The Local Church & A Pastor's Process
Our Blueprint for a New Testament Church • Sermon • Submitted
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Introduction
Introduction
Take your Bibles this morning and open them to I Corinthians 9. We are still continuing our journey through this great book. Currently, we are working through chapter 9.
By way of reminder, the book of Corinthians is, as I believer, God’s Blueprint for the Local Church. Wednesday night, Pastor Jerry mentioned this fact about the New Testament epistles. Each one of them is written to either a local church or to leaders of a local church. God places a heavy emphasis on the local church in the New Testament. The local church is God’s ordained method of operation in this present time. He demonstrated the local church’s importance when He said this in Ephesians 5:25
25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;
Note that Christ “loved” the local church and “gave” himself for it. Thus, I contend that if the local church is important to the Lord Jesus Christ then it should be important to us who love and follow Him. This book, 1 Corinthians, then becomes a very important book. It outlines everything we need to know so that we might be a local church that please the Lord.
As we have already noted, chapter 9’s focus is on the role of the pastor. In the chapters leading up to this one, the focus was on each believer and their personal life before the Lord. Now, however, the focus shifts to the local church as a whole. There is no better place to start than at the top with the one who God has called to manage each local church - the pastor. So, for the last few weeks, I, as your pastor, am under the microscope.
What have learned so far?
First, God spoke on the topic of a Pastor’s Pay in verses 7-11. From those verses, we learned that ever local church as the responsibility of taking care of its pastor or pastors. At times, a local church may have more than one pastor. Our church has two men who serve in the capacity of pastor. I serve as your Senior Pastor. Daniel, although he is not yet ordained (we are working on that), is considered to be our Youth & Children’s Pastor. It is an unofficial title for now. However, when he has completed his ordination it will be official. So, in a sense, we have two pastors. Therefore, it is the responsibility of this church, as we learned from God in verses 7-11, to financially support its pastors.
The second thing we learned is this. This was last’s week message. We learned about a Pastor’s Passion. This point is found mainly in verse 16.
16 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
A pastor’s passion is to preach the gospel. In last week’s message, we learned about a pastor’s call to preach. The Holy Spirit pointedly noted that Paul preached the gospel out of necessity. It was something that God had “laid upon” him. That phrase means he was pressed, compelled, constrained, required, and duty-bound to preach the gospel. God called him to that one thing and nothing else. In that message, I shared with you my own personal call to preach. We also looked again at Paul’s call.
Along with each pastor’s call to preach comes a commitment to accountability. Note verse 17.
17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
The word “dispensation” is word of stewardship. It carries the connotation of management. Thus, God’s call upon each pastor to preach the gospel comes with a stewardship of that call. Every man called into the ministry will one day stand before the Lord Jesus Christ giving full account of his management of God’s call.
However, there is much reward that comes with God’s call to preach and pastor. We see that reward noted in verses 18 and 19.
18 What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. 19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
A pastor’s reward is knowing that he is fulfilling God’s call. Fulfillment comes by obedience. Note Paul said “when I preach the gospel.” Pastors, just as other believers, must be obedient to God’s commands. Specifically, a pastor must be obedient in preaching the gospel. Pastors also fulfill God’s call by doing despite receiving financial compensation or not. Preaching the gospel should never be about money. True fulfillment of God’s stewardship to preach means preaching even when it is not popular to do so. And, then, fulfillment also comes when pastor live faithful lives so not to abuse the management of the gospel before others.
Now, this morning, we continue by considering a Pastor’s Process concerning the call to preach. We have learned about a Pastor’s Pay, a Pastor’s Passion, and now, there is a Pastor’s Process.
Look with me at our text. It is 1 Corinthians 9:19-23.
19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. 20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; 21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. 22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23 And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
Note right from the beginning the Holy Spirit points to the fact that being a servant must be part of a pastor’s procedure as he preaches the gospel.
A Pastor’s Process: Serving Others
A Pastor’s Process: Serving Others
Verse 19 might seem a little odd to those who have not been with us our study of 1 Corinthians. However, for those of us who have, you might recall our study of chapter 8. In that chapter, the Holy Spirit dealt with some issues of liberty. He encouraged us to consider the things we do making sure that we do not become a stumblingblock to weaker believers. We learned that yes it is okay to do somethings like eat meat sacrificed to idol. Believers are free from the bondage of idolatry and understand that such meat means nothing. However, in the eyes of new born believers, they might see what we are doing and think that there remains some truth to idolatry leading them back to a life of sin’s bondage. Thus, the warning from the Holy Spirit in chapter 8 is be careful. Do not do something that might cause another believer to stumble even if you are free to do so.
It is for this reason that we now read:
19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
Paul was not in anyway obligated to live under the opinions or ideas of another person. His only obligation was to obey God and conform to Christ. Yet, remember this, he, along with other men, received a call from God to preach the gospel. A call to which he surrendered and accepted. For that reason, the Holy Spirit placed within him the desire to serve others. He was given a Servant’s Heart.
I contend from God’s Word this morning that every truly called man of God must exhibit a servant’s attitude. If he doesn’t, then it is quite possible that he is in it for the money and not for God. Why do I say that? Well, for starters, our text this morning reveals the fact that Paul, a man called by God, desired to be a “servant unto all.” However, there is much more in God’s Word concerning a pastor’s heart.
22 For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord’s freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ’s servant.
10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: 16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.
I could go to list the number of time that Paul and others described themselves as “servants of God.” Having a servant’s attitude is essential if we want to follow the Lord. Christ himself was the perfect example of a servant.
28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: 8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Thus, any pastor or preacher worth his salt is a pastor or preacher who exhibits a humble servant’s heart. Paul’s desire was to be “servant unto all.” For what purpose? He did so that “he might gain the more.” The word “gain” means to acquire more. He wanted to acquire more souls for Christ. Thus, in his effort to preach the gospel and gain more souls for Christ, Paul willingly gave up his freedoms and became a servant to everyone he met. Note the next 3 verses of our text.
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; 21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. 22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
He willingly became a Jew to reach Jews. In other words, as he was ministering to Jews, he did as they did. He ate the food they ate. He lived his life in such a way that he did not offend them. He did so for one purpose - that he “might gain them.”
He willingly became “to them that are without law, as without law.” In other words, as he was ministering to Gentiles and Barbarian, he did as they did. However note that in both cases there was limit to how far Paul would go in gaining them. Look again at verse 21 noting the words in parentheses.
21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
*Paul did not cross the boundaries of lawlessness and immorality to gain them. Even in his efforts to reach others for Christ, he remained obedient to God’s Word. He was always “under the law to Christ.” I have heard of pastors and believers say that we need to act like the world to reach the world. They would even advocate holding Bible studies in bars. I know of one pastor in particular that would take his teenage son to Mardi Gras in New Orleans every year to pass out tracts on Bourbon Street. If you know anything about Mardi Gras and Bourbon Street, you know that is no place for a teenage boy must less an adult man. Our text this morning makes it quite clear that there are limits to how far we can go in reaching others for Christ. Sitting in a bar drinking beer is not the place for a believer. It is most definitely not “under the law of Christ.” Paul was willing to be all thing to all people but only to a point. He drew the line in the sand at the moment those things violated God’s Word.
The Holy Spirit continues to use Paul as example noting that even to the weak he became weak.
Folks, if there is one thing that is required in our efforts to reach the lost, it is that we have a servant’s heart. Being a servant is something that every believer, not just pastors, should ask God to place within them. A song that I love to hear has wonderful lyrics that go like this.
Make me a servant like You, dear Lord,
Living for others each day:
Humble and meek,
helping the weak,
Loving in all that I say.
Make me a witness like You, dear Lord,
Showing the love of the cross-
Sharing You Word
till all have heard,
Serving whatever the cost.
Give me, Lord, a servant’s heart.
Here’s my life; take ev’ry part.
Give me, Lord, a servant’s heart.
Help me draw so close to You
That Your love comes shining through.
Give me, Lord, a servant’s heart.
Give me, Lord, a servant’s heart.
I truly believe that if each of us would plead with God for that very thing He would give it. However, we must ask realizing that it is all about reaching others for Him.
Why did Paul willingly submit himself to these things? What is was the purpose behind his procedure?
A Pastor’s Process: Partnering with Others
A Pastor’s Process: Partnering with Others
22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 23 And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
Why be so extreme in his efforts to reach people for Christ? Note verse 23 and the word “this.” That word is normally translated as “all things.” Thus, we could read “And this (all things) I do for the gospel’s sake.” Everything was done for the sake of the gospel. What mattered in life was not him and his rights, but it was simply the gospel of Christ. It was his consuming passion in life. For what reason? Note the answer is also in verse 23. The answer is “that I might be partaker therefor with you.” The responsibility of proclaiming the good news of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection should not just a pastor’s passion, but is to be the passion of every believer.
Here is a visual that I believe demonstrates God’s purpose for every believer. It is a purpose that works in conjunction with the local church.
*Put chart on screen
Note that each believer’s spiritual journey begins with the Gospel of Christ. Jesus Christ is at the center of the gospel message. His death, burial, and resurrection paved the way for you and I to be spiritually resurrected so that we might once again reunite with God. From the moment we are saved until we reach Heaven, our purpose in life remains focused on the Gospel of Christ. Personally, our goal is to grow closer to Christ so we might proclaim Christ to others. The local church is the public avenue through which we are then to worship Christ, serve Christ, and edify others in Christ. Our whole objective both personally and publicly is to preach the gospel of Christ.
17 For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. 18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
2 For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.
It was Christ Himself Who commissioned each us to proclaim His gospel (His good news) to the world.
18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
My job is your job. Your responsibility is my responsibility. We are “partakers” together in preaching the gospel. We are to be faithful in this great and wonderful undertaking.
19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
We must become to all men all things that we might win for Christ.
Conclusion
Conclusion
It is every true pastor’s passion to preach the gospel and see souls saved. He must then proceed to be a servant even as Christ was servant. However, it is falls not just upon every pastor but also every believer to do the same. We are a local church. Our number one responsibility is to see souls saved. It is our responsibility personally (individually) and corporately (as a local church). Our prayer should then be this morning as believers is Lord, give us a Servant’s Heart. Help us be witness like you. May we share our love for the cross and His Word till all have heard. This is the reason we do some crazy things around here like giving away free Easter’s baskets or having an Eggstravanganza. Each of these events are designed to help us become all thing to all people so we might win them to Christ. They are event that are perfect opportunities for you to be involved in doing what God has purposed you to do. Get involved. Pray, give, and attend each of these events. Help me, as your pastor, reach our community for Christ. Let’s be partakers together seeking to see souls saved.
