THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2013
Nehemiah 9:22–10:39
1 Corinthians 9:19–10:13
Psalm 34:1–10
Proverbs 21:13
“Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.” (1 Corinthians 9:19)
Paul’s missionary method involved emptying himself so that he might become fully available for the Gospel ministry. He temporarily set aside his personal customs and comfort in order to identify with his audience. He followed closely after Jesus’s pattern of humility: “Then he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For it is the one who is least among you all who is the greatest.’” (Luke 9:48)
In vv. 20–23, he recognizes the differences among those he met. While Greeks sought after wisdom and self-enlightenment through philosophical knowledge, the Jews looked for the “power of God” (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:18–2:5). Paul explained that the Cross represented the “foolishness of God,” meaning that the world, when peering at the Cross, would fail to connect this gruesome death with salvation and the eternal Lordship of Christ.
In light of both Jews’ and Greeks’ preconceptions, Paul approached his ministry with a singular focus on the risen Jesus, trusting in the power and wisdom of the Gospel instead of fancy methods: “And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:1,2)
Given the matchless value of God’s Word and its focus, we likewise may rest confidently in the power of the Gospel. We desire to meet people where they are but to share the love of God, speaking with both grace and truth (John 1:14).
“Do 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. Everyone 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. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, 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.” (1 Corinthians 9:24–27)
Paul here calls the Corinthians to a high standard of godly training and witness. Instead of settling for mediocrity, the Kingdom mindset should include a striving for excellence -- to the glory of God.
Training for running involves working out multiple muscles, strengthening your breathing, and pushing your endurance. It requires breaking down the body in order to build it more agile, quicker, and more resilient. Both short- and long-distance runners include faster and slower workouts in preparing for races.
As Paul writes later in 1 Timothy 4:7,8, this training brings eternal gain: “Have nothing to do with godless myths and old wives’ tales; rather, train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”
With the approach of a race, the gun finally sounds, and each runner struggles toward the finish line, giving everything possible.
Like running, in a Kingdom life, we exert ourselves both in training and “running the race.” Many times, these activities overlap in our daily lives. In both training and “running the race,” we earnestly seek after God, knowing that He will meet the hunger in our hearts.
May we approach both training and “running the race” with an attitude of humility and gratitude, rejoicing that God has somehow called us worthy to enjoy His presence and to participate with Him in the great work of the Gospel. May we also trust in the sufficiency of His grace and the value of His simply being with us.
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