›I Corinthians 9:15-27
›Keep Your Eyes on the Prize
15 But 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 deprive me of my ground for boasting. 16 For 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! 17 For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. 18 What 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.
(I Corinthians 9:15-18, ESV)
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19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 To 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. 21 To 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. 22 To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.
(I Corinthians 9:19-23, ESV)
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24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
(I Corinthians 9:24-27, ESV)
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›Main Point
› Paul is showing the Corinthians that true strength is not found in freedom to do whatever they please
› It is in giving up ones freedom for the others around you
› His self-discipline and focus is on the Gospel, not on self
› If it were on self he would be disqualified from the prize he seeks
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›Application Points
›Keep Your Eye on the Prize
– Paul receives compensation through the blessings of the Gospel
– The great purpose is the continual sharing of the Gospel
– There isa structure with society that separates rich from poor
– There continues to be a hierarchical structure where it leads to a, “us against them”
– What can break down these socioeconomic barriers?
– No such government has come into existence which has been able to permanently destroy these walls
– Shall it always be the case that the differences will remain?
– Paul does not only speak, but gives us evidence through his own lifestyle and example, that change can happen
›Application Points
›Keep Your Eye on the Prize (2)
– What do we know of Paul?
– He desired to honor God through strict obedience to the Law
– By God’s grace he was transformed after meeting the risen Lord on his way to Damascus
– How does a zealous Jewish man who demanded strict obedience…now become almost chameleon like with others?
– This happens because of the radical transformation through the Gospel
– Freedom from the law in the sense that it is not strict obedience to the law that we are declared righteous
– Is this a good thing?
– Does this mean that the law doesn’t matter?
›Application Points
›Keep Your Eye on the Prize (3)
– Let’s consider Paul’s application
– Does this mean that anything goes as long as the result is the proclamation of the Gospel?
– Does this mean we should practice sexual immorality in order to win the sexually immoral?
– Does this mean freedom to do whatever we want in the end?
– We see how so many ministries and denominations are allowing all kinds of immorality in the hopes of “winning” people to Christ
– Yet, such an interpretation goes against what Paul has said previously…
“9 I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— 10 not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. 11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one. 12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? 13 God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.”
I Corinthians 5:9-13, ESV
9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
I Corinthians 6:9-10, ESV
›Application Points
›Keep Your Eye on the Prize (4)
– If Paul meant that he had become literally everything to everyone then this would undercut his argument
– How can Paul say this and then go ahead and practice such things?
– We must reject the idea that becoming all to all people means practicing and doing whatever we want as long as our ultimate intention is to win some to Christ
– Neither Jesus nor the Apostles were antinomian
– Anti-Against Nomos-Law
– Paul says, “Not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ.”
›Application Points
›Keep Your Eye on the Prize (5)
– How does Paul get away with eating pork or associating with the unclean?
– Why does it seem the Paul and the apostles are picking and choosing which Laws need to be followed and which do not?
– We need to remember something important Jesus, and the Apostle John, mention
– There are differences even within the Law
– Consider the following…
23 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 24 You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel!”
Mathew 23:23-24, ESV
›Application Points
›Keep Your Eye on the Prize (6)
– Jesus himself understands that there are more significant areas of the Law than others
– If I get a speeding ticket that is different than murdering someone!
– Being unclean did not mean that one would be stoned, but that one must be washed and cleansed
– Different laws required different kinds of sacrifices
16 If anyone sees his brother committing a sin not leading to death, he shall ask, and God will give him life—to those who commit sins that do not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death; I do not say that one should pray for that. 17 All wrongdoing is sin, but there is sin that does not lead to death.”
I John 5:16-17, ESV
›Application Points
›Keep Your Eye on the Prize (7)
– Aren’t all sins the same?
– We can know the weightier matters based upon the judgment against them
– If you touched something unclean you could become clean through ritual washing and sacrifice(See Leviticus 5, 11, 15, Numbers 19, etc.)
– If you practiced sexual immorality you would be put to death (see Leviticus 20)
– Jesus and John (and the Apostles) understand the nuances of the Law
– All of the above unlawful acts listed in I Corinthians chapters 5-6 lead to death according to the Law
– How does Paul get away with eating unclean animals?
– Jesus has made that which was once unclean, clean
– We see this in the way He redeems both Gentile and Jew by faith
24 And a great crowd followed him and thronged about him. 25 And there was a woman who had had a discharge of blood for twelve years, 26 and who had suffered much under many physicians, and had spent all that she had, and was no better but rather grew worse. 27 She had heard the reports about Jesus and came up behind him in the crowd and touched his garment. 28 For she said, “If I touch even his garments, I will be made well.” 29 And immediately the flow of blood dried up, and she felt in her body that she was healed of her disease. 30 And Jesus, perceiving in himself that power had gone out from him, immediately turned about in the crowd and said, “Who touched my garments?” 31 And his disciples said to him, “You see the crowd pressing around you, and yet you say, ‘Who touched me?’” 32 And he looked around to see who had done it. 33 But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 34 And he said to her, “Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.”
(Mark 5:24-35, ESV)
“9 The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. 10 And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance 11 and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. 13 And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” 14 But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” 15 And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” 16 This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.”
(Acts 10:9-16, ESV)
›Application Points
›Keep Your Eye on the Prize (8)
– Peter recognizes they are unclean and would not eat of it
– This would lead Peter to entering into the house of a Gentile in order to proclaim the Gospel
– They believe and the Spirit descends on them despite their uncleanness
– They are all dealing with ceremonial clean and unclean laws
– The way one becomes clean against is through ceremonial washing and sacrifice
– We are washed and cleansed through the blood and water of Christ
– In contrast to this we have the weightier matters of the Law
– Such things are not allowed because if one commits sins of this nature the result is not washing or sacrifice, but death
– It is by God’s grace (See Romans 1-3) that even those who have sinned in these ways can be redeemed and forgiven by entering into Christ’s death
›Application Points
›Keep Your Eye on the Prize (9)
– We have a reasonable explanation why certain laws seem to be acceptable and others not
– It means that the Law should still be taken into account as a means for pointing us to Jesus
– This ultimately leads to the final point Paul makes
– We have been redeemed and freed through Jesus
– It does not mean complete and total liberty
– We are under the Law of Christ
– This requires us to be disciplined
– This leads…to walking more in step with His Spirit
– By knowing all of these things it causes us to be better prepared
– All materials we may gain in this world will perish
– All renown we receive will perish
– What will never perish, however, is Christ
›Application Points
›Keep Your Eye on the Prize (10)
– This is how we win the race
– This is how we box in the ring
– It will be through Jesus
– Let’s not disqualify ourselves by turning away from Jesus
– Let’s not disqualify ourselves by being undisciplined
– Let us be like Christ, the King who is Servant of all who come to Him
– We are in the competition, in the fight, in the race
– Let’s be disciplined then as we compete, as we fight, as we run
– Let the world see the Light of Christ in us, His righteousness displayed in us and through us
– Be encouraged to hold on to he truth
– To keep your eyes on the prize which his the blessing of being able to glory in Christ
›Application Points
› The Gospel of Christ
– Origins
– Fall
– Redemption
– Glorification
