| Running the Race of life |
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Grace and peace from God, our Father, Christ Jesus our Redeemer and the Holy Spirit our Comforter, is with you all. Amen Sermon Text: 1 Corinthians 9:20-27 To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the Law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I become like one not having the law (though I am free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak to win the weak I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel that I may share in its blessings. 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. Dear Congregation Life has become a race, a race that is about survival. It’s a race where we need to show people that we are capable to do a certain work, in order for us to obtain an income so that we can have an ordinary living as we all hope to have. As we embark on this race, we realize that we should be able to promote ourselves in order to get a job or promotion and having accolades and degrees behind your name is the only thing that could help you to get ahead in life since that is the language the world understands. No wonder the business world is so harsh, no wonder that politics in the workplace becomes clearer. People are so busy trying to please other people that they do not even realize that they are actually running to different type of races. This become clear because as we live our daily lives we become aware of the fact that we live in a world that does not know grace and soon we realize that our understanding of God’s grace becomes vaguely fainted, since we have to put aside our Christian values at times only to be able to survive and thus our true hearts and passion for what God intended for us becomes nothing more than just wishful thinking. We are thus running a race without God and therefore, no wonder people suffers as a result of addiction, depression etc, because they soon realized that they ran after something that cannot bring fulfillment because they can never have enough. In looking at our sporting heroes, this becomes very clear at times, especially when injury takes its toll on the players. Because the sporting environment is a very competitive area to be in our sports heroes will grab anything which is offered to them, even if it means that they are endangering their health. Yes, all this they would do just because of their hunger for material things like money and fame. Athletes will even go as far as accepting performance enhancing drugs, which will costs them their careers in any case, hoping that they will not be caught, just to be seen by another even better coach simply because they are not happy with the old one that they have. They will follow their coach’s advice because his or her reputation is also in danger as a good coach even though they might know of the risks involving themselves and the coach. Sport stars subject them however through tough and honorable strict discipline, do well in sports arena for a short period of time, and are admired by thousands and thousands of people. When the glory of the moment is then all over and the people have found new stars to hang on to, the forgotten sports star human starts to wonder: Was all that pain and suffering really worth it? Did it really give me the satisfaction I needed? The glory is thus temporary and that one sees when those sporting heroes starts to go out helping other people to get forward in life, because that is what life is about. Putting your gifts into action to help other people. Some will even go on record in acknowledging the power of God in their performances, acknowledging that without the help of the God of Israel that would not have been possible to have such a successful sporting career. Therefore, they acknowledge that God has given them the talent and thus he is the one who is really their coach. Our life here on earth with all its accolades and achievements is thus nothing more than a temporary gift in which we can serve the Lord and thus has no effect on whether we will be receiving eternal life or not and therefore it becomes clear that as human beings we are involved in two races when it comes to living our life, the one being temporary and a worldly race, while the other is a eternal race which has eternal consequences for our lives. In reading ons sermon text this morning, one cannot overlook the fact that Paul speaks only one race in his letter to the Corinthians. Why is he doing that? He does this because he wants the reader of this letter to realize that the races we run is not as important as the race for the eternal price. A race that we need to train for, a race that no coach of this world can teach us, nor any performance drugs to enhance our performance. A race that requires a change of heart, which is happening when we see the need of the people around us, and the lives of people being used and abused as the authorities of this world make their claim into something that does not belong to them. One race, one chance for the crown. A race that is based upon the life of Christ who is our coach for the eternity race. This race is not a race that can be divided as I did earlier in the sermon, no, the race of life means that it incorporates the lifestyle that you live during the week, how you treat people, how you conduct business, your family life etc. One race which includes every aspect of your life. I sometimes experience people sitting in church on Sunday morning whom I know as a preacher had conducted unethical business praxis during the week and then sitting in church pretending all is well forgetting that God sees his heart and without knowing it he fell hard on the track of life. Therefore, we cannot divide this race of life into two, because the things we strive for here in life and how we conduct our daily business does all have an influence whether we inherit eternal life or not. All depends on the coach of life that you are going to employ and follow in your preparation and participation in this race. If we only strive to make money, when Mammon (Matthew 6:19-21, 24) becomes our god, since we are running behind earth things and not about the eternity aspect, when God the giver of life have blessed you with the ability to make money let, part of that money go to help the people in need, because that where true fulfillment will be found. If you are blessed to be a CEO of a big company, think of those in the world today who wants for an Angel to take care of them. Therefore, in dealing with one another and God, start focusing on the things that motivates you in doing what you are doing, because that will determine whether you are experiencing the fulfillment that God has intended for you and thus you will not be like a runner who is running a race without a purpose or a boxer who punishes the air. Dear Congregation Can we do something about avoiding running a race without a purpose? Yes, we can by changing our coach. Christ our Lord has run the race ahead of us and completed it and therefore he gave us a trainer manual as well as a spirit of persistence and perseverance to able us to understand this trainer’s manual. As we read this trainer’s manual, (the Bible)we soon will realize that it also provides us with a training program. This training program consists out of the teachings as well the example of Jesus’ life, which sets the pace for us how we should live while we are here on earth. Through this trainer’s manual, Christ wants to teach us three important things: 1. Develop a good relationship with your coach, which is Christ 2. Do the necessary preparations, whether it is physical, psychological or spiritual, thus keep to the exercise program and use the training manual; by studying it and making it part of your daily routine. 3. Participate in the race, with confidence which the knowledge that you have a great coach who stands next to the field to support you. When that phase of the race is over, learn from your mistakes and ask your coach (Jesus) to sharpen your skills for the next races that lies ahead. It doesn’t mean that there will be no more mistakes in the race. Yes, you might stumble and fall over the obstacles that lie ahead. These obstacles might be a group of people who doesn’t want you to be a success story. It may be Satan who throws something of your past into your face that causes you to doubt your abilities. It might be an addiction, depression, financial situation, debt etc. Yes, it even might be a good friend, who didn’t think before he or she said something to you. It even might be a believer who struggles with his own life trying to make sense of the things that is happening around him. Sometimes it can even be the person who you are willing to die for, because of your love for him or her. Ask your coach what the reason may be, whether it is someone or something in your own life which needs to be sorted first. Thus, let us put our trust in Christ (our coach) and no one else, because he is the one who wants you to succeed. With him in front of your eyes, the devil can send anything or anyone as an obstacle over your life race and because you have the one (Christ) in the eye who stands at the end waiting to hand over to you the price personally, the devil will not succeed. Satan was not adequately trained for the race and therefore has become an inadequate coach, since he was last in the race and therefore lost the crown which is eternal life. Since Satan is a bad loser, he will do anything in his power to let you fall and injure yourself. Take heart, for your coach is not just a coach, He is your doctor, manager, Physio as well as your team mate and there your team is 100% ready for any situation come as it may. Your coach (Christ) won the race and therefore takes courage for he knows the track very well and can point out the danger spots to you well. Dear Congregation You are set to be a winner, through him who enables you, which is Christ Jesus our Lord. Run this race with Jesus and know that you cannot get a better coach than him. Enjoy running the race, for you are called to be a winner. And the grace of God which surpasses all our understanding will protect our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus Amen |