For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. – 1 Corinthians 7:4 ESV

Greek
ἐξουσιάζει/exousiadzei: to bring under the power of; have privileged control over

Why It Matters
The idea of equality in a marriage has been met with controversy in just about every culture in just about every century in history. Most people who have read Paul’s instructions on marriage in this verse have done so without mutuality in mind. That’s what makes this verse so revolutionary – Paul is advocating for more than equality but rather a mutual authority (exousiadzei) over each other’s body. The husband agrees to give his wife control of his body, and vice versa. This would have sounded just as radical to the Corinthians as anywhere, because one of their primary cultural values was class rights. By Paul declaring that wives have exousiadzei over their husband’s body, he is in essence declaring that rights are not based on class or gender. In this new culture, Jesus levels the playing field without destroying what makes us unique.

Declaration of the Week
Because of God’s example in Christ, I am free from letting selfishness rule my life.

Application
How can I honor God with my marriage/singleness this week?

Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. – 1 Corinthians 7:5 ESV

Greek
συμφώνου/symphonou: sounding together, agreement; lit. united in tone

Why It Matters
When Paul instructed the Corinthians on this point, he was doing more than creating space for prayer. Rather, he was focusing in on a more significant issue in marriage. This specific word symphonou, or agreement, is the only time it is used in the entire New Testament. Quite literally, this word can be translated “in symphony.” When a married couple is in symphony with each other, they are more than in agreement. It’s as if their unity is producing a sweet sound, and as a result their agreement is purposeful. They have made a statement that is bigger than themselves and their culture. At first glance it may appear that this deprivation would be enslaving, but on second thought we see the joy and freedom that symphonou can bring.

Declaration of the Week
Because of God’s example in Christ, I am free from letting selfishness rule my life.

Application
How can I honor God with my marriage/singleness this week?

I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another. – 1 Corinthians 7:7 ESV

Greek
χάρισμα/charisma: a divinely conferred gift

Why It Matters
We think of charisma in our culture as excitement, passion or charm. It’s something we think people muster up in themselves in order to inspire devotion in others. However the earliest sense of the Greek word that charisma comes from has a more robust meaning. Paul says in our verse (in the context of singleness and marriage) that each person has their own charisma (gift) from God. Derived from the word for grace (charis), charisma literally means “a divinely conferred gift, given through the grace of God!” This word is used in 1 Corinthians 12 to describe the spiritual gift of evangelism, healing, etc. So Paul wants us to know that whether you are single or married, you have a gift from God. There are many implications of this thought, but one of them is that we are emboldened to serve the people God has placed in our lives, knowing that He has graced us with a gift to do so. Regardless of what our past has looked like, we have a divinely conferred gift to remind us of our hope-filled future.

Declaration of the Week
Because of God’s example in Christ, I am free from letting selfishness rule my life.

Application
How can I honor God with my marriage/singleness this week?

To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am. – 1 Corinthians 7:8 ESV

Greek
καλὸν/kalòn: Good, right, honorable or beautiful

Why It Matters
Sometimes the word good can be a nondescript catch-all thought. When someone asks how we’re doing at work or school, it’s typical for us to respond with a simple “good” even when we don’t mean it. When Paul uses the word good (kalòn) in this verse, however, he is not only expressing something right, honorable and beautiful, he is also pushing against Corinthian culture. To the Corinthians, not having a spouse as an adult would be seen in a poor light. Socially, singleness was an indication that a person wasn’t contributing to their society, while financially the lack of a familial network was a sign of instability. Paul’s declaration that singleness was not just tolerated but actually kalòn for the Christ follower shows us the power of Gospel identity. His argument is that it is beautiful and honorable when Christ is the singular pursuit of a person. Rather than receiving your identity from what you do, how much you have, or who you’re connected to, this new kingdom that Jesus preaches finds beauty in the pursuit of Christ.

Declaration of the Week
I declare Jesus to be the center of my life and the source of my identity.

Application
What is God asking me to do as part of His restoration process?

Music Response
On Sunday we sang the song “Broken Vessels”  by Hillsong Worship. The lyrics of this song speak to the realities of brokenness and the true restoration we can only find through Jesus because of his love for us. As we continue to seek out what God is asking us to do individually as part of his restoration process, this song provides an opportunity for us to surrender our brokenness to God and vocalize our recognition of His amazing grace. To listen through this song and other songs from this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!

To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am. – 1 Corinthians 7:8 ESV

Greek
μείνωσιν/meinosín: to remain, stay or reside

Why It Matters
At first blush it seems as if Paul is declaring that being single is better than being married. Paul wants unmarried and widowed people to remain (meinosín) single like he is. What is going on in this verse? Is there more to this word – and this passage – than appears to be?

Corinth was a city at sea level, but rising almost 2,000 feet above the city was the Acrocorinth, a mountain with a temple dedicated to Aphrodite. Aphrodite was the Greek goddess of love, and as a result of erotic love being celebrated, the pressure to marry, couple and/or procreate was enormous and palpable. Paul writes to the Corinthians and tells them that this kind of love is not the chief end of their existence and doesn’t have to define them in this new kingdom he is announcing. They can and should meinosín in their situation without having to think of it as a lesser way of life. Their singleness could be used to lean in to what has become for the Corinthian Christians the ultimate meaning in their life: knowing God and honoring Him with their relational situation.

Declaration of the Week
I declare Jesus to be the center of my life and the source of my identity.

Application
What is God asking me to do as part of His restoration process?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected each week to support and reinforce the message. Enjoy the On Second Thought series playlist; new songs will be added each week throughout the series. To listen through the songs from this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!

But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion. – 1 Corinthians 7:9

Greek
πυροῦσθαι/pyrousthai: to be ignited or to be inflamed

Why It Matters
There’s nothing better that a warm fire when you’re camping out in the wilderness. The flickering of the flame seems to mesmerize everyone around it no matter how often you’ve seen it. But on those really chilly evenings what matters most about having a fire is the amount of heat it gives off. The heart of the heat source isn’t the flame, but the bed of coals that the burning has produced. In fact, the coals can give off significant heat long after the flames of the fire have died out. This is the type of burning Paul is talking about here. He says that it is better to marry than to pyrousthai (with passion). The imagery is that of a coal – a person is so consumed with inward desire that every other thought outside of this passion is consumed by its heat. This person’s attitudes, actions and emotions are affected and even driven by this burning. Incidentally, this same word is used by Paul in Ephesians 6:6 when describing the shield of faith, which is able to extinguish the pyrousthai darts of the evil one. So it’s not marriage alone that is the answer to our misaligned passions, but a faith that trusts God will keep us from being burned.

Declaration of the Week
I declare Jesus to be the center of my life and the source of my identity.

Application
What is God asking me to do as part of His restoration process?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the “On Second Thought” series playlist. (New songs will be added throughout the series!)  To listen through the songs from this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!

For the unbelieving husband is made holy because of his wife, and the unbelieving wife is made holy because of her husband. – 1 Corinthians 7:14 ESV

Greek
ἡγίασται/hegiastai: to purify or make holy; to consecrate or set apart

Why It Matters
The people who comprised the church in Corinth were men and women who had been saved from a perverse culture and who continued to be exposed to that culture daily. As Paul is addressing issues this church had written to him about in an earlier letter, the subject of unbelieving spouses comes up. It seems as if the church wondered whether submission to God’s kingdom meant abandoning everything that wasn’t a part of it – including their marriages. If we take a surface look at the Old Testament, this line of reasoning seems founded. Anyone who was consecrated as Holy to the Lord was defiled by coming in contact with the unholy. In this sense, the unclean held significant power over what was purified. But Jesus flipped the script and says the unbeliever is hegiastai (set apart or made holy) by their spouse. Our holiness isn’t contingent on the disobedience of people around us, and Paul wants us to know that what saves us and makes us holy is not our efforts but Jesus’ sacrifice. When one spouse became a Christian, the other was consecrated in some special way. This thought is the theological gateway to the rest of the passage (as we’ll see in a later verse, hegiastai doesn’t mean one spouse receives their salvation from the other) and reminds us of the power of God in us, as well as our mandate to connect – and stay connected – to those in spiritual darkness.

Declaration of the Week
I will live as though the peace of God is not contingent on what I see or how I feel.

Application
How can I be a blessing to someone this week?

Music Response
Tremble is a new song we’re introducing during this series. It speaks to stillness and even coming alive right in the middle of the difficulties of life. Peace is not a feeling or even a state of being…peace is a person and His name is Jesus. Let this song reinforce that truth as you sing it. To listen through this song and other songs from this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!

But if the unbelieving partner separates, let it be so. In such cases the brother or sister is not enslaved. God has called you to peace. – 1 Corinthians 7:15 ESV

Greek
εἰρήνῃ/eiréne: peace, oneness, wholeness, rest

Why It Matters
Horatio Spafford was a successful lawyer in Chicago when he lost four of his daughters to a shipwreck in the Atlantic Ocean. As a result, he penned these words: “Whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say it is well, it is well with my soul.” This well known story comes to mind when reading 1 Corinthians 7:15. How could Spafford write about “peace like a river” at a time when his world was upside down?

Paul tells us that there are specific circumstances in which marital separation is allowed because God has called us to eiréne (peace). It is critical that we understand what’s happening here, or else a spouse could refer to this verse anytime their marriage isn’t perfect! Horatio Spafford illustrated the truth that eiréne isn’t circumstantial. Peace isn’t just the absence of arguing or the state of being in complete agreement. If that were the case almost none of our relationships with anyone could be categorized as “peaceful.” Instead, eirénecarries with it the imagery of completeness and wholeness. This doesn’t mean our relationships are perfect, but it does mean we can be whole and at rest. So how do we get to this peaceful place within relationships with imperfect people? Paul reminds us that God has called us to it. It is His voice and His will that propel us toward the source of wholeness. So when two people disagree on where eiréne comes from, oneness and peace feel elusive, but we can rest in the fact that God is still at work. Thank God that he sent Jesus – the Prince of Eiréne!

Declaration of the Week
I will live as though the peace of God is not contingent on what I see or how I feel.

Application
How can I be a blessing to someone this week?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the “On Second Thought” series playlist. (New songs will be added throughout the series!) To listen through the songs from this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!

For how do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife? – 1 Corinthians 7:16 ESV

Greek
σώσεις/sozeis: save, deliver, protect or make safe

Why It Matters
Paul was a master at articulating the Gospel. His letters are full of The Good News that Jesus has already done the work of salvation on our behalf. So it can be a little jarring to read the questions posed by Paul that make up the entirety of verse 16. At first glance we want to respond with something like, “People can’t save people… Jesus saves people!” But Paul is too much of a theologian to be saying that by his use of the word sozeis. Scholars land across a wide spectrum of interpretation, but it seems that Paul is concluding a point he began a few verses earlier. Trusting Jesus carries with it the effect of being a peacemaker. As a Christ follower strives to model the character of their Lord, an atmosphere of wholeness and oneness is created. This is the very atmosphere in which the Spirit of God best works on the hearts of people. And as the fullness of the word sozeis indicates, this can create an environment of spiritual protection and covering. This verse has wider implications for any relationships in our lives. Are we contributing to an environment of peace in every place we find ourselves?

Declaration of the Week
I will live as though the peace of God is not contingent on what I see or how I feel.

Application
How can I be a blessing to someone this week?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the “On Second Thought” series playlist. (New songs will be added throughout the series!) To listen through the songs from this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!

Only let each person lead the life that the Lord has assigned to him, and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. – 1 Corinthians 7:17 ESV

Greek
ἐμέρισεν/émerisen: to assign, apportion or divvy up

Why It Matters
At Centerway, one of our Because and Therefore statements is “Because he uniquely created us we value COLLABORATION therefore we enjoy how God has wired and gifted each person and take more ground as a result. We partner with like-minded individuals and organizations to advance God’s kingdom.” This statement comes to mind when looking at how Paul addresses how we are to interface with God’s call to peace in 1 Corinthians 7. Paul reminds us that peace is found when we recognize that the Lord has assigned (émerisen) us a particular calling in life. Peace begins with a person – Jesus – and only by beginning with Him and prioritizing His specific émerisen can we experience the fullness of that peace. In the 21st century we’re often tempted to work the opposite way. We live however we want to live, prioritizing our agenda rather than His assignment, and then call on Jesus to inject peace into a chaotic situation of our own making. Paul here is trusting that when we begin with the émerisen God gives, this will allow us to experience His call to peace, regardless of what our assignment looks like. He has uniquely created us, and armed with this knowledge we utilize our specific assignments to collaborate for His glory and kingdom advancement.

Declaration of the Week
Who I am is defined by God’s work in my life, not by my past mistakes, present circumstances, or future plans.

Application
What can you change this week as you apply the truth of the Gospel?

Music Response
This week we sang the song “It Is Well” as part of our music response. The lyrics of this song recognize the incredible reality that we do not have to fall victim to the circumstances of our lives because Jesus is walking right beside us. “It is well” isn’t a declaration of being okay with our situation; it’s an attitude of the heart to say that in light of Jesus it is well. As we consider how the truth of the Gospel can change our lives this week, the words of this song provide us an opportunity to turn our focus on Jesus and declare our trust in Him. To listen through this song and other songs from this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!

For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keepingthe commandments of God. – 1 Corinthians 7:19 ESV

Greek
τήρησις/téresis: prison, custody, keeping

Why It Matters
It’s an issue as old as the church herself – the belief that life would get better if only God would allow our circumstances to get better. In fact this verse is Paul’s response to those who long for their life to count and assume that something external needs to change for that to happen. He uses the illustration of circumcision to prove this point. Jewish believers could be tempted to let the spiritual act of circumcision be what defines their faith, while Gentile believers might think that escaping the legalism of circumcision was to be seen as a badge of honor. You could see then how these external realities could easily become what matters most. Paul is quick to explain that what really counts is keeping (téresis) the commandments of God. The word téresis literally means to be held in custody or to be imprisoned by. Why would Paul want us to know that being in the custody of the commandments of God means everything? It’s because God’s commandments change us internally, without necessarily changing our circumstances externally. So it doesn’t matter if I’m a prince or a pauper, the CEO or the entry level employee. Those things aren’t eternal, and can change at a moment’s notice. What has the biggest impact on our world is allowing God to change us wherever we are, no matter where that may be.

Declaration of the Week
Who I am is defined by God’s work in my life, not by my past mistakes, present circumstances, or future plans.

Application
What can you change this week as you apply the truth of the Gospel?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the “On Second Thought” series playlist. (New songs will be added throughout the series!) To listen through the songs from this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!

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. – 1 Corinthians 7:35 ESV

Greek
εὐπάρεδρον/eúparedron: constantly in service

Why It Matters
In the months leading up to the Revolutionary War, a group of ordinary citizens formed a regimented militia to prepare for battle with the British. These farmers, shopkeepers, teachers and other civilians would prepare themselves to be ready within a minute to defend their land, thus earning the nickname “Minutemen.” This is a fitting picture for the imagery that Paul’s words create in verse 35. Leading up to this verse, he wants the Corinthians to know that there is a sense of urgency for their calling and ministry to be executed. Now here Paul specifically hopes to secure their undivided devotion (eúparedron) to the Lord. This Greek word occurs only once in the New Testament, and communicates an attitude of being constantly in service to the Lord. Much like Minutemen, there is no moment where the devoted is to be unprepared for the task for which they have been set apart. For some who interpret the text at first glance, it will be easy to believe that in these verses Paul is railing against marriage, conducting business and anything else that would cause them to rejoice (vs. 30). But instead of replacing these things, the word eúparedronshows us that our devotion to the Lord should simply take priority over these things. The Minutemen of 1775 didn’t replace their careers with training for battle; rather they were able to prioritize it so that when the alarm was signaled it only took them a moment to display their devotion. What it is that currently holds priority in your life?

Declaration of the Week
Who I am is defined by God’s work in my life, not by my past mistakes, present circumstances, or future plans.

Application
What can you change this week as you apply the truth of the Gospel?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the “On Second Thought” series playlist. (New songs will be added throughout the series!) To listen through the songs from this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!

Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. – 1 Corinthians 8:1 ESV

Greek
οἰκοδομεῖ/oíkodomei: to construct (as in) architecture

Why It Matters
Spend enough time in any gym in America and eventually you’ll overhear a quote attributed to Thomas Edison: “There’s no substitute for hard work.” Whether you heartily embrace this idea or dismiss it as an oversimplification and bravado, we all grasp the concept it communicates. It’s generally assumed that if one person is stronger than another (or has a more advanced career, bigger house, etc.) it’s because they haven’t taken any shortcuts and have worked harder than the other person. But does this play out consistently over time? All of us can probably point to cases where this just doesn’t ring true. Paul is addressing a very specific question posed by the Corinthians: Was it acceptable to eat food offered to idols? Clearly this issue had been debated in the church, and those with religious insight had relied on their knowledge to render a judgment. But Paul compares this reliance on knowledge to blowing a bubble – being “puffed up.” A bubble is a great illustration for relying on knowledge alone: It gets created quickly, it mesmerizes effectively, but when pressure is put on it the bubble pops instantly. Paul is not arguing against knowledge, but instead is advocating for love to be the foundation of your decisions. Love can handle the pressure and weight of our decisions in life because love oíkodomei, builds up. This Greek word means to construct a house, complete with firm foundation and stability to safeguard against the elements. When love is the starting point for our decisions, knowledgeable insight enhances the conversation. When life gets stormy, Paul reminds us to avoid the temptation to take the shortcut of information alone and to remember that there’s no substitute for the strength of genuine love. 

Declaration of the Week
Because God showed His love through Jesus, I will engage in the sometimes hard work of loving people with the strength Jesus provides.

Application
Who do you need to ask for forgiveness?

Music Response
This week instead of highlighting just one song from the set, we’ll briefly explain the song journey we went on. We sang This I Believe as a declaration of the common ground we share. These truths lay the foundation for both knowledge and love. Moving into Broken Vessels gave voice to the love of Christ (“…but love builds up”) and laying himself down for others. He sets the example so we can then respond in kind. We closed with For the One – not a typical worship song – but it served the moment in emphasizing the themes of love, truth, and putting others first so they see Christ in us. Hope you enjoy listening throughout the week! To listen through these songs this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!

“But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. – 1 Corinthians 8:9 ESV

Greek
πρόσκομμα/proskomma: stumbling, stumbling block

Why It Matters
The Corinthian people would often worship pagan gods by celebrating in temples with meals offered to specific idols and participating in banquets as celebration. Often times, the meat offered to idols would be sold in a market or offered as a trade for entrance to clubs or private dinner parties. Some Corinthian Christians were being invited to dine with their pagan friends or would purchase meat sacrificed to idols in the market. Since these Christians knew that the idols were not real, they had no issue with participating. They were using their knowledge as a way to show that they were superior because they had reached a level of understanding that other “weaker” Christians had not. 

Paul is asking the Corinthian Christians to look beyond their own rights and understanding. He urges them not to become a stumbling block (proskomma) for newer Christians who were looking to them as an example of what to do and how to conduct their lives. A newer Christian may see them eating food sacrificed to idols and think that it was an endorsement of participation in all pagan rituals and an endorsement of the gods that the food was being offered. This would often lead them into compromise. 

The Holy Spirit is asking us to examine our hearts and consider others before we exercise our rights. This is not just an issue of what to eat or what not to eat. It is an issue of the heart when we decide that our rights are more important that the eternal effects of the  people around us. What things do we often do because it is “our right,” even though it can be damaging to another person? How should we consider others and lay down our own rights just as Jesus laid down his rights for us?

Declaration of the Week
Because God showed His love through Jesus, I will engage in the sometimes hard work of loving people with the strength Jesus provides.

Application
Who do you need to ask for forgiveness?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the “On Second Thought” series playlist. (New songs will be added throughout the series!) To listen through the songs from this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!

Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. – 1 Corinthians 8:1 ESV

Greek
τύπτοντες/tuptontais: to thump with repeated blows, to beat over the head

Why It Matters
Paul ends the discussion about food offered to idols in similar fashion to the way he started it. He reminds us that love is important and the people around you are deserving of your care. But what does that “care” look like? For many Corinthians, that care looked a lot like using the knowledge they had to tell others where they were wrong. This may have served to reveal the problem, but what did it do to solve it? Paul says throughout this pericope that love for your brother will build up, and by that love you safeguard against your knowledge wounding (tuptontais) his conscience. It’s an incredibly illustrative word, most often used in Greek literature to describe someone beating someone else over the head repeatedly. If a person you’re connected to is sincerely working through spiritual issues in their life, and your knowledge or intellect shines through without any hint of love for that person, they might easily feel as though they are being beaten over the head by your position of perceived superiority. When that happens, Paul says here that you are also sinning against Christ Himself. Let’s be conscious to ensure that our care for people is saturated with both love for them and love for Christ.

Declaration of the Week
Because God showed His love through Jesus, I will engage in the sometimes hard work of loving people with the strength Jesus provides.

Application
Who do you need to ask for forgiveness?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the “On Second Thought” series playlist. (New songs will be added throughout the series!) To listen through the songs from this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!

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. – 1 Corinthians 9:2 ESV

Greek
σφραγίς/sphragis: a stamp impressed on wax, a seal

Why It Matters
As Paul unfolds his argument for the gospel to take priority over exercising personal rights, he uses himself as a real world example of what that could look like. He says that the Corinthian church was his seal (sphragis) symbolizing that he felt a personal claim to them.

A seal was often made by melting wax to close a document, and then pressing a ring or cylinder in it while it was still pliable. This would imprint a pattern, showing ownership of the person who wrote the document. Paul considered the work done among the Corinthians to be the seal of his apostleship, meaning that he could point to this church when someone wanted proof of his credentials. Corinth was his responsibility; he had worked with difficulty to ensure its protection and growth. So now was the time when most people would rest on their laurels and demand the benefits that such a work provided. However, Paul laid down his rights to receive from them and instead continue to work hard to give to them. This spoke to his priorities and demonstrated that the gospel was bigger than any personal claim Paul could have held on to.

Declaration of the Week
I am not afraid to release to God the idols I have allowed myself to be allured by.

Application
What do I need to voluntarily surrender this week?

Music Response
We opened the response set with verse 1 and chorus of “I Surrender All.” First published in 1896, over a century later this hymn is still relevant and gives us this lyric of prayer and dedication. At Centerway we often talk about proximity to Christ, and the last line of verse 1 “in his presence daily live” really sums up the how of true surrender…remaining in his presence, being close to Jesus. So grateful that we can surrender ALL and freely give ALL because he’s just that good and kind and trustworthy. His presence never disappoints and he never lets us down. We pray the truth and declarations in this song and others from this week’s set help move us to surrender all to Jesus. Hope you enjoy listening throughout the week! To listen through these songs this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!

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?  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. – 1 Corinthians 9:9-10 ESV

Greek
ἀλοῶντα/aloõnta: to thresh, tread out

Why It Matters
Looking out for “number one” seems to be the cry of our culture. We often feel like we are in an endless game of making sure that things are fair and that we get what is owed to us. It is the age old struggle of “what’s in it for me?”

As an apostle and someone who was a missionary to the Corinthians, Paul had a right to receive money from the church for financial support. Most missionaries would collect some sort of material support from the people that they were ministering to.  It was their spiritual right and a standard Corinthian custom. Paul chose not to take any support from the people he was preaching the gospel to and would often raise support for the poor in that community instead. He wanted the ability to be able to preach the gospel without anyone questioning his motives. He uses the Old Testament example of an ox to further explain to the Corinthians that if God has taken care of an ox as it treads out (aloõnta) a field, how much more will God take care of those who are called to His purposes.

When we surrender our rights to God according to His plans for our lives, He will take care of us. We don’t have to worry about storing things up for ourselves or making sure that we get what is rightfully ours. God will take care of our needs and as we trust Him, He will open up new ways for us to share the gospel to those He has called us to.

Declaration of the Week
I am not afraid to release to God the idols I have allowed myself to be allured by.

Application
What do I need to voluntarily surrender this week?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the “On Second Thought” series playlist. (New songs will be added throughout the series!) To listen through the songs from this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!

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 obstaclein the way of the gospel of Christ. – 1 Corinthians 9:12 ESV

Greek
ἐγκοπὴν/engkopèn: Hindrance, to hinder

Why It Matters
There are many motivations people have for seeking the top leadership position in an organization. Some are selfish and some are noble. Paul shows us in this text that spiritual leadership should have a single motivation: the gospel of Jesus Christ. He even says that in his position as church planter, he would rather endure anything than put an obstacle (engkopèn) in the way of the Gospel. We know from Paul’s life that he meant what he said – enduring stonings, beatings, imprisonment, and more for the sake of the gospel. The context of this verse shows us that the kind of engkopènPaul is referring to here often coincide with our motivations for wanting the “top chair.” Comfort, respect, authority and accolade often serve to take our eyes off the cause and onto our desires, while the people under our care are sometimes expected to work to keep up the leader’s lifestyle. The Gospel is so important to Paul that he would gladly trade lashings for people being exposed to its truth! That kind of dedication is cause for me to consider my own motivation.

Declaration of the Week
I am not afraid to release to God the idols I have allowed myself to be allured by.

Application
What do I need to voluntarily surrender this week?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the “On Second Thought” series playlist. (New songs will be added throughout the series!) To listen through the songs from this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!

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. – 1 Corinthians 9:19 ESV

Greek
οἰκονομίαν/oikonomian: stewardship, management

Why It Matters
When we are given the responsibility to take care of someone else’s prized possessions, we typically do so with great care. We have an acute awareness that the thing we are taking care of is not our own. We cannot do whatever we please because we don’t call the shots; the owner calls the shots. We also take great care to be sure that we have correct instructions and that we carry out the wishes of the one who owns the item.

Stewardship (oikonomian) is just that. We are called by God and have been given gifts to glorify and draw people to Him. But ultimately, we are just taking care of the gifts that God has given us and doing our best to use them as He directs. Paul is communicating this principle to us in verse 17. He has been given a task to preach the gospel. Though he has a gift to speak and communicate the truth of God’s love, it is not his gift to do whatever he wants with. He freely gives up his rights to earn money through preaching because his ultimate allegiance is to God and not to financial stability. His focus is on eternal things, not temporary pleasure or provision.

We are stewards, not owners, of all of our gifts, talents and time. Jesus gave His life for us and bought our freedom with a price. When we begin to follow Him, we realize that we are not our own. Our world begins to look different when we know that we are stewarding the blessings, moments and very lives that God has given us. Stewarding our life is about consistently focusing on Jesus and allowing what He has done for us to impact every part of who we are.

Declaration of the Week
This week, I will honestly assess what I am currently striving for.

Application
What am I spending my time, talent and treasure on?

Music Response
This week we introduced a new song called “One Thing” by Hillsong Worship. The lyrics from this song help us to take a step back and consider the greater eternal picture.  Lines like “the things of this world I’ve counted as loss, I lay it all down to take up this cross” clearly articulate a perspective that recognizes the limitations of the things in our world both good and bad and directs us to focus on what matters eternally by declaring to follow Jesus instead of living for the things that are ultimately fleeting. This week as we take time to reflect on what we spend our time, talent and treasure, let “One Thing” be a personal declaration as we consider the eternal implications of our lives. Hope you enjoy listening throughout the week! To listen through these songs this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!

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

Greek
κερδήσω/kerdésō: gain, advance, win

Why It Matters
Paul continues his discussion on rights by reminding the Corinthians that when utilized properly, rights can be leveraged toward what matters most. When he allows himself to become the servant of all, he is in a position to win (kerdésō) more people. At first glance, this word may seem straightforward and even a little offensive since it could imply that victory means getting people to act or think like I do. But as we look at the meaning of this Greek word, we see that Paul is pointing toward something else. He uses his freedom to subject himself to service, in order that he would kerdésō, or gain and advance people toward the imperishable crown of salvation. This imagery of winning culminated at the end of the chapter with the imagery of an athlete in the Ismuthian, or Corinthian Games. Second only in size to the Olympic Games in Athens, these games boasted athletes from all over the Greek world competing to win for their hometowns and glorify their own names. Paul’s victory is tied up in Christ, who gives the strength necessary to have fruit come from being a servant to all. Otherwise, working and living for anything other than your own will and desire would be a loss.

Declaration of the Week
This week, I will honestly assess what I am currently striving for.

Application
What am I spending my time, talent and treasure on?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the “On Second Thought” series playlist. (New songs will be added throughout the series!) To listen through the songs from this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!

Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. – 1 Corinthians 9:25 ESV

Greek
ἄφθαρτον/aphtharton: imperishable, incorruptible, immortal.

Why It Matters
Why do we sacrifice for what’s temporal? This question has ancient roots, with almost as many answers as cultures who have asked it. In Greek Mythology, the demigod Hercules was said to have asked a variation of this question, and as a result spent his life overcoming obstacles with his incredible strength and indomitable determination. In the city of Corinth at the time of Paul’s writing, Hercules wasn’t worshipped as a deity, but he was one of their most important role models. The story of Hercules resonated with the cosmopolitan city – he came from humble circumstances (except for the fact that Zeus was his dad!) and despite incredible odds against him his entire life, he overcame the obstacles in his way in order to achieve greatness.

The Corinthians took inspiration from stories of Hercules, and his likeness was painted, etched and drawn all over the city. The thought that you could work hard enough to achieve anything you wanted – including immortality – was thread throughout Corinthian life. The problem, of course, is that there isn’t always a direct correlation between hard work and achievement. Paul says in this verse that even the most successful and disciplined athlete will only sacrifice for a wreath that won’t last. He juxtaposes that sacrifice with the sacrifice Christ followers make – one that results in an aphtharton reward. How do we achieve greatness like this? By rejecting Hercules as our role model and receiving the free gift of God that Jesus earned on our behalf! It was Jesus who overcame the greatest obstacles and defeated the most difficult opponents to guarantee immortality. But rather than striving to work hard to achieve the perishable wreath, we work hard to proclaim the Good News of Jesus’ victory. He earned the aphtharton reward for us, which is Good News indeed!

Declaration of the Week
This week, I will honestly assess what I am currently striving for.

Application
What am I spending my time, talent and treasure on?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the “On Second Thought” series playlist. (New songs will be added throughout the series!) To listen through the songs from this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!

Now these things took place as examples for us, that we might not desire evil as they did. – 1 Corinthians 10:6 ESV

Greek
ἐπιθυμέω/epithymeō: long for; desire; lust for.

Why It Matters
Why do we keep making the same mistakes? This question is annoying even in concept. No one sets out to intentionally repeat mistakes made by others. More often than not our repetition is due to our inability/unwillingness to learn as we are overcome and blinded by our desires. How can we wake up to where our path leads?

If you go and visit the Grand Canyon, there is a path that leads from the parking lot to the walking trail along the top of the canyon. Well-meaning dog owners take the leashes off of their dogs after a long road trip. Without realizing the danger, they epithymeō freedom for their animal. The devastating end of this story is that, annually, countless dogs run from the parking lot over the edge of the canyon…falling to their death! The mourning owners only then see the signs warning them of the danger of unleashing their dogs. They are so blinded by their desire that they miss the lesson and warnings of those that have gone before them! What warning signs are you walking past in your life?

Declaration of the Week
This week, I will consider where the path I’m on is leading me.

Application
What cycle do I need freedom from?

Music Response
This week we sang “Who You Say I Am” by Hillsong Worship. We’ve sung this many times before, and once again it helps us declare truth over our lives. We are not defined by our brokenness and repeat mistakes, but can rejoice in being defined by God’s great love for us. We are chosen by Him and not forsaken. He is for us, not against us! As we continue to consider what mistakes or broken cycles we may need freedom from, let this song serve as a powerful reminder and personal anthem to declare God’s truth over our lives. Hope you enjoy listening throughout the week! To listen through these songs this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!

nor grumble, as some of them did and were destroyed by the Destroyer. – 1 Corinthians 10:10 ESV

Greek
γογγύζω/gongyzō: to grumble; murmur.

Why It Matters
All too often we find a sense of solace in publicly complaining about a situation. We say that we need to “vent.” But our venting can be an outlet to grumble or gongyzō. What’s so bad about grumbling? Let’s consider the implications of this word in context. Verse 9 starts: “We must not put Christ to the test, …” Paul is addressing a culture of blame that was taking root in the hearts of those connected to the church in Corinth. They would proclaim that God should intervene in their situation as if He were on trial or being put to the test. When He appeared absent (or not intervening as they believed He should), much like those in Exodus and Numbers, they would begin to grumble.

We are not much different. Why do we keep making the same mistakes? The reality is that most of our circumstances and situations are a result of our own decisions or perspective on things that seem out of our control. So then why gongyzō? It doesn’t change our situation… it simply tells the world around us that we want their pity and attention. In essence we are proclaiming that God’s love for us is not enough. We’re saying that when our circumstances are hard, God is not enough to find peace and even that He is to blame. When we gongyzō we reveal our own spiritual immaturity and misrepresent the fullness of the Gospel! The good news is, history doesn’t need to repeat itself. Rather than buy into the blame game, we can reflect on the goodness and faithfulness of God in the midst of our circumstances and situations. Instead of beginning to gongyzō when difficulties come, we can speak the truth of the Gospel to ourselves. We can proclaim with confidence that although we don’t like our circumstances we know the Lord is at work redeeming them for His glory and our joy.

Declaration of the Week
This week, I will consider where the path I’m on is leading me.

Application
What cycle do I need freedom from?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the “On Second Thought” series playlist. (New songs will be added throughout the series!) To listen through the songs from this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. – 1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV

Greek
ἔκβασιs/ekbasis: a way out; outcome

Why It Matters
As a child, decisions and everyday life often look black and white. Our days are either really good or really bad. There is no in between. The decisions we make are often seen without their various complexities and are categorized as either right or wrong. But as we grow up, we realize that many decisions we make have more grey area than we once realized. It can be very tempting to compromise and make decisions that would lead us down a path toward behavior that we know we should not be participating in.

In this text, Paul is asking the Corinthians to abstain from certain sinful behaviors that have been seen in their past. They (and we) have the fortunate perspective to see how things ended for those who participated willingly in those sinful behaviors. That dose of perspective gives us a better understanding of the long term effects of compromise.

As we go through our lives, it may be easy to see the grey area in a decision and justify in our minds why we can participate in behaviors that we know are not good for us – some even in opposition to what we know God is speaking to us. This verse gives us some really great news. God has given us an escape (ekbasis) that we can say no to the things that don’t please Him. Each of our circumstances, as unique as they are, still don’t fall outside of the faithfulness of God. Because of what Jesus did on the cross, we have the power to ekbasis – to say no, to walk away and access the strength it takes to break destructive pattern in our lives.

Declaration of the Week
This week, I will consider where the path I’m on is leading me.

Application
What cycle do I need freedom from?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the “On Second Thought” series playlist. (New songs will be added throughout the series!) To listen through the songs from this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!

I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. – 1 Corinthians 10:15 ESV

Greek
φρονίμοις/phronimois: wise, prudent, sensible

Why It Matters
Whether you consider yourself a foodie or you simply see your meals as a way to stay alive, all of us have experienced cuisine that has stood out as delicious. Maybe it was a twist on something you had already enjoyed, or maybe it was a new food experience entirely. Either way, these standout dishes often become “the standard by which all other meals are judged.” Here’s the issue though: our preferences are so subjective! One person’s standout meal may be lobster tartare, while another’s could be a Big Mac.

Paul is writing to a group of people in Corinth who lived in the epicenter of trade and culture. These men and women were knowledgeable and experienced in the affairs of the day. Many had come from religious backgrounds in which idol worship was central to faith. Because of these truths, they were phronimois, or sensible in their judgments about idolatry and the claims of Christ. They had tasted the spiritual offerings of their world, found them lacking and knew that Jesus was “the standard by which all other gods are judged.” However, in a world where preference and options were plenty (sound familiar?), Paul shows that Jesus isn’t just one preferred way among many, but rather the only way. His use of the word phronimois shows us that he trusts the Corinthians to be wise enough to discern the centrality of the gospel and see its power compared with the empty claims of false gods.

Declaration of the Week
I have the opportunity to point to God’s goodness in everything I do and experience.

Application
What needs to change in order for God to get the glory?

Music Response
We closed the set with a new song called I Stand in Awe. It was the perfect response to the message about God getting the glory. This song is a call to consider the greatness of God – what He’s made and what He’s done. Every lyric points to His worthiness and assigns glory and honor to Him. Believing throughout the week that this song points you to Jesus, the who deserves all the glory! Hope you enjoy listening throughout the week! To listen through these songs this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!

Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. – 1 Corinthians 11:1 ESV

Greek
μιμηταί/mimetai: one who mimics

Why It Matters
Growing up as little children, we learn most everything from our family – whether biological or otherwise. It isn’t a type of learning that requires memorization or intentional thought. Because of proximity and their influence on our lives – for better or worse – we observe and learn how to treat others, habits and rhythms, what jokes are funny, and how to handle stress. We are mimetai (imitators) of them. 

Paul is not asking the Corinthians to walk around and take note of each and every thing that he does. He is not creating a checklist of things to do or not to do. He is urging them to allow the example of Christ to be the pattern that we follow, as he does for himself. Our relationship with God and the selfless love that He has shown over and over again should be what we model our lives after. Anchoring our hearts to the truth of the gospel and allowing that gospel to shape the ebb and flow of our very lives is what we should be striving for. If our relationship with Jesus is at the center of our lives, it will inevitably change and influence the way we live.

Declaration of the Week
I have the opportunity to point to God’s goodness in everything I do and experience.

Application
What needs to change in order for God to get the glory?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the “On Second Thought” series playlist. (New songs will be added throughout the series!) To listen through the songs from this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!

I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? – 1 Corinthians 10:29 ESV

Greek
ἐλευθερία/eleutheria: freedom, liberty

Why It Matters
It can be very hard for children to discern the purpose of a gift. For most kids, a gift is an end to itself – we get a gift so we can have cool stuff! We don’t fault them for this thinking of course because they are in the process of developing emotionally. But as we mature, we begin to see the gifts we receive as representing something more significant. As Paul is wrapping up his discussion on eating meat offered to idols, he asks a pointed question: For why should my liberty (eleutheria) be determined by someone’s else’s conscience? At first glance it’s almost as if Paul is asking “Why should I let someone else’s opinion determine how I use my gift of liberty?” But as we study this question in its proper context we see that Paul is motivated by his freedom to curb his freedom for the sake of a “weaker” brother or sister. So his eleutheria gift is actually used for the benefit of someone else. How can Paul so easily give up a right that means so much? It is because he is aware that the benefit of his eleutheria is tied up in God’s glory! If God gets the glory for Paul using his liberty, he uses it. If God’s glory is better seen when his liberty is laid down, Paul gladly lays it down. The gift of eleutheria is simply the means to a beautiful end result.

Declaration of the Week
I have the opportunity to point to God’s goodness in everything I do and experience.

Application
What needs to change in order for God to get the glory?

Music Response
Music is prayerfully selected to further engage the themes shared in the message. Now you can respond with those songs during the week via the “On Second Thought” series playlist. (New songs will be added throughout the series!) To listen through the songs from this week’s worship set on our Spotify playlist, click here!