10: Running for the Prize! (1 Cor 9)

I’m glad you’re here promptly and on time.

A boy came late to Sunday School. Knowing he was usually very prompt, his teacher asked, “Johnny, is there anything wrong?”

“No, ma’am, not really,” he said.”I was going to go fishing, but my dad told me that I needed to get on up and go to church.”

The teacher was very impressed and asked Johnny if his father had explained why it was more important to go to church than go fishing.

“Yes ma’am, he did,” Johnny said. “My daddy said he didn’t have enough bait for both of us.”

So, I’m glad you were either disciplined enough to show up on your own OR....I’m glad you ran out of bait!

4 weeks ago today to took a break from 1 Corinthians and dealt with Abortion in America and Tim Hughey taught on Father’s Day. Now we come back to where we left off in 1 Corinthians.

Today we jump back into 1 Corinthians 9 and talk about Running for the Prize.

Have you ever had a time that you disciplined your body or mind to achieve a difficult but worthy goal - when your focus on the future prize was enough to drive you in the present - to put in the time, effort, and sweat to win the prize?

And have you ever thought about putting in that kind of effort - not for a trophy, money, position, or prestige - but with the goal of knowing Jesus and helping others know Him?

You do know that all other goals will eventually fade away.

Your financial accomplishments won’t matter much when you are taking your last breaths on this side of eternity.

Your fitness accolades won’t last either. You will get older. Your fitness abilities will fade and this old body will wear out.

But what about your spiritual growth and impact on others? That is something that will not fade away. And THAT’S what Paul puts front and center when he writes, “Run in such a way to win the prize.”

PRAY

This will help us get some traction in the context. Paul wrote about the freedom he had - he could eat any food - even sacrificed to idols, because idols represent FALSE gods - there is no other God who creates, judges, & redeems.

But some Christians were being stumbling blocks to younger believers who couldn’t yet understand this truth. Because some of these believers cared more about their FREEDOM than their younger brothers’/sisters’ faith.

Paul refused to do that writing these words...

1 Corinthians 8:12–13 (CSB)

Now when you sin like this against brothers and sisters and wound their weak conscience, you are sinning against Christ. Therefore, if food causes my brother or sister to fall, I will never again eat meat, so that I won’t cause my brother or sister to fall.

With that as our backdrop, Paul continues with these words...

1 Corinthians 9:1–2 (CSB)

Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you, because you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

If anybody is free it would be an apostle of Jesus, those who had seen Jesus and been sent out by Him to carry the gospel to others. (Paul testifies about Jesus’ call on his life in Acts 9:1-22; Ac 22:6–11; 26:12–18; 1 Cor 15:8).

Yet despite being an apostle, Paul limits his own freedom in order to encourage these people he loves so much. The Corinthians are the seal of his apostleship.

Just as a seal from a signet ring gave proof as to who the letter was from, Paul’s impact on the lives of the Corinthians was the seal proved he was truly an apostle of the Lord Jesus, called to carry the gospel message to them.

1 Corinthians 9:3–5 (CSB)

My defense to those who examine me is this: Don’t we have the right to eat and drink? Don’t we have the right to be accompanied by a believing wife like the other apostles, the Lord’s brothers, and Cephas?

Couldn’t Paul exercise his freedom to eat or drink whatever he wanted? Yep…but he didn’t.

And then Paul notes that and the Lord’s brothers (Jacob/James & Judah) and Cephas (Peter) were married.

Catholics maintain that Peter was the first pope. Not true, as Roman Catholicism didn’t become authoritative until the 6th century (with Pope Gregory I - 590 CE). Plus, if Peter was the first pope, then he was married, and that ought to do away with necessity of priestly celibacy.

Couldn’t Paul exercise the same freedom - to marry and bring his wife with him? Sure. But he didn’t.

1 Corinthians 9:6–7 (CSB) Or do only Barnabas and I have no right to refrain from working? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat its fruit? Or who shepherds a flock and does not drink the milk from the flock?

And the answer is, “Of course.”

Soldiers, farmers, and shepherds don’t work for free; they are all provided for by those they serve.

So too the apostles could refrain from working another job.

But Paul and Barnabas chose not to use this freedom either. They continued to work on the side rather than refrain from working another job.

Paul was a tent maker who lived by that trade in Corinth (Acts 18:2-3) rather than receive compensation he deserved. WHY? We’ll get to that it just a moment.

1 Corinthians 9:8–10 (CSB)

Am I saying this from a human perspective? Doesn’t the law also say the same thing? For it is written in the law of Moses, Do not muzzle an ox while it treads out grain. Is God really concerned about oxen? Isn’t He really saying it for our sake? Yes, this is written for our sake, because he who plows ought to plow in hope, and he who threshes should thresh in hope of sharing the crop.

This quote about not muzzling an ox comes from Deut 25:4. God’s people were commanded to feed the ox while it was working for them.

Paul reasons that if God commands that animals be “paid” for their work, then God is much more concerned that people are paid for their work.

So, Paul notes this more important principle is written for the sake of those serving the church - that he who threshes should thresh in hope of sharing the crop. Listen as Paul drills down deeper.

1 Corinthians 9:11–12 (CSB)

If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it too much if we reap material benefits from you? If others have this right to receive benefits from you, don’t we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right; instead, we endure everything so that we will not hinder the gospel of Christ.

1 Corinthians 9:13–14 (CSB)

Don’t you know that those who perform the temple services eat the food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the offerings of the altar? In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should earn their living by the gospel.

In the Old Covenant system the Jewish priests who served at the temple would be given some of the meat from the offerings of the altar (Lv 6:16,26; 7:6,31–32; Nm 5:9–10; 18:8–20,31; Dt 18:1).

This illustration would have made sense to pagans too, since priests at the temple of Apollo and Aphrodite would have eaten from the offerings as well.

And now in the New Covenant Paul notes that “the Lord” - that would be JESUS - has commanded that those who preach the gospel should earn their living by the gospel.

1 Corinthians 9:15–16 (CSB)

For my part I have used none of these rights, nor have I written these things that they may be applied in my case. For it would be better for me to die than for anyone to deprive me of my boast! For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am compelled to preach—and woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!

1 Corinthians 9:17–18 (CSB) For if I do this willingly, I have a reward, but if unwillingly, I am entrusted with a commission. What then is my reward? To preach the gospel and offer it free of charge and not make full use of my rights in the gospel.

Why didn’t Paul capitalize on his right to receive compensation? There are probably a couple of reasons.

Paul was a Pharisee who had been trained to teach the Scriptures, but also to work a trade. Pharisees were the blue-collar religious leaders of their day, men who rubbed shoulders with the working class because they WERE the working class. (Sadducees were the elite class.)

Paul didn’t want to be indebted to anyone. Traveling teachers & philosophers like Paul supported themselves in one of four ways: charging fees, staying in well-to-do households, begging, or working at a trade. Craig Blomberg, 1 Corinthians, The NIV Application Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1994), 173.

Staying at a wealthy Corinthian’s house or receiving money from someone like this might meant they might expect Paul to support their political agenda. Paul didn’t want the effectiveness of his ministry to be impacted in any way. This is why he lived with the Christian couple he worked with - Aquila & Priscilla (Acts 18:1-3).

★Note: Paul sometimes had churches from another city provide for his mission needs, but did not receive funds from those in the city he was staying in.

1 Corinthians 9:19–20 (CSB)

Although I am free from all and not anyone’s slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win more people. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win Jews; to those under the law, like one under the law—though I myself am not under the law—to win those under the law.

While Paul was free from all, not indebted to any man, he CHOSE to become a slave to everyone.

In the Old Testament, a Hebrew who sold himself into slavery to repay a debt had to be set free on the 7th year of his work, but…he could CHOOSE to remain as a permanent slave, by having his ear pierced as a sign of his desire to stay (Ex 21:2-6).

this is what Paul had done in order to win more people for Jesus, regardless of their religious or ethnic background.

First, when Paul was around Jews he became like a Jew. WHAT? I thought Paul WAS a Jew. He was, but it is obvious that He did not always live like a Jew - Paul evidently didn’t feel bound by the dietary law, the Sabbath, the festivals, nor the rabbinical traditions (see Col 2:16).

Yet, when Paul was around other Jews he did all he could do not to offend them (e.g. being careful to follow dietary restrictions), but to gain an audience with them.

You can even see one time when Paul takes the Nazarite vow (purifying himself in a ceremonial washing and shaving head) to demonstrate to the Jews that he is a Jew who follows the Old Testament law (Acts 21:17–24).

Ultimately, many Jews were offended by the message of Jesus, but it wasn’t because Paul was flaunting his freedom in front of them. He made himself a slave, limiting his freedom, in order to win those under the law - Jews.

But...

1 Corinthians 9:21–22a (CSB)

To those who are without the law, like one without the law—though I am not without God’s law but under the law of Christ—to win those without the law. To the weak I became weak, in order to win the weak.

Paul uses a different tactic in order to reach non-Jews - those without the law. Paul likely ate what they ate, dressed like they dressed, and went where they went and adapted to the culture - all without disobeying God.

And then Paul mentions another group that he found common ground with - the weak - likely either people weak in their faith or maybe generally recognized as physically or intellectually weaker people of their society.

To these people Paul would likely have put the cookies on the bottom shelf rather than flex his intellectual muscles. Paul would take the time to explain the gospel for those who didn’t understand quickly.

Further, we have already seen that Paul would have been careful not to eat or drink anything that caused confusion for the more immature Christians in Corinth.

1 Corinthians 9:22b-23 (CSB)

I have become all things to all people, so that I may by every possible means save some. Now I do all this because of the gospel, so that I may share in the blessings.

That sounds like a lot of effort doesn’t it? Learning the cultures and adjusting to the cultural norms?

WHY? To see as many saved from their sins as possible!

Are we like that? Do we so want to see people follow Jesus that we are willing to put our preferences on the back burner, and find some common ground with others - to care for people that might be different than us but have the same NEEDS as us - forgiveness & a relationship with the God who created them - by every possible means to save some? Paul discovered what we must discover, that we are no longer the center of the solar system, that getting the GOSPEL out to others is more important than our comfort.

WHAT are the blessings of the gospel?

To see people, who will live eternally, follow Jesus here on Earth and live with them forever! Your most valuable possessions, unless they are people, are NOT going with you.

Another blessing? To hear “well done” by our Creator & Redeemer.

Paul then uses a culturally relevant illustration to hammer this point home.

This video that will help give us more context for the Corinthian culture.

VIDEO - Isthmian Games

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 (CSB)

Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize. Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable crown.

These games were held every 2 years and the competitors trained for 10 months, while the last month was spent in Corinth being supervised in daily workouts in the gym and on the athletic fields. John F. MacArthur Jr., 1 Corinthians, MacArthur New Testament Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1984), 214–215.

These people didn’t restrict their diet, train to exhaustion, and invest all this time to LOSE.

They were preparing to win the prize.

That prize was a perishable crown - Some say it was a wreath braided from withered celery (Plutarch, Quaestiones convivales IX. 5.3.1–3 [Moralia 675d–677b]), which would obviously rot. 1 Others say it was interwoven pine straw. Either way, this crown would not last for long - it was a perishable crown.

1 David A. deSilva, “The Social and Geographical World of Roman Corinth (Acts 18:1–18; 1 Corinthians 1:2; 2 Corinthians 1:1),” in Lexham Geographic Commentary on Acts through Revelation, ed. Barry J. Beitzel, Jessica Parks, and Doug Mangum, Lexham Geographic Commentary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2019), 468–469.

But we seek an imperishable crown - one that won’t rot, but will last - eternal life! This is the crown of victory. With that crown as the goal, and with the Isthmian Games to illustrate the significance of what the Christian’s competitive spirit should be, Paul completes his thoughts with these words...

1 Corinthians 9:26–27 (CSB)

So I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

In other words, Paul isn’t just going through the motions. He is training hard to compete for the prize with the end of the race in mind.

While on earth, Paul was becoming a disciplined disciple, whose WALK matched up with his TALK. He wanted to make sure that his life of preaching to others was backed up by his faithfulness in following Jesus.

What are YOU doing to become a disciplined disciple of Jesus?

Making time for Scripture & prayer?

Walking in obedience?

Spending time with maturing Christians?

What are you doing to take the good news to others?

And the end of our lives, what matters most will become obvious, and I wonder how many of us will regret how we used our time.

Around 200 years ago there were two Scottish brothers named John and David Livingstone. John had set his mind on making money and becoming wealthy, and he did. But under his name in an old edition of the “Encyclopaedia Britannica” John Livingstone is listed simply as “the brother of David Livingstone.”

And who was David Livingstone? While John had dedicated himself to making money, David had knelt and prayed. Surrendering himself to Christ, he resolved, “I will place no value on anything I have or possess unless it is in relationship to the Kingdom of God.”

The inscription over his burial place in Westminster Abbey reads, “For thirty years his life was spent in an unwearied effort to evangelize.”

On his 59th birthday David Livingstone wrote, “My Jesus, my King, my Life, my All; I again dedicate my whole self to Thee.”

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