Calvary Road Baptist Church
“CHRISTMAS TIME CHRISTIANITY”
First Corinthians 9.15-27
Let’s spend some time this morning dealing with Christmas-time Christianity. It’s one thing to live the Christian life through the rest of the calendar year, but special days, particularly Christmas time, present special difficulties for the believer.
Consider my comments in light of your own Christmas experiences that are approaching a climax this week leading up to Christmas Day so you can impact this year’s experiences and exercise even greater wisdom come Easter, Thanksgiving, and Christmas next year.
First of all, if you are married, there is the issue of your spouse. Depending on the personality and the home environment you grew up in, your spouse may want more involvement with others during Christmas time than you do or much less time with others than you find enjoyable.
To some, it isn’t Christmas unless you are with your siblings and surviving parents and aunts and uncles. But to others, spending time with other people you rarely see during the year is anything but a pleasant idea.
Perhaps one or the other of you will try to put some kind of spiritual spin on your likes or dislikes, especially if the other prospective Christmas-time people are not Christians. But the reality is probably closer to you just wanting to do or not wanting to do what you enjoy or don’t enjoy doing, whatever that may be, and attempting to make your likes and dislikes into something spiritual when they are not.
The reality is that most Christmas celebration inclinations are just personal preferences. Sometimes people people are married to not many people people. Whatever your personal preference happens to be, the extremes to avoid at Christmas time are those of being an integrationist, who loses yourself in the fun and family time experiences and joys, or being an isolationist who wants to sit over in a corner and mutter to yourself, “This isn’t what Christmas is all about,” and fret and get frustrated with everyone else who doesn’t see things your way, or being that type who refuses to have anything to do with the family or friends during Christmas time.
There is, you may not be excited to discover, a balanced approach to Christmas time. I say this because, remember, Christmas is an accommodation. In the early days of the Pilgrims in New England, it used to be that Christmas was not celebrated, and the celebration of Christmas was prohibited by law. But as time passed and our country became more secularized and more Roman Catholics immigrated, opposition to the celebration of Christmas disappeared, and pretty soon, everyone observed Christmas in some fashion.
So, what are you planning to do this year? Are you overwhelmed with the world’s approach to Christmas, or are you entirely marginalized by saying in so many words “Bah, humbug,” and you plan to be caricatured by everyone you know as a religious jerk? However you do it, my suggestion is to observe Christmas, but to do so by making sure your flag is not dipped in compromise for anyone. Whatever your run up to Christmas has gone so far this year, realize that you win no one to Christ by staying away from everyone while sending your family members to celebrate with others, by engaging in an argument over by the punch bowl, or by becoming as wholly absorbed in the materialism of the season as everyone else is.
What you should do this Christmas is no different than what you should do in the living of your life throughout the rest of the year. But since unsaved people see Christmas time as a Christian holiday, if you don’t celebrate it cautiously and with wisdom, the stakes being much higher about your personal testimony as a believer to those unsaved people during this time of year, you will end up being a stumbling block to people who might have someday listened to your witness.
The real key to adequately celebrating Christmas is always self-restraint. And this is because self-restraint is a critical ingredient to Christian life and service at any time of the year, but especially when you have much more contact, or when you ought to have much more contact, with folks who know you.
In First Corinthians 9.15-27, Paul stressed the importance of self-restraint in two ways that we can apply to our consideration of this Christmas season and as preparation for next Christmas. Read along with me:
15 But I have used none of these things: 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 glorying void.
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!
17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.
18 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.
19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
23 And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.
25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.
First Corinthians 9 is a chapter that deals with the right the Apostle Paul had to be financially supported by the Corinthian congregation as a minister of the Gospel. But he had not taken his proper due from them so that he might be more effective among the untaught Gentiles he was ministering to. The principles that Paul employed, forgoing his rights for the long-term benefit that might accrue to the cause of Christ, have direct application to your decisions about how to celebrate Christmas. Reflecting on how you celebrate this next week, be willing, on Christmas Day in eight days, to forego your rights, to bend a little on your due, to give somewhat of what you want, so there might be some long-term benefit to the cause of Christ.
Consider that the Apostle Paul was right. He could have demanded his pay and been right on the principle of the letter, but he would have been wrong concerning the spirit of the matter. Let’s you and I consider that when we decide how we celebrate Christmas with our in-laws and outlaws, our conduct this Christmas will have long-term consequences related to how unsaved people perceive us and the cause of Christ that we represent to those people. That is undeniable.
Compromise? Never compromise. But, like Paul, exercise wisdom and head off a needless confrontation. Perhaps, at some time in the future, God will make situations more like you’d like them to be. But for now, go along to get along. The Apostle Paul stresses the importance of self-restraint in two ways:
First, BY WAY OF INSTRUCTION
In verses 15-19 Paul listed the proper motives that encouraged him to practice self-restraint. Reflect for a moment. Are these your motives?
Verse 15:
“But I have used none of these things: 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 glorying void.”
Let me summarize. Paul would not say or do anything that would detract from his ability to effectively glory in the goodness, the greatness, and the graciousness of God. He wanted nothing to happen that would distract other people from his glorying of God. Is that how you make decisions and take stands?
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!”
Paul wanted folks to know what he needed was not what they might have thought he needed. When others might have thought he had material needs, he wanted them to know that what he really needed was to preach the Gospel. This shows that his focus was on spiritual matters. Is that your focus?
Verse 17:
“For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if against my will, a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me.”
Paul’s issue wasn’t a matter of whether or not Paul wanted to serve God and preach the Gospel, as though he should get some credit for what he was doing. The fact of the matter was that the issue of Paul’s conduct had been taken out of his hands. A dispensation was committed to him. In other words, it was God Who decided what Paul was to do. Is that the reputation you cultivate, the reputation of a person committed to doing what God wants you to do?
Verse 18:
“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.”
In this verse, Paul speaks of his liberty without using the word. He had the liberty in Christ not to abuse his authority to preach the Gospel to people. How do you exercise your liberty, to always get your way, or to make sure you represent God well with respect to other people?
Verse 19:
“For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.”
The bottom line with Paul regarding liberty, necessity, and glorying was the salvation of lost souls. That is what is most important. Christmas is not about you having fun. It is not about you being with your family. Neither is it about you making some kind of absurd statement. What is important is how your behavior will impact the lost for Christ. And before you reflect on how right you have been and how wrong others are who may disagree with you, consider your success in seeing the lost reached with the Gospel by doing things your way.
In verses 20-23, Paul lists the parts of a methodology that correctly involves self-restraint. Let us carefully examine Paul’s use of simile to show what he was flexible to do to reach the lost. And let’s be careful. This passage is sorely misused by compromisers who would justify their disobedience to God.
In verses 20, 21, and the first part of 22, Paul wrote of his willingness to vary his conduct to achieve some level of conformity without compromise.
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak:
Do you see what Paul would do to make himself a better communicator of the Gospel? For example, he wouldn’t insist on eating pork around Jewish people so that he could demonstrate his liberty from the Law. But neither did he behave lawlessly around those who did not have the Law of Moses.
In other words, without in any way violating Scriptural principles, Paul did as the Romans did when in Rome. When you are in a Church that stands and claps instead of saying “Amen,” you stand and clap. When you are with a bunch of open-collared guys, don’t insist on wearing a tuxedo. Do they want to talk football in the den? Talk football, for crying out loud. It’s not a sin against God to talk about football, even if you don’t like it. Establish common ground with these people. After all, you will never win some guy to Christ who doesn’t like you. Remember that. And if he isn’t convinced you don’t love him, he will not listen to you.
Notice the unchanging conclusion that lies back of what Paul was willing to do for Christ’s sake, in the last half of verse 22 and verse 23:
22 ... I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.
23 And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
Is it not amazing the number of so-called Christians who love the lost, but they can’t stand individual sinners? We have to learn to get interested in individuals whose sins and lifestyles we do not like. Underneath the sin is a creature made in the image and likeness of God.
THOSE WERE PAUL’S INSTRUCTIONS. NOW LET’S LOOK AT HIS ILLUSTRATIONS
Paul compares and contrasts a Greek athlete and a committed and successful Christian himself.
The Greek athlete comes first. First, there is the prize, verse 24:
“Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.”
The Greek athletes participated in a contest, knowing that of all those involved, only one could win the prize. But they still competed. But to win you have to participate, so get with it. Notable, isn’t it, that even though every Christian can win, few who claim to be Christians actually run?
Then, there is the payoff, verse 25:
“And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.”
To be a winner, what you do have to do? You have to be temperate in all things. You have to exercise self-restraint. Joe Louis used to say that when he was in training for a boxing match, he would daydream of a chocolate pie that would say, “Eat me, Joe. Eat me, Joe.” And Joe would say, “No, I want to be champion. No, I want to be champion.” The great tragedy of the unsaved is their willingness to exercise more self-restraint than we do so much of the time, all for a prize that fades away. Greek Olympic competition every four years was for an olive wreath that would wither and die in a day or two.
Contrast this with the Godly Christian. What is the godly Christian’s practice, verses 26-27a?
26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:
27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection:
Some runners in those days didn’t know where the finish line was. We know our goal. Some boxers would throw punches that wouldn’t land. But Paul threw punches that always landed in the conflict he was engaged in. The bottom line, however, is to keep your body in subjection. Make yourself obey. Stay in spiritual training.
Your purpose? Verse 27b:
“lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”
Paul lived his life in the arena of public observation. Most of you do not, to the degree that Paul did or to the degree that I do. But during Christmas, you will be among people whose eyes will be on you like a hawk.
Those eyes will not always be benevolent, willing to give you the benefit of the doubt should you falter. Oh, no. It will be with a critical eye that some will be looking at you. So, you must exercise self-restraint.
If you pass up an opportunity to be with unsaved members of your family, you are making a mistake, in my opinion, unless it’s with someone who constantly picks a fight and wants to make trouble.
You see, you are the epistle known and read of men. You are the Bible they will read. When they read you, what do they see?
If you refuse to participate in any way with your family this Christmas, they will not see what God wants them to see in you. I am also concerned that if you become completely absorbed in Christmas's materialistic spirit, your family and loved ones will again not see what God wants them to see.
Be willing to vary your conduct. Paul was able to do so without compromising. Exercise self-control so you don’t get overwhelmed by lost people. And for crying out loud, make sure people don’t think you were weaned on a dill pickle during this Christmas season. Show folks you can smile and laugh and enjoy life without chemicals, without getting your way, and without debasing yourself.
Be nice to them without being one of them. Amen? All along, asking God to create for you the basis of an opportunity for befriending that person and loving that person enough so that that person will listen to you about the Savior someday.
And parents? It’s crucial during Christmas time to do what you want your kids to do. They will not do what you tell them to do. Your kids will do what you do. Let me show you how true this is.
Put your index finger to your thumb like this. Now, put the tips on your forehead like this. Now, trace it around your cheek like this. See? You did what I did, not what I told you to do. Your kids will do the same.
Question? Comment?
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