Peter Misselbrook's Blog
Apr 10 2020 - 1 Corinthians 9:1-18 – Not hindering the gospel

Paul’s argument in these verses seems to have been prompted by two issues he had become aware of in Corinth. Firstly, as we saw yesterday, there were those at Corinth who were jealous – even boastful – of their rights. Paul seeks to show that such a preoccupation is incompatible with the gospel.

Secondly, there are some who seem to have been speaking against Paul and disparaging his ministry. Maybe they pointed to the way in which he had worked with his hands while he was among them and said that he was not a real apostle, he was only a tentmaker! Paul is concerned to defend his right to be called an apostle, not for his own sake, but to defend the authenticity of the work in which he was engaged.

Paul reminds the Christians at Corinth that it is both a principle of natural justice and of Scripture that the labourer is worthy of his hire. He and Barnabas would have been well within their rights to have sought financial and practical aid from the Corinthians while they laboured among them. But they did not do so; nor is Paul now seeking some compensation from them. Paul was pleased to preach the gospel to the Corinthians free of charge. His conduct reflected the free nature of the gospel itself. Paul was concerned to do nothing that would hinder the effectiveness of his preaching or lead to misunderstandings; he reminds the Corinthians, “We put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ” (1 Corinthians 9:12).

Paul provides us with practical and instructive principles. The labourer is still worthy of his / her hire. Those set apart by the church to work full time in the care of his people should receive proper remuneration. Those engaged in evangelistic work, however, and church planters should not ask for money from those to whom the gospel is being proclaimed. The buckets passed round in the past at evangelistic campaigns presented entirely the wrong message; it is the glory of the gospel that it is free of charge, it is all of grace. This means, however, that those engaged in such work need to be properly supported in their work by the Christian community from whom they are sent.

But what Paul has to say is not applicable only to the financing of Christian workers; Paul clearly expects each of his readers – including us – to be ready to put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ: put up with hardship; put up with slander; be ready to deny yourself a legitimate pleasure or enjoyment if it might act as a barrier to someone else coming to know Christ or growing in knowledge of him; put up with anything

This may seem a hard call, but is it not simply the call to Christian discipleship? “In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:5-8). How much am I prepared to put up with in order that the gospel might not be hindered?

May the mind of Christ, my Saviour,
Live in me from day to day,
By his love and power controlling
All I do and say.

Lord, fill me with the Spirit of Christ that I may make this my determined aim and daily practice; “I will put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.”

6go6ckt5b8|00005AC6389D|Blog|Body|9F92A179-9E57-4C40-B2C3-0954FEFD690D

Apr 10 2019 - Judges 13 – The birth of Samson

The Philistines were a seafaring people who migrated from Greece to the coastal area of the Promised Land after the time of the conquest. They do not seem to have oppressed the Israelites as the Midianites had done, at least, not during this period of Israel's history. Rather, they seemed to have been willing to live alongside them and intermarry with them. The danger for Israel was that the Philistines might dominate the land and that Israel might become assimilated into Philistine culture. With Samson, the fight back against the Philistine invasion begins.

The angel of the Lord appeared to the wife of Manoah, a woman who had been unable to have children. He promised her that she would give birth to a son who would be a special child; he is to be a Nazirite, one whose life was to be entirely devoted to God. Two of the marks of a Nazirite were abstinence from alcohol and leaving one's hair uncut. Samson's mother was therefore to abstain from alcohol while pregnant with this child – his body will not be touched by alcohol even in the womb. God plans to make this child the one who will begin to save Israel from the hands of the Philistines. 

As she recounted to her husband what had happened to her she described her visitor as "a man of God" whom she said looked like an angel. Manoah found it difficult to believe what his wife was telling him; he needed to hear it for himself. So he prayed that the "man" would visit them again. And that's just what happened. When Manoah asked the angel to tell him how the child was to be brought up, the answer he receives is, "Your wife must do all that I have told her." In other words, all that they need to know has already been told them. The angel's words seem almost a rebuke, "Why did you not believe what your wife said to you?"

When Manoah sacrificed a young goat and some grain to the Lord in the presence of the "man of God", "the angel of the Lord ascended in the flame." Manoah now realised that this "man" had been none other than "the angel of the Lord" – the Lord himself appearing in human form. Manoah is terrified and cries out to his wife, "We are doomed to die! … We have seen God!" His wife, in effect, tells him not to be so silly, God would not have revealed these things to them just to kill them.

There seems to be nothing very special or promising about this couple from the tribe of Dan. But God plans to use them to be the parents of a child who will become the champion of his people in their conflict with the Philistines. We read that from the moment this child, Samson, was born, the Spirit of the Lord was at work in him, preparing him for his life's work.

This chapter provides us with quite a build-up to the story of this child of promise, but how will Samson live up to the calling of God upon his life? We shall soon discover in the following chapters.

We are probably all too aware that there is nothing very special about us. Nevertheless, we have a special Saviour who is the child of promise, the Lord God himself who came among us in human form. He did not come to destroy us but to bring us promises from God and to bless us. God has chosen us not because of any qualities in us but in order that he might display his grace and mercy in making us his own and in using us in his service. He has given us his Spirit to enable us to hear and respond to his call upon our lives – that we might be dedicated to God's service.

Father God, we stand amazed at your goodness and mercy. We thank you for your Son, our Saviour, in whom all your promises are given the "Yes" and "Amen". We thank you that he who came to live among us has ascended into heaven and is at your right hand interceding for us. We thank you for your Holy Spirit who has shown us the glory of Christ and led us to faith in him. Help us by that same Spirit always to be obedient to your call upon our lives.

6go6ckt5b8|00005AC6389D|Blog|Body|9CA6802F-ADD2-48BD-B0F4-7325FDB63F65

Peter Misselbrook