WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:10.880 Those outside the law became as one outside of law, not being outside the law of God, but under the law of Christ, that I might win those outside the law. 00:00:10.880 --> 00:00:14.640 To the weak I become weak, that I might win the weak. 00:00:14.640 --> 00:00:22.000 I become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 00:00:22.000 --> 00:00:29.679 I do it all for the sake of the gospel that I might share with them in its blessing. 00:00:29.679 --> 00:00:42.560 If this was the writings of the Apostle Paul, if this is something I wrote on a blog or you wrote on a blog, we'd probably question it and say this is not well worded. 00:00:42.560 --> 00:00:51.039 Don't we know that we can't save souls? 00:00:51.039 --> 00:01:01.520 Five times Paul says I do all these things that I might win souls, that I might win the Jews, I might win the Gentiles, that I might win the weak. 00:01:01.520 --> 00:01:05.280 I do all these things that I might win more. 00:01:05.280 --> 00:01:11.439 In fact, he says in verse 19 that I might win more of them. 00:01:11.439 --> 00:01:15.760 Surely he believes in the doctrines of grace, and surely he believes in the doctrine of election. 00:01:15.760 --> 00:01:20.719 How can you add more to whom God's going to save? 00:01:20.719 --> 00:01:31.519 This seems like Paul is putting too much emphasis upon his ability to win souls. 00:01:31.519 --> 00:01:48.159 Spurgeon recognized that when he preached through this text, recognized that Paul is talking about winning souls, and that some of the things he did could end up leading to more souls being won. 00:01:48.159 --> 00:02:05.920 He says we have to remember that God uses instruments to carry out his purposes, and he's never chose to save anyone without the instrumentality of evangelists or a preacher or someone to share the gospel. 00:02:05.920 --> 00:02:13.759 That everyone who saved or will be saved is going to be saved because someone shared the gospel to them. 00:02:13.759 --> 00:02:21.840 And not only is that the case, there's better ways of sharing the gospel than other ways. 00:02:21.840 --> 00:02:24.879 And that you may be even a hindrance. 00:02:24.879 --> 00:02:33.439 The method in which you're sharing the gospel may be even a hindrance towards those coming to the faith. 00:02:33.439 --> 00:02:40.879 And so we see here that if you never fish, in fact, I can tell you that I haven't caught one fish this year. 00:02:40.879 --> 00:02:44.800 Not a single fish I've caught. 00:02:44.800 --> 00:02:48.639 Not a big one, not a small one. I haven't caught any fish. 00:02:48.639 --> 00:02:55.840 Well, it's true I've not gone fishing either. 00:02:55.840 --> 00:02:59.759 I hadn't had time to fish, so I haven't fished at all, but I haven't caught anything. 00:02:59.759 --> 00:03:04.479 But it can be certain if you don't fish, you're not going to catch anything. 00:03:04.479 --> 00:03:09.280 And I wonder how many of that could say that about winning souls. 00:03:09.280 --> 00:03:12.560 Have you won any souls this year? 00:03:12.560 --> 00:03:17.680 And maybe you haven't, but you have been out soul winning. 00:03:17.680 --> 00:03:20.400 You've been out evangelizing. 00:03:20.400 --> 00:03:28.719 But hopefully you don't say to yourself, I haven't won any souls this year because I haven't evangelized this year. 00:03:28.719 --> 00:03:34.159 That I haven't went out and shared the gospel, shared the faith. 00:03:34.159 --> 00:03:37.919 You see, the Apostle Paul shared the faith everywhere he went. 00:03:37.919 --> 00:03:42.639 He was an evangelist. He loved to preach to others. 00:03:42.639 --> 00:03:46.879 He loved evangelize. He loved to share the gospel. 00:03:46.879 --> 00:03:51.120 And in this text, we see four things that he did well. 00:03:51.120 --> 00:03:55.280 In fact, if you want to be a soul winner, and I love that phrase, soul winner. 00:03:55.280 --> 00:04:02.400 We don't use it anymore. But my uncle was an evangelist and he calls himself a soul winner. 00:04:02.400 --> 00:04:08.240 And obviously he's getting that phrase soul winner from this passage. 00:04:08.240 --> 00:04:13.840 Because five times Paul says, I'm seeking to win souls. 00:04:13.840 --> 00:04:17.199 I'm seeking to convince people of the gospel. 00:04:17.199 --> 00:04:21.279 I'm seeking to save souls by evangelizing. 00:04:21.279 --> 00:04:24.800 And what we see in this text, Paul has a heart to evangelize. 00:04:24.800 --> 00:04:27.920 He has a heart to win souls. 00:04:27.920 --> 00:04:31.920 And there's four traits about the Apostle Paul that we would do good. 00:04:31.920 --> 00:04:36.399 We would do well to emulate so that we could be better soul winners. 00:04:36.399 --> 00:04:40.399 You know, if you want to be a fisherman, maybe you could have some professional come beside you. 00:04:40.399 --> 00:04:43.120 Say, work on these four things. 00:04:43.120 --> 00:04:47.920 And if you want to be a bigger, better fisherman, catch more fish. 00:04:47.920 --> 00:04:50.720 In fact, I had a roommate when I grew up in college. 00:04:50.720 --> 00:04:55.120 I grew up when I was in college, I had a roommate and we'd go fishing and together. 00:04:55.120 --> 00:04:58.399 And we had fished the same spots. 00:04:58.399 --> 00:05:01.839 And somehow he would catch twice as many as I caught. 00:05:01.839 --> 00:05:03.519 I said, why are you catching more? 00:05:03.519 --> 00:05:05.920 I'm throwing in the same spots you're throwing. 00:05:05.920 --> 00:05:09.680 And I come to the realization that he was able to hook them. 00:05:09.680 --> 00:05:15.680 He had the perfect technique to snag them and hook them once they bit. 00:05:15.680 --> 00:05:24.399 I mean, I would sit there and let it let the bait just kind of play around the fish, play around with the bait and he would hook them. 00:05:24.399 --> 00:05:26.319 I mean, twice as well as I did. 00:05:27.519 --> 00:05:29.439 And I try to have him help me. 00:05:29.439 --> 00:05:30.240 How do I do this? 00:05:30.240 --> 00:05:34.000 Well, here's the professional soul winner, the apostle Paul. 00:05:34.000 --> 00:05:35.759 He's the one who does this very well. 00:05:35.759 --> 00:05:38.319 He has a passion for this. 00:05:38.319 --> 00:05:42.399 And he's going to give us four things to improve upon. 00:05:42.399 --> 00:05:46.079 If you want to be a soul winner, four things to improve upon. 00:05:46.079 --> 00:05:47.600 In fact, it's four things you should love. 00:05:47.600 --> 00:05:51.439 If you love these four things that Paul loved, you will be a soul winner. 00:05:51.439 --> 00:05:55.040 And we want to emulate Paul in these four things. 00:05:55.040 --> 00:05:58.079 First of all, Paul loved people. 00:05:58.079 --> 00:05:59.839 He loved people. 00:05:59.839 --> 00:06:02.240 We see this in verse 19. 00:06:02.240 --> 00:06:08.879 For though I'm free from all, I've made myself a servant to all that I might win more of them. 00:06:08.879 --> 00:06:12.399 I mean, this is how much he loved him. 00:06:12.399 --> 00:06:17.600 He made himself a voluntary servant to them, though he's free from them. 00:06:17.600 --> 00:06:18.879 He's not a slave to them. 00:06:18.879 --> 00:06:25.600 He is not under their control, but he voluntarily placed himself as their servants. 00:06:25.600 --> 00:06:28.160 He became a servant to all. 00:06:28.160 --> 00:06:30.879 Martin Luther says a Christian is perfectly free. 00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:32.079 He's Lord of all. 00:06:32.079 --> 00:06:33.199 He's subject to none. 00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:39.519 Then he goes on to say a Christian is perfectly dutifully servant to all subject to all. 00:06:39.519 --> 00:06:43.920 In other words, Luther says the Christian is a paradox. 00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:47.199 He's free from all and he's a servant of all. 00:06:47.199 --> 00:06:51.120 And Luther is getting that phrase from this passage. 00:06:51.120 --> 00:06:56.879 And we too, we need to realize though we are free from all men and we're not slaves to any. 00:06:56.879 --> 00:07:02.000 We're to be voluntarily a slave to everyone. 00:07:02.000 --> 00:07:09.040 In fact, Luther goes on to say the reason we're to be a slave to all is because we love all. 00:07:09.040 --> 00:07:14.079 He says, Oh, no one anything except love one another. 00:07:14.079 --> 00:07:21.920 According to Romans 13, eight Luther says love by its very nature is ready to serve and to be subject to him who is loved. 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:30.319 First Corinthians 16, 14, Paul tells us, let all that you do be done in love. 00:07:30.319 --> 00:07:37.759 And so Paul is willing to subjugate himself and his freedoms and his liberties in order to win more people. 00:07:37.759 --> 00:07:42.240 He's willing to be a servant to all people and he lists three types of people. 00:07:42.240 --> 00:07:46.160 He's willing to be a servant to to the Jews, the Gentiles into the week. 00:07:47.360 --> 00:07:53.279 And he being a Jew no longer was under the because of his faith in Christ. 00:07:53.279 --> 00:08:01.199 Jesus has freed him from the Old Testament laws, the positive laws of the old covenant. 00:08:01.199 --> 00:08:03.199 He's no longer bound by that. 00:08:03.199 --> 00:08:05.199 He's able to eat pork. 00:08:05.199 --> 00:08:11.360 He's able to do all kinds of things that the Jews were not willing to do. 00:08:12.639 --> 00:08:22.879 But he willingly subjugate himself to the old covenant walls in order to be a better witness of to be able to not be offensive to the Jews. 00:08:22.879 --> 00:08:28.560 He says in verse 20 to the Jews, I became a Jew in order to win Jews. 00:08:28.560 --> 00:08:37.840 To those under the law became as one under the law, though not being myself under the law that I might win those under the law. 00:08:38.559 --> 00:08:46.720 In other words, Paul, when he went around his Jewish friends, maybe his old family members, that they wouldn't eat pork or they wouldn't do this and do that. 00:08:46.720 --> 00:08:58.720 They had all these Old Testament ceremonials, ceremonies and rituals that they would follow through part of the old covenant law is when I was around that I obeyed these things as well. 00:08:58.720 --> 00:09:02.240 I didn't want to be a stumbling block to the Jews. 00:09:02.240 --> 00:09:04.799 I didn't want to be offensive to them. 00:09:05.440 --> 00:09:09.519 And though I was free from this, I willfully submitted myself to this. 00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:12.559 I did not have to eat my barbecue, if you would. 00:09:12.559 --> 00:09:17.200 And this is a sacrificial heart that Paul has. 00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:23.039 And so often we see in the young people today, I'm going to do what I want to do. 00:09:23.039 --> 00:09:24.399 Doesn't matter what people think. 00:09:24.399 --> 00:09:26.320 You know, I have freedom. 00:09:26.320 --> 00:09:29.600 I'm going to stand firm in my freedom and I'm going to have my liberties. 00:09:29.600 --> 00:09:33.440 I'm going to do what I do no matter who it offends. 00:09:33.440 --> 00:09:35.200 This is not the spirit of Paul. 00:09:35.200 --> 00:09:39.519 And this is not the spirit of the one who wants to evangelize others. 00:09:39.519 --> 00:09:46.720 And not only did he subjugate himself to the Jewish laws that he didn't have to anymore. 00:09:46.720 --> 00:09:51.200 When he was around the Gentiles, he became like a Gentile. 00:09:51.200 --> 00:10:00.559 Look at verse 21 to those outside the law become as one outside of the law, not being outside the law of God, but under the law of Christ. 00:10:01.759 --> 00:10:03.919 That I might win those outside the law. 00:10:03.919 --> 00:10:07.279 That is when Paul was around the Gentiles, he would eat his barbecue. 00:10:07.279 --> 00:10:09.600 He would go and do the things that they did. 00:10:09.600 --> 00:10:10.639 Now he wouldn't sin. 00:10:10.639 --> 00:10:11.600 We'll see that in a minute. 00:10:11.600 --> 00:10:16.799 He maintained a stance of holiness and purity. 00:10:16.799 --> 00:10:23.360 But he became like those whom he was around. 00:10:23.360 --> 00:10:25.200 That way he could win more. 00:10:25.200 --> 00:10:26.159 Look at verse 22. 00:10:26.159 --> 00:10:29.440 It says to the week I became weak that I might win the week. 00:10:30.399 --> 00:10:32.320 The week here is the week in conscience. 00:10:32.320 --> 00:10:40.159 Those who have scruples, those who have a lot of convictions and a lot of regulations that they placed upon themselves. 00:10:40.159 --> 00:10:42.320 So we know we all have friends like that. 00:10:42.320 --> 00:10:46.720 That they have regulations and scruples that they put on themselves. 00:10:46.720 --> 00:10:52.240 And Paul says, when I come to those who are weak in conscience, they have a tender conscience. 00:10:52.240 --> 00:10:55.440 I submit my conscience to their conscience. 00:10:55.440 --> 00:10:58.080 This is a heart of service. 00:10:58.799 --> 00:11:03.440 This is one who is willing to serve all in order to be able to minister to all. 00:11:03.440 --> 00:11:08.639 In context, we know that Paul is talking about meats offered to idols. 00:11:08.639 --> 00:11:16.240 In the previous chapter, chapter eight of 1 Corinthians, he says in verse one, now concerning food offered to idols. 00:11:16.240 --> 00:11:19.200 We know that all of us possess knowledge. 00:11:19.200 --> 00:11:33.600 Then in verse seven says, however, not all possess this knowledge, but some through former association with idols eat food as really offered to an idol and their conscience being weak is defiled. 00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:36.559 Food will not commend us to God. 00:11:36.559 --> 00:11:40.559 We are no worse off if we do not eat and no better off if we do. 00:11:40.559 --> 00:11:46.320 But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the week. 00:11:46.320 --> 00:11:58.080 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will he not be encouraged in of his conscience this week to eat food offered to idols? 00:11:58.080 --> 00:12:02.879 And so by your knowledge, this weak person is destroyed. 00:12:02.879 --> 00:12:12.639 The brother whom Christ died, thus sinning against your brothers and wrongdoing their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 00:12:12.639 --> 00:12:19.679 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat lest I make my brother stumble. 00:12:19.679 --> 00:12:21.600 Here is a man who loves people. 00:12:22.159 --> 00:12:25.039 Here is a man who loves the Jews. 00:12:25.039 --> 00:12:26.399 He loves the Gentiles. 00:12:26.399 --> 00:12:28.960 He loves those who are weak in conscience. 00:12:28.960 --> 00:12:32.240 And he is willing to say, I don't ever have to eat meat again. 00:12:32.240 --> 00:12:34.879 Now, I want you to think about that. 00:12:34.879 --> 00:12:36.320 Is that your disposition? 00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:38.320 Is that your heart? 00:12:38.320 --> 00:12:39.679 I mean, we all love meat. 00:12:39.679 --> 00:12:43.120 At least I think we do. 00:12:43.120 --> 00:12:45.919 It would be hard. 00:12:45.919 --> 00:12:49.519 It would be hard for me to say, I'm never going to eat meat again. 00:12:50.159 --> 00:12:52.480 If that causes my brother to stumble. 00:12:52.480 --> 00:13:01.120 If it emboldens him to do something against his conscience, I'll be sinning against my weaker brother and then sinning against Christ. 00:13:01.120 --> 00:13:11.440 But for the sake of my love for my brother and my sister, or for the sake of loving maybe a Gentile or a Jew who doesn't know the Lord and I want to be a good influence upon them. 00:13:11.440 --> 00:13:15.679 I want to win them to the Lord and for the be able to be a better witness. 00:13:17.039 --> 00:13:24.559 To be able to not put a stumbling block in front of them to be able to speak into their lives where they're going to hear me. 00:13:24.559 --> 00:13:25.919 I'm willing to do without. 00:13:25.919 --> 00:13:29.039 This is the heart of the apostle Paul. 00:13:29.039 --> 00:13:31.039 And this is the heart of a true evangelist. 00:13:31.039 --> 00:13:35.679 And you can use your Calvinism to go, well, God's going to save who he wants to. 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:37.120 I'm going to do what I want to. 00:13:37.120 --> 00:13:39.120 You can be hyper if you want to. 00:13:39.120 --> 00:13:40.879 But that's what it is. 00:13:40.879 --> 00:13:42.240 It's hyper Calvinism. 00:13:43.200 --> 00:13:50.320 You have to understand that God uses means to save souls and he uses evangelists to save souls. 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:53.600 And he is going to use evangelists who have a heart for people. 00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:59.759 If you want to win more souls than you win that have the heart that Paul had. 00:13:59.759 --> 00:14:01.120 I don't want to. 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:06.320 I mean, I want that I want to be able to win more souls and not just have a few souls. 00:14:06.320 --> 00:14:08.240 I want to win more and more souls. 00:14:08.240 --> 00:14:12.320 So why we seek to emulate the heart that Paul had. 00:14:13.039 --> 00:14:15.519 I have a pastor friend. 00:14:15.519 --> 00:14:24.720 Greg Steven knows him and my wife and few of us know he's getting older now. 00:14:24.720 --> 00:14:26.639 And his name is Dr. Campbell. 00:14:26.639 --> 00:14:33.279 He was pastor of a church in Louisiana and one of the richest men I know. 00:14:33.279 --> 00:14:40.799 One time he went to go buy a car at a car lot. 00:14:41.759 --> 00:14:43.840 So he goes, I'll take this one. 00:14:43.840 --> 00:14:46.960 And they wanted to go finance it for him. 00:14:46.960 --> 00:14:48.960 It's like, no, no, I plan on writing a check for it. 00:14:48.960 --> 00:14:52.080 He goes, well, we don't take checks. 00:14:52.080 --> 00:14:57.200 The he says, well, if you don't take a check, I'll go somewhere else. 00:14:57.200 --> 00:15:01.759 So you can call the bank if you like to see if this this will clear. 00:15:01.759 --> 00:15:07.759 So the salesman go cause the bank and gets hold of someone at the bank. 00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:09.360 And the bank says, if Dr. 00:15:09.360 --> 00:15:11.519 Campbell wants to buy the whole car a lot, let's see. 00:15:11.679 --> 00:15:13.120 Let him buy the whole car a lot. 00:15:13.120 --> 00:15:27.360 In fact, he was in the back in the eighties, the in the Forbes top hundred richest people in America. 00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:30.240 His name was listed in there. 00:15:30.240 --> 00:15:34.720 He used to ride a rail with my dad once. 00:15:34.720 --> 00:15:36.240 And my dad was preaching in his church. 00:15:36.240 --> 00:15:40.159 He says, you know, his dad, I said, said to my dad, Don, you know, I can. 00:15:41.120 --> 00:15:43.759 I could drive any horror I wanted. 00:15:43.759 --> 00:15:50.799 I could, I could drive anything I wanted to drive, but it would hinder my ministry. 00:15:50.799 --> 00:15:58.799 And because he would hinder my ministry and the people I pastor to, I drive this old Ford pickup truck. 00:15:58.799 --> 00:16:05.039 This is a man who understood that what was important is not his liberties. 00:16:05.039 --> 00:16:06.000 He had the right. 00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:08.960 He had the financial ability. 00:16:08.960 --> 00:16:11.440 No one could say to them, you're being irresponsible. 00:16:11.440 --> 00:16:17.840 No one could say you're spending your money poorly because he had a sufficient amount of funds to take care of it. 00:16:17.840 --> 00:16:24.320 But he knew that if you drove too nice of a vehicle, it would be a hindrance to his people. 00:16:24.320 --> 00:16:27.120 It would be a hindrance for people looking at him. 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:29.279 So he did without. 00:16:29.279 --> 00:16:31.200 This was the heart of the apostle Paul. 00:16:31.200 --> 00:16:35.679 Paul sells us now concerning food. 00:16:35.679 --> 00:16:36.879 It's offered to idols. 00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:40.159 We know all of us possess knowledge, but knowledge puffs up. 00:16:40.159 --> 00:16:42.240 But love builds up. 00:16:42.240 --> 00:16:48.879 And see, Paul wanted to love more than he wanted to stand for his freedoms. 00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:56.720 This is why earlier in this chapter, chapter nine, he says, I'm not taking financial support. 00:16:56.720 --> 00:16:59.279 I don't want that to be a hindrance. 00:16:59.279 --> 00:17:01.600 I don't want people to think that I'm doing it for the money. 00:17:01.600 --> 00:17:05.920 And this is summed up in 1 Corinthians 10 verse 31. 00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:11.680 So whether you eat or drink, whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:16.400 Give no offense to the Jews or to Greeks or to the Church of God. 00:17:16.400 --> 00:17:26.400 Just as I try to please everyone and everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that many that they may be saved. 00:17:26.400 --> 00:17:31.359 I'm not seeking what's in it for me. 00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:32.799 I'm not seeking my own advantage. 00:17:32.799 --> 00:17:34.400 I'm not standing up for my rights. 00:17:34.400 --> 00:17:36.079 I'm doing without I'm serving. 00:17:36.640 --> 00:17:39.519 I'm seeking to become all things to all men. 00:17:39.519 --> 00:17:43.839 So I'm not offensive to any man in order that I might save some. 00:17:43.839 --> 00:17:46.640 So this is his heart. 00:17:46.640 --> 00:17:48.480 He has a love for people. 00:17:48.480 --> 00:17:55.759 And I think if we had this heart and cultivate this heart for people, it'll be easier and easier to do without your own rights. 00:17:55.759 --> 00:17:59.839 Because you have a real genuine desire to win souls. 00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:03.759 Secondly, not only love people, but love holiness. 00:18:05.119 --> 00:18:11.279 Now, this can be confusing because in this text, he says, I'm not under law. 00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:14.000 Then he says, I'm not without the law. 00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:17.759 And verse 20 says, I'm not under the law. 00:18:17.759 --> 00:18:22.000 Then verse 21, I am not without the law of God. 00:18:22.000 --> 00:18:25.039 In verse 22, I'm under the law of Christ. 00:18:25.039 --> 00:18:26.480 What does this mean? 00:18:26.480 --> 00:18:33.759 Now, a lot of people will use this text for what we call, I would call hyper-contextualization. 00:18:34.559 --> 00:18:36.559 You know, you become all things to all men. 00:18:36.559 --> 00:18:38.160 That means you can do what you want. 00:18:38.160 --> 00:18:41.599 You can go into places that are shady. 00:18:41.599 --> 00:18:45.440 You know, the bars and various other places. 00:18:45.440 --> 00:18:50.079 You're going to go and become all things to all men, all things. 00:18:50.079 --> 00:18:53.440 You know, it's an excuse to do things that are taboo. 00:18:53.440 --> 00:19:09.039 A lot of time, this text is used to justify shady things in order that you can relate to people who do shady things so that you can fit in and contextualize with them in order to witness to them. 00:19:09.039 --> 00:19:18.960 I mean, how many times have you heard this text used to justify doing things that are not quite up to snuff? 00:19:18.960 --> 00:19:22.240 I said, well, we're free from the law. 00:19:22.240 --> 00:19:23.440 We can do what we want. 00:19:23.440 --> 00:19:33.680 And therefore, we can go and compromise our standards in order to win those who have compromised standards. 00:19:33.680 --> 00:19:36.319 This is not what Paul is saying at all. 00:19:36.319 --> 00:19:48.640 When he says, "I'm not under the law, but I'm under the law of God," he's speaking about the positive laws that have expired from the Mosaic covenant. 00:19:50.160 --> 00:19:55.039 Now, we need to know the difference between moral law and positive law to understand this passage. 00:19:55.039 --> 00:20:03.200 Positive laws are the laws that are fixed to a particular covenant arrangement. 00:20:03.200 --> 00:20:11.759 For instance, when you go buy a car, you're taking out a loan, and that loan, you're signing a contract. 00:20:11.759 --> 00:20:13.839 It's a covenant contract. 00:20:13.839 --> 00:20:19.519 That particular car loan has its unique particulars. 00:20:19.519 --> 00:20:36.400 It has positive laws that are only related to that contract, such as your payment will be due twice a month on Friday, or there's going to be some particular unique things about that contract that's related to that particular agreement. 00:20:36.400 --> 00:20:38.400 And think about this. 00:20:38.400 --> 00:20:41.680 The Abrahamic covenant had circumcision. 00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:46.319 Circumcision is no longer necessary today. 00:20:46.319 --> 00:20:53.039 We know that circumcisions were not bound to circumcision today because circumcision was unique to the Abrahamic covenant. 00:20:53.039 --> 00:20:58.960 The Mosaic covenant had dietary laws and ceremonial laws. 00:20:58.960 --> 00:21:02.160 It had all these laws attached to that covenant. 00:21:02.160 --> 00:21:06.160 Those laws stay in force as long as the covenant stays in force. 00:21:06.160 --> 00:21:12.799 But if you pay off your car, note, you pay it off in full, the contract can be ripped apart. 00:21:12.799 --> 00:21:16.000 It's null and void, or it's paid in full. 00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:16.640 It's done. 00:21:16.640 --> 00:21:18.000 It's no longer binding. 00:21:18.000 --> 00:21:20.079 It no longer holds you captive. 00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:30.079 Once it's been paid off, or once it's been nullified, it can no longer require of you the same things it required of you when it was enacted. 00:21:30.079 --> 00:21:37.599 And thus, the Mosaic covenant had all these regulations, all these terms, the stipulations upon it. 00:21:37.599 --> 00:21:43.599 But when Christ came and paid it in full, it is no longer binding upon the individuals. 00:21:43.599 --> 00:21:47.200 It is no longer binding upon Paul, or all believers. 00:21:47.200 --> 00:21:55.519 Not only are we no longer under the law to be justified, not only are we not going to be saved by works of the law, that's been nullified. 00:21:55.519 --> 00:22:02.640 But all these ceremonial laws and judicial laws have come to a complete end. 00:22:02.640 --> 00:22:06.799 We can look at Hebrews and it says that that which is old has vanished away. 00:22:06.799 --> 00:22:10.240 Talking about the old covenant it's been done away with. 00:22:11.119 --> 00:22:21.279 And so when it says that he's no longer under the law, he's talking about the ceremonial laws, the positive laws, but he's not talking about the moral law. 00:22:21.279 --> 00:22:26.799 Now, the moral law is the very essence of who God is. 00:22:26.799 --> 00:22:30.960 It can be defined as love God with all your heart, mind, and soul, and love your neighbor as yourself. 00:22:30.960 --> 00:22:34.319 That moral law cannot be abrogated. 00:22:34.319 --> 00:22:37.039 It cannot be changed. 00:22:37.039 --> 00:22:38.559 It cannot be done away with. 00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:45.599 And so when he says I'm no longer under the law, he's talking about the ceremonial laws of the Mosaic covenant. 00:22:45.599 --> 00:22:48.799 However, I am under the law of God. 00:22:48.799 --> 00:22:54.640 There's not a situation that any of us could ever be outside of the law. 00:22:54.640 --> 00:22:57.359 That is the moral law of God. 00:22:57.359 --> 00:23:03.599 We're required to love God with all of our heart, mind, and soul, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. 00:23:04.559 --> 00:23:08.240 This could be seen in 1 Corinthians 7, 19. 00:23:08.240 --> 00:23:18.480 Paul says circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is keeping of the commandments of God. 00:23:18.480 --> 00:23:21.119 Wait a minute, you may think. 00:23:21.119 --> 00:23:23.440 I thought circumcision was a commandment of God. 00:23:23.440 --> 00:23:25.440 Well, it was. 00:23:25.440 --> 00:23:27.519 It was a positive command. 00:23:27.519 --> 00:23:33.039 It's one of those commands that was attached to a particular covenant that has been abrogated or fulfilled. 00:23:33.599 --> 00:23:39.359 So here Paul is distinguishing between circumcision and the commandments of God. 00:23:39.359 --> 00:23:41.440 Circumcision is nothing. 00:23:41.440 --> 00:23:46.000 Uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is keeping of the commandments of God. 00:23:46.000 --> 00:23:55.039 This is the could be said about the judicial laws and the ceremonial laws. 00:23:55.039 --> 00:24:01.920 Remember when it says that obedience is better than sacrifice? 00:24:02.720 --> 00:24:13.119 So here we see that Paul is no longer under the ceremonial laws, the judicial laws, and all these laws that separated Jews from Gentiles. 00:24:13.119 --> 00:24:22.319 These things he's not under, but he would subjugate himself to these things in order that he wouldn't be offensive to anyone, especially the Jews. 00:24:22.319 --> 00:24:29.680 He says I'm not without the law of the law of God, and he defined this law of God as the law of Christ. 00:24:30.720 --> 00:24:32.720 We see that in verse 21. 00:24:32.720 --> 00:24:35.200 What is the law of Christ? 00:24:35.200 --> 00:24:39.599 Galatians 6 2 says bear one another's burdens and thus fulfill the law of Christ. 00:24:39.599 --> 00:24:45.279 Galatians 5 14 the whole law is fulfilled in one word in this statement. 00:24:45.279 --> 00:24:46.960 You shall love your God. 00:24:46.960 --> 00:24:49.519 You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 00:24:49.519 --> 00:25:00.720 And so this is the thing that Paul says I'm not I'm not bound by these dietary laws anymore, but I am bound to this to love my neighbor. 00:25:00.720 --> 00:25:03.519 And it's because I love the Jews. 00:25:03.519 --> 00:25:06.480 That I submit to these things. 00:25:06.480 --> 00:25:08.319 It's because I love the Gentiles. 00:25:08.319 --> 00:25:13.680 It's because I'm bound by love that I become a servant of all. 00:25:13.680 --> 00:25:15.519 It's the fact that I'm under the wall. 00:25:15.519 --> 00:25:18.799 That I see myself as a slave to everyone. 00:25:18.799 --> 00:25:22.400 You see, if he's all about his freedom. 00:25:22.400 --> 00:25:25.519 Then he would not be loving. 00:25:26.400 --> 00:25:34.400 He was a man who was controlled by love, controlled by love of his neighbor, and he was controlled by holiness. 00:25:34.400 --> 00:25:40.240 This is not a text for us to justify hyper contextualization. 00:25:40.240 --> 00:25:45.839 This is not a text for us to justify going to places that we should not be going to. 00:25:45.839 --> 00:25:48.319 So we can evangelize. 00:25:48.319 --> 00:25:57.039 This is not the place to go for this because this is a place to go to for us to to seek holiness and love. 00:25:57.039 --> 00:26:08.000 Rather in love, we are to have a heart to give up our personal freedom so that we are not placing a stumbling block before those whom we are seeking to reach with the gospel. 00:26:08.000 --> 00:26:11.279 So he had a law for people. 00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:12.880 He had a law for holiness. 00:26:12.880 --> 00:26:18.000 Thirdly, we see in verse 22, he had a love to win souls. 00:26:18.000 --> 00:26:23.119 Verse 22 says, I have become all things to all people. 00:26:23.759 --> 00:26:25.920 That by all means I might save some. 00:26:25.920 --> 00:26:30.000 Five times he talks about winning people. 00:26:30.000 --> 00:26:32.799 Verse 19 that I might win the more. 00:26:32.799 --> 00:26:34.640 Verse 20 that I might win the Jews. 00:26:34.640 --> 00:26:37.759 Verse 20 that I might win those under the law. 00:26:37.759 --> 00:26:40.960 Verse 21 that I might win those without the law. 00:26:40.960 --> 00:26:43.440 Verse 22 that I might win the weak. 00:26:43.440 --> 00:26:47.759 What does it mean to win someone? 00:26:47.759 --> 00:26:51.920 He's trying to convince them to the faith. 00:26:53.039 --> 00:26:56.799 He's trying to make sure that he's not a stumbling block to keep them from believing. 00:26:56.799 --> 00:27:00.640 He's trying to win their souls to the Lord. 00:27:00.640 --> 00:27:08.559 Let me ask you this as we think about this. 00:27:08.559 --> 00:27:16.160 What have we given up so that we can be a more effective soul winner? 00:27:22.559 --> 00:27:25.519 And hopefully we have been so winning this year. 00:27:25.519 --> 00:27:31.119 It's one thing to not catch a fish because you haven't been fishing. 00:27:31.119 --> 00:27:35.119 You're not going to catch a fish if you don't fish. 00:27:35.119 --> 00:27:38.640 You're not going to win souls if you don't go so winning. 00:27:38.640 --> 00:27:44.799 But what can we do to catch more fish? 00:27:44.799 --> 00:27:48.720 If we're called to be fishers of men, what can we do? 00:27:49.680 --> 00:27:52.880 Let me give you some tips, some applications. 00:27:52.880 --> 00:27:55.039 Be ready. 00:27:57.200 --> 00:28:00.240 Wake up prayer. 00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:00.960 Prayerful Lord. 00:28:00.960 --> 00:28:02.400 I'm ready. 00:28:02.400 --> 00:28:07.119 I'm ready to give an answer to the hope that is within me. 00:28:07.119 --> 00:28:09.039 I'm ready to share my faith. 00:28:09.039 --> 00:28:15.920 Another thing you can do and I found this to be very effective. 00:28:15.920 --> 00:28:20.720 Personally, this is just my personal advice that I found very helpful to me. 00:28:20.720 --> 00:28:25.359 Every time I pray for an opportunity to witness, I usually find an opportunity to witness. 00:28:25.359 --> 00:28:29.599 I pray for an opportunity to witness. 00:28:29.599 --> 00:28:34.880 Say, Lord, give me an opportunity to share the faith this week. 00:28:34.880 --> 00:28:39.039 I'm looking for an opportunity to share the faith. 00:28:39.039 --> 00:28:40.880 Bring someone through my path. 00:28:40.880 --> 00:28:42.319 Bring someone I can talk to. 00:28:42.319 --> 00:28:45.039 Give me an opportunity today. 00:28:45.039 --> 00:28:49.759 It helped me not to be offensive, but it helped me to be loving to them and kind to them. 00:28:49.759 --> 00:28:56.559 And I promise you, if that's your prayer, if that's your sincere prayer, you'll see that God will answer that. 00:28:56.559 --> 00:28:58.720 I've had it multiple times. 00:28:58.720 --> 00:29:01.039 God answered that prayer for me. 00:29:01.039 --> 00:29:06.240 Being ready and praying for opportunities to evangelize. 00:29:13.440 --> 00:29:17.359 The last thing we see that was the characteristic of Paul. 00:29:17.359 --> 00:29:21.519 I think this is what made him such an effective evangelist. 00:29:21.519 --> 00:29:22.799 We see this in verse 23. 00:29:22.799 --> 00:29:27.359 Not only did he love people, did he love holiness? 00:29:27.359 --> 00:29:28.559 He loved to win souls. 00:29:28.559 --> 00:29:31.599 He loved the gospel. 00:29:31.599 --> 00:29:32.720 Look at verse 23. 00:29:32.720 --> 00:29:35.920 I do it all for the sake of the gospel. 00:29:35.920 --> 00:29:40.799 I mean, he's doing all this now, not just what we see in this text. 00:29:40.799 --> 00:29:44.559 Go back to the beginning of chapter nine and into chapter eight. 00:29:44.559 --> 00:29:46.720 I mean, he's giving up a ton of liberties. 00:29:46.720 --> 00:29:52.079 And not only that, he's suffering so much to be a missionary. 00:29:52.079 --> 00:29:57.119 And he is doing without financial support. 00:29:57.119 --> 00:29:58.480 He's doing without a wife. 00:29:58.480 --> 00:30:02.480 He's giving up his health. 00:30:02.480 --> 00:30:06.000 He's serving and serving and serving and serving. 00:30:06.000 --> 00:30:07.200 He says, I do it all. 00:30:07.200 --> 00:30:09.759 My motivation before all in all this. 00:30:10.720 --> 00:30:12.240 Is that I love the gospel. 00:30:12.240 --> 00:30:15.920 I do it all for the sake of the gospel. 00:30:15.920 --> 00:30:17.920 This was Paul's chief motivation. 00:30:17.920 --> 00:30:27.440 You know, understanding the gospel that we're saved by grace alone through faith, faith alone in Christ alone, understanding that we're saved not by works, but by Christ. 00:30:27.440 --> 00:30:31.279 He understood that salvation is of Christ night himself. 00:30:31.279 --> 00:30:40.640 But this motivated him understanding what Christ did for him was the chief motivation for him to go out and share the gospel to others. 00:30:40.640 --> 00:30:45.440 We should contemplate if we're lacking zeal to evangelize. 00:30:45.440 --> 00:30:52.400 If we're lacking the desire to be soul winners, we should contemplate deeply what God has done for you and I. 00:30:52.400 --> 00:31:00.640 We should we should meditate on our sins being forgiven by the death of Jesus Christ. 00:31:00.640 --> 00:31:04.559 And that should just that should move us to law. 00:31:05.599 --> 00:31:07.359 It should move us to compassion. 00:31:07.359 --> 00:31:11.440 And it's like this is the this is the story of the good news. 00:31:11.440 --> 00:31:22.799 You know, I'll say this before I close. 00:31:22.799 --> 00:31:31.839 You know, being saved by grace alone doesn't lead us to laziness. 00:31:34.240 --> 00:31:37.440 It shouldn't lead us to go, okay, God's going to save who he wants to save. 00:31:37.440 --> 00:31:39.440 And it doesn't doesn't matter what I do. 00:31:39.440 --> 00:31:46.880 You know, this is why faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of word of God. 00:31:46.880 --> 00:31:51.440 The word of God comes by the preacher, the one who is sent. 00:31:51.440 --> 00:31:54.880 This is why the preachers have beautiful feet. 00:31:54.880 --> 00:31:58.400 God is going to use means and he could use you. 00:31:58.400 --> 00:32:00.960 And there's no greater joy. 00:32:00.960 --> 00:32:02.319 I don't I really believe this. 00:32:03.359 --> 00:32:13.200 There's no greater joy in this life to know that you've been used by the Holy Spirit to bring about eternal fruit. 00:32:13.200 --> 00:32:17.200 Think about that. 00:32:17.200 --> 00:32:21.680 I mean, I love mowing the yard and I love after mode. 00:32:21.680 --> 00:32:22.799 I don't love mowing the yard. 00:32:22.799 --> 00:32:29.519 I kind of like mowing the yard, but I really enjoy looking at the yard mode when I'm done. 00:32:29.519 --> 00:32:32.400 That sense of fulfillment. 00:32:33.359 --> 00:32:39.119 Look what I did, you know, because so much of our life you feel like, well, what have I done? 00:32:39.119 --> 00:32:39.920 What have I done? 00:32:39.920 --> 00:32:45.359 And it's that emptiness that drives us kind of like I'm wasting my life. 00:32:45.359 --> 00:32:46.480 It's an empty feeling. 00:32:46.480 --> 00:32:48.640 Remember when Jesus. 00:32:48.640 --> 00:32:51.279 Witness to the woman at the well. 00:32:51.279 --> 00:32:55.759 And he was winning her soul. 00:32:55.759 --> 00:33:01.039 And in the process, the disciples come back to him. 00:33:01.039 --> 00:33:02.480 It's like, hey, where's your food? 00:33:02.480 --> 00:33:05.039 He says, I don't have I have food that you don't know of. 00:33:05.039 --> 00:33:07.920 And they thought, well, did you go into town and get some food? 00:33:07.920 --> 00:33:20.079 And he says, no, my food or my joy, my satisfaction, that which sustains me, what that which is can cause me to skip a meal and not realize I skipped a meal. 00:33:20.079 --> 00:33:26.880 That which satisfies me is to do the will of my father. 00:33:29.279 --> 00:33:30.480 Here he is. 00:33:30.480 --> 00:33:37.119 Jesus is finding great joy in seeing that the Samaritan woman come to know the Lord. 00:33:37.119 --> 00:33:44.880 There's nothing greater, brothers and sisters, that we can do than be soul winners for Christ. 00:33:44.880 --> 00:33:47.680 And so I want to encourage you. 00:33:47.680 --> 00:33:49.839 There's different ways to do it. 00:33:49.839 --> 00:33:56.880 You can you can do as some and go out on the campuses and preach. 00:33:56.880 --> 00:34:00.559 You can go knock on doors. Love that you could do that. 00:34:00.559 --> 00:34:07.119 But the way I do it, and I'm comfortable doing it, is I'm praying. 00:34:07.119 --> 00:34:14.159 I'm praying for the boldness to open up conversations to people I beat throughout the week. 00:34:14.159 --> 00:34:20.800 And typically, when I'm praying, when I'm looking, those opportunities come to me without fail. 00:34:20.800 --> 00:34:26.639 One time I'll give you this is encouragement. 00:34:26.639 --> 00:34:28.079 Not because I'm good at this. 00:34:28.079 --> 00:34:31.760 There's a ton of people in this church is much better evangelizing than I am. 00:34:31.760 --> 00:34:34.960 But this is encouraging to me, though, does get in a haircut. 00:34:34.960 --> 00:34:39.119 And I told the lady about my testimony, give me a haircut. 00:34:39.119 --> 00:34:42.079 I told her about how I almost killed myself and I went through my testimony. 00:34:42.079 --> 00:34:44.320 And I didn't think much about it. 00:34:44.320 --> 00:34:51.440 But it's one way I like to evangelize is making my personal testimony and opening doors that way. 00:34:51.440 --> 00:34:53.679 And I didn't think anything about it. 00:34:53.679 --> 00:34:57.119 Then the next month I went to I know it takes me a month to get a haircut. 00:34:57.119 --> 00:35:00.000 The next month I go and see her again. 00:35:00.000 --> 00:35:02.559 She goes, Hey, I want you to tell me that story again. 00:35:02.559 --> 00:35:05.519 I went and told my husband what you said. 00:35:05.519 --> 00:35:07.440 Could you tell it to me again? 00:35:07.440 --> 00:35:12.639 And then she goes, Hey, he's going to tell me a story of how the Lord saved him. 00:35:12.639 --> 00:35:20.239 And I kid you not, every beautician, there's like five or six of them stop what they were doing, plus the ones that are getting haircuts. 00:35:20.239 --> 00:35:21.760 And they all turned around. 00:35:21.760 --> 00:35:26.559 And I had the whole, whole center to myself to evangelize. 00:35:26.559 --> 00:35:31.840 It's like, and I felt like that was the best sermon I've ever preached in my life. 00:35:31.840 --> 00:35:35.280 I felt like that was more enjoyable, that spontaneous. 00:35:35.280 --> 00:35:46.719 Be able to evangelize at that moment was more glorious than preaching a sermon here, because it was you knew as of the Lord, you knew that God had arranged that. 00:35:46.719 --> 00:36:01.440 And so that's, it's like, if you understood the importance of soul winning, you'll find that it is such a joy and you may not win souls every time you throw out the line, but you're not going to catch somebody if you don't throw out the line. 00:36:01.440 --> 00:36:04.239 You're not going to win souls if you don't witness. 00:36:04.239 --> 00:36:10.800 So love people, love holiness, love souls, love to win souls and love the gospel. 00:36:10.800 --> 00:36:11.360 Let's pray. 00:36:11.360 --> 00:36:19.840 Dear God, give us a deeper love for your people and for your lost people. 00:36:20.880 --> 00:36:36.239 Help us Lord to have that heart that the apostle Paul had to do without to sacrifice our own liberties so that we're not offensive to others, that we could be better able to reach them and win more souls to you. 00:36:36.239 --> 00:36:42.800 Lord, I would pray that you would give us many souls from all of us who are here. 00:36:42.800 --> 00:36:48.079 We're a lot of fishermen in this room, a lot of fish out there, dear Lord. 00:36:48.079 --> 00:36:49.760 Help us to go fishing for you. 00:36:50.480 --> 00:36:53.280 This we pray in your Son's name. Amen.