Paul’s spirit was leading to God’s mission for him, and it was to share the crown he received from Christ with others. Follower’s of Christ have the same mission that Paul did, and it should be our goal to share the crown we received with others. In order for us to do that we must be filled with the spirit, because it makes us reach that goal the way gasoline helps race cars reach the finish line.
The purpose of this lesson is to learn from the Bible on how we are suppose to filled with spirit, so we can endure the race of life to share our crown Christ gave us with others.
The reason why I had you to discuss your goals in groups is that I wanted to you begin thinking on you reached your goals, and how it made you feel when your goals were accomplish by your hard work. With some of the rewards we receive it comes in certificates, degrees, trophies, plaques, and it also comes in monetary fashion. Those things are great to receive when we put in the time to earn those things, but we cannot take them to heaven with us. We can take people into heaven, and that is why Paul wanted to share His crown with people. He wanted to bring them to heaven with him, and for the church in Corinth He wanted them to understand that. For them to understand that Paul wanted to compare what he was doing to what an athlete was doing.
“Does anybody know why Paul was comparing to what he was doing to what athletes were doing?”
Read through 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Breaking It Down:
- 24-1. All athletes compete like running, but only one gets the prize. Paul, and other Christians run the same way to receive the crown of righteousness. Christians must endure to the end to get the prize.
- 25- Every athlete goes into strict training, and disciplines their lives around that crown. Paul, and other Christians discipline their life in being filled with the spirit to receive the crown of righteousness. Being fill with the spirit does not just include daily time with God, but also witnessing the Gospel to the lost.
- 25b-26- This is where Paul shares the major difference between him, and the athlete. The athletes train themselves, and qualify in a race to receive a crown that will not fulfill them. Paul puts in the same effort he does in preaching the gospel, and his preaching of the gospel will give others an opportunity to share the crown that is eternal.
As we run the race to receive the crown we must endure it to the end, and for us to endure it we must be filled with the spirit.
“What does it mean to be filled with the Spirt?”
To understand what it means to be fulfilled by the spirit, than let’s look at today’s athlete what it must do to endure the race to receive the crown of life.
A professional athlete has goal to win its contest, so it will dedicate its life to accomplish its goal. It will spend time training, getting the right amount of rest, and it will eat the right amount of food to help with its performance.
Now would an athlete perform as well if it just ate, and did not train?
In order for the food to help with its performance, than it must train.
God’s spirit in us is the same way. For our spirit to grow efficiently, it must be witnessing, because just being filled with the spirit in our quiet time is not enough for us to grow. It’s very important that we do spend time with God to be filled with the spirit, but Christ also commanded us to preach His gospel. Preaching His Gospel to others is our race for us to endure, and cause of what Christ did for us we are able to receive the Crown of Life. Christ called us to share that crown of life with others, and our spirit will be really filled when we do so. Sharing Christ’s crown with others is our goal, that He commanded us to do. That is why He filled His Spirit in us.
