Sermon Brief
Date Written: July 05, 2014
Date Preached: July 06, 2014
Where Preached: OPBC (AM)
Sermon Details:
Series Title: A Series in 1 Corinthians
Sermon Title: Paul’s Rights vs What is Right
Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 9:1-18 [ESV]
TEXT:
Essence of the Text: Paul knew what was rightfully his but his focus was on doing what was right in God’s eyes.
Essence of the Sermon: We know what we believe to be rightfully ours but we MUST be willing to do what is right in God’s eyes.
Main Question(s) of the Sermon: What is your FOCUS? Your rights OR What is right by God?
Applicable Objective of the Sermon: You will hear the:
WORD PROCLAIMED: Paul knew his rights, but refused to let them distract him from doing WHAT was right!
WORD EXPLAINED: As believers we have rights or freedoms ‘In Christ’ but we cannot allow them to cloud our judgment from doing what is right in our walk with God!
WORD MADE PERSONAL: What is there in my life that I know I have a right to…but it is keeping me from doing what I know to be right in my walk with Christ!
Introduction
In our passage this morning Paul continues in his reply to the letter he had rec’d from the Corinthian church. He is answering the questions they had sent to him… in this passage he addresses the question of his authority as an apostle or a more basic view is he addresses his ‘rights’…
Paul had a position in the kingdom, a God appointed position…
Paul had power in the kingdom as God was using him in a mighty way…
Paul had experienced prosperity in seeing God work thru Him, but he had also seen God provide for him time and time again…
Here in this passage Paul implies are his by RIGHT because God had called him and because he had been obedient to the call of God on his life…
But there were many who felt Paul was NOT in authority because he had NOT been with Peter and the disciples WITH Jesus. They believed that because Paul had persecuted the church that God would have NEVER chosen him to be his servant… SO they condemned Paul’s reputation as a Pharisee and as the man who stood and approved of the stoning of Stephen.
But Paul poses a few questions of his own…these questions in v1 seek to clarify an understanding of WHO he is based on the believers personal knowledge and experience WITH Paul when he was there with them…
His 1st question was…
Am I not as free as anyone else?
Paul had taught them that ‘in Christ’ ALL are free, but these teachers turned the tables & they perverted that message of freedom. They taught that freedom meant they could live how they wanted without consequence—but there are ALWAYS consequences!
Paul asked the simple question “Am I not as free as anyone else?” In other words, you grant grace to these men around you, but you hold me and Barnabas to a different standard? Why is that? They had convinced the believers in Corinth that Paul was out for himself and that he did not care about them!
Paul wanted the believers to know that his actions were NOT his own, but that he was doing this out of his love for Christ…Paul then asks a 2nd question…
Am I not an apostle?
Here he establishes his link to Christ by defending his God called position in the kingdom! This is a position he knew he did NOT deserve but knew it to be true and it was one he did not take lightly…
Haven’t I seen Jesus our Lord with my own eyes?
Many believed that only those who actually ‘walked’ with Jesus in ministry were actually apostles, but Paul told he had seen Jesus. But it was NOT Paul’s visual sight of Jesus that made him an apostle! It was God’s calling that did! Paul wanted the believers in Corinth to understand that he was there because of God’s calling!
Isn’t it because of my work that you belong to the Lord?”
Paul informed them that he as was free as anyone else in Christ…
He informed them that His was a calling directly from God…
But here he wanted them to understand that even if they doubted his words that they could look at his actions! He tells them, “Are you NOT here because of what I have done?”
In fact in v2 he tells them that even if these men teach that he wasn’t an apostle, that they should KNOW better because he had been with them and they had experienced his heart and had seen him in action… in other words, my dear brothers, of ALL people YOU should know that my heart & actions are focused on God, not myself
These men were speaking against Paul by questioning his motives… this led to the people to doubt him and write this letter asking Paul about his authority and motives! But, Paul’s answer is one that shocked them… It was an honest, in your face answer that called the believers in Corinth to look at their OWN motives for serving God.
Basically thru v14, Paul does offer a defense of his position in Christ and the calling God has laid upon him. He defends his ‘right’ to earn a living and have a family, giving the example of -- “as the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers do, and as Peter does?”
He basically tells these people that in Christ and thru his calling that he has the RIGHT to be cherished, and compensated because this was NOT his calling but it was GOD who has called him to preach the gospel!
He uses several examples to illustrate his point:
v7 he points out that soldiers don’t serve in the army at their own expense… the implication is that they are called into service and whomever calls them—provides for them!
v7 he also gives the example of a farmer… what farmer plants a crop and does not expect to reap FROM that crop? OR what shepherd tends to his flock NOT expecting to benefit from the milk or meat from that flock?
Paul then says in v8, “…hey discounting that those reasons are from a human perspective and from human logic… I have another reason! The LAW of Moses tells you to compensate for services…then Paul gives examples in v9:
An ox who is treading the grain at a mill… you don’t cover his mouth (muzzle) him. The implication is that would be foolish, you feed him so he will work harder!
But then Paul says… Are we not MORE than the Ox? Is God not more concerned about humanity that He is the beast of the field… if His law specifies that the beast in the field should be compensated for labor, then it is only RIGHT that I should be compensated for what I am doing for His kingdom… that compensation is my right!
In v10-11 he returns to the farmer analogy… doesn’t a farmer plant in the full expectation of a harvest? Doesn’t the one who threshes the grain do so knowing that the flour produced will benefit him?
Paul then compares his work with Barnabas among these believers and says, with all the spiritual work we have invested into your lives, shouldn’t we expect a material reward?
If these men share a right over you, then WE should share even more, because we were the ones who have been there with you from the beginning.
Finally in v13 Paul uses one more illustration and it reflects back to the days of the tabernacle being established in the wilderness where the priests were compensated and cared for thru the sacrifices that were brought in… their families benefited from the spiritual work they put in… The implication here by Paul is ARE WE NOT AFFORDED THE SAME?
In v14 he proclaims that the LORD directed those who proclaim the gospel to get their living FROM the Gospel. In other words, those who work in spreading the Gospel are supposed to benefit materially FROM the Gospel…
Now this is NOT a wealth or prosperity passage… but it is Paul saying that God has set a precedent, that if you are called to the ministry that God is going to provide for you and your family THRU that ministry! In other words a worker is worthy of his wages…
But the true focus of what Paul is saying… the MEAT of his message to these believers can be found in verses (v15-18) where Paul clarifies how much these ‘rights’ mean to him! Here we see Paul’s humility and willing obedience shine forth...
In these verses we find Paul telling the believers in Corinth that although he has this … he does NOT cling to that right! In fact, he tells them that he had not ever taken advantage of it with them…
You see, Paul was not concerned about position in the church… Even tho’ God had called him to a great position of leadership!
Paul was not concerned about power over people… even tho’ God’s calling was to a leadership position and that God had empowered Him with wisdom and courage to preach the Gospel that radically changes lives forever…
Paul was not concerned about prosperity for himself… even tho’ God’s calling included provision for him while serving God…
In v17-18 Paul reveals that if it was left up to him [human desire] that he would most likely expect and seek after all these things! However, he understood that it was NOT up to him because God had called him and his focus was NOT on his desires, but squarely on God’s calling for his life…
In other words, Paul’s focus was NOT on his rights, but they were on WHAT is right…let review these verses just a bit…v:17-18
What is the right thing to do for the believer? To obey God/to answer His call on your life…Paul says here that…
V17 - “…God has given me this sacred trust…”
What is the right thing to do for the Christian leader? TO lead those God has placed you over thru your own obedience to His calling…Paul gives his example of leading by example…
V18 - “…I never demand my rights when I preach the Good News…”
What is the right thing to do as a preacher? It is to PREACH the Gospel, regardless! Paul understood this and told them that was his focus:
V18 - “…preach the Good News without charging...”
Many people read this passage and get the wrong message about Paul. Many believe he is trying to establish authority over them, but what Paul is saying here is that it was NOT his call…
God had placed him where he was, God had called him to do what he was doing and God had provided the resources to enable him to be obedient to God’s calling…
So how does what Paul says to these believers apply to YOU today? Ask yourself THIS question…
Are you seeking YOUR rights OR are you seeking what IS right?
For the beleiver today that is the question we must ask every day! This morning we began our service by remembering the birthday of our nation… Independence Day is what we call it!
238 yrs ago, 56 men gathered in a room with the belief that they were going to do the RIGHT thing… many of them had the wealth and position and power that they could have gotten what they wanted with the British ruling this nation, but they saw that it was NOT about them… but about what was right!
We are blessed today because of their decision… but I want us to understand that is NOT why we are here today! We are here today because God’s grace has deemed it so… YOU are here today hearing this message because God has made a divine appointment with you!
Today we remember our nation’s birthday, and we have many to thank for their selfless contribution to the formation of our nation, but this morning our focus must be on the One who has brought us true salvation! Jesus!
Today you have ‘rights’ built into your citizenship… the Constitution of our nation has what we know as ‘The Bill of Rights’ some of which was read to you this morning by one of our active duty servicemen… WE HAVE RIGHTS in our country!
But I ask the question that EVERY believer must ask themselves… “Am I gonna pursue MY rights OR am I gonna do what IS right?” Is this life about ME? Or is it about serving God?
Paul was extremely clear about his motives… He knew where his focus was supposed to be… ON Christ and doing what Christ had called Him to do… He had been called to take the Gospel to those outside the Jewish faith… to the ‘uncircumsized’ of the world!
He had come to the understanding that what He wanted and what was ‘rightfully’ his… did NOT matter to him, but all that mattered was being obedient to God’s calling!
Now I want to share something with you as your pastor… I have prayed about this and I have struggled on how to say it! What I am about to say is not said with tongue in cheek, but it comes from a heart that loves God and loves God’s people!
I love my Lord and I love all of you… but I have come to the conclusion that I just don’t care anymore! I simply don’t care…
I don’t care about filling this church with people…
I don’t care about the offerings that do or DON’T come…
I don’t care about being YOUR pastor…
What I DO care about is being obedient to God’s calling on my life!
You see, God has called me to preach the Gospel and to pastor this church. If I relied on meeting my own plans and desires, I would be worried about filling this church with people! I would be worried about the low offerings and I would do everything in my power to protect those who gave the GOOD offerings!
If left to my own plans and desires… I would constantly fret over attendance, I would be always anxious about the low offerings… I would be totally consumed about trying to please and serve you and about having you love me…
IF left to my own plans and desires! BUT brothers & sisters -- it is NOT about my plans OR my desires…
What it IS about is what God desires of ME & I know the ONE thing God has called me to do and that is to PREACH the word!
Now whether I do it here at Oak Park as your pastor…
OR in a sun-drenched hut in Haiti as a missionary…
OR or on the street corner of some city as a street minister…
It really does NOT matter and I can honestly say “I don’t care’ where God takes me…Like Paul I am willing to forgo what is rightfully mine to do what is RIGHT for the Lord!
But I also want to ask, “What about YOU Oak Park member?”
R U more concerned about getting what is ‘rightfully’ yours as a member of this church OR would your rather become the God called witness for Christ you were meant to be?
Are you focused on WHAT you think God should be doing?
Are you focused on HOW you think God is supposed to be doing it?
OR
Are you willing to let go of what YOU think and begin to serve God with the attitude that says, “God I don’t care what You do…God I don’t care HOW you do it…I will follow YOU!”
Here Paul did not answer their question how they thought he would answer them… he did NOT fight for what he knew to be his rights, but he was humble and obedient to God’s calling and only wanted what God wanted!
We must have this same heart… we must have this same attitude… we must be willing to say, “God I don’t care what or how you do it… I will follow you!” Are you willing to make that your prayer today?
Are you willing to step out… walk to these steps and confess to God that you no longer desire to cling to what you believe is your RIGHTS…but that you are willing to step aside and let God do what is right!
As Jason comes to lead us in our time of prayer, confession and dedication… I want to ask you to search your heart… ask yourself the VERY hard question, “Am I ready to let go of my rights and seek to do what is right in God’s eyes?” “Am I willing to let go of my desires and seek out His?”
As Jason comes I want us all to stand and bow our heads in silent prayer! Jason will sing our song of invitation… I want your focus on God right now, not on singing a song! I want you to focus on whether or not you are ready to ‘let go’ and ‘let God work!’
Are you ready today? I know I am… as Jason sings would you step out and come forward!
