My Reward In Preaching The Gospel

1 Corinthians 9:12,17-19 - If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we even more? Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ…For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel. For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.


Colossians 1:24-26 – Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from God that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.

Galatians 5:13 - For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

1 Peter 3:1-2 - Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, when they see your respectful and pure conduct.

Application:

· Am I following the commission God has given me?
· Am I ready to surrender my rights because of love for others?
· Do I use my liberty to serve others in love or do I use it to indulge my sinful nature?
· Do I obey the word to make it easier for my wife to be subject to me, respect me and be pure in conduct?

All Scripture verses taken from ESV

Sound Doctrine

1 Timothy 1:8-11 - We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.

Titus 1:1-4,9 - Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God's elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness—a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time, and at his appointed season he brought his word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior, To Titus, my true son in our common faith: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior…He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

Mark 1:1 - The beginning of the gospel about Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

Conclusions:

• Sound doctrine is correct teaching, in keeping with that of the apostles
• The teaching is called sound not only because it builds up in the faith, but because it protects against the corrupting influence of false teachers
• Soundness of doctrine, faith and speech is a basic concern in all the Pastoral Letters
• In the Pastoral Letters the word sound occurs eight times but is found nowhere else in Paul’s writings
• Crucial events in God’s program occur at His designated times in history
• His word is the authoritative message that centers in Christ
• Three times in Titus God the Father is called Savior, and three times Jesus is called Savior
• The beginning in Mark 1:1 suggests the opening verse of Genesis
• Gospel is from the Old English godspel, “good story” or “good news”, which accurately translates the Greek
• The good news is that God has provided salvation through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ

Application:

• Do you hold firm to the trustworthy message?
• Has God brought His word to light in your life?
• Have you been saved through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ?

All Scripture verses taken from NIV

Conclusions derived from NIV Study Bible