Running to Win — Biblical Principles for Christian Endurance
February 12, 2010
Running to Win – Biblical Principles for Christian Endurance
Adult Wednesday Night Bible Study
West Broad Church of Christ
February 10, 2010
Dr. J.L. Nesmith, Jr., Facilitator
(Adapted from materials by Christine Caine)
Introduction:
Many people each year are baptized and added by the Lord to his one church. Nevertheless, many of these people fall away from the Lord. What can Christians do to start and end with Jesus?
I. An Example of Running from History
Paul spoke about learning lessons from history. What historical lesson do we learn regarding running?
· A battle described
· A task pursued
· A result received. Question: How do you respond to this story? What are your immediate reactions? What thoughts surface in your mind?
II. An Example of Running from Scripture (1 Cor. 9:24-27)
We know that we must run. The question becomes, “How do we run?”
· The imperative of running (9:24)
· The motivation for running (9:25)
o Paul’s thoughts
o Ancient Greek thoughts. Question: How does Paul’s motivation and focus compare with yours as you run here at West Broad?
· The methodology of running (9:26-27). Paul saw the Christian race as something that requires constant self-discipline. Question: How does Paul’s methodology compare to the way you are running your race here at West Broad?
Reading the Bible teaches us that running successfully for Jesus in downtown Richmond requires that we do three things as members of the West Broad Church of Christ.
· Realize that running is not an option
· Realize that our prize is beyond the contemporary. What will ultimately happen to the career, possessions, etc. that many Christians pursue so relentlessly (2 Pet. 3:10)?
· Realize that running requires technique. Successful Christianity is a deliberate, incremental process. It is not an accident.
Conclusion:
What do we learn from this discussion? Only that here in downtown Richmond, we do not want to be like Pheidippides (running hard but ending suddenly). We do not want to be like the negative persons Jesus describes in Matthew 13. We want to run; but we want to run and win. We have seen in 1 Cor. 9:24-27 Paul’s formula for successfully running the Christian race. The question becomes: Is this formula being “lived out” in your Christian life? If not, what will you do to ensure that it is? Be here on February 17 for Lesson 2 as we get “On Your Mark” for Jesus!
