Run Your Race set before you.

Introduction

Good morning church and thank you for being with us this morning as we praise Jesus Christ. We have just finished up a long week of Vacation Bible school and I for one want to express so much thanks to all of our amazing adults who made this possible. It really does take a village to pull something like this off from the music, the decorations, the leaders, the cooks. It takes so many and the payoff: we get to share the hope of Jesus with our kiddos and their families. This week we took the kids through hometown Nazareth and really honed in on teaching the kids about family and home. We got to run around in tribes and talked about the home we have in God’s family because of Jesus. A great time and again, thank you to all who made it a reality.

Today we continue in the book of 1 Corinthians 9:19-27.

and as you are turning there I’d like to ask you what you feel like you are the best at in your life? Like the think you thing, “man I was put here to do this”. I’ve met some people who really feel a connection to the outdoors. Some pour themselves into their families. Some build businesses.

I always thought it would be fun to start up a BBQ truck in retirement. Just a couple days a week. Friday and Saturday. Smoke up all the meat and when we ran out we ran out.

But how do you differentiate between things you like, things you like to do, and what you are called to do and be?

Tension

To be fair, I’m not sure many of us could articulate the difference because most of the time we are trying to work that out ourselves. As Paul continues into his discourse on the inner and outer lives of the church, he has some things to say to them and us today that really go beyond just what we choose to do with our time. He encourages us to really look at the why behind our calling and how we choose to see it through. We are going to start today reading 9:24.

Truth

1 Corinthians 9:24 (ESV)

24 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.

Prayer

Exposition

1 Corinthians 9:19–27 (ESV)

19 For though I am free from all, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win more of them.

Remembering that these words flow directly from last weeks. Paul discussed the issues he was having with people in the church discrediting Paul’s ministry and his apostleship. They brought this further by declaring that he and Barnabas should somehow, not receive any payment from their work among them. These considerations where not levied at the other apostles but only at these two, and only by the church in Corinth. Paul, knowing these conversations and debates were going on decided to take no paycheck, so as to not give them any credence to their words, but chose to preach the gospel anyway because it was what God wanted. Further, we find that this exists within the larger context of a discussion around freedom, rights, liberty in Christ, and obligations to other believers.

In verse 19 Paul starts by saying that he is in fact free from all. He didn’t choose to shackle his freedoms in only food and drink, or in receiving pay for his work, he took it further than that. He decided that he would make himself a slave to all, in the hoped of winning more to Christ. He explains further

20 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.

Paul was primarily an apostle to the gentiles but he never lost his concern for his own people, the Jews. In fact, it was often Paul’s method of operation to first visit the synagogue in each town that he entered in order to share with the Jews first. Paul, previous to meeting Jesus was as Jew’s Jew and afterward he became a new man. He had found the righteousness of Christ and wanted his brothers to hear that good news too. He remembers the burden of the Law and the feelings that stalked those under it of always having to work towards righteousness but never being able to achieve it.

Still in our world today there a many who feel they have to earn God’s love. They may not call it a “law” or “work’s based faith” but in practice it looks like nothing different.

21 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.

22 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.

23 I do it all for the sake of the gospel, that I may share with them in its blessings.

24 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.

25 Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.

26 So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.

27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.

Landing

Application