A Study in I Corinthians Week 10

I Corinthians 9:1-27

The Verses

1-3 This begins Paul’s explanation of the relationship of Christians to their liberty. He has a right to be an apostle. An apostle is someone who has had a face-to-face encounter with Jesus. When someone calls himself an apostle, he is claiming to have seen Jesus face-to-face, something that will not take place until after we die (I Corinthians 13:12ff).

4-6 There had been questions asked (apparently in the letters sent to him by the First Baptist Church of Corinth) about his authority and about how he made his living. Notice that Paul defends his right to take women with him on his missionary trips (Vs 5 – That would NEVER have happened under Jewish Law). Paul was reputed to have been a tent-maker, but here he is defending the right of church leaders to be compensated for their work.

7-10 The church staff members are generals and colonels in God’s army. Soldiers don’t pay their own way…the government pays them. In the same way, those who lead in church should not pay their own way, but should be compensated for their expertise and leadership. In fact, it is vile for a church to expect their leadership to work for free. If you call someone to a position, pay them!

This is not about non-professional positions. This is about professional positions. If you want professional Bible study teachers, pay them. If you want professional choir members, pay them. If you want professional music coordinators, pay them. If you want professional administration, pay an administrator. If you want professional children’s leaders, pay them. If you want professional youth leaders, pay them. Stop this business of leeching on volunteers and then expect professional results from them without compensation!)

“But we’re just a poor little church and we have trouble meeting our budget.” Well loose the small church mentality and start being what God wants us to be: a strong light in the community with a light so bright that people can’t miss us! There are 60,000 people living in Lehigh Acres and we surely should be able to reach 10% of them!

It will not happen by osmosis, magic or “when God wants it to happen.” He has already told us He wants it to happen NOW. “Now” is the only “when God wants it to happen” there is. Go out into the community and tell people about Jesus. Learn how to share, not your church, your FAITH.

You share Jesus with enough people and you will stop having budget problems. God guarantees it! You have HIS Word on it!

11-13 He continues the thought.

Vs 14 “Those who preach the gospel should earn their living from the gospel.” If you have ever thought, “Well those who work for the Lord should not be paid,” then you do not believe what God says about it.

15-18 A person called to a ministry by God feels continually compelled to perform that ministry. He cannot be satisfied doing something else. The reward is not the pay, the reward is the doing of the ministry. The pay is just a necessity (on the part of the minister as well as the church).

19-23 Paul had one advantage in being bi-vocational: he owed no obligation to anyone and could say what God wanted him to say without fear of being fired.

24-27 Once again Paul reveals one of his main doctrines: the doctrine of dying to self for the cause of Christ.

QUESTIONS FOR YOU: Have you made a conscious effort to die to your wants, desires, opinions and preferences? Is unity in the church more important than your perception of what should or should not be done?