Why Would You Want to Preach

I Corinthians 9:16-23


Several years ago, I heard a missionary say “If I could find another job where I could make as much money as I do as a missionary, I’d quit.” A church in Farmington, NM called a man as pastor, and he refused to come unless they’d guarantee him at least $150,000 per year. They managed to come up with the money, by eliminating their missions program and a building fund.

Clearly, this was not Paul’s attitude. He’d physically worked to support himself, and tells us there were times when they were actually short of food and clothing. He had no sure place to stay, and frequently spent time in prison. With his education, and training as a tent maker, Paul was well equipped to earn a living for himself in whatever he chose to do. Instead, he chose to preach, even without pay.

“For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. What is my reward then? Verily that, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel.” (I Corinthians 9:16-19)

Paul could not be proud that he was preaching the gospel, God had given him the job. No matter how well he might do it, he would still only be doing his job. It was not based on his skill or his wisdom, but only on God’s word, and any glory had to go to the Lord.

Because God had given him that job, Paul could not conscientiously neglect it. He would have to stand before God for being disobedient, Doing it willingly, would result in a reward, but he was to do it whether he wanted to or not. For Paul, however, it was more than an obligation. He would be miserable if he were not preaching the gospel. I know that feeling. Simply being able to teach or preach is it’s own reward. If necessary, you’d pay for the privilege. The best teachers and preachers all have that feeling. To see people learning and growing is that thrilling.

Like the best teachers, Paul was concerned that he could begin to abuse his position to make himself rich, or to gather a following to himself. His goal was to give the best to his hearers, and changing the focus to himself would detract from accomplishing the goal.
He describes his efforts to accomplish that goal.

“For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.” (I Corinthians 9:19-23)

A Filipino man who used to attend our church described his experience wit missionaries in the Philippines. Most of the missionaries he knew lived in the wealthy sections of Manila, and kept numerous servants to do their menial tasks. Many Filipinos would flock to them, hoping they could get one of the jobs. One missionary moved into one of the poorer areas. He and his family lived in a home much like the people used. He did his own work and welcomed the people into his home as equals.

Of all the missionaries that Levy had known, he said that this man commanded the most respect from the Filipino people, and had the greatest impact, with probably the lowest income. Having experienced the same thing on the Navajo reservation, I have no doubt that it is true. The more like the people one is, the easier it is for them to identify with you, and to believe you might understand their problems. Paul practiced this same principle in his ministry. Giving up his standards opened doors to minister. He could not retain his Jewish standards to reach gentiles. Wealth would prevent reaching the poor, and power would isolate him from the weak.

I recently read an article condemning those who had adopted more casual wear in their churches to better reach the unsaved. Paul would have approved the practice that the article condemned, so long as it did not involve doctrinal compromise. Unspiritual men set standards of dress, of titles and lifestyles that hinder the spreading of the gospel. Some of the standards are contradictory to the scriptures themselves.

Accomplishing God’s purpose must take precedence over my standards.