Introduction:

1. For those who are redeemed by the blood of Christ, life is gospel centered.

2. It is the hub of our life, and everything else is a spoke connected to that hub.

3. For this, we must tear down every barrier to spread this worldview to all who will hear.

Discussion:

I. Paul’s Evangelistic Attitude

A. Knowing the gospel is our only hope, Paul had to preach Jesus (Romans 1:14-17; 1 Corinthians 9:16).

B. What Jesus started in His earthly ministry, He delegated to His people after His departure (Luke 19:10; John 9:5; Matthew 5:14-16; 28:18-20).

C. Paul set the paradigm for carrying out this work.

II. Tearing Down All Barriers

A. We are divided based on a host of characteristics: wealth, ethnicity, education, personality, etc.

B. Paul set all aside for the gospel, and so must we.

C. Servant spirits are one of the first prerequisites (vs. 19, 22; Philippians 2:1-7).

D. He broke the deep-seated Jew/Gentile barrier (vv. 20-21; Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 2:11-18).

E. Christ dissolved all man-made distinctions.

III. Giving Up Our Prerogatives

A. “To the weak I became as weak…” likely pertains to the discussion of meats sacrificed to idols in 1 Corinthians 8:4-13 and 10:23-32.

B. If one partakes of things with moral uncertainty, they sin, even if it is acceptable (Romans 14:23).

C. It is tempting to do what we have always done whether it offends another’s conscience or not.

D. Paul said he would never eat meat again if it was the dividing line between guarding a soul or not (1 Corinthians 8:13; cf. Romans 14:20-21).

1. Paul always met his listeners where they were (Acts 17:22-34).

2. He always spoke truth and always did so lovingly and graciously (Ephesians 4:15; Colossians 4:5-6).

3. In short, for Paul life was all about the gospel, inwardly and outwardly.

4. Will we sell out all else for the gospel as Paul did?