Born Out of Due Time

Intro

Text - 1 Cor 15.8—9

1 Corinthians 15:8–9 NKJV

8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. 9 For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

Title - Born Out Of Due Time

Background

“Born out of due time”

grk ektroma - premature birth

NLT - “born at the wrong time”

NASB - “untimely born”

NIV - “abnormally born”

Paul’s calling and ministry

he was called long after the time of the original apostles

why did Christ call him separately?

The Main Point

Questions some ask of God concerning their situation

why now?

why here?

why this?

Although we may not see and feel it, God has placed us in this world at the right time, in the right place, and the right situation.

Men who were “out of place” in their generation

Caleb - at Kadesh barnea

he was one of only 2 who truly beleived God and was ready to conquer the land

King David - in his lifestyle of worship

he worshiped God differently and passionately

Noah - in the midst of an evil generation

his lifestyle was a stark contrast even among the Sethites

Genesis 6:8–9 NKJV

8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord. 9 This is the genealogy of Noah. Noah was a just man, perfect in his generations. Noah walked with God.

Genesis 7:1 NKJV

1 Then the Lord said to Noah, “Come into the ark, you and all your household, because I have seen that you are righteous before Me in this generation.

…but not in God’s plan

God had purpose in their lives

Caleb - was raised to set the standard of who and who will not enter the land of promise

Numbers 14:21–24 NKJV

21 but truly, as I live, all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord— 22 because all these men who have seen My glory and the signs which I did in Egypt and in the wilderness, and have put Me to the test now these ten times, and have not heeded My voice, 23 they certainly shall not see the land of which I swore to their fathers, nor shall any of those who rejected Me see it. 24 But My servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it.

he had a different spirit in him

spirit - life that animates a body; attitude, behavior

he has followed me fully

obedient in every way

So what?

it was not enough that they were children of Abraham!

it was not enough that they experienced the mighty hand of God!

King David - was raised to set the pattern of true worship

he worshiped God everywhere

in the pastures

in the battlefields

in the palace

he worshiped God passionately

he loved the Word of God like no other

he danced for the Lord - more than the priests

he arranged the singers and musicians for the house of God

he prefigured Jesus Christ who will introduce a new way of worship

So what?

Worship is not for the priests alone

Worship is not confined to the temple/tabernacle

your worship today is preview of your worship in heaven!

Noah - was raised to set the standard of righteous living

Ezekiel 14:12–20 NKJV

12 The word of the Lord came again to me, saying: 13 “Son of man, when a land sins against Me by persistent unfaithfulness, I will stretch out My hand against it; I will cut off its supply of bread, send famine on it, and cut off man and beast from it. 14 Even if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness,” says the Lord God. 15 “If I cause wild beasts to pass through the land, and they empty it, and make it so desolate that no man may pass through because of the beasts, 16 even though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters; only they would be delivered, and the land would be desolate. 17 “Or if I bring a sword on that land, and say, ‘Sword, go through the land,’ and I cut off man and beast from it, 18 even though these three men were in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they would deliver neither sons nor daughters, but only they themselves would be delivered. 19 “Or if I send a pestilence into that land and pour out My fury on it in blood, and cut off from it man and beast, 20 even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness.”

So what?

“the sons of God” can be corrupted - if they will not guard themselves against the influence of the “daughters of men”

Genesis 6:1–3 NKJV

1 Now it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born to them, 2 that the sons of God saw the daughters of men, that they were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves of all whom they chose. 3 And the Lord said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, for he is indeed flesh; yet his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.”

“do not loved the world...”

1 John 2:15–17 NKJV

15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. 17 And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

“keep yourself unspotted from the world”

James 1:27 NKJV

27 Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

Paul - was raised to be a light to the gentiles

he was a chosen vessel

Acts 9:15 NKJV

15 But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is a chosen vessel of Mine to bear My name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel.

Galatians 1:13–17 NKJV

13 For you have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. 14 And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb and called me through His grace, 16 to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus.

Acts 13:46–47 NKJV

46 Then Paul and Barnabas grew bold and said, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. 47 For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, That you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”

Acts 26:15–18 NKJV

15 So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 16 But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I will yet reveal to you. 17 I will deliver you from the Jewish people, as well as from the Gentiles, to whom I now send you, 18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’

So what?

God’s sovereign grace determines who He will use for His purpose

God chose for His own vessel the very weapon of the enemy of truth!

God determined to use a half Jew, half Gentile to bring the gospel the nations

The manifestation of the Son of God

Jesus was born in the right place, at the right time, but was rejected

he born in the fulness of time

He was born among his people

John 1:10–11 NKJV

10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. 11 He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him.

Jesus knew His origin and place

John 8:23 NKJV

23 And He said to them, “You are from beneath; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.

John 18:36 NKJV

36 Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now My kingdom is not from here.”

SO WHAT?

If you feel like you do not belong to any group or place in this world, don’t worry, because you really don’t!

John 15:18–19 NKJV

18 “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.

Conclusion

How did Paul accept his place? (being born out of due time)

1 Corinthians 15:10 NKJV

10 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.

Accept/Recognize God’s call/work in your life -

instead of fretting of your being “out of place” in the world

Do not waste the grace of God in your life

serve Him to the best of your ability - according to God’s call to your life

give yourself fully to the work of God

Caleb focused on the day God’s promise will be fulfilled

David used his passion for worship to prepare for the furture house of God

Noah focused on building the ark

Jesus looked forward to the birth of the church