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No Compromise Radio. Thanks for tuning in to No Compromise Radio with pastor and author, Dr. Mike Abendroff. Today on No Compromise Radio, we'll be hearing Pastor Mike open the Word of God in a recent message he preached at Bethlehem Bible Church in West Boylston, Massachusetts.
Now let's join Pastor Mike in progress as he preaches through the scriptures, verse by verse, with no compromise.
Verse nine, for I think that God has exhibited us, apostles, as, now think of the contrast, you're reigning and we are, what Americans hate to hear, last of all. What are the apostles like? Remember he's going to go on to say in verse 16, be imitators of me.
They're like men sentenced to death because we have become a spectacle to the world, to angels and to men. You also, Bethlehem Bible Church, with me and all the leaders, need to say to yourself, the apostles set the bar for how we should live.
They're the ones to whom we should look as exemplary models of the theology of the cross. So what does Paul say here in verse nine? For I think that God has made us apostles. In other words, look at us.
Compared to the Corinthian church, the apostles look like failures. If I compare you to the apostles, I think we should look like the failures. That's the right kind of thinking. God has exhibited us.
By the way, we have become a spectacle in the ESV. The Greek word, you'll like it, theatron, theater. We have become a spectacle to the world. It's like we're up on this theater stage platform. I don't like to call this a stage because on stages you act.
I like to call this something very, I know it's high liturgy, we call this a platform. And so Paul says, I'm like, I'm on a theater, some amphitheater. And for them, they would recognize who is put before people in an amphitheater, who are the ones that are low enough to be put on stage for the world to watch and everyone else to watch.
I'll tell you who. Slaves and criminals to be executed in the Colosseum. To let the lions out, to let the animals out, and then you say, you know what, we've got a God that needs to be propitiated and we need to offer a human.
And so who do we use? Let's not use business people and advisors and smart intellects. We need to have people who are expendable, people that we don't like, people that we don't need. And so if you have to offer a sacrifice unto some God, don't pick somebody who's in leadership.
If America had to offer somebody to please the God, I doubt we'll pick the president or the vice president. I don't want you to say, well, you know, if it was me, I'd do something different. You get my point.
Spectacles. Paul says, I'm just the opposite of you. The apostles are opposite of you. You want to be up on stage saying, look at us, we've arrived, we'll teach you. And yes, you should be on stage, but you should be on stage with us on your way to be executed.
That's pretty hip. Corinthians, you're on the stage taking a bow and the apostles are on stage and everybody's saying, kill, dead. We don't need these Christians. And by the way, the sentiment in America is growing.
The hatred, the visceral hatred of a Bill Maher or somebody who hates Christianity. And in one sense, I don't know how to think about this because I may escape jail. You may escape jail, but your kids and the next generation who are going to stand up and say, this is the truth.
This is the gospel. And whether you're enslaved to adultery, fornication, any other kind of perversion, homosexuality, covenants, anything else, you're a sinner, a God-damned sinner until Jesus Christ is going to be recognized by you by the grace of God and you bow and you kneel and you submit.
You know what they're going to do with those kind of people when they can change the laws and they will change. Look at Sweden, look at Canada, look at every place else. Look at Rome back then. It's going to cost you.
I always hated it that in the old generations, if there was a crisis, they'd call in the pastors. We were up pretty high in the list, right, with lawyers. The dignified ones, oh clergy, you know, please.
And then now, we're at the bottom. But that's more right thinking. That's more aligned with what the Bible says. I just feel sorry for my kids. My son Luke's a preacher. If one of your kids is a preacher, then what are they going to get?
They're going to need to realize that it's going to be cross before crown, suffering before glory. Jesus suffered, Paul suffered, Stephen suffered, Peter suffered, and we've been living high in the hog the last 200 years in America and it's about over.
But you know what the good news is? Is forgiveness worth it? Is obeying God in light of what He's done for us in Christ worth it? See, if your number one goal is acceptance, hipster, cool, easy life, spiritual retirement, then you've got to change the message.
Well, the original manuscripts, hell is just some kind of annihilation and the list goes on and on and on. But if you really realize who God is and what He said in His word, then you think, you know, if I have to suffer like John Bunyan, if I have to suffer like William Carey, if I have to suffer like Mary Slessor, if I have to suffer like William Tyndale, John Wycliffe, and the list goes on, all your favorite heroes are sufferers.
But it's worth honoring the Lord. It's worth forgiveness. That's the kind of person that's recognized by the Spirit of God's enlightenment and illumination. And that's the kind of person who's growing, who's not immature.
I mean, I don't like it that America is going the way it's going, but some amphitheaters of execution and jail would do the church well. I can guarantee you this, next Sunday if the IRS people are standing at that door and they say when you come in, you're allowed to worship publicly and openly if you give us your social security number because you will be taxed half your money, you can come and freely worship.
I wonder how many people would be at Bethlehem Bible Church. I know this. I know we'd grow. And I know as God slams down, the world slams down martyrs, the blood of the martyrs is the seedbed of the church, isn't it?
And by the way, when I look at myself and my old life, I don't think we deserve much more than being a spectacle anyway. By the way, who did this? Verse 9, for I think that God has exhibited us. Do you see the theology of the sovereignty of God and suffering?
God is sovereign over suffering, God is sovereign through suffering, and God is sovereign over who suffers and how they suffer. I had to ask myself the question, am I ready for the world to look at me like a spectacle, a condemned prisoner, humiliated?
I read this week that the people who were condemned to death and put in the amphitheater were called bestiarii, and it says, those who went into combat with beasts. As a means of torturous capital punishment, death by wild beast was a punishment for enemies of the state, a category which included those taken prisoner and slaves found guilty of a serious crime.
They were sent to their deaths naked and unable to defend themselves against the beasts. Even if they succeeded in killing one, fresh animals were continually let loose on them until they were all dead.
It was reported that it was seldom necessary for two beasts to be required to take down one man. On the contrary, one beast frequently dispatched several men. Cicero mentioned one single lion that alone dispatched 200 men.
Paul says, suffering, hardship, and the world hating me is the paradigm for mature Christians. He goes on in verse 10, I don't know if you know catfish, but when I hold a catfish I have to hold carefully because they have barbs that come up.
I actually learned this week, technically they're called barbells, barbels. You can almost feel this verse if you were to wrap your hands around it, you can feel the things that stick up. You want a model to follow, Bethlehem Bible Church?
Here's your model to follow. We are fools for Christ's sake, but you are wise. We are weak, but you're strong. You are held in honor, but we, remember the apostles, are in disrepute. You see the three contrasts there?
Fools wise, mentally, physically weak, strong, socially honorable, despised. Paul says, you're arrogant, Corinthians. Paul wasn't a real fool, he wasn't really weak, he wasn't really contemptible, but he shows the contrast here.
Earlier in chapter 1 we talked about the weakness of God. I like that old banner that I saw once, a sandwich board. Remember sandwich boards? For those of you that are too young, it was a board with a couple pieces of rope, and it kind of had a hole where you put it on your head, and there was one advertisement here and one here.
Even when you drive past West Boylston, there's some sandwich shop, and there's a guy out there with a sandwich board almost every day. What's the name, Dagwoods? Yeah, Darby's, Darcy's, I don't know what it's called.
I just know the guy's out there waving every time with a sandwich board. It's like, Paul's got a sandwich board on, I'm a fool for Christ's sake. And then on the back, whose fool are you? I mean, everything's backwards in our minds because we think unlike biblical revelation.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God. Who talks like that? Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
What's the response when you suffer? Here's a response. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven. For so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. You're just in a long domino line of those who have suffered.
By the way, if you're not a Christian here this morning, you need forgiveness of sins. But you need to know that your life as you know it could be completely over. And you need to count the costs. Because if you want to be held high in high esteem with your friends, family, neighbors, whenever Jesus had a large crowd coming and talking to him, he often did things like this.
If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross, death, and come after me cannot be my disciple.
And if you're a Christian, remember cross before crown. Verse 11, were the apostles cool? To the present hour we hunger and thirst. We're poorly dressed and buffeted and homeless. I don't even have a real home.
I just wander from place to place, Paul said. I've been beaten. That word buffeted means to beat, to pummel. Paul says we're on the lowest social rung. Maybe I could put it this way. The Corinthians are like televangelists today.
Thinking they have arrived, thinking they're mature, thinking they're fat, dumb, and happy spiritually. They're full, they're rich, they're reigning. But in reality, show me someone who has reached Christian maturity, and I'll show you somebody who's like Paul.
Brutally treated, Paul said. That's exactly the word used in Matthew 26 of Jesus and his ill treatment. Verse 12, and we labor, working with our own hands. By the way, Greeks hated labor. You mean to tell me you're a worker?
They hated it. We're slandered? We answer with the kind words. We're reviled? We're cursed? How about this, verse 13. It's like the worst is for last. Ever heard the best is for last? Here's the worst for last.
You sure you want to become a Christian? When slandered, we entreat. We have become, and still are, in the world's eyes. I wonder if people think this way of you at work. Are you cloaking your cool Christianity?
Like scum of the world, the refuse of all things. If I had one word for that, I'd probably have to say picturesque. Paul says we are cast off. And when people look at us because they know who we are as apostles, we might duck and jive and be quiet about it and not tell people we're real Christians.
But everybody knew Paul was. And when they looked at Paul, they said, Listen, that guy is garbage. That guy is filth. You only use these words for people who were sacrificed in pagan ceremonies. Who are the most low criminals.
It means what's removed by cleaning. Scrapings. If I go into my yard and I play football with Luke or frisbee with the girls, sometimes I'll begin to walk in the house and I'll say, I stepped in something.
And then I'll go outside, I'll put my foot up like this and I'll take a stick. And I'll take a stick and I'll begin to do the dirty job of cleaning my shoe. That's the word here. Removing something from your shoe with a stick.
They're not good for anything. Maybe to work, maybe to sacrifice. This reminds me of the Hindu caste system. The Indian caste system. The Corinthians thought they were at the top of the pecking order.
We're the priests, the teachers, the judges. Maybe we used to be warriors. We used to be farmers and merchants. We used to be laborers and craft workers. Paul says, you know what we are? We're the untouchables.
The untouchables in the caste system in India. Quote, their jobs or habits involved polluting activities including any job that involved ending a life such as fishing. Killing or disposing of dead cattle or working with their hides.
Any contact with human emissions such as sweat, urine or feces. This included occupational groups such as sweepers and washermen. How did society think of Jesus? Second question, is a servant greater than his master?
Sadly, if I struggle with it, you must struggle with it as well. I'd like to have a good reputation with my neighbors. The people in the town, universities, wouldn't you? I'd like to have a good status at work.
Popularity. But what Paul basically says is, it's enough to be justified, redeemed, reconciled, forgiven, adopted. And if the world hates you, it's a sign of maturity. They shouldn't hate you because you're dumb, stupid, prideful and arrogant.
They should hate you because more and more you begin to look like Christ Jesus himself. Just like Paul did. You don't even have to go looking for a fight. Paul, who may be outside of Christ Jesus, lived the most holy life.
People knew it and therefore here was Paul's glory, honor and worldly recognition. I was in far more labors and far more imprisonments. Beaten times without number, often in danger of death. Five times I received from the Jews 39 lashes.
Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. A night and a day I've spent in the deep. I have been on frequent journeys in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren.
I have been in labor and hardship through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. Apart from such external things, there's the daily pressure upon me of concern for all the churches.
If you'd like to be a mature Christian, then you say to yourself, one, I haven't arrived, I want to thirst and hunger. God, give me that taste for thirsting and hungering. And second of all, you ought to say to yourself, I need to look to Christ and the Apostles for authentic Christianity.
The good news is, this world doesn't last forever. And one day we'll stand before God. And for those who have looked to Christ Jesus for salvation, you know what you won't hear on Judgment Day? Think about it.
What should you hear on Judgment Day? Here's what I should hear. Scum, refuse, vile, worm, blasphemer, enemy. And because of Christ's death, His life, His resurrection, do you know what I'm going to hear?
Do you know what you're going to hear? Son. How about that? Well done. Enter in my presence. In my presence is fullness of joy. I'm no longer middle-aged. Middle-age is 35 for a man. I'm 50. I've got 15, 20 years, maybe a day to live between now and then.
And I say, God, I want to soak up your truth. And then as I look like you more and more, I look like the Apostles more and more, whatever comes, comes. I can't even believe we could possibly get a new building, our new land.
Because if we lived in these days, you think they'd sell us land? You think we'd be able to build a building? I think to myself, I am on such easy street when it comes to my Christianity. It's all going to be worth it, friends, in light of what God has done.
There's a man I don't think you've ever heard of. His name was Ebenezer Wooten, W-O-O-T-E-N. And he's kind of a crazy evangelist in England, a century or two ago. And he would go outside and he would preach and he was on the village green in England at Linford Brook.
Several meetings and the last meeting was over. Take down the tent and what they had there. He was talking to a young man who asked him this question, Mr. Wooten, what must I do to be saved? Wooten looked up.
He measured the young man. Too late, matter of factly stated, began to work back on the tent peg. The boy looked at him and he said, Too late, young man. Too late. Oh, don't say that, Mr. Wooten. Surely it's not too late just because the meetings are over.
Yes, my friend, said the evangelist. Dropping the tent peg, now looking the young man in the eye. It's too late. You want to know what you must do to be saved, and I tell you, you're hundreds of years too late.
The work of salvation is done. It's finished. It was finished on the cross. Jesus said so with the last breath that he drew. What more do you want? It's too late. What you don't know and what's very encouraging, there was a young man who was up in the hayloft listening to this exchange.
And this young Hudson Taylor thought about Christ's finished work. Thought about the debt that Jesus paid. He fell down on his knees and believed the gospel. The author says the young man bowed his head and in Thanksgiving rested his soul for time and eternity on the finished work of Christ.
Sounds like to me Hudson Taylor believed in a Christ that one said upon a life I did not live, upon a death I did not die, another's life another's death I stake my whole eternity. And you want to know what faith is?
Taking God for his word. You did all the work I take you at your word. That's saving faith. And in light of what God has done for us, even giving us the faith, it's the least we can do to say I want to learn about you more and if I suffer I suffer.
Let's pray. Our Heavenly Father, these are very difficult words. Tough words. I thank you Father that most of the people here at Bethlehem Bible Church would never say they've arrived. But Lord in our hearts sometimes that's how we act.
So would you cleanse us and forgive us? We look to Christ Jesus who's our mediator and high priest and what a great example he was of always doing your will. Hearing the words from the Father this is my beloved Son in whom I'm well pleased.
Father cleanse us and wash us and then give us a new appetite today. An appetite for holiness, for righteousness, for your word, for a changed life and the suffering that will surely follow a life like Hudson Taylor's who was sold out for you.
In Jesus name, Amen.
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