EVERYTHING FOR THE GOSPEL

TODAY’S PASSAGE: 

1 Corinthians 9:19-27 NLT 19 Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ. 20 When I was with the Jews, I lived like a Jew to bring the Jews to Christ. When I was with those who follow the Jewish law, I too lived under that law. Even though I am not subject to the law, I did this so I could bring to Christ those who are under the law. 21 When I am with the Gentiles who do not follow the Jewish law, I too live apart from that law so I can bring them to Christ. But I do not ignore the law of God; I obey the law of Christ. 22 When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ. Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some. 23 I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings. 24 Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win! 25 All athletes are disciplined in their training. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. 26 So I run with purpose in every step. I am not just shadowboxing. 27 I discipline my body like an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.

• There was nobody greater than Jesus, yet He chose to give up His rights and take the punishment for our sin so that we could have eternal life.

Philippians 2:6-7 CEV Christ was truly God. But he did not try to remain equal with God. 7 Instead he gave up everything and became a slave, when he became like one of us.

• The Bible asks believers to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, being willing to suffer like Him so that others might live.

1 Peter 2:21 NLT – For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.

• Like Jesus, Paul also chose to give up his personal rights in the service of God, even going so far as to call himself a “slave to all people.”
• DEFINITION – Slave (douloō): one given over wholly to the needs and service of another, to make oneself a bondman to him
• Seeing others get saved was more important to Jesus and to Paul than their own personal rights or freedoms.

• DEFINITION – Common ground (ginomai pas): to be found, to show oneself to another; to become all things to all men, i. e. to adapt oneself in all ways to the needs of all
• When we find common ground, we build a bridge to the other person and meet them where they are at.
• Finding common ground, helps others to recognize that we care and makes way for the Gospel to reach their hearts.
• This doesn’t mean watering down the Gospel or compromising its truth. Common ground isn’t about enabling or agreeing with sin.
• Finding common ground is about showing God’s love to sinners in a way draws them to repentance.

Romans 2:4 MSG Do you take the kindness of God for granted? Do you see His patience and tolerance as signs that He is a pushover when it comes to sin? How could you not know that His kindness is guiding our hearts to turn away from distractions and habitual sin to walk a new path?

• One really positive way to find common ground with unbelievers is to get transparent about our own failures and mistakes that led us to understand just how much we really needed a Savior.

• Throughout today’s passage, Paul describes all that He will give up to see others saved.
• Like a slave, Paul has given up all his rights and freedoms to see others saved.
• Like an athlete, Paul practices self-control and discipline, giving up his personal comfort and anything else that might divert him from the all important goal of winning others to Christ.
• The Greek term Paul uses for disciplining his body as a boxer is hypōpiazō, which literally refers to beating something black-and-blue. It implies giving someone a black eye!
• In other words, Paul is saying that he “beats up” his body to toughen himself up and make himself even better at winning souls.
• The purpose that Paul ran every step of his life was winning souls. Like Paul, everything we do should be for the purpose of bringing people to salvation.