I Corinthians 9
“I Don't Wanna...” • 7.27.08 • Kingsfield Church, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- We have been studying the book of I Corinthians as a church these last few months. The church in Corinth was young in it’s existence and in it’s faith.
- Consequently, several problems arose from their misunderstandings or ignorance of spiritual truths. Enter in the Apostle Paul.
- Paul had established the church in Corinth on his second missionary journey. Acts 18 and 19 tells us that Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, building the church.
- After he left, problems began to arise because of the Corinthians spiritual immaturity.
- There were divisions, identifying oneself with one superstar Pastor or another.
- There was blatant sin among the Church. One man had an adulterous relationship with his own Father's wife, the 1st century equivalent of a step-mom.
- People within the Church are suing one other.
- They had questions about sexuality and marriage.
- Now it comes to chapter 8 and Paul is building a case for living in love.
- In chapter 8, Paul deals with grey areas, areas of personal liberty that were not sinful, but that did cause some who were weak in the faith to be scandalized.
- Their "grey area" was the consumption of discounted meat that had been purchased from an idol temple. Half the church thought that they were being good stewards of their money.
- The other half, knowing where the meat came from, felt guilty in their conscience and were stumbled at the freedom that others had to partake. Paul sums up the matter like this.
• I Corinthians 8:10-13 : “For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.”
- This brings us to chapter 9 and what seems to be an interruption in Paul's thought. However, this is no interruption; it’s an illustration.
- The first 14 verses of chapter 9 belong to chapter 8 and serve as an intro for today's sermon.
- Paul has been instructing the Corinthians to be sensitive in how they live.
- Paul's point in these first several verses is to demonstrate that he had some rights as well.
v.1 “Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?”
v.2 “If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.” : Paul fits into the criteria of an apostle, having seen the Lord personally on the way to Damascus. He met Jesus in His post resurrection glory!
- However, the most compelling argument was their own existence. The Church in Corinth owed it’s existence to Paul's work! They were "the seal" of his apostleship.
- The “seal” was a mark, usually in wax, indicating ownership and authenticity. The Corinthians themselves were the proof of Paul’s apostleship. He goes on.
v.3 “My defense to those who examine me is this:”
v.4 “Do we have no right to eat and drink?”
v.5 “Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?”
v.6 “Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working?” : The apostles had all the freedom to enjoy support from those they ministered to.
- They ate and drank and brought along their families and it was right for the churches that they ministered in, to provide for them.
- Not only was this accepted with regard to the Apostles, but it was natural in life as well.
v.7 “Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?” : Paul says, “In life, nobody expects anyone to live without enjoying the fruits of their work.”
- He mentions war. Soldiers are given rations. It’s not like they fight and then work a normal job so that they can afford their munitions! We expect them to be separated unto their work.
- Agriculturally, the vineyard worker works for a wage and gets some of the fruit. The same goes for Shepherds. "How about a little milk and some cheese!?" "Lamb chops anyone!?"
- These are commonly accepted realities. But human experience aside, the law of God also spoke to this in principle.
v.8 “Do I say these things as a mere man? Or does not the law say the same also?”
v.9 “For it is written in the law of Moses, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.’ Is it oxen God is concerned about?”
v.10 “Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.” : Paul quotes from the book of Deuteronomy 25:4.
- Paul rightly understands that while God is interested in cattle in terms of good and right treatment, the purpose for putting this in scripture was to illustrate a spiritual point.
˚ "Since oxen cannot read, this verse was not written for them!"
• Luke 10:7 : "And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house."
- Paul has established "his rights," but now he will explain why he chooses not to invoke them.
- If the message of chapter 8 was a call to love the Lord's people more than your own rights, the message of chapter 9 is to love the Lord's program more than you love your rights.
- I want to suggest three statements that Paul might have made, that will guide us through the rest of this chapter this morning.
v.12 “If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ.”
v.13 “Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar?”
v.14 “Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.”
v.15 “But I have used none of these things, nor have I written these things that it should be done so to me; for it would be better for me to die than that any one should make my boasting void.”
v.16 “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!”
v.17 “For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship.”
v.18 “What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel.” - It's clear from his Apostleship, the experience of life, the law and in Christ's instruction, that Paul had the right to partake materially because of what he had sown spiritually.
- Notice Verse 12: “Nevertheless we have not used this right.”
- It was right that they should take of whatever funds were available to them. Paui and Barnabas dd not! He would not take a living from the gospel lest that right hinder the gospel of Christ.
- Paul was committed with a great zeal, to the gospel message.
- In verse 15, he says, and I believe, without any use of hyperbole, that he would rather die, than for anyone to make his boasting void, namely that he was able to preach the gospel for free.
- This was something that he had to do. He was compelled to preach the gospel. Note the words in verse 16: "For necessity is laid upon me." "Woe is me" means "I am miserable if I don't."
- Everything Paul did or did not do was based not on what he wanted to do, but what he had to do! His priority was the Lord's work.
- It's interesting to me how many people don't understand this concept. Paul knew that the secret to a great life, was to live out and live for, the call of God.
- His reward, a picturesque term when we think about it, was to present the gospel free of charge. It reminds me of people who speak about giving a generous gift, without thought of return.
- They often tell you that the reward is seeing the joy that the gift brings. (llustrate)
- Paul was a serious man when it came to ministry! He did not want to hinder the preaching of the gospel, his ministry, by invoking and sticking to His rights.
- He did this to protect the integrity of the mission and to guard against himself.
- Notice that last phrase in verse 18: "That I may not abuse my authority." Paul was aware that financial support could help, but it could also hinder. He did not want to take the chance.
- As we think about this section, I wonder if we might have some liberties that could hinder the proclamation of the gospel in our lives. Use of language, what we listen to, what we take in.
- Paul cautions us to be careful not to hinder what God intends to do through us by the use of our freedoms.
v.19 “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more;”
v.20 “and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law;”
v.21 “to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ, that I might win those who are without law;”
v.22 “to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”
v.23 “Now this I do for the gospel's sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.” : The Ministry of the word, the preaching, the proclamation of the gospel, burned in Paul's soul and was going to preach it until his dying breath. He tells the Corinthians that he was free from all men.
- He was not bound to anyone's traditions. In Paul's world and Biblically, this seems to be the delineation, there were two people groups: The Jews and The Gentiles.
- Paul would find himself among both.
- Paul belonged to the New Man, as he was in Christ. He was now bound to Christ and His laws and not the laws of the Jews or the Gentiles. In this way, he is free from all men.
- But, as a free man, Paul makes a choice to make himself a servant to all because the payoff would be the possibility of salvation for either group.
- He would tailor his methods toward each group of people, so as to limit offense and maximize potential. Now, right this moment, it's important to understand that this does not include altering the message at all! The message was static; the method was dynamic.
- Paul did not want to offend by using a method that would silence the message. So to the Jews he became as a Jew. To the Gentiles, as a Gentile. The weak as one who is weak, etc
- If he had gone to a Jewish audience and talked about how much bacon he consumed, they would turn him off immediately! Likewise, if he told the Gentiles that they were breaching Jewish law and just read to them from Leviticus, their ears would turn deaf.
- He sums it up in verse 22: I have become all things to all people that I might save some!
- This is the focus needed in each of our lives when we consider what is at stake!
- Souls, lives, eternities are on the line and if I love my freedom more than those around me, the ones to whom I am called, then I will have missed the greatest opportunity.
- And for the sake of what? My own self-expression. My rights to be whatever I want to be!?
- Paul is teaching us a lesson here that shows that self-expression, the rights in my life, need to take a back seat to the priority that I have to the ministry of the gospel!
- That’s a difficult lesson, especially in these days when nobody wants to give an inch. But it’s what is necessary for the furtherance of the gospel.
v.24 “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.”
v.25 “And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.”
v.26 “Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.”
v.27 “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” : Finally, Paul leaves us with an illustration from the sports world. It's timely considering the Olympic Games loom on the horizon.
- It turns out that Paul was quite the sports fanatic. In Pauline literature, there are about 12 references to sports. He was my kind of guy!
- The nature of competition was to run for the purpose of winning a prize. Nobody shows up wanting to come in second. Everyone wants to win. This is why we keep score!
- He is saying that if I am going to do the work that the Lord wants me to do, then I had better live my life in view of the prize. This is supposed to be our mentality.
- Everyone who runs is temperate, self-governed, disciplined.
- The athletes that competed in the Isthmian games defined discipline. They agreed to a very minimalist lifestyle, refusing certain foods, late nights and even sex! They were extreme!
- And for what? A crown that was given that was made of lettuce! LETTUCE!?
- Literally, without the aid of refrigeration, that lettuce crown would wilt very quickly. If they ran for that, how much more should we run for the imperishable crown.
- Paul equates his ministry with an olympic athlete, disciplined and brought into subjection. Literally, treating himself like a slave, so that he would not be disqualified.
- He did not want to lose his reward. The illustration has to be taken in context. Please remember that Paul is talking about ministering the gospel to people.
- Many people believe that to be disqualified is to lose your salvation. No! The point is not to lose salvation, but rather to lose an opportunity and be out of the game!
Conclusion
- Today, you and I have to remember that we are called to the highest life that there is. Opportunities surround us and the world is watching.
- Paul tells us that if we are to love seeing God work through us, we need to recall these truths.
- I don't want to hinder the gospel, hurt my opportunity with anyone or hand over my reward!
- Today, you and I as Christians need to examine our lives and the freedoms that we enjoy and ask ourselves: Is this freedom that I enjoy worth missing an opportunity to minister for?
- If you are like Paul, the answer will be obvious.
“I Don't Wanna...” • 7.27.08 • Kingsfield Church, Sunday Morning Service
Intro.
- We have been studying the book of I Corinthians as a church these last few months. The church in Corinth was young in it’s existence and in it’s faith.
- Consequently, several problems arose from their misunderstandings or ignorance of spiritual truths. Enter in the Apostle Paul.
- Paul had established the church in Corinth on his second missionary journey. Acts 18 and 19 tells us that Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, building the church.
- After he left, problems began to arise because of the Corinthians spiritual immaturity.
- There were divisions, identifying oneself with one superstar Pastor or another.
- There was blatant sin among the Church. One man had an adulterous relationship with his own Father's wife, the 1st century equivalent of a step-mom.
- People within the Church are suing one other.
- They had questions about sexuality and marriage.
- Now it comes to chapter 8 and Paul is building a case for living in love.
- In chapter 8, Paul deals with grey areas, areas of personal liberty that were not sinful, but that did cause some who were weak in the faith to be scandalized.
- Their "grey area" was the consumption of discounted meat that had been purchased from an idol temple. Half the church thought that they were being good stewards of their money.
- The other half, knowing where the meat came from, felt guilty in their conscience and were stumbled at the freedom that others had to partake. Paul sums up the matter like this.
• I Corinthians 8:10-13 : “For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol's temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.”
- This brings us to chapter 9 and what seems to be an interruption in Paul's thought. However, this is no interruption; it’s an illustration.
- The first 14 verses of chapter 9 belong to chapter 8 and serve as an intro for today's sermon.
- Paul has been instructing the Corinthians to be sensitive in how they live.
- Paul's point in these first several verses is to demonstrate that he had some rights as well.
v.1 “Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?”
v.2 “If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.” : Paul fits into the criteria of an apostle, having seen the Lord personally on the way to Damascus. He met Jesus in His post resurrection glory!
- However, the most compelling argument was their own existence. The Church in Corinth owed it’s existence to Paul's work! They were "the seal" of his apostleship.
- The “seal” was a mark, usually in wax, indicating ownership and authenticity. The Corinthians themselves were the proof of Paul’s apostleship. He goes on.
v.3 “My defense to those who examine me is this:”
v.4 “Do we have no right to eat and drink?”
v.5 “Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?”
v.6 “Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working?” : The apostles had all the freedom to enjoy support from those they ministered to.
- They ate and drank and brought along their families and it was right for the churches that they ministered in, to provide for them.
- Not only was this accepted with regard to the Apostles, but it was natural in life as well.
v.7 “Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock?” : Paul says, “In life, nobody expects anyone to live without enjoying the fruits of their work.”
- He mentions war. Soldiers are given rations. It’s not like they fight and then work a normal job so that they can afford their munitions! We expect them to be separated unto their work.
- Agriculturally, the vineyard worker works for a wage and gets some of the fruit. The same goes for Shepherds. "How about a little milk and some cheese!?" "Lamb chops anyone!?"
- These are commonly accepted realities. But human experience aside, the law of God also spoke to this in principle.
v.8 “Do I say these things as a mere man? Or does not the law say the same also?”
v.9 “For it is written in the law of Moses, ‘You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain.’ Is it oxen God is concerned about?”
v.10 “Or does He say it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written, that he who plows should plow in hope, and he who threshes in hope should be partaker of his hope.” : Paul quotes from the book of Deuteronomy 25:4.
- Paul rightly understands that while God is interested in cattle in terms of good and right treatment, the purpose for putting this in scripture was to illustrate a spiritual point.
˚ "Since oxen cannot read, this verse was not written for them!"
Warren Wiersbe
- While this is the implicit meaning of this verse, Jesus explicitly endorses the idea that His disciples should "live from the gospel." Jesus talks about this in Luke 9:1-6 and in Luke 10:1-10.• Luke 10:7 : "And remain in the same house, eating and drinking such things as they give, for the laborer is worthy of his wages. Do not go from house to house."
- Paul has established "his rights," but now he will explain why he chooses not to invoke them.
- If the message of chapter 8 was a call to love the Lord's people more than your own rights, the message of chapter 9 is to love the Lord's program more than you love your rights.
- I want to suggest three statements that Paul might have made, that will guide us through the rest of this chapter this morning.
I. I Don't Want To Hinder The Gospel (v.11-19)
II. I Don't Want To Hurt My Chances With Anyone (v.20-23)
III. I Don't Want To Hand Over My Reward (v.24-27)
Text II. I Don't Want To Hurt My Chances With Anyone (v.20-23)
III. I Don't Want To Hand Over My Reward (v.24-27)
I. I Don't Want To Hinder The Gospel (v.11-19)
v.11 “If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things?” v.12 “If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more? Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ.”
v.13 “Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar?”
v.14 “Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.”
v.15 “But I have used none of these things, nor have I written these things that it should be done so to me; for it would be better for me to die than that any one should make my boasting void.”
v.16 “For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!”
v.17 “For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship.”
v.18 “What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel.” - It's clear from his Apostleship, the experience of life, the law and in Christ's instruction, that Paul had the right to partake materially because of what he had sown spiritually.
- Notice Verse 12: “Nevertheless we have not used this right.”
- It was right that they should take of whatever funds were available to them. Paui and Barnabas dd not! He would not take a living from the gospel lest that right hinder the gospel of Christ.
- Paul was committed with a great zeal, to the gospel message.
- In verse 15, he says, and I believe, without any use of hyperbole, that he would rather die, than for anyone to make his boasting void, namely that he was able to preach the gospel for free.
- This was something that he had to do. He was compelled to preach the gospel. Note the words in verse 16: "For necessity is laid upon me." "Woe is me" means "I am miserable if I don't."
- Everything Paul did or did not do was based not on what he wanted to do, but what he had to do! His priority was the Lord's work.
- It's interesting to me how many people don't understand this concept. Paul knew that the secret to a great life, was to live out and live for, the call of God.
- His reward, a picturesque term when we think about it, was to present the gospel free of charge. It reminds me of people who speak about giving a generous gift, without thought of return.
- They often tell you that the reward is seeing the joy that the gift brings. (llustrate)
- Paul was a serious man when it came to ministry! He did not want to hinder the preaching of the gospel, his ministry, by invoking and sticking to His rights.
- He did this to protect the integrity of the mission and to guard against himself.
- Notice that last phrase in verse 18: "That I may not abuse my authority." Paul was aware that financial support could help, but it could also hinder. He did not want to take the chance.
- As we think about this section, I wonder if we might have some liberties that could hinder the proclamation of the gospel in our lives. Use of language, what we listen to, what we take in.
- Paul cautions us to be careful not to hinder what God intends to do through us by the use of our freedoms.
II. I Don't Want To Hurt My Chances With Anyone (v.19-23)
v.19 “For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more;”
v.20 “and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law;”
v.21 “to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ, that I might win those who are without law;”
v.22 “to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.”
v.23 “Now this I do for the gospel's sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.” : The Ministry of the word, the preaching, the proclamation of the gospel, burned in Paul's soul and was going to preach it until his dying breath. He tells the Corinthians that he was free from all men.
- He was not bound to anyone's traditions. In Paul's world and Biblically, this seems to be the delineation, there were two people groups: The Jews and The Gentiles.
- Paul would find himself among both.
- Paul belonged to the New Man, as he was in Christ. He was now bound to Christ and His laws and not the laws of the Jews or the Gentiles. In this way, he is free from all men.
- But, as a free man, Paul makes a choice to make himself a servant to all because the payoff would be the possibility of salvation for either group.
- He would tailor his methods toward each group of people, so as to limit offense and maximize potential. Now, right this moment, it's important to understand that this does not include altering the message at all! The message was static; the method was dynamic.
- Paul did not want to offend by using a method that would silence the message. So to the Jews he became as a Jew. To the Gentiles, as a Gentile. The weak as one who is weak, etc
- If he had gone to a Jewish audience and talked about how much bacon he consumed, they would turn him off immediately! Likewise, if he told the Gentiles that they were breaching Jewish law and just read to them from Leviticus, their ears would turn deaf.
- He sums it up in verse 22: I have become all things to all people that I might save some!
- This is the focus needed in each of our lives when we consider what is at stake!
- Souls, lives, eternities are on the line and if I love my freedom more than those around me, the ones to whom I am called, then I will have missed the greatest opportunity.
- And for the sake of what? My own self-expression. My rights to be whatever I want to be!?
- Paul is teaching us a lesson here that shows that self-expression, the rights in my life, need to take a back seat to the priority that I have to the ministry of the gospel!
- That’s a difficult lesson, especially in these days when nobody wants to give an inch. But it’s what is necessary for the furtherance of the gospel.
III. I Don't Want To Hand Over My Reward (v.24-27)
v.24 “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.”
v.25 “And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.”
v.26 “Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.”
v.27 “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.” : Finally, Paul leaves us with an illustration from the sports world. It's timely considering the Olympic Games loom on the horizon.
- It turns out that Paul was quite the sports fanatic. In Pauline literature, there are about 12 references to sports. He was my kind of guy!
- The nature of competition was to run for the purpose of winning a prize. Nobody shows up wanting to come in second. Everyone wants to win. This is why we keep score!
- He is saying that if I am going to do the work that the Lord wants me to do, then I had better live my life in view of the prize. This is supposed to be our mentality.
- Everyone who runs is temperate, self-governed, disciplined.
- The athletes that competed in the Isthmian games defined discipline. They agreed to a very minimalist lifestyle, refusing certain foods, late nights and even sex! They were extreme!
- And for what? A crown that was given that was made of lettuce! LETTUCE!?
- Literally, without the aid of refrigeration, that lettuce crown would wilt very quickly. If they ran for that, how much more should we run for the imperishable crown.
- Paul equates his ministry with an olympic athlete, disciplined and brought into subjection. Literally, treating himself like a slave, so that he would not be disqualified.
- He did not want to lose his reward. The illustration has to be taken in context. Please remember that Paul is talking about ministering the gospel to people.
- Many people believe that to be disqualified is to lose your salvation. No! The point is not to lose salvation, but rather to lose an opportunity and be out of the game!
Conclusion
- Today, you and I have to remember that we are called to the highest life that there is. Opportunities surround us and the world is watching.
- Paul tells us that if we are to love seeing God work through us, we need to recall these truths.
- I don't want to hinder the gospel, hurt my opportunity with anyone or hand over my reward!
- Today, you and I as Christians need to examine our lives and the freedoms that we enjoy and ask ourselves: Is this freedom that I enjoy worth missing an opportunity to minister for?
- If you are like Paul, the answer will be obvious.
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