Have you consider giving up your Rights?

1 Corinthians 9:1-12

Jan has often said, all you do is ask questions of people, and my reply is; it is the only way to learn, it is the only way to gain knowledge and to have relationships.  It is also a skill I learned in becoming a success in sales, and early on I learned to ask the first person you saw in a business for help; we called them receptionist or the gate keeps, the ones who had the power to allow or not allow you to see the boss.  I always began with a cold call, (a call on a business where you did not have an appointment) in this way; “Good morning, my name is Bob Rice, and I need help, will you please help me?”  The receptionist is often a mother, so she had pity on this young man and her mothering instinct kicked in and she went out of her way to help me.

Paul was not in sales, or maybe he was, for his trade was a tentmaker, and you will find this in Acts 18:1-3.  I’m sure that even tentmakers needed to market their products, so that may have been where he learned to ask questions.  First, Paul asked; “Am I not free?” and before it seems anyone could answer he ask; “Am I not an apostle?” and without a breath, it seems he ask; “Have I not seen Jesus our Lord?”  Now we want to tell Paul to take a breath, but he is not through with the questions, “Are not you my workmanship in the Lord?”

Paul is not expecting answers for these are rhetorical replies to those who questioned his authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ.  The rights Paul is addressing are compensation in the same way as the other apostles, the right to take a wife as those listed and that list include Peter.  The right to refrain from tent making and be full time in teaching and preaching, and as we examine Paul’s ministry he often did not choose to exercise his rights.

I wish that some of the godly men who minister in little Baptist churches had the courage to address their congregation and to stand and preach this Scripture with power and authority, for many a deacon believed it was their duty to make sure the preacher was the poorest one in the church.  Many of those great saints had little in this world but the great reward will come to them in eternity.   Paul is asking this question; if you have received spiritual things from your teacher, should he not receive material benefits, for they are temporal and the spiritual is eternal?  It is clear that Paul is willing to give up his rights so that in no way he hinders the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Today I hope we have learned the lesson the Father is trying to teach us in 1 Corinthians 9:1-12, and I also hope that our pastors never allow the temporal things such as salary or size of the church plant to hinder their ministry.  I’ve always wondered if salary and size of a church will have a bearing on a pastor hearing the call of the Lord?  It also happens in the business world, and I’ve watched it happen to a few men of faith, some never miss a step and others just drop out and quit.  I believe it tied to the fellowship and relationship a person has with the Father?  Giving up his rights Paul learned to depend on God’s provision. We can all learn from Paul’s example of being willing to give up his rights.

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice