Chapter 9, and it's the whole of the chapter, and it begins on page 1150.
So 1 Corinthians, chapter 9, beginning at verse 1.
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?
Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?
Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you.
For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.
This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me.
Don't we have the right to food and drink?
Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us,
as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas?
Or is it only I and Barnabas who must work for a living?
Who serves as a soldier at his own expense?
Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its grapes?
Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk?
Do I say this merely from a human point of view?
Doesn't the law say the same thing?
For it is written in the law of Moses,
Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.
Is it about oxen that God is concerned?
Surely he says this for us, doesn't he?
Yes, this was written for us,
because when the ploughman ploughs and the thresher threshes,
they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.
If we have sown spiritual seed among you,
is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you?
If others have this right of support from you,
shouldn't we have it all the more?
But we did not use this right.
On the contrary, we put up with anything
rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
Don't you know that those who work in the temple
get their food from the temple,
and those who serve at the altar
share in what is offered on the altar?
In the same way, the Lord has commanded
that those who preach the gospel
should receive their living from the gospel.
But I have not used any of these rights,
and I am not writing this in the hope
that you will do such things for me.
I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast.
Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast,
for I am compelled to preach.
Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.
If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward.
If not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.
What then is my reward?
Just this, that in preaching the gospel,
I may offer it free of charge,
and so not make use of my rights in preaching it.
Though I am free and belong to no man,
I make myself a slave to everyone,
to win as many as possible.
To the Jews I became like a Jew,
to win the Jews.
To those under the law,
I became like one under the law,
though I myself am not under the law,
so as to win those under the law.
To those not having the law,
I became like one not having the law.
Though I am not free from God's law,
but I am under Christ's law,
so as to win those not having the law.
To the weak I became weak,
to win all the weak.
I have become all things to all men,
so that by all possible means I might save some.
I do all this for the sake of the gospel,
that I may share in its blessings.
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.
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.
Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly.
I do not fight like a man beating the air.
No, I beat my body and make it my slave,
so that after I have preached to others,
I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Thanks very much, Chris.
Well, let's pray.
Our Father God, we thank you for your word.
We thank you for its truth.
We thank you that it is a truth and a word
that brings life,
that saves and transforms.
And so we pray that as we hear your word,
as we look at it together,
that you would do that work amongst us
and through us.
Father, help us that we would be humble before you,
that we would know what it is to surrender our rights
so that you are Lord
over every area of our life.
Please help us then, we pray.
In Jesus' name, amen.
Amen.
We declare the rights of the people of Ireland
to the ownership of Ireland
and to the unfettered control of Irish destinies
to be sovereign and indefeasible.
In every generation,
the Irish people have asserted their right
to national freedom and sovereignty,
standing on that fundamental right.
The Republic guarantees religious and civil liberty,
equal rights and equal opportunities
to all its citizens,
and declares its resolve to pursue the happiness
and prosperity of the whole nation
and all its parts,
cherishing all of the children of the nation equally.
Recognize those words?
So reads the 1916 Proclamation of the Irish Republic.
We should never forget the privilege it is
to live in a nation where human rights
are respected and cherished.
The right to liberty and security,
the right to equality and dignity,
to education and health.
We live in a culture and a society
where everybody knows their rights
and rights are precious.
But if we are Christians,
we are called to forego our rights
to serve the gospel.
In a society where rights are everything,
we are to let go of our rights.
If anyone does have rights,
it's the Apostle Paul.
Look at verse 1.
Am I not free?
Am I not an apostle?
Remember, he's saying,
I, as an apostle,
God has sent me to preach the good news.
He goes on,
have I not seen our Lord?
Remember that on my way to Damascus,
the risen Lord Jesus
appeared to me and called me
and commissioned me
to go and preach.
Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?
Didn't I come to you in Corinth
and stay with you
for almost two years
explaining and teaching
and living my life among you
so that you could understand
who Jesus is?
I have been chosen.
I have been called.
I have been commissioned by God
to go and proclaim the good news of Jesus.
And because of that,
I have rights.
That right, of course,
was the right of financial support.
Look at verse 3.
This is my defence to those
who sit in judgment on me,
those who say I shouldn't have anything.
Verse 4.
Don't we have the right
to food and drink?
Don't we have the right
to take a believing wife along with us
as do the other apostles?
Or is it only I and Barnabas
who must work for a living?
Who serves as a soldier
at his own expense?
Or who plants a vineyard
and can't eat of its grapes?
Or who tends a flock
and can't drink of its milk?
Look.
Everyone who works
has the right to basic support
so that they can eat and drink
and have somewhere to sleep.
In fact,
God commands it.
Look at verse 9.
For it is written in the law of Moses
in the Old Testament,
this comes from Deuteronomy,
do not muzzle an ox
while it is treading out the grain.
Is it about oxen that God is concerned?
No.
Surely he says this for us,
doesn't he?
If an ox who is out working
has the right,
a mere animal,
has the right to be looked after,
fed and watered,
well, don't you think
that God's servant,
his people,
have the right
to be looked after?
Verse 10.
Surely he says this for us,
doesn't he?
Yes, this was written for us.
Verse 12.
If others have this right of support from you,
shouldn't we have it all the more?
So we do have rights.
But there is something more important than rights.
Look at the rest of verse 12.
Look what he says.
But we did not use this right.
On the contrary,
we put up with anything
rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.
You see,
if we are Christians,
our rights
do not come before the gospel.
Rather,
the gospel
always comes before
our rights.
You see,
rights do not build
or plant churches.
Our rights
do not save people.
It is only the gospel
that will save someone.
Yes,
we do have rights,
as he goes on to tell us again
in verse 14.
In the same way,
the Lord has commanded
that those who preach the gospel
should receive their living
from the gospel.
But I have not used
any of these rights.
The gospel,
the good news of Christ,
takes priority
over our rights.
So what will this look like
in practice?
Well,
we're going to look at two big ideas.
The first is this.
First,
we surrender
our rights
for the gospel.
We surrender
our rights
for the gospel.
Go back to the second part
of verse 12 again.
He says,
we did not use
this right.
On the contrary,
we put up with anything.
We'd go through anything
rather than hinder
the gospel of Christ.
You see,
when Paul arrived
in Corinth,
he had the right
to look for support,
but he didn't use
that right.
Instead,
he worked for a living.
In Acts 18,
which records
Paul's visit
to Corinth,
he tells us
that he used
his trade
as a tent maker
to earn a living.
So when he arrived,
he went about
fixing tents
and probably
other leather items
like sandals
and boots
and all that sort of thing.
A little workshop
he would have set up.
And then on the Sabbath,
towards the end
of the week,
he would go into
the synagogue
to preach
and persuade
who Jesus was.
Tent making
would not get you rich.
It was a menial task,
exhausting,
hard work
involving long hours
for little pay.
But he says,
we will put up
with anything.
We'll go through
any kind of life.
The reason?
To be able to offer
the gospel
free of charge.
Have a look at verse 18.
What then is my reward?
What do I get
from being a tent maker,
from putting myself
through all this hard work
so that I can preach?
What's my reward?
Just this,
that in preaching
the gospel,
I may offer it
free of charge
and so do not
make use of my rights
in preaching it.
You see,
he does not want
finances
to be an obstacle
to people
hearing the good news
of Jesus.
In fact,
he says he will
literally pay
for the right
to preach.
He will cover
all his expenses
so that the gospel
comes free.
That's why we said
when we took up
a collection
this morning,
we say
we don't
have to give.
we don't want
people to pay
for the gospel.
That's why
as a church
we've taken
the decision
not to charge
for things
like the rock
or Christianity
Explored
or Polo
or Sunday School
or anything else.
Why?
So that it is
free
to people.
But not only
do we want
to offer it
free of charge,
we want
to live lives
that actually
reflect the
content
of this message.
We are to
live the gospel,
not just speak it,
but live it.
You see,
the gospel,
the good news
about Jesus
is God's
free
gift
of salvation.
It's all
of grace,
which means
it doesn't
cost us
anything.
It's all
been achieved
and done
by Jesus.
Isn't that
what we're
thinking about
and looking
forward to
as we come
to Christmas?
Think about
what the gospel
is,
what that message
is,
what we've
been singing
about this
morning.
Jesus
is God
who gave
up his
rights
and came
to serve
us,
who had
everything
but did
not consider
equality
with God
something to
be grasped
and held
on to,
but came
down to
be a
baby
born in
a manger.
The creator
of the universe
who spoke
the world
into existence,
who owns
everything,
became a
slave
for you
and for me
and who
identified
with us
in such
a way
that the
perfect one
who lived
perfectly
and was
without sin
came and
took my
sin and
your sin
on himself
and died
in my
place
and forgave
me.
Jesus
suffered
what I
deserve
so that I
may gain
new and
eternal life.
That is the
message of
Christmas.
And what
does it cost
me and
what does
it cost
you?
Nothing.
What did
I contribute
to my
salvation?
Nothing.
Jesus has
done it all
for me.
He took
the initiative.
He intervened
into my life.
He came
down to me.
So Paul
is not
only offering
the gospel
free of
charge.
He wants
his life
to illustrate
this free
gospel.
His very
life reflects
that this
gospel is
free.
That it's
all been
paid for.
It's all
been done
for you.
Paul is
willing to
take up
the cost
that is
involved.
He's willing
to go
through a
suffering
hard life
as a
tent maker.
He will
endure what
he has
to endure
so that
people can
see that
the good
news of
Jesus is
free.
Someone
has to
pay.
So Paul
says I
will pay
with my
life.
Just like
the Lord
Jesus
surrendered
his rights
and came
down to
you and
to me,
so Paul
says I
will surrender
my rights
so that
you can
see visibly
an illustration
and demonstration
of what
the gospel
is like.
Look at
my life.
I will
pay that
cost for
you.
So are
we
surrendering
our rights
for the
gospel?
Let's give
two examples
or two
applications
of what
this might
look like.
first it
might mean
surrendering
my right
to spend
my money
on things
that I
want.
And as
we surrender
that right
instead give
that money
to those
who are
preaching
the gospel.
For
example
the work
of Ifees
or Craig
who is
heading up
the work
in Kinsale
or those
who are
reaching into
North Korea
or those
that we've
just had a
look at
from Church
and Chains
in Syria
and Iraq.
People who
are on the
borderlines
of persecution
evangelists
and pastors
who are
reaching into
the unreached
areas of
the world
through Asia
Link.
Yes we
all have
rights.
Yes we're
going to
use the
Christmas
season to
spend my
money on
things that
I don't
need.
But that
right is
to be
surrendered so
that we
can use
what we
have to
offer the
gospel free
of charge.
surrendering
our rights.
Second it
may mean
surrendering
my right
to use
my time
as I
want and
instead use
that time
to serve
within the
life of the
church.
It may be
being committed
to helping
at Polo.
It might be
distributing
calendars as
we go out
on Wednesday
night.
It could be
serving in
creche or
Sunday school.
It could be
setting up and
saying I'm
going to be
there every
Sunday.
Okay, I've
got my
set up
team but
I'm going
to be
there and
welcome
people.
Oh, I
know all the
things that
we do.
It might
interfere with
your shopping
day.
It might be
the night
that your
favourite TV
programme is
on.
You might
have a
match to
play.
You might
have friends
who are
inviting you
out and
you need
to hang
out with
them.
Yes, we've
all got
rights.
But that
right is
to be
surrendered
to serve
the gospel.
Will it
be costly?
Absolutely.
Will it
mean sacrifice?
Yes.
But as
people see
our lives,
they will
see the
cost involved
and even
as we
live out
our life,
it will
illustrate
the ultimate
sacrifice that
has been
paid by
Jesus.
us.
We will
give up
and put
up with
anything
rather than
hinder the
gospel of
Christ.
By
surrendering
our rights,
the gospel
is proclaimed,
churches are
planted,
and people
are saved.
So we
surrender our
rights.
the second
big idea
is we
use our
rights to
serve the
gospel.
Look at
verse 9.
We use
our rights
to serve
the gospel.
Verse 19,
though I
am free
and belong
to no
man,
I make
myself a
slave to
everyone
to win
as many
as possible.
we live
in a
culture of
rights.
We'll
protest for
our rights.
I don't
disagree with
that.
We know
what our
rights are
and we
demand it.
But for
the Christian,
look what it
says in
verse 19,
we are to
be a
slave to
everyone.
In other
words,
we use
our rights
not for
self,
but to
serve
others.
Why?
the end
of verse
19,
to win
as many
as possible.
To use
our rights
to serve
the gospel
so that
other people
become
Christians.
And for
us,
this will
mean two
things.
It means
we are to
be flexible
as messengers.
Look at
verse 20.
Look at
the flexibility
of Paul.
to the
Jews,
I became
like a
Jew.
Why?
To win
the Jews.
To those
under the
law, I
became like
one under
the law,
though I
myself am
not under
the law.
Why?
So as
to win
those under
the law.
You see,
if Paul was
reaching
Jewish
people,
he would
follow
Jewish laws
and traditions.
If that
meant
observing the
Sabbath and
not doing
certain things
on that
particular
day,
so that
he could
proclaim
the gospel
in the
synagogue,
he would
do that.
He became
like one
of them.
But on
the other
hand,
verse 21,
to those
not having
the law,
to the
Gentiles,
I became
like one
of those
not having
the law.
Why?
So as
to win
those
not having
the law.
people,
so if
he was
reaching
Gentile
people,
he would
follow their
customs and
practices.
And if that
meant he
could go and
eat food
sacrificed to
the idols
that we
looked at
last week,
so that he
could get a
hearing and
share the
gospel with
those people,
well he
would go
and do
it.
It's what
we call
incarnational
ministry.
The
incarnation is
God coming
down as
man to
live in
this world,
to be
like one
of us.
Hudson
Taylor got
it right,
didn't he?
A missionary
who went to
China in
the 1850s.
When he
arrived,
he immediately
began to
dress in
Chinese clothes
and drew his
hair into a
big long
pigtail.
Why?
Well,
he wanted to
be like a
Chinaman,
to win as
many Chinese
as possible
for Christ.
this is what
he said and
this is how
he lived.
He said
this,
China is
not to
be won
for Christ
by quiet,
ease-loving
men and
women.
The stamp
of men and
women we
need is
such as
will put
Jesus,
China,
and souls
first and
foremost in
everything and
at every
time,
even life
itself,
must be
secondary.
Incarnational
ministry,
becoming like
one of
them,
to reach
down.
He used
his rights
to serve
the gospel.
And the
call for us
is no
different.
Look at
verse 22.
To the
weak I
became weak,
so as to
win the
weak.
I have
become all
things to
all men,
so that by
all possible
means I
might save
some.
Carigoline,
Cork,
the nation
of Ireland,
is not to
be won
for Christ
by quiet,
ease-loving
men and
women.
What is
required is
men and
women,
people like
us,
who will
put Jesus
first,
souls
foremost,
in everything
and at
every time.
Our own
life must
become
secondary.
So how
flexible are
we as
messengers
of the
gospel?
How
incarnational
are we?
Do we
only invite
people into
our homes
those who
are of
the same
social
class,
the same
colour of
skin,
and kind
of just
fit in
with the
way we
do
things?
Do we
just sit
comfortably
in our
own little
Christian
culture,
and talk
to our
nice
middle-class
Christian
friends,
and expect
everybody to
come in
to us?
do we
just
organize
programs and
events for
children so
that they
don't have
to mix
with those
kind of
people?
If we're
to see
people become
Christians,
we need to
become
flexible,
incarnational.
So let me
encourage you
that if you
are invited
by your
neighbours to
go for a
Christmas
drink,
go along.
And if
you're not
invited,
well why
don't you
invite them
to your
house?
Yes,
you might
feel out
of your
comfort zone,
yes,
you mightn't
have talked
them very
much,
but how
else will
you get
to know
them?
Move out
of your
comfort zone.
If you're
going to be
hanging out
with friends,
going to
the cinema,
go to
the gym,
or going
shopping,
instead of
inviting the
usual Christian
friend that
you saw
ten times
yesterday,
why not
invite a
friend who's
not a
Christian?
But maybe
you don't
have friends
who aren't
Christians.
Now that's
a problem.
We need
to learn
to leave
the nice,
warm,
safe,
cosy,
Christian
ghetto where
everything is
like as
we want
it.
What does
it say at
the end of
verse 22?
I have
become all
things to
all men
so that
by all
possible
means
I might
save some.
It's
incarnational
ministry,
stepping
outside of
our comfort.
Just as
Christ came
down and
stepped into
the manger
and walked
the life
that he
did,
we are
called to
follow.
so we're
to be
flexible as
messengers,
but yet
faithful to
the message.
You see,
we need to
make sure
that our
flexibility
is also
controlled by
faithfulness.
Verse 23,
he says,
I do all
this for the
sake of the
gospel that I
might share
in its
blessings.
For the
sake of the
gospel.
So while
we adapt
to fit in
with people,
we must
be careful
not to
adapt the
gospel message.
In other
words,
we don't
change the
gospel to
make it
more acceptable
by those
we are
seeking to
reach.
Of course,
we need to
be contextual,
we need to
make it
relevant,
we need to
say it in
words that
people are
going to
understand,
but we
must not
change the
content.
Paul's
approach was
simple.
We looked
at it in
chapter 2
verse 1.
This is
what it
says there,
chapter 2,
sorry,
verse 2.
He says,
For I
resolved to
know nothing
while I
was with
you except
Jesus
Christ and
him crucified.
You see,
being with
friends and
being flexible
and being
all things
to all
people,
that in
itself is
good,
and it's
a start,
but that's
not going
to make
anyone a
Christian.
The only
way somebody
will become
a Christian
is by
actually
hearing the
good news.
They must
hear about
Christ and
his cross.
And at
Christmas time
we come and
we celebrate
the birth of
Jesus.
But let's
not forget
the reason
why he
was born.
Jesus was
born to
die.
he came
into this
world to
take our
sin upon
himself, to
rise again, to
defeat death.
A Jesus who
is left in
the manger
is no good
to anyone.
We must
take them from
the manger to
the cross
and to the
resurrection and
let them see
who this
Jesus is.
Jesus.
So again,
this Christmas,
as we seek to
be flexible with
our friends, as
we seek to
fit in, as
we seek to
adapt and be
with people,
let us be
faithful.
Why not
give that
evangelistic
book?
Why not
give that
present that
will explain
something of
the truth of
who Jesus
is?
We must
be faithful
and we
must be
flexible.
We all
have rights,
but our
rights are
to be used
to serve
the gospel.
And as we
surrender our
rights,
we gain a
great and
eternal reward.
look at
verse 25.
Everyone who
competes in
the games
goes into
strict training.
They do it
to get a
crown that
will not
last.
So every
gold medal
that's won in
the Olympics,
it doesn't
last forever.
They're only
champions until
somebody else
wins the
next time.
but we
do it to
get a
crown that
will last
forever.
You see,
if I think
that this
life is all
about my
rights,
then I
will make
this life
all about
me.
What I
want,
what suits
me,
what pleases
me,
and everybody
else is there
to serve
my needs.
And I
will make
decisions about
my comfort
and my
pleasure and
how to make
life more
comfortable for
me.
Because we're
looking for the
prize now.
We're looking for
the glory now.
We want it
here.
But if one
day I am
going to receive
a crown that
will last
forever,
an eternal
crown,
a kingdom
where everything
is right and
everything is
perfect,
then I will
gladly and
joyfully surrender
my rights now
for the sake of
the gospel and
for the glory
that is to
come.
You see,
the only
thing,
the only
thing that we
will see in
eternity
are those
that have been
saved by the
gospel.
The only
thing that we
will see in
eternity are
those that have
been saved by
the gospel.
So do not
use your
rights for
temporary things
that do not
last.
Rather,
let us use
our rights for
eternal things
that will last
forever.
May this
Christmas season
be a time
where we see
what it is
to follow
the example
of the
one who
gave his
rights to
serve us,
that we
might serve
others,
that they
will see in
our lives
demonstrated
the grace
and the
gospel of
Jesus,
that they
too
might be
saved.
Let's
pray.
,
hell,