Updated: 4/30/2026
Sermon Prep
This was a busy week, so not much prep time for this message. I was hustling work-wise to get onto the Customer Success team at my job and had recently had a coffee chat with the director of that department in late March. I think this chat put me top of mind for hiring in the April to May window given I was still the reigning sales rep in the department. From the get go at this company, I was hellbent on getting out of sales and into a different department so this was just my latest attempt to do just that. Those efforts eventually worked out later in April through the interviewing process and I finally did get that job in May of this year.
With that said though, I still had to work incredibly hard to maintain my top spot in the department until I had the guarantee I got the job and signed the offer letter. So I was slammed and I think personally if I recall packing as well since we were a month out from moving into our new place in May. Plus on top of all that I went on vacation in mid-April, hence the picture above only added to the stress too. Funnily enough, the start of the new job and the move happened I believe within the same week which was bonkers to be reminded about. Regardless, a chaotic time and any extra time I had was spent on this teaching. On that note, here’s the YouTube recording and the notes:
Sermon Notes
Opening Line
- Missions meeting for Hungary-based Bartimeus Foundation w/ Tibor & Marta Miklos
Intro
- I grew up around a lot of missionaries who gave it all for the sake of the Gospel.
Main Point
- Paul builds off of chapter 8 and now applies those ideas to his approach to ministry.
- We’re called to live character-forming lives, not comfortable or convenient ones.
For Gospel Sake | 1 Corinthians 9 (NRSVue)
“[1] Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? [2] If I am not an apostle to others, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord. [3] This is my defense to those who would examine me. [4] Do we not have the right to our food and drink? [5] Do we not have the right to be accompanied by a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? [6] Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? [7] Who at any time pays the expenses for doing military service? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not get any of its milk? [8] Do I say this on human authority? Does not the law also say the same? [9] For it is written in the law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? [10] Or does he not speak entirely for our sake? It was indeed written for our sake, for whoever plows should plow in hope and whoever threshes should thresh in hope of a share in the crop. [11] If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we harvest material things? [12] If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we still more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. [13] Do you not know that those who work in the temple service get their food from the temple and those who serve at the altar share in what is sacrificed on the altar? [14] In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel. [15] But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing this so that they may be applied in my case. Indeed, I would rather die than that—no one will deprive me of my ground for boasting! [16] If I proclaim the gospel, this gives me no ground for boasting, for an obligation is laid on me, and woe to me if I do not proclaim the gospel! [17] For if I do this of my own will, I have a wage, but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a commission. [18] What then is my wage? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel. [19] For though I am free with respect to all, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I might gain all the more. [20] To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to gain Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though I myself am not under the law) so that I might gain those under the law. [21] To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (though I am not outside God’s law but am within Christ’s law) so that I might gain those outside the law. [22] To the weak I became weak, so that I might gain the weak. I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. [23] I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I might become a partner in it. [24] Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. [25] Athletes exercise self-control in all things; they do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable one. [26] So I do not run aimlessly, nor do I box as though beating the air, [27] but I punish my body and enslave it, so that after proclaiming to others I myself should not be disqualified.”
- A seal was a cylinder seal, signet ring or even a stamped imprint (1 Corinthians 9:2).
- This was a way to prove that someone had authority over or owned something.
- Paul had to defend his apostleship throughout his ministry years (1 Corinthians 9:3).
- Who is an apostle and are they still around? → Skip Heitzig has some insights:
- Yes and no because functionally apostles would be what we call missionaries, but authoritatively there were only 12 NT Apostles.
- The 12 NT Apostles had to have been with Jesus during his 3 year ministry, performed miracles, and seen Jesus physically risen.
- The 12 founded the Church with the Apostles’ Doctrine and The Didache shows how it was applied and taught in the 1st century.
- Yes and no because functionally apostles would be what we call missionaries, but authoritatively there were only 12 NT Apostles.
- Who is an apostle and are they still around? → Skip Heitzig has some insights:
- Cephas was married and a few early sources say had children too (1 Corinthians 9:5).
- Paul uses 6 different metaphors to defend the rights of an apostle in ministry.
- Soldier, vineyard, flock, plowman/thresher, temple; altar. (1 Corinthians 9:7, 13).
- Paul quotes Deuteronomy 24:4 to prove his point about receiving income for ministry.
- Jesus has a similar response in Mark 2:23-28 about sabbath (1 Corinthians 9:9).
- Paul gave up financial support to avoid stumbling Corinthians (1 Corinthians 9:11-18).
- Unlike other traveling teachers in Corinth who charged fees for their knowledge, Paul offered to teach for free and boasted that God provided in his career.
- Tent-making was Paul’s trade and was common in Tarsus, Cilicia.
- Paul received funding from the churches in Berea, Philippi and Thessalonica.
- To start his missionary work, his home church of Antioch helped too.
- Unlike other traveling teachers in Corinth who charged fees for their knowledge, Paul offered to teach for free and boasted that God provided in his career.
- Jesus gave this command to the 12 apostles and the 72 disciples (1 Corinthians 9:14).
- Paul gave up his bodily rights for the sake of the Gospel too (1 Corinthians 9:19-27).
- He gave up non-essentials, without compromising the Christian Essentials.
Why It Matters
- Jesus said that whoever “does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.” – Luke 14:27 (NRSVue)
- We have to count the cost knowing there’s more to life than just our liberties.
Power Text
- Consider if letting go of your liberties and rights is worth it for the sake of the Gospel.
- When practicing the way of Jesus, we find ourselves at a fork between needs and wants.
Outro
- As Jesus once said, “many are called, but few are chosen.” – Matthew 22:14 (NRSVue)
- Many aspire to follow Jesus, but few attain it due to the discipline and sacrifice required.
Final Thoughts
I’ve got to be honest. I hated the actual preaching of this message. It didn’t come together well, especially the beginning which was so cringe. I really dislike going into a message underprepared and this one suffered from it.
Yet like usual with preaching, when you hate how you did people will love it and vice versa. It’s rare that both you and the people like a message mutually. After I preached, I got compliments from multiple people that they really liked it and that was frustratingly refreshing.
It’s a tale as old as time. God takes what is an undercooked message and still uses it to reach others. That’s just how awesome God is in that he can take trash and make it a treasure. With that, Godspeed and Jesus bless.
chris cribari blog 