Scripture to Read: 1 Corinthians 9:11–12
The Christians in Corinth needed to be taught how to care for their pastors, so God used Paul to write to them in order to help them be obedient to our Lord in this area. Today, we read in 1 Corinthians 9:11–12, “If we sowed spiritual things in you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12 If others share the right over you, do we not more? Nevertheless, we did not use this right, but we endure all things so that we will cause no hindrance to the gospel of Christ.” God had Paul remind the Corinthian Christians of how He had used him and others to plant the spiritual seed among the people of Corinth and how they had invested in their lives to lead them to know and follow Jesus as their Lord. Since Paul, Apollos, and others had spent time with the Corinthians, God led Paul to ask the believers in Corinth if he and the others who had led them to Christ were not also entitled to have their physical needs met by being given food and water. Then, Paul added that if the Corinthian Christians supported others who had preached to them, shouldn’t he, Apollos, and those who first came to them have an even greater right to be taken care of? Then, God had Paul remind them that neither he, Apollos, nor the others ever used that right, because they did not want to be an obstacle to the gospel of Christ. We must serve our Lord like this as well, never being an obstacle to the gospel.
Challenge & Application
What are some ways a church can support its pastors?
How do we guard against becoming an obstacle to sharing the gospel of Christ?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!