Learning from the Games

Learning from the Games

1 Corinthians 9.24-27

Introduction: Have you been watching the Olympics? I remember when all the athletes were amateurs. Now many are paid professionals but in some of the lesser known games they are still ordinary people playing for the love of the game. Inspired writers used athletic events as a back drop to teach some Biblical principles. Those principles applies to us to day just as much as it did in the first century.

I) History of the Games

A) The Olympics

1. Original Greek Games were from 776 BC until 393 BC

2. It was held at Olympia , Greece

3. During this time wars between city states were suspended

4. The victorious won olive wreath, palm branches, and a wooden ribbon

5. They completed naked, our word gymnasium comes from the Greek word gymnos meaning naked.

6. In order to compete a person had to be male, and a Roman citizen. They went through 10 months of training, instruction, and strict diet.

B) Isthmian Games were held every two years, the year before and year after the Olympic Games.

1. Named after the Isthmus at Corinth .

2. Held from 582 BC to 146 BC at that time Corinth was destroyed by the Romans

3. In 44 BC Corinth was rebuilt and the games conducted from 7 BC

4. The Roman Emperor, Flavius Theodosius, made Catholic Christianity, the state religion and stopped the games around 379 AD.

II) Passages: Hebrews 12.1-3, 4; 2 Timothy 2.5

A) The playing field

1. Basically our lives on this earth.

2. The events in our lives. We are competing against satan and the forces of evil.

3. To win in this case is to be counted faithful by God.

B) The stadium – so great a cloud of witnesses, Hebrews 12.1

1. The martyrs – not just passive spectators but those who had competed and suffered in their quest.

2. There are others that are watching us.

C) Compete according to the rules, 2 Timothy 2.5

1. Remember Tonya Harding? She was banded by U.S. Skating committee for life due to her involvement with injuring a competitor.

a. Rozie Ruiz is famous for winning the New York Marathon, only to be disqualified because she did not actually run all the course.

b. Baseball is now looking at records that were set by people that were using drugs to enhance their athletic ability.

2. To cheat is worse than to compete according to the rules and lose.

3. There are no loopholes in serving God. No “what if’s” to justify disobedience.

4. W.C. Fields as he was reading the Bible on his death bed was asked why he was reading the Bible. His reply; “Just looking for loopholes”

5. The law of God applies equally to all men, John 10.1

a. In sports you have to know the rules. Ex. Field hockey in the Olympics

b. In religion we have to know the Law of God. 2 Timothy 2.15

D) They lay aside all obstacles, Hebrews 12.1-2 (Mental)

1. Think of trying to win while carry around 10 extra pounds or starting a race after everybody else.

2. The obstacle here is a lack of faith.

a. Doubts is mentioned in James 1.6-8.

b. Questions we may have that shows doubt: Did God really mean that? Will that really happen? Do I really have to do that?

c. Doubt causes many sins, Hebrews 3.12, 13,19

3. Look at Mark 16.16. Do you understand what it says? Do you believe it?

4. If we are going to live eternally in heaven we must have faith, Romans 1.16,17

E) Run so as to win, 1 Corinthians 9.24

1. Christians must strive for the goal of heaven and keep on running.

2. Indifference will not work; laziness will not work; only obedience will work.

F) Buffeting the body, 1 Corinthians 9.25,27 (Physical)

1. Must practice self control.

a. Athletes abstain from certain foods and they train. Get up early in the morning; run, lift weighs, and condition their body.

b. It is not a matter of what I can do but what I will do in order to compete.

2. Christians are told to exercise self control, Galatians 5.23 in the fruit of the spirit.

3. Paul applied this to himself. He did not practice the do what I say but not what I do philosophy. He practiced what he preached.

G) The Crown of Glory

1. The competed for crowns that quickly vanished, they were temporary.

a. The adoration of the crowd quickly diminished. Records are made to be broken and fame is fleeting.

2. Paul spoke of coverts are a crown in 1 Thess. 2.19

3. What is the crown of glory? Going to heaven, being with God for eternity. The crown and its properties in 1 Peter 1.3,4; 2 Timothy 4.8

4. It is given to those that finish the race, James 1.12

Conclusion: One big difference is that in our races only one person can win. In serving God that is not true. We can all win and go to heaven. Are you ready to compete according to the rules, to lay aside every weight that entangles you, to serve God today?

Home Page