Run To Win
Saints Sinners Soldiers
June 9, 2019
Rev. Gabe Sylvia
Drawing on 1 Corinthians 9, the sermon calls Christians to run their lives like a disciplined, competitive race—committing to perseverance, killing sinful desires, disciplining the body, and focusing on the eternal prize.
Summary
Using Paul's example in 1 Corinthians 9 and an astronaut-training metaphor, the sermon emphasizes that the Christian life requires uncommon commitment and focus. Believers are to treat their faith as a competitive race—like a marathon or a hurdles event—where every choice matters toward an eternal prize. That means actively killing the works of the flesh, disciplining the body (not pampering it), evaluating what helps or hinders following Christ, and persevering through obstacles. The pastor also offered a pastoral note to keep Tim and Chrissy in prayer and warned that a culture fixated on the body can distract from caring for the soul.
Key Points
- Text and context: 1 Corinthians 9 and Paul's example of focused ministry
- Pastoral note: keep Tim and Chrissy in your prayers
- Metaphor: Christian life compared to competitive athletics (marathon, hurdles) and demanding vocations (astronaut training)
- Core call: treat your mission as a race—run with purpose, discipline, and perseverance
- Discipline: live intentionally to win the eternal prize; regulate habits and choices
- Sin: the works of the flesh must be killed because sinful indulgence hinders spiritual progress
- Body vs. soul: bodies are not for pampering but for disciplined use; avoid letting bodily focus overshadow the soul
- Application: evaluate every area of life to determine what helps you follow Christ and obtain the rewards God offers
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