“Rights – or Rewards?”

Jan.25/09  1Cor.9:14-23    Play AUDIO (mp3)  Play VIDEO (wmv)
●    INAUGURAL ALERT: RIGHTS WON BY SACRIFICE
    ○    New President emphasizes freedoms gained by hard work
    ○    danger of debt bondage if unwise use of money
    ○    Paul aimed for greater reward than making full use of rights/freedoms
●    GOSPEL-WORKERS HAVE RIGHTS, TOO!
    ○    defends apostleship rights by appeal to nature, Scripture, Jesus’ teaching (7-14; Deut 25:4)
●    SALVATION’S REWARDS OUTWEIGH USING ONE’S RIGHTS
    ○    obliged to discharge commission entrusted to him (16f; Acts 26:18)
    ○    accepting payment for preach might suggest mercenary motives
    ○    preferred other rewards: blessings of gospel, eternal crown (18, 23, 25; 2Pet 3:10; 1Cor 3:13)
●    IN FREEDOM, MAKING MYSELF A SLAVE
    ○    determined to serve everyone to win some (19; Ac 21:24f; Gal 2:11f)
    ○    Jesus came to serve not be served: “Suffering Servant”, washing feet (Mt 20:27f; Is 53:4ff; Jn 13)
●    A SERVANT’S HEART – “C.O.D.”
    ○    Bethany Homes founder undeterred by change in focus to helping those not in headlines