Contentment (1 Corinthians 7:17-24)
1 Corinthians: A Gospel Cure for What Ails the Church • Sermon • Submitted
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17 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.
18 Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision.
19 For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.
20 Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called.
21 Were you a bondservant when called? Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.)
22 For he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ.
23 You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men.
24 So, brothers, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God.
Introduction:
Be content to live and serve where God has placed you.
Be content to live and serve where God has placed you.
We are tempted to feel that we can serve God better if our situation changes.
We are tempted to feel that we can serve God better if our situation changes.
If I were: Single
If I were married
If I weren’t married to an unbeliever.
If I were married to a believer.
If I had a different job or vocation.
If things were different I could serve God better.
Where am I tempted to seek satisfaction by changing my situation?
Where am I tempted to seek satisfaction by changing my situation?
17 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.
to assign a particular responsibility, to give a particular task to, to appoint a particular part
Don’t dismiss the sovereignty of God over your life situation.
Don’t dismiss the sovereignty of God over your life situation.
In verse 17 The word translated “assigned” means - appoint a particular part, to give a particular task.
This emphasizes God’s sovereignty.
Another way you see Paul emphasizing the sovereignty of God of our particular life situation is the word call - which in this book is used 18 times but in these verse we see it used 8 times.
The calling in this context is about salvation not vocation.
The calling in this context is about salvation not vocation.
1 Corinthians 1:9 (ESV)
9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.
Grace is God’s call of a sinner to salvation.
Grace is God’s call of a sinner to salvation.
This is where God found me, in my sin and rebellion. In my particular life situation.
Faith is a sinner calling on the Name of the Lord for salvation.
Faith is a sinner calling on the Name of the Lord for salvation.
This is the point
God has placed you exactly where you are in the this season of life with a purpose.
God has placed you exactly where you are in the this season of life with a purpose.
But you don’t know how hard it is to work in this environment.
It the Roman world it was hard to be a circumcised Jew. When you went to the baths or to the gym your circumcision would be on display.
It became a very big thing to have surgery to reverse the circumcision making it appear like you were uncircumcised.
Focus on obedience not circumstance.
Focus on obedience not circumstance.
1 Corinthians 7:18–19 (ESV)
18 Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision.
19 For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.
Obey God in the place where He has sovereignly placed you.