Once there was a pair of identical twin brothers; one was a pastor, and the other was a physician. It was almost impossible to tell the two men apart. A woman approached one of them on the street and asked, "Are you the one who preaches?" "No," came the answer, "I'm the one who practices." Practicing what we preach; it has always been a challenge not only for pastors, but for all Christians. The charge of hypocrisy, of not being sincere and genuine, of not practicing what we preach, is a charge that continues to plague the church. Though Christians who don't practice what they preach may indeed be genuine believers, sinners saved by grace, they are not usually effective servants of Jesus Christ. Though God can overlook sin in our life because of the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ which is imputed in our place, other people don't do that. What makes a credible testimony of faith in Jesus Christ? When folks around us can see that we practice what we preach. Other people can't see the cleansing from guilt that the blood of Jesus brings to the soul of all who trust in Him. What they can see are changes in the way we live which are a result of the work of the Holy Spirit. No one will be impressed if there are no changes to see, but a transformed life is a credible testimony to the truth and reality of the Christian Gospel.
Let's say, for example, that a fellow named Joe gets up and says, "I was once the town drunk, but then I received Jesus Christ as my Savior and now my sins are forgiven. I am still a drunk, but I'm a forgiven drunk." Friends, you are not going to hear Joe's testimony either on "unshackled" or even from this pulpit. A testimony like that doesn't have any credibility. If, however, Joe was able to say, "Yes, I used to be the town drunk, but then I received Jesus Christ as my Savior three years ago, and I have not had a drink since." Then we would pay attention. A testimony like that has great credibility. It may even cause some people to consider Christianity in a fresh way. When we practice what we preach, people are much more likely to listen to what we preach.
Friends, our journey through 1 Corinthians brings us today to Chapter 9:1-18. Though this passage addresses specific concerns between Paul and 1st Century Christians in the Greek city of Corinth, it clearly shows that Paul was a man who practiced what he preached. In this text the Lord has some very important lessons for us as well, so let's pause and pray that He would help us to learn them today.
Let's take a look at this situation between Paul and the Corinthians. 1 Corinthians 9:1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? In this verse Paul asks, "Am I not an apostle?" That raises an important question: What does it mean to be an apostle? The Greek word simply means "one who is sent," thus in the Christian context it refers to one who is sent by the Lord, commissioned by God, for a particular task. In the New Testament, it is the title taken by the men who were commissioned by Jesus Christ to establish His church. That includes the twelve disciples, Paul, James, the brother of Jesus, apparently Barnabas and maybe one or two others. Now, there are folks today who want to use that title as well. In fact, Pastor Chris found a place on the Internet (ordained.com) which for a small fee will send you a certificate which will say, "Apostle Dan Erickson," or whatever name you want to use. I don't suggest you order that, though I don't think it is necessarily wrong to use "apostle" with a small "a" to describe some folks today. For example, missionaries such as Carrie and Blair were "sent" by this congregation and by the Lord to serve in Vanuatu this summer, so in a sense they are apostles, small "a." But "Apostle" with a capital "A" is a title reserved only for the 1st Century. One of the qualifications Paul refers to is seeing the Lord Jesus with one's own eyes. That is, of course, what happened to Paul when he was converted on the road to Damascus. I believe he was the last person to have an encounter which qualified him to be one of the apostles.
In this role, Paul represents Jesus Christ. The people in Corinth should have understood that. 9:2 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. Paul was the spiritual father of the church at Corinth. Yet, in the church, Paul's authority is questioned. Is that surprising? If you've been following along as we have gone through the first eight chapters, you probably realize that it is not. Paul has been giving the Corinthians instructions on all sorts of controversial issues and that is going to continue throughout the Book. He knows that within the Corinthian church there are going to be some folks who will say, "Wait a minute. Who is this Paul fellow anyway? Why do his views on subjects like sex or divorce carry any more weight than mine? Why should we do something just because he says so?" He also anticipates that some who don't like what he says will try to undermine his authority by questioning his sincerity. They will claim that Paul is not really concerned about the church in Corinth and probably has some ulterior motives for being involved in Christian ministry. Paul's answer to his critics is this: "I am an apostle of Jesus Christ, His representative. I have just told you in Chapter 8 that a Christian needs to be willing to give up rights and make sacrifices for the sake of other Christians. I am doing that. I practice what I preach. My life demonstrates that I am sincere and genuine in my commitment to serve both the Lord and you. That is why, when I speak, you'd better listen."
In Verses 3-18, Paul defends his ministry, seeking to demonstrate his sincerity in serving Christ. His argument is relatively simple. He says, "You know that my concern for you and my commitment to the gospel is genuine because I am willing to serve without any financial or material compensation, even though I have a right to do that. I don't just talk about giving of myself for your sakes, I am actually doing it. I practice what I preach."
Listen to what he writes. 9:3-6 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? We noted a few weeks ago that though Paul was single, most of the other apostles were married. Apparently most of them also received compensation for their labors, but Paul and Barnabas did not, though this was something they clearly had a right to do. 9:7-10a 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? Luther said this was clearly not written with oxen in mind since they can't read. 9:10b-12a; 13,14 Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows 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? 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. There was absolutely no reason why Paul and Barnabas should not have received financial compensation from the Corinthians for their ministry in that city. 9:12b,15a But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. But I have not used any of these rights. In other words, Paul says, "I have a right to demand financial compensation from you, but I don't want your money." In fact, he insists that they do not pay him. 9:15b 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. Is Paul's motive for serving the Lord so that he can brag that he did it without pay? No! 9:16,17 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. Paul preaches the gospel and serves the Corinthians because that is what God has called him to do. 9:18 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. Paul's reward is that he finds great joy in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ with the Corinthians without asking them for anything in return. His reward is that it is more blessed to give than receive. His reward is that his motives and sincerity cannot be questioned, because he is clearly not doing these things for personal gain. At the end of Chapter 8, Paul said Christians need to be willing to give up their rights and pleasure for the sake of others. Paul's reward is that he can truthfully say, "That is exactly what I have done. I practice what I preach."
Paul is clearly no hypocrite. His defense of his ministry proves that. On whatever topic he addressed, the Corinthians needed to heed his words. Though they may not have liked what he had to say, he was indeed the apostle of Jesus Christ; the Lord's representative. OK, this passage is kind of interesting and was obviously very important to the folks in Corinth almost 2000 years ago, but what does it have to do with us in the 21st Century? Well, I find four lessons for us in our text today. Actually, three minor ones and one big lesson. Let's take a look at the little ones.
1) As an apostle of Jesus Christ, Paul's words are authoritative for Christians today. Now, not everyone believes that. I recently heard a Baptist pastor say that Paul's teaching on women is inconsistent and contrary to what Jesus taught. "Therefore," he implied, "we don't really need to pay attention to what Paul says." Or, in other words, who is this Paul fellow that we have to listen to him? That's a question being asked today. During the past one hundred years, efforts have often been made to divide the religion of Paul from the religion of Jesus. The claim has been that Jesus was the good guy and Paul was the bad guy. Friends, I think that's just garbage. Paul is an apostle of Jesus Christ, the representative of our Lord to us, as Gentiles. A careful, honest study of the New Testament will reveal there is no conflict between Jesus Christ and Paul. Paul's message and ministry are totally Christocentered - totally focused on the Lord Jesus. Oh, friends, this is America; you don't have to believe what Paul says about sex, divorce, worship or anything else. But you cannot reject what he teaches, and still claim to be a faithful Christian. A couple of weeks ago the Duluth newspaper printed a letter from a man who said he was a devout Christian, but was also a practicing homosexual. Now, God alone can judge that guy's heart, but you are not really following Jesus if you are ignoring what Paul teaches on homosexuality or any other subject. To be a Christian, a disciple of Jesus Christ, means we accept the authority of His apostles, including the authority of the Apostle Paul. When he speaks through the Bible, we need to not only listen, but also to believe and obey.
Lesson #2: It is OK for Christian workers to be paid for what they do. A year or so ago I received an e-mail from someone who had seen our worship service on television, and it kind of threw me for a loop. The individual expressed appreciation for our ministry, but asked a couple of tough questions: "Why do you take money for serving as the pastor of the church? Why aren't you willing to do like the Apostle Paul did and pay your own expenses?" Now, to be honest, I was a bit bothered by those questions because I never want people to think that the reason I am a pastor is to make money. I'm willing to serve. I want to serve as a pastor because I believe this is what God has called me to do. He has instilled in my heart a desire to honor Him by proclaiming His truth and by serving other people. It would be nice if I were independently wealthy and could do the same things I'm doing without taking a salary. But I can't, and our text today shows me that there is no reason I should feel guilty about that. Though Paul did not take pay for doing ministry, the other apostles apparently did, and Paul makes it very clear that there would be nothing wrong if he chose to do so as well. Other passages, such as 1 Timothy 5:17,18, confirm that there is nothing unspiritual about a pastor being paid for doing ministry.
Now, at the same time, I need to say that I am disturbed by some current trends in church concerning this issue. It is becoming more and more common for pastors to negotiate salaries from their church and demand more compensation. Some pastors even seem interested in forming professional associations which will provide collective bargaining to provide more leverage to increase the pay scale. I am just not comfortable with that. This type of demanding one's rights, when it comes to financial compensation or anything else, is indeed contrary to what the Bible teaches. Yes, as a congregation, it is your job to pay me generously. You should be doing that. But, as a servant, my focus has to be on doing what the Lord has called me to do, whether or not I receive even a single penny for my efforts. It is tragic that for some pastors - not many, but for some - their primary motivation for being in ministry is to make money to support themselves and their families. It is not supposed to be that way. There is nothing wrong with Christian workers being paid for what we do, but the glory of God must always be the reason why we do ministry.
Lesson #3: Be glad if you are able to support yourself while serving the Lord, serving in the way which He has called you to do. I think of the little boy who said, "My mother doesn't have to pay me to be good, I'm good for nothing!" Well, sometimes it seems pastors get paid to be good, but the rest of you should not be good for nothing. Instead, you should take delight in the fact that you can serve the Lord without anyone claiming you are doing it for the money. Some Christians have a tendency to be jealous of pastors and others who get paid for the work they do in the church. In fact, sometimes I think it is a little unfair how I receive a generous salary for what I do here, while some of the other folks in this room volunteer many hours of time, do a great job, and don't get paid a cent. But, I think Paul would say that it is those who don't get paid who really are in the best position. I am struck by Verse 15, where Paul says, "I would rather die than have someone deprive me of this boast." That is, deprive him of the privilege of serving the Lord without receiving financial compensation.
Now, certainly, those of us who get paid for our work in the church usually have more time to devote to ministry, and there certainly is an advantage. But there are a couple of advantages of not getting any money. First, a paycheck can dampen our joy by confusing our motives for service. When we really love someone - our spouse, our children, our parents, our friends - we like to do things for them without receiving pay. If Nancy insisted on paying me every time I took out the garbage, it would indicate that our relationship is a little warped. Friends, when we love the Lord Jesus Christ, when we are deeply grateful to Him for all He has done, it is indeed a joy to serve Him and it sometimes seems kind of strange to receive money for that. Now, our text says that's an OK thing to do, but those of you who don't ever get paid, which is obviously most of you in this room, can be glad you don't have to worry about that at all.
Secondly, often you can be more effective in sharing the Gospel of Jesus with other people if you are not receiving money to do so. I think some people find it easy to ignore what a pastor says because they know it is his job to say something religious. Folks may assume that the words about the Gospel that come out of my mouth are just that, just words, because after all, I get paid to talk about those things. They can't say that, however, when lay people start talking about the Lord. As you tell other people about Jesus Christ and seek to persuade them to receive Him as Lord and Savior, nobody can say, "You are only telling me this because it is your job," or "Of course, you are going to say that, that is what you get paid to do." Not having any money involved takes away one possible obstacle, eliminates one possible excuse, that may keep another person from turning to the Lord. What Paul has written helps me remember that God uses people who are not employed by the church to accomplish great things for His kingdom. John Bunyan, the great Puritan preacher, used to say, "I am a preacher of the Gospel by trade, and a tinker, a fix-it man, to pay the expenses." C. S. Lewis was used greatly by God, not as a pastor, but as an English professor. Oxford University paid his expenses while he volunteered the remainder of his time as an ambassador of Jesus Christ. Friends, you too can serve the Lord while working as a teacher, businessman, clerk, or truck driver to pay the expenses.
OK, now the big lesson: People need to see that we practice what we preach. We have talked about a variety of things today, but we don't want to forget the point of this whole passage. Paul tells the Corinthians of his willingness to serve without being paid, to show them that his commitment to Jesus Christ and his commitment to them is genuine. He not only talks about giving things up for the sake of the Gospel and the sake of other Christians, he actually does it. He practices what he preaches. Friends, we too should be able to tell people, "Look at my life, and you will see that my Christianity is not just a bunch of words. It is what I believe and how I live." We should be able to point to tangible things in our lives which demonstrate that we have indeed experienced God's grace and are a different person because of it. Yes, it is important that we be willing to speak and use words to proclaim the truth about Jesus Christ, but unless we can show people that we practice what we preach, our words are going to be pretty empty.
How can we show people that our faith is real, that we are not hypocrites? Yes, it is important to avoid the negative actions that cause people to think that we are not sincere in our profession of faith. Because Christians are sinners saved by grace, there can indeed be liars, misers, drunks, and adulterers within the church of Jesus Christ. God forgives those sins. But liars, misers, drunks, and adulterers will always be thought of as hypocrites by the watching world. So we do need to avoid those things. But, more importantly, we need some positive attitudes and actions to show that we practice what we preach.
How can we do that? Hundreds of ways. Some of you can make the same point Paul does. You have volunteered your time to teach the 4th-grade Sunday School class for years. You never expect any compensation, you don't even expect any praise or expressions of gratitude. You just want to help boys and girls learn more about God and His Word. Or maybe you spend time writing to missionaries, visiting people in the hospital or nursing home, baking bread for your neighbors, not to get something in return, but just to bring in the name of Jesus encouragement and joy to their lives. Or maybe you can point to financial decisions: A car, boat, house or cabin which you have not purchased, because you wanted to give more money to the church or to help a friend who had a financial need. Now, remember, we are not talking about bragging, trying to impress others with sacrifices we have made. Rather we are pointing to sacrifices simply as evidence that we are very serious about our faith in Jesus Christ. It is not just words, it is our life. We practice what we preach. Of course, most important of all is when someone can sense when they relate to me that I am not being selfish, but being selfless. My words have much more credibility when someone can see that I am not just concerned about my interests, what is good for me, but that I am also concerned about their interests, what is good for him or for her.
Friends, I encourage each of you to ponder this question today: How can people see that my faith in Jesus Christ is genuine? If a list of ten different things come to your mind right away, great. Praise God. You are experiencing the work of God in your life, and all I suggest you do is praise Him for that today. If, however, it is hard to think of even one thing which shows others that your faith is genuine, you have some things to work on. First, I encourage you to confess your sin to the Lord and receive the forgiveness He offers through Jesus. Then ask the Lord to help you put into practice a genuine Christianity, which demonstrates a love for the Lord and for other people. Friends, I have always liked the question that has appeared on posters and bumper stickers over the years: "If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" I hope you can answer that with a resounding yes, there would be enough to put me away for life. If not, may God start to build that evidence in your life this week, as day by day we do a better job of practicing what we preach.
Go to www.life.1stbaptist.org/sermons.htm for Pastor Dan's full text Bible based sermon site
