Sermon Tone Analysis
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Introduction
I want you to consider our topic and then open your bulletin and look at our song selection for today.
Our sermon title is: How To Live Like A Christian.
So.
How do you live like a Christian?
Look at the song list.
First, you stand amazed in the presence of the one Who is the King of love.
We stand amazed in His presence trusting Jesus, knowing that He will hold us fast.
Because He is worthy of our trust, because He will hold us fast, we trust and obey.
Brothers and sisters, that is how you live like a Christian.
As we have noted, Paul began a new section in chapter 8.
He is dealing with our freedom in Christ and necessity to sometimes limit that freedom for the sake of the gospel.
He has given an illustration of his own voluntary limitation of freedom.
Now Paul is going to exhort the Corinthian believers to always keep the bigger picture in mind.
Principle:
A successful Christian life requires consistent effort and discipline.
Guidance:
To give consistent effort and discipline there are two warnings we must give heed to.
Outcome:
As we give effort and live with discipline we earn eternal rewards.
Two warnings.
Warning #1…
1. Know What The Goal Is vv.
24-25
If I were to give you a pair of scissors and a cardboard box, would you automatically know what to make with it?
No.
What if I gave you a container of play-doh and a spoon?
No.
Why not?
You need direction and instruction to know what the goal is.
You could give a crew of workman a collection of tools and supplies, but until they have plans or blueprints they will not know what to make!
Here’s the idea.
We cannot be effective servants of Christ if we do not know the goal.
Paul gives us a personal goal in these verses.
2 requirements to achieve the goal.
Requirement #1…
a.
The goal requires strategy v. 24
When Paul says “do you not know” it has the force of a reminder.
He is not telling them something new.
He is reminding them.
What is the reminder?
An illustration.
In a race there are multiple runners, but only one gets the prize.
Which one gets the prize?
The one who runs the best.
The same word for prize is found in Philippians 3:14.
Philippians 3:14
Paul is reminding the Corinthians of the bigger picture.
We get so caught up in the affairs of this life that we forget about the life to come!
That is part of his whole point in dealing with our freedom in Christ.
Yes, we have freedom, but when we pursue that freedom at the cost of others, we display our failure to see the bigger picture.
What is the bigger picture?
This life is a race.
The prize comes at the end.
This life is not about temporary pleasure.
It is not about what feels good in the moment.
This life is about eternal rewards in heaven with Jesus Christ our Savior!
That’s why Paul says we need to run the right way.
“In such a way” is an adverb of manner.
There is a specific way in which we need to run if we want the prize.
When Paul says to run in this way it is an imperative.
It is a command.
We are to run in a way that enables us to obtain the prize.
This is the hina clause.
So that.
We run so that we can obtain the prize.
Run to obtain the prize.
This requires that we think through how that is!
Picture a race.
In any race you have several different kinds of racers.
Some show up but never end up racing.
Some take a very half-hearted approach and don’t push themselves.
Some are complainers.
Shoes are too tight, track is uneven, other racers get in their way.
Wrong clothes.
etc.
Maybe there are people out there tripping others, making fun of them, and trying to get ahead by cheating.
These are not racers who will get the prize!
The racer who gets the prize is disciplined.
More on that in a minute.
Let’s make the Spiritual connections here.
Some people call themselves Christians, but never put Christianity into practice.
They never actually run the race.
Some show up for church, but that’s it.
They don’t actually get involved much.
They are there, but they are half-hearted in their running.
Then there are the Christians who spend all their time complaining.
They never heard a sermon they liked, never had a Bible study that was relevant, never had a service where the songs were good enough.
Their pastor does nothing right, the church board makes wrong decisions, and there are never enough programs or outreach.
Then, brothers and sisters, we have Christians who are tripping their fellow racers.
Whether intentionally or not, they make it harder for everyone else to run the race.
If any of these attitudes are true of us, we will not get the prize.
Paul’s command is to run in such a way that you get the prize.
How are we running?
There is a right way and a wrong way to run this race.
How are we running?
The way we run, matters.
2 Timothy 2:5 puts it this way.
2 Timothy 2:5
To get the prize we must run correctly.
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