1 Corinthians 9 - Part C

That's what I'm doing. I'm living my life by making decisions because I'm running a race: so my decision is possible to go to certain places to take support from one church but not from another singular as an apostle is one who loves people for whom Christ died.

Running the race to win by minute. The apostle Paul likens the Christian life to a race today on connect with Skip Skip shares uplifting words from Paul to encouragement to keep persevering in your fit. Before we begin with Skip shears and updates on social media. Just follow him Facebook twitter instrument to get the latest from him and this ministry that at Skip Heitzig at Skip HEITZIG now we were in first Corinthians chapter 9 today as we get into the teaching with Skip Heitzig. He sent them out and he said no.

When you enter into a village.

Don't take gold silver or copper in your money belt don't take a bag don't take two tunics don't take sandals don't take a staff for the workman is worthy of his wage eat the things they put before you.

The Lord is going to take care of you use the hospitality of the people you go to. So Paul remembers the Jesus said that that is quoted from the Gospels and he brings that appearance. It's the argument from from Jesus Christ, the Lord's command of those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel but I verse 15 I have use none of these things, nor have I written these things, that it should be done so for me, for it would be better for me to die then that anyone should make my posting. Boyd or if I preach the gospel. I have nothing to boast of for necessity is laid upon me.

Yes, woe is me. If I do not preach the gospel and I will say what was you.

If you do not preach the gospel for if I do this willingly. I have a reward.

If against my will. I have been entrusted with the stewardship.

What is my reward then that when I preach the gospel.

I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel. Paul wanted to be able to boast not in himself but in the fact that God had been so good to him that he didn't need. When he came to Corinth to take any kind of financial benefit from the current D&C.

He was a tent maker. He had the wherewithal to provide for himself, that doesn't mean he he never took financial support he did when he writes second Corinthians. He makes a reference to this, he said.

I robbed other churches that I might minister to you did mean you literally went in like stole from them, but the ideas that he let others give to his ministry so that he could minister freely to the Corinthians, he was still getting support not think Corinth or from other places so that he could minister to Corinth. Also, when he wrote to the Philippians he said are you did send aid once and again for my necessities. So he received from different places to be able to minister and in the case of Correnti wanted to be able to say to them, though I have certain rights as a leader is a pastor as an apostle. As a teacher, I forsaken that right so that I can have the the absolute freedom in the Lord at as a labor of love, but I love this. I love her 16 and 1745 preach the gospel. I have nothing to boast of for necessity is laid upon me. Yes, woe is me. If I do not preach the gospel.

There was a there was a compulsion and Paul. He was driven by the calling that God gave him on that Damascus Road. The Lord told him I you will be of vessel to bear my name before the Gentiles before kings and before the children of Israel.

And when you read his life from that point on. It's like this guy is like the ever ready Bonnie Wright is not even a thing anymore is probably such an old commercial so you wind it up and keeps going. As you know Paul just nothing dissuaded him.

He just kept moving on from place to place. Get beat up, thrown in jail moves on, gets up in the wife's the blood off his face goes back into town list, render, B preaches again, unstoppable.

We wrote to the Galatians he said I was separated from my mother's womb to be an apostle.

We at this church have a process of ordination where we take young men in the ministry watch their lives and identify their gifts lay hands on them. We take them through a course so they can learn the theological implications and be suited theologically to do it but it's not like well you know I I think I'd like to be in the ministry. If you think you'd like to be in the ministry should be in the ministry. Charles Spurgeon had a school administrator, class, and he told his students.

If if you can do anything else in the world besides preach the gospel. If you can do that. Do it. His implication was it's only if you you have to preach the gospel. I have to be in the ministry. I like yeah I think that would be a good gig. Maybe I'll try this, don't do it if you can be satisfied doing anything else.

Do that thing I know for me. There's only one thing I I can do. It's what I do that there's a certain compulsion you you want to make sure you have to do it. Acts chapter 20 before Paul left Ephesus, he said to the elders, take heed to yourselves and to the flock whom the Holy Spirit made you overseers, and it's until you know that the Lord is made you for that thing to do that thing otherwise you shouldn't touch Charles Spurgeon put it this way. He said all are not called to labor in word and doctrine to be elders or to exercise the office of a bishop nor should all aspire to such works.

Since the gifts necessary are nowhere promised to all but two, but those should listen to his words, but those should addict themselves to such important engagements who feel like the apostle that they have received this ministry. No man may intrude into the sheepfold as an under shepherd. He must have an eye to the chief Shepherd and wait his back and command before man ever stands forth as God's ambassador.

You must wait for the call from above. If he does not do so, but rushes into the sacred office. The Lord will say of him and others like him. I sent them not, neither commanded them, therefore they shall not profit this people at all saith the Lord according to Jeremiah 23. Speaking of Jeremiah.

Now there was a guy who knew he was called.

Jeremiah got beaten up. Jeremiah got thrown into a dungeon.

Jeremiah sunk in the miry clay and life got so bad for Jeremiah that one day he said I did, I'm done, I quit. I never get to speak another word in his name. I'm leaving the ministry I've been a prophet. I want to be a nonprofit organization. From this day forward, turned in his resignation but you know what he said after that. But his word was in my bones like fire couldn't contain it. That's how Paul felt I have a compulsion. If I do it willingly. I get a reward if I do it, not willingly.

I still do it out of obedience. Whether I feel like it or not in season are out of season week in week out I want to be faithful to the Lord.

I've been entrusted with the stewardship.

What is my reward then that when I preach the gospel. I may present the gospel of Christ without charge. He did that to the Corinthians, though he took financial backing from the Philippians and other churches that I might not abuse my authority in the gospel. I love the day when our media got to the place where instead of having cassette tapes like the old days when if you like to message you would go to the tape room and by a cassette tape, or then you would buy a CD because I was cool. Now we have CDs. Most people don't even know that stuff is a cassette tape is like in a museum. That's a that's that's antiquity but I loved the technology that we now enjoy that you have MP3 and MP4 files. You can download free of charge and we can broadcast to a number of different ways around the world and people get on the website get any message ever preach absolutely free. When that day happened.

I thought hallelujah now the word of God can spread more easily for verse 19. For though I am free from all men. I have made myself a servant to all that I might win the more that's his overriding motivation enter the Jews. I became as a Jew, that I might win the Jews to those who are under the law, as those under the law, that I might win those who are under the law to those who are without the law as without the law not being without the law toward God, but under the law toward Christ that I might win those who are without the law to the week. I became as weak that I might win the week I have become all things to all men that by all means may save some what is coming by that does Paul mean that I'm a chameleon and I I I changed depending on what company I'm with sort of but not in a licentious way is not like yeah medical the bars and agreed with everybody else.

So the unbelievers think I'm as cool as they are now the listen to really want to go think you're just like them. Why should they be like you, and you're just like them.

They want to see some different, some that stands out from that when Paul said I become a Jew to the Jew simply means I'm not bound to the law of Moses I'm bound to the law of love. The law of Christ. So I keep my Jewish sensibilities and sensitivities. I know the culture. I know the language. I know the customs and I can relate to them and many times we see Paul for the sake of love and for the sake of the gospel tended toward a Julia stick approach. For example, in acts chapter 16 young Timothy part Jewish, part Gentile Gentile dad Jewish mother Timothy had never been circumcised because of his Gentile dad.

Paul took and had Timothy circumcised, not because circumcised decision saved Timothy but now the Jewish audience in Lister and Derby will listen to the message of the gospel, spoken of by Paul because Timothy was circumcised and they knew who he was in Santerķa in acts chapter 18.

Paul takes a Nazirite valve shaves his hair off takes a vow so that he can once again share the gospel when he gets to Jerusalem. In acts 21.

The elders of the church say there are four men here who have taken a Nazirite valve. Paul, we think you should take the bow with them and pay for their expenses when they make the sacrifice in the temple. So there's a few occasions when Paul, a Jew became a Jew, that he might win the Jewish audience when he was with Gentiles didn't necessarily feel it important to keep certain Jewish customs because again, he's not bound to the law of Moses, he is bound to the law of Christ. In this case, the law of love in Christ. Here's an example, when Paul went to Athens. It says he went into the synagogue.

He went into the marketplace and then he went to the Areopagus Mars of three different places. He went to the synagogue and in the synagogue.

He was a Jew speaking to Jewish people.

He would abuse the law he would abuse the fulfillment of Scripture in Christ to prove to the Jewish audience who Christ was. But when he went into the marketplace. The Agoura which was the center of free speech and free ideas. Sort of like a college campus.

People could share their minds and debate issues. He took a different tact not a Jewish approach. Then later on he went to Marcel, the Areopagus, which were the governing body of philosophers were in charge. It was or could be sorely going to the Oval Office and speaking to halls of power and when he's on the Areopagus because he speaking to philosophers.

He quotes 1/6 century BC Greek pagan philosopher, he says, for it says in your writings. In him we live and move and have our being at the pagan philosopher. He just quoted.

We also are is offspring another pagan philosopher that he reported he has a very different approach to a Jew in the marketplace and in the Areopagus, so he is becoming all things to all men that he might win some save souls. Verse 23. I do this for the gospel sake, that I may be a partaker of it with you. By the way, you know, Jesus himself didn't have a single approach when he ministered to people he didn't like what is hand on her shoulder every time.

And so you know God loves you and is a wonderful plan for your life and then have just as a certain spiel.

He gauged who his audience works. Nicodemus was if Pharisee Jewish scholar.

He spoke about the new birth use things from the Old Testament when he spoke to the woman at the well, he didn't use that he spoke about living water could satisfy her soul because of her past experiences.

So, depending on who he talked to. He tailored the same message but in a different approach becoming all things to all men that he might win some partaker of the gospel with you. We finish out the chapter and the last few verses do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize run in such a way that you may obtain it.

And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate or moderate in all things they do it to obtain a perishable crown. We do it for an imperishable crown.

Therefore I run this way. Or, thus, not with uncertainty. I'm not out there for just a little jog trying it out for a little bit trying out my new running shoes seeing if I like it that they are not II don't run with uncertainty, and thus I fight, not as one who beats the air. I'm not just out shadowboxing.

I'm not just posting on Instagram my cool boxing pose. I'm an actual fighter.

I'm an actual runner, spiritually speaking. I discipline my body and I bring it into subjection last when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. Now we have studied that passage of Scripture number of times indefinitely disclose this chapter by saying it's not unusual for Paul to use analogies from the sporting world. He obviously loved sports he used in a number of occasions. Acts chapter 20 which is the chapter X just mentioned, he said them wherever I go, the Holy Spirit tells me that bonds and tribulations await me, but none of these things move me nor do I count my life dear unto myself that I might finish my race with joy. He saw his life, his ministry as a race. At the end of his life is that I fought the good fight, I finish the race. I've kept the faith in the letter to the Philippian church is that I press toward the goal of the mark of a high calling in Christ Jesus. That's language about runner in the in the games reaching for that square pillar at the end of that, a raceway in the gymnasium. The Corinthians were like sporting freaks. They had the Olympics in Greece but they had a game in Corinth called the Isthmian games every two years.

That was almost as popular as the Olympics everybody in Corinth loved it.

Went to it, watched it so he is pulling analogy from something they would be familiar with speak of the Christian life.

So he said that's what I'm doing. I'm living my life I'm making decisions because I'm running the race and I have a goal in mind. So my decision as an apostle to go to certain places to take support from one church but not from another. All of that is prompted by a singular calling as an apostle is one who loves the people for whom Christ died and I'm running the race to win it. I minute to minute and everyone who competes in the prize verse 25 is temperate in all things they do it to obtain a perishable crown. It's interesting when you would win first place in the Isthmian games or in the Olympics for that matter the first place wasn't like $100,000 or even a gold medal was a little re-of leaves that would they put on your head.

Sometimes all of sometimes salary in Corinth, wispy pine needle reads was placed on the head. That's it. First place you do all of that work to win or read a crown that in a week or whether way you have it on your mantle Newcomb come look at my goal, metal man is all wilted and a gnarly hang in there. You did all that work for that. That's Paul's point.

You did all of that work for that because we do it for an imperishable crown non-athlete makes decisions and athletes as I get up earlier. I work harder.

I trained longer. I don't eat Snickers. I don't have ice cream after dinner. I say no to outings with my friends. I go to bed early, get a good night sleep so I can train tomorrow and the next day there very very focused.

They learn to say yes to certain things and notice certain things Paul said that's how I live my Christian life I make decisions based upon my calling and I do it to win. Therefore I run does not with uncertainty, the sci-fi, there is one who beats the air but I discipline my body and bring it into subjection last when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified. You and I are on a racetrack.

There a lot of ways you can look at the Christian life. It's a walk. You are walking with the Lord. It's a race you are seeing the goal in the distance. If you take Paul's analogy. It's a race are you doing on the racetrack are you are you pacing yourself you still at it, where you sort of meandering, strolling, are you taken Instagram photo salutes looking good. People think you're a runner, but you're really what is called opposer right or are you just one who used to run on the racetrack and now you just sit in the bleachers and yelled down what you think of those on the track. I don't like the way you I think you should do it better to some person that's that's her whole life. All they do is sit from the bleachers and look at those who are running say I wouldn't do it that way, you shouldn't say about way you should do it this way or say about really okay how is your race. How are you running man were you going to have our own race our own goals are only calling our own decisions to make. What propels us what prompts us calling and the love of God in Christ that Skip the message from the series expound share about a resource that will help strengthen your trust in God's will to live with more peace and confidence. Life is hard and then we die is a harsh but accurate philosophy with into this gentle encouragement. But, that's right, in the most difficult circumstances can intervene as he did for Joseph Joe into the resurrection of Jesus here Skip I think the fact there may not be two more hopeful words than these two words but God because they point us to the great interrupter, the one who can powerfully and graciously interrupt our live with his plans and change our lives forever help you understand some of the Bible's most profound moment. You can have more hope for change in your life.*It's 10 message teaching theories that are thanks $35 and more today to help connect more people to the only one who can radically change your life that God CD collection to get online securely connectwithskip.com/offer or call 892 1888 coming up tomorrow Skip Heitzig six years of vital lesson from Israel's history about how to use your personal liberty to glorify God and encourage others. The example here is the nation of Israel. They had been liberated.

They had been set free. Given their liberty they use their liberty. Talk about liberty. They were given liberty God on them from the bondage of Egypt. They have been slaves in Egypt.

God gave them literal freedom care of out of the wilderness by with their liberty