What motivates some people in their chosen profession? For many it is the financial reward, the paycheck they get at the end of the week. We all need to have some sort of income in order to survive in this world, and for some the size of that paycheck is the big motivator. Some people are motivated by what good they can do through their profession, how many people they can help. And then others like to be able to brag a bit about their careers and professions. What motivated the Apostle Paul in his career of a missionary and preacher? As we look at our Scripture passage today from this week’s Lectionary, we’ll get a peek at some answers.
As our passage opens, we read that Paul was not boastful of his ministry as a missionary and preacher of the Gospel (vs. 16). It was not his message, not his ability that saw people saved. Paul did not preach from personal pride. He knew that he had been commissioned to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For years, earlier in his life, he had opposed the Lord Jesus, fighting against believers and even having them arrested and executed. Then the Lord Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus, and Paul put his faith and trust in the Savior. At this time the Lord commissioned Paul to bring the Gospel to the known world at that time. He would not brag about what he had accomplished because he knew that God had called him to this ministry. Paul couldn’t stop preaching, even if he wanted to. He was driven by the desire to do what God wanted him to, using his gifts for God’s glory, not for his own personal bragging rights. His goal was to glorify God and bring people to a saving relationship with Christ.
Paul did not preach expecting a great financial reward (vs. 18). As his ministry expanded, and more churches were established in more and more cities, he could have requested offerings to be raised in each of these churches to be sent to him. Many preachers today like to boast about their ministries, how big their church is, how many people attend their Sunday School. They boast about their TV and/or radio programs, the Christian books they have written, schools they’ve been associated with, honorary degrees they have, etc. Paul never did that. He felt he couldn’t boast, because of his past, and that the Lord called him to his work. He never asked for financial support. He knew that God would take care of him. Paul looked at himself as a servant, whose task was to spread the Gospel. He tried to be self-supportive so that he would not offend anyone, and could win more to Jesus Christ (vs. 19).
Within the limits of God’s moral law, Paul would adapt his lifestyle to whatever community he was ministering in, whether Jewish or Gentile (vs. 20-21). He didn’t expect everyone to become exactly like him. He ate their cuisine, not expecting them to learn the good-old hometown recipes he grew up with. Do we want everyone to be like us, or are we sensitive to other cultures? Paul was, though he never changed Scripture or compromised the truth.
Paul was careful with how he presented the Gospel to others (vs. 22-23). We can learn from his approach. When we talk to others about Jesus, bringing the Gospel message to them, we should attempt to find common ground with them. When Paul went to Athens, as he waited for his companions to arrive, he wandered the city learning what he could about the residents. Then he used this information as he spoke to them about their religion and the truth about the one, true God. We should avoid a know-it-all attitude when presenting the Gospel. That only turns people off and alienates them to the truth we are attempting to bring. We should do what we can to make others feel accepted, and be sensitive to their needs and concerns. Then we can look for opportunities to tell them about Jesus.
Paul didn’t want to just teach and improve the lives of those he brought the Gospel to. His goal was to see others get saved. Teaching and helping others will mean nothing when they stand before Jesus, if we don’t first and foremost seek to win them to Him. Our mission as a believer is to share God’s love and offer forgiveness with all people, regardless of nationality, race, language, culture, or social standing. Let our motive be the same as Paul’s, to follow the Lord’s call, bringing Him glory, and not ourselves.
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