It's My Right!

1 Corinthians 9

Rights and Responsibilities

A significant part of Paul’s lengthy answer to the Corinthians regarding meat sacrificed to idols and eating in temple spaces set aside for idol worship revolves around an idea that is still regularly discussed:

It’s My Right 1 Cor 9:1-18

Though Paul is still addressing the question of eating meat sacrificed to idols, he asks 16 questions of the believers in Corinth.

These questions - delivered in a rapid style suggesting Paul already knew the answer - come to a declaration:

1 Corinthians 9:18 HCSB

What then is my reward? To preach the gospel and offer it free of charge and not make full use of my authority in the gospel.

All of the questions Paul asks offer insight into Paul’s priority:

Acts 26:17–19 (HCSB)

I will rescue you from the people and from the Gentiles. I now send you to them to open their eyes so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that by faith in Me they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified.’ “Therefore, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision.

For Paul tentmaking - often relegated to slaves and servants - was not servitude. Rather by supplying his needs for food and lodging tentmaking opened opportunities for Paul to share the good news of God: that in Jesus our sins are forgiven and through Jesus we are granted a new life as God intended it to be lived.

All Things to All People… 1 Cor 9:19-23

There are six distinct purpose clauses in these few verses. Paul is focused on ‘winning’ people to Christ - regardless of their background.

In Paul’s letter to believers in Philippi he explains what he means by ‘winning’:

Philippians 3:7–8 HCSB

But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of Him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them filth, so that I may gain Christ

Paul’s preferences were set aside in order that his priority of gospel proclamation may have its intended effect: to make disciples of all peoples.

For Paul - and those early followers of Jesus - the goal was not just to lead people to ‘pray a prayer’ and ‘accept Christ.’

The goal of ‘winning’ was nothing less than what Paul prayed for as recorded in

Ephesians 1:17–19 HCSB

I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. I pray that the perception of your mind may be enlightened so you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the glorious riches of His inheritance among the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of His power to us who believe, according to the working of His vast strength.

Paul’s example of becoming like those he was seeking to reach is a reminder of

a). no two individuals are alike - every person/group needs a personal invitation to hear the good news and receive the gospel

b). every believer can declare the message of God’s gospel in the place where they live!

Because of the Gospel vs 23-27

Using two sports metaphors Paul calls on his listeners to consider the cost of choosing a gospel priority over personal preferences.

While running or boxing may not speak specifically to you, the illustration is to describe the kind of discipline required to win.

‘Winning’ here is described as

a) receiving an unfading crown

Athletes competing in events diligently disciplined themselves for a crown, or garland, made of leaves. Wearing the crown was an honor reserved for the victorious, but the crown would soon fade and be forgotten.

Our crown - described in the NT is several ways:

a crown of righteousness - 2 Tim 4:8

a crown of life - James 1:12, Rev 2:10

a crown of glory - 1 Peter 5:4

b). to partner in the benefits of the gospel.

The benefits of the good news of Jesus - forgiveness of sin through the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross; the power of a Spirit filled life because of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead; and a place in God’s presence for all eternity.

Priorities Or Preferences

15 years ago a well know pastor spoke to seminary students about the Great Commission.

Listen to a portion of his words:

The greatest obstacle to the Great Commission is not our doctrine, or the willingness of candidates to go, but the American dream … We invest our resources in the American dream, or we invest our resources in the kingdom of God … The American dream says, ‘Get more - more of everything.’ The American dream is to have whatever I want when I want it ...

My prayer for you [seminary students preparing for careers in pastoral ministry and in other ways of serving the church] is that you go … to mobilize your [church] to get the gospel to the nations.

When Missions Shapes The Mission: You and Your Church Can Reach the World (Nashville, TN.: B&H Publishing Group, 2011), p. 54.

1 Corinthians 9:12 HCSB

If others have this right to receive benefits from you, don’t we even more? However, we have not made use of this right; instead we endure everything so that we will not hinder the gospel of Christ.

Everything Paul does passes through one filter:

does this promote or hinder the proclamation of the gospel?

1 Corinthians 9:16 HCSB

For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because an obligation is placed on me. And woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

A failure to plan is a plan to fail. Paul’s plan for every endeavor was to preach the gospel!

How would our life as individuals, families, and a church look if everything we did included a plan to preach the gospel?

1 Corinthians 9:18 HCSB

What then is my reward? To preach the gospel and offer it free of charge and not make full use of my authority in the gospel.

In 2009 one author notes

…every year 10,000 tons of steel go into making paper clips. Lloyd’s Bank of London decided to find out what happens to all these paper clips. Lloyd’s tracked a batch of 100,000 paperclips. Here is what they found: 25,000 were simply lost…, swept up or vacuumed…; 19,413 served as card game chips; 14, 163 were twisted and made useless during phone conversations; 7,200 were used as hooks for belts, suspenders, or bras; 5,434 were used to pick teeth or clean ears; 5,308 were used as nail cleaners; 3,196 were used as pipe cleaners. The remaining 20,286 … were used for their intended purpose.

Deliberate Simplicity: How the Church Does More by Doing Less (Grand Rapids, MI.: Zondervan, 2009), 34.

Paul had one purpose - and one purpose alone:

SHARE THE GOSPEL

REFLECT AND RESPOND:

What choices need to be made to insure our lives don’t get in the way of the gospel?

Are we certain - beyond any doubt - that Jesus lives in us, that He has called and gifted us to be used by Him to make disciples of all people groups around the world?

What are our specific plans to share the gospel?

To fail to plan is to plan to fail. God did not bring us into a relationship with Him through Jesus so that we could get swept away, twisted out of shape, or misused or abused.

He saved us so that through us He might make Himself known in the world in which we live -

here at home as well as across the world.

Will you join us in our efforts to be all things to all people that by all means we may see some cone to faith in Jesus Christ?

a). make certain your relationship with Jesus right now...

b). find a way to involve yourself in the community of faith -

daily abiding in Jesus as He abides in you

regularly meeting with other believers for instruction, worship, fellowship and working together to spread the gospel

evaluating every are of your life to line up with the one purpose Jesus has called us to:

MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL PEOPLE!