1 Corinthians 9:16-23February 5 & 6, 2006

Theme: Share the Gospel by All Possible Means

I. We have a sacred trust (vv. 16, 17a)

II. We can see a desperate need (vv. 19, 20–22)

III. We have a gracious reward (vv. 17b, 18, 23)

Introduction: WELS Tech 2001. Back just a few short years ago WELS Tech 2001 sounded so futuristic, wouldn’t you agree? WELS Tech 2001 was a technology conference held in Appleton. It was intended to help pastors and teachers and ordinary members of our churches to use and apply technology in sharing the gospel.

Jesus gave the church its mission “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.” The WELS Tech conference acknowledged the mission of the church. It also recognized that there are many ways to share the gospel. Using the tools of technology is certainly one more avenue to carry out our mission.

The theme of the WELS Tech conference was “By All Possible Means.” We want to share the gospel and win the lost for Christ by all possible means.

The Apostle Paul didn’t use computers or the internet or Power Point presentations to share the gospel — those things obviously weren’t available in his day. But Paul still knew that the gospel had to be shared. Paul insists that he was compelled to preach the good news about Jesus. He even goes so far as to say, “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!”

It was the Apostle Paul, not the organizers of the WELS Tech conference, who first came up with the concept of, “By All Possible Means.” Paul used whatever means were available to him to spread and share the good news of sins forgiven in Christ.

Today our sermon theme encourages you and me to Share the Gospel by All Possible Means. We want what the Apostle Paul wanted, to preach the gospel in any way possible. In essence, we want what God wants — God wants all people to hear the gospel and be saved through Jesus Christ.

In order to share the gospel, Paul tells us how associated with all sorts of people. Today we will hear that we too, need to “become all things to all men,” in order to share the gospel.

People need to hear what we know. Paul keeps our eyes fixed on the goal of our preaching, the reason why we do what we do as Christians, “To win as many as possible.”

As you listen to God’s Word today, I want you to take to heart the Holy Spirit’s encouragement for you to Share the Gospel by All Possible Means.

I. Become all things to all men

Paul speaks about his ministry quite candidly in his letters recorded in the Bible. Paul made bones about why he was a missionary. At the beginning of nearly every one of his letters, Paul says something similar to what he writes at the beginning of 1 Corinthians, I was “called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God.”

Paul makes it clear that the reason he is preaching, is because God called him. God first called Paul out of sin. Recall Paul’s earlier life. Paul, also known as Saul, was a violent man. He persecuted Christians, people like you and me. He had Christians arrested and even killed. Paul knew what it was like to live a life of sin.

Then Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus and asked, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” Several days later the prophet Ananias proclaimed the good news to Paul, “Your sins are forgiven.” Now Paul was going to serve God as a pastor and missionary. God called Paul to be his own child by faith in Christ. Then God called Paul to be a pastor and missionary. That’s why Paul says in our text, “I am simply discharging the trust committed to me.”

Paul goes on to make his case even more emphatically, “Yet when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, for I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!” You want to talk about some one who was committed to his cause? Paul believed what he preached! He was convinced it would be to his ruin if he did not share to message of God.

So what does Paul do? He says, “Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To 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. To 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. To 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.” Paul served others. He became “a slave to everyone.”

Application: How can you and I apply God’s Word to ourselves today? First we need to look at the calling we received. God chose us, we didn’t choose him. We were wandering sheep, lost and alone, Jesus sought and found us. We were stumbling blindly through this sin-filled world, God sent the Light of the World to scatter the darkness of sin and unbelief. We have been made children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Each and everyone of us has received this indescribable gift from God.

God has also given each and every one of us the command to, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”

You are commanded by God to share the message of heaven. Like Paul, this isn’t an option for us. We could paraphrase Paul’s words in our text, “For [we are] compelled to preach. Woe to [you and me] if [we] do not preach the gospel.”

You can be like Paul in another way — be all things to all people. Serve others, be a slave to them. Be a slave to your children and make it your life’s task to raise them as Children of God. Bring them to Youth Bible School, Sunday School, and Vacation Bible School. Most importantly bring them to church. Teach them by example how important worshiping God is in your life. Explain to them the order of service. Tell them why we confess our sins, and the joyful pronouncement of sins forgiven. Show them how to find hymns in the hymnal and teach them to praise God with you. Talk to them about receiving the Lord’s Supper and what it does for you. Bring them to church — there is no better family activity.

Be a slave to your friends and neighbors. Be a Christian friend to them. By your example of Christian living they will see your faith. Not only will they be drawn to the Savior by your good works, but they will also praise God for you.

Finally, be a slave to the millions of people around the world who don’t know Jesus. With your prayers and with your offerings, you can send the gospel to the four corners of the earth. Be all things to all people. Share the Gospel by All Possible Means.

Transition: Why do we do all this? Why did Paul become “a slave to everyone”? We did he associate with all the people he did? He tells us plainly, “I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some.”

II. To win as many as possible

Paul wanted to reach those who were lost in sin because he knew God’s love. Paul knew God’s love for himself. But Paul also knew how much God loved those lost sinners. God loved them enough to send his Son to die for them. That’s why Paul wants to save “as many as possible.”

Application: You and I also know the love of God. We’ve experienced it first hand in our lives. We have the good news that our sins are forgiven. We know that we are going to heaven. We also know the incredible love that God has for all people.

We carry this gospel message out into the world so that others may know their Savior. We become all things to all people in order to win as many as possible for Christ.

Conclusion: At that WELS Tech 2001 conference, we heard about being all things to all men, so that by all possible means we might save some.

Today the Holy Spirit has encouraged you to become all things to all people. Your goal is Paul’s goal, God’s goal – so that by all possible means [you] might “win as many as possible.”

Go out and Share the Gospel by All Possible Means. Amen.