204-Receive First, Then Willingly Give 2#
204-Receive First, Then Willingly Give 2
(JP Text Group - Organized by Yun Dan Feng Qing)
19 Although I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. 20 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; 21 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 people so that by all possible means I might save some. 23 I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.
24 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. 25 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. 26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. 27 No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Let’s pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You! You have given us this word, granting us wisdom, renewing our strength. As a new week begins, may we receive strength and provision from You, becoming our help. We commit this time to the Holy Spirit, renewing us, helping us, solely looking to You, casting our burdens upon You, receiving strength and help from You, right at this moment! I believe You provide for each brother and sister in due time. You know what we need, and the Holy Spirit supplies what is necessary through this word. Thank You and praise You! In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray! Amen!
Sharing Topic: Receive First, Then Willingly Give Part 2
What are we to receive? The last sermon told us to first receive grace and then give grace; if you receive the law, what you give out will be the law. Today, I want to share about receiving freedom. Only when you are free can you give others freedom. Often, some people ask: As Christians, can we do such things? For example, during the Qingming Festival, can we visit graves? Can we eat blood? Can we eat food offered to idols? Many people have such questions; can we do these things?
Under the Old Testament law, there were indeed many things that could not be done; but under the New Testament, can we do them? Some say, "Sure, it doesn’t matter what you do." That is not freedom; that is indulgence. How should we face such matters? How do we interact with the world? How can we possess such wisdom? The Qingming Festival is approaching; should we burn paper? Should we worship ancestors? Can we do these things? It’s not about whether we can do them, but whether we are willing to do them!
Under the Old Testament, it was about what could not be done: you cannot do this, you cannot do that. What is the difference between the New Testament and the Old Testament?
After Jesus Christ died on the cross for our sins, He redeemed us from the curse of the law and freed us from bondage. We are free, Amen! Under this freedom, can we do these things?
In fact, there has been a change: it is no longer about whether we can do it, but whether we are willing! Do you understand the difference? If you are willing to do it, even under the Old Testament law, if you must eat blood, can the law restrain you? No! Under the New Testament, God has given you a power that, once you understand Jesus' love, you choose not to do it. It’s not about whether you can do it, but whether you are willing. If you think burning paper is necessary, if ancestor worship is a must, then go ahead and do it.
Some might say: Your teaching is very dangerous; you should still do it! Please listen carefully, my premise is: If you think it is necessary, if it must be done, then go ahead. The purpose is very strong. Let me ask everyone a question: If you are saved and go burn paper, will you go to hell? No. Will you lose your salvation? No. What will you lose? You will lose nothing, but you may bring some pressure upon yourself, even some guilt.
I am a Christian; how can I do such things? Condemnation arises. If you don’t do it, these problems won’t arise. Others might say: He is a Christian, yet he does such things; you will attract discussions and even attacks; that is the outcome you face. The reason for not going is simple: we are unwilling to go! If there is a necessity to go, then go; this is conditional. It’s not about wanting to do this thing; if you don’t do it, you feel uncomfortable, that’s a problem. No one is forcing you to go; if you insist on doing it, you may not even be saved.
Many go because of family needs; that’s our wisdom! First, receive freedom, then give others freedom. As children of God in this generation, how should we conduct ourselves? Paul said: Although I am free, freedom does not mean doing whatever I want; in Christ, our freedom means: when I don’t want to do something, I don’t have to do it. That is true freedom! Wanting to do whatever you want is not freedom; that is indulgence! When I want to do whatever I want, I generally won’t do anything good.
Our freedom: if we don’t want to do it, we don’t have to! Can we visit graves and burn paper? Do we have the ability to do that? If anyone lacks this ability, tell me, I can teach you; you can learn it in a few minutes. Everyone has this freedom, but we have another kind of freedom: the freedom not to do it! It’s not that we cannot do it, but that we are unwilling to do it! This is called freedom, and the Bible also refers to it as self-control! We won’t go with the flow; we won’t follow the crowd.
Paul said he is free. This means he is not under the control of this matter. In John 16, after chapter 17, when Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane, He gave us a prayer; the following chapters are Jesus praying for us before the Father, a long prayer between the Son and the Father.
One part says this, John 17:15, "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one."
When we see the world is so corrupt, what should we do? Most people choose: if they have the ability, they leave the crowd, leave the city, and go to a place where no one lives, escaping the world. This is not the best method. Jesus did not ask us to be isolated from the world after believing in Him; He wants us to live more freely. This freedom does not bring harm to others; rather, you can influence others, making them more harmonious, Amen! Helping an unfree person find freedom, having self-control in all things, this is the prayer Jesus made for us: "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one."
There is indeed spiritual warfare; the devil is always deceiving us, tempting us, hoping we will fall. When we encounter these problems, we panic, worry, and even fear; this is called being unfree. What should we do? You need to understand that Jesus has already overcome the world, so when Jesus said, "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one," after Jesus went to the cross, He has already placed this power within us, which can keep you from all the devil's schemes, Amen!
Paul said he is free, but then he also said, "Although I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible." Although Paul said he is free, he willingly became a servant to all. Who wants to be a servant? If given a choice, would you command a hundred thousand troops or serve others? Which would you prefer? To command an army and decide who to destroy, or to wash others' feet and be a nanny? Which would you choose?
To command an army and do as you please, that is the freedom we desire. But Paul said, "Although I am free," proving he has that ability, yet he chose to be a servant. We might say: Paul has a problem; why would a good person do that! It has been mentioned before that Paul had Roman citizenship, and in that era, as long as you had Roman citizenship, you wouldn’t have to work for life; the state would provide everything you needed because there were too many colonies. Paul was also highly educated and a leader in the religious community. Yet, he gave it all up, willingly becoming a servant to all, preaching the gospel every day. Even when others rejected him, he continued to do so. Paul said, "Although I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone."
Do we not understand what Paul means by being a servant? Paul mentions in many letters that he is a servant of Jesus Christ; is he a son or a servant? A son! So why does he call himself a servant? For the work. Are you a son or a servant? A son! Are you a servant? Yes. So, are you a son or a servant? A son. Many people do not understand and say: We cannot call ourselves children of God; calling ourselves children of God is too proud; you should be more humble and say you are a servant of God. What does it mean to be a servant of God? It means you can be bullied and made to do whatever.
Do you know what a preacher is? Always on call! If you call at twelve, you must come to my house at twelve; I have something to do, and you must come immediately. Whenever I call you, you must come; that is preaching, always on call.
Who is a servant? A preacher is a servant. Brothers and sisters, is this not the role of a servant? Is Paul a son or a servant? Both! Some say, "No, how can it be both?" We are children of God, as Paul’s letters tell us.
Let’s look at a passage, Romans 8:14-16,
14 For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. 15 The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." 16 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children;
Through this passage, Paul tells us that we are children of God! Since Paul can say that those led by the Spirit of God are children of God, and that the Spirit you received does not make you slaves, you are not living under the law of the Ten Commandments, worrying every day, fearing that you cannot become a son; you are already a child of God. Since you have received the spirit of sonship, you can cry out "Abba, Father," which proves one thing: the Spirit testifies with your spirit that you are indeed a child of God! Paul also understands that he is a child of God, but why does he say he is a servant?
Is this a humble statement? No! Paul knows his identity before God; please listen carefully: your identity is that you are a child of God! Sometimes Paul also says: A servant of Jesus Christ, Apostle Paul; his position is that of an apostle, his identity is that of a son of God, and his work is that of a servant. Do you understand? A servant refers to his service before people.
When did Paul ever say before God: "Lord, I am so pitiful; I am your servant; I am unworthy to pray to You!" Did he ever do that? No! When Paul prayed before God, he always believed he was a child of God! He also knew he had the apostolic office, which was given to him by God. You should also understand that God has given you the identity of a son of God; you also have a position before God; you need to discover what your position is. When serving, what kind of way should you serve?
Mark 10:42-45,
42 Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. 43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. 45 For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
This is a servant; when serving and helping others, it should be done in a servant's way; this is the method of service in the kingdom of heaven. In the kingdom of heaven, the higher your position, the more you are a servant to all; if you do not serve anyone, you can only receive service from others. The Bible says it is more blessed to give than to receive, meaning that when you serve others, it proves you are capable! Jesus Christ came to serve us; He can serve everyone, which represents His ability to serve all! This is our Jesus Christ! Amen!
Whether it is the lame, the blind, those with heart diseases, those with physical ailments, or various problems, they can all come to Jesus, and He can serve you! I hope you can understand this: when serving others, it represents that God has placed power within you and will use that power, so you are free. It may seem like you are serving, being a servant to all, but in reality, God has lifted you up.
The difference between us and the world is this: the Gentiles have rulers who lord it over them, proving that the servant is in a position of authority. The kings of the Gentiles are high and mighty, with high officials exercising authority over them. Why do they exercise authority? Why do they manipulate power? The reason is that they do not feel respected! They must use high-pressure policies, employing all sorts of deceitful means to make people obey!
When it comes to the kingdom of heaven, why do people willingly believe in Jesus? Why do they bow down and worship Jesus? In the book of Revelation, there are twenty-four elders who, upon seeing the Lamb on the throne, take off their crowns and fall down, saying: "Worthy is the Lamb to receive glory and honor." In fact, Jesus is serving them; after being served, these people feel the love of Christ, the acceptance of Christ, and the power of Jesus Christ.
Brothers and sisters, we do not manipulate power to gather a group of people. We bring people over and serve them with the love of Christ. Hallelujah! In such service, you are first free, and those you serve can also find freedom! If it is about exercising power, it proves one thing: initially, he was free, but now he must become unfree, needing to listen to you in everything, which requires the use of power to achieve.
We are not like that; among you, whoever wants to be great must be your servant. When a person can do anything, that person is truly impressive. If your company has someone who can do everything beautifully, that person will hold a high position in your heart. It is like that. In Christ, when we serve others, it is the same. First, we are free.
Paul is free in Christ, and you are also free! A free person has self-control! He knows what he is doing, so Paul said: To the Jews, I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. Why did Paul become like a Jew? He is a Jew himself; why would he still become a Jew? It is like me telling you: To the Chinese, I became like a Chinese, which proves I might not be Chinese. Paul is a Jew; why does he say, "To the Jews, I became like a Jew, to win the Jews"? It does not mean Paul threw away his identity as a Jew; he is still a Jew. It means that when he faces Jews under the law, under various pressures, and in bondage, he must first enter into their situation and be like them, Amen!
To preach the gospel to the Jews, Paul must observe the Sabbath. If he does not observe the Sabbath, they will not pay attention to him. Those people have high standards; he must observe all the Jewish regulations. If the Jews see that he is indeed one of them, then he can speak to them. In this situation, it seems that Paul is under the Jewish law, but in reality, he is not under the law. Do you understand? This is freedom!
We are not without law; we are under a higher law. That is why Paul said: To those under the law, although I am not under the law, I became like one under the law, with the purpose of winning those under the law. The significance of Paul observing the Sabbath and the Jews observing the Sabbath is different; those people say: If I do not observe the Sabbath, God will strike me, and I will not receive blessings. Paul’s purpose in observing the Sabbath is to win these people, not to observe the Sabbath for the sake of observing it. The only purpose is to save those who observe the Sabbath but do not understand why they do so. Hallelujah!
It is like us gathering; many people come to gather, but everyone’s way and purpose of gathering are different. We come to receive God’s provision, but some come because they have to; if they do not go, God will make them uneasy in a thousand ways. Just now on the road, a sister asked me how to say hello in Korean, and I said "Annyeong haseyo" (phonetically), which is a direct translation from Chinese. "Annyeong haseyo" is a respectful way of saying hello. What does "annyeong" mean? It means peace and stability, which is the meaning of peace. Are you at peace? Peace!
We come to this gathering to receive God’s peace, to receive God’s power! Some people come out of obligation: I must go; I cannot offend this God, and I cannot escape Him. From top to bottom, from left to right, He is everywhere, all-powerful, all-knowing... For us, this is good, but for them, it becomes bondage. They cannot escape; this turns them into people under the law. Everyone is gathering, but the meaning is completely different, Amen!
We are free, Hallelujah! Free to enjoy worship, free to enjoy provision, free to live, Amen! Paul has already been freed from the law, freed from the curse; he wants to save those under the law, so he must observe the law again, Amen! The original text indicates that some people refer to winning some souls. Paul observes the Sabbath to win some souls! Amen! Should we attend a church under the law? If you are listening to the sermon today, perhaps your church is a church under the law; you should go to gather to win some people! Amen! Hallelujah!
21 To those without the law, I became like one without the law, to win those without the law. Though I am not free from God’s law; I am under Christ’s law.
Who are those without the law? They are Gentiles without the Ten Commandments. Paul has two groups of people to preach the gospel to: the first group is the Jews, and the second group is the Gentiles. How should we preach the gospel to the Gentiles? Should we tell them the Jewish laws? No, because they do not understand and do not know.
To preach the gospel to the Gentiles, you must become like one without the law! Do not always mention the Ten Commandments in front of Gentiles; this is our wisdom. When preaching the gospel to non-believers, do not start with "Hallelujah" or "Thank God"; they will be put off by you. Why? Because they do not have God! They do not understand; if you keep using religious jargon, they will be put off. This is the wisdom we need!
To those without the law, I became like one without the law. We should wisely preach the gospel to them, without saying what the Bible says or what Jesus said; we can turn what Jesus said into our own words and tell them, Amen! Do not start with how the Bible says; do not start with "Hallelujah"; otherwise, it is no different from the jargon of other religions. This is Paul’s wisdom.
"To those without the law, I became like one without the law, to win those without the law. Though I am not free from God’s law; I am under Christ’s law."
What law is Paul under before Christ? It is not the law of the Ten Commandments; it is the law of love, the law of the Holy Spirit. The Gentiles are superstitious, following ancestral customs; Paul did not attack them or look down on them. When Paul went to Athens and saw idols everywhere, he did not say: "This filthy city, these corrupt people." He even saw an altar with the inscription "To an Unknown God." He did not know what that god was, but he could not miss it.
Paul did not say: "You wicked people, you have violated our Ten Commandments; you deserve to die." Instead, Paul asked: "Do you know what the inscription 'To an Unknown God' means?"
They said they did not know.
"I will tell you about a God you have not heard of."
They were eager to find out which god they did not know.
Paul said, "I know a God; let me introduce Him to you."
Paul explained what the true God is like: He does not need human service; rather, He provides for people, giving them life and breath." When they heard this, they found it reasonable. Paul did not say, "I used to do this and that, and now I have abandoned it all to gain Christ." If you tell the Athenians this, what will happen? The Athenians will say, "Have you lost your mind? Why are you telling us this?" They do not want to hear it!
Does Paul have no law? He does; he possesses the law of love! What is Paul’s purpose in speaking to these Athenians? Is it to show how noble God is? To trample on their gods? How many Christians lack wisdom, opening their mouths to say that the god you believe in is false, that it is not real, and that only ours is the best... How do you think they will feel? The more you say, the more annoyed they become. "I have believed in this for many years, and you say mine is false?" They cannot accept that. This is wisdom! Amen!
You have love within you; the first characteristic of love is acceptance! First accept them. In this regard, Christians often do not behave as well as Buddhists. They are calm and say, "What you believe is false," and you say, "You are wrong." We are just climbing up from different angles! Their understanding is like that; they do not get angry or quarrel with you. We, on the other hand, take the true God and argue with others every day.
We need to learn from Paul: "To those without the law, I became like one without the law." But we have a law within us, the law of the Holy Spirit, knowing what we are doing. We have a law, the law of love, in loving them, not in rejecting those who worship idols. Our purpose is to win these people. What we should do is care for them; absolutely do not look down on or attack them, or even curse them, but serve them with the love of Christ. Paul received freedom from Christ, so he could serve people.
When the Qingming Festival comes, and when those people go to visit graves, if your family says you must go to worship ancestors, and everyone goes to visit graves together, you say, "I am a Christian; I cannot do this." The family will immediately explode, holding a family meeting to deal with you, the unfilial son. What will you do? To uphold your faith, some people have said, "For our faith, I would rather sever ties than bow to the dead." If you do that, you are abandoning God and will not be saved. They make it sound very serious, and many people have ended up with broken families because of these things. How many people have not believed in Jesus because of this?
"I cannot believe; my spouse just passed away, and it has not been three years; you say that after believing in Jesus, I should abandon her, leaving her alone and desolate in that place, without even a piece of paper to offer her. I feel guilty..." This is a very real issue. When faced with these situations, what should we do? Many people have asked me this, and I have also asked the Lord: "Lord, what should I do?" I cannot just say, "You all go; it’s fine," as that would become indulgence. But I also cannot say, "I will resolutely sever ties with them." Even so, I cannot compromise my faith; I cannot give in even a little. Otherwise, many families will have problems because of this.
Later, God gave me four words: "Harmony is paramount!" If we believe in Jesus and cause our families to be in turmoil, is that the result you want to see? If because of the issue of visiting graves, your family cuts ties with you, will your family members be able to accept Jesus later? No! They will hate you, thinking, "My son was taken away by Jesus!" In the future, if anyone mentions Jesus to them, they will get angry; this is a fact. If you preach the gospel to them, will they still be able to listen? What about that soul? So I still say: Harmony is paramount. You are already a believer in Jesus, but they do not care whether you believe in Jesus or not; it has nothing to do with them. For this reason, you must go visit graves. Do you want to go? Go with them, but always remember: Harmony is paramount! Amen!
There was a brother who faced such a situation: an elder passed away, and there were no believers in his large family; he was the eldest son, and he had to handle many matters. His brothers all knew he believed in Jesus and that believers absolutely do not do these things. In the end, this brother asked me: "Teacher Ren, what should I do?" I also prayed to God about this matter, and God said four words: "Harmony is paramount!"
They had already held a family meeting; once he dared not to do this, they had already planned to cut ties with him. One time, that brother stood up and said: "I am a believer in Jesus; although I do not do this, for your sake, I will listen to you. Whatever you want me to do, I will do." As a result, a dramatic change occurred. After this matter ended, his brothers and relatives came to him and said: "Why is the Jesus you believe in different from the one that so-and-so believes in? If your Jesus is real, we are all willing to believe with you." Is this not the result we want?
If you insist on holding onto your so-called faith and maintain your position, the entire family will not believe in Jesus. What is the purpose of harmony? It is for the Lord! To win these people! I am not encouraging everyone to do these things; there is no turning back. However, family harmony must come first, and then there will be opportunities to preach the gospel to them; otherwise, there will be no chance to win these people.
Paul observed the Sabbath not to observe the Sabbath, but to win these people. If during the festival, there is an opportunity to visit graves with relatives, you can talk to them on the way: "Can I tell you about...?" You can avoid mentioning the Bible, avoid mentioning Jesus, but can you tell them about something else? Ask them if they know where the custom of mourning and remembering the deceased comes from. If they say they do not know, you can tell them where the principles in the Bible are. They will find it quite fresh; usually, you cannot catch them, but now you have the opportunity. Use every moment and opportunity to share the gospel with them; the only purpose is to win these people!
First, you must be free. If you say, "I cannot; if I touch that paper, I will not be able to sleep," or "If I touch that ghostly thing, I will be disturbed by ghosts." If you are like this, what gospel can you preach to them? You must first know: even if I touch that paper money, it cannot do anything to me; the Holy Spirit within me is greater than anything in the world! I can serve them; they cannot do anything to me. This is freedom.
Paul already has the freedom of love and the freedom of the Holy Spirit. Although he participates in these matters, he does not worship these things. What I am talking about today is that ancestor worship is different from remembering our ancestors. Worship has the meaning of bowing. Our parents raised us for many years; when they pass away, we can go to tidy their graves, but if you go just to say, "You must bless me; bless me to do things safely; bless me to make more money!" Many people go to worship like this: "My ancestors, you must bless me!" This is worship. We do not go to worship; we go to remember our ancestors. Amen! What we do is to win the living. Hallelujah! This is the freedom Paul speaks of. Once you have this freedom, you can serve others.
Many people have faced these difficult choices, but I hope that through this sermon, you understand to receive His freedom from Jesus Christ and then serve others, allowing them to also find freedom. They are indeed worshiping some idols, but it is only because they do not understand and are still in bondage. You have already understood; you need to pull them out of bondage. First, you must let them recognize you; if they do not recognize you, it is useless to say anything.
2 Corinthians 3:17 The Lord is the Spirit. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
This is not a principle-less compromise; first clarify our faith. If they say, "No, if we do this, our whole family will lose face in front of others," then give them enough face. On the way, tell them what true face is. Our purpose is to preach the gospel to them. We take a step back, giving them some ground; this makes it easier for others to accept the gospel. Amen! This is not being opportunistic or compromising. If no one requires you to visit graves, and your family does not say anything, but you take the initiative to represent your family to visit graves, that is looking for trouble. We do not do these things, but because of family reasons, we can compromise with them, with the purpose of saving them from bondage. You should not demand to visit graves; that is a problem; you may really want to gain something from that.
A person who has received true freedom in Christ understands the grace of Jesus Christ and the love of Christ. Within him is an irresistible power that guides him to show compassion to others and help them, Amen! For example, when those people say, "Can you really bear to see our ancestors without money to spend?" I cannot let go of them; are they already bound by this? First, have compassion for them; do not attack them. Then, find opportunities to explain the gospel to them. Amen!
To the weak, I became weak, to win the weak. What does this mean? What are the characteristics of weak people? They are discouraged, hopeless, complaining, and constantly nagging. In such situations, do not tell them to be quiet; do not say that. Saying that does not work. If you scare them into silence, once you leave, they will start again; the problem is not solved! What wisdom does Jesus give us? Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
For example, at a wedding, everyone is enjoying food and drink, and you say, "I am fasting." Isn’t that a mood killer? Then why are you there? People will immediately dislike Jesus! At a funeral, everyone is serious, and you are jumping around, singing, "Life is only once..." What will the outcome be? When people are weak, you are jumping around and singing; they will think you are crazy. For us, to the weak, we should become weak.
When we see some people complaining in problems, suffering in illness, they will indeed say some negative things. Let them speak first, then comfort them; this is wisdom. We need to have such a heart; first, you are free. If not, what will the outcome be? If he nags for half an hour, you will immediately become like him; this means you are not free and have been influenced by him. When we do things, we must first be free in Christ. No matter how others nag, you must maintain a heart of compassion and love, unaffected by them, so you can comfort others.
This is what Paul means: "To the weak, I became weak, to win the weak. To whatever kind of person, I became whatever kind of person; by all means, I might save some." This is Paul’s secret. Amen! This is what we are sharing today, at least to let everyone understand, "Should I do this... Should I eat this...," when facing these matters, you need to give them the love of Christ so they can find freedom. To whatever kind of person, I became whatever kind of person means: adjusting your lifestyle and methods to suit different people. Amen!
Some people are influenced by certain religious thoughts and do not eat meat; do not mention how good braised meat is in front of them, or they will stumble. What should you do? If you love meat, do not eat it in front of them; you can eat it at home. This is what it means to become like whatever kind of person, but I am not that kind of person. Amen! The purpose is only to win these people; it is to save people! Many times, to save some people, we will change our lifestyle. That does not mean we are doing it against our will; it is not to force ourselves to become that way, causing ourselves pain. If you feel very painful changing, then do not do it. You must be free; when you observe the Sabbath, first, there is no fear in your heart; you are free.
When you eat vegetables, if you see those vegetables and feel disgusted, then do not do that; let others do it. Do you understand? You must be free! When you see some people, you are willing to help them, to save these people; first, you must have compassion for them, unaffected by them, changing your lifestyle to save them, letting them see a better way of life through you. Hallelujah!
Preaching the gospel is to save people; in action, strive for harmony with others, with the purpose of supplying Christ’s salvation to them. This is the principle of Christian living! The principle during the Qingming Festival is the same; first, state your position. If others insist that you do certain things and you cannot avoid it, you must sacrifice yourself to give your family an opportunity to accept the gospel.
1 Corinthians 9:23: "I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings."
This is Paul’s heart; everything he does is for the sake of the gospel, to share in its blessings with others. In this world, our benefits are not outside of Christ! You need to let people receive this benefit. For example, if someone is sick and you lay hands and pray for them and they get better, if they do not believe in Jesus, what will happen the next time they get sick? They will come looking for you. The best way is to give them Jesus. No matter what happens to them, if they pray to God, they can receive this power. I hope all parents do not worry about their children living outside; the best way is to give them Jesus. Wherever they go, Jesus is with them! When they pray to God, He will listen! This is much faster than worrying and comforting them, calling them repeatedly. Hallelujah!
I truly believe in the Lord; I know God is with you! You know that in life, when you encounter problems, you can pray to God, and I can rest assured. If you have not learned this yet, continue to listen to the sermon until you learn it. When you go anywhere, I will not worry about you; you will influence others as well. Hallelujah! Everything we do is for the sake of the gospel, to share in its blessings. First, you must receive this benefit; then you are willing to give it to others; you have already received this freedom; you are willing to give this freedom to others. Amen!
Paul used a race in the arena to illustrate how to preach the gospel and win some people, allowing them to find freedom. In ancient times, Corinth held underground games every two years, second in importance only to the Olympics. Anyone could register to compete, but they must first qualify in the preliminaries to be eligible to compete. In the official competition, the winner would receive a crown made of branches; this is the origin of the crown. If you do not even have the qualification to enter, can you win?
I do not want to discourage those who watch games; when watching football, you get excited, jumping around, and in the end, you kick the TV and break it. The person who wins stands on the podium, and he is happily celebrating, wasting electricity and water, even happier than the winner! Why is he so happy? Did he participate in the race? If he had participated and won the trophy, it would be different from now. So, is it good to watch others’ testimonies? Yes, how can it be bad? But you have your own testimony, which is better!
Paul tells us: You must participate in the official competition; do not be a cheerleader, always witnessing others’ victories; that is useless. "My favorite team won again," but it has nothing to do with you. One day you say to others, "I received a gold medal." That is when you can speak with confidence. I want each of you to say: "The grace of Jesus Christ is upon me; I have already felt it." This is what Paul hopes you will participate in, Hallelujah! Paul said, "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." As long as you run, you have the chance to win the prize.
Brothers and sisters, when you preach the gospel to others, if you truly make some concessions, those people will be willing to listen to your sermon, willing to hear your sharing, and their lives will change; then you will receive the reward; it is much better than saying, "We have principles." Saying these things will have no effect; it will not bring any edification to people’s lives. Paul hopes that each of us will run.
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training, meaning that a true competitor in the official race cannot run casually; they must run according to the track. When we serve, our hearts should be centered on love and forgiveness. When you pray for others, when you lay hands on them, you must do it with love at the center, Amen! Then there will be power! Thank and praise the Lord!
26 Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly;
Paul’s running is purposeful; his direction is in Jesus Christ, and the benchmark is Jesus Christ! You are the same; your benchmark is Jesus Christ! No matter what you encounter, you must know that Jesus has already run to the finish line; that is the reward, that is the power. This power is also upon you because Jesus has given this power to you. Do you understand? No matter what kind of service you do, you must first carry this power. "I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air." If you are beating the air, what will happen? You need to find your opponent, right? We do not just hit randomly.
Paul said, "I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." How should we understand this? "I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave" is understandable, but what about the latter part? "So that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." What does this mean?
Many people say: Do not think that just because you are saved now, you will definitely be saved. If you do not preach the gospel well, one day God will cast you away. Even if you preach the gospel, if you do not preach much, you may not necessarily be saved; you may also be cast away. Does God not want Paul? Does He think Paul preaches too little? If that is the case, we all have no chance. What does this mean? "So that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize" does not refer to the issue of salvation, but rather that Paul may lose some rewards. Do you understand?
For example, if in my family, there is not a single believer, and I am the only one who believes, during the Qingming Festival, my family insists that I must visit graves and worship ancestors. I say, "I am a Christian; I absolutely will not do anything to worship ghosts." Saying this, the family will be furious and will want to kick me out. Originally, I could have preached the gospel to them. If I say, "We can visit graves together, but you must know that I am a Christian, and I do not do these things, but for your sake, I can do it. You want face, and I will give you face."
When the family sees that I am understanding, we will have the opportunity to preach the gospel. If you tell them, and they get saved, the reward will be upon you. If you insist on your own way, and as a result, your family cuts ties with you, you will lose that reward. This is what Paul means: "So that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." Originally, I could have received this reward, but because of my stubbornness, I lost this opportunity for reward.
Earlier, it was mentioned that he was running a race; in the end, he did not win the championship, so he did not have that freedom! Amen! He did not have that ability, so he naturally could not achieve it. The teachings he received were like that, so he would not do this. You are free! You are free in Christ! Freedom does not mean doing whatever you want; rather, it means that when you do not want to do something, you can choose not to do it. Of course, when you are willing to do it, your purpose is not for that thing, but to save some people. I hope everyone first receives freedom from Christ, receives His grace, and with that love and freedom, gives that freedom to more people. Hallelujah!
Let’s pray together:
Heavenly Father, we thank and praise You. Thank You for serving us again through this word. We do not serve like the rulers of the Gentiles, using authority to control, but we are willing to be servants of all, giving them the love of Christ and the freedom of Christ. Lord, thank You for giving us this opportunity to serve, placing souls before me, allowing me to face different people like Paul, showing them the love of Christ. You will give me abundant rewards, but I do not do this for the rewards, for You have already given me so much. I am willing to bring freedom to them for the Lord, to give them Your love.
Lord, give me this power to spread Your love. I first receive Your freedom and give this freedom away, letting the world see that although we live in this world, we do not belong to this world; we can live out the likeness of Christ. We are messengers of love, filled with the love of Christ, bringing harmony to our families and peace to others. This is the grace of Jesus Christ. Thank You and praise You! Thank You for giving us the word, renewing us, and helping us. Hallelujah! All glory belongs to You! In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, we pray! Amen!