Episode Transcript
WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.200 --> 00:00:10.750
Please do. And let's turn to
First Corinthians, chapter ten. I'm going
2
00:00:10.830 --> 00:00:16.510
to read from versus twenty two through
the end of this chapter, which actually
3
00:00:16.550 --> 00:00:22.059
includes the beginning of chapter eleven.
As you'll see, it's divided in your
4
00:00:22.699 --> 00:00:26.100
many of your bibles will have that, and so I'll read that now.
5
00:00:28.339 --> 00:00:36.009
We were going to be focusing in
particular on verse Thirty Three and eleven verse
6
00:00:36.210 --> 00:00:39.490
one, but let's read this whole
section. So, First Corinthians ten,
7
00:00:39.609 --> 00:00:47.090
verse twenty two. Shall we provoke
the Lord to Jealousy? Are we stronger
8
00:00:47.170 --> 00:00:51.359
than he? All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful.
9
00:00:51.399 --> 00:00:56.840
All things are lawful, but not
all things build up. Let no one
10
00:00:56.920 --> 00:01:00.399
seek his own good, but the
good of his neighbor. Eat whatever sold
11
00:01:00.479 --> 00:01:04.510
in the meat market without raising any
question on the ground of conscience, for
12
00:01:04.629 --> 00:01:10.469
the Earth is the Lord's and the
fullness thereof. If one of the unbelievers
13
00:01:10.510 --> 00:01:14.790
invites you to dinner and you're disposed
to go, eat whatever is set before
14
00:01:14.870 --> 00:01:19.099
you without raising any question on the
ground of conscience. But if someone says
15
00:01:19.140 --> 00:01:25.340
to you this has been offered in
sacrifice, then do not eat it for
16
00:01:25.420 --> 00:01:27.459
the sake of the one who informed
you, and for the sake of conscience.
17
00:01:27.819 --> 00:01:33.650
I do not mean your conscience,
the his. For why should my
18
00:01:33.769 --> 00:01:38.370
liberty be determined by someone else's conscience? If I partake with thankfulness, why
19
00:01:38.370 --> 00:01:42.930
am I denounced because of that for
which I give thanks? So, whether
20
00:01:42.010 --> 00:01:48.200
you eat or drink or whatever you
do, do all to the glory of
21
00:01:48.319 --> 00:01:53.280
God. Give no offense to Jews
or to Greeks or to the Church of
22
00:01:53.439 --> 00:01:57.599
God, just as I try to
please everyone in everything I do, not
23
00:01:57.840 --> 00:02:02.349
seeking my own advantage but that of
many, that they may be saved.
24
00:02:04.030 --> 00:02:10.270
Be Imitators of me as I am
of Christ. Amen, you may be
25
00:02:10.349 --> 00:02:30.370
seated. So preaching today on these
last few verses at the end of chapter
26
00:02:30.530 --> 00:02:36.490
ten and the First Verse of Chapter
Eleven, and then I'll take a break
27
00:02:36.530 --> 00:02:40.569
from first Corinthians through for a few
weeks as we focus on the incarnation of
28
00:02:40.610 --> 00:02:45.919
the Lord, and then will return, most likely in Lord welling in the
29
00:02:45.960 --> 00:02:52.719
New Year, to chapter eleven.
Today I'd like to focus in particular on
30
00:02:53.360 --> 00:02:57.039
these verses here at the end,
when Paul says be imitators of me as
31
00:02:57.080 --> 00:03:02.150
I am of Christ. When a
student goes to a teacher for a lesson,
32
00:03:02.270 --> 00:03:07.310
that teacher sets an example right and
a wise student will try to follow
33
00:03:07.349 --> 00:03:12.349
it. That could be a math
problem done on the board, an arm
34
00:03:12.469 --> 00:03:19.379
lift in a dance studio or logic
exemplified in a courtroom. And as we
35
00:03:19.500 --> 00:03:23.340
follow the example of our teacher who
gives us this model, what are we
36
00:03:23.379 --> 00:03:28.650
supposed to do now? We pay
attention to their instructions and we follow their
37
00:03:28.729 --> 00:03:32.409
example. We notice the theory and
the practice, the doctrine in their life.
38
00:03:34.169 --> 00:03:38.330
We take their lead, their ideas, and we follow them. We
39
00:03:38.610 --> 00:03:46.039
learn. Paul tells us to be
his students, to imitate me, as
40
00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:50.840
I am of Christ. And what
is the lesson that Paul wants us to
41
00:03:50.879 --> 00:03:54.830
learn? What is the thing our
teacher is teaching us? It's about love,
42
00:03:57.030 --> 00:04:00.789
love for God and love for men, and the great obstacles to this,
43
00:04:00.150 --> 00:04:08.270
which are idolatry and selfishness. But
Jesus helps us to overcome these by
44
00:04:08.550 --> 00:04:13.419
giving us, as our teacher,
his apostle. That's why Paul says imitate
45
00:04:13.580 --> 00:04:19.620
me and says as I follow Christ. So how are we to Imitate Paul?
46
00:04:20.699 --> 00:04:24.410
How we imitate Paul, our teacher, will depend, of course,
47
00:04:24.490 --> 00:04:27.250
on the lesson he wants us to
learn, the lesson that he's been teaching
48
00:04:27.290 --> 00:04:30.050
teaching us. So we have to
pay very close attention to what Paul is
49
00:04:30.529 --> 00:04:35.050
saying. If you go to your
math class and you comb your hair exactly
50
00:04:35.129 --> 00:04:40.000
like your math teacher, but you
don't actually learn the lesson, you haven't
51
00:04:40.079 --> 00:04:45.839
imitated your teacher as your teacher desires
you to do. So what is your
52
00:04:46.439 --> 00:04:49.240
what is our teacher? What is
Paul? What is Christ teaching us?
53
00:04:51.079 --> 00:04:55.589
Well, the idea that we ought
to imitate Paul in everything he does is
54
00:04:56.230 --> 00:05:00.870
certainly not what he means. That's
a silly idea. Each person has their
55
00:05:00.910 --> 00:05:04.149
own calling, in their own gifts
from God. Paul is not you and
56
00:05:04.310 --> 00:05:09.779
you are not Paul. Paul says
himself, and First Corinthians twelve, that
57
00:05:09.860 --> 00:05:14.939
there is a variety of gifts,
variety of services, a variety of activities,
58
00:05:15.019 --> 00:05:18.899
all in the one body of Christ. In twelve. Verse Twenty says,
59
00:05:18.939 --> 00:05:24.370
as it is, there are many
parts, yet one body. So
60
00:05:24.490 --> 00:05:27.730
you don't want the foot trying to
be an eye. You don't want your
61
00:05:27.769 --> 00:05:32.329
eye trying to be a foot.
So if Paul doesn't want us to travel
62
00:05:32.490 --> 00:05:38.040
back in time and do bad Paul
Impressions, what does he want us to
63
00:05:38.079 --> 00:05:44.480
do? How do we imitate him
when we are different than him. Well,
64
00:05:44.519 --> 00:05:48.839
we imitate Paul, not by mimicking
his uniqueness in the body of Christ,
65
00:05:49.470 --> 00:05:56.149
but by imitating his relationship to the
body of Christ, by the love
66
00:05:56.189 --> 00:06:00.350
of that he has for her and
shows for her, even as Christ showed
67
00:06:00.470 --> 00:06:04.139
for her. And remember, this
is what he's been teaching us, since
68
00:06:04.300 --> 00:06:09.620
Chapter Eight, in fact, on
Paul has been dealing with this very practical
69
00:06:09.660 --> 00:06:15.540
question about whether or not Christians should
eat food sacrifice to idols, and his
70
00:06:15.660 --> 00:06:20.730
simple answer has been it's fine to
do so unless it brings harm to someone's
71
00:06:20.769 --> 00:06:30.730
conscience, even if that conscience is
ill informed and ill informed or an ignorant
72
00:06:30.250 --> 00:06:38.480
conscience. A badly informed conscience is, he said, describes a weak conscience.
73
00:06:39.600 --> 00:06:44.399
He says there is a knowledge that
some it possessed, but not all
74
00:06:44.920 --> 00:06:48.029
are informed. In Chapter Eight,
verse seven, he says not all possessed
75
00:06:48.149 --> 00:06:54.550
this knowledge. This is a weakness. He says it is not good.
76
00:06:56.230 --> 00:07:01.620
The ignorant and the weak should learn. Their consciences must be informed. But
77
00:07:01.779 --> 00:07:06.660
while Paul doesn't only want our consciences
to be formed with regard to food,
78
00:07:08.420 --> 00:07:13.339
he also wants our consciences to be
formed with regard to our relationship to one
79
00:07:13.379 --> 00:07:16.170
another. It's not good, in
other words, to say, well,
80
00:07:16.250 --> 00:07:23.009
I'm free to eat this food,
but I can hate my brother in the
81
00:07:23.089 --> 00:07:28.889
process. That's not a hunciens that
is properly calibrated, that's not a conscience
82
00:07:29.449 --> 00:07:33.480
that is being set by the love
of God and the true freedom that we
83
00:07:33.560 --> 00:07:39.360
have in Christ. In First Corinthians
Eight, nine through twelve, Paul says
84
00:07:39.399 --> 00:07:44.829
this, but take care that this
right of yours does not somehow become a
85
00:07:44.949 --> 00:07:48.670
stumbling block for the week. For
if anyone sees you, who have knowledge,
86
00:07:48.709 --> 00:07:53.750
eating in an idol's temple, will
he not be encouraged, if his
87
00:07:53.829 --> 00:07:58.189
conscience is weak, to eat food
offered idols? And so, by your
88
00:07:58.389 --> 00:08:03.300
knowledge, this weak person is destroyed
the brother for whom Christ died, thus
89
00:08:03.339 --> 00:08:09.420
sinning against your brothers and wounding their
conscience. It is weak. You Sin
90
00:08:09.060 --> 00:08:13.930
Against Christ. Let me put it
this way. What advantages it to have
91
00:08:15.170 --> 00:08:20.250
the freedom to eat if we use
it to sin against those who have freedom
92
00:08:20.329 --> 00:08:28.920
in Christ like us? Paul concludes
these verses with this and First Corinthians Eight,
93
00:08:28.959 --> 00:08:33.519
verse thirteen. Therefore, if food
makes a my brother's stumble, I
94
00:08:33.600 --> 00:08:37.200
will never eat me, lest I
make my brother stumble. And there it
95
00:08:37.399 --> 00:08:43.389
is Paul's example, his lesson for
his students that we are called to follow.
96
00:08:43.990 --> 00:08:48.389
And he picks that up again here
in our chapter. So to read
97
00:08:48.549 --> 00:08:52.309
again from First Corinthians Ten, particularly
verses twenty eight, to the beginning of
98
00:08:52.389 --> 00:08:56.700
twenty nine. What does he say? He says, but if someone says
99
00:08:56.740 --> 00:09:01.059
to you this has been offered in
sacrifice, then do not eat it,
100
00:09:01.500 --> 00:09:03.659
for the sake of the one who
informed you and for the sake of conscience.
101
00:09:03.700 --> 00:09:09.700
I do not mean your conscience,
but his. And then he turns
102
00:09:09.779 --> 00:09:13.889
again to his own actions and he
says, give no offense to Jews or
103
00:09:13.049 --> 00:09:18.090
to Greeks or to the Church of
God, just as I try to please
104
00:09:18.129 --> 00:09:22.610
every one in everything I do,
not seeking my own advantage but that of
105
00:09:22.730 --> 00:09:26.639
many, that they may be saved. He loves them, he wants to
106
00:09:26.720 --> 00:09:31.600
see people saved, and so he
calls us in that way to be imitators
107
00:09:31.679 --> 00:09:35.600
of me, as I am of
Christ. So when Paul, our teacher,
108
00:09:35.720 --> 00:09:39.669
says we are to imitate him,
he means primarily in two things,
109
00:09:39.710 --> 00:09:43.629
the view toward God, who saved
us in Christ, and with a view
110
00:09:43.710 --> 00:09:50.590
toward the salvation of others. Love
of God and love of Man. That's
111
00:09:50.629 --> 00:09:54.259
how we are to imitate Paul.
In everything we do, we should keep
112
00:09:54.340 --> 00:09:58.860
in mind who we are in Christ
and how our actions affect others, especially
113
00:09:58.980 --> 00:10:07.450
those who are also in him.
Now this teaches us a very important lesson
114
00:10:07.490 --> 00:10:11.450
about our freedom in relationship to food
and in relationship to a lot of other
115
00:10:11.570 --> 00:10:18.570
things. It teaches us this important
doctrine that our freedom has a context.
116
00:10:18.690 --> 00:10:24.720
Just as a wild horse should enjoy
running on the land and not try to
117
00:10:24.240 --> 00:10:31.080
swim with whales. Our freedom exists
and it thrives and it's happy in a
118
00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:37.990
certain place, and that place is
within the Triune love of God. The
119
00:10:37.149 --> 00:10:41.590
world will tell you a lie.
The world will tell you that freedom means
120
00:10:43.190 --> 00:10:48.230
getting to do whatever you want.
That's the definition the world uses, and
121
00:10:48.429 --> 00:10:52.980
the sooner you can learn that that's
not freedom, that that definition is a
122
00:10:54.179 --> 00:11:01.340
bad definition and a lie, the
happier you're going to be. Freedom is
123
00:11:01.580 --> 00:11:07.250
living for God and through God and
according to the will of God. That's
124
00:11:07.289 --> 00:11:11.850
what the scriptures say. That's what
God, who is the most free being
125
00:11:11.970 --> 00:11:18.090
in everything, above creation itself,
that's what he tells us freedom is.
126
00:11:18.039 --> 00:11:26.240
We ought to listen to him consider
as a scriptural argument for this, Paul's
127
00:11:26.279 --> 00:11:30.919
great argument. In Romans six,
in Roman hundred and twenty, he reminds
128
00:11:30.960 --> 00:11:35.110
us that when we were slaves of
sin, when we did whatever we wanted
129
00:11:35.269 --> 00:11:39.669
according to our own will and not
according to God's, yes, we were
130
00:11:41.230 --> 00:11:46.830
free. These are are square coats, scare quotes in regard to righteousness,
131
00:11:46.299 --> 00:11:50.700
but the question is, is that
the freedom that we really want, the
132
00:11:50.860 --> 00:11:58.100
freedom to disobey all the time,
is not really freedom? Why? Because,
133
00:11:58.179 --> 00:12:01.450
as Paul says in six hundred and
twenty one, the end of that
134
00:12:01.649 --> 00:12:07.250
kind of freedom, the end of
those things, is death. And I
135
00:12:07.370 --> 00:12:16.159
ask you, is death freedom?
No. In Chapter Six, Verses Twenty
136
00:12:16.200 --> 00:12:20.120
Two through twenty three, Paul says
again. This is in Romans Paul says.
137
00:12:20.320 --> 00:12:24.600
But now that you have been set
free from sin and have become slaves
138
00:12:24.639 --> 00:12:31.309
of God, the fruit you get
leads to sanctification and its end, eternal
139
00:12:31.389 --> 00:12:35.870
life for the wages of sin is
death, but the free gift of God
140
00:12:37.190 --> 00:12:43.470
is Eternal Life in Christ Jesus,
Our Lord. You see what he's saying,
141
00:12:43.549 --> 00:12:48.340
how he's defining freedom here. Freedom
from God and being a slave of
142
00:12:50.059 --> 00:12:54.740
sorry, freedom in disobedience to God
and freedom in slavery. To Sin Means
143
00:12:54.860 --> 00:13:00.730
Death, and death is not freedom, but freedom to God that means being
144
00:13:00.850 --> 00:13:05.929
a slave to him, being a
slave to righteousness. That means eternal life.
145
00:13:05.970 --> 00:13:11.210
and not just eternal life, but
he says, eternal life. In
146
00:13:11.529 --> 00:13:18.240
Christ Jesus our Lord, in union
with the most free, the perfect and
147
00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:28.269
Infinitely Free God, we live eternally. That's freedom. And how do we
148
00:13:28.389 --> 00:13:33.789
get that freedom? How do we
get our union with Christ Jesus Our Lord?
149
00:13:33.110 --> 00:13:37.629
Do we get it from God as
our wages? Do we earn our
150
00:13:37.750 --> 00:13:43.340
everlasting life by serving him? Well
enough, no, Paul says. The
151
00:13:43.539 --> 00:13:48.940
wages of sin is death, but
the free gift of God is eternal life.
152
00:13:50.620 --> 00:13:54.059
What that means, then, is
that the freedom you and I have
153
00:13:54.419 --> 00:14:00.809
by belonging to Jesus, the freedom
that we enjoy, is because the eternal
154
00:14:01.009 --> 00:14:07.889
God of freedom and glory gave it
to you. The freedom you enjoy to
155
00:14:07.049 --> 00:14:13.600
serve God is freedom that has been
given to you by God. Surely this
156
00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:18.639
ought to affect how we use our
freedom and matters like what we eat,
157
00:14:20.399 --> 00:14:24.429
if we live and abide in the
love of God that has been given to
158
00:14:24.509 --> 00:14:28.590
US freely in Christ Jesus our Lord. When we look at a piece of
159
00:14:28.750 --> 00:14:33.669
bread, for example, on our
table, and recognize that it is God
160
00:14:33.789 --> 00:14:37.470
who gave us to him, gave
it to us. Should we not also
161
00:14:37.659 --> 00:14:45.259
remember that the reason we can glorify
him and enjoy him in the enjoyment of
162
00:14:45.379 --> 00:14:50.139
that bread is because he is also
given to us, not just the bread
163
00:14:50.259 --> 00:14:56.129
on our table, but Jesus Christ, as he is described in John,
164
00:14:56.769 --> 00:15:03.330
the bread of Heaven? The only
reason that we can enjoy the earthly things
165
00:15:03.409 --> 00:15:07.399
of God, the fullness of the
Lord and all the earth, is because
166
00:15:07.519 --> 00:15:13.480
the God of glory has broken the
bread of heaven and given him to us.
167
00:15:16.720 --> 00:15:20.759
If you, or I, or
Paul give up certain earthly rights so
168
00:15:20.840 --> 00:15:26.470
that we might honor that God and
love others, it is only because Christ
169
00:15:26.629 --> 00:15:31.110
first gave up his rights for us. And think about what he gave up
170
00:15:31.669 --> 00:15:35.860
for us, what he gave up
for you. The right to a fair
171
00:15:37.059 --> 00:15:41.539
trial, the right to be treated
with dignity, the right to be loved
172
00:15:41.580 --> 00:15:46.899
by his friends, the right to
keep what he owned, the right to
173
00:15:46.019 --> 00:15:52.289
his life. He gave all of
these things up out of love for you.
174
00:15:54.769 --> 00:15:58.570
He gave his very life to pay
for our sins and to set us
175
00:15:58.570 --> 00:16:02.090
free, so that when we look
at the bread. We don't worship some
176
00:16:02.370 --> 00:16:06.440
idol or worship the bread, but
we can worship God who gave it to
177
00:16:06.519 --> 00:16:11.960
us. Jesus says in John Thirty
six, if the sun sets you free,
178
00:16:11.039 --> 00:16:17.759
you will be free. Indeed,
our freedom is not come from doing
179
00:16:17.879 --> 00:16:23.629
whatever we want. True freedom comes
from living and abiding in Christ and the
180
00:16:23.750 --> 00:16:27.429
freedom he has given to us by
laying down his own rights for us.
181
00:16:30.509 --> 00:16:33.299
So, when Paul says in Romans
six, five through eight, if we
182
00:16:33.419 --> 00:16:37.460
have been united with him in a
death like his, we shall certainly be
183
00:16:37.580 --> 00:16:42.860
united with him in a resurrection like
his, we know that our old self
184
00:16:44.019 --> 00:16:48.690
was crucified with him in order that
the body of sin might be brought to
185
00:16:48.929 --> 00:16:55.730
nothing, so that we would no
longer be enslaved to sin, for one
186
00:16:55.769 --> 00:16:59.850
who has died has been set free
from sin. Now, if we have
187
00:17:00.049 --> 00:17:03.200
died with Christ, we believe that
we will also live with him. This
188
00:17:03.319 --> 00:17:06.880
is a good news of the Gospel. This is a good news of the
189
00:17:07.000 --> 00:17:10.480
freedom that we have in Christ.
If you are a Christian, if you
190
00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:15.680
are faith is in Christ, know
that the sons set you free, that
191
00:17:15.869 --> 00:17:21.509
you and are enjoying all the amazing
freedoms that you have because of him,
192
00:17:21.589 --> 00:17:23.950
not just the freedom to eat and
give glory to God, but the freedom
193
00:17:25.309 --> 00:17:30.059
to no longer be liable to the
penalty of sin, freedom to worship him
194
00:17:30.140 --> 00:17:33.099
forever. You are free from The
Dominion of your sin, you're free from
195
00:17:33.099 --> 00:17:37.980
the tyranny of Satan, you're free
from the yoke of the Old Covenant Law.
196
00:17:37.339 --> 00:17:41.660
You're free to eat your food,
you're free to give glory to God
197
00:17:41.819 --> 00:17:47.130
and all these things. Who cares
whether it's been a sacrifice to an idol
198
00:17:47.170 --> 00:17:51.130
or not? At idol is nothing, Paul says. The food belongs to
199
00:17:51.210 --> 00:17:56.890
God and you belong to God,
so enjoy it, enjoy your freedom.
200
00:17:57.759 --> 00:18:03.440
Freedom is not doing whatever we want
freedoms, living a life to God through
201
00:18:03.519 --> 00:18:07.480
Jesus Christ, who lived for us. Freedom is not doing whatever we want,
202
00:18:07.680 --> 00:18:14.430
living and loving only ourselves. Freedom
is abiding in his love and serving
203
00:18:14.549 --> 00:18:19.390
others in that love and sharing that
love with others so that they may also
204
00:18:19.470 --> 00:18:25.109
be saved as we are, so
they may enjoy good, the greater freedoms,
205
00:18:25.589 --> 00:18:32.700
even the freedoms of eternal life,
as we do. And so this
206
00:18:32.940 --> 00:18:36.980
Gospel, this good news that's given
to us in Jesus, this freedom that
207
00:18:37.099 --> 00:18:42.289
we have, it has a way
of undoing. I are our idolatry.
208
00:18:44.490 --> 00:18:51.730
Praise God for that. Want to
speak to two things, two ways that
209
00:18:51.849 --> 00:18:57.960
it undoes undoes our idolatry. We've
seen that our character, the character and
210
00:18:59.039 --> 00:19:03.279
source of our freedom is love and
the love of Christ. Knowing that,
211
00:19:03.519 --> 00:19:11.230
let's think about these two ways that
that love changes things, especially the idols
212
00:19:11.269 --> 00:19:17.430
in our hearts. The first thing
I want to speak to, might say,
213
00:19:17.670 --> 00:19:21.349
the first group. I want to
speak to this to those of you
214
00:19:21.390 --> 00:19:27.420
who struggle with people pleasing. A
people pleaser is one who believes that their
215
00:19:27.579 --> 00:19:33.180
job in life is to make sure
others are happy, or, to put
216
00:19:33.180 --> 00:19:37.980
it more precisely, a people pleaser
believes it's his or her job to make
217
00:19:37.059 --> 00:19:44.170
sure that other people are happy with
them. A people people pleaser gets their
218
00:19:44.250 --> 00:19:51.730
sense of purpose and meaning from the
happy evaluation of other people. Perhaps you've
219
00:19:51.769 --> 00:19:53.519
heard, I know you, for
this phrase when mom ain't happy, no
220
00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:59.079
one's happy, right and of course
there's a certain sense of that's very true
221
00:19:59.160 --> 00:20:03.319
and we ought to pay attention to
how mom is feeling. But there's also
222
00:20:03.319 --> 00:20:07.710
a sense in which this idea that
if another person's not happy, I'm not
223
00:20:07.950 --> 00:20:11.390
going to be okay. That kind
of phrase becomes like a drug for a
224
00:20:11.549 --> 00:20:17.069
people pleaser. Sure, if mom
is mad, we ought to pay attention.
225
00:20:17.190 --> 00:20:22.700
And maybe, but maybe, maybe, just maybe, sometimes mom's can
226
00:20:22.740 --> 00:20:27.299
be mad over silly things. Maybe
Mama is using her anger to manipulate people
227
00:20:27.299 --> 00:20:30.740
around her to get what she wants. Maybe she has a right to be
228
00:20:30.900 --> 00:20:36.210
angry or maybe she doesn't. Or
maybe she has a right to be angry,
229
00:20:36.529 --> 00:20:41.809
but it's her battle to fight and
not yours. We're not talking just
230
00:20:41.890 --> 00:20:45.730
about moms here, but we're talking
about bosses and friends and fathers and brothers
231
00:20:45.809 --> 00:20:52.960
and sisters and anyone we come into
contact with. The people pleas are ignore
232
00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:56.759
is all of those things. They
ignore what is God's responsibility and what is
233
00:20:57.000 --> 00:21:03.839
other people's responsibility, because the people
please are only wants one thing, the
234
00:21:03.960 --> 00:21:11.470
approval of another person. Whether that
person approves or doesn't approve, whether that
235
00:21:11.910 --> 00:21:15.630
person is right to be happy or
upset or whatever, it doesn't matter to
236
00:21:15.710 --> 00:21:21.339
the people pleaser. The only thing
that matters to a people pleaser is making
237
00:21:21.380 --> 00:21:26.660
sure that other people are happy with
them. People pleasers think this way about
238
00:21:26.700 --> 00:21:30.660
other people because they value that approval
over all other things, and sadly,
239
00:21:30.779 --> 00:21:37.970
that often turns people pleaple people pleasers
into shapeshifters, manipulators. You can never
240
00:21:38.049 --> 00:21:41.970
quite figure out what they are and
what they want, because they're always moving,
241
00:21:42.009 --> 00:21:48.440
always always adjusting, always feeling the
wind, changing their ideas, hiding
242
00:21:48.480 --> 00:21:52.920
their true thoughts and feelings so as
to get the approval of others. A
243
00:21:53.240 --> 00:22:00.039
people please Er ties his or her
happiness not to God but to other people.
244
00:22:00.470 --> 00:22:04.869
In other words, the people pleaser
is someone who struggles with idolatry.
245
00:22:07.670 --> 00:22:11.630
So I speak to people pleases for
a moment, because Satan will want you
246
00:22:11.710 --> 00:22:15.299
to misread these verses and to keep
you enslaved to your idol, and I
247
00:22:15.579 --> 00:22:21.420
don't want that to happen to you. When Paul says in Verse Thirty Three
248
00:22:21.940 --> 00:22:26.579
that I try to please everyone in
everything I do, he is not being
249
00:22:26.779 --> 00:22:33.170
a people pleaser. How do we
know this? Give you two reasons.
250
00:22:33.289 --> 00:22:37.089
The first one is, as I've
pointed out, people pleasers are those who
251
00:22:37.170 --> 00:22:42.049
seek their own advantage. They want
the approval of others. They serve others,
252
00:22:42.210 --> 00:22:45.839
perhaps, but it's to get an
approval at a sense of peace in
253
00:22:45.880 --> 00:22:52.960
their own soul. But Paul is
not seeking his own advantage. Know what
254
00:22:52.160 --> 00:22:56.079
this what he says? Not Seeking
my own advantage. Right, he says
255
00:22:56.119 --> 00:23:00.670
it very plainly. He does this
work, he serves others, not to
256
00:23:02.150 --> 00:23:08.470
benefit himself but others. People pleasers
pretend that they are doing things for others,
257
00:23:10.549 --> 00:23:14.500
but they are really loving and they
can sorry, they can seem like
258
00:23:14.700 --> 00:23:18.660
really loving and self sacrificial people.
But what is really going on as an
259
00:23:18.660 --> 00:23:25.579
idolatrous appetite for the esteem of other
people, even if it's unspoken. They
260
00:23:25.700 --> 00:23:30.569
love nothing more. They they fear
not having that. But that's not what's
261
00:23:30.569 --> 00:23:33.569
going on for Paul, is it? Paul says he is not seeking his
262
00:23:33.609 --> 00:23:38.569
own advantage. And we know this
because, though he is willing to accommodate
263
00:23:38.650 --> 00:23:45.960
himself to whatever situation he is in, he never sacrifices his deeper mission.
264
00:23:45.400 --> 00:23:52.279
He never sacrifices his principles. He's
willing to give up the esteem and honor
265
00:23:52.440 --> 00:23:56.269
of other people, even for the
sake of his mission, for the sake
266
00:23:56.349 --> 00:23:59.950
of what God has called him to
do. And we hear that in his
267
00:24:00.029 --> 00:24:02.950
words. Like Galatians one hundred and
ten, he says, for am I
268
00:24:03.150 --> 00:24:07.910
now seeking the approval of man or
of God? Am I trying to please
269
00:24:07.069 --> 00:24:11.299
man? If I were trying to
please man, I would not be a
270
00:24:11.539 --> 00:24:14.940
servant of Christ. In other words, if I were a people pleaser,
271
00:24:15.099 --> 00:24:19.299
my service to Christ would be undone. And I am a servant of Christ.
272
00:24:21.140 --> 00:24:26.289
Similarly, in First Thessalonians too,
for he says, but just as
273
00:24:26.369 --> 00:24:30.089
we have been approved by God to
be entrusted with the Gospel, so we
274
00:24:30.289 --> 00:24:34.769
speak not to please men but to
please God, who tests our hearts.
275
00:24:36.369 --> 00:24:40.039
And that last part is important for
those of us who struggle with people pleasing
276
00:24:40.160 --> 00:24:48.200
to remember Paul knows that God knows
the manipulating, the shifting, the changing,
277
00:24:48.319 --> 00:24:51.200
the trying to make sure that you're
always in the right place so that
278
00:24:51.240 --> 00:24:56.349
another person is happy with you and
esteems you. You can't cover your hearts
279
00:24:56.750 --> 00:25:03.829
before the Lord. God knows,
and Paul with his heart honest before the
280
00:25:03.990 --> 00:25:07.980
Lord. It acts in service to
the Lord. And so when he says
281
00:25:08.019 --> 00:25:11.500
in verse thirty three, I try
to please everyone and everything I do,
282
00:25:14.099 --> 00:25:18.859
he's not being a people pleaser.
In fact he's undermining it. He's saying
283
00:25:18.900 --> 00:25:22.849
we ought to be willing to accommodate
ourselves for others, but it's not for
284
00:25:22.930 --> 00:25:30.369
our own advantage, it's for their
advantage. And with honor and service to
285
00:25:30.490 --> 00:25:34.130
the Lord, when we consider our
freedom in Christ, when we consider the
286
00:25:34.210 --> 00:25:37.400
way that we can love and serve
others, it's not to take that love
287
00:25:37.640 --> 00:25:44.119
and manipulate it, to serve ourselves, it's to truly give it and to
288
00:25:44.200 --> 00:25:49.710
give it freely. The second reason
we know Paul is not commending to us
289
00:25:49.710 --> 00:25:56.109
this people pleasing is that he tells
us that when he tries to accommodate himself,
290
00:25:56.150 --> 00:26:00.950
he's willing to give up his rights, and it's not because he fears
291
00:26:00.190 --> 00:26:06.900
men, but because he wants to
save men. And people pleasing is ultimately
292
00:26:06.980 --> 00:26:11.059
about fearing others above anything else.
But the fear of others, the Scripture
293
00:26:11.059 --> 00:26:15.099
says, is like a snare.
Proverb says this. The fear of Man
294
00:26:15.299 --> 00:26:22.329
is a snare, but he who
trusts in the Lord is safe. Paul
295
00:26:22.569 --> 00:26:26.369
does what he does. Why?
Not to serve himself, and not because
296
00:26:26.369 --> 00:26:30.970
he fears man, but because he
loves mankind. He wants to save other
297
00:26:32.130 --> 00:26:37.480
people. To put it this way, Paul's God is not the approval of
298
00:26:37.799 --> 00:26:42.960
others. He serves God in order
to serve others. What he does,
299
00:26:44.279 --> 00:26:47.470
what he gives up, the rights
he let us go, he does so
300
00:26:47.670 --> 00:26:52.230
willingly. As to the Lord,
it's not a love for himself, but
301
00:26:52.309 --> 00:26:56.309
it's out of pity for these other
people that he becomes weak in your weakness,
302
00:26:56.829 --> 00:27:00.150
that he gives up his rights,
that he loves them as he's called
303
00:27:00.269 --> 00:27:06.220
to do. And so, my
brothers and sisters, if you are struggling
304
00:27:06.259 --> 00:27:11.220
or you struggle with being a people
pleaser, Paul says, follow my example.
305
00:27:11.259 --> 00:27:15.210
Yes, give yourself to others,
yes, accommodate yourself to their needs,
306
00:27:15.250 --> 00:27:18.970
yes, give up your own rights
for the sake of other people.
307
00:27:19.809 --> 00:27:26.890
But use that skill of service not
for yourself and not for the idolatrous fear
308
00:27:26.930 --> 00:27:32.559
of Man, but for the Lord
and for the true love of other people.
309
00:27:33.440 --> 00:27:37.200
And sometimes that may mean making other
people unhappy. Sometimes that may mean
310
00:27:37.319 --> 00:27:41.039
giving up your rights for another person. That makes another person upset with you.
311
00:27:41.200 --> 00:27:45.549
This happened to Paul as well.
If our goal, however, is
312
00:27:45.869 --> 00:27:49.069
if our goal is to make everyone
happy, will feel like it's a no
313
00:27:49.190 --> 00:27:55.230
win situation, and it is,
because it's an idol. But if our
314
00:27:55.309 --> 00:28:00.460
goal is to please the Lord,
as he has served US already in Christ,
315
00:28:00.420 --> 00:28:04.380
the Lord Honors this and blesses this
and helps us to grow and he
316
00:28:04.579 --> 00:28:11.339
uses those acts of service that accommodation
and that love to draw other people to
317
00:28:11.380 --> 00:28:17.170
him and to show mine in the
Gospel. So that's the first idol.
318
00:28:17.210 --> 00:28:22.130
I'll say that they that the work
of the Lord in Christ undoes. The
319
00:28:22.289 --> 00:28:26.640
second one is that of selfishness,
and really it's two sides of the same
320
00:28:26.880 --> 00:28:30.720
coin. I want to speak to
those of you who struggle, not with
321
00:28:30.839 --> 00:28:36.880
people pleasing, but distraught, but
perhaps struggle to do anything for anyone at
322
00:28:36.920 --> 00:28:41.950
all. Like people pleasers, you
also do what you do in service to
323
00:28:41.029 --> 00:28:48.269
yourself. Your selfishness is just more
obvious. The selfishness says, I don't
324
00:28:48.269 --> 00:28:51.950
want to give up my rights.
The selfishness says I want what I want
325
00:28:52.069 --> 00:28:56.180
and I want it now. It's
obvious. It's plain that you are not
326
00:28:56.900 --> 00:29:02.700
seeking the advantage of other people.
Of course, that doesn't make it any
327
00:29:02.740 --> 00:29:07.019
better. Does the one who sins
openly and honestly and in a selfishness do
328
00:29:07.220 --> 00:29:12.130
better than the one who hides it
away and covers it in lies? Neither
329
00:29:12.490 --> 00:29:19.690
does well. Neither is ultimately concerned
about the welfare of other people. But
330
00:29:19.890 --> 00:29:26.799
some of us this selfishness really holds
fast on our hearts. Some of US
331
00:29:26.799 --> 00:29:33.079
would rather die than give up our
rights or even our preferences for another person.
332
00:29:33.160 --> 00:29:40.150
We think as some sort of great
cosmic injustice if we don't get to
333
00:29:40.789 --> 00:29:45.150
go first in line, if we
don't get the particular kind of food we
334
00:29:45.309 --> 00:29:49.950
want in the shape that we want
it at the time that we want it,
335
00:29:51.750 --> 00:29:55.859
we think that all things will fall
apart, or at least should fall
336
00:29:55.900 --> 00:30:00.460
apart, and we are happy to
let other people know about it. We
337
00:30:00.500 --> 00:30:08.250
are like Gods, unto ourselves over
the smallest of things, demanding, pushing
338
00:30:08.529 --> 00:30:18.690
discontent in nearly everything. Brothers and
sisters, this is just another form of
339
00:30:18.849 --> 00:30:22.799
pride, isn't it? Like the
pride we mentioned before, this one will
340
00:30:22.799 --> 00:30:30.759
also kill you. I know of
people who have gone this way and gone
341
00:30:30.920 --> 00:30:37.190
and pressed and pushed and pushed,
who sacrificed their family and their money and
342
00:30:37.349 --> 00:30:42.470
their home and their health and their
lives to get what they want, refusing
343
00:30:42.589 --> 00:30:48.630
to bend, refusing to listen,
refusing to accommodate and wanting only what they
344
00:30:48.670 --> 00:30:57.099
want, and it literally leads them
to death. It will put you in
345
00:30:57.460 --> 00:31:06.289
situations that are very, very,
very dark, and hope and and hopefully,
346
00:31:06.329 --> 00:31:11.369
I pray, not unto even eternal
judgment itself, when we take the
347
00:31:11.490 --> 00:31:17.369
gifts of God that he is given
to us, even some freedoms that he
348
00:31:17.529 --> 00:31:21.759
is given to him given to us, and we make them more precious to
349
00:31:21.960 --> 00:31:26.559
us than even God himself. We
take a benefit from God and we turn
350
00:31:26.640 --> 00:31:33.430
it into an idol. We dethrone
him in our hearts as those who refuse
351
00:31:33.589 --> 00:31:38.829
to follow him, and we will
receive if this is our way of life,
352
00:31:38.829 --> 00:31:42.230
if this is who we are,
if we are not united to Christ,
353
00:31:42.309 --> 00:31:47.819
but enslave to one of these idols, we will find that the wages
354
00:31:47.940 --> 00:31:53.980
for our sin is death. But
to you Christians, let me ask you,
355
00:31:56.500 --> 00:32:00.690
is this the way that you learned
in Christ? Of course, is
356
00:32:00.769 --> 00:32:07.450
this slavery to Sin, the freedom
that we have in him? Of course,
357
00:32:08.569 --> 00:32:15.400
is this kind of idolatry and imitation
of Paul. Know. So,
358
00:32:15.680 --> 00:32:22.039
seeing the Great Love of God in
Christ, seeing the true slavery that is
359
00:32:22.079 --> 00:32:28.079
bound up in these different kind of
idolatries, seeing eternal life as freedom in
360
00:32:28.160 --> 00:32:32.670
its highest form. And then we
look at Paul and we see a man
361
00:32:32.750 --> 00:32:37.589
who is willing to give up really
anything in this world, even is his
362
00:32:37.710 --> 00:32:43.029
own life, for the sake of
having those things. And I hope it
363
00:32:43.190 --> 00:32:46.579
begins to make some sense to you, that is, you evaluate those things,
364
00:32:46.660 --> 00:32:52.900
as you evaluate little things in this
life, even our own temporal lives,
365
00:32:52.380 --> 00:33:00.089
in light of the eternal life that
we have in Christ. I hope
366
00:33:00.170 --> 00:33:06.130
that you begin to make sense of
the way that Paul Acts, the way
367
00:33:06.130 --> 00:33:08.450
your teacher is demonstrating for you,
and then you can begin to say,
368
00:33:09.250 --> 00:33:14.240
okay, I see how I can
imitate this. I see how I can
369
00:33:14.400 --> 00:33:19.119
give up the things in my life, my comfort's, my my certain freedoms
370
00:33:19.160 --> 00:33:22.359
and certain my certain rights, for
the benefit of loving others and helping them
371
00:33:22.480 --> 00:33:29.630
to see the love that God has
given to me. Focusing on our teacher,
372
00:33:29.829 --> 00:33:34.309
Paul for a moment, here his
words and Philippians three eight, when
373
00:33:34.309 --> 00:33:40.740
he says this. Indeed, I
count everything as loss because of the surpassing
374
00:33:40.980 --> 00:33:46.779
worth of knowing Christ, Jesus my
Lord. For his sake, I have
375
00:33:46.940 --> 00:33:52.380
suffered the loss of all things and
count them as rubbish in order that I
376
00:33:52.619 --> 00:34:00.049
may gain Christ love it. There
is nothing in this life that is worth
377
00:34:00.210 --> 00:34:09.000
protecting, that surpasses knowing Jesus Christ
and having eternal life in him. So
378
00:34:09.119 --> 00:34:14.280
if you struggle with the love of
man over the love of God, if
379
00:34:14.320 --> 00:34:19.239
you struggle with the fear of man
over the fear of God, whether that's
380
00:34:19.320 --> 00:34:27.789
other people or even yourself. Remember
Paul's words here, remember Paul's example and,
381
00:34:27.989 --> 00:34:32.949
most importantly, remember Paul's Lord.
To Him who loves US, the
382
00:34:34.070 --> 00:34:38.099
Apostle John writes, and revelation one. To Him who loves US and has
383
00:34:38.300 --> 00:34:45.659
freed us from our sins by his
blood and made us a kingdom of priests,
384
00:34:45.900 --> 00:34:50.940
to his God and father. To
him be glory and dominion forever and
385
00:34:51.139 --> 00:34:57.610
ever. That one is Jesus Christ. He is our great king, he
386
00:34:57.849 --> 00:35:02.329
is our surpassing worth. He is
the one who gives to us a great
387
00:35:02.489 --> 00:35:10.920
inheritance, a heavenly kingdom. So
leave aside the foolish idols, leave aside
388
00:35:10.960 --> 00:35:15.719
the false gods, the sinful appetites, leave aside your your selfishness and your
389
00:35:15.800 --> 00:35:21.239
pride and your fear of Man,
your demanding flesh, and let him be
390
00:35:21.400 --> 00:35:30.789
your king who gives to you freely
the eternal gift of God, Eternal Life
391
00:35:30.789 --> 00:35:36.500
in Christ, Jesus our Lord.
Praise God. Let's pray to him.
392
00:35:37.019 -->
Lord
