YOU CAN BE A WINNER FOR GOD - I COR.9:24-27
INTRODUCTION
A. Paul has his running shoes on in I Cor.9
1. He is running towards the finish line determined to finish well
2. He knows his reward is great, and he must not lose it.
B. His Message for us is YOU CAN BE A WINNER FOR GOD
1. No one has to be a loser in this race. Everyone can be a winner!
2. Paul’s message to us: Run with Discipline, Determination and Direction and you can receive the crown of life.
I. WE MUST LIVE IN CHRIST
2 Co:5:17: Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
Ga:3:26-27: For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
Ro:6:3-4: Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised
up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
A. Have you been TRULY converted to Christ?
Then be COMMITTED TO HIM! Live in Him and For Him each day.
B. Too many Christians are HALFHEARTED in Living for the Lord
They have become LUKEWARM and need more than REVIVAL - rather RESUSCITATION! Like the Church at Sardis, who were DEAD Rev.3:1
C. We must recapture the joy of living for Christ
1. If we truly live in Him, we will be people of JOY
2. If there is unrepented sin in our lives, we will not experience the joy of the Lord.
II. WE MUST LEARN FROM CHRIST
Mt:11:28-29 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke
upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
Ro:15:4: For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
A. The Scriptures are the means whereby we learn from Christ.
1. Learn about His Character, Compassion and Commitment.
2. Read through the Gospels and see, admire, love and then Imitate
B. Observe too how he worked with People
1. His Communication to others, and Cooperation with others.
2. We have much to learn from Jesus about loving the unlovely.
3. How to work with difficult and selfish people - like His disciples.
4. Lu:22:24: “And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest.”
5. M’t:20:25-28 “But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the
Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
III. WE MUST LEAN ON CHRIST
Proverb:3:5-6 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
De:33:27: The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms
Psa.37:5: Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.
1Pe:5:7: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.
A. We must Learn to lean on the everlasting arms.
He can help us cope with DIFFICULTIES, DOUBTS, DECISIONS Psa.46:1
B. What happens when we DON’T lean on Christ?
We turn to Drugs, Alcohol, sex and other evils. They only make things worse.
C. Learn to spend much time in prayer - our greatest failing?
PRAYER MOVES THE HAND OF GOD AND MAKES THINGS HAPPEN! Jas.5:16
IV. WE MUST LABOR WITH CHRIST
1Co:3:9: For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
Jas:2:18: Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy
works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.
Prov.11:30: The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
1Th:1:2-3: We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our
Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
What can I do for the Lord?
1. Invite others to worship and study 2. Look for opportunities to teach people about Christ and His Church (you can do it!) 3. Pass out tracts, and other scriptural materials. 4. Get involved in the activities and work. Don’t be a SPECTATOR - you are needed on the TEAM!
V. WE MUST LOOK FOR CHRIST
Ti:2:13: Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our
Saviour Jesus Christ;
M’t:24:44: Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
A. If you want to be a winner, keep looking up for Jesus to return.
B. One day he will come like a thief in the night, so we better be ready.
ARE YOU READY? Become a Christian, a part of God’s Kingdom today, and start
being a winner for God. You are never a LOSER with Him, only if you turn away from
Him. (Heb.2:3; II Tim.4:6-8)
RUN THE RACE, AND WIN THE PRIZE!
