Discipline Your Body and Make It Your Slave (1 Corinthians 9:19-27)

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. [20] To the Jews I became as a Jew, in order to win Jews. To those under the law I became as one under the law (though not being myself under the law) that I might win those under the law. [21] To those outside the law I became as one outside the law (not being outside the law of God but under the law of Christ) that I might win those outside the law. [22] To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. [23] I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings. [24] Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. [25] Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. [26] So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. [27] But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified. (1 Corinthians 9:19-27)

I. A Single Statement

Having just heard the word of God read to us, it should be our desire to know what it means... right? And to clarify, it should be our desire to know what Paul meant when he wrote to those original readers, as well as its significance for us today. Now you may already have a sense of the meaning, but let me suggest a single statement that I believe adequately summarizes Paul's words in 1 Corinthians 9:19-27, and, connects those words to us as well. Here's that statement...

If you would aspire to serve others like Jesus, desire (and perspire) that your body would first serve you. 

So as you can see from that statement, there are two basic parts I'd like to unpack with you. That first part of the statement is focused on your service, and the second is focused on your body. So let's dig into both of these ideas by looking back together at our main text.

II. The Passage: “I Have Made Myself a Servant” (9:19-27)

Paul's focus on service is evident from the bookends of our passage: verse 19, and verse 27. Both of those verses contain some form of the Greek word for slave. Verse 19: “For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant (or slave) to all...”. Drop down to verse 27 (and this is from the NASB), “...but I discipline my body and make it my slave...”. Okay...

If we go back to verse 19, I think all of us know that Paul did not really sell himself into slavery, did he. No. His goal was not to be a slave to any human being. His goal (as a slave of Christ) was to be a servant to every human being. Didn't Jesus himself teach...

“It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, [27] and whoever would be first among you must be your slave...” (Matthew 20:26–27)

So what Paul is doing in vs. 20-23 is explaining what servanthood means in this context. Take for example, the kind of person mentioned in v. 22. Do you see that? Paul refers to “the weak”. Who are “the weak”? Is Paul talking about people who were ill or sickly? Or is he talking about people with very little muscle mass? No. Paul means weak in terms of their conscience. We learned about this kind of weakness in the previous chapter. Look back at 1 Corinthians 8:9–10...

But take care that this right of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. [10] For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will he not be encouraged, if his conscience is weak, [will he not be encouraged] to eat food offered to idols?

So the kind of person mentioned in v. 22 is really helpful for us when it comes to making sense of this passage. Why? Because that example clearly connects us to the broader context. And as we've talked about in previous messages, the context here runs all the way from chapter 8, verse 1, to chapter 11, verse 1. So with that in mind, we need to ask, “How was Paul a servant to the weak?” Well, there's an explanation in v. 22: “To the weak I became weak...”. Clear as mud, right? Okay, what does that mean? That Paul “became weak”?

It means exactly what Paul already communicated to them in the final verse of chapter 8. This is 8:13: “Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.” Just as the brother or sister with a weak conscience abstained from meat that had been sacrificed to a pagan idol (meat that was often sold in the local marketplace), Paul would also “become weak”; that is, he would also abstain from eating meat. Why? Think about v. 19: “For though I am free [to eat such meat], I have made myself a servant [by abstaining], that I might [not cause my brother or sister to stumble... and thus encourage him or her in Christ].”

And so based on that example from chapter 8, I think we can say that, in this context, being a “servant” means a willingness to set aside our own preferences, comforts, and rights in order to steer clear of stumbling blocks, as we make clear the gospel. So understanding something about “the weak” here helps us makes sense of the other examples Paul talks about in vs. 20 and 21. As with “the weak”, Paul would also become “as a Jew”, or become as “one under the law”, or become “as one outside the law”. Though Paul was a Jew, for example, he was no longer under the Law of Moses. Nevertheless, he remained very careful not to give any unnecessary offense to Jews who still observed the law. As a Jew, he also remained careful not to give any unnecessary offense to those who were not Jewish. What might this look like? Well, if we stick with the example of food, this approach might look like Paul maintaining a kosher diet while among a Jewish audience, but, with a Gentile host, enjoying bacon and eggs, or a nice pork roast. Why the difference? In order to give no offense for the sake of the gospel.

That was his ultimate goal in seeking to be a selfless servant. That he might (v. 19) “win more of them”. Notice how he uses that word “win” five times in four verses (“in order to win”, “that I might win”). All of this then leads to his summary at the end of v. 22: “I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.” (which is just another way of restating what he already stated in verse 19, “I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.”) Is that your heart as well? To serve others sacrificially, so that they too might serve Jesus?

But here's where Paul makes shift that you might not expect. As I indicated earlier, the Apostle is not only speaking here about your service as a follower of Jesus. He's also talking about how your body (your embodied self) factors into that kind of service. He spells this out in verses 26 and 27. Look back at those final two verses of chapter 9:

So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. [27] But I discipline my body and keep it under control [literally, 'I make it my slave'], lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Paul understands what you may understand as well (or at least, what some of us are coming to understand better). When it comes to a life of selflessly serving others, our bodily appetites can regularly trip us up. If, for example, Paul had an unhealthy relationship with food, how easy would it have been for him to (8:13) “never eat meat” for the sake of his 'weaker' brother/sister? Or, remember (from the first half of chapter 9) how Paul would not take financial support from the Corinthian church. If Paul had an unhealthy relationship with physical comfort, wouldn't he be more tempted to take their money, if it meant he had to do less physical labor? Or if he sought more food than he could afford by making tents, might he second guess his decision to not accept their financial support?

You see, Paul understood that, though they each have their proper place, our bodily appetites can and do tempt us to focus first on our own needs, rather than the needs of others. Thus, for those who want to be servants for Christ, what Paul is doing here is warning us about the very real danger of being enslaved by the desires of your body.

That's exactly why he does what he does with his body: he disciplines it and makes it his slave. Now, to explain the mindset behind his approach, Paul points them to a familiar image: that of the athlete. Every other year, to honor the god Poseidon, Corinth played host to the Isthmian games. This event included sports like horse racing, chariot racing, wrestling, as well as running and boxing. Therefore, in verses 24-26, Paul uses imagery that would be familiar to them in order to communicate something important to them about... bodily discipline. If such men trained intensely for months, in order to leave everything they had out on the field or track, and they did all this for a (v. 25) “perishable wreath”, how much more should God's people discipline them-selves and spend themselves for that which is “imperishable”?

To be clear, Paul is not talking here about winning eternal life. Jesus Christ has already accom-plished that victory for us. Paul is writing again about future commendation or reward, just like he did back in chapters 3 and 4. In chapter 3, he used the analogy of building. Here, the analogy has become racing. How should we run this race of gospel ministry? This race of serving others with the love of Christ? By the grace and Spirit of God, we should run in order to win.

III. Gospel-Centered Selflessness

Brother, sister, what imagery best describes how you think about your Christian life? Is it the image of the selfless servant? Is it the image of the determined runner? For many of us, if we're being honest, these images just sound uncomfortable and exhausting. Or they sound too 'works' oriented. Paul understood this. I think that's why he spoke about sharing in “the blessings” of the gospel in verse 23. Just as Paul had experienced the victory of Jesus in his own life, he wanted others to know that same victory. You see, there is a blessing when we serve as we've been served. There is a blessing when we forgive as we've been forgiven. When we love as we've been loved. Paul understood the fullness that comes when we empty ourselves for others. And he was certainly motivated the blessing of one day hearing those words from the lips of Jesus, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” (Matthew 25:21, 23)

But our bodies can get in the way. I'm not talking about genuine health conditions or the natural limitations that come as we age. I'm talking about how a sedentary lifestyle can tempt you to keep sitting when God calls you to go. I'm talking about how poor sleeping habits can lead to fatigue rather than fellowship. I'm talking about how your relationship with food or drink affects your relationships with others. I'm talking about neglecting your health, about a lack of discipline in terms of your sexual appetite, about an unhealthy anxiety in terms of your physical safety.

Just as we've talked in weeks past about a mature use of knowledge and a mature use of our rights, what the Apostle is describing for us here is a mature use of discipline. Discipline in the Christian life is not simply about praying more often or having a more consistent quiet time. One of its main goals is becoming more like Jesus. And as Paul has repeatedly emphasized in this section, that means a gospel-centered selflessness for others.

How is God at work in your heart this morning? What is He communicating to you through this passage? Is He stirring you in regard to maturity? In regard to service? In regard to discipline? He's spoken to us. We need to respond to Him. Please talk to him about these things. Ask Him for... 'that I might win some' heart for others. Ask Him to show you where bodily discipline is lacking in your life, and how you might address that with his help. We know, of course, that choices we make about our bodies are inseparable from our what is happening in our hearts and minds. Discipline is not disconnected from this. It begins with inward correction and healing. In addition to prayer, ask a brother or sister for help with that change.

Brothers and sisters, if you would aspire to serve others like Jesus, desire (and perspire) that your body would first serve you. 

And let us keep our eyes on Jesus. Hebrews 12:1–2 is the perfect passage to finish with this morning. I hope you will hear God speaking to you through these verses as well...

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, [2] looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.