DISCIPLINE AND DISQUALIFICATION

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.”  (1 Corinthians 9:24-27 NKJV)

Part of discipline is doing things by the rules. The Christian needs to have a concern for any significant break in the discipline which would take them out of the opportunity to serve Christ and His Body for even a short period of time.

One of the most classic cases in the Olympics of disqualification occurred in the 1908 marathon. Having run through the streets, until finally he staggered into the stadium, falling four times as he made the oval around the stadium, he was finally helped across the finish line by some well-meaning members of his team. He was disqualified as the winner because he had been helped. He had won the race, but the rules had been broken.

There are people in the Christian life who think that the ends justify any means you use. Do anything as long as you get results. The Olympics are telling us that the means are as important as the ends. That disqualification ought to be a concern, and the training and discipline of the Christian life ought always to be part of our experience. 

– George O. Wood in a sermon titled “The Christian Olympian”

#5918

RUNNING THE RACE

The Olympic Games captivate the world with their spirit of excellence, discipline, and perseverance. Athletes train relentlessly, pushing their limits to achieve victory. As followers of Christ, we, too, are in a race -- a spiritual one. Let’s draw parallels between the Olympics and our faith journey.

The Starting Line: Commitment. Just as athletes commit to rigorous training, we commit to following Jesus. Our faith journey begins at the starting line -- the moment we say “yes” to Christ. “We do this by keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.” (Hebrews 12:2)

Training and Endurance: Spiritual Discipline. Athletes endure grueling workouts, sacrificing comfort for excellence. Similarly, we train spiritually through prayer, Bible study, and fellowship. “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.” (1 Corinthians 9:27)

The Race Course: Life Challenges. Life throws hurdles our way -- illness, loss, doubts. Just as athletes face obstacles, we encounter trials. And our own sin encumbers us and needs to be dealt with. But we keep running, knowing that God’s grace and our faith community sustain us. “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” (Hebrews 12:1)

The Finish Line: Eternal Crown. Athletes strive for gold medals, but our goal is an imperishable crown. “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” (1 Corinthians 9:25). When we cross the finish line -- our earthly life -- we’ll receive the ultimate reward: eternal life with Christ. “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:13-14)

Let’s run our race of faith with purpose, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. Remember, just as Olympic athletes inspire us, our faith journey inspires others. Keep running with Jesus!

-- Compiled from a Variety of Sources

#5917

NEVER STAY DOWN

“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”  (Philippians 3:12-14 NIV)

The 1981 movie Chariots of Fire portrays the true story of Eric Liddell, a man who competed for Great Britain in the 1924 Olympics before becoming a missionary. One memorable scene that appeared to be Hollywood fiction, actually happened. A year before the Olympic showdown, Liddell ran in a meet between England, Ireland, and Scotland. In the 440-yard event, moments after the gun sounded, Liddell tangled feet with J.J. Gillies of England and tumbled to the track. Dazed, Liddell sat there, not knowing whether he could get up, when the official screamed, "Get up and run!"   He jumped to his feet and pursued the pack, now a full twenty yards ahead of him. With forty yards to go, he pulled into third place, then second. Right at the tape he passed Gillies, stuck his chest out, won the race, collapsing in total exhaustion.

The next day The Scotsman newspaper reported, "The circumstances in which Liddell won the race made it a performance bordering on the miraculous." Some described it as "the greatest track performance they had ever seen."

Some of you have been knocked down by foolish decisions, by a person, or even Satan himself. When we're down on the track, we're ashamed and depressed. The only real shame is to stay down. God's word compels you, "Get up and run!" Forget what lies behind and run for the prize God has waiting for you. 

-- Craig Brian Larson in “Leadership Weekly” 

#5152

OUR IDENTITY IN CHRIST

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”  (Matthew 6:19-21)

I firmly believe that our lives are God's gift to us. What we do with our lives is our gift to God. My treasure isn't the gold medal, it's how I share this experience with others. What I bring back to them that can help them with their lives...

Through my faith, I've learned that my identity cannot be caught up with winning a gold medal. The fame of being an Olympic medalist wears off. Nothing else in this world will last. That's why you have to have your identity in Christ. 

-- Sheila Taormina, 1996 gold medal Olympic swimmer, 2000 & 2004 Olympic triathlete, 2008 Olympic modern pentathlete, the first woman to qualify for the Olympics in three different sports.

#5151

OLYMPIC-LIKE TRIALS

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  (James 1:2-4 NIV)

Trials, temptations, disappointments -- all these are helps instead of hindrances, if one uses them rightly. They not only test the fiber of a character, but strengthen it. Every conquered temptation represents a new fund of moral energy. Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.

-- James Buckham

#4275

LOOKING AT THE OLYMPICS

"While bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come."  (1 Timothy 4:8)

The Apostle Paul took the Olympics -- well-known even then -- and taught the Christians to transpose them into a different level, and to see in the games a reality very different than everyone else is seeing. When you see them training and denying themselves, see another kind of training and self-denial. When you see the athletes compete, see another kind of completion.  When you see them smiling with a gold medal around their neck, see another kind of prize.

Olympic glory is for the young and the fittest, but the Christian "race" is for the young and old, the healthiest and sickliest.

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. From now on the crown of righteousness is laid up for me, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day -- and not only to me, but to all who crave His appearing.… “ (2 Timothy 4:7-8)

-- Adapted from Anugrah Kumar in “The Christian Post”,  quoting from John Piper

#4273

GOLDEN GLORY

Sixteen-year-old Olympic gymnast Gabrielle Douglas says her faith helped her manage the pressures of competing on a world stage to win gold. “Let all that I am praise the LORD; may I never forget the good things He does for me.” These are the first words 16-year-old gymnast Gabrielle Douglas tweeted after she won the all-around gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics... On the stadium floor, Douglas also told a reporter that “The glory goes up to Him, and the blessings fall down on me.” 

-- Christine A. Scheller, from an article on www.urbanfaith.com


#3044

STEADFAST ENDURANCE

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting Him, He endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now He is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility He endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.”  (Hebrews 12:1-3 NLT)

The word is hupomone, which does not mean the [patient endurance] which sits down and accepts things but the [patient endurance] which masters them.  It is not some romantic thing, which lends us wings to fly over the difficulties and the hard places.  It is the determination, unhurrying and yet undelaying, which goes steadily on and refuses to be deflected.  Obstacles do not daunt it and discouragements do not take its hope away.  It is the steadfast endurance which carries on until in the end it gets there. 

-- William Barclay in The Letter to the Hebrews


#3043

THE PRIZE OF ETERNAL LIFE

It is hard to draw from the Olympics an analogy of what Christ has done for us. His actions on the cross, done on our behalf, won the prize of eternal life for us, when we couldn't do it on our own. I couldn't imagine anything in the Olympics to parallel that -- that is until I turned on the Today Show one morning during the 1996 Summer Olympics. I could not believe my ears. A U.S. swimmer had just won an Olympic medal, in fact it was the first medal won by the United States in the 1996 Summer Games. But instead of keeping it for herself, she gave it to a close friend, Marcie, a fellow swimmer who was dealing with cancer. The medalist was quoted as saying, "It just made me realize how precious life is. She's fighting for her life. She's really a hero to me. Swimming's great, but it's not the only thing." You see, the swimmer won the medal for someone who, because of cancer, could not win it for herself. And guess what the Olympic medal swimmer's name was... Angel!

Well, we are like that friend who has cancer. Because of sin we cannot, by our selves, win the gold -- the prize of eternal life. Sin has weighted us down. Sin has broken our spirit. But we have a friend, not an "angel," but the very Son of God, who paid the price and won the prize, and has now given it to us. Like Angel's friend Marcie, we must accept that prize to make it ours. Marcie couldn't earn it. We cannot earn our salvation. It is a free gift from God waiting for our acceptance. 

-- Rev. David T. Wilkinson in a sermon entitled "On Your Marks, Get Set, Gold!"


#3041

OLYMPIC DISCIPLINE

Which athlete would you say is more likely to win a medal at the Olympics: One who practices once a week, doesn't think he needs a coach, and has all the training equipment that is needed, but in unused, pristine shape, or one who has a daily discipline, relies on her coach, and has well-worn equipment? The answer is obvious. But when we apply the example to the spiritual life I'm afraid that too many of us think that once-a-week spiritual exercise is enough and that the Bible must be kept in pristine shape and left on the bookshelf where it won't get worn out. What if we sought Christ the way the Olympians seek gold. We would have a daily spiritual discipline of prayer and Bible study, a spiritual coach that we trust and rely on to help us over the hurdles of life, and a regular place where we can practice our faith in witness and mission to others.

-- Rev. David T. Wilkinson


#3037