“WOE IS
UNTO ME IF I PREACH NOT THE GOSPEL”
( 1 Corinthians 9:16 ) For though I
preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me;
yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
1. TO PAUL, PREACHING AND SHARING THE GOSPEL IS A GREAT PERSONAL
RESPONSIBILITY FOR EVERY INDIVIDUAL CHRISTIAN.
*Paul
viewed the preaching and sharing of the Gospel of Christ as a direct
responsibility given to every single saved, baptized, born-again Christian.
( 2 Timothy 4:1-5 ) [1]I charge
thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick
and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
[2]Preach the word; be instant in season, out of
season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
[3]For the time will come when they will not endure
sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves
teachers, having itching ears;
[4]And they shall turn away their ears from the truth,
and shall be turned unto fables.
[5]But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions,
do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
*Paul
encourages believers to share the Gospel of Christ with absolute urgency to
those who are lost.
( 2 Timothy 4:2 ) Preach the
word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all
longsuffering and doctrine.
* This
urgency is critical because the time will come—and is already here—when people
will be deceived by false teachers and turn away from the truth.
( II Timothy 4:3 ) For the time
will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts
shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
2. TO PAUL, PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST IS GREAT PRIVILEGE
( 1 Corinthians 9:16 ) For though I
preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me;
yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
* Paul
states, "For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory
of." We have no room for pride because we are simply sinners saved by
the grace of God. Yet, we have been chosen to carry the good news of salvation
through faith in Jesus Christ.
We do not
deserve to be messengers of the Gospel of Christ; it is entirely an act of
God's grace.
( Ephesians 2:8-9 ) [8]For by grace
are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
[9]Not of works, lest any man should boast.
3. TO PAUL,
PREACHING THE GOSPEL IS AN ABSOLUTE NECESSITY
The Gospel
is of supreme necessity because it is the actual power of God that brings
salvation to everyone who believes in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.
( Romans 1:15-16 ) [15]So, as much
as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also.
[16]For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for
it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew
first, and also to the Greek.
*The early
Church in Jerusalem demonstrated great courage and strong conviction. When
authorities tried to stop them from preaching the Gospel of Christ, they chose
to obey God rather than men.
* ( Acts 5:26-29 ) [26]Then went
the captain with the officers, and brought them without violence: for they
feared the people, lest they should have been stoned.
[27]And when they had brought them, they set them
before the council: and the high priest asked them,
[28]Saying, Did not we straitly command you that ye
should not teach in this name? and, behold, ye have filled Jerusalem with your
doctrine, and intend to bring this man's blood upon us.
[29]Then Peter and the other apostles answered and
said, We ought to obey God rather than men.
4. TO PAUL IT IS A GREAT SHAME IF BORN-AGAIN CHRISTIANS DO NOT TAKE THIS
RESPONSIBILITY SERIOUSLY BEFORE GOD
( 1 Corinthians 9:16 ) For though I
preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me;
yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!
*
Why did Paul say, "Woe is unto me, if I preach not the
gospel"?
*
The very reason we, as born-again Christians, enjoy the salvation of our
souls today is because someone else showed great concern for us and shared the
Gospel with us.
* We must
be deeply thankful to God for saving our souls, and equally thankful for those
who witnessed to us.
*Peter
possessed a profound burden for his fellow Israelites. Filled with the Holy
Spirit, he courageously preached the Gospel to the multitudes. The people were
convicted ("pricked in their heart") and received Jesus Christ as
their Lord and Savior.
*( Acts 2:36-40 ) [36]Therefore
let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus,
whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.
[37]Now when they heard this, they were pricked in
their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and
brethren, what shall we do?
[38]Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye
shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
And with many other words did he testify and exhort,
saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation
*
Because of Peter’s strong faith in God and his deep concern for lost
souls, three thousand precious people were saved that day and happily obeyed
the Lord through water baptism.
( Acts 2:41 ) Then they that
gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto
them about three thousand souls.
Conclusion:
( 1 Corinthians 9:16 ) For though I preach the gospel, I
have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me,
if I preach not the gospel!
*Paul was
utterly committed to preaching the Gospel of Christ. He was entirely willing to
lay down his life just to fulfill the Great Commission of the Lord Jesus
Christ. May we have that same heart.
( Acts 20:19-24 ) [19]Serving the
Lord with all humility of mind, and with many tears, and temptations, which
befell me by the lying in wait of the Jews:
[20]And how I kept back nothing that was profitable
unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to
house,
[21]Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the
Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.
[22]And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto
Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there:
[23]Save that the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city,
saying that bonds and afflictions abide me.
[24]But none of these things move me, neither count I
my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the
ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the
grace of God.
God bless
you all always!
No comments:
Post a Comment