Today’s scripture: 1 Corinthians 9:15–27 (NRSV) (The Message) (KJV) What might God be saying to me?
My thoughts (Keith Phillips):
I pastored American Baptist churches here in Indiana for nearly a quarter of a century. There were so many things that I loved about pastoring: being with God’s people during the great transitions of life, such as birth, sickness, and death; counseling and directing at high school church camp; teaching adult Sunday school; and providing leadership for county ministerial groups and for the denomination. But without a doubt, what I loved more than anything were the special seasons during the church year. I so enjoyed developing unique worship services for Advent, for Holy Week, and for Pentecost. Ordinary time was transformed by these reminders of the extraordinary things God had done and was continuing to do for all humanity.
But I absolutely dreaded that annual activity, usually in the fall months, of developing the next year’s church budget. So many competing interests! For the trustees, the most important thing was the building and grounds; for the social committee, it was fellowship meals and gatherings; for the music committee, it was new sheet music and maybe choir robes or hymnals. But the worst of the worst was the salaries. Everyone on the church staff from the custodian to the senior pastor always had his/her salary publicly published as a line item in the budget; there were no secrets in the churches I pastored. Each year the question had to be addressed, “What are the appropriate salaries for each of these ministers?”
Sometimes 1 Corinthians is a little tricky. What we have in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church are his responses to various issues that probably had been asked of him in a now-lost letter. It’s kind of like Jeopardy! We have the answers, and we have to guess about the questions. The issue here in chapter 9 seems to be related to ministerial salaries, especially among the leaders of the various factions in the church. In the passage just before this one, Paul defends his right to be compensated while working among the Corinthians: “If we have sown spiritual good among you, is it too much if we reap your material benefits? If others share this rightful claim on you, do not we still more?” (verses 11, 12). And then, he goes a step further by writing, “In the same way, the Lord commanded [emphasis mine] that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel” (verse 14).
But then in this passage, Paul back tracks, saying that even though he has a right to be compensated for his ministry and the Lord commanded just that, God called him to proclaim the gospel and that is enough. “What then is my reward? Just this: that in my proclamation I may make the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my rights in the gospel” (verse 18). And further along in his line of reasoning, he writes, “I have become all things to all people, that I might by all means save some. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings” (verses 22b, 23).
The bottom line for Paul, as it was for me during budget season, was: “Compensate me as you will. God called me to ministry, and God has always met my needs. I never expected to get rich in ministry anyway; and I am content simply by sharing the gospel and in sharing in the blessings of the gospel.”
Thought for the day: “I love to tell the story / Of unseen things above, / Of Jesus and his glory, / Of Jesus and his love. / I love to tell the story / Because I know ‘tis true, / It satisfies my longings / As nothing else can do.”
We encourage you to include a time of prayer with this reading. If you need a place to get started, consider the suggestions on the How to Pray page.