"LIVING OUT THE GOSPEL PART IV"
Twin Peaks Bible Camp JH 24 • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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1 Corinthians 9:24–27 (NASB95)
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
26 Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box in such a way, as not beating the air; 27 but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.
By the Grace of God we will come to see how the Apostle Paul develops and maintains a passion for Christ. We will also see how you and I as believers can develop and maintain a passion for Christ as we run the race.
Interrogative question - How am I doing at running the race?
1. Right Understanding - vs. 12
1. Right Understanding - vs. 12
12 Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Keep in mind that Paul is refuting the Jediezers teaching about Salvation. In vs 8-11 Paul makes it crystal clear that Salvation is through faith in Christ alone and all of the material achievements are mere rubbish –
What does it mean “not that I have already obtained this” – What is Paul talking about? You must look back at the previous verse –
10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; 11 in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.
As a result of faith in Christ alone, now he has the privilege to participate with Christ by suffering with Him and one day being glorified with Him.
When we as believers in Christ are glorified we will be in heaven with Him and without sin.
The point here is that Paul has not yet obtained perfection. He understands life –
“I press on” – strive for a purpose - verb, present tense, active voice, indicative mood (certainty)
What is Paul pressing on for?
He is striving for Christ likeness Paul understands the fact that Christ bought him.
“I Press” here in vs. 12 also in vs. 14
10 “Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. 12 “Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
44 “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
23 “But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes.
34 “Therefore, behold, I am sending you prophets and wise men and scribes; some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues, and persecute from city to city,
49 “For this reason also the wisdom of God said, ‘I will send to them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and some they will persecute,
23 “They will say to you, ‘Look there! Look here!’ Do not go away, and do not run after them.
12 “But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and will persecute you, delivering you to the synagogues and prisons, bringing you before kings and governors for My name’s sake.
16 For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath.
20 “Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.
52 “Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become;
4 and he fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” 5 And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting,
4 “I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and putting both men and women into prisons,
7 and I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?’ 8 “And I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, whom you are persecuting.’
Acts 26:11–15 (NASB95)
11 “And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities. 12 “While so engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests,
13 at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me. 14 “And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 “And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting.
30 What shall we say then? That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith; 31 but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.
13 contributing to the needs of the saints, practicing hospitality. 14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
19 So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.
12 and we toil, working with our own hands; when we are reviled, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure;
1 Pursue love, yet desire earnestly spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.
9 For I am the least of the apostles, and not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.
9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed;
13 For you have heard of my former manner of life in Judaism, how I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it;
23 but only, they kept hearing, “He who once persecuted us is now preaching the faith which he once tried to destroy.”
29 But as at that time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also.
11 But I, brethren, if I still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? Then the stumbling block of the cross has been abolished.
11 But flee from these things, you man of God, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.
22 Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart.
12 Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
14 Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord.
11 “He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace and pursue it.
13 And when the dragon saw that he was thrown down to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male child.
Notice how much Paul uses the imagery of an athlete – 1 Cor. 9:24, and 1 Timothy 6:12, 19
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.
12 Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Are any of you involved in track or field?
It is so interesting to see how Paul is challenging the church at Philippi and at the same time is refuting the teaching of the Judiezers – (they teach that you reach some level of perfection in this life)
Paul makes the point as believers there will be a continual pursuit of Christ likeness, but believers will never achieve it during this life –
The last phrase says – “I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus”
What do you think that means?
28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
Christ desires all believers to be conformed into the imagine of Christ.
2. Right Commitment - vs. 13-14
2. Right Commitment - vs. 13-14
13 Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.
“brother” – fellow believer
Remember what I just told you – I in no possible way have achieved perfection. But this is what I do – Provides us with two specific things –
Forgetting what lies behind -
As a running is running the race he does not focus on the stuff that is going on behind him right?
“Forgetting” – neglecting “lies behind” – no longer follow
As Paul pursues Christ likeness he does not focus on what has happened in the past.
The fact that he persecuted the church Killed Christians That he was locked up People hated him
Straining forward to what lies ahead –
As the runner is running the race he is stretching out for the finish line right?
“Straining forward” – stretch forward, try hard
In vs 14 he reinforces the intensity that he has for Christ –
I press on – verb, present, active, indicative Strive for the goal – that is Christ likeness The word prize is a metaph. Of the heavenly reward
3. Right Perspective - vs. 15-16
3. Right Perspective - vs. 15-16
15 Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you; 16 however, let us keep living by that same standard to which we have attained.
“Perfect” – perfect, or complete “attitude” – have this attitude, to hold a view
Wait a sec is this a contradiction?
Paul just made the point that in this life we will never achieve perfection – but now he says those of us who are “perfect” (perfect)
Positional Sanctification
The point is this –
Justification – we are declared righteous Christ righteousness has been imputed to our account (2 Cor. 5:21)
Progressive Sanctification
“only” – except “Hold true” – agree with, behave, imitate “attained” – to come, to reach, to arrive at
SO WHAT?
Do you have a passion for Christ?
How are you doing at maintaining that passion?
How are you growing in that passion for Christ?
Right Understanding
Right Commitment
Forgetting what lies behind Strain forward
Right Perspective
Positional Sanctification Progressive Sanctification
MacArthur – “Four divinely provided resources help believers to consistently pursue the prize of Christlikeness. First, is the Word of God. Peter wrote, “Like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.” (1 Peter 2:2). Second is prayer. Paul prayed that the Corinthians would “be made complete” (2 Cor. 13:9). Third is following a godly example. Paul exhorted the Corinthians, “Be imitators of me” (1 Cor. 4:16, 11:1, Phil. 3:17, 1 Thess. 1:6, 2 Thess. 3:7, 9, 1 Tim. 4:12, Heb. 13:7, 1 Peter 5:3). Finally, God uses trials to mold believers into the image of Jesus Christ: “After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you” (1 Peter 5:10, James 1:2-5)