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1 Corinthians Lesson 11
Copyright1999. John Creamer. All rights reserved.
Questions: When speakers address their audience, why is it important for them to
identify with the people in the audience? What happens if the speaker ‘overdoes’ identifying with the
audience and in the process loses his/her own identity? (Loses credibility
and integrity… e.g., like a city slicker addressing a group of wranglers
trying to act like an experienced cowboy.) Should Christians try to find some common ground with non-believers in
order to more effectively talk to them about God? Can Christians ‘overdo’ identifying with non-believers and
lose their credibility? Scripture: (1 Corinthians 9:19-27 NIV) {19} Though I am free and belong to no
man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. {20}
To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law
I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law),
so as to win those under the law. {21} To those not having the law I became
like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am
under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. {22} To the
weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men
so that by all possible means I might save some. {23} I do all this for
the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. {24} Do you
not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize?
Run in such a way as to get the prize. {25} Everyone who competes in the
games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not
last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. {26} Therefore
I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating
the air. {27} No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I
have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. Verse 19…What position is Paul willing to assume towards others
if needed to share Christ with them? Verse 20…How does he plan to approach the Jews who carefully observe
Jewish laws? Verse 21…How does he plan to approach those who could care less
about religious do’s and don’t’s? Verse 22…What is his plan for relating to the weak? (The weak are
those who have a weak conscience…that is, they think everything is
wrong.) Verse 23…What is his over-riding motivation? Why do you think Paul equates sharing Christ to running a competitive
race—as opposed to something more passive like a hobby? (It points
to the urgency of preparedness and the clear objectives…a runner
never is confused about why he’s doing what he’s doing; he/she
wants to win.) How does the boxing analogy relate to sharing Christ with others? (There
is an awareness of a win/lose issue; if the person accepts Christ, there
is a win—if they reject, a loss.) How do we ‘train for the race’?
What does the first part of verse 15 tell us? Why is this an important
starting point in training to share Christ with someone? (You can’t
share your faith in something you don’t believe.) According to verse 15, when should we be prepared? (Always.) Why is it important to be prepared to do certain things? What might happen to a hiker in Glacier National Park who is not prepared
for a an encounter with a Grizzly bear? What could be the impact of a pool lifeguard who does not know how to
give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation? What could happen if hospital personnel did not properly prepare a sterile
environment in the operating room? What could happen if we are not prepared to answer someone who asks us
about our faith in God? Is there the same life/death urgency of being
prepared as in the first three instances? Many are hesitant to bring up the subject of God with someone else, but
notice that verse 15 tells us to “Always be prepared to give an answer
to everyone who asks you…”. What does that tell us? (We aren’t
required to attack our potential audiences, simply be prepared to respond
when they ask.) What does the last part of verse 15 (some translations may have this
in verse 16) tell us about how we should tell people what we believe? Christians sometimes disregard this admonition, as evidenced by an argumentative
position about religious traditions, differences, prejudices, etc. Perhaps
evangelism training causes us to focus too much on content…what to
say…and not enough on presenting good content in a spirit of gentleness
and respect. What does verse 16 imply that we might expect if we talk with others
about God? )People are likely to be malicious.) What ‘content’ do we need to be ready to present? (Before reading the scripture, give the group a brief background of Psalm
51, from II Samuel 11 through 12:13...a verycontemporary story line that
would make big headlines in the press today.) What would happen to a political leader today who did this? What would happen to a religious leader? Can you recall any of the consequences of high profile people who have
How does this possibly relate to the ‘content’ of what we tell
people about our faith? (Psalms 51:1-2 NIV) For the director of music. A psalm of David. When
the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with
Bathsheba. Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions. {2} Wash
away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. What is King David's request in verses 1 and 2? Do you think most people feel David, or anyone guilty of this same crime,
should be forgiven? Why or why not? Do you think most people would ever forgive themselves? What is a major side effect of not being forgiven? (Guilt.) How do you think a person guilty of this crime/sin would feel about talking
to others about God? Why? (Psalms 51:3 NIV) For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always
before me. In verse 3, David says he knows his transgression. Do you think he was
aware of his sin before Nathan approached him? Why do you think David initially refused to admit his sin? Are we always aware of our sins? Why or why not? Is it possible we rationalize our sins so that they are not always before
us? David makes an interesting statement about his sin in verse 4. Though
most would say David's sin was against society, what does he say in this
verse? (Psalms 51:5 NIV) Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time
my mother conceived me. Verse 5 makes another interesting and controversial comment about sin.
Someone once said that we are not sinners because we sinned, but we sin
because we are sinners. There is a BIG difference. David was obviously
not guilty of committing sin at birth or conception. He simply said that
he was born with an innate sin nature. That is not that difficult to understand.
Mules are born with an innate tendency to be stubborn...and stubborn they
can be. Anyone who has ever had children—if they are honest—will
admit that no one needed to teach their child how to do wrong. The tendency
to sin is inborn. (Psalms 51:6 NIV) Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you
teach me wisdom in the inmost place. What does verse 6 say God desires from us? Is this what we call "being honest with ourselves"? How does verse 6 relate to verse 3? (Psalms 51:7-12 NIV) Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean;
wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. {8} Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice. {9} Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity. {10} Create in me a pure heart, O God, and
renew a steadfast spirit within me. {11} Do not cast me from your presence
or take your Holy Spirit from me. {12} Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. In verses 7-12, David continues the request he began in verses 1 and
2, to “get out from under the pile” caused by the guilt of his
sins. What things does he request from God? If David receives these things from God, what response would you expect
from him? The next verse tells us. (Psalms 51:13 NIV) Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and
sinners will turn back to you. Although we didn’t specifically talk about content of what to tell someone about our faith in God, let’s piece together the content of what David records is the precedent to ‘teaching transgressors (God’s) way and sinners turning back to Him’. (There is an action & reaction...an if & then.) If... 1. (Verses 1-6) We repent and confess, and 2. (Verses 7-8) Have a desire to be cleansed from sin and its effect,
3. (Verse 9) God will hide his face from our sin, and 4. (Verses 10-12) Give us a new heart, a willing spirit, and the joy
of His salvation, Then... 5. (Verse 13) We will teach (other) transgressors (like us) Gods ways, and (other) sinners (like us) will turn back to God. Let’s consider the ‘content’ another person used in
Scripture to tell others about the Lord… (John 4:4-18 NIV) Now he had to go through Samaria. {5} So he came
to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had
given to his son Joseph. {6} Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired
as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth
hour. {7} When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her,
"Will you give me a drink?" {8}
(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.) {9} The Samaritan
woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How
can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)
{10} Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift
of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him
and he would have given you living water." {11} "Sir,"
the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep.
Where can you get this living water? {12} Are you greater than our father
Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his
sons and his flocks and herds?" {13} Jesus answered, "Everyone
who drinks this water will be thirsty again, {14} but whoever drinks the
water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will
become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."
{15} The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't
get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water." {16} He
told her, "Go, call your husband and come back."
{17} "I have no husband," she replied. Jesus said to her, "You
are right when you say you have no husband. {18} The fact is, you have
had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband. What
you have just said is quite true." What do we learn about this woman in verses 7-18? How are this woman and King David alike? How does Jesus treat this woman? How does His response compare to what one might expect from the average
public today? How does His response differ from the response one might receive in the
Christian community today? (John 4:19-30 NIV) "Sir," the woman said, "I can see
that you are a prophet. {20} Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but
you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem."
{21} Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a
time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain
nor in Jerusalem. {22} You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we
worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. {23} Yet a time
is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father
in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.
{24} God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
{25} The woman said, "I know that Messiah" (called Christ) "is
coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us." {26} Then
Jesus declared, "I who speak to you am he."
{27} Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking
with a woman. But no one asked, "What do you want?" or "Why
are you talking with her?" {28} Then, leaving her water jar, the
woman went back to the town and said to the people, {29} "Come, see
a man who told me everything I ever did. Could this be the Christ?"
{30} They came out of the town and made their way toward him. What does this woman do in verses 28 and 29? Has she been trained in evangelism? Did she go by the Christian Bookstore and pick up some tracts on evangelism? Did she call her minister and say, "There are some people I'd like
for you to talk to about the Lord."? Did she say to herself, "As soon as I get my act together...my life
straightened out, I will learn what to say when I want to talk to people
about Jesus. . . "? Did she say, "I'm certainly not perfect; there's no way anyone will
listen to anything I say about God!"? Did she say, "People will think I'm some kind of religious nut if
I start talking about Jesus!"? Did she say, "I believe religion is a personal and private thing!"? What did she say in verse 29? (John 4:39-42 NIV) Many of the Samaritans from that town believed
in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me everything I
ever did." {40} So when the Samaritans came to him, they urged him
to stay with them, and he stayed two days. {41} And because of his words
many more became believers. {42} They said to the woman, "We no longer
believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves,
and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world." Many would think that a person with a sordid past like this woman’s
would be disqualified from talking to anyone about God or Jesus Christ.
Nevertheless, she simply stated what happened in her own life. What was
the result according to verse 39? What was the ‘content’ of what she told others? What if ‘content’ is not our reason for not talking to others
about God…what if it is embarrassment? (Mark 8:37-38 NIV) Or what can a man
give in exchange for his soul? {38} If anyone is ashamed of me and my
words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be
ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." What did Jesus say about being embarrassed to talk to others about Him? (Matthew 10:32-33 NIV) "Whoever
acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father
in heaven. {33} But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before
my Father in heaven. What does Jesus say will happen if we do not acknowledge Him to other
people…regardless of the reason? (We will receive the same from Him
one day as He disowns us before God.) Is it possible we try to create a third option...the one in which we
don't want to disown or acknowledge...sort of a neutral position? Please read Revelation 3:15,16; (Revelation 3:15-16 NIV) I know your
deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or
the other! {16} So, because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I
am about to spit you out of my mouth. what does Jesus say about this neutral position? (Neutral is as bad—or
worse—than disowning.) (1 John 2:23 NIV) No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever
acknowledges the Son has the Father also. What options does this verse give us? (1 John 4:15 NIV) If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of
God, God lives in him and he in God. According to this verse, what is required for God to come to live in
us? On the basis of this verse, how important is it for us to verbalize our
belief in Jesus Christ? (Romans 10:9-10 NIV) That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus
is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the
dead, you will be saved. {10} For it is with your heart that you believe
and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are
saved. Why is it important to be able to verbalize what we believe about Jesus
Christ? What is implied in verse 10 if we do not confess with our mouth? (We
will not be saved.) Our ‘testimony’ is more than what we say… (Titus 1:16 NIV) They claim to know God, but by their actions they
deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything
good. What did the people in this verse claim verbally? What did their actions do to their verbal witness? Does this mean that actions speak louder than words…that we don’t need to have a verbal witness? Of course not. The previous 4 passages make it clear that we are to verbally acknowledge
Jesus before others. Why would a witness solely by our actions be inadequate? (Muslims are
very moral people whose lifestyles alone would be a very solid witness,
shaming most Christians by comparison. Yet, are they a good witness that
Jesus is the only way to God? Absolutely not!) BOTTOM LINE: Are you prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you about your
faith in God? Will you remember that taking the neutral position…for whatever
reason…is equivalent to not acknowledging Him = disowning Him = His
disowning us before God? CLOSE WITH PRAYER. |