Running For The Crown 1Cor. 9:24-2
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This morning I want us to look at 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, it talks about running for the imperishable crown that we will receive if we run this race with Christ without cheating or being disqualified.
Today we see people everywhere cheating and being disqualified in politics, athletics and in marriage and the church.
It is really sad that we feel that we have to cheat to get a head or to obtain the better prize, championship, new contract, getting elected into office or to get into a better relationship so we think. The grass isn’t always greener on the other-side.
The real challenge is just doing our very best and not going at it halfhearted, but putting in the time and energy that it takes to accomplish the goal, the job, the relationship or the office and the pastorate and most of all just living out the christian walk on a daily basis.
In the last few days, weeks, months and years we have seen and heard about the scandals that have plagued our society!
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
Compete is to strive to gain or win something by defeating or establishing superiority over others who are trying to do the same.
Win be successful or victorious in (a contest or conflict).Similar:come first in finish first in be victorious in triumph intake first prize in achieve success in be successful in prevail in wrap up come first finish first be the winner be victorious be the victor carry/win the day carry all before one defeat/overcome the opposition take the honors/crown gain the palm come out a head come out on top succeed triumph prevail achieve mastery sweep the board make a clean sweep win out clean up opposite:lose be beaten
2.acquire or secure as a result of a contest, conflict, bet, or other endeavor."there are hundreds of prizes to be won" Similar: secure gain achieve attain earn obtain acquire procure get collect pick up walk away/off with come away with carry off receive land net bag bank pot scoop.
noun a successful result in a contest, conflict, bet, or other endeavor; a victory."a win against Norway"
Disqualified to stop someone from being in a competition or doing something because they are unsuitable or they have done something wrong: / to deprive of the required qualities, properties, or conditions : make unfit ; 2 · to deprive of a power, right, or privilege / to deprive of qualification or fitness; render unfit; incapacitate. · to deprive of legal, official, or other rights or privileges
In order for someone to compete and have the chance to win they have to have self-control.
Self-control, an aspect of inhibitory control, is the ability to regulate one's emotions, thoughts, and behavior in the face of temptations and impulses. Is the ability to regulate and alter your responses to avoid undesirable behaviors, increase desirable ones, and achieve long-term.
Going For the Crown
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it.
When we look at our race / walk it is not a sprint, but a marathon, it is about the bigger picture and that is to finish as if you were the winner.
1 Corinthians Notes
Only used here in 1 Corinthians but 15 times in the NT, this is the only use of it in an athletic context. More generically, it refers to seizing or taking possession of something and holding on to it.
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
Exercising Self-Control
Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
In our walk with Christ we have to it is a must to exercise self-control with our actions and behavior.
1 Corinthians Notes
For athletes intending to compete at the Olympic or Isthmian games, training took place throughout the year and included the development of strength, endurance, skill, and careful regulation of diet and even sexual activity.
Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God.
Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Running With Purpose
So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.
To have a purpose is to help define our goal and mission!
1 Corinthians Notes
“I do not box as someone thrashing at the air.” Most likely Paul viewed this as the action of an undisciplined and unprepared boxer who was overmatched in a contest, rather than a boxer who has only practiced but never competed
An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.
Walking with Discipline
But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
Wednesday night I watched the movie RACE about Jessie Owens, He was disciplined and worked hard to accomplish his achievements in winning four gold medals in the olympics.
1 Corinthians Commentary
The winning motivation for Paul, he makes clear, is not at all like the monetary prizes and pine crowns received by those who placed first in the Isthmian Games. It is not at all about achieving the adulation of the crowd or the admiration of his co-competitors. It is only about pleasing God, who alone can bestow the unfading reward of his good pleasure and eternal life in his company.
They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so these men also oppose the truth, men corrupted in mind and disqualified regarding the faith.
Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test! I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test.
Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.
For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
I hope you will find out that we have not failed the test. But we pray to God that you may not do wrong—not that we may appear to have met the test, but that you may do what is right, though we may seem to have failed.
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.
The commentator says it best here about what Paul is trying to help us understand the walk, race, the journey and our purpose and that is to be prepared!
The winning motivation for Paul, he makes clear, is not at all like the monetary prizes and pine crowns received by those who placed first in the Isthmian Games. It is not at all about achieving the adulation of the crowd or the admiration of his co-competitors. It is only about pleasing God, who alone can bestow the unfading reward of his good pleasure and eternal life in his company. Disqualification for this prize would come only from Paul’s not doing his Christ-ordained job as an apostle in the rigorous, self-denying way he chose to do it—and ultimately failing to win converts to Christ. So, everything must be thrown off that hinders this evangelistic success. Preaching the gospel with personal sacrifice offers the optimum opportunity for success in helping people accept the gospel.