Just Do It Series

JUST DO IT!

I Corinthians 9.19-27

S: Evangelism

C: Meeting people where they are

Th: Plan to Win!

Pr: GO ALL OUT TO WIN!

?: How?

KW: Approaches

TS: We will find in I Corinthians 9.19-27 three approaches that we must have to win people to follow Jesus.

Type: Propositional

The ____ approach we must have to win is…

I. BE FLEXIBLE

II. BE PASSIONATE

PA: How is the change to be observed?

• Change methods, but not the message

• Aim to accurately communicate

• Get going – run all out – eternity is at stake

Version: ESV

RMBC 27 January 08 AM

1. Are you a competitor?

ILL Personal

I have always loved sports. I have always loved competition. I have always loved to win. And even when I have not won, I usually have had a great time.

Growing up, my first great love was baseball. I dreamed of being Mickey Mantle or Willy Mays and Sandy Koufax and Bill Gibson (showing my age, aren’t I?). But these were my first childhood idols.

I have played on many church softball teams through the years. One time, at my first church in Little Falls, NY, I had gotten on first base, and the next batter hit the ball to the shortstop that could easily be a double play ball. So, I slid into second hard to try to break it up. Unfortunately, though, the shortstop’s knee hit me in the head and knocked me clean out. I was just lying there.

From what they tell me, because I don’t remember a thing, that as the ambulance arrived, I started to come to. I asked where I was, and they said I was in Little Falls. And I then asked, what am I doing there? And they said playing softball. And I said, “Oh, I can play!”

That is being a competitor!

2. When it comes to your life, are you “running to win” (I Corinthians 9.24, MSG)?

Some of you might recognize that picture.

That is our own Laura Buetow, and her picture was in the Buffalo News yesterday, leading the Canisius team with 14 points.

The article talked about her competitiveness.

Which correlates to what Paul says…

You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win.

[That’s from The Message translation.]

The simplicity of that translation strikes me.

Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win.

I believe that challenges us to fulfill this very simple propostion…

3. GO ALL OUT TO WIN!

What does it mean to win?

As we look at our passage today, it will be obvious to us.

To win, is to win people to Jesus.

You see, God has a passion for His creation.

He has a passion for people.

So Paul is encouraging us to reach as many people as we can, from all walks of life so that some can embrace the gospel of Jesus.

So how do we do that?

Well, we will find in I Corinthians 9.19-27 two approaches that we must have to win people to Jesus.

OUR STUDY:

I. The first approach we must have to win is BE FLEXIBLE (19-23).

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

The practical question here is how?

How do we become all things to all people?

ILL Drama

Cast

Christian – “Chris” (Long sleeve t-shirt, zip up hoodie, bandana, Bible, I-pod, headphones)

Bookworm (Sweater worn over the shoulders, scarf, book)

Athlete (short sleeve t-shirt, basket ball)

DJ ( hoodie, bandana worn down over forehead, I-pod, headphones)

Drama

Chris is wearing jacket open, bandana and I-pod are out of sight. Chris wanders across stage, sees Bookworm and adjusts her jacket to wear over shoulders, pulls out bandana and ties around neck and goes to talk to Bookworm. Bookworm is reading.

Chris: “Good morning, that looks like an intriguing book. What is it?

Bookworm: “Oh this, the latest top seller, but it’s not that stimulating.”

Chris: “Really, What type of books do you prefer?”