Runing to Win

Preliminary:

Read: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

1 Corinthians 9:24–27 KJV 1900

24 Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

Look at verse 24b

1 Cor 9:24 “24...So run, that ye may obtain.”

Run to win

I see three things things that we must do in order to run to win - I’m not claiming originality for these three points but they sure are good preaching...

Keep on Going

Keep on Going No Matter What

No Matter What Keep on Going.

A large part of the Christian life is perseverance

Staying at it

Keep on going

By perseverance the snail reached the ark.

Charles Spurgeon

Perseverance has been defined as sticking to something you’re not stuck on.

Perseverance is the result of a strong will. Obstinacy is the result of a strong “won’t.”

Anonymous

Keep on Going

Strive for the Mastery (25a) 1 Cor 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery ...

A report from Global Wellness Institute, a nonprofit focused on research in preventative health and wellness, found that in 2018 Americans spent $264.6 billion dollars on gym and other exercise memberships. Yet according to the academic journal The Lancet, for all of this spending, we rank 143rd globally for actual participation in physical activity.

Striving for mastery means we do more than pay our membership fee - we actually exercise. Just talking about going to heaven, or going this way isn’t going to get us to the finish line -

It’s not just about coming to Church its about showing up when you are there - we aren’t just sitting there waiting for someone to bless us - or serve us - we are serving others - we are blessing others with:

Our attitude of worship

Our participation

Our focus on God

It is misleading to imagine that we are developed in spite of our circumstances, we are developed because of them. It is mastery in circumstances that is needed, not mastery over them. Oswald Chambers

In the Greek the phrase in the KJV “striveth for the mastery” is actually one word (awe-go-knees- a-meh) and means

To engage in a contest

to fight

to struggle

to strive

To put it into the terms of our illustration - we’re going to keep hitting the gym

Hitting the gym even if we are tired

even if we are stiff and sore

even if we think we have done it enough

even if we think we deserve a break

WE WILL KEEP ON GOING TO THE GYM -

Exercise self-control (25b) 1 Cor 9:25 “...is temperate in all things. ...”

... A race is not a thing of passive luxury, but is demanding, sometimes grueling and agonizing, and requires our utmost in self-discipline, determination, and perseverance. John F. MacArthur

Pursue the incorruptible crown (25c) 1 Cor 9:25 “...Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.”

In our Christian walk we will keep on Going and we will ....

Keep on Going No Matter What (26) - 1 Cor 9:26 “26 I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air:”

Run with intentionality -

Intentionality is the “aboutness” or “ofness” of my mental life.

James K. Dew, Jr.; Paul M. Gould

I have a goal I’m headed for, I am purposefully doing whatever it takes to make progress and avoid obstacles and hindrances.

What About the Barking Dogs?

"You will never reach your destination if you stop and throw stones at every dog that barks." Winston Churchill

Suggestions from Satan will come - yapping like a dog in a fence or a stray that acts like it wants to come after you - but you KEEP ON GOING NO MATTER WHAT

Bro. August Luelf once said, “If the devil is throwing mud balls at you he’s losing ground.” Let him howl, let him hiss, let him throw things at you - YOU KEEP ON GOING NO MATTER WHAT!!!

What About the Dark Times?

When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer. TRUST GOD today no matter how dark your situation. GOD says, "You are coming out." YOU KEEP ON GOING NO MATTER WHAT!!!

What About The Uphill Climb?

One has said, “Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there” - The Journeyman Barker - (The Complete Speaker’s Sourcebook Doan p186)

Church we must KEEP ON GOING and we must KEEP ON GOING NO MATTER WHAT!!! AND....

No Matter What Keep on Going (27) - 1 Cor 9:27 “27 But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.”

What About the Stumbles?

The only way to make a “come back” is to go on. - Sourcebook Doan p186

Proverbs 24:16 “For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: But the wicked shall fall into mischief.”

I won’t let stumbles stop me - I can’t be a castaway - I can’t miss it - I must NO MATTER WHAT KEEP ON GOING!!!!

What About the temptations

The temptations try to lure me off the track and look at other races or other things

I keep under my body - i bring it into subjection

Keep means to discipline or bruise

Keep under - to dominate or enslave

The wants, wishes, desires of my body and flesh must not, cannot, do not control me - or interfere with my winning this race

Paul for Everyone: 1 Corinthians (The Christian Athlete (1 Corinthians 9:24–27)) N. T. Wright says.

The point of it all is not to get rid of the body, but to glorify God in it (1 Cor 6:20), and to prepare it for its true destiny, its union with the Lord, its resurrection (6:13–14; 15:35–49). But for this to happen the Christian cannot simply rely on the rhetoric of ‘rights’ and ‘freedoms’. Paul’s point here is that Christian obedience will often mean giving up supposed ‘rights’ and ‘freedoms’ in order to become the person God means us to become.

I can’t run part of the race and be distracted onto something else and become a castaway or stop short of the finish line -

NO MATTER WHAT I MUST KEEP ON GOING!!!!

What About the Finish Line

The finish line -is the goal - that is what we started out to reach - that is our intended goal - that is our destination - the end of the race

The finish line is real - it seems to move when you start a race - at least when you are my age and my size

I at times race the kids to the van or home from church or something like that - when I start to run the finish line suddenly seems farther away than when I started - but you know what - THE FINISH LINE IS THERE

There are a lot of people who would make you doubt or be skeptical about the Finish Line in the Christian life - but I promise you on the authority of God’s word that it is there.

Squire Parsons wrote that beautiful song, Some Call it Heaven. The second verse says:

Someone said, "you can't go back home again.

Things will not ever be, as good as they've been".

But I have good news for you, When Heaven comes into view

One glimpse and you'll know, The best is yet to come

Crossing the finish line means you finished well

Some translate that word “castaway” as “disqualified”

The McKameys used to sing...

I wanna finish well, I wanna end this race; Still leaning on, His amazing grace. I want these last few miles to testify That God never fails; I don't wanna fall down this close to the line, I want to finish well.

Church.... we must

Keep on Going

Keep on Going No Matter What

No Matter What Keep on Going.