<p><b>Summary</b>:</p><p>Paul explains that if he preaches the gospel willingly, he has a reward, but even if unwilling, he still has a stewardship entrusted to him by God. His reward is that he can offer the gospel without charge so that no one can accuse him of preaching for personal gain.</p><p> </p><p>To win more people to Christ, Paul adapts himself to his audience: he becomes like a Jew to reach Jews, like one under the Law to reach those under the Law, and like one without the Law to reach Gentiles—though he remains under God’s law through Christ. To the weak, he becomes weak to gain the weak. In every circumstance, he becomes all things to all people so that by all possible means he might save some. He does all this for the sake of the gospel so that he may share in its blessings.</p><p> </p><p><b>Teaching</b>:</p><p>“For though I am free from all people, I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may gain more.”</p><p> </p><p>Paul, though free and not bound by anyone in his social standing or ministry, made himself a servant to win more people. Though he is free from all, he uses that freedom to become a servant for the sake of gaining others. The purpose of Paul’s ministry is to win people.</p><p> </p><p>“to those who are without the Law, <i>I became</i> as one without the Law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might gain those who are without the Law.”</p><p> </p><p>Paul shares in the perspective of those he wants to reach with the gospel. He preaches from their level of understanding. If we are 50 years old, we have lived through being 10, 20, and 30, so we should speak at their level. If we have endured many hardships, we should empathize with the struggles of the young with compassion.</p><p> </p><p>We are influenced by someone when we feel that person truly cares for us, loves us, and that their concern leads us toward what is right. That is the nature of the gospel — the good news of Jesus coming to us. Therefore, those who preach the gospel must also take on the likeness and understanding of those who receive it.</p><p> </p><p><i>Excerpt from the sermon by Pastor Lee, Oct 21, 2025</i></p><p><i>1 Corinthian 9:17-23</i></p>
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