“I have made myself a slave to all” (1 Corinthians 9)

“I have made myself

a slave to all”(1 Corinthians 9)

1 Corinthians 8:12-9:27…8:12Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

9:1Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? 2If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. 3This is my defence to those who would examine me.

1 Corinthians 8:12-9:27…4Do we not have the right to eat and drink? 5Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? 6Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? 7Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? 8Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? 9For it is written in the Law of Moses, "You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain." Is it for oxen that God is concerned?

1 Corinthians 8:12-9:27…10Does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was written for our sake, because the ploughman should plough in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. 11If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. 13Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings?

1 Corinthians 8:12-9:27…14In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. 15But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone make my boasting empty. 16For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17For if I do this willingly, I have a reward, but if unwillingly, I am still entrusted with a stewardship.

1 Corinthians 8:12-9:27…18What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel. 19For though I am free from all, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win more of them. 20To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak.

1 Corinthians 8:12-9:27…I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I might be a sharer in it. 24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27But I discipline my body and enslave it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Staying on track…

• Travelling • Conversations• English Club• Work• Church

REAP…1. The Rights of the Apostle

2. The Enslavement of the Apostle

3. The Ambition of the Apostle

4. The Pattern for the Disciple

1 Corinthians 8:1-11:1• A little context…

8:1Now concerning food offered to idols…

8:12Thus, sinning against your brothers and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 13Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.

The Rights of the Apostle

• The right of paid ministry

4Do we not have the right to eat and drink? 5Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? 6Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living?

The Rights of the Apostle

• The right of paid ministry

11If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? … 14In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.

The Rights of the Apostle

• The right of paid ministry• What are your rights?

USA Decl. Of Ind.: “certain unalienable rights... Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness…”

UN Univ. Decl. Of Human Rights: “equal and inalienable rights… life, liberty and security of person…”

Job, Property, Holidays, Me-Time, Being You etc

The Enslavement of the Apostle

• Paul’s self-enslavement

12…Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right15But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision.19For though I am free from all, I have made myself a slave to all27But I discipline my body and enslave it

The Enslavement of the Apostle

• Paul’s self-enslavement

20To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. 21To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. 22To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak.

The Enslavement of the Apostle

• Paul’s self-enslavement• Which rights are you willing to give up?

The Ambition of the Apostle

• Driven by the gospel

12… but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ.19…that I might win more of them. 20…in order to win Jews… that I might win those under the law. 21… that I might win those outside the law. 22…that I might win the weak… 22… that by all means I might save some. 23I do it all for the sake of the gospel

The Ambition of the Apostle

• Driven by the gospel• No other way

23I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I might be a sharer in it.

27But I discipline my body and enslave it, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

The Ambition of the Apostle

• Driven by the gospel• No other way• What is your ambition?

The Pattern for the Disciple

• Paul’s exhortations• Jesus’ example… and its power!

9:24Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.

The Pattern for the Disciple

• Paul’s exhortations• Jesus’ example… and its power!

10:31So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. 32Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, 33just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own benefit, but that of many, that they may be saved. 11:1Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. [1 Corinthians 10:31-11:1]

The Pattern for the Disciple

• Paul’s exhortations• Jesus’ example… and its power!

5Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. [Philippians 2:5-8]

The Pattern for the Disciple

• Paul’s exhortations• Jesus’ example… and its power!

42And Jesus called them to him and said to them, "You know that those who are considered rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. 43But it shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 44and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. 45For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." [Mark 10:42-45]

The Pattern for the Disciple

• Paul’s exhortations• Jesus’ example… and its power!

Without Jesus’ power you will just become frustrated, bitter, discouraged etc…

Jesus’ perfection qualifies us, and his example empowers us to be like him

• The way that leads to life only goes in one direction…

… Which way are you going? … Keep alert, the old way may be the wrong way!