When Hudson Taylor arrived as a missionary in China, he found a culture far different than the one he left in England. They spoke a different language, ate different food, and dressed differently. Very quickly, he recognized that he would need to adapt to reach this people group. So he grew his hair out, braided it down the back in one long braid, and began to wear the customary Chinese robes. Those who visited from England were appalled at his appearance. How could he dress in this crazy way? Yet, Hudson Taylor recognized something that most of us don’t: he needed to give up his rights for the gospel’s sake.

Paul’s first letter to the Corinthian church reveals a church in turmoil. There was a group within the church that claimed superior knowledge. They then demanded that everyone reject the church leadership and follow what they thought and said because they had superior knowledge. Throughout the book, Paul challenged the church to humble themselves and surrender their rights for the gospel’s sake. At the beginning of chapter 9, Paul reminded the church that he had a right to expect them to care for him financially as a pastor. However, the Corinthians had failed to care for Paul in this way. Yet, Paul did not demand they fulfill his rights. Instead, he did not hold their failure against them but ministered all the more to them for the gospel’s sake.

As Paul turned the corner into the second half of 1 Corinthians 9, he informed the church that he did not write the letter to ensure that he was receiving his rights but rather to surrender his rights. He presented himself as an example of a person who prioritized the gospel and unity. We often care about our rights and desires more than we care for others and the church’s unity. We demand that others notice us and follow our thoughts rather than sacrifice for the sake of others. This text reminds us that the cause of Christ matters more than our preferences and desires as we make decisions. From Paul, we learn three reasons why we should be willing to give up our rights, preferences, and desires for the gospel’s sake in our decisions.

We will cover the first today and the others over the next few weeks. First, we give up our rights because we love the gospel. In verse 15, Paul clarifies that he is not simply rebuking the Corinthian church for failing to care for him as they should have. He is writing to demonstrate that they also should humble themselves and give up their rights. They should do this out of a love for the gospel. Our passion for the gospel should play a deciding factor as we make decisions.

We must remember that our rewards are eternal, not temporal, to accomplish this attitude. Paul reveals that his passion for preaching the gospel was not monetary or laudatory. His motivation in preaching the Gospel was God’s compulsion in his life. He loved the gospel, so he could not help but proclaim it. He loved God, so he could not help but live for Him. If earthly rewards resulted, so be it. However, even if earthly rewards did not come, it did not matter. For Paul recognized that he lived for eternity. Groups vying for praise and power marked the Corinthians church. They threatened to continue to cut Paul off financially if he did not surrender to their control. However, their power plays held no sway over his decisions because he did not live for earthly power, praise, or wealth. A passion for the gospel marked his decisions. A passion for the eternal souls of men being united with God’s Kingdom marked his decisions.

In short, Paul informs us that his reward for proclaiming the gospel was faithfulness to Christ. His reward and boast did not come from any earthly source but from the proclamation of the gospel itself. He lived for God’s glory, so the gospel was the reward. Too many Christians today look to earthly means as the reward. They want the recognition and praise of others. They want people to know them and follow them. They are unwilling to relinquish their rights and humble themselves with a teachable spirit. Sadly, because of this, they have their reward here on earth. On the other hand, when we fulfill our purpose of bringing God glory in all things, we also find contentment and satisfaction.

The average Christian loves many things: family, sports, hobbies, politics, and jobs. We discover these passions simply through time spent with them. Shortly into any conversation, these topics arise. These things dominate the decision-making process. Sadly, many of us should admit that opportunities to proclaim and live out the gospel rarely come into play as we converse or make decisions. This sad reality reveals that, despite our protestations, we don’t love the gospel as much as we think.

We should be willing to surrender our rights for the gospel’s sake. We might need to protest less about our political differences and proclaim more about our spiritual differences (the fact that the individual is headed to eternal judgment while we are headed to eternal righteousness) and plead with them to join us on our side of that vital difference. It might mean that we stay with a job we might not love because we have built a relationship with coworkers that is leading to their salvation. It might mean allowing ourselves to be taken advantage of to keep the relationship open for gospel opportunities. When we love the gospel, it drives all our decisions. Does it drive yours?