I Corinthians
9:1-23
Praise God
for the precious gift of His Son.
In the time
we have remaining, let us continue with our study of I Corinthians. We are going to read through a good portion
of chapter 9 today. The thoughts there
stand by themselves, but it is helpful to consider where we finished up last
week.
Tim shared
on chapter 8, and the message there affirms our liberty in Christ. We are free.
At the same time, we should take care with our liberty and how we
express it. We need to consider that our
knowledge is limited. And so, we need to
think and act with humility. But, we do
not need to be afraid because God is more powerful than anything. We can move forward with confidence. And yet, we may need to choose to limit our
freedom out of concern for our brother or sister. Our guiding principle must be
love. If taking advantage
of our right to freedom would cause someone else to sin or even stumble, we should
give up that freedom. (1 Corinthians 8:13)
In today’s
passage, we are going to read about Paul’s example of his use of liberty. I think what we will see is that he’s going
to turn the reasonable and even Biblical course of action on its head. While his course or direction may seem
strange and certainly distinct, I think it is easier to understand by having
just taken communion together.
Let’s pray,
and then we will start into chapter 9 of I Corinthians:
Lord, show
us Your truth. Increase our love for one
another. Speak to us now from this
passage of Scripture. Guide my
words. May they point us to Christ. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
So, why did
I say that this passage may set a direction that seems strange? Well, Paul is going to declare his rights as
an apostle for half the passage. Then,
he’s going to explain that he didn’t use those rights. The Corinthians have known Paul and seen how
he acted among them. The things that
Paul says are verified by their experience.
Then, we are going to close with his explanation of why he gave up his rights.
Let’s read
that first section about Paul’s rights:
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I
not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? Even
though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the
seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defense to those who sit in
judgment on me.—I Corinthians 9:1-3
Paul opens
with rhetorical questions. He will
affirm later in verse 19 that as any other believer he is indeed free. He opens the letter to the Corinthians by way
of introduction as one “called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ
Jesus.” (1 Corinthians 1:1) Paul has
worked diligently among the Corinthians as we have read in earlier
chapters. He planted God’s truth in
them. (3:6) He was a father to them.
(4:15) Paul’s credentials as a worker in the Gospel are beyond question. As a result …
Don’t we have the right to food and drink? Don’t
we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other
apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas? Or is it only I and Barnabas who
must work for a living?
Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?
Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its grapes? Who tends a flock and
does not drink of the milk? Do I say this merely from a human point of view?
Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do
not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God
is concerned? Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for
us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do
so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. If we have sown spiritual seed among
you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? If others have this
right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more? But we did not use this right. –I Corinthians
9:4-12
Paul is
entitled to the same freedoms of all believers.
The fact that Paul’s ministry produced true spiritual fruit in the
Corinthians confirms that he is an apostle. He and Barnabas are entitled to having
physical needs supplied at the church’s expense. He has the right to be married if he wishes
as other apostles were.
He pulls in
several examples which confirm that Christian workers ought to be paid for
their work including those from the Old Testament. Deuteronomy
20:6 gives the command that a soldier must be sent home if he has planted a
vineyard but not yet enjoyed its fruit. God
does care about the animals. Proverbs
12:10 … “the righteous has regard for the life of his animals.” Deuteronomy 22:1-4 explains how we should
care for our neighbor’s animals or other property. But God does not care only for the animals. He cares for people, too.
This is not
the only New Testament passage that explains Christian workers ought to be paid
for their work. It was already mentioned
in I Corinthians 3:8 that “each [worker] will receive wages according to his
labor.” Support for elders is reinforced
in I Timothy 5:18. We also have the
examples of Peter and the other apostles given in Acts 4:34-37 and 6:1-7. The people had everything in common, and were
selling homes and property and bringing the proceeds to the apostles.
In the book
of Romans, it is mentioned that the Gentiles supported the Jewish believers who
were in need. (Romans 15:27) In the
letter to the Galatians, Paul explains that the ones who are taught must share
all good things with the one who teaches (Galatians 6:6).
In spite of
all these truths encouraging teachers and elders to be supported, Paul decided
not to use this God-given right. Why
not? Here we come to the key point of
our passage.
On the contrary, we put up with anything
rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. Don’t you know that those who work in
the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar
share in what is offered on the altar? In the same way, the Lord has commanded
that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.
But I have not used any of these rights. And
I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I would
rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast. Yet when I preach the
gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not
preach the gospel! If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not
voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. –I Corinthians
9:12-17
Paul has
numerous rights not just one. He has the
right to food and drink, shelter and pay.
He has the Lord’s command on his side.
But, he did not claim those rights.
Why not? Because of his love for
the Corinthians. Here is the extension
of what Paul was advocating in chapter 8.
Because we love others, we should be willing to surrender our rights.
Have you
seen the “Thanks Mom” commercials from Proctor and Gamble that are shown during
the Olympics? I went back and found out
that they started this advertising campaign back at the 2010 Winter Olympics in
Vancouver. Each commercial thanks moms for their
different kinds of sacrifices that moms make, on behalf of not just Olympic
athletes but all of us.
The one from
the London Olympics is probably most poignant to this idea of surrendering our
rights. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLeFfJ1XuEk
Moms are at
the top of the list for exemplifying sacrifice and giving up their rights. I realize it is not true in every family and
we shouldn’t idolize our mothers, but moms are most often the ones who are
there for kids both physically and emotionally.
There are a couple of sequences in the commercial of making meals and
doing the wash. I don’t mean the image
to be stereotypical. It’s just how can
you get a point across in a two minute commercial? There is a tiring redundancy to our fallen
lives. Part of the sacrifice is the
daily grind of providing a home and earning an income to support our
children. Part of the sacrifice is
listening to the same story told a thousand times and a thousand ways and yet
remaining interested and engaged. Part
of the sacrifice is being patient and gentle in correcting shortcomings which
have been corrected many times before. I
am sure there are moments where many moms begin to think that their individual
identity is just about gone. You feel
like you are no longer you. You begin to
believe that you are merely a servant to all.
And
sometimes, it’s the hardest job in the world.
But … it is
also the best job. It is a job which
sees new lives and dreams take flight.
It’s a job which sees obstacles overcome and growth and maturity take
root. It’s a job that’s not really a
job. It is a calling.
And so, we
say, “Thanks, Mom!” for answering the call and for a million sacrifices that
we’re never going to know about. Thanks
for giving up your rights, and letting us have our own rights and
privileges. Thanks for removing
obstacles on our journey toward maturity.
Thanks for protecting us and picking us up along the way. Thank you for your prayers. Thanks for feeding us physically, but so much
more for feeding us spiritually.
And, this is
the kind of opportunity we have as believers as we reach out to the lost as
well as encourage younger believers. In
chapter 8, Paul told us to watch out and to avoid causing others to stumble. This is our opportunity not only to prevent obstacles
from being placed in each other’s path.
This is our opportunity to bear one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2),
to encourage one another in the truth, to love one another in real and tangible
ways.
Paul wanted
no preventable obstacles in the way of the Corinthians receiving the gospel and
coming to Christ. (2 Corinthians
6:3) There will be challenges. There will be struggles. There will be difficulties. But we should not add to these things.
Paul wanted
to keep the reality fixed in the minds of his hearers that he did not profit
from them by preaching the gospel. So, Paul
worked as a tentmaker; hence the expression tentmaker or bi-vocational pastor.
Carl wrote
an article for the church newsletter which explained that Clemson Community Church’s
current pastors are unpaid. He also
explained why we aren’t paid. I won’t
recite the whole thing. You can find the
letter on the church website if you’d like to read or reread it.
The last
reason for being unpaid which Carl mentioned was that since we work “real-world”
jobs, we serve as models to the rest of the body. This too is Paul’s example to the
Corinthians. In this case, Paul’s
example is an example of love. The value
of the Corinthians and the importance that they come to Christ caused Paul to
not only give up his rights but even to be deprived on their behalf. Paul’s life exemplified Jesus’ words, “Greater
love has no one than this, than he lay down his life for his friends.” (John
15:13) What do our lives exemplify?
We want you
all to know that we as the elders of Clemson Community Church hold nothing
against those who serve as pastors for a living. We’ve already seen that Scripture clearly
supports paid workers. In fact, the
majority of churches in our association of churches have a mix of unpaid,
part-time paid, and full-time paid elders.
And it is possible that at some point in the future we could adopt one
or more of these alternate positions. We’ve had paid pastors in the past. Paul himself mentions support he received
from Macedonian churches in his second letter to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians
11:7-12), and he would later receive support from others when he was in prison.
(Acts 24:23) But for now, Carl, Fred,
and I get to “boast” along with Paul that we “have used none of these things.”
(1 Corinthians 9:15)
What then is my reward? Just this: that in
preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my
rights in preaching it.
Though I am free and belong to no man, I
make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I
became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one
under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under
the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law
(though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win
those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have
become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I
do all this for the sake of the gospel that I may share in its blessings.—I Corinthians
9:18-23
Paul’s
example here is descriptive and not prescriptive. It is an example to consider and follow. It is not a condemnation of those who have
received benefits from those they teach and reach for the gospel.
When Paul
says he seeks to win as many as possible, he means to bring as many as possible
to Christ.
He says, “I
make myself a slave to everyone to win as many as possible.” Paul not only gave up his right to material
support, he deprived himself of personal privileges and societal and religious
rights in dealing with different kinds of people.
He says, “To
the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews.” and “To those under the law I
became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to
win those under the law.” For the Jews’ sake, Paul conformed to the Jewish law.
(Acts 16:3, 18:18, 21:20-26) He had Timothy circumcised and agreed to
participate in a ritual cleansing himself to prove to Jewish believers that he
lived in observance of the law. I don’t
know if that surprises you, but I find it surprising. Both things were completely unnecessary from
the point of view of what Jesus did at the cross. However, they were a big deal for the Jewish
believers at the time. Paul was willing
to humble himself (and Timothy) for the sake of the gospel.
He says, “To
those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not
free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having
the law.” Paul accommodated both Gentile
as well as Jewish culture when it did not violate his allegiance to
Christ. He still regarded himself under
God’s law and Christ’s law. Apart from
Christ, Romans 2:12 holds true, “All who have sinned without the law will also
perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by
the law.” Interestingly, Paul regarded
his efforts to reach the Gentiles as having an added effect of continuing to
preach the gospel to Jews by jealousy.
(Romans 11:14)
He says, “To
the weak I became weak, to win the weak.”
Paul did not exercise his Christian freedom in things like eating meat
sacrificed to idols. He told the Romans
not to quarrel over opinions but rather welcome the weak in faith. (Rom 14:1).
He ends by
saying, “I have become all things to all men.” Paul sought to try and please
everyone in everything he did, not to seek his own advantage, but that of many,
that they may be saved. (1 Corinthians
10:33) And then, the told the
Corinthians, “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 11:1)
At the
beginning of the message, I said that it was good that we had taken communion
before the message. I think that while
Paul’s example is a high bar, Jesus’ example is even more radical.
As I face
different challenges in my life, I find that I look to Jesus’ example. In every circumstance, I am awed at how he
responded to the challenges he faced.
When the crowds were there, he fed them.
When the sick came to him, he healed them. When it meant going without food, he went
without food. When the people were lost
like sheep without a shepherd, he had compassion on them. When he was confronted with intentional
testing by others, he answered calmly and confidently and his challengers found
no basis to make a charge against him.
When he was faced with the suffering of the cross and the torture of
separation from the Father, he went all the way, silently, like a sheep to the
shearers.
Paul is
fixed on the heavenly prize … that pearl of great price. It is his desire to bring as many people to
Jesus as he can. Let us also look for
ways to make it easier for others to hear about Jesus and to see His love in our
actions. Our every sacrifice for Jesus’
sake will be showered with blessings.
Let’s pray.
Lord Jesus,
thank You for Your sacrifice for us.
Help us to live lives of love and sacrifice for one another. Lead each of us toward people who need to
hear about You. Give us courage to
sacrifice our comfort to speak of You.
What a small thing. You are truly
the best news ever. Enlarge the
spiritual fire in our hearts. Help us to
see sacrifice like Paul did. Please help
us not to grow weary in doing good. All
this we ask in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
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