FINDING COMMON
GROUND
The 2020 elections have been highly
polarized. They have exposed and further widened the already existing gap among
various groups of people in this country. How could politicians get anything
done in this highly divided country? That is about politics. How about our
religious and cultural views? How conflicting are they? How could the Church
effectively share the Good News in a country with several religions and
opinions on any matter?
In our Pastor's small group, we had
a passionate discussion on human rights. Though we had varied opinions on what
they are, we agreed with what our founders said in the declaration of
independence, "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are
created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable
Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness."[1]
As American citizens, we are
passionate about pursuing and protecting these rights. But as citizens of the
Kingdom and followers of Christ, how do we understand human rights? According
to scriptures, what rights do we have? Are we to hold on to them rigidly and
fight for them, or may we sometimes be called to give them up for the sake of
the Gospel?
Last week we looked at Paul's
willingness to give up his right to eat meat. The first fifteen verses in
chapter nine list his fundamental rights as a believer and an apostle. After
explaining how he gave them up voluntarily, he described how he related to
everyone.
It looked like some believers in the
Corinthian Church challenged Paul's credibility and authority as an apostle. To
counter that challenge, he posed fifteen questions to his challengers. He
silenced the accusers by asserting, he was a free man like everyone else, that
he was an apostle who had indeed seen Jesus our Lord. Then he lists out his
fundamental rights.
I.
PAUL GIVES UP HIS BASIC RIGHTS (I Cor 9:1-15)
He argued that he was entitled to
food, drink, housing, and taking a believing wife along, like other apostles
and brothers like Peter. He asserted his right to support from the Corinthians
because he preached the Gospel to them.
Vs.14, "In the same way, the Lord ordered that those who preach the
Good News should be supported by those who benefit from it."
This is one of the reasons why at
Hope Church, we take supporting our missionaries and our Pastor or visiting
speakers seriously. We can live without all the extra comforts in the Church,
but we never want to withhold our support to those out there spreading the
Gospel.
My mother was a great example of
supporting, visiting pastors, missionaries, and evangelists. She kept a box
with extra money from her salary and gave it to whoever dropped by our house to
pray. In YWAM, our family experienced the generosity of many believers
worldwide. Some supported us from their hard earnings and savings.
Supporting those who preach the Gospel
is not just a good idea but was ordered by God. When we are generous towards
missionaries and evangelists, God will be gracious towards us. Paul reminded
them about this fundamental right. He also said that he never used that right
or any other rights in Corinth except receiving support from other churches.
Col 4:15-17
I Cor 9:15-16 "Yet I have never
used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to suggest that I want to
start now. In fact, I would rather die than lose my right to boast about
preaching without charge. 16 Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can
boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn't
preach the Good News!
Though he had all the rights, Paul
never demanded his rights. He was willing to let go of all of them except his
right to preach the Good News without charge. To an extent, he cried out how
terrible it was for him if he didn't preach it. What is your view of the Good
News?
II.
THE GOOD NEWS STEWARDS
Vs. 17-18, "If I were doing
this on my own initiative, I would deserve payment. But I have no choice, for
God has given me this sacred trust. (Stewardship entrusted to me, NASB).
18 What then is my pay? It is the opportunity to preach the Good News without
charging anyone. That's why I never demand my rights when I preach the Good
News."
Paul saw himself as a steward of the
Good News. God entrusted to him this sacred trust. While writing to Ephesians
and Colossians, he affirms this God-given responsibility. Ephesians 3:2-3
"by the way that you know, God gave me the special responsibility of extending
his grace to you Gentiles. 3 As I briefly wrote earlier, God
himself revealed his mysterious plan to me."
Colossians 1:25, "God has given
me the responsibility of serving his church by proclaiming
his entire message to you." We see three action verbs here, and they are, extending,
proclaiming, and serving, partly describing Paul's job as a steward of the Good
News.
What is stewardship? "It is the
careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one's care,
stewardship of natural resources."[2] Other words for steward
are waiter attendant (like the flight attendant), administrator, etc. So as a
steward or administrator, what was Paul given to administer, discharge,
distribute or give to others? It was the Good News.
How do you define Good News? First,
the bad news, we all are sinners and need a savior. When we die without
repenting of our sins, we will suffer in hell forever. The Good news is that
God loved us very much, and he did not want us to go to hell, so he sent Jesus
into this world.
Jesus preached the message of
repentance. He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and delivered people bound by
Satan. He died on the cross for our sins and rose again on the third day. Whoever
believes in Jesus will live forever in heaven with God. That is Good News.
Is the Good News meant to keep it
for ourselves or share it with others? Along with Paul and other disciples, we
too have become Good News Stewards. How are we to give this Good News away to
others? We are to give it freely without charging anything for it.
In the eighties, I used to sing this
song passionately "God forgave my sins in Jesus' name I've been born again
in Jesus' name And in Jesus' name I come to you. To share His love as He told
me to. He said, freely, freely you have received, Freely freely give. Go in My
name, and because you believe, Others will know that I live." Matthew
10:5-8
Paul recognized he was the worst of
sinners, undeserving of God's mercy, yet Jesus met him on the Road of Damascus
and opened his blind eyes so that he could see the Light of salvation. Jesus
commissioned him to go to the Gentiles to open their blind eyes so that they
may turn from darkness to Light and from the power of Satan to God. Acts 26:18
Sharing the good news with others is
not like a blind man leading another blind man, but a healed blind man opening
the eyes of others who are blinded by Satan so that they may see the Light. Paul
was grateful that Christ had saved him. God compelled him to share the Good
News with others without charge. His only reward was the opportunity to share
it with others.
Paul went to great lengths and took
dangerous risks to share the Good News with others. Even though Paul was a free
man, he considered himself a slave to all people. With the hope that he would
bring many people to saving faith in Christ Jesus our Lord. Is that our hope
too?
The late Leonard Ravenhill noted,
"Could a mariner sit idle if he heard the drowning cry? Could a doctor sit
in comfort and just let his patients die? Could a fireman sit idle, let men
burn, and give no hand? Can you sit at ease in Zion with the world around you
damned? You may be convicted by the Holy Spirit and asking me, "I want to
be like Paul and share the Good News with others, but how do I do it? I am glad
you ask me. Here is how we can do it.
III.
FINDING COMMON GROUND
Vs.22, "When I am with those
who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ.
Yes, I try to find common ground with everyone, doing everything I can to save some.
I do everything to spread the Good News and share in its blessings."
Paul tried to find common ground
with everyone and did all he could do to save some. Finding common ground with
others in our society is not always easy, but it is worth trying. It is like
Congress and the Senate trying to pass bipartisan bills. In most situations,
members would vote according to party lines. But when they can find common
ground and pass bills of national interests, we all can share in its blessings.
Similarly, sharing the Good News with others.
Finding common ground doesn't mean
compromising our faith but finding common interests and building from there.
For example, Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at the well. Both Jesus and the
woman had one thing in common; they needed water. Jesus was thirsty and needed
a cup of water. The woman came to get a pail of water from the well. Finding
common ground, Jesus ultimately led the woman to acknowledge her more profound
need for a savior. She came for a pail of water; He gave her the wellspring of
living water.
Here are a few pointers that might
help us find common ground. 1. In our first encounter with people, please don't
rush to share the whole Gospel with them. They may not be ready yet to receive
the fantastic news you are so eager to share with them. Be patient with them.
2. Be aware that every person you
meet is made in the image of God and of infinite worth. 3. Be interested in
others. Learn to ask good questions; for example, what has it been like living through
the pandemic or change of job? Tell me a bit about your journey etc. 4. Be a
good listener. 5. Meet them where they are at and gently lead them where they
need to go. That is what Christ has done for us. Let us go out and find common
ground to share the Good News. Amen!
