February 12, 2012 Athlete of Christ
2.12.12 “Athletes of Christ”
1 Corinthians 9:24
The Olympic Games took place in Greece every four years without interruption from 776 BC until AD 393. 1,169 years.
The Isthmian games happened in Corinth every other year.
The events were foot racing, boxing, wrestling, chariot racing, long jumping, javelin and discus throwing.
as a Christian you are not a spectator
you are not a jogger running slow
you are not a hobbyist doing this for fun in spare time
you are not in a 9 to 5 office job where you just show show up and get a few things done
You are an olympic athlete or a professional athlete, and everything in your life is about the trophy, the title, the gold medal.
You are never off the clock, everything you do (including every crumb you eat) is at the service of winning that trophy.
You give up anything that keeps you from that trophy.
I submit to you this is not the way we think of the Christian life. Athletes of Christ.
One of the unmentionable sins is laziness.
And yet most of us are lazy but no one would ever tell us.
Paul’s point is not that only one gets the prize
but that as Christians we should run like an athlete would run going after the prize,
What is the goal?
The goal is to please Jesus, become what he has called us to become.
This passage is a law commandment and not a gospel promise.
Always: When we read commandments we must remember the gospel of grace.
Jesus saves us by grace as a gift before we run. Our running does not save us.
We can run only if we look to Jesus in faith
and receive his grace daily.
9:25a
Michael Jordan’s first few years in the NBA
the Bulls did not get near the finals.
Starting in the 90-91 season they began to win championships (six in all).
What changed? training. after the 89-90 season he began to train for core strength with a man named Tim Grover.
He had an early morning workout time long before the regular Bulls practice which began at 11 AM. (Peyton Manning 1998)
“goes into strict training” is literally “exercises self-control in all things”
in all things = in every area of life
self-control =
giving up anything that distracts you from obeying Jesus
(remember self-control is a fruit of the Spirit which means it comes by faith in Jesus)
in Paul’s case 2 examples: he gave up his right to money and a wife
he calls on the Corinthians to give up meat because sacrificed to idols and it is confusing some people about idolatry
“The serious athlete doesn’t ask about how to just get by in his training. He asks about what will bring about maximum performance…. the Christian takes note of all the impulses and all the habits and practices of his life that weaken his zeal for God and his joy of faith, and he sets about to take control of them and put them out of his life.”
John Piper
A Christian may give up things and activities (and rights!) because they are distracting him from Jesus in two ways
focus on Jesus: prayer, worship, reading, sermons, sacraments
ways of receiving grace to change your heart
obeying Jesus in everyday life: loving and serving other people, caring for the needy and suffering, talking about Jesus to others, encouraging others, etc.
What could distract you from Jesus?
Anything. (other goals)
Food. Sports. Music. Art. Job. Family. Books. TV. Computer. Boyfriend/Girlfriend. Exercise. Vacations. Clothes. Beauty. Dieting. Gardening. Alcohol. Car. House. Yardwork. Pet. Going out with friends. etc.
9:25b
an athlete does this to win something silly and small: a game, a title, a trophy, wreath
but our goal is something eternal
we run toward the goal of pleasing Jesus and one day being fully transformed
9:26
I run like a man with a goal
relentlessly pursuing that goal
not floating through life aimlessly
not running with no finish line
switches to the metaphor of boxing
not punching with no opponent
punches that land on no one
9:27
Who is the opponent he is boxing?
his body and his bodily desires, appetites, habits, impulses,
what does he do to his body? translations:
“beat, buffet, pummel, treat roughly, bruise, give a black eye to”
the body is not our enemy! we do not hate, torture, damage, punish, or kill it
the body is not evil!
the body is holy, belongs to Jesus by grace
the body can serve Jesus if under control
by grace we master it, we discipline it
bringing it into line to reach the goal
like a trainer bringing an athlete under strict training
I make the body my slave
really he is making his body a slave of Jesus
because the goal is to please Jesus
athletes had to swear an oath they had trained for ten months for the competition.
If they did not, they were disqualified.
a preacher who simply speaks about Jesus but doesn’t actually practice self-control could be disqualified.
(lifetime perspective! not a moment)
Christians have taken this to mean (either) if you don’t run the race you show that you do not have faith and you are not saved.
(or) You are saved by grace but neglecting to live by the Spirit and run the race means
you lose your reward of pleasing Jesus and being honored by him.
if you have the leprosy of laziness rejoice!
Jesus welcomes you, he wants to heal you
repent (confess sin and turn back)
and find your joy in Jesus again…
he will forgive you your sin of laziness
and give you the Spirit of self-control
Illustration: Elena Delle Donne
by Frank Deford
She knows what is really important, makes that her goal and gives up things to go after it.
***
Hebrews 12
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.
2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
2 Timothy 4
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
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