Training the Body (1 Corinthians 9, Hebrews 12)

Sermon by: Robert Austell; October 8, 2017 - 1 Corinthians 9:23-27; Hebrews 12:1-3

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:: Scripture and Music ::
Light the Fire Again (Doerksen)
One Pure and Holy Passion (Altrogge)
Guide My Feet (SPIRITUAL)
The Lord Bless You and Keep You, choral benediction
 
:: Sermon Manuscript (pdf) ::
This "manuscript" represents an early draft of the sermon. Some weeks the spoken version varies more than others from the early manuscript. Nevertheless, if you'd prefer to read than to listen, this is provided  for that purpose.

“I do all things for the sake of the gospel,
so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.”

Today we are going to try to understand what that means. To explain it, the apostle Paul turns again to the human body, which we’ve been looking at for several weeks as a metaphor for the community of believers in Jesus Christ. Today, instead of looking at the body itself, we will focus on activities of the body to understand how we participate in what Christ is doing. Paul will use the analogy of a race (and briefly, boxing), and training for those things, to explain that opening statement, “I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.”

I have often challenged you to ask the question, “What is God doing and how can I be a part of that?” Paul’s statement turns that around, explaining to us how to become “fellow partakers” – that is, how to be a part of what God is doing. Even if you can’t relate to the analogy of running a race, listen hard, because the principles laid out apply to any goal we might have, and ultimately this is not about running or winning a 5k, but about participating in what God is doing!

Running the Race (1 Corinthians 9)

I want to start in 1 Corinthians 9 with that opening statement in verse 23. To begin to understand it I need to define a few words. The first is GOSPEL. Literally, it means “good news” but here it specifically the Good News about Jesus: who he was, what he said, and what he did. News would be reporting on those things. What makes it good is the content of the person, word, and work of Jesu because HE is good. And the question at hand is “How can I experience that goodness? How can I receive the benefit or blessing of who Jesus was, what he said, and what he did?” That’s signaled by “so that” – that’s the result, the outcome that Paul seeks. With that outcome in mind, Paul “does all things for the sake of the gospel.” That’s so wide-ranging: all things! So Paul’s thoughts, actions, vision, purpose, time, resources… it’s all focused in service to the gospel (who Jesus was, what Jesus said, and what Jesus did). And Paul’s hope (if not his teaching) is that following Jesus in this way will result in taking part.

Said more simply, that’s why the disciples followed Jesus. They gave up everything else to follow after Jesus in order to learn from and be blessed by Him. And that’s what followers of Jesus have continued to do over the ages. It makes sense. If you think Jesus has something for humanity, for you, the best way to experience that is to follow closely, listen carefully, and commit fully.

What follows is an extended analogy to try to explain that. Paul says, in effect, “You know, it’s like those who train to win a race.” … You don’t just walk up to a race and expect to win. Nor do you just train casually or haphazardly. If you really want to win a race, you put everything into it. He goes on to list three qualities of those who train well.

Self-Control (v. 25) – Specifically, he lists self-control. In terms of a race this might mean regular, intentional training. Running the distance, preparing for hills or weather. It means watching food and weight, trying to stay healthy. All that has application for our spiritual lives. When we serve and follow Jesus, through worship, study, service, giving, these actions strengthen spiritual muscles and train spiritual “muscle memory” so that those actions and ways of thinking become patterns and habits and ingrained within us. If our attention to God and serving Christ is haphazard and doesn’t touch all of life, we are more likely to get ‘winded,’ get lost, quit the race, or any other number of parallels you can draw.

Do note what is tucked in at the end of verse 25. In case you were distracted or misled by the phrase “only one receives the prize” – note that analogies aren’t perfect. The race analogy has to do with how we train, how we prepare, how we run… even the motivation and focus of running to win. But, as it turns out, there is not just one prize in the spiritual race. Paul clarifies, “we aren’t running for a wreath that fades, but for one that is imperishable.” Our prize is not a trophy (or wreath), but salvation itself. And that is available to all through Jesus Christ. That’s the Gospel or Good News; and again, the point of this is to describe how we take part in and experience that Good News.

Focus (v. 26) – Next, Paul offers two examples of what NOT to do, while lifting up the need to practice. I’d simplify his two statements to say “I don’t run aimlessly” and “I don’t box pointlessly” but he says a bit more than that because he says “I do run” and “I do box” – but he does so with purpose and without wasting his time or developing bad habits. Again, an analogy for the spiritual life. Let’s take worship, for example; it is good to come on Sundays! If you skip it, you definitely miss it. But sitting in the chair can be like running without aim. Are you focused? Are you engaged? Do you prepare for this time? The same can be said for serving or loving or giving – when we follow Christ do we do it with FOCUS to make the most of it?

Discipline (v. 27) – Having said what he avoids, Paul then makes the positive case, “I do train with discipline.” He disciplines his body and makes it his slave. Now there is another place where Paul writes of his renegade body and spirit, where he does the things he doesn’t want to do. But that doesn’t change what he says here. In fact, it underscores it; it takes self-control, focus, and discipline – full commitment to stay in the race.

Don’t be Disqualified (v. 27b) – Paul doesn’t want to fail; he doesn’t want to be disqualified, particularly because of his calling to preach and lead others. So hear it all in context. We do fail and fall short, but the calling, the goal, the aspiration – what Paul challenges us to commit to – is the race of following and serving Jesus Christ with full focus, discipline, and commitment.

The Race Set Before Us (Hebrews 12)

I included the text from Hebrews 12 because it uses this same analogy of running a race, but includes some additional helpful guidance on how to do it. Briefly, it offers three answers to the question, “How do we run the race?” saying: let us lay aside every ENCUMBRANCE and the sin which so easily ENTANGLES us, and run with ENDURANCE the race set before us. (v.1)

I remember preaching on this passage before, specifically the picture I used of someone with a refrigerator strapped to their back. You’d never run a race with that kind of burden or encumbrance, right? Yet we carry such things emotionally and spiritually. We harbor grudges, hate, and bitterness; we try to carry things that we should have given to God long ago. And you know what, even if we clearly want to run after Jesus, we do it about as effectively as if we had a refrigerator strapped to our back. Hebrews says, “Lay it aside.” And then there is sin. It trips us up, so easily entangling us. It’s like running half-blind on a path full of potholes. Again, our desire can be to run after Jesus, but if we don’t deal with sin in our life, we will stumble and fall and hurt ourselves and others. And thirdly, we are to run with endurance. You’ve heard the phrase, “It’s not a sprint, it’s a marathon?” Well following Jesus is not a sprint. ‘Marathon’ may be off-putting, but just hear the invitation to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Lay down burdens; avoid sin. And run with endurance. You are not alone. Jesus said, “Come to me all you who are weary and heavy-laden (burdened). I will give you rest.” God invites repentance, forgives sin, and grants a new day and a new start in Christ. And Jesus runs ahead of us and with us (he can do both!).

And here’s the last word: be ENCOURAGED. Verse two says to run, “fixing our eyes on Jesus.” He has run this race ahead of us, perfectly and “for the joy set before Him.” We don’t have to blaze the trail or, in the end, win the race; Jesus has done that. We are just supposed to run after him, after his example and with his help. So verse 3 concludes, “Consider him… so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

Takeaways

So let me return to the starting point. It’s easy to hear all this race analogy and focus on the to-do’s: self-control, focus, discipline, endurance; no encumbrances, no entanglements. But do you remember why Paul introduced the race analogy in the first place? It was to explain this:

“I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it.”

How do we experience the Good News that the Bible talks about, that Jesus Christ embodied and extends? Do you hope for one of those “burning bush” moments or a voice from Heaven or an angel to appear with a message just for you? Well maybe those things happen in one in a million cases. But ordinarily, we experience things by hearing, seeing, touching, tasting, doing, or believing. And Paul could not be more practical here. He asks, “Do you want to take part in what Jesus is doing?” Then do all things for him! Sign up, show up, listen up, get up. Bend your life and will and purpose towards Jesus.

I fully believe that God is sovereign and pursues human beings. But there is nothing, nothing that tells us to sit around waiting for God’s phone call. Rather, Paul says, I do everything for the sake of the Gospel, for the sake of Jesus… so that I may take part in what Jesus is doing.

What might that look like for you? Do you want to be a part of what God is up to? Then what would it mean to bend your life “for the sake of Jesus?” Radical, I know. A bit scary, I know. “I’ve got things slowing me down and tripping me up.”  Me, too! 

But Jesus runs ahead. Jesus says, “Come after me!” And again, ‘cause he’s Jesus, he also runs along with, giving us what we need. One of the things that Paul repeatedly says about the Church, the community of faith, is that we are in this together. I can’t think of a group I’d rather run with than you. Amen.