On Sunday morning, May 24th, Steve Brown preached a sermon from 1 Corinthians 9:12-23 titled: Us and “Them” on the topic of evangelism and witnessing. With his usual plain-spoken candor, Steve opened by saying, “They can all go to Hell and I don't care.” This was something he spoke from a pulpit many years ago. He did not say it to brag, but rather it was spoken as a confession about people's eternal destination and his apathy. Over the years the Lord has changed him. Now his heart breaks and his eyes fill with tears because they just don't know and they are lost.

In those days when he made that careless statement, he did not understand the text of this sermon.
Nevertheless, we have not made use of this right, but we endure anything rather than put an obstacle in the way of the gospel of Christ. Do you not know that those who are employed in the temple service get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in the sacrificial offerings? In the same way, the Lord commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should get their living by the gospel.

But I have made no use of any of these rights, nor am I writing these things to secure any such provision. For I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of my ground for boasting. For if I preach the gospel, that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! For if I do this of my own will, I have a reward, but if not of my own will, I am still entrusted with a stewardship. What then is my reward? That in my preaching I may present the gospel free of charge, so as not to make full use of my right in the gospel.

For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them. 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. 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. 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. I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.
D. James Kennedy used to say, “If you believe… Why doesn't God take you home to Heaven right now? The reason He doesn't is because of THEM.” The Apostle Paul knew this and wrote the text above for the people of Corinth AND the people of Coral Ridge (and you the reader) so that we might put it both in our heads and in our hearts, and then in our feet.