Running to Win

Notes/ Questions/ Observations:

Who is this letter written to? 1:2, Acts 18:1-19

The background to the church at Corinth.

In chapter 1 Paul has greeted the Corinthian church and thanked God for them. Then, he appeals to them to not be divided, but agree and consider the nature of their calling in Christ. In chapter 2, He reminds the church of the powerful message of the gospel that had been preached to them, and the fact that they remain in spiritual infancy and Christian immaturity. Chapter 3 Paul finishes his exhortation about the division among them, and throughout chapter 4, He begins to teach them how they should view his fatherly position as an apostle. In chapter 5 he launches into a tone of correction about sexual immorality being tolerated in the church, and in chapter 6 he confronts the problem of lawsuits with one another. Then, in chapter 7 he answers questions they have had about marriage. Chapter 8 answers problems they are having with eating food sacrificed to idols and wounding the consciences of one another by mishandling their freedoms.

In chapter 9, Paul has been defending his rights and freedoms as an apostle. In verses 24-27 he launches into an imperative illustration.

Do you not know= Are you not aware?

race= stadium, arena

Prize= a gift of victory

So= In the same way

that you may obtain it= seize, acquire, lay hold of, grasp

athlete= (agonizomai) struggle, compete, fight, strive

self-control= control on’es self desires

perishable= mortal, corruptible, subject to breaking down

wreath= crown signifying victory

imperishable= exact opposite of perishable

So= in the same way

I do not run aimlessly= lack of certainty

I do not box= fight with the fists

as one beating the air= punching, striking, trashing the sky.

But= rather, in contrast to the above notion…

I discipline= wear down, beat down, go to great measures to....

to keep my body= (soma) whole body, physical and spiritual

under control= subdue, make ready for service, enslave, dominate

lest = in some way, So that

after preaching to others = proclaiming, (this answers why he is subjecting and denying his freedoms as a apostle; for the sake of the gospel)

Disqualified= fraud, worthless, not standing the test, rejected

What is the prize? The prize of preaching the gospel free of charge? The glory of God. (10:31, 6:20) The sake of the gospel.(9:23) The imperishable victory of resurrected bodies 9:25, 15:50-58

What is the race? Maturing in Christlikness? Our fight against sin?

What is he saying about the discipline of the body?

What is the point he is making in 9:24-27? Paul is using this illustration to describe his intention for preaching the gospel free of charge. Even though he was free to expect compensation he didn’t make full use of that freedom. Rather he made himself a slave to all so that he might win more people to Christ. For Paul, he ran in such a way to win the prize of proclaiming the gospel so that once he had done so, he wouldn’t forfeit by running in the wrong way. he was concerned about not just running the race, but doing it in a way that would bring glory to God for the sake of the gospel.. not simply the sake of him being treated like an apostle. For Paul, the preaching of the gospel wasn’t something to tout his expertise or position as an apostle, but rather a necessity laid upon him by the Christ, that he cried out in verse 16.. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel. Paul is using this illustration to describe why he has gone about preaching the gospel in the manner that he has. Therefore, the race that he is alluding to, and commanding the Corinthian church to run is simply “obedience in proclaiming the gospel.” He is saying, that our methodology is just as important s our message. He is practicing what he is preaching. The gospel is directing his practice in proclamation.

Summary Statement: A victorious Christian life requires effort. (what kind of effort?) Intentionally focused, drastically dominated self-control.

This answers; what would compel Paul to not demand what he has every right and freedom to demand? He is giving the Corinthian church a real life example of “not causing another to stumble.” 8:13 He is using his apostolic liberties as an example “like eating meat sacrificed to idols” to show it is more important to lay aside liberty for sake of the gospel than to demand my rights.

If we run this race wrongly, we will be disqualified, miss the prize, because we didn’t run in a way that (self-control) was according to rules of the race. He goes on immediately, to use the example of those during time of Moses who were guilty of idolatry and were disqualified even though they had the law. This is a warning against spiritual pride. (10:12) That even though we have freedom to do many things, (10:23) we do not have freedom to run this race according to our own sinful glory. No, our method of life must be for His glory and the good of others. (10:31 & 24) As we see in Paul’s example 10:33 where he is basically repeating the point of 9:16-23

Now, what implications does this illustration have on our own lives?

Areas of self control .

Challenging our motives for methodology.

Running the race= Living a gospel proclaiming life. Winning the Prize= The imperishable result of the gospel...God’s glory. When God is glorified we will be satisfied and those we proclaim Jesus to will be edified.

Helps determine our course of obedience.

If we will follow Jesus, we must give mindful, strenuous, disciplined, struggling, sweat stained effort! What does this look like?

Consider our calling (1:26)

Consider our examples (1 Cor 11:1)

Consider the cost (Luke 14:24-33)

How is self control a method of evangelism?

Integrity of living what we speak.

Does this text make this point?.... Paul has A Biblical/theological understanding of anthropology. Specifically, that we are human beings made in the image of God with both marital and material. Soul and body. Why is this important, because when we do not care for our soul, our bodies are impacted. And when we do not care for our bodies, our souls are impacted. We are whole humans, meaning, physical problems can impact and create soul problems, and visa versa. Keeping in mind 1 Timothy 4:7-10 (not a bad point.. but don't think this text makes it enough to include in sermon)

Evidence of Holy Spirit indwelling and controlled life. (Gal. 5:22)

Sermon:

I. Introduction: Not long after Emily and I were married we took an adventure to the city of Boston. Emily was attending a conference, and a part of the conference agenda was a 5 K race. Well, she loving recruited me to run the race with her. So , like any good athlete, the night before the race I started training in our hotel. I went down to the treadmill and ran for a mile or so. The next morning, bright and early we road the shuttle to the race and after some stretching we started. Within the first 100 steps I had already changed my mind about the goal of this race. I wasn’t running to win. As a matter of fact, I completely changed to definition of win to keeping pace. Then, about 2.3 way thru the race I changed the definition of winning again to simply.. finishing the race. With Emily's superb coaching skills, I did finish. I achieved my goal to win the race according to my own definition.

Transition: Today, we are going to discover from God’s word the true definition of running to win. We are going to find help for living a victorious Christian Life. Turn with me to…

II. Scripture reading: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

III. Explanation: What is the point being made in this text?

Explanation

By inspiration of the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul is using this illustration of competing athletes, in order to show how much more Christians should be intentionally self-controlled in our efforts.

Essentially, Paul is writing to the Corinthians, and using this illustration to teach them how to grow in Christ like maturity. He is writing to the church in order to remind them of how they became Christians and calling them to live devoted to Christ.

As we read through the entire letter we notice that these folks had many problems just like we do. They were making divisions among the church, they were tolerating sexual immorality, they were taking one another to civil court, wounding one another’s consciences by being inconsiderate of their Christian liberties, they were misunderstanding marriage and singleness, they were touting their spiritual gifts and getting drunk at the Lord’s supper… just to name a few of their problems....

Here, in the middle of this letter, after defending his own rights and freedoms as apostle, Paul gives this very visual illustration in order to teach the church that a victorious Christian life requires effort.

Notice his reference in verse 24 to something very familiar to the Corinthians: runners in a race. The city of Corinth would host a kind of Olympic games with a whole assortment of festivities and athletic competitions. Among them was especially a foot race. He uses this picture to make the imperative at the end of verse 24: “So run that you may obtain it.”

He goes on with the illustration in verse 25 to contrast the difference between physical athletes and spiritual athletes. They practices self-control in order to gain a perishable prize. We practice self control in order to receive an imperishable prize. If athletes discipline their bodies in “all things” in order to receive a prize that will perish, how much more should we who belong to Christ discipline our bodies in “all things” to receive an imperishable reward?

Paul personalizes this illustration by using his own example in verse 26. He says he doesn't run without certainty, without focus, with intentional effort. Also, he doesn't box by just throwing his fists in the air. No, rather he disciplines his body, he practices strenuous self control and submits himself to focused effort so that he will not be disqualified.

Illustration: In the 2000 Summer Olympics, Marion Jones won three gold medals and two bronze medals. She was a track and field super star. However, her achievements were short lived when she was disqualified and stripped of her trophies after admitting to using steroids. Using performance enhancing drugs is illegal for Olympic Athletes!

Paul is emphasizing that its not just a matter of running the race, but running with integrity, so as not to be disqualified. He makes a similar point in 2 Tim. 2:5 when he tells his young protege...

2 Timothy 2:5 ESV

An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.

Point

A victorious Christian life requires effort. Paul is showing that if physical athletes go to this measure to inherit a life that is short and withering, how much more should we who belong to Christ go to great effort since we win the imperishable prize of eternal life.

A victorious Christian life requires intentional, focused, drastic, effort. How is this possible? How should we run, in such a way, as to win? How do we “go for the gold”… and not run out of steam, quit the race, attempt to change the definitions or rules, or yield to the temptation of cheating our way into the kingdom?

IV. Application: What is our course of action in order to give great effort for living a victorious Christian Life?

Course of Action for victorious Christian life.

Consider our Calling

In (1 Cor. 1:26-31) we read…

In order to move forward and progress in a victorious Christian life, we must look back and be reminded of how we were first established in a relationship with Christ. In order to run the race with great effort, it is good and right to be reminded of how we ever entered the race to begin with. What were we when Christ called us to salvation? (answer with the text)

This truth guards us from effort that is either self loathing or self boasting. (briefly explain)

Considering our calling, grounds our effort in the gospel. How so? The necessary effort of our atonement has been accomplished by Jesus. The Holy Spirit has applied that effort to our stone hearts and given us hearts of faith. Those who have entered this race of faith, Those who are saved by grace through faith.... Now, we have a willful participation in our spiritual maturity. We are made alive for obedience. We are activated for activity.

Illustrate: When a child receives a toy, it is simply an inanimate object useful for nothing until it comes alive in their hands and imagination. The toy is put to work because it has come alive in the hands of the child. In the same way, when we are made alive in the hands of our redeemer we are put to work, made useful for His kingdom purposes.

Transition: Our course of action for living a victorious christian life begin with considering our calling. Second… we should...

Course of Action for victorious Christian life.

2. Consider our Aim

Illustration: For Christmas, we gave ourselves a family gift of a Wii. If you don’t know, its a gaming system that requires you to be more interactive. It came along with some hunting games. And wouldn’t you know it, in order to win the game… your aim has to be sharp and steady. In the same way, if we are going to run to win, our aim must be sharp and steady.

Read 1 Cor. 6:12-20

Many times, we start and fail in our spiritual habits because at the core we are not doing it for the glory of God. We attempt to fight sin by aiming at some other glory. Often, we start and fail because we do not realize that our bodies are not our own…

This is the principle of ownership v.s stewardship. As those bought with a price, we do not own our bodies. rather, our bodies that contain every aspect of who we are as God’s created beings, are on loan. So we have a stewardship of carefully handling the life that He has purchased, that belongs to Him.

Paul makes a very similar point in 1 Cor. 3:14-17 when he says…

Those who belong to Christ have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us. We are his house, His temple. The reason this truth is so important is because the self-control that we need for a victorious life is actually a by-product of the Holy Spirit. A Spirit controlled life is a self-controlled life. Which focuses the goal or aim of our victory on the glory of God.

This reality also corrects disjointed misconceptions of sanctification. When we are in Christ, we are not our own. This prevents us from falling into the trap of thinking that since Jesus saved my soul I can use my body however I want. No, our life is not our own, bought at a high price, therefore, glorify God in your body.

This gives us the aim for living a victorious Christian life. It corrects the notion that my life is my own to spend how I want. Or that salvation was intended to make me the best version of myself. This truth clarifies our true identity and empowers our obedience.

Plainly, the strength we need to press on and finish the race in a way to win, to exert focused effort, is granted to us by the power of the Holy Spirit in us. Therefore; we must learn the disciplined rhythm of submitting/ of humbling ourselves/ to Him. (How? Thru gathering, prayer, filling ourselves with Scripture, by sharing truth with others. These are the ways we practice self discipline. These are the ways we humble ourselves to the Holy Spirit who indwells us and empowers us to live victorious. This is how we tap into the wonderful grace of God that fuels our effort for His glory.

Transformation: As we consider our calling and focus our aim we are running to win. When we run to win, our live inevitably become a testimony and proclamation of how a person is transformed by Christ. Specifically, When by the power of the Holy Spirit are unified, when we flee sexual immorality, when we settle our grievances out of civil courts, partake in the Lord’s supper correctly, avoid wounding the conscience of our brothers and sisters, when we confess spiritual pride and repent of idolatry.. we are in effect running to win. As we see in the apostle Paul’s example; this truth drives gospel proclamation that is sacrificial and full of integrity.We are saying to a lost and dying world that Jesus Christ bought me with a price, I am the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, and what concerns me most is living for God’s glory.

V. Closing: Friends, this illustration reveals what is necessary in order to live out the gospel that we preach. What will motivate us to be the church that pleases God? What drives a life of humble and sacrificial obedience to Christ? For some it’s guilt. (1:8) For others its Pride. (4:18-20) But for those who belong to Christ, who have been purchased at the great price of His atoning sacrifice, we must live for His glory ,empowered by the Spirit. Closing question: Am I running to win!

Am I running to win?