Tried by fire/Receiving the prize
tried by fire • Sermon • Submitted
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· 9 viewswe were created by God, however the life that we live is not a short 100 race but a marathon in which we recieve a prize
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we did this to get here
this series had a purpose
and you must listen to all 4 to get the foundation or build the house
we talked first about trial and tribulations
we talked about endurance and how to over come the trials in life
we even talked a little bit about purpose
then we talked about character and integrity
we talked about the pieces and portion that equal out our character
that we should supplement our faith with certain qualities that need perfection
for instance
virtue with knowledge
knowledge with self control
self control with steadfastness
and so on and so on
then ewe talked about what it meant to be sealed and marked
how just like adoption, the holy spirit entered in and the father made you famly
spirit children
how this seal, this mark is your mark of authenticity
as well as we discussed what it means to be marked
and so i thought that it was just fitting being Christmas that we should tie it up and wrap it all up like a present with a tight little bow
and so today I want to discuss with you for a brief moment
how when these things are perfected and we press on how we receive the prize
phillipians and corinthians specifically talk about receiving the prize
And it is in 1st corinthians that paul compares our life to that of a runner
he says that our life with christ is that of an endurance race
that the purpose of the race is to endure until the end
that our life in christ is more of a long distance run, a marathon
while the majority of us consider it to be a sprint or simple 100 which take no endurance at all
and that is what we consider
that is how we see it
we are so in a hurry
we want things now
and when we dont get it right away we consider the fact that god is either mad or that he gave up on us
or that he just didn’t want to honor what we thought he had said
FIELD DAY
FIELD DAY
See i remember as a child that i we had something called field day
and it was during the field that that it was a day of immediate fun and gratification
the goal was to get a ribbon (and to get as many as we could)
all first place of course
no endurance was really needed
but with that ribbon was again immediate gratification
that intentionality of I WANT IT NOW
and that at all is not what life is like
our life with christ is a marathon
one that takes endurance and training
Rocky Movies
i love then
and specifically the training scenes
and we are all aware of when he runs up the stairs and celebrates
yet what we didnt see is the intense training that it took to get him there
and so is our life in christ
and yet all of this reminds me of when i use to box
intense training that I went through
to get a trophy
one thing about boxing though is that i trained to take a punch
my stomach muscles specifically
and i remember my coach bouncing that medicine ball on my stomach to build the muscles so that the next punch that i got didnt phase me
and that reminds me a lot about the words of 2 peter and the perfection that is needed to continue
the endurance that is needed daily
and that is why paul compares our life with christ to that of a man running a race
he says that only one person receives the prize at the end of the race
see the runner trains and trains in order to make it to the race
just to get there
in essence you can say that he perfects his skill
because he knows that all the sweat and tears he shed to get him to this point will pay off in the end
he understands that only one person will recieve a trophy at the end
and so paul encourages us that we run our race just the same
Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
and in order for ones training to be successful, the one training needs to express a few things in life
like self control
expressing patience and true endurance
expressing steadfastness and meekness
does any of this sound familiar?
So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.
that all this is done with purpose
not aimlessly
without purpose
But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
and yet people look at the word discipline as negatively as the four letter word
he says discipline your body
i am going to put this out here.
you must read the word of god
im sorry the words and truth of god are not going to just jump up into your mind
but you must train yourself to do so
and then you must train yourself in perfecting the things that perfect the soul and the body
consider yourself an athlete and discipline your body
consider yourself meek which is strength under control
matt 5:5 and zeph 2:3
do you see the comparison
all through the bible you see the father telling your how to live
how to endure
do you notice that he didnt just leave you to fend for yourself?
See the prize in which you are training for is unique
it requires endurance and training
it requires self control, discipline
where in 2 peter it shows us the endurance and perfection that must be reached
and we are to run with focus and purpose
which if you are running for your prize
training for your complete inheritance
than you have a goal
you have a purpose
and so you must discipline your body and your soul to follow the will and guidance of your perfected spirit
and in the end you will receive your prize
one that is imperishable and perfect