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Paul was
perhaps the greatest evangelist of all time. He
had an unquenchable passion to bring the Good
News about the Messiah, the Good News that Yeshua
of Nazareth is the Messiah, the Son of God who
was sent by God the Father, from Heaven to Earth.
The Son of God became a man, died on a cross,
and was raised from the dead, thereby overcoming
sin and death, and making salvation, eternal life,
reconciliation with God possible for all those
who believe in Messiah, who place their faith
and trust and love in God.
Nothing
could stop Paul: imprisonments, beating times
without number, frequent danger of death. Five
times he received thirty-nine lashes from his
Jewish people. He was beaten with rods three times.
He was stoned once. He was shipwrecked three times,
and he spent a night and a day in the sea. He
went on frequent journeys, and was in danger from
rivers, robbers, from his countrymen and from
the Gentiles. He experienced dangers in the city,
in the wilderness, on the sea, among false brothers.
He experienced labor and hardship, many sleepless
nights, hunger and thirst, cold and exposure.
He believed
that all of these hardships that he would ever
experience in this life as a result of serving
God and preaching the Good News were worth it.
He knew that all the sufferings in this short
life can't be compared to the eternal rewards
in store for those who love and serve the Lord.
In 1 Corinthians 9:23 Paul tells us that, "I do
all things for the sake of the Gospel - the Good
News about Messiah, so that I may become a fellow
partaker of it, and share in its blessings."
Great
Emissaries like Paul are not the only ones charged
to preach the Good News. The command to witness,
testify, preach, declare, proclaim, share, is
given to all of us.
If we
are faithful to this command, like Paul, we will
participate in the blessings and rewards that
come from sharing the Good News. There are levels
of reward. It's possible to lose most, perhaps
even all of your reward. We want to get the greatest
possible reward. Therefore we want to give ourselves
fully to God, to Messiah, to the Mission, to sharing
the Good News. We don't want to lose any of the
potential blessings that faithful sharers of the
Good News are promised!
Paul makes
this point when he compares our life in this world,
and the possibility of getting a great reward,
to a race: Do you not know that those who run
in a race all run, but only one receives the prize?
Run in such a way that you may win. Not everyone
wins the race. Not everyone comes in first. Run
to win. Run hard. Run fast. In other words, be
serious about God! Give yourself fully to Him,
and His service. Live for Him! Be bold! Courageously
preach the Good News!
The he
tells us that athletes who expect to win need
to prepare themselves for the competition. Everyone
who competes in the games exercises self-control
in all things. The Greeks were famous for their
games, their competitions of physical prowess
and strength. The athletes who participated in
the games worked, they trained, they exercised
to get themselves into shape.
We too
must exercise self-control. We need to get into
shape and stay in shape spiritually, so that we
will be godly, useful and successful. Unfortunately
most people spend far more time exercising their
bodies than they do training their souls.
People
in the United States spend billions of dollars
each year and millions of hours on physical exercise.
You can see them at the health clubs, working
out on machines, running, jumping, lifting, sweating.
What motivated
the Greek athletes? They then do it to receive
a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. Among
the Greeks, the athletes who won were given a
wreath, made out of pine, or laurel, or some other
perishable material. They were honored by their
fellow man.
We should
be even more motivated than the most serious athlete,
knowing that the reward we are striving for is
infinitely more valuable! Those who live faithfully
for God and Messiah, and are faithful and true,
and partake in the Good News, will receive honors
and rewards that will last forever. When God gives
you that crown that will last forever, that commendation,
when you hear those words, "Well done, good and
faithful servant; you were faithful with a few
things. I will put you in charge of many things;
enter into the joy of your master," won't all
the sacrifices and hardships we experience in
this world be worth it?
Paul continues:
Therefore I run in such a way, as not without
aim; I have a goal. I have a purpose. I know why
I am here. I know what my life is for. It's not
about materialism, or living an easy life, or
pleasing myself, or having a good time. It's about
serving God, building up His Kingdom, spreading
the Gospel, working with God and Messiah to save
the souls of others.
He continues
with an illustration from another sport - boxing:
I box in such a way, as not beating the air; but
I discipline my body and make it my slave, so
that, after I have preached to others, I myself
will not be disqualified. Paul compares himself
to a boxer. He is fighting, but he isn't throwing
wild punches. No, his punches are connecting,
but his opponent is not another boxer, but himself!
The one he is hitting is himself! Not literally,
but what he means is that he exercises self-control.
He musters all of his energies to bring his desires,
his lusts, under control. He disciplines himself,
and controls his body, so that he won't give in
to his lusts, and be disqualified from the ministry.
The Lord
can't use hypocrites, who declare the truth about
God and about God's right standards for living,
but then deny the truth in their own lives. We
don't want be disqualified from serving the Lord
by losing self-control, and then losing some of
our reward.
So, it's
very important for each one of us exercise ourselves
spiritually, and practice the spiritual disciplines.
We must take in the Word of God. We must read
God's Word on our own. We should make a habit
of reading the Word of God each day. Regular reading
of the Bible is one of the most influential factors
in shaping a person's moral and social behavior.
Not only
read the Word of God, but study it. Look up cross
references, those little note in many Bibles that
tell you to go to a related passage. Find a key
word and look it up in a concordance and study
that topic. Outline a chapter, one paragraph at
a time. Do the same with an entire book of the
Bible. Do word studies, character studies, topical
studies, book studies. Experience the joy of discovering
Biblical insights firsthand through your own Bible
study.
Memorize
God's Word. "I have treasured Your word in my
heart that I may not sin against You" (Psalm 119:11)
the Psalmist wrote 3000 years ago. For thousands
of years the sons and daughters of God have found
it very profitable to memorize parts of the Scriptures.
Meditate
on God's Word. Meditate means to ponder, to think
it over, to turn it over, examining it from a
different angle, to chew on it, to contemplate
it. You can become like the writer of Psalm 119:97
who exclaimed: "O how I love your Torah! It is
my meditation all the day." I constantly am thinking
about it, contemplating it, turning it over and
over in my mind.
Hear the
Word of God taught by your rabbi, which means
that you must develop the practice of regularly
attending a congregation where the Word of God
is faithfully preached. Go to your congregation
regularly, whether you feel like it or not. Build
that spiritual habit into your life, as part of
your routine. Don't forsake assembling together,
as is the bad habit of some.
Develop
the discipline of serving. Do something for your
congregation - cleaning up, setting up, running
errands, providing transportation, visiting the
sick. In most congregations, 20 percent of the
people do 80 percent of the work. How can any
child of God sit on the sidelines and watch others
do the work of the kingdom? And yet time after
time it is the same people who serve, and it is
the same people who don't.
Develop
the discipline of giving. Giving is a duty. Giving
should be disciplined, planned and systematic.
Discipline yourself to give at least ten percent
to ministries that are solid, reliable and doing
the work of the Kingdom of Messiah, especially
and foremost to your synagogue.
Devote
yourselves to prayer. Give it your time and attention.
Strive to pray without ceasing. Discipline yourself
to turn your mind and your thoughts throughout
the day to God, to talk to Him about things are
interesting to you. Anything that comes to your
mind thank God for, and pray about everything
that strikes you powerfully. Thank Him, praise
Him, intercede for yourself and others, our congregation,
the Jewish community, the Messianic movement,
the church, the world, our government.
Fasting
strengthens our intercession and gives extra fervor
to our prayers.
Evangelism
is a spiritual discipline. Develop the attitude
that you will share your faith in all kinds of
situations and circumstances, whether you feel
like it or not. Be ready in season and out of
season to share your faith. Don't wait for witnessing
opportunities to occur, for someone else to open
up the conversation in a spiritual direction.
We must take the initiative and make witnessing
opportunities happen. Prepare yourself to be able
to give a decent answer for the hope that you
have. Know why you believe and how best to explain
your faith intelligently to those who ask.
These
spiritual disciplines will keep us in good spiritual
shape, so that we can be useful. They will help
us from being disqualified, and lose our reward.
These are positive things that we can do.
Then,
there are also things we must avoid in order to
be successful, and win the race, and receive a
great reward. Paul tells us to learn from the
generation of Jewish people that left Egypt. They
didn't exercise self-control. They didn't avoid
temptation They gave into the things that tempted
them, and most of them lost their reward, and
forfeited their blessing. Don't be like them!
For I
do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that
our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed
through the sea; and all were baptized into Moses
in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same
spiritual food; and all drank the same spiritual
drink, for they were drinking from a spiritual
rock which followed them; and the rock was Messiah.
The Jewish
people who left Egypt were in a similar situation
as the Believers in Corinth were, and as we are.
They were all under the cloud. The cloud that
led the Jewish people through the wilderness represented
the Presence of God. They were close to God. Christians
and Messianic Jews are close to God.
The generation
that was saved out of Egypt passed through the
sea: passing through the sea represents baptism.
They had experienced salvation from slavery in
Egypt and were baptized. The saints at Corinth
were baptized - as were we.
The generation
that was saved out of Egypt had a great leader
- Moses, a prophet who spoke the words of God,
a lawgiver who taught them, a mediator through
whom a covenant came, a priest who drew them closer
to God. They were baptized into Moses, which means
that they were joined to him, they were united
to him and his godly leadership. We have an even
greater leader - Yeshua, the eternal Son of God
and the Son of Man prophet, priest, king, teacher,
and the Source of the New Covenant.
The generation
that was saved out of Egypt ate spiritual food:
the manna that supernaturally appeared in the
wilderness. They drank spiritual water from the
rock. Two times the Jewish people needed water,
and the Lord miraculously provided it from a rock
(see Exodus 17:1-7 and Numbers 20:1-13). We too
eat spiritual food and drink. We eat bread and
drink wine, remembering Yeshua, the Bread of Life,
and the One who gives the living waters that forever
quench our thirsty souls.
There
is a Jewish tradition that the rock that provided
water followed the Jewish people in the wilderness.
"Since the rock is mentioned twice, and is in
different settings, a rabbinic legend held that
the rock actually followed the Jewish people (Ryrie)."
Paul uses this tradition and tells us that the
Rock that followed them is the same Rock who is
with us! Yeshua, the Son of God always existed,
and He was with the Jewish people in the wilderness,
protecting them, helping them. And, that same
Rock follows us! Yeshua, the Rock of our Salvation,
is strong, solid, dependable and enduring. He
defends us, and provides protection from all attacks.
In an unstable world, He provides stability and
gives us solid foundation for our lives. He is
with us wherever we go, and will never leave us
or forsake us!
The generation
that was saved out of Egypt had experienced great
spiritual realities, as had the Corinthians Believers,
as have we. Nevertheless, with most of them God
was not well-pleased; for they were laid low in
the wilderness. The Lord was displeased with the
majority of the wilderness generation. He was
angry with them, and they died in the wilderness.
Almost none of them made it to the goal - even
though it was a short journey to the Promised
Land.
Here is
the point: Now these things happened as examples
for us, so that we would not crave evil things
as they also craved. In spite of so many blessings
- closeness to God, and baptism, and eating spiritual
food and drinking spiritual drink, and having
a great leader, they didn't make it to the goal,
they fell short, they were disqualified, and they
lost much of their reward.
What prevented
that generation from being successful and receiving
all the blessings that God wanted to give them?
They gave into temptation. They craved, they lusted,
they desired evil things. We face the same danger.
We can allow the desire for the wrong things to
grow, until it crowds out the desire to serve
God, be close to Him, be used by Him to our maximum
potential.
Paul specifically
mentions the evil things that he wants us to avoid:
-
Avoid the temptation of
idolatry. Do not be idolaters, as some of
them were; as it is written, "The people sat
down to eat and drink, and stood up to play."
This refers to the worship of the golden calf.
Even though the Lord had made it clear that
we were not to use a visible image for the
invisible God, the sons of Israel did. We
engaged in false religion. We combined God,
who is Spirit, with the material. We brought
the holy and infinite God down to our level.
There is much false religion today, and it's
getting worse. Of course there are the non-Christian
false religions, some of which worship many
gods, and employ idols. There are the prayers
and devotions and veneration of the saints,
which is idolatry. But there is also idolatry
in the Church - combining God with materialism
- the wicked prosperity teaching. Avoid the
temptation of idolatry.
-
Avoid the temptation of
sexual immorality. Nor let us act immorally,
as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand
fell in one day. This refers to what happened
at Shittim (see Numbers 25:1-9) when many
Jewish men engaged in sexual relations with
Moabite women, and that led us to worship
a false god, Baal of Peor. Sexual immorality
will lead you away from God. It will ruin
your spiritual life and usefulness. It is
a very common sin in our society, and even
in the Church today. Avoid sexual immorality.
Don't do it!
-
Avoid the temptation of
grumbling and complaining and fighting against
God. Nor let us try the Lord, as some of them
did, and were destroyed by the serpents. Nor
grumble, as some of them did, and were destroyed
by the destroyer. The Jewish people tried
the Lord when we became impatient because
of the length and hardship and the conditions
of the journey (see Numbers 21:4-9). The people
complained about God and Moses, accusing them
of bringing them into the wilderness, not
to save them from Egypt, and bring them to
a good land, but to kill them! The Lord was
angry and sent many poisonous snakes that
had a fiery, lethal bite, and the snakes bit
many, and many died. There is something very
wrong about sinful, mortal creatures complaining
about the all-good Creator, complaining about
Him, rebelling against the good leadership
He set in place by following bad leaders and
false prophets. We don't want to become angry
with God, or blame Him for the conditions
in our life, or question His character, or
become ungrateful. We should understand that
He is working all things together for our
good. The righteous try to praise God in the
midst of their circumstances. They understand
that there is a good reason for them, even
though they may be very painful, and may not
be understood at the time. They strive to
have the attitude expressed by the most excellent
Job: "though He slay me, I will hope in Him."
We tried the Lord again after the Korah's
rebellion, when the ground split open under
Korah, Datan and Aviram, and they were swallowed
alive; also supernatural fire incinerated
250 other leaders who joined them in their
rebellion. Incredibly, many of the Jewish
people had the chutzpah to blame Moses for
this rebellion against his leadership, and
they grumbled against Moses and Aaron, blaming
the innocent victims for the deeds of the
wrongdoers. A plague came and killed 14,700
more.
Now these
things happened to them as an example, and they
were written for our instruction, upon whom the
ends of the ages have come.
Israel
serves as an example for all believers. Why should
Christians know the Torah, and the entire Tenach?
What happened to the Jewish people, and then was
written down, is an example to the New Covenant
Community. All of us are to know the history and
learn the lessons from God's Holy Nation Israel.
We have the advantage of living later in history,
and being able to learn from what happened to
them.
We are
those upon whom the end of the ages have come!
We live at the culmination of human history. Why?
The Creator entered this world and did marvelous
things! The Son of God has come! God has revealed
Himself to us! God joined Himself to humanity!
He has made salvation possible! Now, we can look
back at the previous dispensations and see that
God blessed those who served the Lord, who practiced
obedience, faithfulness, righteousness and self-control,
and He punished those who yielded to temptation,
and abandoned self-control.
The generation
that left Egypt were deeply religious people,
as many of us are. They were blessed with a salvation
experience out of Egypt, and the presence of God,
and baptism, and spiritual food and drink. But
in spite of all their advantages, they failed.
Don't make the same mistake!
Therefore
let him who thinks he stands take heed that he
does not fall. Again, this is a warning for religious
people, who are close to God, blessed with many
blessings and advantages. Pride comes before the
fall. This is a warning for you, and for me. If
we are not careful, if we don't exercise self-control,
if we don't stay close to the Lord, we can fall.
How do
we take heed? How do we make sure that we are
standing, and not falling? By practicing the spiritual
disciplines, and by being aware of the areas of
temptations, and avoiding those things that lead
us in that direction:
You
can do it! You can be successful! You don't
have to fail. You don't have to give into temptation!
No temptation has overtaken you but such as
is common to man. You are not unique. Many others
have faced the same temptation, and many have
succeeded. You can too! God is faithful, who
will not allow you to be tempted beyond what
you are able, but with the temptation will provide
the way of escape also, so that you will be
able to endure it. God is faithful. He can be
relied upon to limit your circumstances to what
you, with His help and grace, can handle. You
have His promise that there will be a way through
that trial, that temptation, that difficult
circumstance. Be faithful, endure, look for
help, look for the way out. It will come!
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