ILLUSTRATION: The Pipe Organ at Bob Jones University - pulling out all of the stops

We head into 1 Corinthian 9 today and for the following two messages. If I were to give a theme to this chapter, it would be "Pulling out all of the stops for the sake of the gospel." We have to get the gospel out - let nothing stand in the way. I will divide the chapter into three parts:
1. Not slowing down the gospel even though I am not getting paid (vv. 1-18)
2. Not slowing down the gospel because I refuse to adapt to my surrounding culture (vv. 19-23)
3. Not slowing down the gospel because I am not careful in my own moral purity (vv. 24-27)

Paul's Uncomfortable Defense of His Right to Respect (vv. 1-2)
Paul anticipates that because of his controversial stance on liberty on the subject of eating meat offered to idols he will get attacked by some believers at Corinth and his words dismissed. You need to understand that there were and are two kinds of apostles: Apostles of the Lamb (those sent out directly by Christ) and apostles of the churches (those sent out by the churches).

In the eyes of most leaders, Paul was not one of the Apostles of the Lamb; he did not meet the requirement of having been with Jesus from baptism to the ascension. Paul mentioned that he was born "out of time" in chapter 15. He saw Jesus Christ by revelation, not on earth as others saw Him … but he WAS an Apostle of the Lamb to the Gentiles. Lucky #13. When people question your leadership, they will follow you only so far. Now that Paul is pushing for a change, he knows that the apostleship issue will come up.

Leadership is influence - the ability to bring about change, to move people toward what is better. There are different kinds of influence.

Influence
Relationships - "We know and love him well, he knows and loves us well, and we trust each other."
Earned Respect - "We don't know him well, but he is a fine man of God who has repeatedly shown us that he has the skills of wise and godly leadership."
Accorded Respect - "We don't know him well, but he seems nice and we'll listen to his ideas."

Organizational Authority
The Power of Position - "We follow him because he's the boss and has the right to lead. Hopefully he knows what he's doing."

Corrupt Influence
Maneuvering & Manipulation - "We can't dialogue without being suspect, and those who challenge him are soon in big trouble and lose their jobs or positions. He villainizes those who differ with him and creates factions and political camps. He's going to do what he wants over the dead bodies of others."

What kinds of influence is Paul using here?

Paul's Uncomfortable Argument of His Right to Payment (vv. 3-14)
The Apostles of the Lamb had no problem getting respect. They apparently had no problem getting an income from the early church either. At first, the early church spent its money on three things: Needy believers, the poor in the community, the Apostles of the Lamb. At first, pastors and missionaries had regular jobs and did ministry on the side (as do most pastors in non-Western cultures; BMW's Berlin church). But over time, the churches saw the need to support men who were giving 100% of their time to ministry as a vocation - missionaries (apostles of the churches) and pastors. 1 Timothy 5:17.

When Paul wrote this letter, the churches were in the transition phase and didn't know exactly what to do. "Who and how many people should be getting paid? And should we also pay for their families to travel or relocate?" Interesting comments in verse 5 against Catholic practices: 1) Peter had a wife (he was not celebate), and 2) Jesus had half brothers such as Jacob and Judas (Mary was not a perpetual virgin).

Paul and Barnabas, sent out by the church at Antioch, were often holding jobs on the side for one of three reasons: 1) to support themselves, 2) to avoid being a burden to young churches, and 3) to set an example in communities (like Thessalonica) where laziness was a common problem.

Illustration: The old man giving a sweet to the boy for six days, and on the seventh the boy demands his candy.

Because they turned down money from the churches to be helpful, the churches then assumed that they shouldn't get paid. But Paul says that he, and those who give their lives in spiritual ministry, have a right to receive an income from those to whom they minister. He gives five analogies:
1. Soldiers who perform a service get paid (v. 7)
2. Farmers eat produce from their fields (v. 7)
3. Shepherds receive milk from the flock (v. 7)
4. From the OT - Oxen get to eat grain while crushing it into flour (vv. 8-10)
5. From the OT - Priest in the Temple live from the offerings (v. 13)

Summation (v. 11 and 14): If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it a great thing (too much) if we reap materials things from you? The Lord has commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.

Paul's Uncomfortable Life for the Sake of the Gospel (vv. 15-18)
Paul says, "Well, nice discussion, but I won't let my rights stand in the way of the gospel getting out there."

• The world says "no pay, no work." In ministry, we say, "pay is nice, but no matter what comes in or doesn't come in, we are going to do everything we can to keep ministering while putting some bread on the table."
• Illustration: Mowing the grass beside the gardener next door. Charismatics - You need faith to be rich. The NT says that you need faith to be poor. We are fairly rich and that hurts our ability to have faith.
• Paul received gifts from churches at times - good times and plenty to eat. At other times, money was scarce. See Philippians 4:10-19. Paul said that those who give 1) get credit from God for what that money helped to accomplish, 2) are making a modern-day sacrifice that pleases God, 3) have the assurance from God that He will supply all that they lack because of their giving.

Back in 1 Corinthians 9, Paul says that his reward is greater when he preaches the gospel and does not assert his right to payment. Some churches in our area will allow you to take an 8-week discipleship course for R1200. We are providing you university level training in CMI without charge maybe except for some minor costs for books, papers, etc.

Application: Each of us at MountainView needs to start praying about giving more meaningfully to support the ministry here. We may have to sacrifice that new ________ or forego a holiday for the sake of the ministry. It is not to build a MountainView Empire, but to respond to this command and to please the Lord.

Things are going to expand if we make the shift to the New South premises, and new costs will be involved. The day will come when this church will hit a fork in the road regarding paid leadership - will we move toward having multiple elders who have regular jobs and share the preaching and teaching, or will you hire a vocational pastor. After 30 years of missionary church-planting here in SA, only a handful of fundamental churches pay their pastor such that the family needs no additional income. Your pastor's salary is typically an average of those in the congregation.