Houston Congregational Christian Church

Pastor James Manuel
4883 Russia-Houston Road
Houston, OH  45333
Phone:  937-295-3591
Email:  click here

Date:  February 8, 2009

Title:  Training for the Christian Life

Call to Worship:   Psalm 25:15

Scripture Reading:                             2 Timothy 2:1-7

May the words of my mouth and the meditations of our hearts be acceptable unto You O Lord on this Your day.

Training for the Christian Life.   As you know there’s a great amount of training needed for athletic activities.    I believe that we must train just as hard for the Christian life.    Such training takes time,   dedication,   energy,  continued practice  and vision.    We must all commit ourselves to the Christian Life   but we must first know the rules as prescribed in God word.    As 2 Timothy 2:4-6 says,  ‘No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs  he wants to please his commanding officer.     If anyone competes as an athlete    he does not receive the victor’s crown   unless he competes according to the rules.  The hard working farmer should be the first to receive a share of the crop.’

Paul used a comparison with soldiers,   athletes   and farmers who must discipline themselves and be willing to sacrifice to achieve the results they want.      As we train for the Christian Life----like soldiers we have to give up worldly security and endure rigorous discipline.  Like athletes we must train hard and follow the rules.      Like farmers we must work extremely hard and be patient.      But we keep going despite suffering because of the thought of victory,    the victory of winning     and the hope of harvest.    We’ll see that our suffering is worthwhile when we achieve our goal of glorifying God,    of winning people to Christ    and one day living eternally with Him. 

We must go into strict training in order to get the prize.  1 Cor. 9:24-25 says,   ‘Do you not know that in a race all the runners run  but only one gets the prize?   Run in such a way to get the prize.   Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.   They do it to get a crown that will not last,     but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.’       Winning a race requires purpose and discipline.    

Paul used this illustration to explain that the Christian life takes hard work,   self denial   and grueling preparations.    As Christians we are running toward our heavenly reward.    The essential disciplines of prayer,   Bible study   and worship equip us to run the race.     We train ourselves to run the race of life.   So we keep our eyes on Christ  our goal   as Psalm 25:15 tells us,   ‘My eyes are ever on the Lord.’    And by keeping our eyes on the Lord helps us from being sidetracked   or slowed down.

My friends Living the Christian Life demands all of our energy.   We must focus all our energies toward winning the race.    We can forget the past and strain for the goal   because we know Christ promises eternity with Him at the end of the race.   As Paul said in Phil. 3:13-14, ‘But one thing I do,   Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.   I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me.’

We should not let anything take our eyes of our goal---knowing Christ.   With the single mindedness of an athlete in training    we must lay aside everything harmful and forsake anything that may distract us from Training for the Christian Life.      My friends we have all done things for which we are ashamed      However,  because our hope is in Christ Jesus   we can let go of past guilt and look forward to what God will help us become.      Don’t dwell on your past.   Instead grow in the knowledge of God by concentrating on your relationship with Him.    Realize that you are forgiven    and then move on to a life of Faith and obedience.

Spiritual exercise will help you Train for the Christian Life.   As we must repeat exercises to tone our bodies    so we must repeat spiritual exercises to be spiritually fit.       When we do this  we will be better Christians,  living in accordance with God’s will.      As 1 Timothy 4:7-8 tells us,  ‘Train yourselves to be Godly.   For physical training is of some value,  but Godliness has value for all things,   holding promises for both the present life   and the life to come.’

In our society much emphasis is placed on physical fitness.   But spiritual health---Godliness---is even more important.   For you see our physical health is prone to diseases and injury,     but Faith  can sustain us through these tragedies.    To train ourselves to be Godly   we must develop our Faith by using our God given abilities in His service.    Such a life will also attract others to Christ. 

The Christian Life is a fight against evil forces from without and temptations from within.   If we stay true to God through it all   He promises an end,   a rest    and a crown.   As the Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 4:7-8,   ‘I have fought the good fight.   I have finished the race.  I have kept the Faith.   Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness   which the Lord,   the righteous Judge will award to me on that day.’

As Paul neared the end of his life   he could confidently say he had been faithful to his God.    Thus he could face death calmly knowing that he would be rewarded by Christ.       Training for the Christian Life prepares us also for death and meeting Christ.       The Good News is that the heavenly reward is not just for giants of the faith,   like Paul.    But the Heavenly reward is for all who are eagerly looking forward to Jesus’ second coming.

Paul gave these words to encourage Timothy   and to encourage us,   that no matter how difficult the fight seems---keep fighting.    Because fighting the good fight and persevering to the end   will be worth it   when we are with Jesus in our Heavenly Home for all eternity.     

In closing someone once said----Lord I know I’m not what I ought to be,   and I know I’m not what I’m going to be,      but Lord I give thanks I’m not what I used to be.     That’s the prayer of a growing Christian.      Training for the Christian Life is our ticket to Heaven.   As John 3:36 tells us,   ‘Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life.’