"In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should earn their living by the gospel." vs14

First, we have a command. Preachers should be paid and supported. We are not to beg and oppress. We don’t take away the gospel, and we don’t love money. Yet, we have a right to money for our services, because we must eat like everyone else. Galatians 6:6 - "Let the one who is taught the word share all his good things with the teacher."

Every believer is to give. 2 Corinthians 8:12, "For if the eagerness is there, the gift is acceptable according to what one has—not according to what one does not have." If your minister preaches Christ, then serve him with your resources. If he studies and prays, then take a portion of your pay for his essentials.

Don’t be negligent here. I spoke to a young man recently about church attendance. He assured me that he’s Reformed and doesn’t need to attend. His doctrine is right (Reformed), but he is wrong on this point, and it is fatal. We must not take grace as an excuse to sin. We must not say, “I’m saved by grace, so I don’t have to obey.”

Secondly, I must preach the gospel. 1 Corinthians 9:16 - "For if I preach the gospel, I have no reason to boast, because I am compelled to preach ​-- ​and woe to me if I do not preach the gospel!" I have no choice. God’s given a commandment, and I must go, if I know what’s best. This is the only way to be happy. I can’t run from obedience.

Let us learn the lesson: it is not about what we want or think. Emotions and feelings don't matter. God gives us willingness to obey by the gospel. He calls us, when we're dead in sins, gives us a commission, and then he stands by us through thick and thin, chastising us and rebuking us… comforting us… and giving us victory. Acts 26:16-22, "But get up and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you to serve and testify to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you…. “After that, King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision."

Necessity is laid upon us. It's the INWARD compulsion that we must obey. It's a yearning, a knowledge, and a conviction. We thank God for the joy of obedience, and he uses guilt to drive us away from the shame of sin. Thank God, we must go out, and do what he says.

Oh, how blessed we are: We're sinners, who love God. Saints must go forward. We can't stop.

Thirdly, this is the fundamental principle of our lives: winning souls! 1 Corinthians 9:19 - "Although I am free from all and not anyone's slave, I have made myself a slave to everyone, in order to win more people." We are soul winners by the new birth, being fully equipped by the Spirit to live godly in all things, even putting aside our freedoms for others. This is high grace, like the Son who left his throne to suffer. Love compelled him, and it compels us to do away with our freedoms.

Paul was free to take money, but he refused in Corinth, because of THEIR immaturity. 1 Corinthians 9:15, "But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing this so that they may be applied in my case. Indeed, I would rather die than that—no one will deprive me of my ground for boasting!" THEY accused Paul of preaching for money, so he took nothing from them. A person may be unable to drink wine with his brother in Christ, because the weaker views alcohol as Satanic. We may not be able to discuss politics at dinner, because we’ll offend with our opinion, and close the door to Christ. We may do something in faith, but not around a person who’d do the same thing in unbelief, lest we influence him wrongly. Romans 14:22, "The faith that you have, have as your own conviction before God. Blessed are those who have no reason to condemn themselves because of what they approve."

We give up freedoms, and this is a great gift of love - that I care more about you than pleasing me - and in this, we have a reward. Romans 15:1," We who are strong ought to put up with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves." God will answer us in our hearts. We give up dirt for diamonds.