The Race - 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
From time to time as I prepare for our Sunday Worship sermon time, God tells me that I need to reveal little secrets about myself.
The problems is that sometimes I am afraid that since we are still getting to know each other it might give some of you an excuse to make a less than glowing review of my character.
Today is one of those days. It is not that what I am going to share is a real secret. If you asked me about it I would tell you, but, I don’t really want to reveal anything that might go against an assumption that you might make about a normal, typical man.
Ok, here you go, I don’t care anything about sports.
I don’t care who wins the Georgia – Georgia Tech football game. I don’t have a clue about professional golf standings. Basketball, Baseball, Hockey are mysteries.
Don’t get me wrong, I am pleased when most people are happy at the outcome of some game or sport. I celebrate when the United States wins medals in the Olympics and am impressed with the drive and abilities of so many people.
But, over all, I am not really interested in being a spectator.
I think it may be because I am not really and never have been talented toward competitive things. As a teen I was clumsy and caused damage to myself and others when competing.
But, to take it a step further, I don’t understand the ability of some people to get excited about racing.
Watching professionals race in loops, over and over again sometimes for hours. The end comes and the finishing line is crossed and one or two people get a prize and everyone heads home in bumper to bumper traffic.
SLIDE – Mediterranean
Our scripture this morning includes the Apostle Paul’s opinion of racing. He is writing to the church in Corinth. A wealthy town with a wide range of religious experiences available. Their wealth came from where they are located.
Slide - Map
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
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.
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. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 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.
Slide – Poseidon
Paul’s letter to the Corinthians is said to be written with the background of the Isthmian games which happened every two years and were 1 of 4 major sporting contest in the Greek and now Roman world of Paul’s day. Each event dedicated to the main Pagan God for the city. Any hints as to why Poseidon would be Corinth’s main deity?
The goal of athletes would be to win in each main event over the period of 4 years
This event was held every two years ten miles outside the city of Corinth. From my reading, the event was a big deal. People came from all around the Mediterranean to watch.
It was the sporting event that every other year - drew the empire’s best talent.
SLIDE – Athletes
Athletes would compete in foot races, broad jumping, discus throwing, wrestling, boxing, gymnastics, and equestrian contests. At some point in its history it included music and poetry competition and in many of the events women were allowed to participate in some way.
Slide - Crown
Participants would compete fiercely, each striving for the Isthmian crown - a wreath of wild celery. We would call it parsley. Or in some time frames some kind of pine or fir branch crown.
There was no big money prize, only a simple crown of wild celery and perhaps a little fame that might last for a few years. On some occasions statues were commissioned of the most popular winners.
It is important to know that there was only one winner recognized in each event. There was no recognition for 2nd place, it was all or nothing.
Generally speaking there were great athletes and sports fanatics over 2000 years ago. People traveled hundreds of miles and sat in packed stadiums to watch the very best compete for personal Glory. The competitors were not directly representing their home town or area, the games were an individual competition. No teams
Paul reminds his readers about the runners, “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. ”
In the Olympics we at least have three named winners, gold, silver and bronze. But out of competitors from all over the world only three get recognized and only on gets his national anthem played.
Paul is writing to the Corinthian church to encourage them in their race. He is encouraging them to take their race as seriously as an athlete in the games.
What is the race that the Corinthian’s are in?
He is writing to a group of believers that he knows very well. He is encouraging them to work hard to reach for a Goal.
-- I don’t think that Paul is not talking about salvation here although I struggled with that idea. I think that he wants his readers to do their best of fulfill their “calling” as saints.
The prize is the recognition that we do the very best we can in response to what Christ had already done for us.
He then compared the prize given to the sole winner of an earthly race to the one that a Christian races for.
The green parsley leaves or fir limbs only look fresh and new for a day or two at the most. The crown that marked the strict training and hard work quickly fades into something that looks sort of sad. He describes that crown that we are called to win is one that will last forever.
That sounds pretty cool.
But, can I ever win one of those?
After all there are tons of better Christians. Paul himself, Billy Graham, Mother Teresa, and especially Renee’s Grandmother, all out run me in my race.
-- How could someone like me even think that I am even really in the race?
Because of Paul’s teaching in other places about gifts and the body of Christ, I don’t believe that he means for his readers to think that we are in a race that can have only one winner.
He never says that only the best Christians will actually get to heaven.
I believe that a Christian runs a race that has two characteristics.
Slide – Run - spectator
The first is the individual race where you and I make choice of how we will train ourselves. We choose to engage in spiritual exercise or we choose to simply be a pew potato. We choose to train ourselves to run in the race with the prize as our goal. Or we choose to stand still and just be a spectator and often commentator of other Christian’s efforts.
The second characteristic of the race a Christian runs is that as the member of church.
The Christian life is a life of teamwork. It is living as one body where we work together encouraging each other in our individual events.
Slide – Church Team or observer
Then of course the church has the same two extremes. Is it training and racing or is a spectator church sitting a watching instead of being active in the race.
Slide – Beating the air
Paul describes his activities and reasons like this: “Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. 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.”
Think about this,
Paul, a man that is credited for starting churches all around the Mediterranean Sea.
A man that has been beaten and imprisoned for his faith.
A man that preaches and writes, at the end of his day still has to train his body to serve him….to serve God.
He still has to study the scriptures and pray after he has preached to make sure he still qualifies to gain the prize.
Folks, I can not tell you what Paul was thinking as he talks about the prize.
It seems clear that he is positive that it is worth the efforts required.
It also seems very clear that he does not believe that there is such a thing as a spectator.
His description is pretty clear that we are all in the race…not option to sit on the sideline and watch.
His readers then and now, Christians, according to Paul have only one choice. We are to train ourselves and act like athletes.
We are not to just trudge along not worried about the goal, just wondering when you will finally get to the finish line.
Living like that is just living a minimum existence and it speaks volume about what we think about God.
It is living each day as if it is a burden instead of a gift.
It is a life that ignores the call on the family of God to do live the life of a champion, a competitor instead of settling for a minimum existence.
If we refuse to participate in the race, can you really ever expect to get a prize?
Can we be recognized as participants in the kingdom of God?
Personally, for me to be able to have any interest in a sport or a race, I pretty much have to be able to participate or do the task myself. I don’t have to be the best in order to have some interest in the process.
I don’t like to watch golf on TV but I have tried to hit the little ball and see where it goes.
I care nothing about basketball games, unless one of my children is playing, but I don’t mind trying to shoot, trying to shoot, baskets.
I believe that the race that Paul is talking about is really based on trying to do our personal best. We are not comparing our selves to other Christians or to non-Christians.
We are racing against ourselves.
Slide - Finishline
Each day is a new start and as it ends it goes into our personal race journal.
Some days are really bad, we don really get a good start. Perhaps we fail to read the Bible, pray or acknowledge God in any way.
Luckily, most days are at least OK. Prayer, devotional and perhaps a kind word to someone. A fair showing for the journal.
And from time to time we have a day when we get close to or set a new personal best.
Those are the days in my daily race happen when someone mentions that they thought I have a direct line to God for them.
When the reports at the hospital are improving. When I give God all the credit for crossing the finish line ahead of my troubles and issues and I say “thank you God for his helping me to do well.”
Paul encourages all of us to set a goal, line up on the starting line and to do our best.
The only way to know you are doing you best is when you fall exhausted because you did all you could do.
Video - if there is time
Coach Bobby Knight once said, “The will to win is not nearly as important as the will to prepare to win.”
We have to believe success is possible if we are to ever be successful.
All Glory be to God
