1st Corinthians chapter 9 will begin reading at verse 19.

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a slave to all, that I might win the more. To the Jews I became as a Jew that I might win Jews.

To those who are under the law as under the law, though not being myself under the law, that I might win those who are under the law.

To those who are without the law, as without the law, though not being without the law of God, but under the law of Christ,

that I might win those who are without the law.

To the week I became weak, that I might win the week.

I have become all things to all men that I may by all means save some.

And I do all things for the sake of the Gospel, that I may become a fellow partaker

of it. Do you not know that those who run in a race will all run, but only one receives the prize.

Run in such a way that you may win.

And everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive

a perishable wreath, but we and imperishable. Therefore I run in such a way as not without aim. I box in such a way as not

beating the air, but I buff at my body and make it my slave less possibly after But I myself, myself,

have been left possibly after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified.

What we saw last week from this text was that the Christian life is like a race and like a fight.

Living the Christian life is like running and like boxing.

But even more important, what we saw is that the way we run and the way we fight makes a difference in whether we seize the prize of the upward

call of God in Christ. The way we run, the way we fight makes a difference in whether we

obtain the crown of righteousness, the way we live, the way we

fight makes a difference in whether or not we are disqualified or obtain a share in the gospel.

In other words, life is serious. Life is not a game with no lasting consequences. The way we live it, the way we run it, the way we fight it, has eternal consequences.

This life, whether it's 10 years or 70 years or 90 years, is a proving ground.

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