Rights Laid Down

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Of course, those familiar words come from the beginning of the Declaration of Independence, which Thomas Jefferson penned and Congress approved on July 4th, 1776. And ever since, most of us Americans have had a strong sense of our personal rights and liberties, and few things stir up such zeal and protest as any notion of our rights being taken away. But as much as Jefferson's words may provide an important foundation on which to govern a nation, and as close as they may lie to the heart of what it means to be an American, and as true as they may be, they're really not at the heart of what it means to be a Christian. Because we don't follow a savior who says, follow me in the pursuit of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. But follow me by denying yourself, taking up your cross, and dying daily. And Jesus doesn't say, protect your freedom at all costs. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant. And whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. And Jesus doesn't say invest your life in the pursuit of happiness. But woe to you who laugh now, for you shall mourn and weep. And blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh. And friends, this is something the Apostle Paul took to heart. As we looked at 1 Corinthians 9 today, we see Paul pointing to his own example of surrendering his rights. of making himself a slave of others and disciplining his body, all for the sake of one all surpassing goal, which far exceeds any life, liberty or happiness which this world can provide. And of course, in this, he's not just an example to the Corinthians, but for us. We see this morning that we're called to freely lay down our rights for the sake of the gospel. Now before we dive into chapter 9, I just want to briefly review where we've been. Paul's letter to the Corinthians can be broken down into two main sections. In chapters 1 through 6, Paul's responding to reports he's heard about what's going on in the church. And then in chapters 7 through 16, he's responding to a letter that he had received from the Corinthians. And when we arrive in chapter 8, Paul begins responding to something in the Corinthian letter concerning food sacrificed to idols. You can see that in chapter eight, verse one. And Paul continues his response to this issue all the way through chapter 11, verse one. And in Corinth, like many ancient cities, there were temples to various gods everywhere. And most of the available meat had probably been offered in sacrifice to one god or another. So animals would be sacrificed in front of the temple. Some of the meat would be burned there. Then other meat would be taken in and eaten inside the temple. And then some of the leftover would be sold to vendors who would then sell it in the marketplace. And there are some in the Corinthian church whose consciences condemn them for eating such food because they understand it to be a participation in idolatry. But others in the church reason that, well, there's only one God, and idols have no real existence, so why not eat the food? I mean, what's the harm in that? And they feel like their knowledge gave them the right to do so. Well, in chapter eight, Paul argues your knowledge may be well and good, but knowledge without love means nothing, because this knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. And then further, he says, and love cares about his brother's conscience. So even if eating food in an idol's temple is fine for you, it's sin for the one whose conscience condemns it. So if you, by your example or words, are encouraging others to violate their conscience, you're actually wounding your brother's conscience when it is weak, and thereby sinning against both him and Christ. And so Paul concludes that chapter by saying, therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat lest I make my brother stumble. Now in chapter nine, Paul is going to point to a way that he is laying down his rights for the sake of love and the gospel. And it shows us that Paul practices what he preaches. He's not asking the Corinthians to do anything that he's not willing to do himself. And in order to make this case, the first thing Paul must do is show that he has legitimate rights that he hasn't used. So, point one is legitimate rights. And this is verses one through 14. And Paul begins by saying, am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. This is my defense to those who would examine me. And I actually think verse three there is best taken as part of that first paragraph. It's referring back to what he just said in verses one and two, rather than what he's about to say in the ensuing verses. And basically what Paul's doing here is giving a mini defense of his apostleship. He reminds the Corinthians that he saw the resurrected Christ, and that was one of the requirements of an apostle. And then he points to the way that his apostleship is actually validated by the Corinthians themselves, because they are a demonstration of the power of the Spirit working through him. They're his workmanship. And that's why he can say, even if anyone else would question my apostleship, you certainly shouldn't, right? Because you Corinthians, your own faith testifies to my apostolic legitimacy. Now some infer that some Corinthians must have been questioning just that, and that's why Paul defends himself here. And I think that's certainly possible. We know that by the time Paul writes 2 Corinthians, that was the case. And in fact, there, there were some even using Paul's refusal to accept financial support against him. So he may be responding to early rumblings of that here, but this could also just be a rhetorical way of underscoring his own apostleship. But either way, Paul's emphasizing the legitimacy of his apostleship to emphasize the legitimacy of his apostolic rights. Paul's saying, look, if anyone has freedom, If anyone has knowledge, if anyone has rights and authority in the church, it's me, I'm an apostle. And look at how he continues, he says in verses four through six, do we not have the right to eat and drink? Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? All right, so what Paul's doing is he's pointing to the other apostles, including Cephas, that's another name for Peter, as well as Jesus' own half-brothers, like James and Jude. And he says, look, they're provided for by the churches. These men don't work side jobs. They're given food and drink. In fact, they even get to bring along their wives, and the church provides for their wives and families as well. But these rhetorical questions make clear that the we here, that would be Paul and Barnabas, they worked on the side. They stayed single and they accepted no pay from the Corinthians. And Paul's point here is that even though he's made no use of this right, it's a legitimate right. He's entitled to pay should he request it. And then in verses seven through 14, he gives three sets of examples to back this up. So first in verse seven, he gives examples from the natural order of life. He says, who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? You know, whoever heard of a soldier going out to fight for his country and risking his life but having to work a side job while he's out on the battlefield just to provide food to eat. And who's heard of a farmer planting a vineyard with no intention of actually enjoying or benefiting from the fruit? Or a shepherd raising a flock without enjoying the milk? The point is, the Corinthians are Paul's field and flock, and Paul is a spiritual soldier on their behalf. So the natural order of life should make it obvious that he's entitled to pay. But second, just in case anyone would argue that these are just human examples and that they lack any spiritual authority, Paul gives a different kind of example, this time from the Mosaic law. And so picking up at verse eight, he says, do I say these things on human authority? Does not the law say the same? For it is written in the law of Moses You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain. Now, the treading out the grain was a way of harvesting the grain once it was ripe. So the wheat stalks or whatever it was would be, you know, gone out and cut and they'd be gathered and laid out and piled up. And then an ox would drag around in circles a threshing sledge, which is like a wooden sled, which would scrape the plants and separate the grain kernels from the rest of the plant. And you can imagine why people might want to muzzle the ox while it did this. You know, all this separated grain is right there in front of it, and so of course the ox would want to eat it. And so people might say, no, I want the grain for myself. But God in the Mosaic law says, no, it's not right to deprive this animal of the food it's laboring for. Don't do that. And then Paul quotes that and look at how he applies it here. He says in the second part of verse nine, he says, is it for oxen that God is concerned? Does he not certainly speak for our sake? It was written for our sake because the plowman should plow in hope and the thresher thresh in hope of sharing in the crop. In other words, what Paul's saying here is God wasn't merely concerned about oxen. Paul's saying there's actually a deeper, more general, spiritual, moral principle underneath here that we can see. And that's this, that workers have the right to share in the fruit of their labor. And if that's the case, even for an oxen providing grain, how much more is that true of a minister of the gospel? As Paul says in verse 11, if we have sown spiritual things among you, Is it too much if we reap material things from you? And by the way, I think this is a wonderful example for us of the lasting value of the Mosaic law for Christians. You know, if you've ever been tempted to just sort of skip over those sections in Deuteronomy and Exodus and Leviticus, I think you just need to remember 1 Corinthians 9 and how Paul applies it right here. Because even though we're no longer under that law, that doesn't make it irrelevant or unimportant. That doesn't make it any less the word of God. That doesn't make it any less revelatory of God's own perfect moral character and of principles that should continue to guide and inform our lives. As it says in 2 Timothy, all scripture is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and for training in righteousness. And I think Paul here is a model of how we can discern and use and apply the Mosaic law even today. So, you know, sometimes that application may not be obvious, but we should wrestle with it. Take time and we can discern much from it. Now, In verse 12, Paul includes a brief note about how he chooses not to make use of his right to pay. But then in verses 13 and 14, he gives a third set of examples to underscore the legitimacy of this right. And this is really the most direct set of examples of all. He points to God's own commands concerning spiritual workers in both the Old and New Testaments. So in verse 13 he says, do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple? And those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings. And here he's referring to Numbers 18 and Deuteronomy 18 where God commanded that the priests and Levites who were serving in the temple would be able to eat a portion of the offerings. And then in verse 14, Paul says, in the same way, the Lord, that is Jesus himself, commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. And this is a reference to Luke 10, where Jesus sends out the 72, telling them, carry no money back, no knapsack, no sandals. And then whatever house you go into, say, peace to this house. And Jesus says, remain in the same house, eating and drinking what they provide for the laborer deserves his wages. So Paul can say, look, Jesus himself already set a precedent for this. And if you have all of these examples, it should be beyond any question that Paul has a legitimate right to be paid by the Corinthians. And I think it's important that we just pause here and recognize a very obvious application of this for us is that pastors have a legitimate right to be paid by their congregations. As Paul says in 1 Timothy chapter five, let elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor. And that means pay, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. And I think it's important for us to realize that paying a pastor isn't charity. It may count as charity in the eyes of the IRS, but it does not count as charity in the eyes of God. It's rendering to a man his due, it's paying what you owe. Now a pastor may decline pay or request that you pay him less than you'd otherwise give, but I think a church should feel the obligation to pay their pastors in accordance with the value of the spiritual service they're rendering. And in fact, I think it could actually reflect poorly on the gospel if we're unwilling to pay pastors well. I mean, what does it say if we're willing to pay more for material services than for spiritual ones? Now, on the other hand, scripture warns that pastors must not be greedy for gain. And I do think a pastor living a lavish lifestyle reflects poorly on the gospel. But I don't think the way to check that is to be stingy with them. Because stinginess is actually depriving someone of what he's earned. You know, the way to check that is to hire men of character who don't love money, but love God. And even as I preach this, I just want to say that I am so thankful for how this church has handled this. I think you all have modeled generosity and care for pastors on staff like myself, and I'd like to express my deep gratitude for that. So, we see here that Paul's right to pay is legitimate. As we tie this back to chapter eight, the point is, you and I too have all sorts of legitimate rights. We have the right to eat and drink what we want. We have the right to live where we want, to do what we want, the right to privacy, to safety, to comfort, to rest. But however legitimate those rights may be, none of them are ultimate. And that brings us to point number two. which is surrendered rights. So legitimate rights, and now number two, surrendered rights. Look with me at verses 15 through 23, where Paul points to his own example of laying down his rights for the sake of the gospel. He says in verse 15, but I have made no use of any of these rights, nor by writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. 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. 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. 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. Now, what exactly is Paul saying here? Well, first, Paul makes crystal clear that he has not been giving a subtle hint that the Corinthians should start paying him. Unlike so many false teachers who are in it for the money, Paul's obviously not. In fact, he even says, for I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting, you know, by paying me. And at first you might assume he means, you know, well, I'm not in it for the money. I just boast in the privilege of preaching the gospel. But that actually can't be right, because he says in verse 16, for if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting, for necessity is laid upon me. So he's actually not boasting in just preaching the gospel itself. And I think his point here is that he did not volunteer for apostleship. Jesus called and commissioned him, so he's under divine constraint to preach the gospel. That's why he can say, woe to me if I don't preach the gospel. And why he says in verse 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 steward. He's saying, I'm not a volunteer, I am a steward of the grace of God under divine constraint to present the gospel. That is the bare minimum requirement. I'm under compulsion to do it. So he says, what then is my reward? You know, what then can Paul boast in? Well, he says in verse 18, 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. In other words, in some sense, Paul's saying that surrendering his right to pay is his boast and reward, and he would rather die than give that up. Now, I think we could misunderstand Paul here, as if what he's saying is, not only is it not about the money, but it's really about not receiving money. But to understand him correctly, it's important to realize that in other cases, Paul actually does accept pay. For example, in 2 Corinthians 11, verse eight, he tells the Corinthians, I robbed other churches by accepting support from them in order to serve you. So it's specifically in the case of the Corinthians that Paul's utterly unwilling to accept support. And there must be some situational factor why. We don't know what it is. Some think it may have been because he wanted to avoid any possible perception that the wealthy Corinthians were his patron and he were their client. But whatever the case is, the point is, it's not only not about the money, it's not about not receiving the money either. It's about the gospel. Look back to what Paul said in verse 12. where he says, I endure anything rather than put any obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. And so fundamentally, what I think Paul is boasting in is not just that he's foregoing pay, it's that he is doing whatever it takes so that he may further the gospel. He wants to do everything he can to take every obstacle out of the way, freely surrendering his rights, doing whatever it takes to know that he's not doing the bare minimum. No, he is doing everything he can so that the gospel would go forth. And in this case, that looks like surrendering his right to pay. And this whole discussion actually reminds me of something I wrestled with before coming on staff here at Jefferson Park. I formerly worked as a data miner. And in my spare time, I got an outreach ministry started in the Southwood community. And I invested a lot of time building relationships and teaching the Bible. And I really wanted these kids to know the love of Christ. And I wanted them to be able to see some reflection of that love through me. But one of the things I wrestled with when I was offered the opportunity to come on staff is, how will that affect my ministry? Because on one hand, that's gonna free me up, and I'll have more time, and that's great. But on the other hand, I remember thinking, fearing, will it become easier for people to sort of write off my investment in their lives with, well, that's his job, No, he does that because he gets paid for it. And I worried that being paid could compromise the perceived sincerity of my ministry. Now, obviously, I ultimately decided that it was best to come on staff here, and I don't regret that, but I share that just as an illustration of the way that, like Paul, we need to think strategically about money, and we need to subordinate money to the greater goal of the furtherance of the gospel. And friends, that's true even if you're not a pastor. You know, are you like Paul willing to work without pay if that would further the gospel? Or are you willing to give away more of the money you are paid if that would further the gospel? Maybe you work hard and you feel like you have the right to spend the money on the things you want and to enjoy the comforts of life because you've earned it. But friends, the point here is that it's not about your rights, but the gospel. And so if God has blessed you with much, are you investing it and sharing it in a way so that others will bless God for your generosity and so that the goals of the kingdom would be advanced? And if God's blessed you with little, are you demonstrating a contentment and gratitude that shows that knowing Christ is far more valuable to you than all the money this world has to offer? Because it's not about our rights, but the gospel. And friends, besides just money, Notice how Paul broadens the scope of his surrendered rights, picking up in verse 19. He says, for though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant, or literally a slave to all. that I might win more of them. 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. 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. 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. So Paul mentions four groups here. The Jews, then those under the law, and this is the Mosaic law, so it would mostly include Jews, but it probably makes room for God-fearing Gentiles as well. then those not under the law, so the rest of the Gentiles, and then the weak, which is a reference back to those with a weak conscience from chapter eight. And what Paul's saying is that among each of these groups, he freely surrenders his rights, he freely surrenders his freedoms and privileges, his preferences, and even, in a sense, his earthly identity. Did you notice how he says, to the Jews I became as a Jew? This is like saying, to Americans I become as an American, only really more extreme in Paul's case. Paul freely surrenders all of this, even making himself a slave, so that by all means, he might save some. Now it's important to clarify that Paul's not saying here, I became all things to all men in the sense of, you know, to win drunkards, I go and enjoy drinks with them at the bar. You know, to win rich people, I buy expensive things to, to seem respectable in their company and to win people who are in with the culture. I watch all the movies and listen to all the songs and try to seem hip and relevant. Uh, and then to win Hindus, you know, I go practice yoga with them or to win pagans, as in this case, I go eat meat at their idol festivals. He's quite obviously not encouraging the Corinthians to do that. In fact, he's encouraging the Corinthians to do the opposite. And notice the parenthesis in verse 21, where he says, to those outside the law, I became as one outside the law, but not being outside the law of God, but under the law of Christ. And what Paul's doing there is he's clarifying, look, I'm no longer under the Mosaic law, but I'm still very much under the law of God in Christ. And the point is evangelism is never an excuse to participate in sin. There's lines God has drawn, but we never cross them thinking it's justified for the sake of evangelism. And further, even in things that aren't outright sinful, we need to beware of any notion of trying to win the world by impressing the world or becoming like the world. Because that's actually exactly what Paul rebukes earlier in this letter in chapters one and two, where the Corinthians are so impressed by worldly wisdom and eloquence. And Paul has to remind them, look, the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing. And look, when I came among you, I didn't try to wow people with my impressive wisdom and rhetoric, but I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified, and I was with you in weakness and trembling and much fear. Right, Paul's saying, look, it's the power of God that saves, not the winsomeness of men. So becoming all things to all men doesn't mean pleasing them or compromising with them or becoming relevant or impressive or even necessarily relatable. What it means is taking every unnecessary obstacle, every unnecessary distraction, and every unnecessary offense out of the way so that the gospel itself may be clear and central in our interactions with others. So if you invite a Hindu family over for dinner, don't eat beef. If you have Muslims over, don't serve pork. You don't want them leaving your house thinking about how offensive your food was rather than what you had to say to them about Christ. Or if someone comes from a context in which alcohol has always been associated with partying and drunkenness, be sensitive to what consuming alcohol or even having it in your house could communicate. I've told past housemates of my own not to keep alcohol in the refrigerator. not because any of them have ever gotten drunk or used it improperly, but because I frequently have kids and others into my home and I don't want them to get any wrong ideas about what we might do when they're not there. I don't want them to think, you know, these guys preach the gospel and they act one way when I'm there, but what do they do behind closed doors? Or, just like the Corinthians here, eating in idol temples. You know, maybe you think practicing yoga's fine because it's just stretching and Hindu gods have no real existence. but you also need to be conscious of what that could communicate to a Hindu you're trying to reach. You know, if she sees you doing that, will it be clear to her that the gospel's about embracing Jesus and renouncing all other gods? Or will she think that she can just sort of add Jesus to her list? In all of these things, the question isn't how legitimate is my right to do this? The question is what will help or hinder the gospel? Do I care more about my rights or the people I'm trying to reach? And friends, the goal isn't to make the gospel more comfortable for people who simply love their culture or this world more than Christ. The goal is to make the gospel clear so that Christ and him crucified is lifted up. And that's why Paul says in verse 23, I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. Because when Christ is lifted up, he will draw all peoples to himself. And friends, before we move on, we need to just observe here what a challenge this is to us toward evangelistic zeal. You know, Paul can say here, I make myself a slave of all that I may save some. I think of those two Moravian missionaries in the 1700s who literally attempted to sell themselves into slavery to reach African slaves in the West Indies. And friends, how much more should we be willing to surrender money or time or our rights and preferences in little day to day ways so that others might know and grow in Christ? And notice also not just others who are like us. No, we're called here to become all things to all people, because all people need the gospel. You know, don't think, you know, well, that person, you know, someone else should be an evangelist to that kind of person. No, friends, we are called to have a heart for all. So, we've seen number one, legitimate rights. We've seen number two, surrendered rights. And now thirdly and finally, we see one all-surpassing goal. One all-surpassing goal, verses 24 through 27. And now we see why would we surrender our rights? What is really the goal we are focusing on? Paul says in verse 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. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly. I do not box as one beating the air, but I discipline my body and keep it under control lest after preaching to others, I myself should be disqualified. And here, Paul sums up everything he's been saying with this metaphor of the athlete. And while he mentions the boxer, the dominant metaphor is that of the runner. It's the picture of running and training to win a race. And friends, if that's the way we look at the Christian life, it becomes obvious just how insignificant our rights really are. I mean, a runner has the right to eat ice cream three times a day. He has the right to sleep in on Saturdays. He has the right to stay up late with his friends. But the runner doesn't care about his rights. The runner cares about his goal. He disciplines his body and trains his mind and does everything he can to win the race. And then on race day, when the gun sounds, You know, and his lungs start burning and his legs are tiring. He doesn't think, you know, I have the right to take a rest. He doesn't think, you know, I'd really like to enjoy the views today. Maybe I'll take the scenic route. He doesn't think, oh, I have this friend I haven't seen for a while. Maybe I'll stop by and say hello. You know, there's no competing goals or agendas. He has one all important goal. So he says no to everything else and he pushes through the pain and he disciplines his body and channels everything he has for the sake of winning the race. And Paul says, look, he does all that for a perishable wreath. A wreath made out of some greenery or foliage that's soon to wilt. And that's symbolic of the fact that the joy of his victory will soon fade. Yet we, Paul says, race for an imperishable crown, for an inheritance that's imperishable and undefiled and unfading, reserved in heaven for you, the hope of eternal life. So brothers and sisters, are we running our Christian life like a race? Whatever rights and privileges you have, whatever other goals and dreams you possess, have you submitted them all to this one, all-surpassing goal of knowing Christ and furthering his gospel? As Hebrews 12 exhorts us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith. Or as Paul says in Philippians chapter three, forgetting what lies behind and straining forward toward what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ. And as Paul says here in verse 23, can you save your life? I do it all for the sake of the gospel that I and others may share in its blessings. Or does your Christian life look more like a walk in a park? Maybe you have a destination in mind. Of course, you wanna make it to heaven, but you're really out there to enjoy the views and visit some friends. Instead of running to win a race, you've got all these competing interests distracting you from undivided devotion to the Lord. Maybe you're thinking in terms of what are the minimum requirements of me as a Christian? You know, have I checked the boxes? You know, did I make time for church? Did I read my Bible today? Did I share the gospel with anyone? And friends, of course, the more you think like that, the more important your rights seem. The more necessary your own comforts and preferences become. And the less rigorously and zealously you'll run the race of the Christian life. But friends, just take a moment to consider Paul's example here. Just look at the way his heart beats for the gospel. We saw back in chapter seven when he's giving advice about marriage and singleness, but really what undergirds it all is he says this, I want to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord. We turn here to chapter nine, and Paul just goes into all this detail about how legitimate his right is to be paid. But he freely lays it down. Why? Because he says, verse 12, I would rather endure anything than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. In fact, Paul says, look, I would rather die than lose my reward and ground of boasting, which is knowing that I'm doing absolutely everything I can to promote the spread of the gospel. He says in verse 19, though I am free from all, I have made myself a slave of all, that I might win more of them. He says, I do it all for the sake of the gospel that I might share with them and its blessings. And now here in verse 26, he continues, I do not run aimlessly. I do not box as one beating the air, but I discipline my body and keep it under control. He's running the race with this absolute devotion and intensity. And then I think somewhat shockingly, look what he says right at the end. He says, I do all this lest after preaching to others, I myself should be disqualified. And what's in view there is failing to complete the race, failing to obtain the prize, failing to attain eternal life. Now, the point here isn't that Paul is unsure of his salvation or afraid that he's not going to make it. The point is running this race isn't optional. Not for Paul and not for us. You know, we don't have the option of treating the Christian life like a scenic walk in a park. We can't look at Paul here and think, well, he's just a super Christian. You know, he's the one doing the extra credit. The point is the gospel itself demands all or nothing. Remember our scripture reading from Luke 9 where You know, Jesus tells us, no one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God. And earlier in that chapter, Jesus says, whoever would come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily and follow me. Friends, we don't have the option of half-heartedly following Christ. We don't have the option of following Christ while prioritizing our own rights and privileges. Maybe you're here this morning and you've always thought that becoming Christian just meant praying a prayer or going to church or doing Christian things. But that simply isn't true. Jesus offers salvation to all of us freely by his grace when we repent and trust in him as our savior. But he won't be your savior if you refuse him as your Lord and you're all surpassing priority. And also for those of us who've already made that commitment, what a challenge this is to renew it. How easily the things of this world can begin to retake their hold on our hearts and our devotion to Christ and our commitment to the gospel can begin to wane. And instead of running the race, we begin to just sort of slacken the pace more and more. And friends, I think this passage is exhorting us. It's not an option to stay there. We have a race to run, we have a crown to receive, and we must run so as to win it. So brothers and sisters, let's study our Bibles and pray and memorize scripture like spiritual athletes. May that be our daily training. And let's persevere in fighting sin and striving after holiness, just like a runner who would persevere through the pain as he runs his race. lay down our rights, not because they aren't legitimate, but for the sake of the gospel, just like an athlete sacrifices everything for the sake of his goal of winning the race. Now, as we conclude, I want to address one final thing. Because I think it would be easy after a sermon like this to feel like the only way to be really sold out for Christ is perhaps to just sell everything and go be a missionary. We think that this radical commitment requires radical change. And on one hand, I hope it does stir that in some of you. I think we need more missionaries. And I pray that God will raise up more from among us. But I also want to remind you of Paul's fundamental counsel back in chapter seven. where he told us, in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain with God. And you see, we're all called to be radical Christians, living radical Christian lives. But that doesn't necessarily mean a radical change in your circumstances. It demands a radical commitment to serving Christ and furthering the gospel in the circumstances he's placed you in. And one of the most radical ways we can run this race and further the gospel is through all the little day-to-day decisions we make. The choices we make about our schedules, about the conversations we're gonna have, about the attitudes we have, about the little rights and privileges and preferences, and whether or not we cling to them or lay them down for the sake of love and the gospel. Remember, in the case of the Corinthians, I mean, the first practical thing Paul wants them to do in response to this is stop eating idle food in a way that would cause their brother with a weak conscience to stumble. You know, in that one specific area, he wants them to take a step forward of prioritizing love in the gospel above their knowledge and rights. And so, friends, what practical step could you take? I'd encourage you, maybe over lunch today, meet together and discuss this. How could you better prioritize the furtherance of the gospel in your life? Are there any rights you've been clinging to that ought to be laid down? And is there anything hindering you from running the race with this one all-surpassing goal in view? May God give us grace to do just that. Amen, let's pray.