Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way as to take the prize.Don’t you know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, so that you may win.Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain.Know ye not that they that run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? Even so run; that ye may attain.
3 sermons cite this verse
… This was a favorite analogy of the apostle. The idea of running a race. He used it many times in his writings. For instance, over in 1 Corinthians 9.24, he reminded us that we must run to win in the race of life. He said in a race everyone runs but only one person gets a prize. You should run in such a way that you will win. Run to win. Run for first place. Not for honorable mention. You know in schools today or in athletic events they'll get participation trophies. This is not good. There's winners and losers in a race. And there's winners and losers in the race of life. And we should go for the gold. Silver is good, so is bronze. But definitely give it your best effort. Run that race to win. Then he also warns us about getting off track in the race of life when he writes to the believers in Galatia. And in Galatians 5.7 he says, you guys were running a good race. …
… by might, but it's by his spirit. Says who? The Lord. So I'm going to lean into God, and I'm going to follow God. First Corinthians chapter 9. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as 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. Come on, Zoe, we do it to get a crown that will last siempre. Bilingual. therefore I do not run like somebody running aimlessly I do not fight like a boxer beating the air I'm telling y'all I'm trying to strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified. I'm trying to do everything I can, and I'm not perfect. I'm not going to get it right every time, but I'm just, I understand there's this dream that's on my life, this plan you've got, and I don't, I didn't, I know I didn't earn this plan. I know it's, I know where I came from. I know what I came out of, and this was not, some of you need to get over your past to step into your destiny. …
… I do it all. Everything I do now, everything I do, I do for the sake of the gospel that I may share with them in its blessings. And then verse 24, do you not know, do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run like you're actually trying to win it, not just like you're trying to get through the race. Here's Paul's second analogy for how he thinks about his Christian life. The first analogy was slave to the gospel. The second one is professional athlete. A professional athlete gets rid of everything that keeps them from winning. A professional swimmer, for example, takes off literally everything that might slow them down. Wearing a Speedo, shaving my legs and my chest, and wearing a little rubber cappy would not be my preferred style in any context. But if I was a competitive swimmer, that's what I would probably choose to wear to the swim meet. And you are welcome for that mental image, okay? You can never unsee that again. I may have the right to show up at a swim meet in board shorts and a tank top, but that is not a right that I will exercise if I want to win. Paul says, I've got the right to a lot of things in the Christian life, but I lay them aside to help me win people to Jesus. …