Use our rights to serve the gospel: 9v1-27

Chapter 9, and it's the whole of the chapter, and it begins on page 1150.

So 1 Corinthians, chapter 9, beginning at verse 1.

1 Corinthians 9 · chapter mention

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.

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 ploughman ploughs 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.

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.

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 I am under Christ's law,

so as to win those not having the law.

To the weak I became weak,

to win all 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.

Do you not know that in a race,

all the runners run,

but only one gets the prize?

Run in such a way as to get the prize.

Everyone who competes in the games

goes into strict training.

They do it to get a crown that will not last,

but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly.

I do not fight like a man beating the air.

No, I beat my body and make it my slave,

so that after I have preached to others,

I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Thanks very much, Chris.

Well, let's pray.

Our Father God, we thank you for your word.

We thank you for its truth.

We thank you that it is a truth and a word

that brings life,

that saves and transforms.

And so we pray that as we hear your word,

as we look at it together,

that you would do that work amongst us

and through us.

Father, help us that we would be humble before you,

that we would know what it is to surrender our rights

so that you are Lord

over every area of our life.

Please help us then, we pray.

In Jesus' name, amen.

Amen.

We declare the rights of the people of Ireland

to the ownership of Ireland

and to the unfettered control of Irish destinies

to be sovereign and indefeasible.

In every generation,

the Irish people have asserted their right

to national freedom and sovereignty,

standing on that fundamental right.

The Republic guarantees religious and civil liberty,

equal rights and equal opportunities

to all its citizens,

and declares its resolve to pursue the happiness

and prosperity of the whole nation

and all its parts,

cherishing all of the children of the nation equally.

Recognize those words?

So reads the 1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic.

We should never forget the privilege it is

to live in a nation where human rights

are respected and cherished.

The right to liberty and security,

the right to equality and dignity,

to education and health.

We live in a culture and a society

where everybody knows their rights

and rights are precious.

But if we are Christians,

we are called to forego our rights

to serve the gospel.

In a society where rights are everything,

we are to let go of our rights.

If anyone does have rights,

it's the Apostle Paul.

Look at verse 1.

Am I not free?

Am I not an apostle?

Remember, he's saying,

I, as an apostle,

God has sent me to preach the good news.

He goes on,

have I not seen our Lord?

Remember that on my way to Damascus,

the risen Lord Jesus

appeared to me and called me

and commissioned me

to go and preach.

Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?

Didn't I come to you in Corinth

and stay with you

for almost two years

explaining and teaching

and living my life among you

so that you could understand

who Jesus is?

I have been chosen.

I have been called.

I have been commissioned by God

to go and proclaim the good news of Jesus.

And because of that,

I have rights.

That right, of course,

was the right of financial support.

Look at verse 3.

This is my defence to those

who sit in judgment on me,

those who say I shouldn't have anything.

Verse 4.

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?

Or is it only I and Barnabas

who must work for a living?

Who serves as a soldier

at his own expense?

Or who plants a vineyard

and can't eat of its grapes?

Or who tends a flock

and can't drink of its milk?

Look.

Everyone who works

has the right to basic support

so that they can eat and drink

and have somewhere to sleep.

In fact,

God commands it.

Look at verse 9.

For it is written in the law of Moses

in the Old Testament,

this comes from Deuteronomy,

do not muzzle an ox

while it is treading out the grain.

Is it about oxen that God is concerned?

No.

No.

Surely he says this for us,

doesn't he?

If an ox who is out working

has the right,

a mere animal,

has the right to be looked after,

fed and watered,

well, don't you think

that God's servant,

his people,

have the right

to be looked after?

Verse 10.

Surely he says this for us,

doesn't he?

Yes, this was written for us.

Verse 12.

If others have this right of support from you,

shouldn't we have it all the more?

So we do have rights.

But there is something more important than rights.

Look at the rest of verse 12.

Look what he says.

But we did not use this right.

On the contrary,

we put up with anything

rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.

You see,

if we are Christians,

our rights

do not come before the gospel.

Rather,

the gospel

always comes before

our rights.

You see,

rights do not build

or plant churches.

Our rights

do not save people.

It is only the gospel

that will save someone.

Yes,

we do have rights,

as he goes on to tell us again

in verse 14.

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.

The gospel,

the good news of Christ,

takes priority

over our rights.

So what will this look like

in practice?

Well,

we're going to look at two big ideas.

The first is this.

First,

we surrender

our rights

for the gospel.

We surrender

our rights

for the gospel.

Go back to the second part

of verse 12 again.

He says,

we did not use

this right.

On the contrary,

we put up with anything.

We'd go through anything

rather than hinder

the gospel of Christ.

You see,

when Paul arrived

in Corinth,

he had the right

to look for support,

but he didn't use

that right.

Instead,

he worked for a living.

In Acts 18,

which records

Paul's visit

to Corinth,

he tells us

that he used

his trade

as a tent maker

to earn a living.

So when he arrived,

he went about

fixing tents

and probably

other leather items

like sandals

and boots

and all that sort of thing.

A little workshop

he would have set up.

And then on the Sabbath,

towards the end

of the week,

he would go into

the synagogue

to preach

and persuade

who Jesus was.

Tent making

would not get you rich.

It was a menial task,

exhausting,

hard work

involving long hours

for little pay.

But he says,

we will put up

with anything.

We'll go through

any kind of life.

The reason?

To be able to offer

the gospel

free of charge.

Have a look at verse 18.

What then is my reward?

What do I get

from being a tent maker,

from putting myself

through all this hard work

so that I can preach?

What's my reward?

Just this,

that in preaching

the gospel,

I may offer it

free of charge

and so do not

make use of my rights

in preaching it.

You see,

he does not want

finances

to be an obstacle

to people

hearing the good news

of Jesus.

In fact,

he says he will

literally pay

for the right

to preach.

He will cover

all his expenses

so that the gospel

comes free.

That's why we said

when we took up

a collection

this morning,

we say

we don't

have to give.

we don't want

people to pay

for the gospel.

That's why

as a church

we've taken

the decision

not to charge

for things

like the rock

or Christianity

Explored

or Polo

or Sunday School

or anything else.

Why?

So that it is

free

to people.

But not only

do we want

to offer it

free of charge,

we want

to live lives

that actually

reflect the

content

of this message.

We are to

live the gospel,

not just speak it,

but live it.

You see,

the gospel,

the good news

about Jesus

is God's

free

gift

of salvation.

It's all

of grace,

which means

it doesn't

cost us

anything.

It's all

been achieved

and done

by Jesus.

Isn't that

what we're

thinking about

and looking

forward to

as we come

to Christmas?

Think about

what the gospel

is,

what that message

is,

what we've

been singing

about this

morning.

Jesus

is God

who gave

up his

rights

and came

to serve

us,

who had

everything

but did

not consider

equality

with God

something to

be grasped

and held

on to,

but came

down to

be a

baby

born in

a manger.

The creator

of the universe

who spoke

the world

into existence,

who owns

everything,

became a

slave

for you

and for me

and who

identified

with us

in such

a way

that the

perfect one

who lived

perfectly

and was

without sin

came and

took my

sin and

your sin

on himself

and died

in my

place

and forgave

me.

Jesus

suffered

what I

deserve

so that I

may gain

new and

eternal life.

That is the

message of

Christmas.

Christmas.

And what

does it cost

me and

what does

it cost

you?

Nothing.

What did

I contribute

to my

salvation?

Nothing.

Jesus has

done it all

for me.

He took

the initiative.

He intervened

into my life.

He came

down to me.

So Paul

is not

only offering

the gospel

free of

charge.

He wants

his life

to illustrate

this free

gospel.

His very

life reflects

that this

gospel is

free.

That it's

all been

paid for.

It's all

been done

for you.

Paul is

willing to

take up

the cost

that is

involved.

He's willing

to go

through a

suffering

hard life

as a

tent maker.

He will

endure what

he has

to endure

so that

people can

see that

the good

news of

Jesus is

free.

Someone

has to

pay.

So Paul

says I

will pay

with my

life.

Just like

the Lord

Jesus

surrendered

his rights

and came

down to

you and

to me,

so Paul

says I

will surrender

my rights

so that

you can

see visibly

an illustration

and demonstration

of what

the gospel

is like.

Look at

my life.

I will

pay that

cost for

you.

So are

we

surrendering

our rights

for the

gospel?

Let's give

two examples

or two

applications

of what

this might

look like.

first it

might mean

surrendering

my right

to spend

my money

on things

that I

want.

And as

we surrender

that right

instead give

that money

to those

who are

preaching

the gospel.

For

example

the work

of Ifees

or Craig

who is

heading up

the work

in Kinsale

or those

who are

reaching into

North Korea

or those

that we've

just had a

look at

from Church

and Chains

in Syria

and Iraq.

People who

are on the

borderlines

of persecution

evangelists

and pastors

who are

reaching into

the unreached

areas of

the world

through Asia

Link.

Yes we

all have

rights.

Yes we're

going to

use the

Christmas

season to

spend my

money on

things that

I don't

need.

But that

right is

to be

surrendered so

that we

can use

what we

have to

offer the

gospel free

of charge.

surrendering

our rights.

Second it

may mean

surrendering

my right

to use

my time

as I

want and

instead use

that time

to serve

within the

life of the

church.

It may be

being committed

to helping

at Polo.

It might be

distributing

calendars as

we go out

on Wednesday

night.

It could be

serving in

creche or

Sunday school.

It could be

setting up and

saying I'm

going to be

there every

Sunday.

Okay, I've

got my

set up

team but

I'm going

to be

there and

welcome

people.

Oh, I

know all the

things that

we do.

It might

interfere with

your shopping

day.

It might be

the night

that your

favourite TV

programme is

on.

You might

have a

match to

play.

You might

have friends

who are

inviting you

out and

you need

to hang

out with

them.

Yes, we've

all got

rights.

But that

right is

to be

surrendered

to serve

the gospel.

Will it

be costly?

Absolutely.

Will it

mean sacrifice?

Yes.

But as

people see

our lives,

they will

see the

cost involved

and even

as we

live out

our life,

it will

illustrate

the ultimate

sacrifice that

has been

paid by

Jesus.

us.

We will

give up

and put

up with

anything

rather than

hinder the

gospel of

Christ.

By

surrendering

our rights,

the gospel

is proclaimed,

churches are

planted,

and people

are saved.

So we

surrender our

rights.

the second

big idea

is we

use our

rights to

serve the

gospel.

Look at

verse 9.

We use

our rights

to serve

the gospel.

Verse 19,

though I

am free

and belong

to no

man,

I make

myself a

slave to

everyone

to win

as many

as possible.

we live

in a

culture of

rights.

We'll

protest for

our rights.

I don't

disagree with

that.

We know

what our

rights are

and we

demand it.

But for

the Christian,

look what it

says in

verse 19,

we are to

be a

slave to

everyone.

In other

words,

we use

our rights

not for

self,

but to

serve

others.

Why?

the end

of verse

19,

to win

as many

as possible.

To use

our rights

to serve

the gospel

so that

other people

become

Christians.

And for

us,

this will

mean two

things.

It means

we are to

be flexible

as messengers.

Look at

verse 20.

Look at

the flexibility

of Paul.

to the

Jews,

I became

like a

Jew.

Why?

To win

the Jews.

To those

under the

law, I

became like

one under

the law,

though I

myself am

not under

the law.

Why?

So as

to win

those under

the law.

You see,

if Paul was

reaching

Jewish

people,

he would

follow

Jewish laws

and traditions.

If that

meant

observing the

Sabbath and

not doing

certain things

on that

particular

day,

so that

he could

proclaim

the gospel

in the

synagogue,

he would

do that.

He became

like one

of them.

But on

the other

hand,

verse 21,

to those

not having

the law,

to the

Gentiles,

I became

like one

of those

not having

the law.

Why?

So as

to win

those

not having

the law.

people,

so if

he was

reaching

Gentile

people,

he would

follow their

customs and

practices.

And if that

meant he

could go and

eat food

sacrificed to

the idols

that we

looked at

last week,

so that he

could get a

hearing and

share the

gospel with

those people,

well he

would go

and do

it.

It's what

we call

incarnational

ministry.

The

incarnation is

God coming

down as

man to

live in

this world,

to be

like one

of us.

Hudson

Taylor got

it right,

didn't he?

A missionary

who went to

China in

the 1850s.

When he

arrived,

he immediately

began to

dress in

Chinese clothes

and drew his

hair into a

big long

pigtail.

Why?

Well,

he wanted to

be like a

Chinaman,

to win as

many Chinese

as possible

for Christ.

this is what

he said and

this is how

he lived.

He said

this,

China is

not to

be won

for Christ

by quiet,

ease-loving

men and

women.

The stamp

of men and

women we

need is

such as

will put

Jesus,

China,

and souls

first and

foremost in

everything and

at every

time,

even life

itself,

must be

secondary.

Incarnational

ministry,

becoming like

one of

them,

to reach

down.

He used

his rights

to serve

the gospel.

And the

call for us

is no

different.

Look at

verse 22.

To the

weak I

became weak,

so as to

win the

weak.

I have

become all

things to

all men,

so that by

all possible

means I

might save

some.

Carigoline,

Cork,

the nation

of Ireland,

is not to

be won

for Christ

by quiet,

ease-loving

men and

women.

What is

required is

men and

women,

people like

us,

who will

put Jesus

first,

souls

foremost,

in everything

and at

every time.

Our own

life must

become

secondary.

So how

flexible are

we as

messengers

of the

gospel?

How

incarnational

are we?

Do we

only invite

people into

our homes

those who

are of

the same

social

class,

the same

colour of

skin,

and kind

of just

fit in

with the

way we

do

things?

Do we

just sit

comfortably

in our

own little

Christian

culture,

and talk

to our

nice

middle-class

Christian

friends,

and expect

everybody to

come in

to us?

do we

just

organize

programs and

events for

children so

that they

don't have

to mix

with those

kind of

people?

If we're

to see

people become

Christians,

we need to

become

flexible,

incarnational.

So let me

encourage you

that if you

are invited

by your

neighbours to

go for a

Christmas

drink,

go along.

And if

you're not

invited,

well why

don't you

invite them

to your

house?

Yes,

you might

feel out

of your

comfort zone,

yes,

you mightn't

have talked

them very

much,

but how

else will

you get

to know

them?

Move out

of your

comfort zone.

If you're

going to be

hanging out

with friends,

going to

the cinema,

go to

the gym,

or going

shopping,

instead of

inviting the

usual Christian

friend that

you saw

ten times

yesterday,

why not

invite a

friend who's

not a

Christian?

But maybe

you don't

have friends

who aren't

Christians.

Now that's

a problem.

We need

to learn

to leave

the nice,

warm,

safe,

cosy,

Christian

ghetto where

everything is

like as

we want

it.

What does

it say at

the end of

verse 22?

I have

become all

things to

all men

so that

by all

possible

means

I might

save some.

It's

incarnational

ministry,

stepping

outside of

our comfort.

Just as

Christ came

down and

stepped into

the manger

and walked

the life

that he

did,

we are

called to

follow.

so we're

to be

flexible as

messengers,

but yet

faithful to

the message.

You see,

we need to

make sure

that our

flexibility

is also

controlled by

faithfulness.

Verse 23,

he says,

I do all

this for the

sake of the

gospel that I

might share

in its

blessings.

For the

sake of the

gospel.

gospel.

So while

we adapt

to fit in

with people,

we must

be careful

not to

adapt the

gospel message.

In other

words,

we don't

change the

gospel to

make it

more acceptable

by those

we are

seeking to

reach.

Of course,

we need to

be contextual,

we need to

make it

relevant,

we need to

say it in

words that

people are

going to

understand,

but we

must not

change the

content.

Paul's

approach was

simple.

We looked

at it in

chapter 2

verse 1.

This is

what it

says there,

chapter 2,

sorry,

verse 2.

He says,

For I

resolved to

know nothing

while I

was with

you except

Jesus

Christ and

him crucified.

You see,

being with

friends and

being flexible

and being

all things

to all

people,

that in

itself is

good,

and it's

a start,

but that's

not going

to make

anyone a

Christian.

The only

way somebody

will become

a Christian

is by

actually

hearing the

good news.

They must

hear about

Christ and

his cross.

And at

Christmas time

we come and

we celebrate

the birth of

Jesus.

But let's

not forget

the reason

why he

was born.

Jesus was

born to

die.

he came

into this

world to

take our

sin upon

himself, to

rise again, to

defeat death.

A Jesus who

is left in

the manger

is no good

to anyone.

We must

take them from

the manger to

the cross

and to the

resurrection and

let them see

who this

Jesus is.

Jesus.

So again,

this Christmas,

as we seek to

be flexible with

our friends, as

we seek to

fit in, as

we seek to

adapt and be

with people,

let us be

faithful.

Why not

give that

evangelistic

book?

Why not

give that

present that

will explain

something of

the truth of

who Jesus

is?

We must

be faithful

and we

must be

flexible.

We all

have rights,

but our

rights are

to be used

to serve

the gospel.

And as we

surrender our

rights,

we gain a

great and

eternal reward.

look at

verse 25.

Everyone who

competes in

the games

goes into

strict training.

They do it

to get a

crown that

will not

last.

So every

gold medal

that's won in

the Olympics,

it doesn't

last forever.

They're only

champions until

somebody else

wins the

next time.

but we

do it to

get a

crown that

will last

forever.

You see,

if I think

that this

life is all

about my

rights,

then I

will make

this life

all about

me.

What I

want,

what suits

me,

what pleases

me,

and everybody

else is there

to serve

my needs.

And I

will make

decisions about

my comfort

and my

pleasure and

how to make

life more

comfortable for

me.

Because we're

looking for the

prize now.

We're looking for

the glory now.

We want it

here.

But if one

day I am

going to receive

a crown that

will last

forever,

an eternal

crown,

a kingdom

where everything

is right and

everything is

perfect,

then I will

gladly and

joyfully surrender

my rights now

for the sake of

the gospel and

for the glory

that is to

come.

You see,

the only

thing,

the only

thing that we

will see in

eternity

are those

that have been

saved by the

gospel.

The only

thing that we

will see in

eternity are

those that have

been saved by

the gospel.

So do not

use your

rights for

temporary things

that do not

last.

Rather,

let us use

our rights for

eternal things

that will last

forever.

May this

Christmas season

be a time

where we see

what it is

to follow

the example

of the

one who

gave his

rights to

serve us,

that we

might serve

others,

that they

will see in

our lives

demonstrated

the grace

and the

gospel of

Jesus,

that they

too

might be

saved.

Let's

pray.

,

hell,