Running The Race

It is indeed an honor and a privilege to be sharing God’s Word this afternoon. Let us begin with a Word of Prayer

1 Corinthians 9:24–26 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. 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.

1 Corinthians 9:24–26 NKJV

24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air.

It’s in the movie happy feet, where we have this little penguin named Mumble who had fantastic tap-dancing moves but unfortunately this penguin had a terrible singing voice. The problem is without a Heart song, Mumble may never really be part of the community,he was a misfit, eventually Mumble was cast out of the community, who then sets out across vast landscapes and, after some epic encounters, he was taken by the humans.

However this led the humans to protect the penguins food supply which eventually saved the Penguin community.

While the Christian life is in some ways like Mumbles it isn’t in other ways. Let me explain in two points.

We are all running a race. (Like Mumble we are all running a race)

In the New Testament, we find the Christian life often compared to a race. Paul used this metaphor both for his life as an apostle and the Christian life in general (1 Cor. 9:24-27; see also Gal. 5:7).

In a Race, there is a start, there is the running phase and then there is the finish.

We begin the race when we are either born into a Christian home or if a stranger to Christianity, we begin much later when we profess faith in Jesus Christ.

The running phase is the rest of our lives, right now as Christians , we are all running. Despite all the challenges, struggles , COVID , hardships we run!

The end of the race is our death, when we will enter into glory.

Seeing ourselves as runners helps us to understand that being a Christian is not a one-time event, but a life-long endeavor. We might be tempted to think that so long as we were baptized or so long I’ve said that prayer at the time of our conversion that we have done all that is necessary for possessing eternal life and entering into God’s rest (Heb. 4:1-13). But that is not true, because we are like runners in a race who are running to the finish line.

And as we run we go through ups and downs in life, we are growing older and somehow as that happens we gain weight, loose hair , and the list goes on. We are all slowly fading away and so as Christians , as those part of a church we need to be united all the more. Pressing one another on to that which is eternal.

And so the apostle Paul was concerned for the Corinthians , they were going through a whole lot of problem, divisions, sexual immorality, marriage issues, family issues, much of it was due to their selfishness, due to their want to be independent of God but Paul in this letter to the Corinthians as we read kept reminding them of what their goal is in this race, which brings me to my second point.

2. We are all in a Race, Christ has won it. He is the prize! (Unlike Mumble we are not running aimlessly)

The goal/the end of the race for us as Christians is Jesus Christ, He is the one with the imperishable crown and it is because of Him that we win.

In Corinth where to church that was divided because where one says , “I follow Paul” and another says “I follow Apollos”. Paul points them back to Christ saying, “Is Christ divided?” “Was Paul crucified for you?”.....He reminds them

to preach Christ,

to preach the Gospel , the good news

not with eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. (the one who is God himself incarnate, the second person of the trinity , who emptied himself and gave himself as a ransom for many)

Paul reminds them that it is God who gives the growth (1 Cor 3:6) and so we must Run the race united in Christ.

To those in the church who were struggling with sexual immorality, with lust, Paul reminds them who we are in Christ, that if unrepentant sin continues in this manner & we do not abide by God’s standards that we must be cast out of the church, until we realize what we are missing out on and turn back to the Lord and be reconciled.

Yes running the race is not a one time thing, we need to keep running , denying ourselves, pick up our cross and follow Him who gives us this imperishable crown.

To those who are married, Paul teaches them on how they should live in harmony, to be devoted to God and have a mutual understanding of one another, that as married couples we must be caring for the physical & spiritual needs of each other, that they may lead a life to which God has called them.

Run this race , knowing that it is God who sanctifies us and we need to let go of sin & our own selfish desires, which stops us from receiving the prize.

We are all running a race and as Christians we are not running in circles or to nothingness, but towards the finish line where a prize beyond our wildest dreams awaits us.

The Bible uses a number of different words and expressions to describe the finish line, let me highlight a few:

paradise (Luke 23:43);

the New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:2);

the resurrection (Acts 26:7) (1 Cor 15); (where those who have slept in the Lord will physically rise with their glorified bodies )

the new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells (2 Pet. 3:13);

God’s Sabbath rest (Heb. 4); (says for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.)

eternal life (Titus 1:2; Rom. 2:7; 6:22);

glory (Heb. 2:10; Rom. 8:18; 2 Cor. 4:17); (Where Christ reigns physically, bodily and eternally. Our momentary hardships and afflictions are nothing when compared to the glory we will have one day. )

the knowledge and presence of God (John 17:3, 24); (And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.)

the kingdom prepared for you before the foundation of the world (Matt. 25:34);

an imperishable crown (1 Cor. 9:25); a crown of righteousness (2 Tim. 4:8);a crown of life (Rev. 2:10);

an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance (1 Pet. 1:4). (ready to be revealed in the last time. )

Quick couple of applications on how do we run?

1. Jesus said in John 17:17 ,“Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth”.

How do we know the Truth ? How do we know Jesus who is that truth? We do so by His Word (By Scripture) , which is as Paul taught is the Sword of the Spirit.

The Word of God guides is in all our ways, The Word of God shows us our sin, it teaches us the deep things of God & His church

And so we must devote ourselves to the reading of Scripture , that we may grow in knowledge & wisdom in Him because it is indeed God breathed, inspired by God himself.

2. We should commit ourselves to a local church where the unadulterated Word of God is preached & taught. So that we may be discipled, that we may grow and sharpen one another as iron sharpens iron.

3. Lastly , as Christian families, we should devote ourselves to worshipping the Lord together, as parents we should be committed to train our kids in the Lord. It is not the Sunday School teachers responsibility, it is not the Pastor’s responsibility, its yours.

And so children as you run this race, go to your parents who are in the Lord. Isabel do not hesitate to talk to you parents about anything, Chubby and Cinthu may I encourage you to lead your home in such a way that you consciously set apart time as often as you can together in devotion to the Lord.

The Christian lives as the runner runs; he begins, continues, and concludes, with a glorious prize awaiting him at the end. And so may we encourage each other until the very end.