Do I Yield My Rights?

A Sermon By Jim Hammond from (1 Corinthians 9)

What If. . .

What if you went to a restaurant for breakfast and the waitress got up on the wrong side of the bed? She is slow to bring you the menu. She doesn’t smile. She doesn’t come back to fill up your coffee. It is obvious she is in a mood. She doesn’t want to be there, and she doesn’t want to serve you. You observe her as she treats others with the same discourtesies. You happen to overhear the customer next to you as he is angry about his service. He does something very interesting about it. The restaurant’s address and phone number is on the menu. He takes his cell phone and calls the restaurant. From thirty feet away he can see the manager answer the phone. He says, “What do we do around here to get some service at table 12?” The manager replies, “What?” as he turns and sees the guy waiving his hand hello. You see a brief interchange between the manager and your waitress. She walks over with her coffee pitcher. “I understand you would you like some more coffee?” Her smile seems odd because you hadn’t seen her smile yet that morning. You watch as she deliberately pours the coffee until it spills over the top. She immediately says, “Oh, I’m sorry,” in mock surprise, as the coffee begins to run down the table toward the angry customer. She cleans it up.

Minutes later she brings your breakfast. You see immediately that the order is wrong, but you decide to be cautious. You look at it and meekly say, “I ordered my eggs over easy Ma’am.” To your disbelief she says, “Just eat them scrambled, it’s eggs isn’t it. They’ll be fine,” then walks off in a huff. For whatever reason, you decide, Okay, I guess I’ll eat them scrambled today. You take a bite and discover the eggs aren’t very warm. You throw salt and pepper on them, and take another bite, only to discover a crunch. It’s obviously a shell. You don’t even bother to fish it out of your mouth. You just chew it up and swallow. You don’t want to face WWIII—Waitress War III. You are afraid she might pour the coffee on your head. What if you had a waitress like that; what would you do?

I might pay my bill with an obvious neglect of a tip. Now if she was rude to me and my family, I might be tempted to see the manager, or owner.

I heard of a similar scenario described briefly by a preacher on the radio. When a customer who was treated with such discourtesies and poor service began to leave the restaurant, the waitress caught up to the man and said, “Hey mister, you left your money at the table.” She was holding a twenty dollar bill in her hand.

“That’s for you,” he said.

She looked shocked. “You are going to give me a $20 tip for a $3 breakfast after the way I treated you?”

“You looked like you’ve had a bad day and could use a little encouragement. I hoped this might help,” he said.

She didn’t smile, she began to cry. She had had a bad day. She didn’t want to come in to work. She had a sick child at home, but she had to come to work. She was raising kids alone, and finances were very tight. When she came late she was chewed out by the manager. She told all this to the man.

The man said, “I thought it must have been something like that. Would you let me say a little prayer for you and your boy.”

Seeds were planted that day that eventually changed the life of the waitress. What happened? One man expressed the kind of love that Jesus would have expressed. It was a self denying kind of love. Personal rights were yielded in order to voluntarily bless someone else. That’s a Jesus kind of love. Waitresses usually don’t see that kind of love. In fact, on Sunday they often see a crowd, many of whom have obviously come from church, dressed in their finest. She has seen them bow their heads for prayer. She has at times served them well only to be stuck with a tract that says “A Tip For You” instead of money on the table. Now the tract might have been more effective if they had put a $20 bill in it. But in this case she is once again turned off by the preachy churchy types trying to tell her how to run her life. Which kind of customer are you? The kind that demands your rights? The kind that prays before a meal then tips poorly? Or the kind that goes the second mile in order to touch a life?

Today’s Corinthian Question is “Do I Yield My Rights?”

A Familiar Statement

Have you heard this familiar statement?

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.”

This is how the second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence begins. Our nation as a whole does pretty well at believing that we have these rights. In fact, our nation does pretty well at living as if these rights should be the goal of our lives. It is easy to get frustrated or angry when these inalienable rights are blocked. Anybody in the customer service industry knows today that many customers are just plain angry. They walk about frustrated that everyone is blocking their goal. What’s their goal? The pursuit of happiness. They assume it is someone else’s fault they aren’t happy. They go around making demands, demanding their rights. They are unhappy wherever they go.

Do you agree that “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” should be the goal for living?

Happiness as a pursuit, or as a goal, can be elusive. Many are hot on the pursuit of pleasure. A life based on the pursuit of pleasure as the primary goal is like a person trying to anchor his soul in a bottomless ocean. There is nothing to anchor to. One pleasure leads to another in an endless pursuit. The anchor keeps dropping down, down, down. When pleasure is all there is to live for there is a deep dissatisfaction and emptiness which follows the pursuit of pleasure. There comes with the pursuit, a struggle to find meaning.

Jesus told us to anchor ourselves a different way. In fact Jesus said we won’t find ourselves until we lose ourselves.

The question for us today is not whether these truths are self-evident, but whether, certain “inalienable Rights” ought always to be pursued or demanded. Happy are those who have learned a better way.

Focus: The greatest fulfillment comes through self denial, yielding our rights in order to follow the way of Christ.

I. Don’t Let A Right Become Wrong (9:1-18)

In Chapter 8 Paul was unlike the waitress. Paul was like a faithful, dutiful servant who was being treated poorly by his customers, the Corinthians.

In chapter 8 Paul taught the Corinthians and us how to yield our rights and freedoms based on knowledge. In chapter 9 he will show us how to yield rights and freedoms based on position. In many organizations, position comes with perks. But in Christ’s organization, things seem upside down. Rather than having those special privileges that come with position, Jesus says, “If you want to be great in God’s Kingdom, learn to be the servant of all.”

A focus on rights says, “She’s the waitress, I’m paying her, she needs to serve me better.” A focus on Christ says, “How can I serve her?”

Paul illustrated from his own life how this works. Paul illustrated from his own experience the principle of yielding personal rights he could have demanded because of his position. As an Apostle, Paul had every right to expect some financial support for his work among the Corinthians in the ministry. However Paul waived these rights. He did not insist on the right of payment for his services. He yielded his rights on purpose. We will learn why he yielded on this matter.

1 Corinthians 9:1-18 (NIV) ¹Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord? ²Even though I may not be an apostle to others, surely I am to you! For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

³This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me. ⁴Don’t we have the right to food and drink? ⁵Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas? ⁶Or is it only I and Barnabas who must work for a living?

⁷Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk? ⁸Do I say this merely from a human point of view? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? ⁹For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain.” Is it about oxen that God is concerned? ¹⁰Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest. ¹¹If we have sown spiritual seed among you, is it too much if we reap a material harvest from you? ¹²If others have this right of support from you, shouldn’t we have it all the more?

But we did not use this right. On the contrary, we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ. ¹³Don’t you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? ¹⁴In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel.

¹⁵But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast. ¹⁶Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! ¹⁷If I preach voluntarily, I have a reward; if not voluntarily, I am simply discharging the trust committed to me. ¹⁸What then is my reward? Just this: that in preaching the gospel I may offer it free of charge, and so not make use of my rights in preaching it.

Why did Paul yield his right?

Paul had greater joy yielding his right to payment. Have you ever offered a service for free and found greater satisfaction than when you were paid. This was Paul’s delight. He loved to yield this right, because he was in a position to do so. There is also another possibility. Because of what was going on in the Corinthian church, Paul felt that receiving pay would have somehow hindered the Gospel. (12) Perhaps money received would have been with strings attached, restricting Paul’s freedom. Perhaps Paul did it to increase his credibility.

In our culture credibility can be at stake when one is paid too much, and interestingly, also when one receives too little pay. Do you wonder how credibility could be at stake for one receiving too little pay? Let’s put it this way, if you needed surgery would you trust the doctor who is offering surgeries for free? You’d think twice about his credibility.

There is an old myth that goes like this: Pastors should be poor so that they will have to depend on God more.

Paul’s principles are helpful here. If the pay helps further advance the Gospel pay the pastor. If requesting pay or even accepting payment could hinder the spread of the gospel, “tentmaking” is the way to go. If the amount being paid hinders the spread of the gospel, the payment should be adjusted. For some the amount is too little and the gospel can’t go out as effectively because of the financial pressures. If the amount is too great, the gospel’s credibility is affected. Motives are called into question. In Paul’s circumstances, he decided the gospel could be promoted most effectively by not receiving payment.

“Tentmaking” worked well for Paul. He was single, without kids, and had a marketable skill that could support him and his ministry companions while working part time. Tentmaking wouldn’t work for me. 1) I can’t sew. 2) I have a family to support and would need to make a full time salary to support them. And 3) I wouldn’t be free to do what I believe God has called me to do.

The Frustration of Blocked Rights, and Blocked Goals

We all tend to focus on our rights. Think of the last time you were angry. Chances are there was some personal rights, or some personal goals or expectations that were somehow blocked.

Chasing Your Tail

Picture a young little dog running frantically in circles chasing his own tail. Have you ever seen that? It is humorous to watch. How frustrating it must be to be that little dog. It circles faster and faster. That tail seems so illusive. Keep up that pursuit and it can make you tired, dizzy, or even sick. Imagine. The goal--it’s right there but just out of reach. How frustrating! Perhaps we were like the dog chasing his tail. Now picture an older more mature dog walking up to this scene. If the dogs could talk, the conversation might go something like this.

“Laddie, why are you going in circles in such a frenzie?”

“Gramps, can’t you see, I’m chasing my tail.”

“Yes, I can see that, but Laddie, why are you chasing your tail?”

“Oh, well because happiness is in my tail?”

“Laddie, you have a point. There is happiness in a dog’s tail. But you are going about it all wrong. You will never catch happiness that way, chasing it in circles.”

“Okay, Gramps, just how do you catch it then if you don’t chase it.”

“Laddie, happiness is in your tail but all you’ve got to do is go about doing the things you are supposed to do. Your tail will follow you wagging with happiness right behind you.”

Have you ever chased your tail? The pursuit of happiness can be a frustrating thing if it becomes your primary focus. It becomes so frustrating because there are so many ways that our goal of catching that happiness we chase is blocked. When something blocks that pursuit, or we perceive the particular goal, or object of our happiness slipping away we grow frustrated or angry. We get angry every time our rights are blocked, or our goals are blocked. When we voluntarily yield our rights we are not going to get angry. When we adjust our goals to goals other people cannot block, we aren’t going to get angry. We look at circumstances differently. We don’t think of the poor service we are getting, but instead we think of that poor waitress. We don’t demand our rights, we serve God’s purpose. We ask God what he’s up to in the midst of the situation. We can learn from what is taking place. We honor God with our self denial. In effect, as Jesus instructed, when we lose ourselves, we find ourselves.

Paul wasn’t considering the lack of payment as a limitation. He wasn’t bitter or resentful, or frustrated. Why? Well, for one thing, monetary gain wasn’t his goal at all. What was his goal? He wanted to tell the good news. Paul found it rewarding to preach. It was a passion. He couldn’t keep silent if you paid him. He found great joy in preaching itself, not in making money from it. He was tickled that he could preach and he could do it freely without the worry of raising funds. He wanted others to know the good news he knew. And he didn’t want people to think the reason he was telling it was for personal gain. Paul was in a position to offer all his services for free. He had great joy doing this. With the Corinthians he insisted on it. He was careful to let them know, this was unique. He didn’t expect others to do the same.

His experience is simply a personal example of how he followed Christ’s teaching.

Luke 9:23-25 (NIV) ²³Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. ²⁴For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. ²⁵What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?

II. Win as Many As Possible (9:19-23)

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (NIV) ¹⁹Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. ²⁰To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. ²¹To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. ²²To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. ²³I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

How:

Christ Showed us how. Paul understood what it meant to follow Christ. Christ wasn’t simply about living a nice clean life. He did that, yes, but that was not all that Christ called us to. Christ called us to follow him, to be like him, to want the things he wanted, to go all-out for the things he went all-out for. There are levels of Christlikeness, and the moral level is only the bottom rung. Paul had stepped up the levels of Christlikeness. He climbed up the moral rung (he copied Christ’s morals, he imitated him, he followed him). He stepped up from the MORAL LEVEL to set his foot firmly on the MISSION LEVEL rung (at this level of Christlikeness Paul adopts the purpose of Christ). Christ told us, as the Father has sent me, I send you. We have a purpose. Paul then stepped up onto the third rung of Christlikeness. He moved from the moral level, up through the mission level, then stepped up to the METHODS LEVEL. He became Christlike in his method of striving to accomplish Christ’s mission. Christ showed us and told us the method.

Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me.

How did Jesus deny himself?

He left heaven, where it was comfortable and glorious and stepped from the place of light into the place of darkness to redeem the lost.

What did Paul do?

He left his comfort zone. He began teaching the Gentiles. He left home. He left his own reputation. He left it all and entered the world of the gentile, to try to reach them. He copied Jesus! Paul, over and over again, denied himself, picked up his cross, and followed Jesus.

Paul’s methodology looks more like “friendship evangelism” than program evangelism. He is not advocating a one method formula, whether by using a uniform tract approach, or some slick campaign. He is talking about a case by case disciplined accommodation to the needs of an individual or group. We need to take the time it takes to really get to know people who do not yet know Christ. Once we know their unique fears and hopes and hang ups, we are able to explain the gospel for their context.

There are many approaches to making the Gospel relevant. Tim George tells of one preacher’s approach (though I don’t recommend this today):

There was a farmer who had three sons: Ron, Don and Little John. All had their names on the church roll but none ever attended church or had time for God. Then one day Don was bitten by a rattlesnake. The doctor was called and he did all he could to help Don, but the outlook for his recovery was very dim indeed. So the pastor was called and appraised of the situation. The pastor arrived, and began to pray as follows: "O wise and righteous Father, we thank Thee that in Thine wisdom thou didst send this rattlesnake to bite Don. He hasn’t been inside the church in years and has shown little interest in You. We trust that this experience will be a valuable lesson to him and will lead to his genuine repentance. And now, O Father, wilt thou send another rattlesnake to bite Ron, and another to bite Little John, and another really big one to bite the old man. For years we have done everything we know to get them to get serious with Thee. Thank you God for rattlesnakes.”[i]

III. Go the Distance (9:24-27)

1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV) ²⁴Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. ²⁵Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. ²⁶Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. ²⁷No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.

Discipline yourself like a trained athlete.

Why?

To Reach People for Christ.

All the right equipment? How many of you have fishing poles at home, some tackle, some lures, or flies?

How many of you have caught any fish in the last 6 months? Why haven’t you? The reason is obvious, you have all the right equipment but you haven’t gone fishing. Some of us are like that with our faith. We have all the knowledge and resources we need. We just haven’t gone fishing. You can’t finish the race if you aren’t running. You’ve got to start the race to begin with. Paul isn’t talking about the race of Christianity. He is talking about the finishing of the commissioning. Every Christian is a commissioned athlete. The race, or sport is a particular race, a particular sport. The race is our commissioning to go. We have been sent as Jesus has been sent. This is to be our priority. When is the last time you went fishing? When is the last time you focused on the prize? When is the last time you disciplined yourself to go the distance? No. Some of us are standing around looking at each other asking, “What distance?” “The distance to where?” Paul’s whole passionate appeal is to reach people for Christ. Let us not lose sight of that. This is the reason he lays down his rights.

I am preaching to myself as much as I am preaching to you. The temptation for me is to sit here and wait for the fish. Fishing just doesn’t happen that way, does it.

Norman Cates shared the humorous story of a guy who prayed this prayer every morning: "Lord, if you want me to witness to someone today, please give me a sign to show me who it is." One day he found himself on a bus when a big, burly man sat next to him. The bus was nearly empty but this guy sat next to our praying friend. The timid Christian anxiously waited for his stop so he could exit the bus. But before he could get very nervous about the man next to him, the big guy burst into tears and began to weep. He then cried out with a loud voice, "I need to be saved. I’m a lost sinner and I need the Lord. Won’t somebody tell me how to be saved?" He turned to the Christian and pleaded, "Can you show me how to be saved?" The believer immediately bowed his head and prayed, "Lord, is this a sign?" Are you looking for a "sign" to start witnessing?[ii]

[i] Tim George in a message entitled, “What is Real Faith?” at

http://www.sermoncentral.com/sercentral/sermon.asp?SermonID=35838&ContributorID=4835

[ii] Richard Crow in a message entitled, “Where there is No Vision”

http://www.sermoncentral.com/sercentral/sermon.asp?SermonID=36324&ContributorID=6123