Take up your copy of God's Word and turn with me to 1 Corinthians. 1 Corinthians chapter 9, verses 19 through 23. And while you are turning there, let me remind you of the latter half of a phrase in our church covenant. It reads this way. By a pure and loving example, to seek the salvation of our family and friends. We as members of this particular church agree with one another before the Lord that that is one of our aims. To seek the salvation of family and friends. And last week we spoke about raising family, namely children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. We want to broaden that tonight and think about how our desire need to be the salvation of the souls of our family, yes, but also friends and neighbors that we encounter along the way. To that end, 1 Corinthians 9, verse 19 through 23. Hear now the word of the living God. Paul writing to the church at Corinth. For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all that I might win the more. And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews. To those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law. To those who without law, as without law, not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ, that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel sake that I may be partaker of it with you. Let's pray together. Almighty God, we pray now that in this brief time you would encourage our hearts in your word that you would lift any veil that remains that stands in the way of our praying and seeking the salvation of all those that we encounter. Lord, raise our sights to the King of kings and Lord of lords who bids us to come and follow after him and speak of him along the way. These things we pray now in Jesus name. Amen. I want us to fix in our gaze tonight, for just a few moments, that phrase which we read in verse 23 of 1 Corinthians 9. Now, this I do for the gospel's sake. This I do for the gospel's sake. For the sake of the gospel, I do something in particular. What is it that Paul does? Whatever he says in this paragraph, he frames it for the sake of the gospel. Now, if we had time to review all that we looked at a while back as a church when we walked through 1 Corinthians, you will remember that Paul is dealing with a whole host of issues in the church at Corinth. A church dearly loved by Christ, and yet a church which had a whole host of issues wrong. And one of those issues was a sensitivity, Jew to Gentile and Gentile toward Jew. But tonight, what I want us to see is that Paul speaks in three different ways, at least, toward a desire to win people to Christ. A desire to win people to Christ. The context here is Paul, speaking of how to Jewish individuals, he became like a Jew. To those outside the law, if you will, the Gentiles, he became like a Gentile. In both cases, that he might win those for Christ. And I want us to look at his example tonight and glean three different things as it relates to what our covenant says, but more importantly, what the word of God says regarding our concern for the lost. The first thing is this. The gospel call involves a longing for the saving of souls. The gospel call involves a longing for the saving of souls. Now, let me be clear. The gospel is not your desire for souls to be saved. The gospel, the saving work of Jesus Christ, is not that you do something to get other people saved that you then can earn salvation. But when we say that the gospel call involves, we mean this with a whole host of other fruit that come with The gospel, when you understand the gospel, when you are in Christ, when you have been called by Christ, this undoubtedly will involve a change in your heart such that you long for the saving of souls. This, of course, will wax and wane. It will go up and down in the life of the Christian. But we can see in the example of Paul, a desire, a longing that souls would be saved. Let's look at verse 19. He says, for though I am free from all men. This connects to chapter 8, which comes before it. And again, we're at a little bit of a disadvantage not having walked through this text together for a while. But in chapter 8, you remember dealing with the issue of the weaker brother and some being concerned about food offered to idols and some not. And then in chapter 9, Paul uses himself as an example of self-denial. And so Paul is saying here, for though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all. In other words, I am willing to give up some of my rights and privileges. Why? That I might win the more, he says in verse 19. That I might win the more. Paul's desire here is less about his own rights, his own privileges, his own freedoms from certain ceremonial laws or from certain cultural issues, but rather his desire is for the salvation of souls. Simply put, brother or sister, do you have a desire to see souls saved? Do you have a desire to see souls saved? Do you find yourself praying for the souls of the lost or begging God that God would give you once again a burning desire to see souls saved? Brothers and sisters, I'm not asking you, are you an evangelist? I'm not even asking you if you witness, although this is very intricately tied to our text. I'm simply asking, do you have a desire to see souls saved? The gospel call, the call on Paul's life and the call on our lives is a call that undoubtedly will bring about in your soul by the spirit, the desire to see people one to Christ. But, you know, a second thing that I think we see in our text tonight as we continue is that the gospel requires a consideration of others. The gospel requires a consideration of others. Paul further fleshes out what he means in verse 19 when he says, For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all. Look what he says there. And to Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews. To those who are under the law as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law. But then notice what he says in verse 21. To those who are without law, as without law, that I might win those who are without law." Now, a lot of the word law there. What is he speaking of? Well, in verse 20, he's talking about Jews. To the Jewish individuals who are still, in a sense, Paul would say, keeping the ceremonial laws, keeping the feasts, keeping the food laws, still practicing that Jewish ceremonial law, he went along with it, though it was a shadow of things to come. For the Old Testament Mosaic law, the civil and ceremonial aspects of it are fulfilled in Christ. But Paul went along with these things for the sake of the Gospel. So Paul's thought was, I'm not going to claim my freedom from these things in every case. Why? that I might win the more. So in verse 20, he's speaking of, for the gospel's sake, giving up certain freedoms. But in verse 21, he says, to those who are without law of God, I became as one without law. Now, every human being is under the penalty of having broken God's moral law. But here, he's describing what the Gentiles are. Those are those individuals who did not receive the law of God in two tablets, who did not walk with the covenant people in the Old Testament. These are Gentiles. But you remember when in Jerusalem, Paul followed the ceremonial law, but when in Antioch, he didn't. You remember that when in Jerusalem, he followed the ceremonial law, but in certain aspects, when in Antioch, he didn't. And I think this is what Paul is speaking of here. Also, remember Paul's rebuke of Peter in Galatians chapter 2. Turn there with me. Galatians chapter 2, verse 11. Paul writing to the Galatian Christians. And another context writes this regarding his interaction with Peter. Now, when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, Because he was to be blamed. For before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles. But when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision. And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, if you being a Jew live in the manner of Gentiles and not as a Jew, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? We who are Jews by nature and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, even when we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law. For by the works of the law, no flesh shall be justified. But if while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is Christ therefore a minister of sin? Certainly not. For I build again those things which I destroyed. I make myself a transgressor. For I through the law died to the law that I might live to God. I've been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ in me and the life which I now live in the flesh. I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain. Now, two things are worth noting about Galatians chapter two. Number one, the issue in Galatians chapter two is not evangelism, but people seeking to add to the gospel. You must have Christ plus circumcision. The second thing, then, is when he encounters Peter, out of fear of man, doing certain things with the Gentiles, but then not doing it when the Jews come, he confronts him, brother to brother. This is part of the heartbeat that I think that we see in 1 Corinthians 9. Paul does not let certain things get in the way of ministering the gospel. He gives another example, but related. Look what he says there in verse 22. To the weak I became as weak that I might win the weak. I become all things to all men that I might by all means save some. This phrase in verse 22, to the weak I became weak, harkens back to 1 Corinthians 8 verse 13 where Paul says, Therefore if food makes my brothers stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble." Weakness could be multifaceted, but in the context clearly related to this issue of food and other such things that are conscience issues. But Paul makes the bold declaration, many have heard it said, many say it themselves, I have become all things to all men. Firstly then, what this is not. This is not a license for modern day syncretism, boys and girls. Syncretism is the mixing of the things of God with the things of the world, putting them together. Paul is not arguing for a modern day syncretism or mixture with the sinful ways of the world. Paul is not arguing for a type of evangelism that includes all manner of carnal sins. But rather, It's a taking of the gospel to all types of people and not letting differences get in the way, not putting smaller differences in the way of the larger task of seeing someone to Christ. He deals with the prejudices and preferences of each group, doesn't he? Why? That I might by all means save some. Notice then the heartbeat of Paul. You see, the gospel call involves a longing for the saving of souls, but the gospel call requires a consideration of others. So as you think about your own day, likely, if you're like me, you don't have the food issue with Jewish individuals regularly in your evangelism, in your daily living. But Do you truly care about the souls of others? How does your life and your priorities and your own interests, how do they need to change for the larger goal of seeing others come to Christ? What particulars of your life, your culture or even your secondary issues are potentially hindrances to evangelism? You see, it's not as though Paul is talking about things here that aren't important. Understanding the promises that God made to the Jewish people and how the laws of God related to that and how some were fulfilled in Christ and abrogated or done away with and others continue for all people like the Ten Commandments. These are important things. Many of us have important things. Many of us have interests and causes that we are involved in, but Are we at all at risk of elevating those things to the potential detriment of the gospel? Perhaps enter stage left social media. If you survey social media today, many Christians are discussing many good and wonderful causes. Many issues within the church, many problems in various segments regarding theology. And yet, in it all, are we at all at danger of losing the gospel call to others? Just one example among many. The gospel call requires a consideration of others. Paul models this. I have become all things to all men that I might by all means save some. So, brothers and sisters, as we think about our rhythm as a church, as you think about your rhythm in your own life as a Christian, once again, are there aspects in your life, your priorities, your interests that need to change or that need to be placed in a secondary status only so that you might more easily proclaim the gospel? What if, for some of us, we leave this sermon tonight simply with a greater prayer that God might save souls? But thirdly, I think we see this. The gospel call is a communal call to gospel work. Tucked away then at the very end of our passage in verse 23, we read this interesting phrase. Look what he says there. Now this I do for the gospel sake. What is the this? Well, I'm taking this to mean becoming all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. This I do for the gospel's sake, that I may be partaker of it with you." With you. Now, at first glance, it might seem that Paul is saying, if I do all of these things, I too can have the gospel. But that, of course, is not at all what Paul is saying. So then we are left with this. I do this for the gospel sake that I might with you be a partaker of these things. There's a corporate nature to our call to the saving of souls. There's a corporate nature, a communal nature. We are partakers together, if you will, in the call to see the gospel propelled forward among the nations. Do you understand then the corporate nature of your calling? Let me make it more practical. When you, as a member of this church, confess the church covenant, which is really just Bible verses strung together that we're walking through in this season. When you confess this, do you honestly believe that part of our church's job, our church's calling, our church's mission is to see new individuals hear the gospel? Do you see it as your own responsibility as a member of this particular corporate church to then go out to family and friends and speak of Christ? And yes, use words. There is a sense in which our church is gifted with individuals who have a unique ability to evangelize. But it may very well be that we, for far too long, have hidden behind the idea that evangelism is a particular gift only for the few. There are preachers. There you are, preacher. You're preaching. That is your gift. There are others in our body who are gifted at evangelism. They evangelize. And yet, even though he's an apostle, Paul's heartbeat here rubs off on us, doesn't it? We are people who are commanded to have a longing for the salvation. the souls. It's a work that we do together. So I will ask this bold question. Who is there in your life that you need to pray for and or speak the words of Christ to in the weeks ahead? Who is there in your life, whether it be at work, whether it be in your neighborhood, whether it be a family member that you need to, in some sense, pray for and perhaps even speak the words of Christ to This is not a sermon tonight on evangelistic methodology. We're not debating the merits of tracks, street evangelism, relational evangelism. We're not we're not debating any of that. We're simply asking the question, do you have the heartbeat of Paul? When you think of lost individuals around you that you want to, quote, see some saved. Do I have that heartbeat? And like all of the questions which we ask ourselves from the word of God, we fall into the gospel and we say to God, Lord, give me the desire to see souls saved. Increase my zeal for the lost. There are some tangible things that we can do to this end. Our prayer list each week regularly includes several aspects of evangelism we can pray for. There are mission material pamphlets in the Missions Center that can encourage you on ways to pray for our supported missionaries. Reading biographies to yourself and to your children about missionaries and figures in church history can oftentimes propel you in the work. Praying, asking the Lord daily, Lord, give me a greater desire for the salvation of souls. And then thinking about your own testimony before the Lord in prayer. Lord, you sent this person to this person who told me about Jesus. For that, I will be eternally grateful, literally. Lord, who is there that I should be praying for? That I should be speaking to? That for the sake of the gospel, I'm a partaker with others in my church of the gospel work. that by any means necessary I might save some. Now this might be open to some misunderstanding and we should correct it before we stop. When Paul says that by any means necessary or to the weak I became weak that I might win the weak. I become all things to all men that I might by all means save some. Paul is not saying that we as people who speak the gospel actually save others. He's using that language. I understand it. I understand what our thoughts might be. But Paul is not saying I am the one that saves an individual. But rather, he means that he is an instrument that the Lord uses in the salvation of souls. And what a privilege this is. This is a privilege, brothers. This is a privilege, sisters. that in our lifespan of walking with Christ, he would choose to use our mouths, our homes, our actions, our care toward others to be the instrument through which they hear the gospel. And by which. Outwardly, they hear the words that inwardly the Holy Spirit. Awakens within them. In regeneration. So Paul, by all accounts, is not saying that human beings save people. We used to use the phrase soul winner. You remember that phrase? Are you a winner of souls? We don't by any means actually change the status of someone's place before the Lord. But rather, Paul has in mind this idea that we are used of God as a mouthpiece. So. Notice the heartbeat of Paul, it's a heartbeat that involves a longing for the saving of souls. A life that is considering of others. And a man who realizes that a communal work of the church is the salvation of souls. Brothers and sisters, let us plead with the Lord that he would either enliven our own desire for the souls of the lost or that he would give it to us for the first time. That we might desire more and more day by day to see people saved, that there might be a holy jealousy, if you will, for the salvation of souls. And by God's grace, may we like Paul say that I might save some for the sake of the gospel. Let's pray together. Almighty God, we ask that you would abide with us, your church, as a body and as individuals, that we might have a longing for souls, that we might be willing to sacrifice to see souls saved, that we might have a desire, that we wouldn't be content as people day by day and year by year enter into hell without us even voicing words of gospel grace to them. Lord, strengthen the zeal of your people, both for the prayers for the lost, as well as evangelism to the lost. You have been so kind to send your words of gospel grace to us through various messengers that when met by the Holy Spirit's work in our hearts, produced the salvation of our own soul. We pray that that would be what you use us for as your mouthpieces in the world. These things we pray in Jesus name. Amen.