1 Corinthians 9:15-27

For the Good of the Kingdom

Open your Bible to…

Matt. 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Pray

Intro

√ For the good of the Kingdom

In our previous study Paul provided a solid defense for his right to receive support from the Corinthian church, he proved that it was…

Common custom

Old Testament Law

New Testament practice

Old Testament provision

Taught by Jesus

Yet, Paul also repeatedly made it clear that it was his personal liberty to forego his right to receive any compensation for his ministry.

Why would he do that?

Here in last half of chapter 9 he provides three reasons for refusing support from the Corinthians…

For the Gospel’s sake

For the sinner’s sake

For his own sake

By way of example Paul was demonstrating to his friends at Corinth how a mature believer should live out his/her faith…

By putting God first and making lifestyle choices for the good of His Kingdom…

…which may require us to be willing to give up our liberties.

The application to the believers at Corinth was that in view of his example to forego his liberty to receive support…

…then those who considered themselves to be strong in the faith ought to willingly and enthusiastically give up their liberty to eat meat offered to idols.

Ap. Priorities

At the heart of Paul’s message is a call to examine our priorities in life.

Do we really live out our Christian faith as Paul exhorts us to?

Laying aside our “rights” so that we might advance the Kingdom of God.

Paul was a man who really lived out the exhortation of Matthew 6:33 and arranged his priorities with God’s will at the top of his list.

Inspired by the Holy Spirit he calls us to grow up in Christ and chose to deny ourselves our rights and privileges foe the good of the Kingdom…

…and His work here at Calvary Chapel.

That work of the Kingdom will cost us something!

It may be your comfort, a pleasure you’re entitled to or compensation for your time and labor…

…but the reality is that to do the work of the Kingdom will require a sacrifice on our part.

The mature believer is happy to pay whatever price is necessary because they recognize that it is the only reasonable response for what Jesus has done for us!

For the Gospel’s Sake (vs. 15-18)

1Cor. 9:15 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 anyone should make my boasting void.

1Cor. 9:16 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!

1Cor. 9:17 For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship.

1Cor. 9:18 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.

√ For the Gospel’s sake

In this section Paul wraps up his argument in which he proved that he was entitled to compensation for his work in Corinth by emphatically stating that he didn’t want to be compensated!

Nor did he want them to think that he was “hinting” that they should now begin supporting him now!

Rather he tells them that his decision not to partake of his “right” to be compensated was for the sake of the Gospel, note vs. 18b…

“…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.”

His concern was that if he did receive compensation that he might hinder God’s work by offending the unbeliever for there were in Paul’s day just as there are in ours some who preached just for the money.

Ex. Traveling preachers and storytellers

Before TV people gathered in the open markets for entertainment.

Itinerant preachers, storytellers, actors, and philosopher’s would set up a the local market and entertain the locals.

A good storyteller or speaker would be compensated well for providing an evening of good entertainment or thought provoking ideas.

Ex. Street theater in San Francisco

Well some people took advantage of the great story of Christ and preached not for the sake of the Gospel, but so that they might line their pockets with coin, such were those of Paul warned Timothy…

“…men of corrupt minds and destitute of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain. From such withdraw yourself.”

1 Tim. 6:5

Paul didn’t want anyone to lump him in the same group so for the sake of the Gospel he refused to be compensated by the people to whom he preached.

Ap. Keep it pure

In 1948 Billy Graham and his associates recognized that the whole of Christian evangelism in the US had developed a very poor reputation as many so-called evangelist were just slick actors who knew how to whip a crowd into an emotional response.

At the height of their presentation they’d make a dramatic appeal for a “love offering”.

All the money went into the pocket of the “evangelist” with no accountability at all.

So, Billy Graham, Bev Shea, Grady Wilson, and Cliff Barrow put together a charter by which they would run the ministry so as to provide transparency and accountability to the ministry.

One of the criteria to which they committed themselves was to give the hosting churches complete oversight of the finances of their outreach.

Unheard of in that day but it has sense become the standard for integrity in ministry.

It became known as “The Modesto Manifesto” because it was penned in a hotel room on south 9^th Street in Modesto, California.

All that to say that today we still have men like Paul who preach for the sake of the Gospel and some who use the Gospel as a means to make money for themselves ~ so be discerning!

√ Spiritual riches

While Paul refused financial support it wasn’t like he wasn’t receiving any compensation!

Rather he reminds them that his compensation was better than anything they could pay him because it was spiritual in nature!

Note vs. 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.”

The cool thing here is that the word “reward” is the Greek misthos which can also be translated as “wage”, the same word that Jesus used in 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...”

So, what Paul is communicating is that while he may not have received material goods for his labor…

…he was in fact being compensated spiritually!

Paul had discovered in Christ that his deepest needs were not met by obtaining greater wealth, material possessions or an abundance of food.

Rather, he found that his deepest needs were met when he was busy doing the Lord’s work!

The joy of preaching the Gospel ~ handing out eternal life for free without receiving any financial compensation filled Paul’s heart with more joy than winning the Lotto could ever produce.

I believe he had discovered the same truth that Jesus spoke of when He ministered to the Samaritan woman.

Ex. Jesus

When the disciples brought back lunch from the village they encouraged Him to eat as they knew he was wearied from travel, yet He refused saying…

“But He said to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” ~ John 4:32

Jesus’ real need for physical nourishment was temporarily suspended because He was being fed spiritually by doing the work of the Kingdom.

That’s what Paul is communicating here!

While he wasn’t receiving any financial compensation from the Corinthians he wasn’t suffering want because he was more than compensated by the spiritual wages the Father provided him.

Ap. Do you want that kind of joy!?

It can’t be bought with the riches of this world. Rather, it is only apprehended by those who give themselves to the work of the Kingdom

For the Sinners Sake (vs. 19-23)

1Cor. 9:19 For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more;

1Cor. 9:20 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;

1Cor. 9:21 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;

1Cor. 9:22 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.

1Cor. 9:23 Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.

√ For the sinner’s sake

Paul’s second reason for laying aside his rights as an apostle was for the sake of reaching sinners ~ both Jews and Gentiles.

As he makes clear in this section Paul was a man who understood his freedom in Christ.

He was no longer bound to Jewish law or traditions as he had been before he met Jesus.

Therefore, he no longer separated himself from Gentile people nor considered them “unclean”.

He ate what the Gentiles ate, spoke their language, and enjoyed their company.

Things he never did when living as a Pharisee!

Yet, when he was ministering to the Jews he laid aside his new freedom in Christ and lived as if he were still under the Law and practicing the traditions of the Jews.

He ate what the Jews ate, spoke their language, obeyed their laws, and enjoyed their company.

All so that he would not unnecessarily offend the Jewish people he was trying to reach.

For example, in every city that Paul preached in he began his ministry by worshipping in the local synagogue on the Sabbath and presenting Jesus as Messiah when given the opportunity.

Later he circumcised Timothy whose mother was Jewish, not because Paul thought it had any spiritual value, but simply so that Timothy could minister to the Jews (ref. Acts 16).

Or in Jerusalem Paul submitted himself to the wisdom of the church elders and went through the Jewish rites of purification so as to defuse the false rumors about him (ref. Acts 21:21-26).

Paul’s goal was to save as many people as possible so if he had to lay aside his rights so that he might gain the opportunity to share the Gospel…

…then for the sake of sinners he gladly did so.

Ex. The mark of maturity

It’s an interesting phenomena that those with weak faith are always more legalistic about how they practice their Christianity…

…while those with a mature faith have greater freedom in their faith!

For example, many of the legalistic Messianic Jews thought that Paul was unholy because he didn’t follow the strict interpretations of the Law.

The point is what the weak thought of as “compromise” in Paul’s life was actually from God’s perspective a mark of spiritual maturity!

Ap. Don’t get stuck in human traditions!

Historically every time God does a new work the greatest resistance comes from His own people!

Many of the Jews rejected the Gospel.

Many of the Messianic Jews rejected God’s work to save the Gentiles.

The Roman Church persecuted the Reformers.

The Reformers persecuted the Anabaptists.

Evangelicals rejected the hippies in the Jesus People Movement.

Down to the present day those with a weak faith interpret anything new or different as a “compromise” of the faith.

Keep this in mind ~ as long as the message isn’t compromised don’t get hung up by the method in which the message is presented or lived out.

Ex. Hudson Taylor

Was the first to find real success among the Chinese people because he was willing to…

Dress like they dressed, eat what they ate, and to share the Gospel in their native language.

Some of his contemporaries rejected his methods because they believed he had compromised the faith.

But I’d suggest that he understood what Paul was communicating when he wrote…

“…I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” ~ vs. 22

Like Paul before him Hudson was willing to lay aside his rights, his own preferences, and even his choice of diet for the sake of reaching sinners with the Good News of salvation.

Ap. How about you?

Are you willing to lay aside your rights, privileges and freedoms to reach the lost?

For His Own Sake (vs. 24-27)

1Cor. 9:24 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.

1Cor. 9:25 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.

1Cor. 9:26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.

1Cor. 9:27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

√ For his own sake

Paul’s final explanation for why he laid aside his right to receive compensation for his work was that he had his mind set on a better prize!

That is, the crown waiting for him glory!

By way of illustration he compares his method of ministry to that of a champion athlete.

Something the Corinthians would understand and appreciate as they observed and participated in both the Olympics at Athens and in their own Isthmian Games.

Just as a champion athlete must forego his/her own rights that they might prepare themselves for competition…

…so the Christian who desires a great heavenly reward will have to forego his/her rights so as to finish their race well.

Ex. Competition

To compete at the highest level of any sport demands certain sacrifices of an athlete.

Will have to pass on those chocolate chip cookies stuffed with toasted Pecans.

Won’t be able to hang out late with his/her friends during the Summer.

Because they understand that while none of those things are bad, they will hinder their ability to complete competitively.

Ex. McDonald’s lunch and the geeks on bikes

Paul’s point is that in his pursuit of God’s will for his life he had discovered that it was necessary to be willing to lay aside his rights so that he wouldn’t be hindered from his goal.

While it would cost him something in the present he wasn’t concerned because he had his mind set on God’s promise to him…

…eternal glory!

I think he understood Jesus’ promise…

Matt. 6:19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;

Matt. 6:20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Matt. 6:21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

So, for the sake of his own future glory Paul willingly laid aside his rights as an apostle of Jesus Christ.

Close

√ For the good of the Kingdom

As a citizen of the United States we’re very concerned with our rights!

We expect them, we demand them and we’ll fight to the death to protect them.

As a citizen of the Kingdom of God we have also been granted rights by the King Himself.

Yet, as we see modeled in Jesus’ life and Paul’s there are times when rather than demanding our rights the mature and godly choice is to lay down our rights for the benefit of others.

For the sake of…

The Gospel

Lost sinners

Our own glory

Is your main concern in your decision making process…

“What’s best for the Kingdom?”

Stop and check your priorities and make sure they’re in line with God’s priorities.