Intro Notes:
1. Christians who want to influence others and win Christ’s prize exercise restraint. (1 Corinthians 9:15-18)
2. Christians who want to influence others and win Christ’s prize use their freedoms for advancing the Gospel. (1 Corinthians 9:19-23)
3. Christians who want to influence others and win Christ’s prize show discipline. (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)
Table Talk Questions
- Does Paul take advantage of his financial rights as a Gospel minister? Why not? (vv. 15-17) Why should churches be careful about fundraisers and charging for events? (v. 18) Why is the subordination of our rights so rare among the Christian community today? What are some examples of ways we could subordinate our rights in order to be more effective in proclaiming the Gospel?
- How did Paul aim to identify with people who were far from God? (vv. 19-22) How might demanding our rights limit our ability to identify with people? In what ways do you think that Paul lived “outside the law”? Did he sin in order to be a better evangelist? (v. 21) What ethical challenges do you face in order to rub shoulders with lost people? If you are facing no such ethical challenges, why might that not be a good thing? How can the “be all things to all people in order to win some” become an excuse for worldliness? How can you be more focused on the “why’s” of your behavior than on the “what’s” of your behavior?
- What kind of reward is Paul seeking? (vv. 24-25) What kind of discipline does Paul exercise? (vv. 26-27) How can we move beyond half-hearted efforts in making Jesus known? What are ways that believers are tempted today to “aimless running” or “boxing the air”? How can a life of busyness get in the way of living a life of purposefulness for the Gospel? What does it mean to be “disqualified”? (v. 27) Why would Paul be worried about that? List some ways that you can become more disciplined and purposeful in your life.