The Who of Love | Compelled by Love - 1 Corinthians 9 | April 28

Intro

Hey family! How are we all doing?

I know we are getting close to wrapping up a series in 1 Corinthians [whether it seems like it or not I don't know], but there are these verses in 2 Corinthians which I’d love to share with you. They say, “13 If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. 14 Either way, Christ’s love controls us. [The NIV version says that Christ’s love compels us. The power of Christ compels you.]

Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. 15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.”

What we’re talking about right is motivation. What motivates you? What is controlling your decisions? What compels you in this life? The love of Christ here sort of has two means of interpretation–two ways of looking at it. It is both God’s love for people that motivates Paul to share the Gospel and it is also Paul’s love for God that allows for Christ to control him. There’s this song, maybe we’ll sing it. “Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me”. God’s love for us and Paul’s love for God allow for a life where Paul is driven by His Captain, His King, His Pilot–Jesus.

“The great love of Christ was such that “Christ died for all” people (2 Corinthians 5:14, NLT). Paul’s love for Christ was such that he was willing to die to self (see Galatians 2:20)... When the apostle Paul wrote, “The love of Christ compels us,” he was describing the powerful, Spirit-filled motivation that drives followers of Christ to share the gospel in ways that persuade people to commit their lives to Jesus.”

In these three chapters, we are exploring the who of love. In the next chapters we’ll talk about the Way of love and the Why of love. In some sense these all noticeably blend together. Next week, in chapter 10, and this week in chapter 9 we’re still looking at the Who of love. God is the who of love initiating within us the desire to pursue others in love. The who of love compels us to think of others who are not here and to invite them in.

What we’re going to talk about today is just this. Is the love of God compelling you? What does that mean? What does that practically look like in your life, in your decisions, in your finance? Are you compelled to invite others into this family? The church exists for those who are not here–to share the love of God and bring them in. Does the love of God compel you?

With those questions in mind, let’s get right into our text this morning

COMPELLED TO GIVE

Paul’s really going to hit us over the head with some truth this morning. Listen, what we are compelled to is hard, but what we are compelled by still outweighs the hardship. The prize outweighs the price. We’ll talk about the prize more directly at the end of our time, for now ask yourself, what’s your motivation in life? What drives you? As we saw in 2 Corinthians 5, for the Christian, it is the love of Christ that compels us–we are compelled by love. Since we are compelled by love we are compelled to love, we are compelled to act, we are compelled to do–we are compelled to live…

“The way we live our lives has eternal consequences. Life is a proving ground where we prove who we are, whom we trust, and what we cherish. Eternal life, the upward call, the crown of righteousness—all these hang on what our life says about who we are, whom we trust, and what we love.”

And “God has not saved you to sit on the edge of the pool with your feet in the water. God has saved you to spend yourself for the glory of his Son (Philippians 1:20)… The point of salvation is to make the glory of God visible in the universe.”

So let’s read these verses,

“1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? 2 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.

3 This is my defense to those who would examine me. 4 Do we not have the right to eat and drink? 5 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? 6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? 7 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?

8 Do I say these things on human authority? Does not the Law say the same? 9 For it is written in the Law of Moses, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” Is it for oxen that God is concerned? 10 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. 11 If we have sown spiritual things among you, is it too much if we reap material things from you? 12 If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even 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 are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? 14 In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.

We’ve encountered some strange stuff so far–no doubt. And this is a bit strange. For some reason Paul goes on this rant to justify his apostleship, a rant about how he and Barnabas still have to work to support themselves even though Peter and the other apostles don’t work, they get their money from the church for the work of speaking the Gospel. He uses several examples to justify his frustration and why he has the right to be financially supported by the churches he plants even though he doesn’t make use of that right with the Corinthians.

And he says some weird stuff like, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain.” He takes an old testament law about livestock and applies it to the contemporary setting of priestly work. After all, is God not concerned for our sake? Should spiritual work not be financially supported? Why is it important enough to mention. Especially since Paul at times was supported by other churches, but not the Corinthians apparently.

What Paul is doing is setting up a line of argumentation that will build upon itself to lead us to the ultimate conclusion of the ultimate value of God’s love and the prize of the work. Financial gain is fine and Biblically supported is what he’s saying, but material gains are not the prize he will speak of at the end of the chapter. Even so, he wants the Corinthians to see that the work of the Gospel is worthy of our time, our talent, and–yes even our treasure. We needed to be financially invested in the mission of God!

Back in 2012, the Summit Church in Raleigh did an “All-in Generosity” series about sacrifice, stewardship, treasure, trust, and mission. The series asks us to live our lives with open hands, that everything we have in our lives we would open up in surrender to Him. I remember a testimony of a mother holding on to her children and realizing she couldn’t let them go. She had made her family, her children her idol, and she realized that she was trying to hold it all together herself and wasn’t surrendering her children’s future to the Lord. She was placing all the pressure on her shoulders and so as she prayed to have open hands, she imagined letting go of her children and trusting them to the Lord. That’s one example. What are you holding on to? There are, of course, some more obvious financial considerations with regard to generosity.

Here’s the thing, God is all in. He is fully committed to us and His mission. But sometimes our hearts aren’t in it. In Matthew, Jesus says, “21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be” (Matthew 6:21). If you want to know what you care about, look at what you give most of your money to. If you want to know how much you love Starbucks, or Hatchet, or Local Lion perhaps, look at how much money you spend there. How much money goes to streaming services. How much money do we pour into our quality of life. That’s all I do at work. The cliche saying is, “If you build a better place to live, work, and play, you’ll build a better place where people want to visit.”

It always amazes me to think about professional athletes and finances because the statistics are astonishing. We are taught to idolize athletes as children and some children are groomed to be athletes to provide wealth for the family, but the truth is that “78% of professional athletes go broke after 3 years of retirement.” Seventy-eight percent! Mostly because of overspending. But their spending shows what they love. Most of them feel an obligation to family, friends, and their neighborhoods so they pour their money into these things. And these are not bad things, they are better than other things professional athletes tend to overspend on that I probably shouldn’t mention. But even a mansion for Grandma is not permanent, especially if you’re broke.

And the truth is that what we invest our finances in matters because “This world in its present form is passing away” (1 Corinthians 7:31). All these things are non-permanent. Why not invest in what will last? Why not invest in God’s mission? Why not invest in this church? I don’t care how much! I mean I know what we need for our budgets. And the Old Testament tithe of 10% is a good starting point, but the Biblical standard is generosity. What does it look like for you to give generously of your treasure?

This is not a “It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35) kind of message. Though that is true and Biblical. This is a we are compelled by the love of Christ in us, for us, and for this world to give our financial resources for the sake of His mission and His kingdom.

Listen, I don’t know who gives to this church or how much they give. I don’t look at those numbers. So if you’re thinking he’s looking right at me. That’s not on me. I’m looking at everyone. That’s perhaps the Spirit tugging at your heart. Because you’ll love where your money is. So what is it that you’re loving? Love God’s church more!

COMPELLED TO SACRIFICE

We are compelled to give and we are compelled to sacrifice.

15 But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. 16 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! 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 stewardship. 18 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.

We know that Paul did receive financial support, perhaps only from the Philippian church and maybe only on rare occasions, but Paul as we read even here, Paul wasn’t opposed to financial support. Nevertheless, he didn’t make use of this right amongst the Corinthians. Paul sacrifices his right for financial gain for the sake of the Corinthians who based on their divisions would not receive the blessing of giving with a right heart but would have more reason to be puffed up and divided.

Philippians 4 says, “17 Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that increases to your credit. 18 I have received full payment, and more….”

“He’s not trying to gain the pleasure of money. He’s not trying to gain the power of rights. The gospel has already assured him that he will gain the fullness of the enjoyment of Christ. And now, he wants to gain people… I will magnify the worth of the gospel, the worth of Christ — by showing that the satisfaction it gives — that he gives — does not need to be supplemented by the pleasures of money or the pleasures of power.”

As many of you know, I work a full-time job. Not because I’m financially concerned about trusting God with the salary Mountainside can support–I’m not. I am forced, by some of you, to take a small salary from Mountainside, which isn’t completely my choice because I would do this for free and maybe one day I will convince enough of you that I should. I work a full-time job to demonstrate in my own life what is of most importance. For all of us who work, I will always pour my life into this, whether I’m paid or not, because this is of greatest value. And if I’m doing it, you can do it too.

To be a Christian is to be one who sacrifices. There’s a sermon/interview that I mean to listen to once a year from the church we were a part of in Columbia, SC; and one thing it says is if you’re not denying yourself at least 70-80% of the time or even more than that, then you might need to question whether you’re actually following Jesus. I don’t know if those statistics match up, but it bears asking if I’m not sacrificing in my life at all then am I really a Christian? Am I really a follower of Jesus? Am I really a little anointed one that is providing a place where Heaven meets earth and God is glorified?

Here’s a quick definition of sacrifice. It may be helpful. Sacrificing means to give up what I love for something I love more. Sacrificing means to give up what you love for something you love more.

Brad, a classmate of Rebekah’s, has been hanging out with our family group when he’s in town for school. The first week he was with us he brought up a profound truth that is almost exactly what Paul is writing. He shared that what we see in the scriptures is that we are to be patient. But how do I even know what it means to be patient? What does it even look like? I can’t even understand patience except as it is demonstrated by Jesus. We don’t even know how to live were it not for the example of Jesus. What does it look like to sacrifice? We look to Jesus. Jesus is our standard for life. He is the object of our love and the example for how to love.

Jesus provides the example of what sacrifice is. We cannot understand what it even means to sacrifice were it not for the Word of God come to life in the person of Jesus–God made flesh. He sacrificed for you and shows us, provides the example, the definition for what it means to sacrifice.

The question I want you to ask yourself is, what could I sacrifice for the mission of God? What could I sacrifice to see people changed by the Gospel of Christ? What might I need to do to rearrange my time, or my schedule, or my money? How might I need to reorder my life to see people meet Jesus?

What compels you? What do you love? Love God’s mission more!

COMPELLED TO LOVE

We are compelled by Christ’s love to give. We are compelled to sacrifice. And as if it were not obvious enough, we are compelled to love.

19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 20 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. 21 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. 22 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. 23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

Here’s another one of those word repetitions. Paul says I serve all to win some. I lay aside my pride and my preferences and my desires so that I might see the people around me transformed by the Gospel. I become like all to win as many as I can.

Then in the last repetition he switches from the word win to the word save. Just as repetition is important, a purposeful break in repetition is just as or even more important. “We are compelled by love for the sake of the gospel to share Christ and win new family members, and in our winning Christ saves them and we share in the blessing of joy and rejoice with the Heavens… It is a transformative experience in such a sense that Paul felt the need to relate to people, to bridge the gap, even to Jews though technically he was already a Jew, how does that work?”

“In other words, the Jewish man, Paul, was so profoundly and pervasively redefined — given a new identity — by union with Christ Jesus, that Jewishness was not his truest, deepest identity anymore and, therefore, in order to win Jews, he had to become a Jew. When you become a Christian, your family roots, your tribal connections, your ethnicity and race, your nation of origin—all of them become secondary, at most. And the real you is something supernaturally new, different. A new creation. A new family identity in Christ. A new citizenship in his kingdom. Every other identity and allegiance is relativized.”

We are compelled by the love of God to be people who love–to be people who love well.

“10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us… 19 We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:10-12, 19).

Do I love Jesus and His mission? Do you love Jesus and His mission? If you think through all the names and faces of people you know and have some sort of relationship with, who would you love to see part of the family next year? Whatever you love in this life, learn to love Jesus and the spread of His gospel more… become all things to all people, that by all means you might save some. That someone new in your life will be welcomed in the family this year.

OUTRO - COMPELLED BY THE PRIZE

“Paul’s aim is to gain more and more people so that he can “share with them the blessings of the gospel.” His intent and purpose has a prize in mind. He’s got his eyes set on a blessing to be shared.

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. 25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. 27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Again what is motivating you? What prize are you chasing after? To be the one who dies with the most stuff. Some people consider that winning. To stack your sexual conquests against another? How we live proves what we love–what compels us.

Our lives should change when we encounter Christ. They shouldn’t still be the same. We shouldn’t still love the same things we used to. We shouldn’t prioritize the same pursuits. We spent the last several weeks of 1 Corinthians talking about marriage. When you get married something should be different. We’ve been to so many weddings where it was just another day and then life would continue as it always had. But marriage should usher in a different way of life. In the same way, the Church is the bride of Christ, so encountering God should usher in a new way of living—a new identity.

“The race Paul was running (and calling us to run) was not merely about guarding the faith in our own hearts, but about pursuing that faith and joy in others… Paul was running to win the lost, despite how much effort it required and how much it cost him. He was talking about aggressive mission, not merely secret devotion.”

“I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15:10)

“What is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming?” he asks the Thessalonians. “Is it not you? For you are our glory and joy” (1 Thessalonians 2:19–20).

Every time you show up on a Sunday is worth it. Every time you drag yourself to family night rather than staying home in your pajamas is worth it. Wear your pajamas to family group. Every time you sacrifice for the kingdom and to welcome someone new into the family it is worth it. Every time you deny your desires and say no to sin and yes to Jesus it is so worth it!