Complete dependence upon the
Lord for all needed help this evening. I wish to direct your very prayerful
attention to Paul's first epistle to the Corinthians, chapter 9,
and by way of text, verse 16. Paul's epistle to the Corinthians
the first epistle chapter 9 and verse 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. 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. now it's not my usual practice
to answer anyone if I'm occasionally inquired of as to what I'm going
to preach on the morrow but yesterday I did answer and I said if the Lord, will
I hope to venture upon this text of Scripture?" To which the response
was, but you don't preach the Gospel. So I said, why? I think the implications
of the statement had probably hit home because I didn't really
get an answer to my rebuttal. But I trust no one will leave
here this evening without hearing plainly and succinctly the true
gospel according to the New Testament as we have it here and as Paul
preached here But before we venture upon our
text, let's consider something of what the apostle is dealing
with. We're talking about a church
situation here at Corinth. Now, as we've considered here
before, Corinth, which lies in Greece, the original town is
about 1.9 miles away from modern Corinth. But even in that day, it was
a bustling place of commerce. There was no shortage of business. Indeed, it was what we would
today describe as a social hub. Old forms of cafes and eating
places where men would discuss philosophy, business and politics
was not unusual. It was quite an interesting place,
no question about that. But, like most significant towns,
there was another side to it. To Corinthianize, in those days,
was a byword for immorality and vice. In fact, it was on such a level,
you wouldn't believe. You know, men say, oh, we're
living a terrible day, it's never been as bad as it is today. It
has. it has. We just need to go back to Genesis
and we read that the hearts and the deeds of all men were evil
continually. It has been as bad because the heart of man has
never been any different. So on top of that what we might
describe as undesirable situation in the civil sense. What about
the ecclesiastical sense? What about the church at Corinth? You would think, from what you
read here, that there wouldn't be a believer amongst them. You
would think, well there's no hope for this place, but the Apostle, did he not take
a very keen interest in it? He certainly did. He certainly
did. Now, I find in my own meditations,
the thing that was striking to me about this, and the problems
were well known to Paul, before he actually dealt with
the issues in hand and he certainly did we have to remember the Apostle
Paul would not be welcome in most churches today he preached
in a straight fashion and he dealt with things in a straight
fashion he didn't hold back he wasn't unkind but he didn't hold
back but before he dealt with those things He said this, for
the Jews require a sign. They were always looking for
signs. And the Greeks seek after wisdom. But we preach Christ
crucified unto the Jews a stumbling block and unto the Greeks foolishness. He preached clearly the Gospel. He preached clearly the Gospel.
And thus, this is where the offence began. Now, as the Apostle develops his arguments
and he speaks of the many issues that were at hand and who, dear
soul, would take on a cause like this today? You know, I remember hearing
someone going to a chapel. I think they were going
to live in the chapel house. And somebody said to them, why
are you going there? You're going to a dead cause.
The chapel's now flourishing. You see here, you would think
this would be a dead cause. You would think there would be
nothing at all to be said for it. But we know from reading
the second epistle to the Corinthians that the situation had changed. There were some things, no doubt,
that were still wrong, but Paul's words had taken effect. And is that not our desire? That
the Gospel would take effect. That the Spirit would work mightily. And this here is the Apostle's
theme throughout this epistle. Now I read chapter 8 that we
may see the context of chapter 9. Chapter 8 deals with meat
being offered unto idols and not offending the weaker brother. And the Apostle at the beginning
of the chapter reasserts his position. Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen
Jesus Christ our Lord? Are not ye my work in the Lord? And thus he begins once again
to deal with them in this personal way. And then he goes on to speak
of the ministry. Because the Apostle, like everywhere
he went, there was trouble. We just need to read from Paul's
conversion in the Acts. Everywhere he went, there was
division, there were problems, there were issues. Men reviled
him. but it didn't deter him, did
it? It never deterred him. Indeed, there were those who even said
that, oh, this man will preach for filthy Luke, this man likes,
as we might say today, a few quid in his pocket, but the Apostle
completely removes and asserts any thought of this. Indeed he
asserts quite clearly and there is that right position even so
in verse 14, hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel
should live of the gospel and there is that right wherever
possible living by the means of the congregation in a gospel
church, and we see that in the New Testament. We don't see anybody
living off the state, as it were, as we'd find it in the national
church, and we don't see anybody living off a presbytery. It is
but the congregation. But the Apostle states his case,
he says, but I have used none of these things. He never took a penny. even though
he had the right to. Neither have I written these
things that it should be so done unto me. For it were better for
me to die than that any man should make my glory in void. This was his business. This was
his principle. And thus we come to the words
of our text. for though I preach the Gospel." And what a Gospel! What a Gospel! You know, how we present the
Gospel is essential. And I'm not preaching controversy
here. This isn't controversy. this
is dealing with your soul and mine I have to stand before the
Lord as to how I preached before you just as you have to give
an account for how you've heard and this is no trifling matter though I preach the gospel and
this gospel What was it? What was the emphasis of which
he preached? You see, he wasn't actually preaching
anything new. But you see, the Apostle was
sound in doctrine and sound in the Scriptures. There is an awful lot to be said
for being sound in doctrine and sound in the Scriptures, where
you know that you can sit under a man as the Apostle Paul here
and know that every word that he said will not be questionable,
will not be, well I'm not so sure he said that quite right,
I'm not so sure I agree with him there. You could be absolutely
sure that what the Apostle said here was correct. What does he
say? What does he... What was the
whole spirit? I think of Acts 10 and verse
43. Well, I'll begin from verse 42.
And he commanded us to preach unto the people and to testify
that it is he which was ordained of God to be the judge of the
quick and the dead. To him gave all the prophets
witness. that through His name, whosoever
believeth in Him shall receive the remission of sins. This was no new thing the Apostle
was preaching because this was what the prophets gave witness
to. It wasn't new. It wasn't new. I'm always suspicious, you know,
of people that want to bring in anything new. I don't need
anything new. I don't know about you. I don't
need anything new. I want the old gospel. I want the old truths. I want these things to be made
known unto me. And here, the Apostle says, For
though I preach the gospel from Genesis to Revelation, he began
at Moses and all the prophets and expounded unto them the things
concerning himself, just as the Lord had taught the disciples. And thus here, we see a glorious
Gospel. You know, we have no need of
what men call Gospel services, because every service should
be a Gospel service. Every time we open the Scriptures
we should preach the Gospel. And thus he says here, for though
I preach the Gospel, he's looking back, he says, I have nothing
to glory of, in the second verse. I have nothing to glory of. Now
here, is where we find a man of real faith. Now this, having
nothing to glory of, is twofold. There's been various thoughts
upon this particular second clause in this verse but I believe it
really has two distinct meanings. One is relevant to the context
and that is again the Apostle answering his accusers who basically
were making him out to be some kind of extortioner. Now, I mention this because it's
only relevant to the text. It's not my usual practice to
do so, but now it's my understanding that in this day in which we
live, there are those of which we call celebrity preachers.
I don't have a television, but my understanding that it is on
an American channel, there is a whole program of which preachers
live the life of luxury. and they drive round in fast
cars and live in large houses. Now, dear soul, if one has a
secular job and the Lord has prospered them, that's one matter.
But we don't read of anything like this in the New Testament.
And I say it more seriously. It brings shame and dishonor
upon the ministry when this is treated as authentic. The Apostle
did not live like this, did he? He was a tent maker, which is
really a leather worker. That was the Apostle's occupation. Now there were times when the
churches did support him in his ministry, but not at Corinth. And thus he had got nothing to
glory of. He got no riches to boast of. He didn't want for
anything. And the Lord always ensures his
servants never want for anything. But he got nothing to glory of.
And thus, what else does he mean by this? Well, he's speaking
in the sense of his own person. A real gospel preacher will always
emphasize the fact we have no power. We're not priests. We cannot convey grace to you. But you see, the Lord is pleased
to use this ordinance of preaching. And what a glorious ordinance!
What a glorious ordinance! Preaching! You see, you think of all the
sermons that have been preached. Even from this pulpit, the previous
Chapel in Salem Street since 1811. There's no exhausting the
unsearchable riches of Christ, is there? We can't get near the
depth of these things. He says, I have nothing to glory
of. He's got nothing to offer. We've got nothing to offer the
Lord. We can't boast. You notice here he doesn't boast
of all he's done for the Lord, to use the phrase. Now at this
point we're looking at somewhere around AD 55. The Apostle had
some experience in the ministry. But he doesn't recommend himself,
does he? He's bold. he's direct but he doesn't recommend
himself he says I have nothing to glory of I'm a man and thus
in preaching you know there's a sense of helplessness really
in one way because we are aware we cannot convey grace but you
know the mercy is the Lord can the mercy is the Spirit takes
up these things the mercy is when the Holy Ghost is at work
no man will resist him no man will resist him and thus we have
here before us a better gospel you see if I had the view that
the Lord's atoning work was general and that all men could be saved
had finished now because there's no guarantee
of anything if we believe that but the mercy is if we believe
in the distinguishing and discriminating that is separating marking one out from another
if we believe in that then we have some hope don't we? because
we read here for necessity is laid upon me necessity is laid
upon me what is this necessity? well this speaks of the ongoing
compulsion he had to preach the truth You know, we never cease as long
as life and breath is within us to preach the truth. And you
know, I love how the Apostle describes it. It's actually very
striking. There's much in that letter that
we read this morning by the Apostle to Timothy. What does he say
in the first chapter in verse 12? We read it this morning.
And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who hath enabled me. You see the Lord gifted him for
these things. For that he counted me faithful. He spoke those things which were
true. He says putting me into the ministry. The Lord placed
him there he placed him there and thus
having placed him there was no going back, no man is fit for
the kingdom of God having put his hand to the plough and looking
back and thus being put into the ministry he had to venture
on and this wasn't an option he
didn't get up and preach when he felt like it did he? he said
for necessity is laid upon me it's all consuming it's what
he lived for and thus this is how it must be this is what we
live for although there were many things against him although
There was this very trying situation at Corinth. It didn't deter him. He continued on. But here we come to this reinforcing
almost of the earlier statement. But it's with a tremendous amount
of power. Now we know the punctuation is
not inspired. but it's put there that it may
help us, and we see this statement in the final clause. Ye is bringing
our attention. Woe is unto me if I preach not
the gospel. Now, exclamation mark. This morning we considered the
matter of the lawful use of the law and we've come right to it
here in respect of salvation we've come right to it here in
respect of how we must address sinners because actually this
is the very kernel of the gospel this is the very means by which
the Lord will deal with men. He deals with them as law-breaking
sinners. You see, the ministry of the
Holy Ghost, in respect of the law, is to
act as that sentence of death. That's the purpose of the moral
law in respect of salvation you see we're held up to the light,
aren't we? in our person, in our soul and
thus distress and it's a growing distress because we see the more
I strove against sin's power I sinned and stumbled but the
more it's a distress but you see the difference between
gospel conviction and natural conviction is that natural convictions
they'll go away, they'll disappear but you see the spirit of God
takes hold of a person takes hold of a person and it
won't let you go it won't let you go and thus there is a seeing oneself for what we really
are. Lawbreakers falling short of
the glory of God and thus here we then see a glorious
gospel because this is something That does not depend upon our
effort. You see, don't misunderstand
me. There is a coming to Christ, of course there is, and this
is the point that we would always emphasize. But you see, the invitations
of the Gospel are always crystal clear. William Gadsby makes it very plain, doesn't
he? In his hymn 587, there's other hymns as well, of course,
but he says, Come whosoever will, nor vainly strive to mend. Sinners
are freely welcome still to Christ. The sinners, friend, the guilty,
vile and base, the wretched and forlorn, are welcome. to the Feast of Grace, though
goodness they have none." You see, we must see that we have
no goodness. We must see that we have nothing
to offer, and indeed no offer to respond to. We have to come
as we are. We have to come as sinners and
thus here there is a definitive statement, woe unto me if I preach
not the gospel. Now you might say that all of
these things are by grace, of course they are. Of course they
are. But you see that's why I very
deliberately chose our last hymn. Because it actually speaks of
the Sinner's attitude and what a glorious attitude. He says, free grace to such as
sinners be and if free grace, why not for me? Why not for me? You see, this is the condition,
isn't it? The condition is to be a hungry sinner. And thus there's no reason. Why
not for me? Again, this isn't a new thing. This is the old gospel. This
is the old truth. And you see, if the gospel preached
is a gospel preached to hungry sinners, we'll find that we have congregations
of hungry sinners. We'll find that we have congregations
of those who are desirous to hear these things. so dear son do we not feel our need or do we go out utterly and completely
and absolutely unmoved I can't give you grace and I
wouldn't attempt to And I don't push people in respect
of these things. I never say a word to them. Unless
they raise it with me first. But, you know, here we see a ministry that speaks
to souls. You know, here the apostle was
very keen, wasn't he? He was very exercised to see
the fruit of these things. I remember, a few years ago,
being sat in the Gospel Standard Library, of which I've spent
many a happy hour, reading an old Strict Baptist periodical.
It was the man, I think he was the pastor of the Strict Baptist
Chapel at Bow, in East London, as in Bethnal Green and Bow.
And he wrote to the editor and he said, I must resign my pastorate
because there have only been 10 baptisings this year and I
feel my ministry here has dried up and I must go. Now, I was
staggered. We're not living in those days
today. There were articles about extending the building, so on
and so forth. There were so many that gathered.
But you see, what shined through all of this was that he was preaching to
hungry sinners that desired to hear of gospel grace. They didn't just come for a service.
They didn't just come to mark the time. They came that they
may hear something for themselves and receive something for themselves. Now that is grace in exercise. Dear soul, we can learn many
things of those who've gone before us. But you know, there is an
urgency of the Gospel that I do think, quite genuine, has been
lost in our day. And thus here, the Apostle speaks
of something of which he's very desirous to make known. which
is a gospel to be preached unto sinners. And you know, he speaks
of these things. He says, what is my reward then?
Verily that when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel
of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. He was aware that men would hear him. There were
those that would revile him, there were those that would hear
him. He'd never abuse his position. He'd never abuse his position.
And thus, he brings us back. And he brings us back, and he
brings us back, and he brings time and time again to this central
theme. And we shall never exhaust it. 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. Amen.