Preacher: Worthy Of Hire Part 3
Lessons From 1 Corinthians • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
Theme: Lessons From 1 Corinthians
Hope: To learn from the great swath of doctrinal information given on Christian living.
Over the last few weeks, we have been up looking at “Preacher: Worthy Of Hire.”
We looked at “what makes a man qualified to be worthy of hire as a preacher.”
We also looked at “why a congregation is supposed to hire a preacher who is qualified.”
Today we are going to finish this series up as Paul did by looking at 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.
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.
Here Paul points out the three things necessary for a preacher to “stay qualified” as a hired preacher.
First we find…
He Must Stay Motivated
He Must Stay Motivated
Not All People Run To Win.
Not All People Run To Win.
People that run in races do so for various and different reasons.
Some runners are motivated by health and the benefits running brings to them.
They don’t care if they win the race or not they are just happy to be in it.
Some runners are motivated by the enjoyment they get out of running.
Again these don’t care if they are successful at winning they just like they running.
Few runners are motivated to win but these will be the ones that are successful at winning.
They set their focus on the prize.
1 Corinthians 9:25 (ESV)
25 …They do it to receive a perishable wreath…
But Paul’s point isn’t to focus on runners but rather preachers
And the reality is…
Preachers Must Be Motivated To Win.
Preachers Must Be Motivated To Win.
Unfortunately different motives in a Christian’s life can have a big impact on their spiritual life.
Some preachers are motivated only by the “spiritual health benefits” of a supposed “clean conscience.”
These preachers want to live their lives as if they are punching a clock or checking off the list.
10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’
Some preachers are motivated by the “peaceable life.”
These preachers are not going to do anything that rocks their peaceful boat like speaking up against false doctrine or rebuking brethren taken by sin like the false prophets and priests of Jeremiah’s day.
14 They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace.
2 Timothy 4:3 (ESV)
3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions
The preachers worthy to stay hired are those that are motivated to “win” the prize not just fall into it.
These preachers become so focused on that prize that everything they do is meant to get them and their listeners to that goal.
As the great Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi once said, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.”
These preachers soul focus is the glorious crown of life.
12 Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.
Summary
Summary
The preacher that is motivated at “winning the spiritual race” will not only save himself but have the opportunity to help save other peoples lives as well.
16 Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.
A preacher that is worthy of hire will only stay that way if he is properly motivated.
But he can only stay motivated if…
He Stays Disciplined
He Stays Disciplined
Runners Have Self-Control.
Runners Have Self-Control.
To be an average runner no matter one’s motivation it takes a certain about of self-control and discipline.
A runner must exercise self-control over their…
Diet, sleep, training schedule, often missing out on some social activities.
1 Corinthians 9:25 (ESV)
25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things…
With gospel preachers it is the same.
Preachers Must Have Self-Control.
Preachers Must Have Self-Control.
He must have self-control of his “desires of the flesh.”
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.
22 So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
Preachers are human like every other Christian and there are sinful pulls that they have like anyone else but as God’s spokesman he is not to give in or else lose his credibility with the church.
He must have self-control of his “tongue.”
23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. 24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
He must have self-control in his studies.
15 Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
Summary
Summary
Like a runner running the race for the prize a preacher must be motivated by the price and have the self-discipline and control to reach the prize.
A preacher worthy of continued hire is motivated by the prize and the discipline it will take to stay a faithful gospel preacher and won’t get caught up in running aimlessly.
26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.
Lastly, Paul points out that a preacher will stay worthy of hire and motivated as long as…
He Stays In Shape
He Stays In Shape
Runners Must Constantly Exercise.
Runners Must Constantly Exercise.
Successful long distance runners typically train or exercise around 10 to 20 miles a day without regard for circumstances.
They will not let their bodies take a break to make sure they are at peak performance nor will they train in some ineffective way.
With preachers it must be the same way spiritually.
Preachers Must Stay In Spiritual Shape.
Preachers Must Stay In Spiritual Shape.
Preachers will stay in proper prayer shape.
12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Preachers will stay in proper study shape.
10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.
11 I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Preachers will stay in proper speaking shape.
1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
Summary
Summary
A preacher that continues to be worthy of hire will stay in spiritual shape and allow himself to be unfit to teach and preach God’s blessed message.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Brothers and sisters, I pray that I will always be “worthy of your hire” in my “work for the Lord” in the endeavor of the spiritual growth of this wonderful and loving congregation.
If there ever comes a time when that isn’t the case may it be I, like an unqualified shepherd, have the faith and courage to stop and step down.
Though I don’t know the future I do appreciate this church here in Ramona, and look forward to years to come “in the Lord.”
And the works of Christ we can accomplish together.
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.
26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? 29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,
30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ 31 Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? 32 And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace. 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.