Icebreaker: What’s your favorite type of race? Going deeper Pastor Doug started today by highlighting a key element of the “Get Up and Go” series. The goal of these independent messages is to give people practical insights for how to be the church. The church is the unstoppable force that Jesus refers to in Matthew […]
Icebreaker:
What’s your favorite type of race?
Going deeper
Pastor Doug started today by highlighting a key element of the “Get Up and Go” series. The goal of these independent messages is to give people practical insights for how to be the church. The church is the unstoppable force that Jesus refers to in Matthew 16:18 saying that not even the gates of hell will overcome it (the church). The church is by nature an aggressor, an active combatant in the world. The gates of hell are in a defensive position in that verse, and they can’t stop the church.
What’s the goal of the church? (Matthew 28:19-20)
What active role are you taking as part of the church?
Read 1 Cor 9:24-27
Verse 24 gives us an obvious, yet often neglected insight: we’re all in a race. Whether we want to acknowledge it or not, all our lives are headed somewhere. There’s a winners’ circle and a losers’ circle. It’s easy to slack off, run with the crowd, or just give up. It takes discipline to run a race to win. But that is what Christians are called to.
How can you tell someone is running to win the race?
If you know we’re in an important race, why would you slack off?
Are you running to win the race?
Can the world tell the difference? Or are you running at its pace?
Verse 25 reminds us that this race is hard work. It takes discipline. Pastor Doug also reminded us that the race isn’t always fair. Life has a lot of ups and down, and people aren’t always prepared for that. We have to be prepared to suffer along the way. There’s a lion (Satan) on the path that doesn’t want us to finish (1 Peter 5:8); we need to be disciplined and prepared. Don’t get mad when God doesn’t run the race for you. It’s your race after all, isn’t it?
How can you discipline yourself to endure this difficult race?
Spiritually? (Philippians 4:6-7)
Emotionally? (Philippians 4:8, John 16:33)
Physically? (2 Timothy 3:16)
Verses 26 and 27 give us the stern reminder not to get off course, not to run aimlessly. If we do, we can be disqualified. We need to be intentional with our time here. You aren’t guaranteed tomorrow. Run, and run to win.
What are some sins or desires that pull you off course?
How can you overcome them?
Or do you need to completely avoid them? (nothing is worth being disqualified over)
How can you be more intentional today to run the race?
How can you help others to be more intentional in their training?
Reflect
Don’t ignore the life that God has called you to live; take an active step now to pursue the crown at the end of the race.
Intercede in prayer on someone else’s behalf.