DAY #47: 1 Corinthians 9:19-27

BACKGROUND:

Paul’s goals were to glorify God and to bring people to Christ. Thus he stayed free of any philosophical position or material entanglement that might sidetrack him while he strictly disciplined himself to carry out his goals. For Paul, both freedom and discipline were important tools to be used in God’s service.

Paul never compromised the doctrines of Scripture, never changed God’s word in order to make it more palatable to people in any given place. He never went against God’s law or his own conscience. In matters that did not violate any principle of God’s word, however, Paul was willing to become one of his audience in order to bring them to Christ.

When speaking to the Jews, Paul conformed his life to the practices of those who follow the Jewish laws, even though he himself was no longer subject to the law (because of his freedom in Christ; Acts 16:3; 18:18; 21:20-26).WHY? To win them to Christ.

Paul’s life focused on taking the gospel to an unbelieving world. Paul’s exhortations for the believers to give up their own rights, to think of others first, to be wholehearted in their focus on bringing others to Christ—called upon the Christians to deny themselves as they looked forward to future reward. Paul compared this to a race, picturing the ancient “games.” The Olympics were already operating in Paul’s time.

Second in popularity only to the Olympic games, the Isthmian games were celebrated every two years at Corinth. Athletes would come from all over Greece, and the winners of the games were accorded the highest honor. To get into the games, and especially to emerge as victors, required that athletes practice strict self-control. Typically, for ten months prior to the games, the athletes-in-training denied themselves many ordinary pleasures. Each put forth his greatest effort during the contest, setting aside all else in order to win the prize.

When Paul told the believers to be like those athletes, he did not mean that the believers were all running against each other with only one actually winning. Instead, he wanted every believer to run in such a way that you will win. In other words, every believer should be putting out the kind of effort for the reward of God’s Kingdom that an athlete puts out to merely win a wreath. Believers, therefore, ought to willingly practice self-control with a focus on bringing others to Christ because they are running toward an eternal prize. They have all already “won”; the prize is not dependent on how they run the race. Because they already are assured of the prize, they should live for God with as much focus and enthusiasm as did the ancient runners at the games.

Paul not only preached the gospel message and encouraged the believers to self-discipline and self-denial, he also practiced what he preached. He also had to live by the gospel, and he also practiced self-denial like the athletes just described. Paul did not run the race aimlessly, nor was he like a boxer who misses his punches. Instead, he kept his eyes focused on the goal, running straight for it, with purpose in every step. He did not allow himself to be sidetracked and he did not waste time becoming lazy. He kept on keeping on.

SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)

1 Corinthians 4:22 says, "Yes, whatever a person is like I try to find common ground with him so he will let me tell him about Christ and let Christ save him." Paul said, When I'm with people I try to become like them in order to reach them. In this chapter in Corinthians, he says, "When I'm with Jewish people I become like a Jew to reach the Jews. When I'm with Greek people I become like a Greek to reach the Greeks. In other words, I build a bridge to where they're at. I don't ask them to come and be like me to become a Christian. I become like them to tell them about Christ. If a missionary goes overseas he doesn't say, "You guys learn my language and I'll tell you about Christ." He says "I'll learn your language." If Paul were in California, he'd say, "When I'm in California to reach Californians I become like a Californian."

We live in San Ramon, Danville, Blackhawk, Dublin, Pleasonton, Fremont, Castro Valley. What are these people like> )Let's call them San Ramon Sam and Samantha)

1. San Ramon Sam is a great guy, a nice guy. He lives here in the San Ramon Valley. But while you were in church this morning, Sam was at home sitting in his back yard by his jacuzzi or pool reading the paper, a can of Budweiser in one hand and watching television. He's a nice guy. He just doesn't know he needs God in his life.

2. He is well educated. The San Ramon Valley is the most educated congressional district in America. There are more college graduates in the San Ramon Valley, in our congressional district than any other district in America.

3. He likes his job.
4. He likes where he lives.
5. He's self satisfied, even smug about his station in life.
6. Health and fitness are a high priority for himself and his family.
7. He like big groups more than small ones
8. He is skeptical of organized religion
9. He is over extended in both time and money

If you were going to design a church to reach San Ramon Sam -- how would you reach him?

Some suggestions: (sarcasm) How about, while COV Sam's in the grocery store, we put a track on his window that says, "Come to church or go to hell!" Would that reach San Ramon Sam?

San Ramon Sam commutes about an hour and a half every day back and forth to work. He gets home at night. His home is his castle. He closes and locks the door, turns on Monday night football, sits down to watch it as he eats dinner. Let's send somebody to his house -- a stranger -- at night and knock on his door, right in the middle of his meal and have him say, "Come to church with a bunch of people you've never met before." Would that reach COV Sam?

How many of you think San Ramon Sam is going to listen to Christian radio? How many think he's going to watch Christian TV? Before he gets all these phony ideas about Christianity, I want to get his attention.

San Ramon Sam gets to hear about Jesus by somebody getting close to him and becoming his friend. Somebody says, "Hey, Sam! You've gotta come to this church. It's incredible. The pastor doesn't wear a robe. You don't even have to wear a suit. They tell jokes. And the music isn't hymns; it's like contemporary pop music. The messages aren't like `Who is the beast in Revelation?' it's like `How do I handle the financial stress in my life?' You're not going to believe this church. Come on, Sam!" That's how 80% of the people who come to Christ do so – they are invited. People told people... "Come check out the good news!"

Sunday morning is geared for you to bring San Ramon Sam. If you're not bringing your neighbors and friends and work associates who don't know Jesus on Sunday morning, you're missing the whole point. That's the purpose of Sunday morning. We use the topical exposition of the Bible on Sunday morning -- like, What does God say about stress? What does God say about marriage? What does God say about worry? What does God say about money? -- to reach nonbelievers. MAKE SENSE? I pray so.

What is our strategy going to be at COV to reach San Ramon Sam?

C.O.V.S.A.N.R.A.M.O.N. (that is also our website address - www.covsanramon.org) 11 principles that will make our church unique. We're not going to go into this in detail but write these things down. We've made an acrostic here. There are eleven things that make COV different from other churches.

C – Creative & Seeker friendly services. We will design church services that San Ramon Sam can enjoy. Even if I'm preaching on a Christian growth theme, he can say, "That makes sense!" So we are sensitive - ... in the way we greet people. We don't embarrass them. We never make visitors stand up and tell us their name. ... in the way we take an offering. A lot of non Christians think churches are only in it for the money. At this church we say, If you're a visitor don't give. We depend on just the tithes and offerings of our members to support this church. If you're a visitor we want you to get something rather than to feel like you have to give something.

O – Opportunities for Every Member to Minister. Not every member's a pastor, but every member has a ministry. Ministry is serving others.

V – Valley Vision Membership. We are part of a thirteen church movement in the San Ramon Valley that collectively is committed to winning this valley to Christ! We know we can’t do it alone, but together, united as the Body of Christ, we can!

S – “SO WHAT” Preaching. Every week, I will ask the question – “SO WHAT?” Basically, what will you do with what you have heard? Why? Well, one of the most important verses in the Bible is James 1:22 "Be doers of the word and not hearers only." Have you ever been to a church service where you heard a sermon, you went out and couldn't do anything about it? Sure. It was a lot of theory or Bible history or Bible background. But there wasn't anything you could apply to your own life and practice it. It wasn't something you could do. At COV, every sermon, every message, every study we have here is not to give you a bunch of head knowledge. The goal is to change your life, change your behavior, help you become more like Christ. That's God's goal for your life -- to help you become like Jesus Christ.

A – A Life Development Process. We have designed a process that will help you grow to spiritual maturity, help you develop your spiritual talents and abilities and help you become a success in life. The goal of this church is not to build big buildings. The goal of this church is to make you successful in your life so that one day when you stand before God He'll say, "Well done thou good and faithful servant." Our goal is to help you become all God wants you to be. We have a process called the Life Development Process.

N – Narrow Strategic Target. COV is not trying to reach everybody. COV is trying to reach people who don't know the Lord. We're not trying to reach Christians who have been Christians for 30, 40, 50 years. Our defined target is San Ramon Sam.

R – Relationships built through small groups. COV will be built on a network of small groups. We want you to grow in your faith by being a part of a large group worship and a small group fellowship.

A - Authentic Leadership. We believe that you lead by serving. In this church, we won’t have a big board that controls everything and has all these power plays. We won’t have a single committee in this church we will have teams led by authentic leaders. They will lead by serving. Our daily prayer: “Lord, keep us holy, humble and honest.”

M – Motivated by Purpose. We are motivated by the idea - the concept that we must build bridges everywhere for people to meet Jesus.

O – Organizational structure will be simple. We will not structure the church for control, but rather growth. We will organize in a very simple manner that can get everyone involved.

N – No one gets left behind. We will create a climate of acceptance. We don't expect people to be perfect in this church. Some churches, you either have to be perfect or pretend you are. Otherwise you're not welcome. This is a church for people who don't have it all together. This is a church for people who want to grow. This is a church for people who are hurting and are willing to admit it. This is a church for real people with real problems. We don't expect unbelievers to act like believers until they are. We offer acceptance of people without being judgmental of them. There's a difference between acceptance and approval. We can accept a person without approving of their lifestyle. Jesus did. Jesus accepted the woman who was caught in the act of adultery without approving of that. It was obviously wrong. But He accepted and loved her without approving of what she was doing.

These eleven letters -- I explained that in about two or three minutes but there's a whole lot more behind this. When you come to COV, it may look like everything's casual and unplanned, but even that's planned. We have a strategy that is highly thought out behind everything that we're doing. My question for you today. Are you with us? Are you with the idea that each of has a responsibility to reach our world for Christ? Who will you invite to COV this Sunday?

I love you guys. Stay Faithful. Stay the Course.