“Win At Any Cost?”
I Corinthians 6:1-11
Introduction:
Read Text – I Corinthians 6:1-11
Illustration – “2002 MLB All-Star Game Blunder”
In less then a month major league baseball is going to have their mid-summer classic (the All-Star game). The all-star game is full of great moments:
• 1989 – Bo Jackson leads off the game with a monstrous home run (that thing is probably still in the air)
• 1933 – the first all star game with a man on Babe Ruth hits a home run which is the first home run in All-star game history. It couldn’t have been written any better.
• 1946 – after taking a year off due to WWII – they come back and Ted Williams goes 4-4 with 2 homers and 5 RBI’s.
Then there is the game from 2002. It had some great moments but it won’t be remembered for any of those. Instead of being remembered as a classic it will be remembered as a casualty.
The game was close throughout and after the 11th inning the game was in a tie, 7-7. The problem was that both managers in trying to include every player had used every player and they had no more pitchers to pitch so they had to call it a tie. I can still remember Bud Selig, the commissioner of baseball, trying to explain his actions in the post-game press conference and at the same time as that was going on fans were still in the stadium throwing cups on the field and shouting “re-fund”, “let them play”, and “Bud must go.”
The problem didn’t end there. Sports radio talked about it for weeks, fans complained about it for months, and the commissioner set up a new rule that the league that wins the game will be awarded home field advantage in the World Series. What they wanted was a winner. They demanded a winner.
That sounds a lot like the attitude that the church at Corinth had.
It’s obvious that:
• The golden rule had become a little tainted
• They had no idea what Paul was talking about later in this book when he said: Love is patient, kind, keeps no record of wrongs, never fails
• They had by-passed what Jesus said in Matthew 5:40 – “And if someone wants to sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.”
Instead they had a “win at any cost” attitude which for them meant “if it means going to court the papers are in the mail.” As a result of this attitude there are three tragedies that take place.
#1 Tragedy – It gives a poor testimony to lost people
I Cor. 6:6
“…One brother goes to law against another—and this in front of unbelievers!”
Illustration – “Leaving Behind a Bad Testimony”
I’m sure many of you are familiar with the left behind series of books and tapes by Tim LaHaye that have become very popular recently. The books have sold in the millions.
Michael Smith, a writer for crosswalk.com wrote, “yet the most successful "Christian" movie in history may end up being the highest-profile case of Christian suing Christian ever.”
Supposedly there was some issues on how much would be spent on the movie. Tim LaHaye wanted the movie to really go big time and there wasn’t as much spent on the movie by the producers as he wanted. What really caught my attention in Michael Smith’s article though was this quote by LaHaye’s lawyer. "This lawsuit is not about money," he said. "Dr. LaHaye is in a place in his life where money is not the issue. They wanted to provide a really strong Christian message."
In other words, LaHaye thought that the more money spent on the movie, the better it would be and the stronger message would come across. I certainly understand his thinking. You always want to put out a good product when it comes to book and tapes. However, I can’t get past the irony in what the lawyer says, “we wanted to provide a really strong Christian message.”
So in the meantime they are going to put out a bad testimony.
http://www.crosswalk.com/news/508534.html
It’s what Paul said in I Timothy 4:16
“Watch your life and doctrine closely.”
This verse isn’t so much about having the correct doctrines, even though I think that is important. This verse is about having what you say and what you do match up.
That is what made the life and ministry of Jesus so powerful.
Examples:
Matthew 5:39 – If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”
We see no retaliation from him in the events surrounding the cross.
Matthew 18 – he speaks about forgiveness
Luke 23:34 – “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do”
Matthew 5 – Jesus said to pray
Often in the gospels we see him retreating to a solitary place to pray
Point: Jesus was not just about talking he was about living and as a result he lived a life that produced results and made many followers. In fact, it makes complete sense because if you were to read the entire verse of I Timothy 4:16 you would see that it says, “Watch you life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.”
That is the issue at hand that Paul is dealing with with the people of Corinth. You can either have a great testimony by living peacefully with others and by that bring many to the Lord or you can shoot the whole thing the pieces by becoming a public spectacle.
The same is certainly true for us. Could it be that the reason why so many of our churches and so many of our lives are so powerless is because we are more concerned with the doctrine then we are with the life? Could it be that we are forfeiting the possibility of millions coming to the Lord because we are saying one thing and doing another? Could it be that we are more concerned with our rights, our revenge, our winning, then we are with being what Paul called an “ambassador” for the Lord, Jesus Christ?
That was certainly the case for the people of Corinth as we see in verse 6, I hope we learn from their mistake because the real tragedy was not going to court, the real tragedy is lost people who remain lost as a result of them going to court.
Paul makes the argument clear in verses 7-8 that it would be better to be wronged and cheated then for that to happen. Or in verse 4 he says it would be better to pick out someone of little account in the church to give a verdict then to go public with it.
#2 Tragedy – They didn’t understand their position as “the church”
Illustration – “Failing the Test”
So far in my life I’ve held down quite a few jobs from fast food to grass cutting to roofing to preaching. I hope that there are not many more jobs in my future. The shortest job that I’ve ever had was one day. I was employed by Red Lobster in Joplin for a measly 24 hours.
What happened was that I applied at their restaurant to be a waiter. I figured that was where I would make the most money plus I figured I’d be pretty good at it. So I watched their safety videos, filled out their paper work and went through their interviews and got the job. I showed up the first day anticipating following around some “veteran of waiting” and learn the ropes. Instead they stuck me in the kitchen filling little condiment cups. The job went like this: If I saw some French fries I filled up a cup with ketchup, if I saw some fish I filled up a cup with tartar sauce. You get the picture. The only thing that I was thinking the whole night was “I didn’t sign up for this. I signed up to be a waiter. I want to make the real money.”
The next day I didn’t show up. (I know that is poor and I wouldn’t do it again but I was in college and wasn’t always thinking.)
About a week later I’m standing in the lunch line at college and a guy named Mondo Jenkins comes up to me. He was a waiter at Red Lobster. You know, a “big shot”. He tells me that the managers were asking about me. Then he tells me, “Derek, you failed the test.” I said you don’t understand. I applied to be a waiter, not a servant. Then he said, I know, they were just seeing if you would do the small stuff first.
Life is a lot like that isn’t it. Most people will trust you if you show them you are reliable. It might be…
1. letting a baby go without a diaper once they show you they won’t mess their pants
2. getting the car keys once your parents see you can drive without hitting someone
3. the boss letting you serve lobster once he sees you can squirt ketchup
The same was true of the church of Corinth. God had a lot in store for them. They will be the future judgers of the word.
Judgment Verses:
Rev. 20:4 – “I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony for Jesus and because of the word of God.”
Rev. 3:21 – “To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.”
Matthew 19:28 – “Jesus said to them (disciples), “I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
II Timothy 2:12 – “If we endure, we will also reign with him.”
*I Cor. 6:2 – “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world?”
This almost seems to be a contradiction from the previous chapter (I Cor. 5) when Paul says to not judge the world. But that verse is speaking about current day and this one is speaking about the future event that we speak of as judgment day.
So God has this unbelievable future responsibility waiting for them as judgers of the world. But there is a problem in Corinth. They are failing the test miserably.
Paul would go on to say in verse 2 – “And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases (sarcastic).
In other words, how can God place within your hands the responsibility to judge mankind when you can’t even settle your petty disputes? In thinking about some of the reasons why churches are divided today let me put it to you this way: How can God place within OUR hands the responsibility to judge the world when we can’t…
1. agree on what color carpet to buy
2. agree on where a picture should be hung
3. agree on where the money should be spent
4. move past your hurt feelings
5. get over your differences
AND, in light of the future judgment it certainly makes our issues look a lot more trivial in comparison to someone being eternally lost.
Illustration – “Community?”
Maple Street was lined with lovely mature trees, manicured lawns, and three churches—all right next to each other. The three churches were each built in different styles and shapes, but they each posted a sign out front, proudly displaying the name of the church. The three churches were named First Community Church, Second Community Church, and Third Community Church.
One day the pastors of these three houses of worship all happened to meet on the sidewalk in front of their churches. Said one pastor to the others, "Maybe we need to define what we mean by community."
Maybe we do also. First and foremost for the sake of lost people and our testimony to them but secondly to show God how serious we are about being “co-heirs” with him.”
Quote: Marion L Soards, “New International Biblical Commentary”, pg. 122
“Paul’s admonition is for the Corinthians to take life in Christ’s community seriously, acting with a sense of responsibility toward one another now that befits their responsibility in the future.”
II Corinthians 13:5 – “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless you fail the test?”
#3 Tragedy – Everyone Loses
I Corinthians 6:7a – “The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already.”
Illustration – “Losing before you take the field”
Every Friday night I play on a Men’s softball team in Strafford. The competition isn’t the best but we at least get to play double-headers every time. A couple Friday night’s back we played a team that I thought was going to give us a good game. They only scored two points! Now that is bad for slow pitch softball. You couldn’t really understand it. They seemed to have some decent athletes. A few guys could hit the ball pretty hard.
I was talking a guy on our team named Kerry Martin. Most call him K-Mart. He said, “These guys were beat before we even got started.”
The same is true for the people of Corinth. Before the subpoenas were delivered. Before both sides presented their cases. Before the judge gave his verdict and regardless of the verdict. Because they had gone against the word of God and the way that he wanted them to live. They had already lost.
In fact, they had lost so miserably that Paul goes into this long list of sinful acts that he compares them to:
I Cor. 6:9-10 – “Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”
You see, this idea of taking your brother to court was just a symptom of a much bigger problem. The much bigger problem is that they didn’t understand what it meant to be a Christian. They obviously didn’t understand what it meant to be:
o Be salt of the earth (Matt. 5:13)
o Be light to the world (Matthew 5:14)
o Be imitators of God (Eph. 5:1)
o Be servant-like (Phil. 2)
o Be holy (set apart-different then the world around them) (I Peter 1:15)
o Be a good testimony (I Cor. 6:6)
In Paul’s thinking this is something that they should already known. That is why this group of verses (1-11) is dripping with so much sarcasm. They should know how to act.
Did you notice all the “don’t you know’s” in this verse:
o Don’t you know that the saints with judge the world – vs. 2
o Don’t you not that we will judge angels – vs. 3
o Don’t you know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of heaven – vs. 9
In other words these are all things that they should have known. But none is more convincing then what Paul has to say in the last verse of our text (vs. 11).
***You were washed
Pat Summerall, the well known sports announcer, overcame alcoholism and became a follower of Christ in his late sixties. He said this about water baptism: "I went down in the water, and when I came up it was like a 40-pound weight had been lifted from me. I have a happier life, a healthy life, and a more positive feeling about life than ever before."
That sounds a lot like Romans 6:4
“We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.”
Paul is saying – “guys, you were washed, you were cleansed, your sins have been forgiven (Acts 2:38), you have clothed yourself in Christ (Galatians 3:26), you have pledged a good conscience toward God through your baptism (I Peter 3:21). Now act like it!
***You were sanctified
Phillips Brooks, former minister of Boston’s Trinity Episcopal Church, is perhaps best known as the author of "O Little Town of Bethlehem." He was a very busy pastor, yet he always seemed relaxed and unburdened, willing to take time for anyone in need. Shortly before Brooks died, a young friend wrote to him and asked the secret of his strength and serenity. In a heartfelt response, Brooks credited his still-growing relationship with Christ.
He wrote, "The more I have thought it over, the more sure it has seemed to me that these last years have had a peace and fullness which there did not used to be. It is a deeper knowledge and truer love of Christ.....I cannot tell you how personal this grows to me. He is here. He knows me and I know Him. It is the most real thing in the world. And every day makes it more real. And one wonders with delight what it will grow to as the years go on."
Our Daily Bread, October 14, 1994.
That is what sanctification means. Through Jesus, ordinary beings are set apart to serve God in with their lives.
Sanctify (greek hagiazo) (set apart for sacred use or to make holy)
II Corinthians 3:18 – “And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.”
Paul is saying – “guys, you have been sanctified, you have been changed, you have set apart, you are supposed to be different then the rest of the world. Now act like it!
***You were justified
How perfect, since the illustration that Paul uses in this text is speaking about going to court that he would end on a legal term – justification. Justification is the idea that everyone is guilty (Romans 3:23 – for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.). The judge has laid down the verdict that we deserve death. And yet Jesus considers us righteous and can justly declare it because of his death (Romans 3:24 – and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus).
Jesus went to the cross to that you could be redeemed, so that you could be justified, so that you can be saved. Now act like it!
Conclusion:
A few years ago, Chuck Colson was standing in a long line in the airport in Jakarta, Indonesia. He and some Prison Fellowship colleagues had been traveling all night. It was now early morning. The terminal was hot and steamy, and they were tired. As Chuck relates in his new book, Being the Body, "Passport in my sticky hand, I was exhausted and exasperated at the long, inefficient line snaking ahead of us. I was worried we would miss our next flight and the ministry friends who were waiting for us." But, Chuck adds, "I was also determined not to let my frustration get the better of me. I talked with my friends; we laughed and made the best of the situation."
Two years later, he received a letter from a businessman who lived in Singapore. The man had been a follower of Confucius, but he sent his children to Sunday school at a Presbyterian church for moral training. One Sunday, as he picked up his kids, he heard the end of the sermon. A visiting missionary held up a copy of Chuck’s first book, Born Again. On the cover was a picture of Chuck.
A few months later, this businessman was stuck in a long line in the steaming Jakarta airport. Glancing over into the next line, he spotted the same face he’d seen on the cover of Born Again. He was so impressed by Chuck Colson’s calm demeanor and cheerfulness that when he got back to Singapore, he got the book, read it, and committed his life to Christ.
Citation: Mark Earley, "BreakPoint with Charles Colson" (5-16-03); submitted by Larry Trotter, Wake Forest, North Carolina
By our demeanor what kind of example, testimony are we leaving behind. Is it one where the world can see no difference between us in them or is it so great and so appealing to them because of the love and grace that is shown that they would in turn find the gospel of Jesus Christ irresistible because of the way we live?
