2 TIMOTHY 2:52008 Teaching by Jerry B Simmons

Teaching Transcript: 2 Timothy 2:5

You are listening to FerventWord, an online Bible study ministry with teachings and tools to help you grow deeper in your relationship with God. The following message was taught by Jerry Simmons in 2008. Here in 2 Timothy chapter 2, Paul gives us three examples to consider.

Two weeks ago, we looked at the example of a good soldier. And there's many, many things that we spoke about and even many more that we could not get to that really would give us insight into the call that God has given to us and the way that relates to a good soldier and the things that we could learn that God desires to do in us by looking at this picture of the good soldier. There's two more examples here.

This morning, we'll look at one, and that is the example of an athlete. And then, Lord willing, next week, we'll look at the example of a farmer. The reason why we're breaking it down and taking our time is in verse 7, Paul says, Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.

The instruction that Paul gives to Timothy and the intent for this portion of Scripture is for those who read it, Timothy and then you and I, because you and I are Timothys as well, called into the ministry, called to make disciples, called to make disciples.

He doesn't give elaborate detail in paralleling these examples that he's giving to the ministry. Instead, he says, here's three examples, a soldier, an athlete, a farmer. Now, now think about it. You do the work. You do the math behind the scenes. You take some time and meditate on these things, Timothy.

that you would have insight and that the Lord would give you understanding in your call, in your role as one who is called to make disciples. So he says, consider, think upon, ponder and heed these things that I'm sharing with you in these examples, Timothy. And so as we take time, I would encourage you to spend some time on your own considering these examples. Maybe you haven't had much experience as a soldier, but perhaps you

In your younger years or even now, you have some experience as an athlete in some type of sports, either spectating or participating. You have some experience and I would encourage you to consider this model, to consider the example of an athlete.

And use those things that you learn from an athlete to allow God to examine your heart and challenge you in your Christian walk. In the call that he's given to you. What is that call? Well, let's look at verses 1 and 2 very briefly. Paul says,

And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Paul says, therefore, we talked about that two weeks ago. I won't go into detail, but looking at chapter one, therefore, Paul says, since you have been given the spirit of power and not the spirit of fear, since you are to not be ashamed, therefore,

Timothy, you need to be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And if you remember, we looked at the word be strong and it's a word that means the strength is not from yourself.

It's in the passive tense, which means it's strength that we receive. It's a command that we have been given to be strong, but it's not to be strong in our own strength and what we have and what we can provide. But it's being strong in the strength of God, the strength that God provides through his grace. Because in 1 Corinthians, no, rather 2 Corinthians chapter 12 says,

God tells Paul, my strength is made perfect in weakness. My grace is sufficient for you. And so you and I, we have a difficult task in making disciples. We have a difficult task. It's hard to walk unashamed, to be the example that we're called to be. It's difficult not to have the spirit of fear.

But we have the unlimited resources of the grace of Christ that we might be strong, that we might receive strength in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

Now, Timothy's task that was ahead of him, this task that he would need the strength of God in was to make disciples. Paul says in verse two, it's the same task that you and I have been given today. We've been called to make disciples. You are Timothy. I am a Timothy. We're all called every one of us. God has placed someone in your life that he wants you to help walk with him.

And he wants you to train them up in his ways to follow his commands, to walk with him in love and and learn to have a loving relationship with him. The command Paul gave to Timothy, he says, the things that you've heard from me among many witnesses are.

In other words, Timothy, you were there. I've taught the Bible studies. I've shared the word that God has given to me. You were there. You heard those things. And those things that you heard, he says, commit these to faithful men. You need to turn around, Timothy, and take what you have received from me, what you've heard from me, and now entrust those things to other people who will be able to train others also.

You're to make disciples, Timothy, but you're to make disciples who will disciple others. You're to train them and equip them and entrust them with these things that they might pass them on even further. Compare that to what Jesus said. He said, go into all the world, make disciples.

Matthew 28, 19 and 20. And he says, Jesus said the same thing to his disciples. I

I've commanded you things. You've heard me. You've heard me teach. You've received all the things that I've given to you. Now go into all the world and make disciples and teach them to observe all the things that you heard from me. Take those things that you've heard from me and pass them on. Teach them to those that you are called to disciple. And so this morning, once again, I ask, who are you discipling? Who's in your life, really, that you're investing yourself into?

Who are you training up in the ways of God? Who are you teaching to walk with God? Who is God placed there? It doesn't have to be a smart person, a real intelligent person. It doesn't have to be a good looking person. It doesn't have to be a famous person or a popular person. Paul says, pass it on to faithful men, those who are faithful. Who is those that are faithful that God has placed in your life?

He desires for you to train up the things that you are learning here among many witnesses, the things that you are learning between you and the Lord as you spend time with him, the relationship with God that you have and that you've learned throughout your walk. You're to pass it on. You're to share it with the people around you, with your spouse, with your children, with your neighbors, with your coworkers, whoever it is that God has placed in your life.

Teach them how to walk with God and apply his word to life situations. This is not an easy task. It's a very difficult task. And it's one that you can't just kind of do occasionally here and there. All three of these examples that Paul gives a soldier, an athlete and a farmer, they're things that one must be fully committed to and engaged in to be successful in.

There are also things that you must see to the end. You must finish. You can't walk out of the battle and win the war. You can't quit the race and still win and be crowned. You can't sow and then not reap and receive the benefits of the crop, as we'll see next week. There are things that you have to see all the way to the end. And so for you and I as Christians, this is something that we need to be conscious of and aware of and committed to. It's not an easy task.

And so Paul gives us three examples, illustrations for us to consider. Last time, two weeks ago, we looked at the good soldier and we learned we needed to endure hardship and we needed to stay focused in the task of discipleship. We will have to endure hardship. We'll have to endure hardship to disciple people even when we are hurting. We'll have to endure hardship to disciple people and pour into them even when things are difficult for us.

We have to endure hardship in discipling because we are to put their needs above our own. We need to stay focused so that we do not get tangled up in this life so that we can please God. Paul shares in the illustration. And on and on we could go, but we need to move on to the athlete. So again, let's look at verse 5. He says, "...and also, if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules."

So in this next illustration, Paul is trying to share with us, yes, it's difficult, but you can receive strength from the grace that is in Christ Jesus for this call that you've given. And it's very similar to, there's a lot of parallels between your call to make disciples and the athlete who competes. He says, if anyone competes in athletics. Now, there's three elements to this illustration that we'll see.

First of all is the competition. Second is the crown. And third is the rules. We have the competition, the crown, and the rules. The competition. How is the Christian life similar to a competition? How is it related to a competition? Are we competing against each other? Well, I'm trying to beat you and be better than you. I'm a better Christian than you are. Ha, ha, ha.

Spiritually, I'm more mature. I can outrun you. But what is the competition that's involved in the Christian life, in the task to make disciples? To find that out, turn with me to 1 Corinthians 9. 1 Corinthians 9 is a familiar portion when speaking about athletics and the Christian race, the Christian life. Paul often uses the illustration of an athlete in his writings, in his teachings,

Here we find a pretty extensive portion dealing with athletics, competition, and the Christian life. But I want to back up from probably the portion that you're used to and look a little bit at the context of what is going on as Paul is writing these words to the Corinthian church. So here in 1 Corinthians 9, look with me at verse 19 and following.

Verse 19, Paul says, For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more. And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews. To those who are under the law is under the law, that I might win those who are under the law. To those who are without law, as without law, not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ, that I might win those who are without law.

Verse 24. Verse 24.

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. The competition of the Christian life is

It's not against others, but it's against yourself. And Paul in 1 Corinthians chapter 9, he's in the middle of a great discussion. Chapters 8, 9, and 10 really of 1 Corinthians. Paul is sharing with the Corinthians about how he limits his freedom. He controls what he does. He restricts himself even though he's free in Christ to do certain things. He does not do some of those things himself.

In order to win more. That's what he says in verse 19. Although I'm free from all men, I've made myself a servant to all that I might win the more.

The context of Paul talking about here running in such a way to win the prize and running not with uncertainty and fighting not as one who beats the air. The context of that passage is Paul saying, I discipline myself. I limit my freedoms. I'm very conscious and very aware of what I am and what I do and who I'm around that I might bring more people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

In verse 22, at the conclusion of all of his different groups he's been talking about, in this group I become like them, in this group I become like them, in this group I become like them. He says that I might by all means save some. His focus, his goal in his life and everything he does is,

In limiting his freedoms and being self-controlled is that he might reach out, that he might penetrate, that the message he's bringing might be effective to the people around him. And he says in verse 23, I do this for the gospel's sake.

See, Paul is recognizing here the enemy in this race that I'm running is myself. And I'm seeking to discipline myself and limit my freedoms and be self-controlled that I might be more effective for all those that I'm trying to reach. I'm doing all of this that I might win the more. Therefore, I run thus, not with uncertainty. This is the way that 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. Paul says, look, my life is a life of discipline. It's a life of self-control. And the reason is because I'm the enemy. I'm the one who I'm competing against. I'm the one that needs to be trained, that needs to be disciplined, that needs to be prepared, because I don't want myself to interfere with the message of the gospel.

I don't want myself to hinder the people around me from receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. The competition of the Christian life is against our own flesh. It's against ourselves. Now, I spent a little bit of time discussing these things with those who have competed in athletics, much like I shared about the soldiers and those that I spoke with. One of those who responded said,

Was Michael Ochoa, who's here with us this morning, judo champion of the world? Well, not quite yet, but I asked him, who's the greatest adversary? I've heard that itself. Is that true? And he shares this. Yes, the greatest adversary is himself. Training is a big part to being successful, but so is training the mind. Doubt has caused world-class athletes to falter in the finals.

He goes on to share one personal experience at his first time at a national competition. He says, I defeated myself for not training properly and succumbing to the doubts in my mind. The doubt that said I'm not as good as these guys and it's easier to quit than to fight on. This is the competition that you and I face. It's not against each other. It's against ourself. We need to understand that my flesh is my enemy.

There's doubts in my mind. I can't compete. I can't disciple others. I'm not equipped. I'm not qualified. I can't make it. I'm not as good as these other guys. I don't need to share with them. Other people will share with them. We disqualify ourselves with doubts in our minds. Michael says training is a big part to being successful. That's what Paul is saying.

He says in verse 25 here, 1 Corinthians 9, everyone who competes for the prize is temperate. That's self-controlled in all things. He says, now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. He looks at the athlete and he says, look at their training.

They go through all of this training. They're temperate in all things. They watch what they eat. They make sure they have a regular schedule as far as eating and sleeping. And their life is all orchestrated and centers around the preparation for this competition that is taking place. They're temperate. They're self-controlled in all things. And they do it, Paul says, to obtain a perishable crown.

At that time, in those days, as they would compete in the Olympics, they would receive a flower wreath. Now, we receive gold medals today in the Olympics. It lasts a little bit longer, but it's still perishable nonetheless. Paul says, look, they do it. They go through all this work. They go through all this difficulty, all this training to receive something that will not last. But here's the parallel. You and I.

If we will be temperate in all things, if we will be self-controlled, if we will train ourselves, if we will be prepared and equipped and go through the training that's required and compete, we will receive a crown that does not perish, an everlasting crown, a reward that will not fail, that will never falter. The greatest adversary is ourself. We disqualify ourselves sometimes by dropping out of the training.

I don't want to be self-controlled. I still want to watch those movies and I still want to do the things that I want to do. And I want to drive this way and I want to do the things and say the things that I always say. And I don't want to change my language. I don't want to change myself. I don't want to change my habits or my diets or my church attendance. I don't want to change anything about me. I just want to be saved. And we disqualify ourselves by not being temperate, by not being self-controlled, by skipping out on the training.

Or with doubts in our minds. Well, I want to, but I'm just not good enough and I'm not qualified. He, again, we're talking about Timothy, this young guy. He felt, I'm inadequate. I don't have what it takes. And Paul, over and over, we've been seeing it over and over again. God gives us everything we need. We receive strength from God to do the work that he's called us to do. Every Christian is qualified to compete.

If they will just walk in relationship with God. Every Christian is adequate with the strength that God provides. There's no excuses for us. But the competition is ourself. We disqualify ourselves. We talk ourselves out of it. But if we will, like Paul, say, I'm going to be temperate in all things. I'm going to be disciplined.

I'm going to be conscious about who is around me and I'm going to conform my life to a witness that will be able to reach out and penetrate to their hearts. I'm going to discipline myself to bring myself to the point that I will be the best witness that I can be, the best discipler that I can be. I'm going to compete to impact the most people that I possibly can. For Paul, as with an athlete,

This wasn't something that just happened, but it was something that was purposeful. He endured training. He was temperate in all things. It was calculated self-control. And I would ask you as one who is called to make disciples, do you purposely, purposefully limit your freedoms? That's what Paul is sharing here in chapters 8, 9, and 10 of Corinthians. Do you purposely limit your freedoms so that you could be the best witness possible to

To the people around you? To those that you've called to disciple? Do you purposefully discipline yourself in the daily reading of the word? In prayer? In self-control? Do you purposefully discipline yourself that you might be a good witness? Paul says, don't you know, all those who run in a race, they all run, but only one receives a prize. Run in such a way that you may obtain it. What he's saying is this. There's lots of people who can run in a race.

There was one year that I participated with Pastor Tom and a few others in a bike race, 50 miles from Rosarito to Ensenada. Now, we weren't there to win. We were goofing off and having a good time. We were just there to kind of finish, hopefully. But there was those who were there to win. And they rode to win the prize.

And they were disciplined all the way up to the race. And they were disciplined through the race to press on, to carry on and push themselves so that they might win. That's what Paul's saying. There's lots of people that run. There's lots of people that say, yeah, I'm a Christian. But but will you run to win the prize? Will you not just? Yeah, I'm a Christian. But will you live your life to be a witness to others, to disciple others? Will you endure the training?

Will you press on when it's tough? Will you push forward when you're exhausted? Will you run to win? Will you give your very last ounce of energy and strength to minister to others? Paul says, look, they're tempered in all things and they only receive a perishable crown. We have much more motivation, something much more valuable. If we will but be tempered in all things, there's a crown that will endure, a reward that's everlasting.

in store for the Christian who competes to win, who runs to obtain the prize. As I shared two weeks ago, I think with soldiers, they have to go through the training. And I shared that sometimes I think Christians give up just during the training. In the same way, I would share that about athletes. Athletes are a little bit different. Athletes train a whole lot.

And then the actual event, the actual competition is not very long in comparison. You know, if you lived your life temperate in all things, never saw fruit. You trained a whole long time as a Christian, even if you don't see much happening. There's going to be fruit from that. The actual event may not be very long. It might be something short. I think of Jeremiah.

We often look at Jeremiah because through all his ministry, we never see one single convert. As he's there, he's preaching and it's breaking his heart and he tries to stop, but then the word of God burns in him like a fire and he can't contain it anymore.

That's how we need to be as Christians. Even if we don't see the fruit, we can't give up even if things are difficult. We can't give up just because there's someone else ahead of us or we feel like we're out of the race. We need to press on. We need to compete, to run, to win the prize. This is a competition, guys. Paul says, Timothy, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. The things that you've heard from me, commit those to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

This is like an athlete. Think about that. Ponder that. Consider an athlete, Timothy, and you'll get more insight into what God has called you to be as a discipler. And you and I, like Timothy, are called to make disciples. Every believer has at least one person in their life that God desires for you to make a disciple of them because it's a command that he's given to us. We're called to be a witness. But it won't happen overnight.

Just with a casual, well, hey, I'm a Christian. I read my Bible occasionally. I go to church occasionally. You're not competing to win. Paul says all the runners run, but you run to win. The competition is against yourself to bring yourself to the place that you will be the witness that God has called you to be. There's much more that we could look at in competition. But let's move on. The three parts of the illustration Paul has given to us

This is the competition. We've seen that here in 1 Corinthians 9. The second part is the crown. The crown. Now, in 2 Timothy 2.5, Paul says, "...unless he competes according to the rules."

Paul is saying there's an example here. There's an illustration of the athlete who competes and at the end he receives a crown. And this compares this parallels to the Christian life, the ministry that you've been given, the call that you and I have as believers in Jesus Christ. Understand that there is a crown for those who run the race. That's

That's why Paul says in 1 Corinthians 9, 24, run in such a way that you may obtain it. Because there's a reality there. There's a crown. There's a reward that is to be obtained. Now, let's keep in mind where we're coming from here. 2 Timothy 2, verse 1, Paul says, be strong in the grace. It's God who enables us. It's God who gives us the strength for the competition.

It's God who calls us. Verse two, Paul says, commit these to faithful men. God enables us and equips us and prepares us for the ministry. It's God who calls us to the ministry. He calls us and places us in this race. So he gives us the strength. He's the one who calls us and signs us up for the competition. But then he rewards us for doing it. So it's not our idea. It's not our strength. It's his strength.

And yet God is so good and gracious. He rewards us for being obedient, for receiving the strength, for obeying the call. There's a crown for those who will compete. If you're still there in 1 Corinthians chapter 9, flip over just a little bit to the left. 1 Corinthians chapter 3. 1 Corinthians chapter 3 says,

Start with me in verse 12. It says,

If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved. Yet so as through fire. As Paul is relating the Christian life and the competition that we are in to the athlete who competes, he says there's a crown awaiting those who finish.

But here in 1 Corinthians chapter 3, he elaborates on that a little bit different. Now, to be clear, verse 15 indicates to us that we're not talking about salvation. He says, if anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved. Yet so is through fire.

So in talking about the crown and talking about the reward, we're not talking about salvation. We're talking about reward. Now, what is that reward? Well, the Bible doesn't give us much detail, but I could share with you. It's worth fighting for. It's worth competing for. I heard a story during the last two weeks and I forget where I heard it, but it was an Olympian who had just received the gold medal in

in an event. And they stood there holding the medal and just kind of mesmerized in a daze. And their friend nudged them and said, hey, are you okay? What are you doing? He said, you know, I'm just looking at the last 15 years of my life. The Olympian is looking at that and saying, look, this is the fruit. This is the result of 15 years I've put into this. For that athlete, it's worth it.

In the same way for you and I, there's a reward for those who will compete, for those who will live the life that God has called us to live. And that reward is worth it. Paul in 2 Timothy chapter 4, we'll get to that in a few more weeks. As he's writing 2 Timothy, Paul knows this is pretty much the end of my life. He's there in prison. He's not expecting to live much longer.

And in second Timothy chapter four, verse seven and eight, he says, I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have kept the faith. And he says, finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which

which the Lord, the righteous judge will give to me on that day and not to me only, but also to all who have loved his appearing. Paul says, I'm finished. I'm about to die. This is it for me, Timothy. I've run my course. I've done all that God has called me to do. And now finally, the last thing for me is I'm going to receive the crown of righteousness that God has laid up for me.

He says, I've done it all. I've lived the life and you know what? It's worth it. There's a reward that's waiting for me. It's worth it. Now, God doesn't have to give us a reward. He's gracious in that he rewards us for doing what he told us to do and equipped us to do. But he gives us some incentive. He gives us some motivation. He says, look, I'm going to make it worth your while. There's a crown. There's a reward that's waiting for you. And on that day, it will be clear, Paul says in 1 Corinthians 3.

It'll be clear what you built your foundation out of, how you lived your life. Did you build your house out of wood, hay, and straw? Hey, when those things go through the fire, they're just going to be gone. They're going to disappear. If you've built your life with the things that do not last, the things that are temporary, it's going to be gone. But if you built your life with gold, silver, and precious stones, it will be clear on that day. It will be revealed by fire that

Paul says the Lord will test each one's work. And if your work remains, if it endures, hey, you'll receive a reward. There's a reward that's awaiting those who with a right heart, with pure motive, obey the word of God to make disciples, to be a witness.

To run the race that God has set before you. There's a reward in store if you will do it, if you will compete. Yes, it will be difficult. The athlete exerts himself. The athlete puts himself and his temper in all things in preparation and goes through great exhausting difficulties. But it's worth it. In the same way for you and I. Are you an athlete? Will you compete?

Will you not simply just, hey, I'm a Christian, but will you live your life? Will you build upon your life with gold, silver and precious stones that in that day your work may be shown for what it is, that it would endure through the fire and the reward will be yours? The choice is yours. Hey, if you build with hay, wood and straw, it'll be burned. You'll suffer loss.

See that in verse 15 of 1 Corinthians 3? You will suffer loss. You'll be saved, but it'll be as through fire. There won't be a reward there. Now, we're not talking about salvation. You'll be saved. You believe in Jesus Christ, you're saved. But Paul's asking us and he's telling Timothy, look, there's another level. It's not just, okay, I believe in Jesus, but now will you live your life for him? That doesn't mean, well, will you go to church for him? But will you live your life for him?

Will you allow him to be the Lord of your life? Will you run the race to win each day and every moment submitted to him to be the best witness that you can be, to be the disciple that he's called you to be, to be involved in and not distracted by the things that will keep you from what he has called you to do?

Will there be laid up for you the crown of righteousness like there was for the Apostle Paul? He says it's laid up for me in 2 Timothy 4.8 and for all who have loved his appearing. See, the athlete who competes

loves the appearing of Jesus Christ. Their life is devoted to and focused on constantly thinking about he is coming back. I'm going to be with him. The life that is lived for Jesus Christ is lived by the one who has loved his appearing. And for those who live that life, there's a crown of righteousness, an imperishable crown. The athlete competes, Paul says, for something that will perish. It will not last.

What do you compete for? What are you living for? Are you competing for the imperishable crown? Paul says the Christian life that you've been called to is like the athlete who competes. There's a competition and the opponent is yourself. There's a crown that awaits those who will fight the good fight, who will finish the race. Paul also says the third part of this illustration is there's some rules involved.

He says in 2 Timothy 2.5 again, if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. Now when we talk about rules and relate that to Christianity and the life that we're called to, we're not talking about legalism. We just finished the study of the grace of God. We know it's

By the grace of God that we are saved. We're not talking about a legalistic relationship with God. But at the same time, we need to understand there are rules in the Christian life. Jesus said in his great commission, Matthew 28, 19 and 20, as he says, go and make disciples. He says, teaching them to observe faith.

What does that mean? That means to obey, to put into practice, teaching them to put into practice all the things that I've commanded you. Jesus says, here's what you're called to do to make disciples who will live in obedience to me and what I've commanded. There's rules in the Christian life and it compares to it relates to the rules of an athletic competition. So there's much discussion right now. What do you think? Did Roger Clemens take the performance enhancing drugs?

The subject of doping in sports, I could have shared for eight hours on all of the materials and news articles and resources that came up. There's so many examples of athletes who are not competing by the rules. Now, who are those who do not compete by the rules? There's different types of people who are competing without regard for the rules. The first is the one who will win at all costs.

I don't care what the rules are. If I can get away with it, I want to win, and it doesn't matter what it costs. But there's also those who compete not according to the rules because it's how they are taught by their trainer. There's some also who do not know the rules, and so they do not compete by the rules. But as you know, rules were made to be broken, right? But broken rules result in consequences. The breaking of some rules in athletics...

as well as in Christianity, means the loss of reward. The breaking of some rules, other rules, not only means the loss of reward, but will take you out of the competition altogether. Recent example, we have so many. Marion Jones, perhaps you've heard of her. At the 2000 Olympics, she brought home five medals. Three gold, I think two silver, but I could be mistaken on those two.

Five medals. I have an article here from November of last year entitled Marion Jones's fall from grace. I thought that was appropriate considering the subject today. Her fall from grace. What happened? Well, at the 2000 Olympics, it turns out she had been taking performance enhancing drugs. A particular drug called the clear because it didn't show up on drug tests.

And she was stripped of her medals. She was stripped of all of her records, everything from September of 2000 on. At first, well, for many years, she denied the accusation. But here in 2007 and now in 2008, it describes her as being flat broke, stripped of her gold medals. She came clean at last and paid the price. Breaking the rules means a loss of reward.

First Corinthians chapter three, verse 15, the portion I had you look at just a moment ago. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved. Yet so is through fire. Just like Marion Jones, who broke the rules and received loss, the loss of reward. The Christian who does not compete according to the rules will lose their reward. They will suffer loss.

Paul says, look, there's a parallel, guys. There's a reality. The athlete doesn't receive the crown unless they compete according to the rules, unless they're obedient, unless they apply what God is speaking to their hearts. For some, it means the loss of reward. But breaking some rules will actually take you out of the competition altogether. 1994 Olympics. You probably remember this one. Tonya Harding.

It was the big buildup of Tanya Harding versus Nancy Kerrigan, the ice skating championship that was going to just rock our world. And yet, her and her husband, Tanya Harding and her husband, plotted together. She admitted to it, attacked Nancy Kerrigan, hired someone to do it rather. As a result, Tanya Harding banned from competition, never again to compete.

Some rules mean loss of reward. And it is a loss. Paul says you will suffer loss. But understand in the Christian life, there are some rules that will take you out of the competition. Look at Galatians chapter 5 with me for just a moment. Galatians chapter 5. It's a couple books to the right there. 1 Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, and then the book of Galatians. Galatians chapter 5. We know chapter 5 is a book of God.

Very well, because of the fruit of the spirit that is listed there. But just before listing the fruit of the spirit, Paul gives us the works of the flesh. Verse 19 of Galatians 5, Paul says, Now the works of the flesh are evident.

which are adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries and the like.

Of which I tell you beforehand, just as I told you in time past, notice this, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. What do you do in preparing for a competition? You practice. Paul says those who practice these things, those who practice the works of the flesh, will not inherit the kingdom of God. Some rules, breaking them will mean loss of reward.

1 Corinthians 3.15 If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss. He himself will be saved, yet so is through fire. But some rules, if you break them, as a Christian, will take you out of the competition. Those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. We need to be careful. Are you running the race to win? Are you competing according to the rules? Are you playing by rules?

The things that God has established, the guidelines and the principles that he has laid down. Now, a Christian who is not playing by the rules, an athlete who is not playing by the rules, one who is cheating is a hypocrite. Cheating and hypocrisy are, well, they're possibly synonyms, interchangeable. Because the one who takes the performance enhancing drug and runs the race

Like Marion Jones, Ben Johnson, the countless others that we've seen. They're running the race, telling everybody, I'm clean, I'm legit. This is me. This is my talent and my ability and my strength and my training. It's all paying off right now. This is the fruit. This is the result. I'm winning because of me and my work and the training that I've had. But the reality is, it's because they've been injecting themselves with these illegal substances. Or,

We have the example of Stella Walsh. You probably don't know her. This is back in the 1930s. Incredible female athlete Walsh was. One of the world's fastest female track and field athletes. She represented Poland, her native land, although she was based out of Cleveland. Her career ended with 20 women's track and field world records.

41 AAU titles and a 1975 induction into the U.S. track and field Hall of Fame. It's a great competitor, great athlete, very successful. But I'll read this part to you. When Walsh died after being shot in a holdup outside a Cleveland shopping mall, an autopsy revealed that her name and nationality weren't the only things she'd changed. In fact, she

a coroner discovered male genitalia. One of the greatest athletes in women's sports was actually a man. She had world records. She's a hypocrite. I'm a woman. I'm the best. This is who I am. In reality, she was a man. In the same way, there are those who are hypocrites within the church. Name the name Christ. I'm a Christian.

Running the race, apparently saying, hey, I'm legit, but all the while living in sin, injecting themselves with illegal substances, pretending to run the race on what God has provided. Yeah, I made it through this week. God's good. But in reality, well, I made it through this week and I was involved in this and this and this and this and this. Putting on the face, putting on the show. I'm a Christian. I'm running the race. But in reality, behind the scenes, not competing according to the rules.

Now understand, like those drugs that these athletes take, sin has side effects. It can be very devastating and destructive to yourself. The wages of sin is death, Romans 6.23 says. What type of competitor are you? Paul says, look, you've been given a call to make disciples.

And that call is similar to the athlete who competes. There's a competition and the competition is against yourself to bring yourself to the point that you are the best witness that you can be, that you can most effectively fulfill the call that God has given to you, that you can make disciples of others. There's a crown awaiting for you if you will compete, if you will run to win, run to obtain the prize.

But you can only obtain it if you compete according to the rules. And if you're not competing according to the rules, then you need to repent. One of the things that was amazing to me as I was preparing for this message and looking at all of the possibilities of this example and illustration that Paul gave to us is that many of those who have cheated were the result of the influence of their trainers.

the East German Olympic team back in the 70s and 80s, tremendously improved in the Olympics. They went from getting about 20 medals during the Games to about 40 medals during the Games within a matter of four years. Well, it was much later they found out. Trainers and coaches had been doping thousands of athletes out.

With the banned steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. All the while telling the athletes the pills were vitamins. They had bad trainers. They had bad coaches. Marion Jones. Much of her story is when she got married to her husband. Who was coached by the same coach that coached Ben Johnson. Who was also guilty of illegal substances. Roger Clemens. Who's the one accusing him? It's his trainer. Bad trainers will result in.

and not competing according to the rules. Michael Ochoa had some stories about bad trainers that I won't get into. I also talked with Rob. You guys know Wunder. He's playing baseball in Japan right now in Okinawa. He had lots of stories about bad trainers. They taught him things that would actually hurt him, things that were not good for him back when he was younger, things that were bad for the game and his body. I'm sharing all that to say this. As a Christian,

We have the best personal trainer in the world. This is a competition. We're called to compete. We're called to run, to win. And God has given to us the Holy Spirit. Jesus said, I'm going away, but I'm going to send you a helper. In John 14, the world can't receive this helper because it neither sees him nor know him. But you know him for he dwells with you and will be in you. In verse 26 of John 14, he says, the helper whom the father will send in my name, he will teach you all things.

And bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. He's going to teach you my word. He's going to teach you all things, everything that you need to know. The helper is there. You have a personal trainer. This is a competition. It is difficult. You need to receive the strength that comes from the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

In order to fulfill your call and to make disciples, to commit these things to faithful men, you're going to have to compete. It's going to require training and self-discipline. It's going to require a limiting of your own freedoms. It's going to require the same thing that an athlete requires, being temperate in all things. But there's a crown awaiting and you have the Holy Spirit to guide you.

In John 16, 13, he says, when he, the spirit of truth has come, he will guide you into all truth. You don't have to worry about the bad trainers. Now, if you're not receiving from God, if you're not receiving from the Holy Spirit, now you have a problem because someone is training you and they might be training you to inject yourself or training you with practices that will be harmful to you. Yeah, if you let the world guide your understanding,

If you let television direct your viewpoints and your understanding and your beliefs, if you let the influences of this life train you, you'll be in trouble like these athletes. But you have the Holy Spirit, the best manual in the world, not just the rule book, but this is the how-to book, along with the Holy Spirit who will train you and equip you and prepare you for the competition that's at hand.

Those who do not compete according to the rules will experience either a loss of reward or will be eliminated from the competition. And I know it's a heavy note, but I need to close with that. In Matthew chapter 7, Jesus says,

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, cast out demons in your name and done many wonders in your name? And I will declare to them, I never knew you. Depart from me. You who practice lawlessness. Jesus says there's many who say I'm running the race. Lord, Lord, Lord.

But they will not enter the kingdom of heaven. Who will? He says, he who does the will of my Father in heaven. That's the one who competes according to the rules. That's the one who's running to win. That's the genuine Christian. Not the fake, not the hypocrite, not the cheat. But the one who really has a relationship with God and does the will of God.

But there are those who are the hypocrites, those who say, Lord, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name? Haven't we cast out demons? Lord, I went to Bible studies. I ran the race. I lived the life. I was a Christian. God says, I never knew you. Why? Depart from me, you who practice lawlessness. There's a reality of those who think I'm OK, I'm running the race.

All of these athletes who compete and cheat, they have the justifications in their own minds and hearts, and they're okay with it. They think, hey, I'm competing. It's legit. But the end, the day will show whether your works were wood, hay, and straw, or gold, silver, and precious stones. He says, you who practice lawlessness, I never knew you. You say, Lord, Lord, you pretended to run the race, but depart from me because you practice lawlessness.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we've been called to the race. Like an athlete, there's a competition before us. Are you running to win or are you dabbling in sin? Are you going all out for Jesus Christ to obtain the crown, to receive the reward? Or are you putting on the show and living in sin behind the scenes? God calls us to repentance. For the Christian that wants to compete, he gives you the personal train of the Holy Spirit. This is

the best trainer in the world. You have everything you need. Receive strength and the grace that is in Christ Jesus and go do the work. Make disciples. But for the one who's saying, Lord, Lord, and practicing lawlessness, God says, look, you need to repent. You're not running to win. You're not even running at all. Don't let these words be the words that God says to you in that day.

What do you want to hear? Well done, good and faithful servant, or depart from me, you who practice lawlessness. If you're living in sin, you need to repent. You need to get right with God. You need to run the race that is set before you with endurance, fixing your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, I lift up our hearts to you, God, and me. Lord, may our hearts be devoted to you completely and wholly. Lord, may we be committed.

to the Christian life and the call that you've given to us like the athlete who is committed to run the race, to obtain the crown, being temperate in all things. Lord, help us, teach us self-control. Lord, continue to mold us and shape us that we might be the best example, the best witness that we can possibly be, that we might win the more. God, may we run to win, to obtain the crown that you have stored up for those who love your appearing.

And God, I pray for those who need to repent, those who practice lawlessness, those who your word says if they practice those things, they will not inherit the kingdom of God. Lord, may that not be true of them any longer. May they repent. You give them opportunity to turn, to stop, that you'll set them free. God, I pray that you would deliver those who turn to you this morning. Thank you for your wonderful grace and mercy in giving us opportunity and time and ability to

to repent and turn to you. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.