Parkway Fellowship. 1 Corinthians: Practical Advice to a Divided Church Sharing the Gospel anytime, anywhere 1 Corinthians 9: /24/2019

Transcription

1 Parkway Fellowship 1 Corinthians: Practical Advice to a Divided Church Sharing the Gospel anytime, anywhere 1 Corinthians 9: /24/2019 Main Point All believers are called to share the gospel anytime, anywhere. Introduction As your group time begins, use this section to introduce the topic of discussion. If you could be chosen to do anything in the world, what would it be? What does it mean that you have been chosen to share the gospel message? How does knowing God has chosen you to share the gospel affect your willingness to do so? Many believers think sharing the gospel is what missionaries do. Others feel that only preachers do it. After all, it is their job, right? This week s lesson provides a different perspective. All believers are called to share the gospel. That s you and me! One of the core purposes of a Christian is to share the gospel and win people to Christ. While we must never dumb down the message, we should constantly evaluate the way we spread the gospel seed and always look for ways to become more productive witnesses. Taking the time and making the effort to understand life as others see it and then approaching them with the gospel from that perspective could mean the difference between planting the gospel seed in stony or in receptive soil. Understanding Unpack the biblical text to discover what the Scripture says or means about a particular topic. In 1 Corinthians 9:1-27, Paul used the occasion of discussing Christian freedom to address accusations that had made against him concerning his authority as an apostle. His defense, however, was to apply the principle of putting others wellbeing ahead of one s own. As a missionary in the Mediterranean world, He had to deal with many different cultural standards. In these varying circumstances, Paul committed himself 1 of 5

2 not to exercise his right to pursue the norms of his own cultural preferences, and not to insist on his freedoms under the gospel. His life revealed that he was willing to abandon his own rights to win others for Christ. A series of comparisons communicated this attitude. First, Paul described the abandonment of his rights in political terminology (v. 19). Then, he used a religious analogy (vv ). Finally, Paul illustrated his zeal by an athletic metaphor (vv ). Have a volunteer read 1 Corinthians 9: What two words best describe your feelings about sharing the gospel with others? Paul began this discussion with a strong assertion: I am free and belong to no man (v. 19). As a Christian, Paul was free from all people, meaning that he was not bound to any particular human agenda. Paradoxically, his freedom in Christ meant he had willingly become a slave to all. Nevertheless, Paul voluntarily made himself a slave to everyone. He did this to win as many as possible to further the kingdom of Christ. His life of freedom was governed by the spiritual needs of other people. The goal of his freedom was to win more people to Christ. As such, he contextualized his message to accommodate the culture to which he spoke. Today, if people do not understand the language they will not understand the message. We must make it plain. Paul offered two examples of the way he practiced Christian freedom. First, when he was among Jews he respected their laws and customs. The purpose of this accommodation was to avoid engaging in constant disputes over traditions in favor of introducing his fellow Jews to the gospel. Secondly, when Paul was among Gentiles, those outside the law, he did not continue to engage in Jewish traditions that meant nothing to his audience and could distract his hearers from Christ. He considered himself free to act in this way, but he never did so merely for the sake of exercising his freedom. His rationale was to win those outside the law to faith in Christ. Today, our message must translate to a Christ-less culture. It must be relevant to those who hear it. Paul s self-imposed slavery gave him the freedom to accommodate Jews and Gentiles alike and therefore speak the gospel in a straightforward manner, unhindered by cultural hang-ups (vv ). On a scale of 1-5 (1= poor, 2= fair, 3= average, 4= good, 5= excellent), how well does your desire to share the gospel line up with your level of faith? Explain. Have a volunteer read 1 Corinthians 9: Communications and marketing experts stress the importance of making your message relevant. They invest in and conduct extensive marketing research to know the needs, wants, demographics, and characteristics of their audience. You do something similar each time you select a greeting card for someone. Recall the last time you sent a greeting card. What made you select the card you sent? Why did you reject some of the others? 2 of 5

3 Paul recognized the importance of being relevant to hearers when he shared the gospel. He worked with diligence to dispel old and untrue views of God s Word wherever he spoke. This required that he know the people well enough to make his presentation of the gospel relevant to them. And his intention was to reach all sorts of people with the gospel message. Paul understood that God indeed loves all people. For that reason, all people became Paul s concern, too. Who are the whoever in today s world? In your community? Name some of the diverse groups and types of people who need to hear the gospel message. How can you be relevant to them? Have a volunteer read 1 Corinthians 9:24-25 What comparisons does Paul draw between the Christian life and running a race? Americans love athletics! Running is one of the most popular sports. Some speculate people enjoy running because it gives them a sense of purpose or control. Like Americans, the Corinthians enjoyed a good race and Paul drew several comparisons between the Christian life and a race. First, not everyone wins; similarly, not everyone who begins the Christian life endures to the end. Therefore, everyone who claims to be a Christian must always run in order to get the prize. Second, every athlete goes into strict training. Christians must devote themselves to self-denial, such as forfeiting their rights for the sake of weaker brothers and sisters, and to spiritual development and self-discipline. Third, unlike athletes who work hard to get a crown (or medal) that will not last, Christians will receive a crown that will last forever (2 Tim. 4:8; 1 Pet. 5:4). What does Paul say is the goal of the race? Paul s exercise of self-control was aimed at keeping him from failing to fulfill his God-given commission to share the gospel (Acts 9:15; 13:2; Rom. 1:1). Believers should share the gospel message with purpose and actively look for creative new ways to tell this timeless story of God s amazing grace. And just as a runner prepares for a race and then runs toward a goal, we should prepare to share the gospel. God doesn t call us to be spectators in sharing His message, but willing participants! Our goal is to reach and connect with unbelievers to help them come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Application Help your group identify how the truths from the Scripture passage apply directly to their lives. Reread 1 Corinthians 9: Which best describes where you are right now: sitting on the sidelines; warming up to get started; running the race with everything you ve got? Which part of sharing the gospel is hardest for you? Which part(s) of today s study can help you overcome that difficulty? 3 of 5

4 Pray How can you adjust your approach to sharing the gospel to make an unbeliever you know more receptive to hearing? Ask God to give you and your small group strength and wisdom to accept sharing the gospel message as an act of Christian service, stewardship, and obedience. Thank Him for the ultimate reward for faithfully sharing the gospel heaven. Pray that God will help you align your life with His call to reach the lost. Commentary 1 corinthians 9:19-25 In 9:1-27, Paul used the occasion of discussing Christian freedom to address accusations that had been made against him concerning his authority as an apostle. His defense, however, was to apply the principle of putting others well-being ahead of one s own. As a Christian, Paul was free from all people, meaning that he was not bound to any particular human agenda. Paradoxically, his freedom in Christ meant he had willingly become a slave to all. His life of freedom was governed by the spiritual needs of other people. The goal of his freedom was to win more people to Christ. Paul offered two examples of the way he practiced Christian freedom. First, when he was among Jews he respected their laws and customs. The purpose of this accommodation was to avoid engaging in constant disputes over traditions in favor of introducing his fellow Jews to the gospel. When Paul was among Gentiles, those outside the law, he didn t continue to engage in Jewish traditions that meant nothing to his audience and could distract his hearers from Christ. On occasion, he might even join in observing certain Gentile customs as long as they didn t involve sinful behavior. Paul was after all under the law of Christ. He considered himself free to act in this way, but he never did so merely for the sake of exercising his freedom. His rationale was to win those outside the law to faith in Christ. In this context, weak is best understood in the general sense of being spiritually needy. Paul s intention was to reach all sorts of people with the gospel. The overarching purpose was to save some. Paul came from a background in which some people were considered to be beyond hope or concern. As a Christian, however, Paul understood that God loves all people. Thus all people became Paul s concern too. 4 of 5

5 Paul was not advocating insincerity in behavior, doing anything unchristian, or watering down the gospel. His accommodations were social and personal, not theological. He tried to respect other perspectives so that he could approach all kinds of people with the gospel in a manner that made sense to them. The gospel motivated Paul and compelled him to reach others. Paul then used an illustration from life in first-century Corinth. Athletic contests were common in the Greek world. Pointing to his own example, Paul said he did not run aimlessly. He kept his eyes on the finish line and his mind on the prize, for the honor of the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul also used an illustration from boxing to enforce his point. In ancient Greek boxing, the fighters sat on stones before one another and fought until one of them died. Paul said he did not aimlessly flail the air. He constantly kept in mind the purpose of the fight to win, to live, to bring life rather than death. Unlike an undisciplined competitor, Paul disciplined himself for the fight. The word translated discipline actually means to beat or to wear out. He said he pounded his own body and brought it into submission to his purposes. Reading Assignment for Next Week: 1 Corinthians 10: of 5