Sermon for 4/24/2005
Spiritual Workouts
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Introduction:
From an advertisement in Time Magazine in 1997- My life is hectic! I’m running all day, meetings, phone calls, paperwork, and appointments. I push myself to the limit, fall into bed exhausted, and get up early the next morning to do it all again. My output is tremendous; I’m getting a lot done. But I get this feeling inside sometimes, “So what? What are you doing that really counts?” I have to admit, I don’t know.
WBTU:
A. In this world many are like this. WE are working hard, long hours and getting a lot done. We are being efficient and running to and fro to get everything in- sports with the children, church activities, groceries to buy, errands to run.
B. In this day and time we are not getting enough exercise. Most jobs today are not as physically demanding as a few generations ago so we also need to take time out and get some exercise to keep up our bodies. We have to make the time to do this. As I look at our society it seems that those who need exercise the most get it the least. They are good at getting up and down and going to the buffet line but they are not interested in any real exercise.
C. If you don’t find time to exercise you’ll have to find time for illness.
D. The Bible encourages us to get some exercise. (1 Tim 4:7 NIV) train yourself to be godly.(1 Tim 4:8 NIV) For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.
E. The Bible tells us to exercise. Take time out to exercise. However, the Bible is more concerned with spiritual exercise. Yes, it does say that physical training, exercise is of some value. This is good. But what is better is spiritual exercise, training to be godly.
B. Dennis Rainey- The fat-farm advertisements finally reached me one Christmas season. After seeing all the television ads showing how to shed those holiday pounds, and after looking in a mirror one morning, guilt got me. So with my bag of sweats and jogging shoes in tow, I dutifully followed those pied pipers of unwanted pounds to the local health club to shed some cellulite (that sounds better than "fat," which just lacks dignity).There I stood in the doorway of this workout room, looking at all these slim and trim, toned and tuned hard bodies. My greatest fear was that they would all look up at me simultaneously and fall to the floor, laughing hysterically.
After enduring the humiliation of walking to the dressing room and getting into my sweat suit (I wish I had arrived already dressed), I couldn’t help but notice the mirrors. They were everywhere. I felt like I was in some sort of narcissistic cathedral. People throughout the room were staring at their bodies. For my part, I carefully ignored the mirrors-I already knew what I looked like.
Then the Scripture above from 1 Timothy hit me. As I began to perspire while working on my "perishing" muscles, I thought about my spiritual muscles and the truth of that Scripture.
Here I was, moving from machine to machine, an out-of-shape, plump glob of midlife molecules, surrounded by the "saints of Muscledonia." But I couldn’t help pondering Paul’s admonition to train ourselves in godliness, and asking whether as a people we are equally concerned about our spiritual conditioning.
That isn’t just "of little profit." It’s of eternal importance.
C. Read 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 if not already read.
D. We need to go into strict training, not for things that do not last, but for those things that are important. WE need to make sure that what we are doing really counts.
E. Dennis Rainey- I’d like to invent a spiritual workout system with machines similar to those in health spas that can zero in on specific muscles you want to develop. My spiritual spa would be a place with individual stations where muscles of the faith would be purposely developed, a place where we could be intentional about cultivating spiritual stamina.
F. We need to target specific sections of the body.
Thesis: Let’s talk about these workout stations that target specific sections of the body.
For instances:
I. Tongue
A. Bridle the tongue when it is tempted to say harsh words.
(James 3:9 NIV) With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God’s likeness.(James 3:10 NIV) Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be.
B. Toughen it when it needs to speak out boldly for the Lord.
(Acts 28:31 NIV) (Paul) Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.
C. Control our gossip muscle
(Prov 20:19 NIV) A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much.
D. Teach us to clean up our language.
(Eph 5:4 NIV) Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving.
E. (Mat 12:36 NIV) But I tell you that men will have to give account on the Day of Judgment for every careless word they have spoken.(Mat 12:37 NIV) For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."
F. Let not your tongue cut your throat
II. Eyes
A. The eyes are the windows to the soul.
B. We need above this machine pictures of those who have ruined their lives with their eyes. People like David and Samson.
1. David- (2 Sam 11:2 NIV) One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful,
2. Samson- 3 times he did what David did. It left him with no eyes and he died under a pagan temple.
3. (Mat 5:28 NIV) But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.(Mat 5:29 NIV) If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
C. This machine needs to train our eyes to look upon good things, wholesome things.
1. (Heb 12:2 NIV) Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
2. (2 Cor 4:18 NIV) So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
III. Neck
A. Football players often need to work on neck muscles.
B. It was often said of the Israelites that they were stiff necked. This does not mean that they needed a chiropractor.
C. In Bible times, if oxen were hard to control or stubborn, it was called stiff-necked.
D. This machine would increase flexibility in those who have become stiff necked.
1. Too proud to admit mistakes.
(James 4:6 NIV Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."
2. Too stubborn to ask for forgiveness
(1 John 1:9 NIV) If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
3. Too arrogant to admit they need to depend upon God.
(Neh 9:29 NIV) "You warned them to return to your law, but they became arrogant and disobeyed your commands. They sinned against your ordinances, by which a man will live if he obeys them. Stubbornly they turned their backs on you, became stiff-necked and refused to listen.
IV. Hands
A. (James 4:8 NIV) Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
B. When our hands are washed they can be used the way that Jesus used his hands, in service, in ministry.
C. He touched people and they were healed. He touched lepers and they were healed.
D. (John 13:3 NIV) Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;(John 13:4 NIV) so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.(John 13:5 NIV) After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
E. This station would be full of towels. We need to take a towel and go and wash others feet. Need to get involved with church programs. Need to go out into the community and wash feet with our hands.
V. Feet
A. (Isa 59:7 NIV) Their feet rush into sin; they are swift to shed innocent blood. Their thoughts are evil thoughts; ruin and destruction mark their ways.
B. We need to train our feet to rush to do good, not rush to do evil.
C. (Rom 10:14 NIV) How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?(Rom 10:15 NIV) And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"
VI. Knees
A. I’d have an exercise that would require a person to be on his knees, with neck bent downward in prayer.
B. Prayer loosens muscles that are tied in knots by worry, pressure or long hours of hard work.
C. Warnings against Israel leaving God. If they do leave God, God will scatter them among the nations.(Deu 28:65 NIV) Among those nations you will find no repose, no resting place for the sole of your foot. There the LORD will give you an anxious mind, eyes weary with longing, and a despairing heart.
D. (Phil 4:6 NIV) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.(Phil 4:7 NIV) And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
E. It is said that Andrew Bonar, a great man of prayer, had three rules: (1) Not to speak to any man before speaking to Jesus; (2) Not to do anything with his hands until he had been on his knees; (3) Not to read the papers until he had read his Bible. –
F. Oh, how praying rests the weary! Prayer will change the night to day; so in sorrow and in gladness, don’t forget to pray.
Conclusion:
A. "Christ has no body now but yours. No hands, no feet on earth but yours. Yours are the eyes through which he looks compassion on this world. Yours are the feet with which He walks to do good. Yours are the hands with which He blesses all the world. Yours are the hands. Yours are the feet. Yours are the eyes. You are His body
B. (Rom 12:1 NIV) Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship.
