There’s a difference between running the race for your existential reason and running the race for God

1 Corinthians 9:24–27 (NASB 2020)

²⁴ Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. So they do it to obtain a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. ²⁶ Therefore I run in such a way as not to run aimlessly; I box in such a way, as to avoid hitting air; ²⁷ but I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

There’s a difference between running the race for your existential reason and running the race for God. When I say running the race for God I mean running the race of your life for the calling of God in your life, not your own ambition, nor your own desire, but God’s will. God’s desire, God’s plan. Remember that in the movie Chariots of fire.

That British Jewish runner Harold Abrahams. He competed against supposedly against the star of the Chariot of Fire, Eric Liddell, but because of because the race was put on Sunday Sabbath day, he decided to honor God and pulled out of the Olympics in 1924. Abrahams took over the 100 meter race. Ended up Aaron that is the only man representing Britain to race in the Olympics for 100 meter dash. And the during the training time by his coach, you know, training him for the final days training for the 100 meter dash, he made a major statement.

“ I have 10 seconds to justify my existence”

He said his race, his preparation to run to compete in the Olympics, 100 meter race. By the way they all from scratch for Cambridge University. In preparing for the Olympics 100 meter dash, he said this, “ I have 10 seconds to justify my existence.”

That’s profound,  that is there is a passion crying out from his heart to really win for himself. That says something for his identity because his identity is all muddled in that race. So it’s all about that race now to justify his very existence because he’s put everything inside their race.

“When I run, I feel the pleasure of God.”

But Eric Liddell runs not for his existential reason. He runs for God. This is really true story. Liddel gave up 100 meter race and they put him back in the 400 meter race on another day away from Sunday. And he took the race, the 400 meters race. OK, so. It makes it even more dramatic halfway through the race, I think somebody knocked him down and he got up and he pushed with everything he had.

He won the 400 meter gold Olympic. He came back to England. There was so much more celebration about the fact that he stood for God for his believing faith in God. And gave up his 100 meter, which is his really strong race item and opted for the 400 meter race and he still won for the glory of God.

Liddell made a major statement there, he says, “ When I run, I feel the pleasure of God.”

That is such a beautiful statement for us folks. That is exactly what I want. I want you to have that spirit and enjoy God. When you serve him Hallelujah, I don’t want you to serve God with a long face pulling, pulling your legs and pulling yourselves and pulling everyone else.

A. Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him for ever- Westminster Confession

Westminster Confession: Q. 1. What is the chief end of man? Our chief end as man and woman is to glorify God, and to enjoy Him forever!

Don’t serve God with a long face

Because I’ve done that. I’ve gone through that myself. At times I just don’t feel like it great, and down. We live in a broken world, and that’s the time when it just feels heavy. I’ve been a pastor before ….Try to motivate my folks and try to push them to serve God in all this. You could do this even in a little bit of legalistic way, sad to say that was my past days ’cause I didn’t have the reformed theology of the sovereignty of God and the and the joy in God looking back. I did that. Quite a bit. Now that is totally bad. We’ve produced churches and discipleship. But there will not be that much so much more better, if we had done it and call it said when I served, feel the pleasure of God. You know who else says that in the Bible? Paul says, “ I regard everything that I have achieved as rubbish. Compared to the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ in his life. “

Paul says, “ I regard everything that I have achieved as rubbish. Compared to the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ in his life. “

Paul had so much pleasure in knowing Christ Jesus. I don’t believe that Paul served mightily as a apostles and risking his life getting jailed numerous times,  for the glory of being apostleship, or even for the glory of the path of his love for the people of God. And in those remain Romans church, Philippians, surgical Asian. Just efficient just as etc. And these are all beautiful. Fantastic, but I believe the primary reason that drives him is because he feels the pleasure of God when he serves and walks with God.

Did you see that? When he pleaded with Christ, so taken with pain in his body, something tormenting him for. I don’t know for how long he pleaded it with Christ three times and Jesus appeared and spoke to him. Jesus said, “My Grace is sufficient for you.”  Because of the surpassing greatness of revelations in him, he needed this to keep him humble and he accepted it. Everything Paul talks about is with such a God centrality. The biggest factor in his driving force to make him such an extraordinary, successful impeccable? It is not the apostleship, not the revelations, but its God takes pleasure in him and how much he enjoys.

He loves Christ. That is the primal. Primeval , that should be primal over everything else that is the one. With all this, even going through jail time and he feels the pleasure of God. I just want to conclude saying this.

1 Corinthians 9:24–27 (NASB 2020)

²⁴ Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. ²⁵ Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. So they do it to obtain a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. ²⁶ Therefore I run in such a way as not to run aimlessly; I box in such a way, as to avoid hitting air; ²⁷ but I strictly discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

Bible says that we all have a race to run the race. Um, with focus on Christ and run the race. OK, we run the race to win, not to lose, but we will do it just like that guy that the chairs of fire 100 meter dash. He runs to win for his exit to justify his existence. There will be so wrong because that is man centered, but if we run like add Liddell that we run because I feel the pleasure of God when I run that it’s God centered, you know everything. I right I want to teach a God centered orthodoxy.  When you serve God with it, when you feel the pleasure of God not the pleasure of you.

You going to come on top, you going to go a long haul you want to win this race. Sadly, many Christians don’t even know there’s a race in life. We just want to be going every day and just another day, another day and God enjoy just wanting God’s Providence had about their race before you. The providence comes for you to win the race. Blessings didn’t come to you for you to rest in your laurels. We have to win the race and we have to win this race of life running on the pleasure of God. It is God’s pleasure and his delight to call Paul to call Eric Liddell to call you to call me to run this race in this world. Folks, let’s all aspire and pray for that, that we run the race and we feel the pleasure of God the Lord blessing.