Run To Win

Alba 7-6-2025

RUN TO WIN

I Corinthians 9:24-27

Herm Edwards, former coach of the New York Jets, was best known for his leadership and motivational abilities, which helped shape not just the teams he coached, but also the players who respected him. His most memorable moment with the Jets came in 2002, when, against all odds, the team made the playoffs after a turbulent season. Edwards became famous for his fiery speeches and the way he held his players accountable, emphasizing discipline, respect, and a never-quit attitude. In October of 2002, he got a little heated in a press conference. A reporter asked him a question about the game, and Edwards responded by saying that you PLAY TO WIN THE GAME. YOU DO NOT PLAY TO JUST PLAY THE GAME. YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME.

The apostle Paul would agree with that because he says in the race of life we need to run with the intention to win. In First Corinthians 9:24 he asks this question, “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize?” And then he says to us, “Run in such a way that you may obtain it.”

Paul uses the illustration of an athletic contest -- a race. That was a familiar thing to these Christians in Corinth. The Greeks had two great athletic festivals, the Olympic games (every 4 years) and the Isthmian games (every 2 years). The Isthmian games were held at Corinth, and were therefore intimately familiar to those to whom Paul was writing. Athletes competing in the Isthmian Games were required to train at least 10 months while living in tents. Because so many tents were needed, it is possible that Paul got to know a lot of these athletes since he built tents for a living. Well we are not in the Olympics or the Isthmian games. Still, we’re all running and we’re all busy. But are we running toward the right thing? What race are you running right now? Are you running the rat race of a hectic life, or are you running the race for heaven? I can assure you that if you run the race for heaven, the rat race becomes much easier and more tolerable. And Jesus wants all of us to cross the finish line! So how do we run to win that better race? First...

Be Disciplined

When you think about the word "discipline", there are probably several different things that come to mind. To a child, it probably means getting a spanking for doing something he shouldn’t have done. To a soldier, discipline means conforming to the regulations, obedience to orders, K.P. duty, and reveille on cold mornings. To a student, discipline means a class with a lot of work and exams. To a Christian, discipline usually brings to mind dis-fellowshiping someone who has been unfaithful.

And all of these are correct. All of these are aspects of discipline. The Army disciplines the soldier to teach strict obedience. A school disciplines by making students do the work. And the church disciplines in order to encourage members to remain faithful. That is called imposed discipline. But imposed discipline has only limited value. There’s another kind of discipline that’s much more important to us as Christians, and that is self-discipline. As Max Anders, minister and general editor of the Holman Bible Commentary, has said, “Only the disciplined ever get really good at anything.” Everything in life requires some sort of discipline. Whether it’s hitting a baseball, climbing a mountain, playing a musical instrument, or making good grades, it all comes down to a matter of discipline. Many people have ambitions that will never be realized, goals that will never be reached, visions that will never materialize simply because they have no discipline.

Verse 25 says, “And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things” (NKJV). The NIV says, “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.” And the NLT says, “All athletes are disciplined in their training.” Discipline is the unshakable commitment to do what must be done, no matter how you feel.

The Bible uses the words "self-control" and "temperance" to describe this quality. It is one of the fruits of the Spirit. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23). It is one of the Christian graces that we are to grow in. “Add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control....” (II Peter 1:5-6). Proverbs 25:28 says, “Whoever has no rule over his own spirit (in other words, no self-control) Is like a city broken down, without walls.” If we paid more attention to discipline or self-control, we would experience more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and gentleness.