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The message you're about to hear was preached at Liberty Baptist
Church in Easton, MA. You can find out more about us
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message from God's Word will be a blessing to you.
Would you turn once? Again to.
First Corinthians chapter #9. We were in the midst of looking
at this chapter several weeks ago before.
I left and now we are going to try to catch you back up to.
Where we were in First Corinthians chapter. 9 and.
Finish the chapter here this evening and the title of the
message was and continues to be. Who does Paul think he is?
You'll remember that right at the beginning of the chapter,
Paul starts to give a defense of himself.
He gives a defense of. Who he?
Is that there were some within the congregation, or maybe there
were some who were trying to manipulate the congregation to
try to convince them that? Paul.
Was a greedy man, that. Paul was someone who.
Really did not have their best. Interests in heart that his.
Doctrine who was wrong that his method of ministry was wrong and
Paul takes this chapter to really defend himself and his
manner of ministry and it wasn't that he was just being sensitive
and it wasn't just the fact that he felt like he defend himself
because his. Pride or his?
Ego was hurt, but rather Paul had the very real understanding
that if his credibility was being challenged, then the
credibility of the gospel that he preached was also being
challenged because he was being faithful to the gospel.
And so we took some time to look at several different things.
And even before we read the text tonight, just by way of review,
I'll give you these first few points to kind of remind us.
Where we were. Before we read our text this
evening, but we saw that there was the first question.
What about the preacher's money? Remember that Paul was a tent
maker and there were times and seasons that as he was out doing
ministry that he would make tents to be able to support
himself. But yet he also made the claim
and he also told the people that were there.
He said that it wouldn't have been wrong if he had taken money
from the church that was at Corinth because he gave the
principle of the laborers. Remember the principle of the
laborers. You don't muzzle the ox that
treads the corn. You don't.
You take care of the provisions of those who go out to battle
and in the same way the minister is to be provided for as well
when the minister can be provided for.
And we saw that, Paul says if I have to.
Work that I have. To work if I receive a paycheck.
If we could put it that way from the church, then that's OK as
well. But really, his whole.
Focus was not about money. But it was about ministry.
And the whole issue of money was this, that his needs would be
met so that he could to the ministry that God called him to
do. Paul wasn't trying to get rich
in the ministry. Paul was just trying to be able
to survive and to live so he could do the things that he.
Knew that God had. Called him to do.
And then he also gave the example of the Levites, not just
the laborers, but also the Levites.
You'll remember that we saw that the Levites as we went back.
To the old. Testament.
And we saw that the Levites received of the tithes.
And that is how. They were to survive, but at the
same time as they received the ties, they tithed as well.
That it wasn't just the fact that they were free from tithing
because they received the tithe. They literally gave a tithe of
the tithe of which they got, because here's the principle,
everybody's supposed to tithe. Yeah, that never gets amens a
whole lot of times when I say it, but I'll say it again.
Everybody supposed to tie. Well, pastor, you don't
understand that. That's not the way that it
works. I believe in grace giving.
I've had people tell me that before.
And I will say that grace giving is a wonderful thing.
If you believe in grace giving, it ought to be more.
Than 10% because grace. Is more than the law, isn't it?
But tithing was found before the law and tithing was found during
the law, and tithing is found, I believe after the law as well.
And so the principle of tithing is good and it's right.
And Paul's making it clear that if he was to receive of some of
that, it wouldn't be bad. But that didn't make him exempt
to make sure that he also did that which he encouraged others
to do as well biblically. So he answered that question
first, what about the preacher's money?
But then the second question was this.
What about the preachers motivations?
And it really came down to a crux in verse #19 or rather
verse #16 he says. For though I preach the gospel,
I have. Nothing to glory of.
Of necessity or for necessities laid upon me?
Yeah. Woe is unto me if I preach not
the gospel. What was his motivation?
This was the calling that was laid upon his life.
His motivation was not making sure that he received enough
money. His motivation was this, the
gospel message, and he was going to reach as many people as he
possibly could not so that he could get.
More people. Inside some kind of Christian
Ponzi scheme, the more people that come, the more people that
give, the more money I get. You know, you recruit 3 people
and then they recruit 3 people and as long as I'm at the top,
everything is good, right? No, that's not what this is.
It is all about the fact that Paul was motivated by the
gospel. And even as we saw on Sunday
night as well, that it wasn't that he was to get a pat on the
back or an attaboy, He wasn't going above and beyond the Call
of Duty. It was his Call of Duty to go
and to give the gospel. And so he's defending himself in
this way as well. And so tonight we're going to.
Look at the third and final point we'll reveal.
That in just a moment and we'll explain why Paul did what he did
and how he did what he did for the sake of the gospel and how
would it help us as well as we reach other people with the
gospel. So why don't you remain seated
tonight? As we often do on on Wednesday
night. And we're going to read all of
Chapter 9, so just stay with me. I know we read a larger piece of
scripture the mind can start to wander somewhere in.
Between so you just. Dial in as I read.
I'll dial in as I read. And let's read this chapter and
then we'll really, we'll really. Focus on verse #19.
To the end of the chapter, so it says, Am I not an apostle?
Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our
Lord? Are not ye my work in the Lord?
If I be not an apostle unto others, yet doubtless I am to
you for the seal of mine apostleship.
Are ye in the Lord? My answer to them that do
examine me is this Have we not power?
To eat and to drink. Have we not power to lead about
a? Sister, a wife, as well as other
apostles. As is the brethren of the Lord,
and Cephas, or I only and Barnabas.
Have we not power to for bear working?
Who? Goeth a warfare at any.
Time in his own charges. Who plants a vineyard Eateth.
Not of the fruit thereof, or who feedeth the.
Flock and eateth not of the milk of the flock.
Say I these things as a man or sayeth not the law the same also
4 is written in the Law of Moses.
Thou shalt not muzzle. The mouth of the ox that
treadeth out the corn doth God take care for.
Oxen and we saw the. Last time we were in this text,
that's from Deuteronomy chapter #25 verse 4.
Or sayeth he it all together? For our sakes, for our sakes,
for our sakes. No doubt this is written that He
has that he that ploweth should plow and hope, and that he that
thresheth in hope shall be partaker of his hope.
If we have sown unto you spiritual things is a great
thing if we shall reap unto you. Or is it a great thing if we
shall reap your carnal? Things.
If others be partakers of this. Power over you.
Are not we rather nevertheless we have not used this power, but
suffer all things, lest we should hinder the gospel of
Christ? Do you not know that they which
minister about holy things live of the things of the temple, and
they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar?
Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the
gospel should live of the Gospel.
But I have used none of these things, neither have I written
these things, that it should be so done unto me.
For if it were better for me to die, than that any man should
make my glorying void. For though I preach the gospel,
I have nothing to glory of, for necessity is laid upon me.
Yeah, woe isn't to me if I preach not the gospel, For if I
do this thing willingly, I have a reward.
But if against my will a dispensation of the gospel is
committed unto me, what is my reward then?
Verily, that when I preach the gospel I may make the gospel of
Christ without charge. That I abuse not my power in the
gospel. And this is where we will start
afresh here tonight. For though I be free from all
men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might
gain the more. And under the Jews I became as a
Jew, that I might gain the. Jews.
To them that are under the law, as under the law that I might
gain them that are under the law, To them that are without
the law, as without the law, being not without law to God,
but under the law to Christ, that I might gain them that are
without the law, To the weak became I as weak that I might
gain the weak. I am made all things to all men,
that I might by all means save some.
And this I do for the gospel sake, that I might be partaker
thereof with you Know ye not that they which run in a race
run all but one receiveth the prize.
So run that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for
the mastery is temperate in all things.
Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown.
But we and incorruptible I therefore so run not as
uncertainly, so fight I not as one that beateth the air, but I
keep under my body and bring it into subjection, lest that by
any means when I have preached to others, I myself should be a
castaway. So in the 1st 18 verses we saw
first what about the preachers money, and then we saw secondly,
what about the preachers motivations?
And 3rd I want us to look at this tonight.
What about the preachers methods beginning in verse #19 what
about the preachers methods? Now Paul is free from the
expectations and criticisms of the people of Corinth.
Paul is not going to be held down by those who are
criticizing them or those who are holding him by wrong
expectations. But yet do not think that Paul
is simply a free man who can just do whatever he wants to do.
No, Paul says this, that he is a servant.
And what kind of servant does he say that he is?
He says that he is a servant of the gospel.
This is who Paul is and he is a servant of the Lord Jesus
Christ. He says I be free from all men
meaning this. Thank you, Dave.
For those who are his. Critics.
He's free from them. He is already given the
biblical. Argument.
For why he is not to follow that which these people are telling
him to do. When it comes to money and his
motivations, he. Explains.
All of those things but. He says this If you think that
I'm free, I'm not free completely, he says actually.
I'm just servant and. Who is he a servant to?
Well, it says, and the remainder of verse #19 Yet have I made
myself servant unto all that I might gain the more.
He is a servant of the Gospel, meaning this he is a.
Servant of all. And may I remind you here
tonight that for me as a pastor, and I know I keep shining the
light on myself as a pastor in this chapter, and I don't like
it, but it's what it is and it's what's here and it's what needs
to be preached for me. My job first and foremost is to
be this a servant, and not just a servant, but a servant of the
gospel. This is the charge that is laid
upon me as a pastor. That's why in Acts chapter 6,
when there was dissension within the young church, because the
widows were not given their daily ministration, they were
not given the portions of food that they were supposed to be
given by the church because the apostles had so much work to do.
They took deacons, they took men to be able to help and to serve
because they said it is not meat for us to serve tables.
Rather, we must give ourselves to the word of God and to
prayer. You know this didn't mean that
they. Weren't to serve the poor.
This didn't mean that they weren't to serve the widows.
This didn't mean that they were high and mighty above everyone
else. But they said this first and
foremost, we've got to make. Sure that we are servants.
Of the gospel that we're ready to give the good news of Jesus
Christ to anyone that we come upon.
You might say, Pastor, I'd like your job.
You can do whatever you want, whenever you want, however you
want. Nobody tells you when to come
and when to go or anything like that.
Well, and there is some truth to that.
There's no time clock back there.
No ones typically. Checking when I come into the
building and when I leave the building.
But I will tell you this. What motivates me, What keeps me
moving? What makes me make sure that I
work? Be honestly, more than 40.
Hours a week is this is that I am a servant of the gospel, the
good news of Jesus Christ. And there's a whole world out
there that needs to hear that message and there's a whole
world out there that needs to know.
And I am a servant of that world.
And I'm a servant of you in the sense that I am to give the
gospel. This is what God has called me
to do, but this is what God listened to this.
Has called all of us to do. This is true for me.
This is the daily calling upon my life.
This is what I do as a pastor. It it keeps me motivated to make
sure that I remember what being a pastor is all about and that I
don't veer too far One Direction or veer too far from the other
and lose track of the mission. But yet God has called us all to
be servants. Of the Gospel.
And this is something that we need to understand is the true
secret of soul winning. Do you ever wonder why?
You don't win more people to Christ if you're a wonder why?
There are not. There's not more.
Fruit, that is. Born to your account now again I
want to make clear as I always make.
Clear. You can't force someone.
To be saved, you can take someone's shoulder and bring
them down to their knees. You could tell them recite this
prayer and they can recite it and be twofold a child of.
Hell, the Bible would say. Because now they think they're
saved and they're not saved because.
You have brought them to a place where they don't even understand
the. Gospel, but they.
Prayed a little prayer and they have.
No idea what they've done, how they've done it.
They don't even know who Jesus Christ is.
It's problematic. So I'm not saying that you can.
Force anybody to be saved. I'm not saying that if you do.
Soul winning the right way. You will be.
Guaranteed to have. Fruit to your account.
There's some very faithful missionaries overseas that
history tells us. That they would.
Sow and sow and sow the seed and.
Sometimes they didn't even see. The fruit in their lifetime and
they were faithful but I would tell you the secret of soul
winning that is often forgotten. Is that the?
Secret of Soul winning is service.
If you want to win more people to Christ, serve others.
If you want to have. More opportunities to tell
people about Jesus Christ. Be a servant when you meet.
Strangers find ways to serve. Them when you find people who
are acquaintances, find ways to serve them when you have loved
ones that are. Hardened to the.
Gospel serve them service is often the secret sauce of soul
winning. It's often forgotten, you know,
we just. Had a soul winning training
seminar just a few weeks. Ago and it's.
Important that we do so it's important that we understand.
What the verses are and where the verses are and how to be.
Able to make a good presentation of the gospel.
But in the midst of all of that, if you are not being a servant
to those who are around you, you are going to miss a multitude.
Of opportunities to be able. To give the gospel.
Of Jesus Christ. There are times we do things
here at Liberty Baptist Church in the community that it would
seem like at first has no real tangible part of what our
mission is in giving the gospel. But I found this if.
We're just out in the community serving.
There are people that will know who we are, know where we are,
and that we have more opportunity in the midst of that
to be able to go and tell other people about Jesus Christ.
You'll always find opportunities to give.
The Gospel. If you're willing to be a
servant, Paul says. I'm free from the expectations
of those crazy people in Corinth that think that I'm supposed to
be something that God doesn't want me to be.
He's but don't think that I'm free because I'm a servant of
those same people in the sense that they need to hear the
gospel message. Paul, by calling himself a
servant, puts himself in line with.
Well. All the other apostles if you
look. At the writers of the Epistles.
Of the New Testament every. Single one of them, at some
point or another identifies himself.
As a servant James One verse 1 James.
A servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ to the 12 tribes
which are scattered abroad. Greeting second Peter 11 Simon.
Peter, a servant and an. Apostle of Jesus Christ to them
that have obtained like precious faith with us through the
righteousness of God and our Savior Jesus Christ Jude one.
Jude. The servant of Jesus Christ, and
brother of James to them that are sanctified by God the
Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called Revelation
11. The revelation of Jesus Christ,
which God gave unto him to show unto His servants things which
must shortly come to pass. And he sent and signified it by
his Angel unto his servant John. Every single one of these men
who wrote one of the epistles identified themselves sure as
apostles, sure as some sort of leadership.
But what did they say in the midst of that?
I may be apostle, but I'm not. Above being a servant.
And if you want to be big in the ministry of the Lord Jesus
Christ, and I use that word big very loosely and I.
Use that word big with quotes around it but.
If you want to be big in the ministry of Jesus Christ, you
better get small if you want to be big in the Kingdom work that
God has for us in this community and at Liberty Baptist Church,
you better get small and that means this finding ways to serve
the people around you. Paul says this.
I am a servant. If there was ever anyone who
could say they were a. Servant it would be Paul.
Paul was educated. Paul had a powerful speaking
ability in the sense that, well, they said if you saw him speak
that you maybe would think that. He wasn't a powerful speaker.
But he was obviously very persuasive in the way he spoke.
By the Spirit he was big. Time.
In the way the world would look at those kind of things.
But what was he? A servant and if you want to
find more ways to reach people. It's not about handing more.
Tracks out to people, and we should hand out more tracks to
people. We want to make those tracks
more effective. Serve people.
Find little ways to be a blessing to someone before you
give them a track and you'll find they might be more apt to
listen. There's hardness of hearts of
family members that you're trying to reach and they just
won't listen anymore. Be a servant to them.
You say, well, what will that do?
It might soften their heart to realize that there's something
different about them. Well, why would service be so
important? It's because that's our way of
mimicking our Savior came in a form of a servant.
Do we need to go back to Christ as servant?
We saw that a few weeks. Ago Philippians chapter 2.
It's our way of showing Christ within us, because everything of
mankind is this. I want, I need to have.
I want it in my account. And the thought of a servant is,
I want to help you. I want to give you what you
need. I'm going to go out of my way to
be a blessing to you, and all of a sudden you can help people
with the ministry of the gospel if this is your heart's desire
now. In this section, Paul gives.
Two directives about the methods of the preacher he gives.
Two different directives and the first is this.
Be moldable, be moldable. Look at verse #20.
It says, And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might
gain the Jews to them that are under the law, as under.
The law. That I might gain them that are
under the law to then they're without the law.
As without the law. Being not without the law to
God, but under the law to Christ, that I might gain.
Them that are without. The law to the weak became I as
weak. That I might.
Gain the weak. I am made.
All things unto all men. That I might by all means save
some now. We'll stop here.
For a second verse number. 22 is one of the most abused verses
that you will find perhaps in all the new.
Testament why is that that there are sometimes that people will
use? Verse #22 as an excuse.
To use ungodly. Means to try to reach people
with the gospel. I will be.
All. Things to all men that I might
gain some. There are churches that are out
there today. This is becoming a very popular
thing. And no, this is not a.
Pastor that's. Just ranting and raving.
From the pulpit? Well, maybe a little ranting and
a little. Raving but this is not ranting
and rave of me to say this and I've mentioned this.
Before that, there's a popularity, a growing
popularity. Of having programs.
Called Bible and Bruise. Come to the church and have a
beer maybe? Have more than one beer and then
let's read the Bible together. Why?
Because that's going to appeal to a certain group of people
that normally wouldn't come to church, that now we're going to
come to church. And in their mind they will take
this verse and they will say we're being all things to all
men, that we might save some. There are churches that will
take. The world's music.
And they will bring it into the. Church house and try to.
Make it more Christian and they will do so.
Using this verse as an example to be able to.
I know churches that I have in my office right now, a Rick
Warren. Book The Purpose Driven Church.
A church growth manual that he said that when he.
Started his church that. What he would suggest people do
is to go around in the. Community and say we have a
short survey. We're just asking people, what
are you? Looking for in a church?
And whatever the popular music. Is in the in the community, then
that's the kind of music you. Bring into the church, because
after all. You're doing all things to.
All people that you can save some.
Now that's not gospel. Ministry, that's pragmatism,
that's taking the world and the world's methods to try to win
people. To Christ, and they remind you
that what you win. People with IS.
What you have to keep people with.
You win people with worldly ideas.
You're going to have to keep them with worldly ideas if
you're going to keep them. If you're a winner with Bibles
and bruises, what happens when the tap runs dry?
If you. Win them with music that is of.
The world what? Happens when a church comes,
when the music's louder and the fog machines are foggier and the
lasers are more multiplied than what you have, no?
I. May sound like I'm being
facetious about this, but I'm very serious and there are those
who would take that verse and say Paul's saying do whatever
you need to do. To be able to win people to
Christ. But that's exactly the opposite
of what he's trying to say here. And that is taking that verse
and plucking it out of all of the other teaching of which Paul
has ever taught about holiness and godliness and that which is
right. No, no, this is not what he's
saying here. It's not what he's saying at
all. But rather what he is saying is
that when you come across someone who doesn't know Jesus
Christ, their Savior, what you ought to do is to be able to
find a way to relate the gospel to them so that they can know
that they are lost and in need of a savior.
And that's different with every group.
Now I'm going to say something. You might think that I'm I'm
crazy. Well.
If you've been here this long, you probably don't think I'm
crazy. Or maybe you just know I'm
crazy. I don't know.
I love the Romans Rd. I'm.
Thankful for the Romans Rd. You know what I'm talking about,
the Romans Rd. We just taught about it a few
weeks ago, didn't we? To be able to take someone
through the book of Romans, help them understand that they're a
Sinner and there's judgment, but that Christ died on the cross
for them and they could be saved.
There's one problems with the Romans Rd.
Sometimes we use it in such a way.
That we're so enslaved to it. That we end up missing.
Real conversations with people. And using the whole.
Counsel of God instead of just these few verses.
I I just talked with someone a few days ago.
As an example. He said to me, I feel like God's
always against me. I feel like I can't get ahead.
Every time I move everywhere I turn, it's like God's trying to
get me and he's sharing his heart with me.
Now if I just turn around and quote for all of sin and come
short of the glory of God, which is typically the first verse of
the Romans Rd. Have I really addressed the
needs of the heart? I would say that I haven't.
What I be good for me to say? Was to maybe address.
The fact that, you know, you haven't really lived your life
in a way with that you've given much regard for God, but yet
Despite that God's love for you is still real, that even though
we do not love God. And this is where sometimes we
get nervous because maybe we can't quote those other verses.
Well, you may not know the address.
Well, you can quote part of the verse or you may have to go on
your phone and find it. Or you might have to.
Go in your Bible. And find it.
But you can remind. Them that God loved us, even we
didn't love him. John 316 makes that clear.
What I'm saying is that Paul is talking about having.
A moldable form of ministry that when he was talking to a Jew.
He would answer the Jews. Questions about the Gospel with
their unique slant of their previous beliefs, we talked.
About those who were under the law, I believe that's talking
about the proselytes. Those who had come into the
household of. Jews, they were following the.
Law. But they weren't natural born.
Jews. And so they would.
Have some of their own unique questions, but then.
Those who were not under the law, that would seem to be the.
Gentiles and the Gentiles. Would come from a completely.
Different background. Do you think that when?
Paul went into the. Into the synagogue and preached
that he preached with the same method as he would when he was.
Talking to the Gentiles. He would not.
Was it the same message? Yes.
Why? Because the Gospel.
Is to all the Jew. 1st and also to the Greek Romans 116 There's
only one message, but a Jew is naturally going to look at Jesus
Christ differently through the lens of him who was calling
himself to be the Messiah, than those who were the Gentiles who
wouldn't even have thought about a Messiah because it wasn't even
part of the teaching of which they would have had because they
weren't familiar with the Old Testament.
Paul at Athens is a. Perfect example of this.
Because he's on Mars Hill and what does he do?
He says there's a tomb here to an unknown God, and he goes on
a. Rabbit trail, if you will, a
sanctified. Rabbit trail where he talks
about that tomb, the unknown God, and he says there is an
unknown God. You have all this pantheon of
gods out here but you missed one.
They don't want to introduce you to him and his name is.
Jesus. This is what he's talking about,
not talking about using the world to win people to Christ.
He's saying this. To the Jew.
I want to answer the questions of the.
Jews. In a way where they understand
the gospel. To the proselytes, I want them
to understand. To the Gentiles, I want them to
understand. To those who are weak, I want
them to understand. To those who are strong, I want
them to understand. But it's not just saying Romans
310, Romans 323, Romans 5/8, Romans 10910 and 13.
There's nothing wrong with those verses.
They're blessed verses, but what I'm saying.
Is when you. Talk to people, don't just think
about the next. Verse on the Romans Rd.
Listen to them. Ask them questions.
I'm done with religion. Someone might tell you good
answer would be well I am too at least.
Dead religion. James chapter 1 talks about pure
religion. The only time the word religion,
in my estimation is used in a good way in all of the word of
God. But the way that the world looks
at religion, I'm done with that too.
But if you just quote Romans 310 and Romans 323, reminding them
they're a Sinner right that moment, you might have missed
the cry of their heart and explain to them the real
relationship with Jesus Christ that's needed.
I'm all about memorizing the verses.
I'm all about all those things, but don't get so caught up in
the rigidity of trying to quote this verse and that verse that
you're not listening to the Sinner and that you're not
molding your presentation to their very unique questions and
needs. We're not changing the message.
Listen. We're not changing the message.
Someone cut this and put it online.
We're not changing the message. Wait, I'm the one who would cut
it and put it online? So never mind.
I guess that's not that's not as interesting putting it that way,
but we are re recognizing that the message should be given to
people in a way that answers their very specific questions.
Jew proselyte, gentile, weak, strong.
Paul says be moldable. Just be moldable about these
things. But then.
Excuse me, He also says this letter B.
Be methodical, be methodical. Drop down to verse #23 and this.
I do for the gospel's sake. That I might be partaker thereof
with you. He does all this for the gospel,
not for himself. And we made brief mention of
this last week or several weeks ago now.
Know ye not that they would? Run.
In a race run, all but one receiveth the prize, so.
Run, that ye may obtain, and every man that striveth.
For the mastery is temperate in all things.
Now they do it to obtain a. Corruptible crown, but we an
incorruptible I therefore so run not as uncertainly, so fight, I
not as one that beateth in the air.
But I keep under the body, my body, and bring it into
subjection. Listen by any means when I have
preached to others, I myself should be a castaway, Paul says,
just as much as he is a servant. He says there's a seriousness
that comes with the ministry that God has entrusted all of us
with. Myself, but also for you as
well. He says that there are.
People who will go to great lengths to be able to win a
prize in a contest that doesn't matter.
And he uses 2 words to be able to explain the seriousness of
which they have. One is temperance.
He says that they're temperate in all things.
What does that mean? That they have made sure that
they are not engaging in excesses.
They're going to do exactly. What they need?
How they need it to make sure that they get the prize that
they're looking for. But also in verse #27 the word
there in the middle of the verse, subjection, bring it into
subjection. What does that mean?
It means that there's no part of the life that is going to.
Pull you off the. Course of that which God has put
you on that you are in control not those other parts of your
life. Now I will say this, you hear
the term self-control. Self-control is a myth.
Say oh, oh. Pastor, now I know you're
cracked up. self-control is a myth.
Spirit control is what the Bible teaches.
Now the Bible does. Teach us that we have.
To make that decision. That we have to decide they use
our. Volition to be able to say no,
I'm not going to do that, but if you do that without the Spirit's
help, it is folly. I've tried to give up.
I've tried to give up this. Vice in my life.
Well, you need to stop trying on your own, and with the Lord's
help He can give you what you need.
He can help you bring it into subjection.
I can't quit drinking well on your own you can't.
I can't quit smoking on your own, you can't.
I can't. I can't quit the online gambling
on your own, you can't. I can't quit porn on your own.
You can't on your own. You can't do any of those
things. But it's the spirit.
self-control is a myth on its own.
Again, you have to decide to be able to make those things, but
you can't do it on your own. It's the Spirit.
The the Bible says our flesh is weak, but the Spirit's willing.
And so he says, there's those two.
Things that the world will do I I I made mention.
Of this a couple weeks. Ago.
But I want to read this. Of course, Tom Brady was the
most decorated football player in NFL.
History. This is general routine.
Sleep and recovery lights out at 83830 to 9:00 PM.
This is during his playing. Days up at 5:00 to 5:30.
He has a bedroom that's cold and dark.
Hydration Nutrition 20 ounces of electrolyte water of on.
Waking largely, plant forward. Diet 80% vegetables, whole
grains 20% lean protein Little or no?
Caffeine, he said. He's never.
Had coffee. And I was like the.
Guy until that, but training and.
Pliability Daily. Soft tissue work.
Resistance bands to keep the. Muscles long and soft, mental
prep and film front loads opponent.
Study early in the week cycles of watching, then sleeping, then
watching more video. Flexible realism diet has
loosened with age and now retirement.
Now he'll eat. This is a court.
His article. Quality pizza.
I don't know what. Quality pizza is I think any
pizza is a quality pizza. In my opinion.
Quality. Pizza and bacon occasionally.
That's what the article says. So his daily.
Routine during his playing days would be something like this
5:30 AM wake up hydration. Ritual 6 to 730.
Fuel for Performance 7. 30 to 8:00 AM Flexibility.
Prep 8. O'clock to 10:00 functional.
Training 9:50. 30 Recovery Integration 6:00 PM, Family
Connection 8:00 PM Evening. Recovery Protocol 830 PMI know
the ultimate the the ultimate discipline of going to bed.
Early. That's crazy.
But it worked. He got. 6.
Super Bowl rings out of it could have won nine.
I think it was. It worked for what he wanted to
do. As I mentioned before, it didn't
work to be a family man when you slaughtered 2 hours of family
connection time. In you.
Start to understand why he had two marriages, but what?
He got what he wanted. Which is this Super Bowl rings
and money. You know, there's a word we
could use for that. It's temperance subjection.
I'm not going to drink. Coffee.
I'm going to measure out my water to the ounce.
I'm going to make sure that my macros are right on to the
percentage point because I got to make sure my body is perfect
for Sunday. And we can laugh at.
All we want, but he got what he was looking for.
But here's what Paul says. Of course, he didn't have
football in mind when he was writing this.
He was thinking of the Olympiad, I believe, and the Corinthian
Games would have been much like the Olympiad that they would
have held in Athens. And so these people would have
been very familiar with the imagery that's here.
But he says. Look at all.
That they will do for something that doesn't matter.
He says so how? Much more should I, as a servant
of God, make sure that I'm doing what I need to do.
Why? Verse 27?
I keep under my body and bring it into subjection, lest that by
any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a
castaway. As a pastor, I have to be very
careful in how I live my life. I'm not perfect, not even close,
but I do have to live in a way that's above reproach as best as
I can. Why?
Because when you hear me preach, you need to be able to focus on
what I'm saying and not on those things that made me not above
reproach. I can't distract myself, or
rather, I can't distract you from the preaching because I
have lived in a way that has made me a castaway.
It's a high and holy calling. I'll be honest with you.
It weighs on me on days it does. It ought to weigh on you as a
pastor. If it doesn't, I wouldn't trust
you behind the pulpit to be quite honest with you.
But that high and holy calling that Paul is talking about here
once again, is not reserved just for me that God calls all of us
to be able to do those things. So pastor, I have a job.
Your job is to be a pastor. But I have a job.
And that's true. And thank the Lord that you do,
but you know, that bonus that you're striving for, or that
next account that you're looking for, or the promotion that
you're wanting in the light of eternity really won't matter
compared to being involved with the ministry of Jesus.
You know, making. Sure that your house is the
biggest on the block. Making sure that you have two
cars or three cars for the two or three car garage, making sure
that your vacations are bigger and better every year than the
one before. Making sure that you're winning
in life. Don't mean a cent at the
judgment seat of Christ. You know what does?
You're going to be faithful to the ministry.
God's called you to that. There's people that you need to
reach that by God's grace, only you can reach.
You say, well, you're talking like this is serious, pastor,
serious. It's almost like we got to give
our life to this. Now you're getting there.
What? Is it?
What are you saying?
I mean this seems so extreme. Well, it may just seem extreme
because we don't live it as God intended us to live, and we're
so far from it. It just seems extreme that we
would live our life that way. But everything within our life
should be about this. I'm a minister of the Gospel of
Jesus. Christ say, well, what's what's
my reward then? If that's what you're saying,
then what's? My reward.
I think Paul covered that in verse 18.
Well, he said. What is my reward then?
Verily then, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of
Christ without charge. That I abuse not my power in the
gospel. You remember when we said a few?
Weeks ago, basically he's saying there my reward is that.
I do get to preach. That's my reward.
The. Reward in the Gospel ministry.
Is that we're in the gospel ministry.
Remember we talked about this. They took the one with a
dishonorable discharge and made him commander in chief.
Made the one that guy expelled from the school made him the
principal. And that he would take.
Us who are sins placed Him on the cross and made us
ambassadors for Christ. I'd say that's pretty good
reward right there. Better than anything this world
can offer. Certainly a lot more.
Lasting than anything. This world could offer so.
As we back. Out as we conclude tonight and
consider Paul's original argument about his character and
his honor. There's three.
Things that we have to. Understand a pastor must be
motivated to take care of others, but the church must be
motivated to take care of the pastor, a pastor.
Must be motivated properly to reach people for Christ.
But the church must be equally motivated to help him make his
time available for that pursuit. The.
Pastor's method should reflect servant leadership.
But the church should be willing to serve under the leader that
all of us working together, all of us doing ministry together,
can bear great fruit and great results.
Not because we're great, but because we serve a great God and
you'll never go wrong being a servant of the gospel of Jesus
Christ. Who did Paul think he was?
Well, a servant, and that was good enough.
Thank you for listening to this sermon from the pulpit of
Liberty Baptist Church. If this message was a blessing
to you, or if there's any way we can serve you, please let us
know by contacting us at info@mylibertybaptist.org.
Or you can visit us this Sunday at 800 Washington St. in Easton,
MA. May the Lord bless you as you
grow in His Word.