Good Monday my ‘Walking with Jesus’ friends,
On this Labor Day Monday, many working people will have a holiday and many retirees will enjoy wonderful memories of Labor days during their working life. Did you know one question workers will ask themselves on this Labor Day is: WHY? Why do they work the job they work every day?
That question is quite often a deep reflection point for clergy and people in church work also, did you know that? Let’s spend some time with the apostle Paul today as he wrestled with that question as he was writing to the Christians in the big business city of Corinth, Greece in the first century. Paul wrote: ‘When I preach the Gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do NOT preach the Gospel! If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.‘ (1 Corinthians 9:16,17) Oh my, can we grasp the significance of this statement in a world of labor negotiations, high salary demands, work stoppages, agents, contracts, free-agency etc?
This is a very, very important issue my friends, and it is a blood-thirsty battleground, do you understand that? In Paul’s second letter, to these same Corinthian Christians, Paul used that word ‘compelled’ to explain his WHY. WHY his Gospel proclaiming work was such a passion for him. Paul wrote: ‘For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all…that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised to life again.’ (2 Cor. 5:14,15) Do you see several very important, life guiding, world changing principles here?
First... Paul was compelled, his soul was captivated, by the LOVE of God the Father AND Jesus Christ the Son of God, for Paul and the entire human race! We sinful humans are destined to eternity far from God in a place of torment, because of our rebellion against God. (Rom. 3:23; 6:23) Yet, the powerful truth of Jesus’ words, which explained WHY He had come to earth, captivated Paul’s heart and mind. Jesus said ‘For God so LOVED the world, that He sent His only Son, that whoever believes in HIM shall not perish, but shall have eternal life.’ (John 3:16)
As Paul came to fully understand God’s love, even for angry, hate filled Saul the Pharisee, as Saul tried to eradicate the name and memory of Jesus from any person who had believed in Jesus… that ‘God love’ overwhelmed Paul and changed his life forever. That extreme love of God compelled Paul to take and explain that Gospel love to the world even at the risk of his own death! (1 John 4:9,10)
Second... the ultimate sacrifice of crucifixion, which Jesus willingly made, as He allowed the human race He had created to reject Him and abuse Him, even to the extreme of crucifixion… that ultimate, selfless, love sacrifice of Jesus, compelled Paul to reach with all his love and energy to those people who hated Jesus, hated the Gospel and hated Paul, because he insisted on proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus, which they did NOT want to hear. Each time Paul was persecuted, beaten, imprisoned, he rejoiced that he was counted worthy of suffering for the Name of Jesus!
Third... the victorious resurrection of Jesus Christ compelled Paul to take the Gospel to anyone willing to hear it, because Paul was proclaiming a LIVING Jesus who had defeated death, sin and Satan, and was on His heavenly throne, sovereign and supreme over all things in all places! Paul no longer lived for himself, his own agenda or even his own fame, Paul lived each day, every day, as a celebration of the resurrection and Kingship reign of Jesus Christ His Lord!
So that is why Paul could write: ‘Woe to me if I do NOT preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ!’ (1 Cor. 9:16) His entire life purpose, since his encounter with resurrected Jesus on that road to Damascus, was proclaiming the glorious, life changing truth of the Gospel of Jesus which had changed his life! Paul’s hope was that each time he proclaimed Jesus, was that other people would experience the same deliverance from sin bondage, the same new life in Jesus Christ freedom, which Paul had experienced and was living each day!
Paul was overwhelmed that Jesus had personally commissioned him to take His life rescuing Gospel to the world. Paul wrote that each time he proclaimed Jesus: ‘I am simply discharging the TRUST committed to me!’ (1 Cor. 9:17) Pause and ponder that. Are you a Jesus rescued Christian? Has Jesus entrusted to you the privilege of sharing your story, the difference the Gospel of Jesus has made in your life, with your world? How have you handled that trust Jesus has placed in you?
Oh my, so much to think about today, do you agree? So I urge you to very carefully pray over 1 Corinthians 9:16-18 and 2 Corinthians 5:11-16 and then spend some time talking with Jesus, expressing the depth of your love to Him. The ‘lessons learned’ study notes at the link just below will be very helpful to you and the worship song about God’s love will draw you to Jesus, and I’ll be here tomorrow, waiting for you.
Today’s Scripture: 1 Cor. 9:16-18
Choose below to read or listen.
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Have a comment or question about today’s chapter? I’m ready to hear from you, contact me here.
Pastor Doug Anderson
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, with our eyes fixed on Jesus…” (Heb. 12:1,2)
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