EPIPHANY 5 – February 7, 2021 – 1 Cor. 9:16-27
“SERVING GOD”
Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the Epistle Lesson just read, from 1 Cor. 9. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- We can all understand the concept of a thing serving a specific purpose. A door stop serves a purpose – it keeps the door propped open when we have our hands full, or when we want a continued supply of fresh air. The pulpit here serves a purpose – it helps facilitate the preaching of God’s Word.
- I suppose that virtually everything could be thought of in this way – as serving a purpose. Likewise, people could be viewed as serving a purpose – an employee with a specific function has a purpose, and he/she better fulfill that purpose or they may end up without employment!
- However, to look at people in this way – as if only their function, only their purpose is important – is deeply dehumanizing! Human beings, obviously, are worth much more than just what they can do or perform.
- God surely understands this as well. True and genuine love does not depend on what a person can do. It is freely given and unconditional! And certainly God’s love is true and genuine love, perfect love! However, within the context of that love, and part of love, is that God has given us a purpose. This was true even of Adam and Eve in the Garden, for as we read in Scripture: “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it.” [Gen. 2:15] God didn’t need Adam’s work; God gave him the privilege of work and purpose.
- In our text, Paul reveals that it is much the same for us. God loves us freely, unconditionally, but He also loves us enough to grant us purpose. We see in our text that:
I. Serving God Is Really Our Only Duty
Text: “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 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.”
Statement: Paul recognizes that his duty, that given to him by God, is to preach the gospel. It is not of his own will – although he was plenty willing. Rather, a necessity had been placed upon him – to serve God by serving the cause of the gospel. In his case, that service was preaching the gospel.
What was it that obligated Paul to do this? The gospel itself – the good news of God’s love, forgiveness, mercy, and clemency, and eternal salvation as the free gifts of God. Secondly, knowing that God wills to bless all people in this way!
Application: In the same way, God’s love for us obligates us to be growing in love for others. Part of that love, perhaps the most important part, is a concern for the progress of the gospel in the world. This occurs in our congregational life, and also in our support for missions. Another part of that love is exercising mercy toward others – as we do in our personal lives and also through our Board of Deacons. All that we do for family, friends, neighbors, employers, employees, clients, and even strangers – all of this is a matter of serving God. One might say that this is our only real duty – to serve God by serving others in love!
Transition: And Paul shows us that:
II. Serving God Is Sacrificial And Loving In Nature – Doing Good To Others For The Gospel, The Salvation Of Others
Text: “Though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant 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. . . . I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.”
Statement: It is interesting that Paul pays such attention to the nature of the audience he is preaching to – so that he is even willing to identify with others for the purpose of communicating the gospel to them more effectively. He does not cling to his own preferences even though he is free from all! But serving God, which is our only real duty, serves others and sacrifices for others – always seeking to serve the gospel!
Application: And while we are not called to be apostles, and most of us are not called to be preachers, nonetheless all of us have been called to rejoice in the gracious mercy and love of Christ. Just so, all of us have been called to love others with God’s love, and that means doing all we can to promote God’s salvation! This is not to be a burden, or some kind of obligation in order to gain salvation. Just the opposite – it is a joyous celebration and affirmation of what has already been freely given to us in Christ – forgiveness, life, and salvation!
Transition: And such a great gift, and such a great purpose makes clear that:
III. We Are To Serve With Commitment And Vigor
A. We Are To Serve In Accord With God’s Will – Following The Rules Of The Race
Text: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it!”
B. We Are To Be Focused About This, Self-Controlled
Text: “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.”
Statement: Because of the ongoing influence of our sinful nature, which does not want to serve God, but rather desires all manner of sin, our serving God will require an exercise of self-discipline and self-control. And to have some ambition about the important work of the kingdom of God is good! To look at it as a race in which we hope to “receive the prize.”
Application: We have all experienced these difficult dynamics in our own lives as Christians. There have been times when we could identify with the apostle Paul’s lament: “The good that I would do, I do not not. And the evil that I would not do, that I do.” [Rom. 7:19] Still, through repentance and faith the struggle goes on for us – as we are committed to and oriented toward that which is good, that which is love, that which conforms to the will of God. In other words, we are deeply committed to serving God sacrificially, and with vigor!
Conclusion: So we see that God’s love not only “saves” us, but also renews us and re-purposes us back to God’s primary will for us. We live in His love, and we are renewed in love so that we are restored to our “Only Duty,” which is serving God! What a marvelous blessing this is! Amen.
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.