I have become all things to all men III

1 Corinthians 9: 19 - 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. 24 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. 25 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. 26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air.

Review: Paul talked about a willingness to lay down our lives and preferences for the sake of the Gospel.

Become a slave to the calling of God to win people.

Walk in the shoes of others, be respectful and not offend people because they believe differently, I fit into the world without being worldly,(remove the religious uniform), all things to all men.

Last week we talked about what it takes to become, we must make ourselves do things that we are not used to doing, things that are difficult, things we may be afraid to do.

Today we will continue to look at this scripture.

I do all this for the sake of the gospel

• Let’s not forget why we do what we do. For the sake of the Gospel. But also…
• That I may share in its blessings.

• Run in such a way as to get the prize
• I do not run like a man running aimlessly
• Never reaching any goal
• I do not fight like a man beating the air.
• Lots of action no result

How do we do this?

1. Know the times we live in and be looking forward.

Matthew 16: 2 He replied, “When evening comes, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,’ 3 and in the morning, ‘Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times.

• There are people whose job is to look ahead and tell the different industries what is coming. Clothing styles, how society is changing. This is not new.

1 Chronicles 12: 32 men of Issachar, who understood the times and knew what Israel should do…

The Church is eternal and should always see itself so, but that is not the same as old fashioned, behind the times…

1. Become specialist in our specific gifts. (Gospel increasing gifts)
• Find out what your good at and do it. (not a little of this and that) * Not only gifts/talents that make money, but the ones that help people come to God. (cooking, hospitality, serving, relationship building gifts)
• Never stop developing that gift and use it on purpose.

We are a scientific people, an informed people, but the danger is we see all the natural signs around us but do not see the spiritual ones, the sign posts to God’s time.

1. Let’s make change our friend
• Things change so quickly, how we did things a few years ago we no longer do. God does not change, but everything seen changes and is temporary.

2 Corinthians 4: 16 Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. 17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

We are not to ignore the temporary, we have to live with it, but we must understand that what we can see is temporary and will change. Build your life on the unseen unchangeable things and flow with the things of the times to present the Gospel and your gifts to reach people with the good news.

1. Commitment and Unity
• Too often relationships today exist for self fulfillment that is why there are so many single people out there. NO commitment NO Unity
• No one can have unity by himself anymore than you can be married by yourself. You can’t have unity without being committed somewhere.
• Without commitment, no one can rely on you for anything.

                                          i.    Churches cannot be built on floaters and non-committal people.

                                         ii.    Neither businesses, relationships or anything else.

                                        iii.    True worthwhile goal are reached by becoming a team

1.    Trainer and boxer (Rocky IV young boxer just his own way, he lost it all)

God has been preparing us for new things; he is releasing us to fulfill the things that he has put in our hearts. New beginnings not only has a new place to worship, but it has a new tool to share the Gospel, to prepare the soil of people’s hearts