February 4, 2026; I Corinthians 9

Daily Dose of Hope

February 4, 2026

 

Scripture: I Corinthians 9

 

Prayer:  Holy God, We come before you today rejoicing in your powerful name.  Thank you for who you are and all you do.  Thank you for loving us.  Help us gather our scattered thoughts, help us set aside distractions, and truly focus on you right now.  In these next few moments of silence, Lord, we want to hear your voice...In Your Name, Amen.

 

Welcome back, everyone, to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  We have been journeying through Paul’s letters.  Today, we are in I Corinthians.

 

Our reading for today was I Corinthians 9.  In this chapter, Paul continues his discussion on freedom in Christ. There were obviously those in the Corinthian church who were challenging Paul. We’ve talked about this in previous chapters-their view of Christian leadership was skewed. The Corinthians viewed strong church leaders as those who made known their authority by lording it over others. It was about power, reputation, and popularity. Paul is the exact opposite. He is saying that yes, he has freedoms and rights, but he doesn't abuse or misuse them.

 

Paul lists three rights/freedoms he has decided not to claim. The first was the right to food and drink, the second was the right to be accompanied by a wife, and the third was to be paid for his work as an apostle. He was a totally free man with rights but he intentionally chose not to use those rights. Paul did not want to be swayed by personal whims or desires. Rather, he wanted to be fully and totally focused on the Gospel. Indulging in these freedoms, while they are not bad things, might divert him from the purpose. Everything is about the mission for Paul and he didn't want to risk doing anything that could challenge his integrity and compromise the mission.

 

Paul is really committed to the cause.  I’m not sure many of us would give up what he has freely chosen to give up.  I’m struggling with this.  I like good food, I’m married, and I get paid for my work as a pastor.  Let’s be clear, God does not require us to give these things up.  But, we may decide there are certain things that get in the way of our service to the Lord.  Only we can know what those things are. 

 

One point that Paul makes is that by making these sacrifices, he is actually a stronger leader, not a lesser one. What is your view of Christian leadership? Are sacrifices essential to achieving the mission? What sacrifices have you made to share the Gospel of Jesus with others?  How do you reconcile all of this? 

 

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki