What It Means to Wholly Follow God

There are many who are truly Jesus’, but not wholly His. Jesus is truly their Savior, but not indisputably their Sovereign. He is present in their lives, but not president of their lives.

An example of a person wholly committed to the Lord is the Old Testament character Caleb. The thing best known about him is he was one of the two members of the group of twelve sent to spy out the Land of Promise who came back and gave a good report. He was an unlikely member of this cast of characters.

Consider his background. He was not even a Jew, yet entrusted with such a responsibility. He is described as being the son of Jephunneh the Kenizzite, and Kennizzites in general were not part of the Hebrew nation. They evidently were not the loving parents in that they named the son Caleb meaning “dog.” What loving parent would do that? He likely became a slave, sold by his parents, and was cast with the Jews in Egyptian slavery.

He was folded into the family of God as a member of the tribe of Judah. This made him a member of the Jewish aristocracy because from the tribe of Judah came the kings, the great spiritual, political, and military leaders.

Ten members of the reconnaissance party sent to spy out the land gave a discouraging negative report. As a result of Caleb joining Joshua with their positive report, the people wanted to “stone them with stones.” (Numbers 14:10a)

Another thing that seniors today should find encouraging was he was 85 when he undertook his task.

When offered a section of the Promised Land, he had done a little mountain shopping on his spying mission. He asked for a mountain with fortified cities, principally Hebron, occupied by what were considered giants saying, “…the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.” As a result, Joshua gave Hebron to Caleb and he drove out the giants.

How is it known he was whole heartily committed to the Lord? The traits are admirable characteristics each of us would be wise to aspire to as our traits.

He confidently said and showed what he professed. “I wholly followed the Lord my God.” (Joshua 14:8)

Moses said of him, “… you have wholly followed the Lord.” (14:9)

God said of him, “…he has a different spirit in him and has followed me fully…” (Numbers 14:24)

He earned these accolades as a result of having a constant sense of God’s presence.

He had discernment that came from having a controlled spirit.

He aspired to a place of difficulty as a place of honor.

Can such be said of you? If not resolve that from this time on it can be said.

Pentecost: Obedience at Any Cost 6/4/00

Acts 2:1-8

JESUS CHRIST established heaven’s beachhead on the shores of time and space when He was born in Bethlehem. Forty days after His resurrection, as the feast of Pentecost was being celebrated, a new beachhead was established. On that day the Holy Spirt Holy secured His beachhead. After His resurrection Jesus went to Heaven. On the day of Pentecost the Holy Spirit came from heaven as Christ’s vice regent.

The Holy Spirit filled life is one of the least understood aspects of being a Christian. It summarily means being controlled by Christ’s Spirit.

Our misconception of ourselves adds to this confusion. We think of ourselves as human beings having a spiritual experience. In reality we are spirit beings having a human experience.

The Jews of the era celebrated the first of their three great holidays, Passover, to commemorate the deliverance of their ancestors from slavery in Egypt. The second holiday commemorated the end of the harvest. It was celebrated each year 50 days after Passover and was called Pentecost. PENTE meaning 50 days.

Over a period of 40 days after Christ’s resurrection He made a number of appearances to His followers. It had now been 10 days since an appearance and 120 of His anxious followers assembled. They were united in their belief and spirit, HOMOTHUADON,”one accord.”

As they were praying a once in all history happening occurred. “CLOVEN TONGUES OF FIRE,” means tongues of flames accompanied by a mighty rushing wind settled over them (Vs. 3). Our concept of such flames is like candle lights. Instead of going up, individual flames came down over 120 heads. There was one fire and 120 extensions. The one large flame first let down individual extensions above the head of each believer.

WIND was the audible evidence of the Spirit.

FIRE was the visual evidence.

“FILLED WITH,” is third person plural, passive voice. Thus, it is revealed “they”, the 120, were being acted upon. A force from outside themselves was invading.

That great philosopher\theologian, Winnie-the Pooh, speaking of “poetry and hums” made a comment that is applicable. Pooh said, “Poetry and hums aren’t things which you get, they are things which get you. And all you do is go where they find you.”

The active force was the HOLY SPIRIT, He is the Spirit of Christ (II Cor. 3:17). “The Lord is the Spirit.”

Jesus said He would send the Comforter. He referred to Him as “another”, meaning One of the same kind.

THEY BEGAN TO SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES.
There has been much confusion among Christians about this experience for years. That confusion has led to certain Christian groups going to extremes and others ignoring this happening all together. Neither is right.

We have a tendency to misread or to read in more than we should. We are like the child whose mother saw him opening a pack of animal crackers, pour them out, and start sorting through them. She inquired what he was doing. He replied, “I am looking for the seal.” “Why?” she asked. “Because it says right on the box ‘Do not eat if the seal is broken.’”

The expression “Other Tongues” translates the Greek HETERAIS GLOSSAIS meaning dialects or languages other than their own. Thus, these untutored and unsophisticated Galileans miraculously spoke languages they had never studied. Acts 2: 9 – 11 even lists the languages.

There were 17 nationalities noted as being present (Vss. 9-11). The Jewish community scattered by Alexander the Great had returned to celebrate Pentecost. They had learned the language of the countries of their exile.

What the foreigners heard amazed them and they said, “are not these that speak Galileans?” (Vs. 7). If we confuse the issue by thinking the gift of speaking in unlearned languages was the event of the day, we miss the meaning of all this. The gift that made them charismatic was not tongues but the Spirit Himself. To think otherwise is to miss the importance of the event.

“UTTERANCE” comes from a verb meaning to speak or proclaim. They began to share the good news of Christ’s resurrection to all nationalities present.

WHY THIS PHENOMENON? I Cor. 14:22 explains, “…for a sign…to them that believe not.”

The early church was just getting started. The 120 were all Jews from the region. For the gospel to be spread it had to be communicated in different languages. For this reason the gift.

The Holy Spirit can only fill empty places and people. Christ’s execution had excavated an empty place in their lives. For 40 days after Christ’s resurrection He had made appearances to His followers. Now 10 days had passed since His ascension. It is a terrible thing to have a passion without power. They qualified.

Four words express the emptiness of Christ’s followers prior to Pentecost:

A. Discouraged. Ten days is a long time to wait when the frail thread of hope is about to break. Discouragement causes emptiness. Are you discouraged? I had the joy of sharing with our school children recently. Using a visual I wrote the word “courage” on the board. Then using a different color marker I added the prefix “dis” making it discourage. Explaining God has a big eraser I removed the prefix “dis” and added a new one “en,” changing the word to “encourage.” That is what God did in their lives and what He wants to do in ours. Be encouraged by His Holy Spirit being available to you right now to help.

B. Dejected. Life was limp. They had form without force. Too many Christians are thus described. They live between Passover and Pentecost. A realization of Christ’s Spirit with us projects us to do our duty with delight.

C. Disability. A vision without vitality reveals and ridicules our disability. They had a challenge but no capacity. The Holy Spirit bridges that enormous gap between what we can do and what the Lord wants to do through us.

D. Depression. This grew out of a desperate feeling that they could not be what they were called to be.

We become Christians when we trust Christ as Savior. We become Christ-like Christians when out of a sense of our own inability, brokenness, and failure we realize our emptiness. Then we realize the truth in Christ’s words, “Without me you can do nothing.” It is at this point one becomes ready to say, “Christ, I surrender, I want you to live your life through me. I am your empty vessel to be filled as you will.”

When a believer reaches this point and it may occur many times in life then certain things happen.
The Holy Spirit:

1. PURIFIES. What happens to each believer is described by Matthew: “His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12)

This passage not only describes what happens to non-believers, but what happens IN believers. The gathering of the wheat is a depiction of salvation. The burning out of the chaff is a description of getting out the impurities. He burns out the chaff in our lives. Spiritual chaff is any ungodly thing. It is things such as false loyalty, habits that make slaves of us, memories of past failures, and principally self-centeredness.

2. GALVANIZES – The word means to shock into action. The filling of Christ’s Spirit shocks us into an attitude of praise.

We have come to think of praise principally as singing and shouting, even bopping around. That may or may not be praise. Praise is a seasoning that isn’t an end in itself but a flavoring for all things in life. It gives savoriness to all of life like salt does to all food.

Praise is the antidote for pride. It causes us to focus on someone other than our self, Christ.

Praise unlocks further power. If we praise God for His blessings, the Spirit heightens our joy.

Praise is surrender. The Holy Spirit can’t be contained. He will always break out in praise.

We overlook much for which we should praise Him. A husband and wife were getting ready to go to a memorial service for the son of a friend killed in the war. The parents of the deceased had given $50,000 for a stained glass to memorialize their son. As they dressed the wife said to her husband, “What are we going to give?” Astonished the husband said, “Give, what do you mean? We don’t need to give anything our son came home alive.” “That’s what I mean,” she said. “They lost a son, and they gave a gift of thanks, a memorial to his life. We got our son back, and we don’t give anything.”

We have received so much we often forget to praise the Lord.

3. EVANGELIZES – Joel prophesied 400 years before this that God would “…pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.” This was to happen “in the last days.” The result was to be “they shall prophesy.” They did. The word translated prophecy does not mean to foretell future events. It means to foretell, that is, clearly proclaim truth, to witness.

Having been instructed by our Lord to be fishers of men we have instead become keepers of the aquarium adapt at swapping fish.

70% of Southern Baptist churches have plateaued or are declining. Of all churches the percent is even higher: 81%.

Christianity is now in one of its most critical times in history. It is a time of both hostility and harvest. We are good about telling of overcoming some personal emotional crisis, but fail to tell people where there is still water, green pastures, and the path of righteousness.

Have we quit praying for spiritual awakening in America or even a great movement of the Spirit in our life and this church.

In 1930 folks around Charlotte, North Carolina wanted to have an area revival but the pastors weren’t interested. Vernon Patterson got a group of 30 men to commit to gather and pray. He asked his friend Franklin if they could meet at his farm and pray. They gathered in his hay field and prayed for God to send forth a man who would speak to the nation and world for Christ.

In 1934 they invited evangelist Mordecai Fowler Hamm to preach a revival. During that meeting the son of Franklin Graham, Billy Graham, was called by God in answer to that prayer. Let’s not quit praying. That is what was happening in the upper room when the 120 were visited by the Holy Spirit.

When He fills us we bear the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22). This second chapter of Acts ends triumphantly. As a result of sharing in the resurrection victory it is recorded:

“And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.”

They so loved and shared the love of Christ that by the time the Book of Romans was written Paul sent greetings to those in the household of Caesar. They had put out the altar fires in the temples of Diana and lit the gospel torch in the palace of Caesar.

The same is needed in America today. Many individuals and our culture in general needs saving today. Political proficiency can’t save us or Rome would not have fallen.

Commerce can’t save us or ancient Tyre would not have fallen.

Military might can’t save us or Germany would not have fallen.

Treachery can’t save us or Japan would not have fallen.

Religious ceremony can’t save us or ancient Israel would not have fallen.

Our Lord offers us our only hope and it is quite sufficient.

They had to be empty before they could be filled. The same is true of us. Reflect on their condition that left them empty. They were: DISCOURAGED, DEJECTED, DISABLED, AND DEPRESSED. Is that the emptying process now going on in your life?

A SPIRIT-FILLED BELIEVER IS A WITNESS

We human beings have a mind, will, emotions, and a physical body. To be filled means for the Holy Spirit to take control of every facet, function, and facility of our being. The Spirit’s entry was through their conscious self. When that happened the tissues of their brains were empowered, which made possible the proper emotional response, and energized their entire bodies, producing a physical radiance and energetic action.

They were infused with the power of God.

Jesus said the purpose of the Spirit’s coming was to bear witness of Him:

“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning” (John 15: 26, 27).

Follow the Leader 4/16/00

Luke 19:28-38

Jesus Christ relates to real people. People like those who comprised His entourage in the last days of His life on earth. People like us. Let’s be very personal —- people like you. Not just like you, but you. He wants to lead us.

Let’s mentally slip into the band of followers around Christ who were in Jericho days before His execution. Let’s join the crowd. They have dozens of unanswered questions. Their future was uncertain. Rumors were Jesus was soon to leave them.

It was the time of festival in Jerusalem and they were to go there, but hearsay persisted that the religious leaders had conspired against Christ and desired Him dead. What were they to do?

As the guest in the home of Zacchaeus in Jericho, Jesus taught a parable regarding obedient servanthood. It is profound. Scholars still dissect and analyze the teaching. However, God is so good. Right in the middle of this profound passage God inspired the writer to include a simple bite size statement even I can digest. Notice it in Luke 19:28: “He went on ahead…”

What are we to do Jesus? Which way are we to go? Shall we retreat to our comfort zone in Galilee or the isolation of the Wilderness of Judea? The choice is not ours, it’s His.

FOLLOW THE LEADER!

There embedded like a jewel in a most unlikely setting is the answer. “He went on ahead.”

Follow the leader. He always goes on ahead. He who foresees the future won’t forsake you in the present.

We can say as it was said of the Good Shepherd “He leads me.”

Ingrained in hymnals for years are these words:

“He leadeth me, he leadeth me, By His own hand
He leadeth me:
His faithful follower I would be,
For by His hand He leadeth me.”

Count on it.

Adults did you ever play “follow the leader?” Children do you play it? It involves doing what ever the leader does. The object is to be and do like the leader. If the leader walks backwards you walk backwards. If the leader hops on one foot you hop on one foot.

A version of this game is played under the title “Peer Pressure.” It too involves being and doing like the leader.

In the Christian arena it involves choosing Jesus as your Leader and asking Him to help you be and do as He. It soon becomes a lifestyle.

As they left Jericho on their way to Jerusalem and the awaiting cross, Mark in his gospel tells us of the trip: “…they were on the road, going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them; and they were amazed. And as they followed they were afraid” (Mark 10:32).

Jesus walked alone that we like they might never have to walk alone.

The eastern sky gave a hint of the coming new day on that morning that will forever be known as Palm Sunday.Jesus having gone before His followers awakes in Bethany on the back side of the Mount of Olives no more than five miles from Jerusalem. Having arranged to borrow a donkey and her colt Jesus leads His entourage to the summit of the Mount of Olives.

Jesus had a full view of the walled city of Jerusalem in all of its splendor. Historian Josephus wrote of Jerusalem:

“The outward face of the temple in its front wanted nothing that was likely to surprise either men’s minds or their eyes; for it was covered all over with plates of gold of great weight, and, at the first rising of the sun, reflected back a very fiery splendor, and made those who forced themselves to look upon it to turn away their eyes, just as they would have done at its own rays.”

The Mount of Olives was second only to the Sea of Galilee as a favorite retreat spot for Jesus and His disciples. Compassionately He had viewed the Golden City of Jerusalem from here and wept. His gaze focused on the 1,000 square foot temple plateau on the summit of Mt. Zion. Some stones used to construct the temple were 20 by 40. feet and weighed 100 tons. Pillars supporting Solomon’s Porch were 37 feet high and of such circumference that three men could not reach around them. An ornate bridge from the lower city to the upper spanned the Tyropoeon Valley. This is what He saw but what He beheld was the need of the people.

No modern rock star has ever entered a stage to greater acclaim. At this moment He was a celebrated celebrity. Mystics and militants, the local populace and loyal pilgrims wanted Him to assert His leadership. Only the hard core pious religious leaders were fearful of Him. Here on the Mount of Olives Jesus was among His people.

When pilgrims came to the various festivals in Jerusalem those from different regions always camped in the same area. The southern end of the Mount was where those from Galilee always camped. Going from Bethany to Jerusalem the route crossed the southern end where the Galileans were camped. Galilee was His home territory. He had grown up there, performed miracles there, and taught there. They knew Him.

From these rural friends arose shouts of “Hosanna” and other praises.

Across the Kedron Valley inside the walls of Jerusalem the people heard the shouts and many came outside to see what was happening on the Mount of Olives. These were the wealthy who had learned to accommodate and appease the conquering Romans in order to prosper. They were comfortable and confident.

As Jesus began to ascent from the Mount of Olives on His way into Jerusalem a drama prophesied long before was playing out.

Behind Him were His sermons; ahead, His suffering.

Behind Him were His parables; ahead, His passion.

Behind Him were His suppers of fellowship; ahead, His last supper of betrayal.

Behind Him were the delights of Galilee; ahead, dark Gethsemane.

Prophecy was now to become practice.

Let’s set the stage and walk the Palm Sunday road with Him.

That grand day was a fulfillment of prophecy. Daniel had stated the time (Daniel 9: 24 – 26). A careful calculation reveals it was to be 173,880 days after being foretold. Passover was always celebrated on the 15th of Nisan, mid April. Jesus came to Bethany six days before Passover and entered Jerusalem the next day, April 6, 32 A.D. That was precisely 173,880 days after the prophecy of Daniel. Thus, the Father had further validated the Son as Messiah.

In retrospect it was written of Him: “Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God Lo, I come to do thy will, O God” (Hebrews 10: 7 & 9).

Not only was the Old Testament His Bible it was His biography written in advance. For Him to accomplish His mission His life must be the lake of fulfillment into which ALL the rivers of prophecy flow. At any moment He could have disobeyed the authority of God’s Word. He had come to do the will of the Father.

What does that say about the one who goes on ahead? He knows where and when He is going long before the time arrives. He is worthy to be followed.

Get this and you have a good perspective of life.
All that the Son was to the Father
We are to be to the Son.
All that the Father was to the Son
The Son will be to us.
It should be our purpose to do His will.

As Jesus nears and enters Jerusalem He leaves behind His legion of loyalists and is enveloped in a throng of hostile antagonists. Soon the “Hosannas” fade and the cry begins to reverberate through the old city: “Crucify Him.”

There is a strategic oversight by most modern readers of Scripture. We equate those who shouted hosanna with the crowd that cried “Crucify Him.” They were not. Those from Galilee camped on the Mount of Olives, His proponents, shouted His praise. Those within Jerusalem, alienated from Him by formal, creedal religious bigotry cried for His execution.

In which crowd would you have postured yourself? Please don’t give an answer you know would be acceptable in this setting. Don’t even try to pretend your allegiance if there is no lifestyle of loyalty. If you are going to Talk the Talk then Walk the Walk. Follow the Leader.

A moment of decision charts our course. Standing on the beautiful Bernina Pass in Switzerland, the enchanting Engadine is on one side and on the other the vast expanse of Italy. Nearby are two small lakes separated by only a narrow watershed. Though close in their points of origin, the water from one flows into the Adriatic Sea and that from the other into the Black Sea. Every person has his own Bernina Pass, a time when the flow of the course of life is determined. A choice to obey is a choice favoring a fulfilled life.

Flashback a moment to Jericho and the home of Zacchaeus where Jesus was teaching about obedience. He told the story of three persons being given a sum of money and how each used it. Two of the three were good stewards and used their portion wisely. The unfaithful one tried to excuse himself and explain away his dereliction. Jesus exposed it instead.

Three characteristics of this fraud were made evident by Christ.

• The unfaithful man was presumptuous. He thought he could deceive his master who would not be back for a long time. Delayed accountability gave energy to disobedience.
• He was peremptory. Acting coercively he abused others. Arrogance caused him haughtily to impose on others. His dominant will was sadistically imposed.
• He was profligate. He indulged himself. Dissipation typifies disobedience.

The issue in following the leader is the authority of the one leading and the obedience of those following.

Once I was called into the Oval Office of the President of the United States and given an assignment by the President. As I left he did not go with me. My execution of that responsibility was no less diligent than if he had been my companion in performing it. I was under his authority, inspired by his confidence, ennobled by the nature of the task. Being on mission for the president was my motivation. My preoccupation was not with his ability, but his authority. I knew he stood behind what I did because he considered it a worthy task. That made me esteem it all the more worthy of my best. I was at his service even in his absence. So our Leader should inspire us to obedience. His authority deserves compliance with His will.

With that understanding lets engage in a practical activity. Check yourself regarding obedience to our Lord’s Word in these areas:

Have you presented your body to the Lord as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1), or are you continuing to walk according to the flesh (Romans 8: 5 – 7) as if you still do not belong to your Lord?

Do you think of yourself more highly than you ought (Romans 12: 3) and allow fits of hypocrisy to pervert the love you profess (Romans 12: 9)?

Is your loyalty divided between God and mammon (Matthew 6:24)?

Are you neglecting your prayer life (Luke 18: 1, 2) and Bible study (II Timothy 2: 15)?

Are you living in a state of anxiety or discontent (Philippians 4: 6, 11)?

Do you by exercising malice and envy stir up strife (Romans 13: 13)?

Are you fulfilling your role as an ambassador (II Corinthians 5: 19, 20) and witness (Matthew 28: 19, 20)?

Are you seeking first the kingdom, the rule of God, in your life (Matthew 6: 33)?

In fulfillment of the authoritative command to “seek first” the kingdom do you:
Give God the first part of the first hour of the day?
Give Him the first day of the week for public worship?
Give Him a tithe as the first fruit of your labor?
Give Him first place in decision making?
Give Him the position of Lord in your home and work?

Put a mental book mark in your thoughts there on the Mount of Olives and jump ahead a few days in the story with me. After the resurrection the angel appealed to the women and this was his message:
“He goes before you…”

What a wonderful comfortable zone in which to live …. and die.

Strut as we might the time comes. Death takes even the strongest and proudest. I hope it is years before regent death looks you in the eyes, points his boney finger and say, “Your turn.”

How will we do? You who follow Jesus will do just fine. Remember, He goes before you —- and He has. Like Him, we too will do just fine. Follow the leader. Follow the leader today in preparation for that day.

Times get tough. Circumstances get troublesome. Money gets tight and here comes the Easter Angel to tell it like it is: “He goes before you.”

Follow the Leader.

Life Is a Game: Play It for All You Are Worth 9/24/00

I Corinthians 9:24-27

JESUS CHRIST should be our primary source of motivation.

Coach Grant Teaff, one of the most successful football coaches in the history of Baylor University, the only coach to beat the University of Texas ten times, told me he made an on going study of the crucifixion of Christ because it was the ultimate sacrifice. He acknowledged that if he was going to ask his players to sacrifice for the good of the team he should have an understanding of what sacrifice really way. He used this example of Christ to motivate his teams. Christ’s example in life and death is a matchless motivating factor.

Last week a dear friend asked me what motivates me. I have thought a lot about that this week and resorted to our text for a fuller explanation. Nothing motivates like a good example.

Sixteen years ago a little eight year old girl named Brooke Bennett watched the American swimmer Janet Evans win a gold medal. Right then she was motivated and resolved to strive for the same. This week Brooke Bennett won her gold medal in Sydney and no one was more proud than her model Janet Evans.

Mike Marsh, Barcelona Gold Medalist in the 200 meters, tells of a friend who was a coach urging him to participate in track without success. He finally motivated him to watch one of the world’s greatest athletes run on TV. Mike watched Carl Lewis and was fired with excitement. He was motivated by Carl’s example as no one had ever been able to motivate him. That motivation created an Olympic Gold Medalist in the person of Mike Marsh.

You may lack motivation for life. You may be without motivation to achieve your best in life. If you study the life of Christ you will find inexhaustible motivation in Him. He then can create in you the best “you,” you have the capacity of becoming. Contained in that “best you” is the most happiness and contentment for which you have the capacity.

Will it make you a Gold Medalist? Likely not, but there are other benefits. There is an old TV ad that will illustrate this.

A famous athlete is depicted as using a certain deodorant. An aspiring younger athlete holds up a container of the deodorant and asks, “If I use “Ban” will it make doors open for me?”

A voice comes from nowhere saying, “No, but it will make windows open.”

Turning to Christ in faith and trusting Him as Savior might not make you a Gold Medalist but it will make you the best “you,” you can be. Trust Him and see! He will motivate you
to strive to be your best at everything you do.

Our text is a vivid summary of the drive and dynamic resulting from following Christ. The letter is addressed to Christians in Corinth. This great city with a population of 500,000 was the “Vanity Fair” of the Roman Empire. It was one of the most famous “good time cities” of all times. It was an athletic crazed city. The Isthmus Games, which were larger than the Olympic Games, were held in Corinth.

In considering what was required to participate in the games we can gain insight into what is involved in serving our Lord Jesus. To participate you had to – – –

I. BE A CITIZEN
Athletes represented various Greek City States. To represent a city the athlete had to prove he was a citizen of that city.

To represent Jesus Christ you must be able to prove you belong to Him. That is, that you have by faith trusted Him in the forgiveness of sin. It is as simple as A, B, C.

A. – ACKNOWLEDGE you are a sinner.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). That’s us.

B. – BELIEVE on the Lord Jesus Christ.
“For with the heart one believes unto righteousness…”

C. – CONFESS Christ as Savior.
“…with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:10).

If you were put on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you. How about last night? Some have established their citizenship but failed to become competitors.

II. BE CONTROLLED
One common characteristic of every great athlete is self- control. To participate in the Isthmus Games every athlete had to check into the training facility nine months before the games. When they checked-in they checked-out of society. They went into isolation from the public and were completely cut off from everything and everyone outside.

The Greek word describing this experience is AGONIZOMAI. Various translations of the Greek New Testament make its meaning more understandable. Some are:
“Every man who strives for the matches trains himself by all manner of self-restraint.”

Josh Davis, the swimmer who won three gold medals, spoke of his twelve years of training that resulted in a few moments of glory. Our life time of discipline will result in an eternity of glory.

“Anyone who enters a contest goes into strict training.”

The many splendid athletes competing in the Olympics have done so. There is an English word that has come from the Greek word describing this intensive training. It can be heard in the Greek word AGONIZOMAI. Our word is “agony.”

If you are going to follow Christ submit to the self-discipline required to be obedient to Him.

III. BE COACHABLE
Each participant in the Isthmus Games was given a personal trainer. He was the athlete’s master. What he said the athlete did. If we are going to be spiritual victors we must submit to Christ as our master\trainer.

If you have watched gymnasts they listen intently to their coaches just before their event. They then go out and try to do exactly what the coach said do. So must we.

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves” (James 1:22).

IV. BE COMPLIANT
Every competitor did the same exercises during this nine months of agony. The boxer, distance runner, weight lifter, jumper, and sprinter all did the same exercises. Today greater knowledge and techniques let it be known various exercises need to be tailored to the sport.

The point this illustrates is there are no favorites with the Lord. We are all alike.

They wore only oil and nothing else. In Scripture oil is used as an illustration of the Holy Spirit. He is often represented as associated with oil.

If we are going to strive for the mastery in spiritual matters we must allow the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, to cover and control us.

V. BE CERTAIN “Not as uncertain”
If you want a victorious spiritual life it requires being spiritually focused. The word in verse 26 translated “uncertainty” is ADELOS and it means “I do not run without clarity.”

Every athlete comes to the games with clarity of purpose. Each knows in what he or she is to compete and is focused on that.

What is your goal in life?

Are you a wondering generality or a meaningful specific?

VI. BE COMMITTED
Athletes have to make demands of their bodies.

Your body is a demanding master if it isn’t a good servant.

In the months leading up to the game in which we played the Brazilian Olympic team I trained hard. Training methods were not as defined as now nor was equipment as sophisticated. My personal road work involved running long distances on gravel roads. To toughen myself and build endurance to pain I ran bare footed. When I think of today’s sophisticated shoes I get envious.

It all paid off when we won and I was given the game ball for being the high scorer in the game.

Spiritual victory doesn’t happen without keeping your body under control.

VII. BE A COMPETITOR “Thus I fight …”
The figure of speech now changes from a runner to that of a fighter. In 684 B.C. the Olympic Games were expanded to include boxing.

“Thus I fight not as one who beats the air…”

This is a description of a person shadow boxing — pretending. The Christian life isn’t a pretend world. It is for real.

To gain an understanding of what was involved in boxing in the Isthmus Games let me share these insights.

The boxer wore only oil and a pair of potentially lethal gloves. That’s all. These gloves were known as “Caestus.” They consisted of leather thongs set with metal knobs of lead or iron. Round one began with the competitors towing a line and starting at a given signal. Round one ended when one of the boxers had been knocked out or killed. Round two began when the boxer who had been knocked out was revived. He was then given a certain amount of time to resume the fight. A line was drawn and he had to tow the line within the time limit. When he did round two began. The fight ended when one had either been killed or beaten senseless.

We too have to tow the line for Jesus.

There was a technical term employed in boxing used in the text. The decisive first blow was the “fist blow under the eye” known in the Greek as the HUP-OPIAZO. “Hupo” meaning “under” and “ops” meaning “eye.” It was the term of that era comparable to our term “knock out.” In our text it is used in the Greek and translated “I buffet” or “I discipline my body” (vs. 27).

In verse 27 the word in the AKJ translated “disqualified” and in the AKJ “Castaway” is ADOKIMOS.

It was a word used to describe an heirloom that had become cracked and no longer being usable was put on a shelf.

Do you discipline your body? Is there ever a craving you desire that you know to be wrong and you say “NO,” to your body?

Are there quantities of food your body craves and you discipline your body to abstain. Are there times your body indicates it feels lazy and you discipline it to get the exercise needed? Are there sexual drives you know to be inappropriate and you discipline your body and exercise self-control?

Like such a boxer we must mentally use our spiritual resources to control our bodies if we are to be spiritual victors.

VIII. BE CROWNED
If an athlete didn’t do all this he became disqualified.

If he did strive for the mastery and became a winner there was a reward.

When the Olympics were held in Atlanta Michael Johnson set a new world record in the 200 meter dash. Joe DeLoach, winner of the gold medal in the 200 meters in Barcelona commented: “Michael Johnson didn’t just break my record, he smashed it. That just goes to show how temporary are the earthly things we strive for.” Why would one go through nine months of agony? Why would one be willing to box in such a fight? Because of the award awaiting.

They didn’t give medals. They gave leaf crowns. In verse 25 it is described as a “perishable crown.” That was only part of the award.

The Olympic Games honored Zeus, also known as Jupiter. The wreath was made of olive branches, a tree preferred by Zeus. At the Isthmian Games, which honored the mythical Greek sea god Poseidon, the wreath was made from the god’s sacred tree the spruce.

Before the contests the wreath was placed at the feet of the statue honoring the god of the games. At Olympia it was Zeus. At the Isthmian Games it was Poseidon. This was referred to as “the joy lying before them.” It was a term used of Christ enduring the cross because of the “joy lying before Him.”

There are five different crowns mentioned in the New Testament. The faithful were crowned:
The Victorious Fighter with the wreath of righteousness (II Timothy 4:8).
The Steadfast Runner with the unfading wreath (I Corinthians 9:25, 26).
The One Faithful unto Death with the wreath of life (Revelation 2: 10, James 1:12).
The Unselfish Laborer with the wreath of Honor (I Thessalonians 2:19).
The one who is an Example to Others with the wreath of glory (I Peter 5: 3, 4).

He was then taken back to his home town for a celebration. If the city was walled as most were a hole was cut in the city wall in the profile of the athlete. After he entered through it, once again it was sealed.

A parade followed in which the athlete rode through the city in a chariot. The people celebrating threw flowers in his path. Women splashed perfume on him.

The parade led to the center of the city where he was greeted by the equivalent of the mayor. There the city poet read an ode to him about himself. Next, the mayor presented him a citation which in part gave him a life-time exemption from income tax. Now you know why they were willing to compete!

If they did all that for an corruptible crown how much more we should be willing to strive for an incorruptible crown!
That is a term referring to a heavenly home with our Lord.

The reward awaiting all faithful citizens of the kingdom who go through agony in obedience to the Master is a heavenly home. That will make it all worth while.

In the Book of the Revelation is given another depiction of the honor given a winner. It has a spiritual application.

“To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne” (Revelation 3:21).

That is the ultimate reward awaiting the person who will spiritually “compete for the prize,” that is, “strive for the mastery.”

The Four Gifts of the Wise Men

The Wise Men traveled over a thousand miles to bring gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the Christ child. In doing so they evidenceD characteristics becoming of all. They were warm-hearted and worshipful.

Scripture assigns more than one use and symbolism to each of the items. Origen, who died in A.D. 251, was the first writer to prescribe specific symbolism to each. He said the Magi brought “gold, as to a king; myrrh, as to one who was mortal; and incense, as to God.”

Frankincense, literally means “pure incense.” It comes from  a Boswellia tree grown in limestone rocks in South Arabia and Somalia. An incision was made in the bark of the tree and the white sap formed the frankincense.

Myrrh comes from the odoriferous Balsamodendron tree of Arabia. It was used as a perfume, an anaesthetic, and also anointing the dead. This gift associated with death may have caused the brow of the maiden mother to furrow at the reflective thought of the message spoken by the angel regarding a sword that would pierce her heart.

The recipient of these gifts was of inestimable merit to the Wise Men who undertook their arduous journey to pay homage to the Christ child.

They considered His presence worthy of their presents.

Of the gifts offered the fourth is most often overlooked. It was their worship. In Jerusalem the wise men had expressed to Herod the purpose of their mission, acknowledging they had “come to worship Him.” Conjecture regarding the nature of the star and absorption with the three material gifts often causes their real objective to be obscured. They left their homes, braved the desert, and endured the fatigue for this moment of worship. Doubtless it remained an immortal moment locked in the treasury of their memory bank.

Not all can give the three uncommon gifts normally referenced, however all can give Him worship. Those who give Him worship have no difficulty giving their substance.

Their form of worship is a needed additive in today’s style of worship. Their falling down indicates contrition and submission. It is an admirable attitude involved in worship regardless of one’s posture. A sense of divine wonder and awe must have prevailed as they knelt. It should be a jewel in our worship. Such had drawn them into the vestibule of His presence. The Hebrew word for “to worship,” when translated, literally means “to bow to.” In bowing to the Christ child they were bowing to the will of the Father. When we truly worship Him we are bowing to the plan that God has for us. Worship must be Christocentric, not self-centered.            

These star-guided men first opened their hearts to Him before they opened their treasures. Their awareness of who awaited them beneath that natal gem, the star over Bethlehem, drew them to this moment. By no means could they fully understand what would unfold as a result of this birth. Their awareness this was a heaven sent gift motivated them. The sequence of their action involved seeing, falling down in worship, and then giving of gifts.

Their journey rewarded them with the knowledge that – – – –

“Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness:
God was manifested in the flesh….”  (I Timothy 3:16).

Now you can give Him a replica of the fourth gift, daily worship.