Running To Win & Running with Endurance (1 Cor. 9; Hebrews 12)

In our previous study we used the Olympic Motto “Citius (Faster), Altius (Higher), Fortius (Stronger),” + and added term [Standius] as an outline for considering the message of Philippians 3:12 - 4:1. This week we continued our Olympic-themed mini-series picking up on some of the strong athletic metaphors in the New Testament.

1) Running to Win (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

   Do you not know that in a race

                               all the runners run,

                                 but only one receives the prize?

                                                So run that you may obtain it. 

   Every athlete exercises self-control in all things.

                                       They do it to receive a perishable wreath,

                                                     but we an imperishable.

    So I do not run aimlessly;

         I do not box as one beating the air. 

  But I discipline my body and keep it under control, 

                     lest after preaching to others 

         I myself should be disqualified.

St. Paul, writing this letter to the believers living in Corinth, was using the imagery of the Isthmian Games which were held every two years in Corinth and were second only to the Olympics in prestige. He draws on the metaphor of the race from one post in a straight line to another post at the other end of the arena. Literally it was a “Stadia” and was 606 ¾ feet or 202 yards from post to post. In longer distances turning at the post was one of the hardest parts of the race. The winner of the race would receive the victor’s crown. The Christian, via the metaphor of the “runner” is urged to Run in "such a way" (v.24) that you may obtain it. This way implies that one must exert oneself, strive hard, and spend one's strength in performing or attaining something—in this case the victor’s crown. It is humbling to consider how hard some of our athletes have trained to have a chance at winning their events. Being a bit introspective, it makes me ask us as the church, “What do we run to attain? What should we spend ourselves on?”

Embracing Paul’s metaphor in this Olympic season, I will share four characteristics of successful runners from this passage before considering the passage from Hebrews 12.

A) Successful Runners are Self-Controlled /Temperate (v.25)

Contrary to our self-indulgent and even addictive lifestyles, ancient athletes had to discipline their bodies. Paul was referring to the 10 months of training they each had to undergo before they could compete. In our modern games all events are carefully scrutinized by judges. However, in ancient times they had to train under the eye of the judges as well and during that time had to renounce much of what might have been normal life (e.g., drinking wine).

They sacrificed and struggled and strained through ten months preparation, and agonized in participation, to win a wreath that would not last forever. It is called a “perishable wreath for good reason. In the Olympic games, athletes ran for a laurel wreath, but in the Isthmian games the wreath they sought was originally made from pine branches, but later was constructed from celery or parsley. It is almost worth breaking into a VeggieTales song! However, Paul argues that we are running for an “imperishable wreath.” To what is he referring? Is it the eschatological benefits of salvation, or the privilege of participating in the mission of God? It would seem that the second option is the best fit with the context of 1 Corinthians 9. Paul was concerned with participating in the spread of the gospel message in this world. The way we “prepare” and “run” has great influence over our effectiveness as witnesses for Christ.  The crowd of witnesses is constantly judging by our actions and attitudes if this Jesus we claim to serve is real and really worth following.

B) Successful Runners Do Not Run With Uncertainty (v.26)

If we are to be successful in our race we need to be certain of at least two things. First of all we need to be certain that we are running in the right race (not like some freshmen showing up for the wrong class). Second, we need to be certain of the course, the way we must go to reach the finish line. And finally, we need to be certain about where the finish line is.

One of Jesus’ disciples, asked Jesus about the course,

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?” Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:5-6)

I was watching the Olympic triathlon this week and while the finish area of the course was painted blue it seemed unclear to me were the actual line was. The British runner in 1^st place came to the blue area and started walking and celebrating while the 2^nd place runner was catching up to him. He finally crossed the line just in time. Jesus was not confused, but knew where his finish line was. He didn’t come to exalt himself, or to be made king by the people. For him the Triumphal entry with the celebrating crowd was not the finish, but merely marked the beginning of the bell-lap of his passion. “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” (John 12:27-28)

Paul also knew where the finish line was. “But one thing I do… forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil. 3:13-14)

The one who wins the prize does not a) Run the wrong direction, nor b) Pull up short after the first 100 yards. We need to know where we are going and how to get there. We also need to finish well.

C) Successful Boxers Do Not Merely Beat The Air, Their Efforts Are Purposeful (v.26)

In verse 26, Paul adds another metaphor, that of a boxer. “I do not box as one beating the air” describes the type of boxing practice you do without an opponent, what we would call shadow boxing. The term could also be used to describe the missing the opponent — the boxing equivalent of basketball’s "air ball". He encourages us to remember that we are in a fight, and that we need to go about it with purpose and skill. —We are called to overcome until the Lord returns, or we go to him.

D) Successful Athletes Discipline Their Body (v.27)

What does Paul mean when he says, “I discipline my body:? The term means “to buffet,” or, "to give a black eye to." Ancient boxers used leather straps on their hands and they would have some rather distinctive marks on the target. It is here that we should deal with two unbalanced positions and two unpopular words when it comes to the topic of disciplining our bodies.

      Two unbalanced positions

There were at least two unbalanced positions in the ancient church regarding our physical bodies, and both still have some influence today.

1. Aceticism: was the position of some within the church that followed the extreme practice of denying bodily desires to draw closer to God. Wile we do need to disciple our body, there is no call to avoid all types of rest and refreshing.
2. Gnosticism: a dualist belief system that challenged the church. While sometimes ironically issuing forth in both asceticism (denial) and Antinomianism (indulgence), it believed that all matter was evil, while spirit was good.

The Bible makes it clear that the body itself (as one of God’s good creations) is not evil, but it is a tool that must be brought under control. It is also a tent—but what is done in the tent? We are to glorify God in our bodies (Romans 12:1; 1 Cor. 6:19-20)!

Two unpopular words (v.27)

Let me mention the two culturally unpopular words regarding self-control or disciplining our bodies.

1. Subjection: meaning “to lead away captive, to make a slave.” It is like an ancient army returning with a parade of POWs. Paul was contending with the Greek cult of the body motif here. They tended to idealize the body too much. We can see how much of their art focuses on the ideal body…like our current gym-selfie craze. Paul teaches that we need to make our body our slave rather than becoming a slave to our bodies and its appetites. As the re-make of the movie Ben Hur hits the theaters it might be good to mention that this is the language of a chariot race where for how the horses had to “be kept well in hand by whip and rein if the prize is to be secured."
2. Disqualified: meaning to fail to pass the test; originally of metals and coins not being
   
   as they ought. We uses phrases like “bad penny,” and “wooden nickel,” for such disqualified coins. In fact, this is where the practice of Olympic champions biting their gold medals comes from. People used to bite gold coins to see if they were pure. It should be noted that those who were disqualified from the games did not lose their citizenship, but merely any chance of reward At the Greek games, One other aspect of the word is that there was a herald who announced the rules of the contest, the names of the contestants, and the names and cities of the winners. He would also announce the names of any contestants who were disqualified. Paul saw himself as both a "herald" and a "runner."

The whole emphasis is on rewards, and Paul did not want to lose his reward. At this Olympic games we have seen a number of disqualifications and scandals. The entire Russian track and field team was disqualified for doping before the games began. Some American swimmers are disgraced for their actions out of the pool when they exaggerated a story to cover their undisciplined moment. Earlier Paul had written, “the body is for the Lord and the Lord for the body” (1 Cor. 6:13). So we ought to remember that we are not our own. Our body, soul, and spirit belong to God, therefore we should take better care of the Lord’s property.

2) Running with Endurance (Hebrews 12:1-4)

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,

                 let us also lay aside every weight,

                                              and sin which clings so closely,

         and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 

  looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, 

                              who for the joy that was set before him

                                endured  the cross,

                               despising the shame,

                     and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

  Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself,

                        so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. 

               In your struggle against sin

                                   you have not yet resisted

                                                                   to the point of shedding your blood.

Much has been said and argued about who is meant by the great “cloud of witnesses” but I am not sure it really matters. The point is that just as the games had witnesses, our lives have witnesses. Whether angels, saints of the past, or as close to home as our spouse, children, parents, extended family, or our neighbors, co-workers, classmates, our larger society, and even other “peoples” people are watching how we live. So, because there are witnesses to our lives we need to…

• Lay aside every weight (v.1)
• Lay aside entangling sin
• Run with endurance the race God has appointed us to run.
• Keep looking to Jesus (v.2)
• Remember Jesus’ example of  suffering (v.3).
• Don’t grow weary or fainthearted (v.3).
• Remember that you are not dead yet! You haven't yet finished your race (v.4).

Commissioner Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck), in an episode of the TV Series Blue Bloods, cautioned his family over dinner that, “You will be judged by your last terrible action.” His point, and that of the Apostle Paul, is that we need to finish well!