Gtcotr/ss092015
Victory is most often the result of attitude and action.
If
we are going to win in life we must be:
1.
Diligent
2.
Disciplined
3.
Determined
·
We
cannot allow our unbridled appetites to deprive us of victory
·
We
cannot be lazy, refuse to eat, exercise or show up for practice and games
·
We
cannot quit:
o When others do
o Where others do
o Why others do
Success
in life, whether in sports, or marriage, family or finances demands that we:
1.
Want to win
2.
Train to win
3.
Play to win
Historical
Perspective:
·
In
about the year AD5, 2010 years ago, a young man was born in the city of Tarsus
in South Central Turkey. His name was Saul.
·
When
Saul of Tarsus was a young man he got accepted by a prestigious school and was
sent to Jerusalem to study under Gamaliel who was a famous Jewish teacher of
that day.
·
Saul
excelled in this school and began living a very strict religious life according
to the rules of a Jewish group known as the Pharisees.
·
The
Pharisees were religious leaders who opposed Jesus of Nazareth and did whatever
they could to discredit Him.
·
After
the arrest and crucifixion of Jesus, the Pharisees began to hunt down,
persecute and imprison those who claimed to be followers of Jesus.
·
When
Saul was about 27 years old he had gained great respect among the Pharisees.
Saul was known for his zealous persecution of those who believed that Jesus was
the Son of God.
·
But
Saul wanted to do more to fight against the Christians; so Saul went to the
High Priest and ask special permission to travel to Damascus in Syria where he
had heard there were Jews who followed the Christian faith. Saul wanted to find
them, arrest them and bring them back to Jerusalem to stand trial.
·
Saul
was deputized and authorized to complete his mission to search out and destroy
the Church and arrest those who believed.
·
Along
the road to Damascus, a few miles before Saul reached the outskirts of the
city, a great light shined from heaven, a light so bright that it blinded Saul
and those in his company. Then a voice spoke to Saul … it was the voice of
Jesus who appeared to him and changed his life that day.
·
Saul
became a believer in Jesus as Messiah and he became a great Christian witness
who led others to Christ and planted Churches throughout the world.
·
Saul
changed his name to Paul and is known today to be the Apostle of Jesus Christ
to the Gentiles.
·
For
near35 years the Apostle Paul evangelized most of his home nation, what we know
today as the country of Turkey, and he also brought the Gospel to the continent
of Europe.
·
In
the year AD52 – Paul visited Greece for the first time and worked hard to
establish a Christian Church in the city of Corinth where he remained and
taught them for 18 months before returning to Turkey.
·
Greece
was well known in that day for its nationally acclaimed sports competitions commonly
called the Olympics.
In
the first century there were 4 international athletic competitions held in
Greece, at least one each year. The games were the Pythian/Delphic, Isthmian
games at Corinth, also known as the Corinthian games, the Nemean games and the
Olympics, held at Olympia, which were the most famous and well attended by
participants from not only Greece but also from countries around the world. A
different game and location each year so that every 4th year each
game had its opportunity to be the honored national games.
Olympiad
is a period of 4 years and reminded Olympians that every four years the Olympic
Games were held in the Olympic stadium in Olympia – The stadium had a concourse
that was 604 feet long and just as wide. Herein running, boxing, throwing of
the discus, javelin, wrestling, leaping for height and distance, both horse and
chariot races and other competitive sports and athletic contests designed
around proving speed, endurance, agility and strength were enjoyed by all.
Though many competed in each event, as it was said, “Everyone ran … But one received the prize.” (The victor and he alone triumphant. The
prize which was conferred was a wreath of olive at the Olympic Games; a wreath
of apple at Delphi; of pine at the Isthmian; and of parsley at the Nemean
games. — Addison.) Whatever the prize was, it was conferred on
the successful champion on the last day of the games, and with great solemnity,
pomp, congratulation, and rejoicing.
·
As
I said earlier, The Apostle Paul started the Church in Corinth in about the
year AD52 and he pastored there 18 months before leaving and returning to
Turkey.
·
About
5 years later, AD57, the Apostle Paul was teaching in a Bible School. The Bible
School was 2 years old and was a part of the ministry of the Church in Ephesus
- located on the western shore of Turkey, just eastwards across the Aegean Sea
from Greece.
·
The
congregation and Church leaders from the Church in Corinth had written letters
to the Apostle Paul asking questions about how to handle certain situations
they were facing in the Corinthian Church. Even though the Apostle Paul had
been away from the Church in Corinth for about 4 years, they still considered
him to be their Apostle and the one to whom they should submit.
·
Paul
read their letters and listened to those Church representatives who had
traveled from Corinth to Ephesus to seek his counsel. After much prayer and
consideration Paul sat and wrote his response under the leadership, inspiration
and anointing of the Holy Spirit.
·
We
have a copy of this letter Paul wrote to the Church in Corinth and we know it
speaks not only to the Christians of that day, but also to those of us who need
daily guidance in our lives today.
·
Lets
read the wisdom and Word of God penned by this Holy Apostle and find help for
our situations of life just as did they:
(Note: I will be
reading from “The Message” this morning in efforts to allow the Holy Spirit to
speak plainly to a large group of visiting athletes from a local High School,
accompanied by their coaches and athletic staff.)
1 Corinthians 9 (The Message)
24 You’ve all been to the
stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win.
25 All good athletes train
hard. They do it for a medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s
gold eternally.
26 I don’t know about you,
but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No
sloppy living for me!
27 I’m staying alert and in
top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all
about it and then missing out myself.
Paul
knew these people understood what it took to win the Olympics …
1 Corinthians 9 (NLT)
26 So I run with purpose in
every step. I am not just shadowboxing.
27 I discipline my body like
an athlete, training it to do what it should. Otherwise, I fear that after
preaching to others I myself might be disqualified.
Don’t
train to be a loser … Train to be a winner!
·
God
loves you and has a plan for your life … He wants you to win!
At
the end of the Apostle Paul’s life he wrote:
·
2 Timothy 4:7 I have fought
the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
What
a good testimony! That’s the testimony I want to have at the end of my race. I
want to be able to say that I fought well and I won because I trained well and
did what I should. How can become a winner?
1.
Give your life to Jesus.
2.
Set your eyes on things that matter most in this life and forever.
3.
Discipline yourself.
4.
Take every step with purpose.
Success will be the result of your attitude and your actions.
