What Happens to a Church that Christ is Not the Center RUN

What Happens to a Church that Christ is Not the Center

RUN

I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.

The Apostle Paul set the example

He personal disciplined himself so he would qualify

Only the Gospel has the power to save but

will it overcome the competition of the world’s runners

It is up to you

Paul ran at his own expense but should have had

the support of the prospering Church in Corinth

Where ever you may live, whatever benefits you gain from where you live

Use those resources to support the Gospel

Reach the rich and the poor, the weak and the strong 

Take the Gospel to every person

Do it personally in whatever way you can and

financially support those who are taking the Gospel where you can not   

Do it with this commitment

I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others,

I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:27

What happens to a church that Christ is not the center?

I have become all things to all men so that

by all possible means I might save some.

1 Corinthians 9   

RUN

I live outside Toledo.

Interstate 75, as with most Interstates that end in a five,

is a major cross-country, north–south route,

one of the longest in the U.S.,

from southern Florida to the northern tip of Michigan.

Interstate 80 is an east–west transcontinental freeway

in the United States that runs from downtown

San Francisco, California, to Teaneck, New Jersey,

in the New York City Metropolitan Area.

Interstate 90 is the longest Interstate Highway

in the United States at 3,020.54 miles.

Its western terminus is in Seattle,

and its eastern terminus is in Boston.

It is Toledo that intersects these Interstates.

Like Corinth, Toledo has been prosperous by

the goods and services that come through the area.

While many saw Corinth a strategic

place to make a living and prosper…

Paul saw Corinth as a strategic place to share the Gospel.

Paul set the example of a preacher of the Gospel.

Paul said…

 

Though I am free and belong to no man,

I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible….

I have become all things to all men so that

by all possible means I might save some. V19, 22

Corinth was diverse in culture, status, and personal income.

Paul was an apostle, he had a name for himself.

 He was a very intelligent man who could have

lived very well using his abilities for personal gain.

Paul was compelled to preach the Gospel…

Compelled to relate to others no matter

what their background or status in life was.

The Gospel costs, it cost Jesus His life,

it cost those who preach the Gospel.

The value of one soul converting to Christ is expensive.

Paul counted the cost.

Paul realized how hard it was to preach the Gospel.

It takes a lot of personal discipline.

Paul relates it to competing in a

race where there is only one winner.

Running against all the things of this

 world, competing for people’s lives.

Paul says…

I beat my body and make it my slave so

 that after I have preached to others,

 I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

The Olympics started in Corinth.

An Olympic runner does not do the

same things everyone else does.

 

The runner is focused, and disciplines

daily so not to be disqualified.

Not just anyone can run,

 there is a qualification process.

There are two points Paul makes…

One is, we all should take the message of

the Gospel and cost of one soul serious.

It should be what we live for.

Two, is not all of us have the ability to preach

but we do have the ability to support.

The Church at Corinth did not financially support Paul.

It was a shame Paul supported himself.

Paul did not see Corinth as the cross

road to wealth but the Gospel.

Most see Toledo as a cross roads to a better life.

To those who know the Gospel, they see

Toledo as a cross roads to eternal life.

Where ever you may live, whatever

benefits you gain from where you live…

Use those resources to support the Gospel.

Reach the rich and the poor, the weak and the strong.

  

Take the Gospel to every person.

Do it personally in whatever way you can

and financially support those who are

taking the Gospel where you cannot.

    

Do it with this commitment…

I beat my body and make it my slave

so that after I have preached to others,

I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

1 Corinthians 9:27

  Scripture Reading

1 Corinthians 9 NIV

9:1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? 2 Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

3 This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. 4 Don't we have the right to food and drink? 5 Don't we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord's brothers and Cephas? 6 Or is it only I and Barnabas who must work for a living?

7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk? 8 Do I say this merely from a human point of view? Doesn't the Law say the same thing? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses: "Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain." Is it about oxen that God is concerned? 10 Surely he says this for us, doesn't he? Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. 11 If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? 12 If others have this right of support from you, shouldn't we have it all the more?

But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. 13 Don't you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? 14 In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

15 But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast. 16 Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 17 If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. 18 What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it.

19 Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. 21 To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God's law but am under Christ's law), so as to win those not having the law. 22 To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.