1 Corinthians 9:19-27
“Being Sold Out For Christ”
• X games, kids diving (having no regard for yourself in order to accomplish your objective.)
I. Put Others First (19, 22b)
A. Christian liberty how we use it, or in this case set it aside for the benefit of others.
B. That starts by recognizing that different people have different needs, speak in different terms, have different concerns; people both out of and within the church body.
C. Then it takes an intentional effort to meet them where they are, not expecting them to come to where we are.
D. The question is are we willing to alter our approach, change our style, put down our guard in order to reach a larger audience?
E. To the Apostle Paul it was not a matter of should I, but more like how could I not.
F. Our freedom in Christ cannot be an excuse for self indulgence or to put ourselves first.
G. Complacency is one of the greatest ills of our Christian walk; personally we stop challenging ourselves to grow, stop stretching our faith.
H. Corporately we also get comfortable with how we do things, who sits next to us, the times we meet and length of our services.
I. Are we willing to do whatever it takes, as Paul was, or to take the lead of our Savior?
Philippians 2:5-7
5 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
J. Example of Norm and Gail’s church.
K. Do we take the time to stop and think how others might think, Paul said although I am free of all men I willfully choose to enslave myself to all men, why? So that they might be saved.
II. Put Aside Self (20-22a)
A. What this does not mean:
a. Watered down version of the gospel.
b. Playing down the offensiveness of sin to God.
c. A compromise of any of our articles of faith.
B. In those there is no compromise; Paul even makes that disclaimer in verse 21 that he was not without the law but under the law of Christ.
Galatians 1:8-10, But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! 10 For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ.
C. However what this does mean is that in those areas of preference and style Paul was willing to submit himself to others.
D. Before we can make ourselves “a servant unto all” we must first submit our will to God’s, that is what Paul was saying in Galatians that he strives to please God, out of that come a heart to serve man.
E. Again in this we take our lead from Christ who was willing to submit His will to God the Father.
John 5:30, “I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.
F. Then we must understand the different needs and backgrounds of others. That may even mean having a different approach based on those observations.
G. That is at the heart of what Paul is saying, he used one approach for the Jews he witnessed to, another for the Gentiles, and another for those who were weak, again all with the hearts desire that he might win them to Christ.
Romans 14:1, Now accept the one who is weak in faith, but not for the purpose of passing judgment on his opinions.
Romans 15:1, Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves.
III. Put Forth the Gospel (23)
A. Paul recognized it wasn’t about himself or programs or tradition; the only thing that mattered was the gospel of Christ.
B. Anything we do that is not centered upon the gospel of Christ is void and meaningless.
C. We could have programs and methods that brought in hundreds of people every week but in the eyes of the Lord it would mean nothing if it was not for the sake of furthering the gospel.
D. That was Paul’s sole focus in his life, everything he did, everything he said was centered around the gospel of Christ.
E. Notice also that sharing the gospel is not just about others, Paul says, “that I might be partaker thereof with you,” or a fellow partaker of the gospel.
F. That is the gospel is not fulfilled in his own life, or in ours for that matter, until it is given to others.
G. We should desire for all to share in the benefits of placing their faith and trust in Christ as Savior.
IV. Put in Road Work (24-27)
A. I will explain what that means in a minute
B. Vs. 24 Everyone who is in the race is running, but Paul implores us to run in a way that we may obtain, or win.
C. We are to be partakers of the gospel, share our faith with others, but do it in a way that will be successful.
D. How do we get to that place?
E. By putting in our road work; discipline.
F. Running and football analogy.
G. Vv. 25-26 Paul does all things with a single purpose in mind (vs. 22), everything is intentional, there are no wasted movements no wasted time no wasted effort.
H. It is this singleness of our focus and desire that ensures us when we try new ways or do things differently that we will first be in line with God’s will and then secondly successful to our mission.
I. Vs. 27 Paul understood that individually if he were to be effective in his ministry that he had to discipline himself first.
J. Paul knew his life was under a microscope, here he was defending himself to the Corinthian church, but Paul knew that his life and his testimony directly reflected on how others viewed Christ.
K. But while others viewed Paul his focus was clearly on eternity.
L. The same thing is true for us today we must live in such a way that the word of our testimony is not disqualified because of the content in our life.
M. We must be disciplined (trained) in the faith (bible study, prayer, memorizing scripture, serving, worshipping God with our lives, sharing our faith), again this is something we must be doing, not should be doing or could be doing or will be doing, we must be!
N. Vs. 27 could also be said like this, “I lead my body around as a slave,” Paul was willing to go anywhere and do anything for the cause of Christ. He knew what it meant to be “sold out” for Christ.
O. Are we willing to risk our own personal comfort knowing the prize that lays before us?
