Sermon Notes for Fourth Sunday of Easter

All Things for the Sake of the Gospel
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
The Fourth Sunday of Easter
May 15, 2011

• The Issue of Difficult Questions: Is it Jeopardy when I’m at a fuel pump? All I want to do is fill up, not pass a final!

We often think of the Bible as a book with the answers, and of course in many ways this is true enough. Yet it is also a book of questions; sometimes these are questions we have for God, but more often than not the questions are those God poses to us.

• Job; Hagar
• The BIG Questions –
- “Who do you say that I am?”
- “Who are you? What do you say about yourself?”

One of the most intriguing questions in the Bible is one asked by a youthful David, the man who would years later become Israel’s King and Shepherd. He had come to a battlefield where Israel was being challenged by Goliath. He was showing some signs that he might want to get into the fight but his older brothers began to mock him and his youthful zeal. In return, David asks them a question:

”Is there not a cause?” – 1 Samuel 17:29 (AV)

Down through the centuries that question is asked of us today. “Is there not a cause?”

It’s the question we have for the men ordained today.

“What is your cause?”

It’s the question before every heart today.

“What is your cause?”

This past week marked the thirtieth anniversary of the death of Bob Marley. He once famously said, “The people trying to make this world a worse place aren’t taking a day off, so neither can I.”

The Apostle Paul knew his cause; he knew the reason for his sacrifices. Listen to his testimony: “I do all things for the sake of the Gospel.”

I. All Things for the Sake of the Gospel Means This is the Question that Must be Asked of All We Seek to Do Personally.

II. All Things for the Sake of the Gospel Means This is the Question that Must be Asked of All We Seek to Do Congregationally.

III. All Things for the Sake of the Gospel Means This is the Question that Most Reveals Jesus Christ Missionally.

A. Who supremely gave up his rights and made himself a servant of all? 1 Corinthians 9:19
- Jesus Christ

B. Who supremely became a Jew under the Law to win his People? 1 Corinthians 9:20
- Jesus Christ

C. Who supremely came as a Jew to save to non-Jews of the whole world as well? 1 Corinthians 9:21
- Jesus Christ

D. Who supremely became weak that those who were dead in sin might be raised to life by the power of God? 1 Corinthians 9:22
- Jesus Christ

* All of Paul's mission is a reflection of what he writes of Christ in Philippians 2

Here we find Paul following his Savior and urging upon us the same self-giving, the same love that lays down one’s privileges for those who are weak and poor and who have not yet heard of the Lord Jesus and his great love, his grace that recovers what the thief stole from us and restores to us abundant life.

* The Good Shepherd - John 10

Its been said that the world at its worst needs to see the Church at its best. Well, yes. But what does this mean? The world does not need to see a strong church, if by strong we mean merely powerful or perfect, but a weak church, one which knows its strength and hope and life is in Christ alone; the Church that, like her Savior, lays down its 'rights' in order to serve rather than demands service.

* Philippians 3:10 and life's great purpose

We do not need to go find a vision or define our mission. Our task is clear – to know Christ and make him known.

And tomorrow morning when we rise the answer to the nagging question that rolls around in our heads as we go about our activities - Why am I doing this? - can also be the same as the answer Paul would give: “I do all things for the sake of the Gospel.”

So let me come back to the question before us –

“Is there not a cause?” There is. Is the cause of Christ your cause as well? Now that’s a good question.