For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. 1 Corinthians 9:16-17

In parts 1 and 2 of the Bible study, we’ve discovered the greatest honor and responsibility that could ever be given to a Christian. God has chosen to entrust us with the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 

Here in part III, notice in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, he talks about the penalties that await the Christian who fails to understand the honor and responsibility that has been given to us. 


When the Bible talks about “woe is me if I don’t do something”, that’s a warning from God! That’s Him letting us know that there are dire consequences for choosing to ignore or neglect the preaching of the gospel. 


In other words, God is telling each of us: Pay attention! You’ve been entrusted with something more precious than anything else in existence on earth, and you better not drop the ball, because judgment will be severe if you do!


When it comes to sharing the gospel to the world, these verses show us that we have a choice to make. If we do it willingly – with the right attitude before God, we’ll be rewarded for it in heaven someday. If we don’t want to obey – and grudgingly share Jesus with a poor attitude, we’ll be reprimanded and judged accordingly in heaven, and lose any rewards that might’ve been set aside for us to enjoy. 


This is serious business! Never forget this truth: not only have we been entrusted with the gospel to share as Jesus leads, but we’ve been entrusted with the power of choice – free will. We can say yes to Jesus, or we can say no.  Isaiah 6:8 is the question God is still asking today.


Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?” When He asks you this question (and He does daily), how do you respond? How do I? These are questions to ask ourselves constantly. Isaiah’s answer is the correct reply, and it should be ours as well. Then I said, “Here am I, Lord, send me.” 


With most believers, I’m sorry to say that’s not how they answer when they hear the Lord’s voice on this issue of availability. Instead of saying “Here am I, Lord, send me,” their reply is “There they are, Lord, send them.” 


What have been your choices in this matter? You’ve already been entrusted with the gospel, so – do you share it as led by the Holy Spirit, and if so, do you do it with a willing heart and right attitude?

Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty.  Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.  But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.  1 Corinthians 9:26-27

You’ve heard me talk about this many times before, but here we go again!  Why?  Because all of us, yours truly included, need to be reminded of this reality.  Our flesh-and-blood body, what the Bible calls our “tent” in 2 Corinthians 5:1,4 and 2 Peter 1:13,14, is not our friend.  Its an enemy of the gospel and must be controlled until the time we get our new, resurrection body from the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:50-54). 


Paul said he kept his body under submission.  The “I” in that statement is his spirit, and the “it” is his earthly body.  His struggles are discussed in detail in Romans chapters 6 and 7, and his struggles to control his flesh are the same as it is for you and me. 


To make the choice to obey God and share the gospel, we must also decide to keep our bodies under control each and every day, so their sinful and carnal desires are successfully and consistently suppressed.  


God commands us to be holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:13-19).  That requires a daily decision to choose God and His Word over the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life (1 John 2:16).


This is also why we’re told repeatedly throughout scripture to sanctify ourselves and stay separate from the world system, of which satan is the god and controller thereof (2 Corinthians 4:3-4).  In Romans 1:1, Paul reveals the 3-fold “secret” to his success and longevity in ministry. 


From the start of his public ministry until his martyrdom at the end, he understood that first, he was God’s bondservant. Second, he understood his calling as an apostle, and third, he understood the importance of staying sanctified and separate from the world. 


Now, very few of us are ever called into ministry as an apostle like he was, but all of us are called into ministry as full-time ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20).  We represent Jesus full-time, 24/7 as they say.  That’s why it's so important to grasp the magnitude of the honor and responsibility that comes with being entrusted with the gospel (1 Thessalonians 2:4). 

Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you;  In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”  And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.  Acts 3:6-7

I love this exchange between Peter and the crippled man.  Everyday, the Bible says he was laid at the Beautiful Gate to beg for pity and money.  When Peter and John boldly told him to look up at them, he did so because he was expecting a financial handout. 


He had no idea he was about to receive something far more valuable – his healing and health.  Peter told him he didn’t have any money to give, but he had something better to give – the gospel and the signs that go with it (Mark 16:15-18).  He had something and could give something, because he knew he was now entrusted with the gospel. 


We have the same gospel message, and the same assurance that when we preach it or teach it, signs, wonders and mighty deeds will follow (Hebrews 2:4). 

And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.

Colossians 3:17

Whatever we do or say as a Christian, we’re told to do or say it in the name of Jesus.  Think about that.  To be entrusted with the gospel means we take the name of Jesus and use it to bring the message of salvation and deliverance to the world. 


The devil isn’t afraid of us just because we’re born-again, because he knows most believers live their lives in total Biblical ignorance.  But the more we learn about who we are in Christ, and the authority we’ve been given to operate in His name, the more terrified the enemy becomes of us. 


We see this in Acts chapter 4, where the religious puppets actively conspired to prevent the people from learning about the power in the name of Jesus.  


“What shall we do to these men?  For, indeed, that a notable miracle has been done through them is evident to all who dwell in Jerusalem, and we cannot deny it.  But so that it spreads no further among the people, let us severely threaten them, that from now on they speak to no man in this name.” 


So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.  Acts 4:16-18

It’s the name of Jesus the devil is afraid of!  He doesn’t care if people talk about God all day long.  If fact, he likes it that way because false religion is one of his prime methods of deception. 


Millions of people in many worldwide religions talk about serving God, living for God, and pleasing God from sunrise to sundown – and go straight to hell when they die.  Its not the name of God that terrifies satan – it’s the name of Jesus.  And more specifically, its Christians who know that being entrusted with the gospel includes the right to use our Lord’s holy name wherever we go. 


We’ve been entrusted with a stewardship of the gospel.  Its our job to protect its integrity, and to proclaim it without hesitation or apology.  If we do so with the right heart, wonderful rewards await us when we step out into eternity.  If we don’t, all we can look forward to is God’s stern rebuke and loss of rewards at judgment time. 


Being saved is wonderful, but being saved and getting tons of rewards in heaven is better.  I’ve made my choice to serve the Lord faithfully with the right attitude.  What about you?  You’ve got free will.  The choice is all up to you. 

The cost of educating our students falls mainly upon the MKMI ministry. The students are charged tuition, but the actual budget for housing, feeding and educating them is much more than their tuition can cover. That’s why sponsorship has become so vital. If you would like to sponsor one or more of our current or future students, the total cost to underwrite one of them is $95 monthly, or $855 annually (for nine months of study – vacation time excluded). This covers everything we need to provide for them. And remember, your gifts are always tax-deductible.


We’re believing God will provide sponsors for 35 students. If this is something you feel led to help us with, be sure to designate “Sponsor a Student” from the drop down menu when clicking the link below for online contributions. We will provide sponsors with individual names and photos of all the students their support is enabling us to train.  

SPONSOR A STUDENT >>

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