Let's Pray

[vooke]

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Good morning church,
 Today I wish we read 1 Cor 9:1-15. Should take you at most 45 seconds. Read it again




Paul makes a STRONG argument for requiring and even expecting SUPPORT from the very people he serves while preaching.

He uses four illustrations to drive the point home. Two of these are natural examples;

1. SOLDIERS are paid for fighting. KDF I hear they earn $1,000 from UN for every month they remain in Somalia over and above their normal salaries
2. FARMERS are rewarded with harvest and they expect it, whether it is milk or grapes

He then  steps up and draws from the scriptures;
1. The OX- Deuteronomy 25:4 about not muzzling an ox while it is working. God had bigger ideas other than animal welfare
2. PRIESTS & LEVITES- there are many commands about this like Leviticus 6:6-17,26,
These guys ate offerings offered to God, received tithes and so forth

At this point, it should be clear that vooke deserves to be paid. This is a right. We should support ministers of the gospel in cash or kind. In the Old Testament there was a family that supported a prophet by hosting him.

Remember in most cases, the ministers abandon other means of income to serve you. So if you don't support them, who will?

While greed may be the major cause of Kanyari grade pious frauds, neglecting ministers too has something to do with it. Christians will seldom give unless they are blackmailed with curses or promised utopia. For instance, how many of you would support me after reading this chapter?


Verse 15 is my best.

15 But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision.

Paul never exercised any of the rights. That's a man I want to emulate. Blabbering 'Haki yetu' 24/7 was not his way. Rights rights scream activism! I don't want to be a pastors' rights activist, I want to preach the gospel without placing any obstacle on my listeners. The bazungu missionaries kina Kraft and Livingstone...those are my guys, the Elisha (2Kings 7) who healed Naaman the Karangi of Syria of leprosy and refused to accept a gift(gold and silver) from him.

Shalom

Now, unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all we think or ask (Eph 3:20), let us offer the sacrifices of our lips namely praise;