of Paul's life was to save as many as possible, and to do that he became what they needed him to be. Paul was willing to do anything short of sin to bring someone to Christ. Are you that sold out to win souls to Jesus?  

Gal. 2:4-5 

 4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: 

5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you.

We can modify the method but we cannot modify the message.  Paul was and we should be flexible in the things that can be flexible and firm on what must be firm.  

V. 21  Gal 6:2 - Law of Christ is to love. 

23. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

He want people to share the blessings of Christ.

24. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.

25. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

26. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.

27. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

There was an Olympic type games at this time.  Paul would have known this as well as the people he was talking to.  They did not get an award for participation. If you did not come in first place you lost.  The goal was for them to win the race.  They would discipline themselves to win this prize. And it was something that would perish. We each have a race to run.  We have to discipline ourselves to meet the call that God has on our lives.  Stay focused, stay on target.  

Climbing Companions Pt 2 - Blessed Part 1

Grace Church, Tulsa, OK

2nd Service

Pastor Robb Yandian

Am I a climbing companion, one who will climb with him when the trail gets rough? 

The beatitudes are in a particular order for a reason.  

Understand that we are a child of God and we will see the fulfillment in a time. These verses describe a life that a believer should have. Doing them will not get you delivered, being delivered we will want to do them. 

v. 6 hunger and thirst for righteousness, v. 10 says we will persecuted for it. Verses 3 through 5 show a state of being empty.  There is a God designed emptiness in every person.  Where there is emptiness there is hunger.  We hunger for righteousness, then we are filled to overflowing (v. 7 - 9).  

The Beatitudes
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Matthew 5:1-6 (ESV)
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1. Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. The Beatitudes

2. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

3. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Has nothing to do with finances.  This is a spiritual poverty.  Jer. 17:9, we know the heart of man is deceitful. We are not good, we cannot help our self.  We place our faith in God and we can get the help that we need.  Believe in your self and be sincere is not going to get you to heaven.  You can not save yourself.

4. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Taken at face value it looks like Jesus is saying to be sad all the time.  We are to be comforted by God, the grace of God that saves us and gives us eternal life.

5  "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Psalm 37:11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

9 For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth.

We need to wait for the Lord.  We live in a life where we want and get everything FAST.  We are not accustomed  to waiting.  Do not be a back seat driver with God.  He is the one that is controlling the speed.  We can have a lot of different ways to get from point a to point b.  Some are faster than others.  God has the control, he may want to take the back roads to teach us something.  Let God do it in his own speed. Wait for God, do not get ahead of Him.

6. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

We as Americans do not understand hunger.  

Revelations 3
17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

We think we are full, we need nothing, but we need Him.  Where is your hunger level? Are you desperate for Him?

The Beatitudes-MESSAGE
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Matthew 5:1-6 (MSG)
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When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:
"You're blessed when you're at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.
"You're blessed when you feel you've lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.
"You're blessed when you're content with just who you are—no more, no less. That's the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can't be bought.
"You're blessed when you've worked up a good appetite for God. He's food and drink in the best meal you'll ever eat.

Grace Church Wednesday Nights - 1 Corinthians Pt 17

Pastor Robb Yandian 

Denying our rights

Previous chapter talked about not causing others to stumble.  It was not about not offending someone because you will always offend someone.  

The Christian life is not about our rights.  

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1 Corinthians 9:1-18 (ESV)
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1. Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord?

Chapter 8 talks about the rights, yes you have them but so then Paul does also.  He was their spiritual father. 

2. If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

He can claim higher rights than they could, he was an apostle.  

3. This is my defense to those who would examine me.

4. Do we not have the right to eat and drink?

5. Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas?

6. Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?

He goes from me to we.  He is talking about the other apostles, Peter and Barnabas.  Paul has the same rights as these apostles.  People were saying that they were not apostles, they were out on their own and have to work just like the married apostles.  Big picture, all of us apostles have rights also.

7. Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk?

Soldiers do not have to work as well as serve, it is given as part of service,  Farmers can eat what they plant, tend flocks drink milk.  Ministry is work.

8. Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same?

9. For it is written in the Law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain." Is it for oxen that God is concerned?

10. Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop.

Now Paul quotes the Old Testament. The law still has authority today.  Paul's concern is to benefit people here, not the animals.  Paul is saying that God cares for us more than animals.  The oxen were allowed to eat based on the work they were doing.  Paul is saying this is their job, they have a right to earn a living by their preaching.

11. If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you?

Ministry is spiritual work but it is right to get material things from it.

12. If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.

Paul is saying that others get this ministry support because they have family but Paul is not.  This is not right, and Paul is not pushing it.  In other words, He is giving up his right to be paid and could push it.  So you guys need to give up your rights (from chapter 8).  Both cases involve a stumbling block (obstacle). 

13. Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings?

14. In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.

Repeating his case, now using the Temple servants as an example.  In fact (v. 14) Jesus commanded that those who proclaim the Gospel should get their living from their ministry. 

15. But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. 

For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting.

So what were they thinking,  he is trying to get money from us??  He is addressing this here.  He does not want their money.

16. For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

He wants them to understand that this is not about money. It was about proclaiming the Gospel.  It was what he existed for, this preaching of the Gospel. Serve God and God will bring the money to you.  Do not do it for the money however.

17. For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.

18. What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

If he chose this of his own will he has his reward.  This is what God has put in to him to do.  

This chapter shows that as a minister had rights. But these rights would be put down so that he would be able to preach the Gospel with out any hindrance to those who were watching him.  

Climbing Companions Pt 1

Grace Church, Tulsa OK

Pastor Robb Yandian

May 18, 2014, 2nd service

Matthew 5:1-12 (ESV)
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1. Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. 

2. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

3. "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4. "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

6. "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

7. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

8. "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9. "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

10. "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11. "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.

12. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 

As recorded in the Bible this is the longest speech that Jesus made.

Matt 4:23

23And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. 

Matt 9:35
 35And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.

Jesus taught, preached, and healed. 

You can not separate the three things Jesus did. All three things are Jesus and should be in any ministry involving him.  You may like one aspect of Him, but you can not get rid of the others.

We do not get to pick and chose from what the Bible says. All of it is good to learn from.


Matthew 5:1-2 (MSG)

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1-2 When Jesus saw his ministry drawing huge crowds, he climbed a hillside. Those who were apprenticed to him, the committed, climbed with him. Arriving at a quiet place, he sat down and taught his climbing companions. This is what he said:

The disciples were ones that were committed to Jesus. There were followers who wanted to believe that he was the one that came to deliver them. There were some that just wanted to see the Jesus show.  Some people wanted to catch Him in a mistake.  Except for the Disciples, these are the multitude.

The ones that were committed to Him, the disciples, were the ones that climbed with Him.  The crowds came filtering up the hillside.  The disciples were His climbing companions.  We need to ask ourselves are we climbing companions, staying on His heels and with Him through out the whole thing.

To be this way we must be willing to hear God speak, and then do it. When Peter was told to "follow me" Peter quit his job and dd it. We have to be willing to be that way.  Pressures in life will help you to determine just how much you are committed.

This section has the start of the Beatitudes.  First and last promises are the same. When we have salvation, we receive the kingdom of heaven.  These promises are present time but the others are future.  

Grace Church Wednesday nights - 1 Corinthians Pt 16

May 14, 2014, Grace Church Wednesday night service

Pastor Robb Yandian

Food Sacrificed to Idols
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1 Corinthians 8:1-13 (ESV)

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1. Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that "all of us possess knowledge." This "knowledge" puffs up, but love builds up.

2. If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.

3. But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.

Since this letter was written in response to a letter they sent to him, Paul is addressing each issue.  This and last chapter begin with "Now concerning...".  He is addressing the issues one by one.  

They were saying that I can do what I want, I know there is no other gods so what difference does it make.  

They had knowledge and it was puffing them up.  They became prideful and arrogant. Yes they were right, it does not make a difference. It is not walking in love however.  

Christian conduct is motivated by love not knowledge.People with lots of head knowledge and doctrines can be jerks.  As a Christian we should always be learning. While Paul agrees theologically with these people but is addressing the bigger issue of love.,

4. Therefore, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "an idol has no real existence," and that "there is no God but one."

Paul is quoting them here.  He is showing agreement.

5. For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many "gods" and many "lords"—

6. yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

He is agreeing with the doctrine here.  But it was not doing what it should be doing. Information should bring about transformation.  It is possible to have right doctrine but poor living.  

7. However, not all possess this knowledge. But some, through former association with idols, eat food as really offered to an idol, and their conscience, being weak, is defiled.

Paul is saying that you understand and I understand, but not everyone is us.  They do not realize this information.  To them, the idols still have power.  Your freedom is causing them to sin.  This is a matter of conscience.  

8. Food will not commend us to God. We are no worse off if we do not eat, and no better off if we do.

9. But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak.

What you do can cause someone else to fall in their faith.

10. For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, to eat food offered to idols?

This is not political correctness where we are not going to offend anyone.  This is watching what we do so that a fellow Christian will not stumble.

11. And so by your knowledge this weak person is destroyed, the brother for whom Christ died.

12. Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ.

13. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

Puffed up nature is what can make another to sin.
What does all this mean. 

1. It does not say to never do anything that would offend with you
2. It is not saying do not do anything that would bother a fellow Christian. It is a matter of faith.  Discuss - yes, division - no.  

Do not put a stumbling block in other people's way.  

Grace Church - May 11, 2014 - A Mother's Worship

A Mother's Worship
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Jacob hated Leah. She was not beautiful to him. God loved Leah. She was beautiful to Him.

Leah didn't "measure up". How do you feel you don't measure up?

Especially with social media, we compare our normal life with everyone else's highlight reel.

Put your real life on social media today. Use the hashtag #gracetulsa

Leah strove through childbearing to earn the love of her husband. When she realized it wasn't working, she found rest in worshiping the Lord.

A Mother's Worship
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Genesis 29:31-35 (ESV)
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31. When the Lord saw that Leah was hated, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.

32. And Leah conceived and bore a son, and she called his name Reuben, for she said, "Because the Lord has looked upon my affliction; for now my husband will love me."

33. She conceived again and bore a son, and said, "Because the Lord has heard that I am hated, he has given me this son also." And she called his name Simeon.

34. Again she conceived and bore a son, and said, "Now this time my husband will be attached to me, because I have borne him three sons." Therefore his name was called Levi.

35. And she conceived again and bore a son, and said, "This time I will praise the Lord." Therefore she called his name Judah. Then she ceased bearing.

The Lord saw how Leah was treated.  No body may see what you are going through in your life but God does. 

Why was Leah hated?

Genesis 29:15-18 (ESV)
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15. Then Laban said to Jacob, "Because you are my kinsman, should you therefore serve me for nothing? Tell me, what shall your wages be?"

16. Now Laban had two daughters. The name of the older was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel.

17. Leah's eyes were weak, but Rachel was beautiful in form and appearance.

18. Jacob loved Rachel. And he said, "I will serve you seven years for your younger daughter Rachel."

The point here is not in what was the matter with Leah's eyes but the comparison of the two woman.  Rachel was obviously better looking than her sister.  Jacob was a man, he went for the good looking one.  

How does that make Leah feel? This is a problem that woman face than as well as now.  Woman even try to compare themselves to the Proverbs 31 woman.  That can be a hard thing to reach.

Do not compare yourself to others.  We tend to compare ourselves to everyone else's highlight reel.  Social media has made this worse.  

God saw the broken hart of Leah.  God is with us in all the problems.  

v. 32 - Ruben - husband to love her, she looked to motherhood to get her husband's approval. She should have got her sense of worth from God not her husband. 

v.33 - Simon - shows that he still hated her.  When we do not get what we want from others we still try to get it from them. We need to turn to God.  

v. 34 - Still did not work, still kept trying. What is it in your life that you keep striving to accomplish?  

v. 35 - Something happened in her life to stop striving and to praise the Lord.  Judah was born from this.  We need to learn to stop striving and to praise the Lord.  Reading on we will find out this was short lived and she went back to striving.  We need to keep going back and praise the Lord each day.  

Grace Church - Wednesday night series - 1 Corinthians Pt 15

Marriage
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1 Corinthians 7:25-40 (ESV)
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Paul is clearly single and is wanting to say that single life is better in serving the Lord.

Joy is not the circumstances but in the way that you see life.  What are you putting your efforts into.  

25 Now concerning the betrothed, I have no command from the Lord, but I give my judgment as one who by the Lord's mercy is trustworthy.

Betrothed = one who has been promised to another for marriage, equivalent would be engagement for today.  Command from the Lord, same as last week.  It is not that it is not guided by the Spirit, he is giving judgement that he feels is being guided by the Spirit.  

26 I think that in view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is.

This does not mean that we should not marry, if it were true then a generation of Christians would never happen.  

27 Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a  wife.

Be content in the calling that God has placed on you.  It really applies to all manner of life.  

28 But if you do marry, you have not sinned, and if a betrothed woman marries, she has not sinned. Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that.

Marriage is not a sin, nor is staying single.  

What are the troubles that he is talking about here?  Unclear.

29 This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none,

30 and those who mourn as though they were not mourning, and those who rejoice as though they were not rejoicing, and those who buy as though they had no goods,

31 and those who deal with the world as though they had no dealings with it. For the present form of this world is passing away.

Time is short, You need to live as if you are living for the Lord.  Living for god you do not need the material things.  You do not let anything have your full devotion.  It is OK to have a wife and the things of the world, just not to let them rule you.

32 I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord.

33 But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife,

34 and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband.

35 I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.

Key passage in these verses, "I want you to be free from anxieties".  If this was good then he would want us all to have it.  All the examples that he gives here are all bad things.  Not two good and two bad.  You should not be anxious about the things of the world or spiritual things either.  

36 If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin.

37 But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well.

38 So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better.

The equivalent here is the length of engagement.  Do not create a sinful environment by keeping things going on to long if you can not handle it.

39 A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord.
40  Yet in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

Marriage is for life or till death you part. You are not bond to that marriage if the spouse when they die.  You should however marry to one who is a Christian.