Fitness
Soldiers Of Christ • Sermon • Submitted
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Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Greetings…
Boot Camp or Basic Training
“Basic Training…prepares recruits for all elements of service: physical, mental, and emotional. It gives service members the basic tools necessary to perform the roles that will be assigned to them for the duration of their tour.”
Exercise Our Mind
Exercise Our Mind
Breaking Down
Breaking Down
Basic training is all about first breaking down the mental barrier of self.
One cannot work with a team if “self” is their motivation.
Paul said of leaving self behind for Christ…
22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,
Eph 4:
God, by reminding us of our sins and His Son’s sacrifice, humbles us or mentally breaks us down so we are able to be built up in Christ’s image as Christians.
This brings me to…
Building Up
Building Up
Once we realize we must “put off our old self” we see the power and love of God in Him building us up by having us “put on the new self, in God’s likeness.”
Eph 4:
22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
Summary
Summary
As Paul would say in when we are “transformed by the renewal of our mind” we become fit mentally & thus emotionally to be a “Soldier Of Christ.”
We are ready to mentally train every day to be fit for duty.
Not only must we “Exercise Our Minds” every day we must be physically fit as well for the kingdom.
This means we must…
Exercise Our Body
Exercise Our Body
Breaking Down
Breaking Down
Most anyone that physically exercises knows that when you workout your body typically is in some pain after words.
This is because when this is done that muscle fibers broken down which, through muscle repair, allows new muscle to form, thicken, and strengthen.
When we obey the gospel there is a physical shock to the body when asked to do things we are not used to doing.
10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
Often our bodies are not used to the physical demands placed upon it by God on top of our typical days.
Thus God reminds us over and over that being a child of God comes with physical expectations.
Think how few of God’s children visit their brethren that are
10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.
We must break down our muscles by “doing the works of God each and everyday.”
This brings me back to…
Building Up.
Building Up.
When our muscles start repairing from our “doing the work of the Lord” we will start getting better and better at it.
It will be easier each time to…
10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.
To the struggling church in Corinth Paul made this statement.
27 But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
Summary
Summary
No, I’m not saying we must literally exercise physically to “do the work of God” what I’m saying is we must train our bodies to accept our responsibilities to “do the work of God.”
When we have worked hard all day at our job and then find out a brother or sister is sick and in need and we are tired and don’t really want to help we must physically train ourselves to push through and “do what is needed.”
When we have been working all day long and then find out our brother or sister needs us to come over and help them and physically we just don’t want to we must physically train ourselves to push through and “do the work of God.”
Conclusion
Conclusion
Those of you that have gone through “Basic Training” know that mental and physical training that goes on.
As Soldiers of Christ we must also be mentally and physically fit for the kingdom of Christ.
Invitation
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; 2 but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,
32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.
8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,
3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.