"Hmmm, It's Blank"

1 Corinthians 9:16–27 ¹⁶For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! ¹⁷For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. ¹⁸What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

            You might think this means you don't have to pay me to be your pastor after reading this piece of scripture.  However, this bit of scripture is talking about receiving glory through boasting a different gospel than that which Christ has given us.  If I were to make up my own gospel then I would be preaching in vain seeking glory for myself; nothing good or awesome would come out of it.  In order to receive what is good it has to come from God, His word, His Son our Lord and Savior, and the Holy Spirit.  When we seek our own glory we fool ourselves, and endanger those we might fool around us.  But when the gospel of Christ and the cross are truly preached than God receives the glory as He should and we are blessed to know of the gifts He has given us.

            There is only one gospel, and it is God's gift to us. It is unfortunate that we doubt whether or not we actually received this awesome gift.  When you ask most church goers (vs. true believers) if they are saved or not, the usual answer is, "I hope I am."  Actually what they are saying is, "I'm not sure I am good enough."  If we look at the true meaning of hope, scriptural hope actually means that it is a done deal.  So if one really knew what they were saying when they said hope, they would realize that they said as do true believers, "Yes I am saved."

            Unfortunately most people think hope means wish, and wishing is to say you don't have whatever you are wishing for.  In other words you have doubt and do not realize that you just told God you're not sure you believe Him when He tells you He gave His only Son so that you might live.  Hmmm, that just might be a sin.  So now you might want to ask how can one be sure whether God is telling us the truth or not about our salvation?  Good question.  The answer lies in the Word. Romans 10:17.

            There was a lady who thought for sure she was going to heaven.  She always appeared to do the right things, she was nice to everyone, helped people when she could, and everyone seemed to like her when she would meet them.  All in all the woman was an upstanding citizen of her community.

Well as expected this woman died and found herself standing just outside this very large gate made of gold and inlaid with pearls.  At the entrance of the gate stood a very important looking person who supported some very beautiful wings, and a glowing halo hovering over the person's head.  As the woman approached the gold and pearl inlaid gate the person standing in the entrance way to the gate introduced himself as the arch angel Gabriel.  With his soft yet firm voice he asked the woman if she wished entry into heaven. 

The woman just stood there in awe for awhile and managed to whisper out a quiet yes.  Gabriel then asked the woman, and what do you think makes you worthy enough to pass through these gates?  The woman looked at him and gathering her courage trying to sound confident she said, I'm a good person, just ask those who know me, and I have done a lot of good things too.  Well, said Gabriel, let's see as he produced two scrolls, one of which was very small while the other was appeared to be quite large in diameter.  Gabriel said this small scroll is all those good things you claimed to have done and are known for by your peers, and the large scroll... well this is your sinful nature; shall I read the large scroll to you?  The woman now shrinking where she stood, quietly explained that it would take a very long time judging by it's size.  Gabriel said, "that's why they call it an eternity."

1 Corinthians 9:19–23 ¹⁹For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. ²⁰To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. ²¹To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. ²²To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. ²³I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

            We might say something about works here as Paul explains his evangelism techniques.  First we should make it clear that God prepared us for good works.  Ephesians 2:10, 2 Timothy 3:17 and Titus 2:7.  However, it is not our works or our own goodness that will get us into heaven.  You see, we cannot do enough good works or be good enough to help everyone in the way they actually need help.  We certainly cannot be good enough to get ourselves into heaven as we all have the same disease, which is our sinful nature.  This sinful nature cannot be cured by man, but it has a cure that is only delivered to us through the gospel of Jesus Christ. 

The gospel is the message we are all to share with more than just those we know.  Matt. 28:18-20.  We need to share even with those we don't know and more over those we do not care for.  How is this done?  Paul met people where they were both in the location and also in the knowledge they were brought up in. One by going out to them and two by listening to their story Paul you might say traveled to the people and then traveled with them through their story.  Once you know ones story you can now take this information and relate the gospel to it and letting the person know how God wants us all to share in His gospel.  This was how Philip engaged the Ethiopian.  Acts 8:26-40.  Philip like Paul, listened to the stories of those they did not know in order to relate to them the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Acts 17:22-34.

1 Corinthians 9:24–27 ²⁴Do you not know that in a race all the runners compete, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. ²⁵Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. ²⁶So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. ²⁷But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Paul talks about running for the prize at the end of the race, this prize is not one that you compete against others for, rather it is one that the Holy Spirit and the Word of God prepares you so you are ready to receive it.  The discipline and exercise one needs to do is to share in the study of God's word.  This is where your coach the Holy Spirit works to get you ready to receive the prize which is the gospel in its fullest action.  The gospel received brings you to repentance, gives you forgiveness and puts you in the winner's circle of eternity.  The discipline that Paul is talking about is the word of God interpreted by the Holy Spirit and turned into greater faith as another gift given to us from our Father in heaven.

Well getting back to the woman who is still shrinking before the arch angel Gabriel.  Gabriel looks down at the lady and says to her you might want to sit down; this looks like it could take awhile.  So the lady slowly moved to the ground she was standing on before the golden and pearl inlaid gate intensely keeping her eyes glued to Gabriel and the large scroll.  With a flip of his wrist Gabriel let the scroll unroll.  The woman watched as the scroll unrolled before her and seemingly rolling out of site.  The woman glanced back up at Gabriel who now had a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eyes.  The woman just stared; puzzled by what she saw when finally Gabriel's eyes met hers.  Gabriel looking at the woman who thought for sure she was now doomed to hell for all eternity said, "Hmmm, its blank."

When we are forgiven God forgets and does not keep records of our sins.  Isaiah 43:25.  All of our scrolls of sin are erased through the forgiveness that Jesus Christ paid for on the cross for all peoples past, present, and future.  The race is to have faith and believe; the prize is the eternal life and relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ given as a gift through His works alone.  In the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.