"What Do We Pay the Ox?" Part 2

1 Corinthians 9 gives a very personal illustration of a mature use of freedom: Paul was free to receive financial support, yet he willingly set that aside to achieve a higher goal!

I. Paul was FREE to RECEIVE SUPPORT! – (9:1-14)

A. His Rights as an Apostle – (vv.1-6)

B. Common Practice / Human Experience – (v.7)

C. The Teaching of the Old Testament – (vv.8-10)

D. Intrinsic Justice – (vv.11-12a)

E. The Practice in the Old Testament – (v.13)

F. The Teaching of Christ – (v.14)

Luke 10:7 CSB

Remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they offer, for the worker is worthy of his wages. Don’t move from house to house.

Paul had every right (authority) to expect the Corinthian believers to support him in his ministry when he was with them, yet he…

II. Paul demonstratedHis Freedom by REFUSING SUPPORT! – (9:15-27)

Paul gave three reasons that explained why he had refused support from the Corinthian church:

A. For the Gospel’s SAKE – (vv. 12b, 15-18)

(v.12b) – Paul didn’t receive this lest he, “…hinder the gospel of Christ.”

In their day, as in ours, there are many who suppose that “…godliness is a way of material gain.”

1 Timothy 6:5 CSB

and constant disagreement among people whose minds are depraved and deprived of the truth, who imagine that godliness is a way to material gain.

1 Peter 5:2 CSB

Shepherd God’s flock among you, not overseeing out of compulsion but willingly, as God would have you; not out of greed for money but eagerly;

Paul would have NO ONE could accuse him of preaching the gospel with unholy motives or under-handed methods – (v.15)

“…deprive me of my boast” – In other words, detractors would say, “Big deal! You preachers act as if you’re making some great sacrifice, but the fact is, you all MAKE THE BIG BUCKS! And THAT is why you preach—so you can collect the offering!

PREACHERS need to ask, “Is that true? Do I do this because the pay is good, or the work is easy? In other words, “Do I preach because I am called by God to do so or is it because I am paid!”

(vv.16-18) – No one could accuse Paul of such motives! For the sake of the GOSPEL, Paul refused support from the Corinthians!

B. For the SINNER’S sake– (vv.19-23)

Paul was not just concerned about what his enemies thought, he also was sensitive to what those he was preaching too thought as well!

(v.19) – The KEY to effectiveness in evangelism can be directly linked to our willingness to become servants of all!

· I am almost POSITIVE that Paul would NOT approve of the ‘Pastor-worship’ that is all too common!

Matthew 20:20–26 CSB

Then the mother of Zebedee’s sons approached him with her sons. She knelt down to ask him for something. “What do you want?” he asked her. “Promise,” she said to him, “that these two sons of mine may sit, one on your right and the other on your left, in your kingdom.” Jesus answered, “You don’t know what you’re asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink?” “We are able,” they said to him. He told them, “You will indeed drink my cup, but to sit at my right and left is not mine to give; instead, it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.” When the ten disciples heard this, they became indignant with the two brothers. Jesus called them over and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those in high positions act as tyrants over them. It must not be like that among you. On the contrary, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

(vv.20-23) – Paul was such a servant that whatever someone else was, that’s what Paul became to win them to Christ!

C. For HIS OWN sake– (vv.24-27)

It is apparent that Paul is not simply giving advice to athletes (runners & boxers in particular).

What he is talking about is PURPOSE in life…running in a way that it makes a difference…not merely ‘shadow-boxing’, but planting one where it matters!

There are different GOALS for different people…When I ran in the Dogwood, my goal, my victory, was to FINISH!

My goal as a PREACHER is not to be the next Billy Graham or Howard Hendrix…my goal is to finish my race!

AND living that purpose driven life requires discipline to ‘just say NO’ to your own passions; to be “temperate in all things.”

It means living life with the awareness that our choices carry a consequence—that you can make decisions that can “disqualify” you from further service!

In other words, Paul understood that if he participated in every freedom that was available to him, if he were not CAREFUL, he could become so obsessed with ‘things’—wine, food, money, marriage—all things that he was free to partake of/or was entitled too—that those THINGS could DOMINATE HIS LIFE!

Paul ALSO understood the DANGER that those freedoms presented!

Those things that if taken in excess could DISQUALIFY him from his one true love—service to the Lord Jesus Christ!

CONCLUSION

Why is this important to me today?

I would suggest you do some reflection and ask, “What am I living for? Am I running on a treadmill, or is my life taking me somewhere?

Where is that ‘somewhere’? What is the “prize” that I am competing for? Is it money, power, freedom to live how I want, and in a manner, I choose? Do I even know why I am alive? Do I know the purpose that God has for my life?

I try to live by the rule, “No rebuke without a remedy!” So let me borrow from the life of Paul and give a few ‘mile-markers’ to run for; some ‘targets’ you can swing at:

1. Figure out what “compels” you! – (v.16)

2. Stop living for or serving for money!

NOTICE I didn’t say, ‘stop earning, or making’ money! It is God’s will that you labor and provide for your family. But don’t let that be that driving force of your life!

Matthew 6:24 CSB

“No one can serve two masters, since either he will hate one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

3. Start living for and serving others! – (v.19)

4. Live as disciplined a life as you possibly can! – (v.27)

When singer/song writer Keith Green was saved, he was a mess! To say that he was undisciplined was an understatement! An older brother in Christ began discipling Keith…the start of which began with Keith making the bed every morning!

I don’t know where you are in the discipline process this morning…wherever it is, you need to take the NEXT STEP!

5. Live life with the PRIZE in mind! – (v.25)

(Matthew 25:14-30)