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Jeff Fry
  - Joined on 07-31-2006
- Lichfield, UK
- Posts 237
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Running the Race to Win
by Jeff Fry 1 Corinthians 9:24 Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. 25 Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 26 Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 27 No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Thesis: We must run the race to win.
I. Intro
A. We are in a race. Paul in this passage likens the Christian life to a race. The Isthmian games were held just a few Kilometers outside of Corinth and were second only to the Greek Olympic games which continue to this day. The imagery Paul is using here would have been very powerful in the mind of the Corinthians.
1. The Isthmian games were held every two years
2. They were festivals of athletics, religion, and art attracting thousands of competitors and visitors.
3. Its sponsors and greater athletes were honoured by statues and monuments which would have been only display in Isthmia.
4. Paul would have been in Corinth during the Spring of AD51. As there was no permanent accommodation, people would have stayed in tents - not only a perfect business opportunity for the tent-maker Paul but an even more opportune occaision for spread the gospel.
B. Paul's main imagery from the games is a runner.
C. He says that we must run the race in order to win.
II. We must run the race to win - then how are we to run?
A. State
1. First, Illustration about how to run is to run in a way as to win the prize by going into strict training.
a) First, Paul is not giving an illustration of how to become accepted by God.
(1) The Corinthians who he is addressing are already Christ followers and so there is no need for Paul to give instruction on how to be acceptable to God.
(2) They are already accepted by God as His children.
b) Paul's illustration is about how to live once you have decided to follow Christ - what attitude are we to take in our life of following Christ?
c) How do we best follow Christ?
d) the phrase "exercises strict training" literally in the original means to "exercise self-control over oneself in all things".
(1) Any athlete who was accepted into the games was expected to go into training for 10 months previous to the games and was subject to disqualification if they did not do so.
(2) self-control and discipline were extremely important for these athletes. They were vital.
(3) Paul is saying that self-control and discipline are vital for us also - in all things! Paul doesn't leave any room for excuse.
(a) We think like this, "well certainly I'm not expected to have a regular time alone with God in His word. Paul wasn't talking about that surely. (i) Back to the old video game (ii) back to work(iii) kick up the feet - Primeaval is on, or Heroes or Doctor who.
(b) Or, "surely that self-control and discipline don't apply to prayer. That's hard work - prayer. I wouldn't want to have to talk to God for too long or on a regular basis".
(c) Little children are interesting. Our prayer at meals as the moment is Erin. She volunteers and then starts praying , and praying and praying and we don't want to say anything but the food is getting cold and so we look at each other Sarah and I . Then when she finally stops to catch her breath we'll say "Amen"! See she wants to talk to God all night.
e) Apply: I was just talking to someone about my disappointment in myself that I can't be more disciplined so as to have my sermon done by Friday evening. It bugs me no end and as we talked I realized more and more that this was an issue of discipline and self-control in my life.
(1) I'm too easily distracted and sidetracked by other things that don't have nearly the importance of meaning that the Word of God has. Yet the trinkets of this life are attractive to us:
(a) the internet - what was that site I wanted to look at
(b) shopping therapy
(c) television and films
(d) we are entertaining ourselves to death!
(2) I'm not disciplined and committed enough to seeing it through
(3) Three new year's resolutions for me are:
(a) get to bed no later than 12 each night
(b) get my sermon done by Fri evening
(c) pray with my wife each week
2. Second illustration from running is from a complementary verse about running the race from Hebrews 12:1 - and it says that we are to lay aside every encumbrance.
a) Hebrews 12:1 Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us (b)run with endurance the race that is set before us,
b) Did you know that for a few years in high school I ran track. I ran the first leg of the 440 yard relay. There was 4 of us and we each ran 110 yards and passed the baton to the next guy.
c) We competed against other high schools.
d) do you know I never saw a runner run in long trousers and trainers!
e) Why? Because we were running to win!
f) How did we dress - as light as possible!
(1) runners look practically naked!
(a) short shorts
(b) very light shoes which are specially made to be light and with special bottoms to give good traction on the track
(c) shirts were tank tops (sleeveless) so not to encumber us and so as not to add extra weight.
(2) Now you can run with trousers on and a long sleeve shirt and even a sweatshirt or overcoat. Joggers often do this. There is nothing wrong with those things. But if you want to run to win, then you need to throw those things off!
(3) Paul isn't describing a light, casual jog. He's describing an intense race that will require us to throw off things that aren't necessarily bad in order to win the prize. Things that aren't necessarily bad in and of themselves, but they just hold us back from winning, from going that extra mile which is necessary to win.
(4) Apply: what do you have to throw off in order to win the race?
(a) what's getting in the way of regular time alone with God in His word? TV? Work? Video games? Internet?
(b) Overactive social life?(i) some people flit from friend to friend but they never take time to visit with their friend God(ii) How do you think God feels about that?
(c) Do you have trouble getting to these meetings sometimes?(i) God asks for 1 1/2 hours out of your 168 hours in a week and we can't show up for fellowship - to let Him speak to us, to encourage one another, to build one another up, to pray for one another - for just 1 1/2 hours. Something else "comes up".(ii) That's exactly what the enemy wants.(iii) We must be absolutely committed to our times with God and plan around them not plan over them(iv) 1 Corinthians 9:26 Paul says, "Therefore, I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air…"(a) Paul has a goal for his life. His life direction is upward toward the prize - a prize that is unperishable, not perishable like the pagans run after in the games. The Isthmian games presented a wreath to their winners. This crown was a crown made from celerey which when given at the games had already started to wither! The unperishable prize that Paul is talking about is the reward God gives to believers who have lived their lives for the glory of God.(b) Does your life have purpose? Does it have direction? Is it's God's direction or your own?
III. Conclusion
A. So, Paul describes the Christian life as a contest.
B. One man made the following searching comment on this passage:
1. "It [the passage 1cor. 9:24-27] is to say that we have been called to a higher life of service that includes self-control and the willingness to endure hardship … Perhaps too many contemporary Christians have lost sight of their … goal and are running aimlessly, if they are in the "contest" at all." (Godon Fee, "The New International Commentary on the New Testament: The First Epistle to the Corinthians", p.441).
For questions, comments or further information contact:
Rev Jeff Fry
Darwin Park Community Church
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