| I Corinthians 8-11 continued...
1 Corinthians 9
The concept of the relay race probably came
from Corinth. The forerunner of the Olympic Games started
in Corinth. The phrase "Let those who have the light pass
it on" was first coined in Corinth, foreshadowing the passing
of the torch in a race or the Olympics. Our concern should
be that others see Jesus Christ in us. Our concern shouldn't
be how "we" look before others. People with the puffed up
mindset are always trying to show you what they know. The
knowledge that we should be concerned about is the knowledge
that we know God and love God, and that God knows and loves
us. Then having the love of God fill us, we spill it onto
others, God's light shines from us onto others. Matthew 5:14-16.
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be
hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a
bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light
to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light
shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise
your Father in heaven." Paul had Jesus Christ in him. He was
just plain and serving them and not trying to impress anyone,
and because of this many were ragging on him. Paul is now
saying "Don't I have a right to partake of the fruit of your
labors when you are my harvest in the Lord? He who plows should
have the right to partake of the fruit of the harvest. Verses
1-12, "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?" [Paul supported himself as
a tentmaker.] "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? For it is written in the
Law of Moses: 'Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out
the grain [Deut. 25:4].' 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 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?"
Paul was a tentmaker, and what is more, he provided for his
own needs and for those that were traveling with him. He didn't
charge anyone for the gospel. Paul's motive was pure--verse
18. Mike McIntosh and those that travel with him often travel
around on gospel outreach tours and pay for all their own
expenses. They don't charge admission and don't beg for money
from the crowd. We don't demand money or offerings. People
know where the offering box is, and they give freely because
they are inspired to. God loves a cheerful giver. Finances
should never hamper the gospel of Jesus Christ--and greed
will kill your efforts to promote the gospel faster than anything
else. Paul went for days without food in order to promote
the gospel, rather than charge anyone. God always provides
the means. God is greater than all of us. The universe is
his! And somehow, when you're not demanding money, the money
comes--and abundantly--if you're doing the will of the Lord.
Verses 12-18, "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 I MAY OFFER IT FREE OF CHARGE, AND SO NOT MAKE USE OF
MY RIGHTS IN PREACHING IT." (Emphasis mine.) Wow! Beware
of those who would charge you a hefty entrance fee at a revival
meeting. Is their motive as pure as Paul's was? Think about
it. God inspires people to see when the motive is pure, and
then the people freely and bountifully give, because they
can trust those who exemplify a pure Godly motive.
The Philosophy of Paul's Ministry:
I am all things to all men. To Jews I am a Jew, to the weak
I am weak--so that I can share the gospel with them all. Verses
19-23, "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 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 am under Christ's law), so as
to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak,
to win 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."
Paul adds to this the attitude of an athlete. Paul didn't
have a lazy man's attitude toward Christianity and being a
Christian, but an athlete's attitude toward being a Christian.
Our primary focus should be as spiritual athletes. Desire
that people see Jesus Christ in you. The standard is of love--building
others up and edifying them. Verses 24-27, "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."
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