Matthew chapter 11, we're going
to be in 1 Corinthians 9, but I want to start here. And I want to read the first
five verses here in Matthew 11. And it came to pass when Jesus
had made an end of commanding his 12 disciples, he departed
thence to teach and to preach in their cities. Now when John
had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his
disciples and said unto him, Art thou he that should come,
or do we look for another? Jesus answered and said unto
them, Go and show John again those things which you do hear
and see. The blind received their sight,
and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear,
the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached
to them." Now, in each one of those statements right there,
the first condition is called the truth. We tell people the truth, don't
we? That's the first condition in each one of those statements
we just read. The second condition is called the gospel. The truth is, spiritually before
God, we're all blind, we're all lame, we're all lepers, we're
all deaf, we're all dead, and we're all poor. The gospel is In Christ, because
of Christ, we all see, we all walk, we're cleansed, we hear,
we're raised up, and we have the riches of the gospel preached
to us. The blind who received their
sight. Our Lord went around and he caused
the blind to see. The blind that did actually receive
their sight, do you think they spent the rest of their lives
walking around with their eyes closed? What are you doing? Well, I was
born this way, so I'm going to stay this way. No. They took it all in, didn't
they? They took every bit of it in.
who were made to walk. You think about that. The lame
who were made to walk. Do you think they passed on all
the fun and the games and the activities? We're going to go
running through that field of flowers. You want to go? Nah,
not interested. I mean, I can see them like a
heart, leaping like a heart, taking off like a deer, running. I can run. When people asked them, how can
you run like that? You were crippled. I've known
you all my life. You were crippled. How can you
run like that? Do you think they said, well,
I just made my decision. Or do you think they said, Jesus
Christ did it? Which one do you think they said?
Now, here's the point I'm trying to make. Just because we don't
give ourselves the ability to run, that does not mean we don't
run. Just because we don't give ourselves
the ability to run, that doesn't mean we don't run. That's what
the Apostle Paul is saying in our text this morning. With all
that being said, I want you to hold your place in Matthew 11.
We're going to come right back to it. But turn over with me
to 1 Corinthians 9. Let's read these verses in our
text. 1 Corinthians 9, starting in
verse 23, Paul said, In this I do for the gospel's sake, that
I might be partaker thereof with you. Know ye not that they which
run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run that
you may obtain. And every man that striveth for
the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain
a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. I therefore so
run, not as uncertainly, so fight I, not as one that beateth the
air, but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection
lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I
myself should be a castaway." He started that by saying in
verse 23, this I do for the gospel's sake. The more I look at that line,
the more precious it becomes to me. This I do for the gospel's
sake. You know, that answers tons of
questions. That is the answer to a ton of
questions. So many things in this life really
do cause us to say, why? Why did this happen? Why did
this happen? I've seen it and said it so many
times. Why did my mother die of cancer
at the age of 48? I can tell you the first reason
that I can see clearly, for the gospel's sake. That's the first
reason I see, for the gospel's sake. But we ask why to so many
things, and the answer truly is for the gospel's sake. It really is. The actual definition
of the word gospel is the good message. I love that. It means the good message. Good
news, well. Well. Paul said, I do this so
men and women might be well. Now I've told you this before,
but in studying this, I think I entered into it more than I
ever have. Somebody asked Spurgeon one time, and I really did, I
thought about this so much. Somebody asked Spurgeon one time,
if you believe only God's elect will be saved, if you believe only God's chosen
elect will be saved, Why don't you just preach to God's elect?
And he said, I would if they had a big E on their forehead.
I would. Do I believe only God's elect
are going to be saved? Do I believe that? The answer
is yes, I do. And the reason is because that's
exactly what God's word says. It says we're chosen to salvation. Do I believe none of them are
going to be lost? Yes, I do. I believe not one
of them are going to be lost. I believe not one sinner in Kingsport
that God chose to save from the foundation of the world will
be lost. Not one of them. And the reason is because that's
what God's Word says. Alright, here's my question that
I ask myself. Then why stress over it? Why stress over it? Why spend
so many hours begging God? Just pleading, just begging and
pleading and talking and inviting. Why stress over it? Why run so
much with this message of good news? Why do we spend all that money
on sermon audio? Did you guys see how much we
spent on sermon audio in the last three months? Why do we do that?
Here's the answer. It's because God told us to.
That's the reason. God told us to. I want to show
you a couple of scriptures. The first one is back in Matthew
11. Matthew 11, now look at verse 10. For this is he of whom it is
written, behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall
prepare thy way before thee. Verily I say unto you, among
them that are born of women, there hath not risen a greater
than John the Baptist. Notwithstanding, he that is least
in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of
John the Baptist, starting with the days of John the Baptist,
until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent
take it by force." Now, if you have a center reference in your
Bible, verse 12 says, and from the days of John the Baptist
until now, the kingdom of heaven is gotten by force, and they
that thrust man take it by force. That's what it says. That's what
God, that's God himself speaking. That's what God himself said.
Now look at Acts 14 with me. Acts 14, look at verse 21. And
when they had preached the gospel to that city, and had taught
many, they returned again to Lystra and to Iconium and Antioch,
confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue
in the faith, and that we must, through much tribulation, enter
into the kingdom of God. That word tribulation means Pressing
through much pressing pressing now go to Philippians 3 Philippians 3 verse 13 says brethren
I I count not myself to have apprehended." Paul said, I did
not apprehend myself. Paul truly did not apprehend
himself. He was on the road to Damascus. And we all know the story. The
Lord appeared, knocked him off of his horse. When he was on
that road, did Paul apprehend himself or did God apprehend
Paul? We know the answer. So Paul said,
I did not apprehend myself. I did not save myself. I would
never try to steal God's glory in salvation. Never. People say,
I got saved. How often do you hear people
say that? Man, I got great news to tell you. I got saved. That's
not great news. Not to me. I didn't. When somebody
tells me that, I've had people tell me that, and I think, oh,
man, I wish you didn't get saved. I really do. I didn't get saved. God saved me. That's what happened. God saved me. So Paul says right
here in verse 13, brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended,
but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind
and reaching forth. unto those things which are before,
I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of
God in Christ Jesus. Paul said, I press, and I press. What he's saying is, I don't
take this lightly. I press. And when this flesh
is trying to fight me and trying to take me away, I press and
I press and I press. Now in verse 13 next to reaching
forth unto those things which are before, if you have a center
reference in your Bible, look and see if it says 1st Corinthians
9 verse 24 and 26. That's our text this morning.
That's what Paul means back here in our text. Let's go back to
1st Corinthians 9 That's what he means in verse
24. He said, know ye not that they which run in a race run
all, but one receiveth the prize, so run. He's saying that's how
I want you to run, that you may obtain. Watch a race. You've seen people race around
a track, especially horses. You've seen horses race around
a track. And they go however many times it is they're supposed
to go around, and they turn this corner and turn that corner and
turn this corner until the last lap, and they draw a ribbon.
And on that last turn, the last straightaway, there's the finish
line right there. Is that when they start dropping
back to pace? There it is right there. Why
don't we just start slowing down and slowing down? Let's just
stroll across the finish line. Is that what anybody does in
a race? They press every fiber of strength
and energy they have into their legs and they gain acceleration
and they lean and reach into the finish line. That's what
they do. Paul said in verse 24, so run. So run that you may obtain. Now, it's so important we always
remember that man is dead in his trespasses and sins. A dead
man can't do anything. God has to give life first. God
has to quicken a sinner to run at all. A dead man can't run. But if God has given life, if
that's over and done and ordered and sure and complete and finished,
if God has given life, Paul says, run with it. If he's given that
ability, reach for it. We sing that song, reach out
and touch the Lord as he passes by. Reach for it. I cannot save myself and I cannot
save my children, but I know who can. I know who can. I know the one person who can.
Go with me over to Job chapter 1. Job chapter 1. Verse 1 says, There was a man
in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was perfect
and upright and one that feared God and eschewed evil. And there
were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. He had ten
children, seven sons and three daughters. His substance also
was seven thousand sheep. 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen,
500 she-asses, very great household, so that this man was the greatest
of all the men of the East. And his sons went and feasted
in their houses every one his day, and sent and called for
their three sisters to eat and to drink with them. And it was
so when the days of their feasting were gone about that Job sent
and sanctified them. And he rose up early in the morning
and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For
Job said, it may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in
their hearts. Thus did Job continually. I mean continually. He prayed
to God on their behalf, and he prayed to God on their behalf,
continually. And God saved his children. And
the reason we know that, seven sons and three daughters, the
reason we know that is because in the last chapter of the book
of Job, It says God gave Job twice as much as he had before.
Everything that God allowed to be taken from Job, He gave him
twice as much as before. Instead of 7,000 sheep, it says
God gave him 14,000 sheep. And it goes all the way through
all those things it listed. Twice as much. But it says God
gave him seven sons and three daughters. Same amount. Not double. The same amount. Why would God double everything
but his sons and daughters? The reason is because he still
had the first seven sons and three daughters. He hadn't lost
them. They were in glory with Christ, but he hadn't lost them.
He still had those. He lost all the sheep and he
lost all the cows, but he still had his children. And so God
gave him seven more sons and three more daughters and God
doubled everything he had. So God had mercy on him. Now, a person might hear all
this and say, it sounds like to me you are saying salvation
is in your hands. That's been my greatest fear
in all this. But a greater fear than that is not preaching God's
word. And we're going to continue to prove throughout scripture
that it's just, it's not so. It's not in the hands of man.
But I do want us all to enter into this fact. This is what
our Lord said. All of this word is God's word. And he said, the effectual, fervent
prayer of a righteous man availeth much. It avails much. So Paul said, I pray to God for
Israel. That's what he said, I pray to
him. I run, I press, I fight. Now go with me back to 1 Corinthians
9. Verse 23 says, And this I do
for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. I love how he didn't say. I love
how he did not say. This I do for the gospel's sake,
that you might be partaker thereof with me. His humility is such an example
to us, isn't it? It's such an example. He said,
this I do for the gospel's sake that I might be partaker thereof
with you. I just want God to do for me
what he's done for you. That's all I want, is for God
to do for me what he's done for you. Verse 24, know ye not that
they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize?
So run that you may obtain. And every man that striveth for
the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain
a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible." He's given an
illustration of what he's doing, of running a race, that's how
he's trying to emphasize what he's saying. And in this illustration
he says, every man who is striving to win tempers himself. That's what he said. He disciplines
himself, right? He conditions himself by running
all the time. Somebody shows up to a race,
you been running much? No, it's been a while. He runs all the
time. If he wants to win this race,
he moderates himself. He has moderation. Right before
the race, he does not go to McDonald's and get three Big Macs, a fry,
and two shakes. That would hinder his race, wouldn't
it? I want to encourage all of us,
starting with me. How often does Paul talk about
moderation and refraining from liberties and all that stuff?
Starting with me, I pray God would teach me something about
this. I really do. But I want to encourage us more
than I ever have before to strive to not be a hindrance to the
saving message of the gospel. No one and no thing can hinder
the saving message of the gospel. No one and nothing can hinder
the saving message of the gospel. John 3 verse 8 says, the spirit
blows where it listeth. And it will hurricane right on
through anybody that tries to get in its way. But 1 Thessalonians
5 verse 19 says, quench not the spirit. Isn't that what it says? Paul is constantly saying, I
will hold myself and my liberties back. Never the message, never
the truth, but my flesh, absolutely. Absolutely. Let's be temperate. Let's be moderate. Why would
we do that? For the gospel's sake. For the
gospel's sake. If drinking a glass of wine If
drinking a glass of wine will hinder a sinner from having a
heart to want to come hear the message of God's truth. Now,
let's just revert back. Is God going to lose one? No.
Will God bring them all? Yes. But if drinking a glass
of wine will hinder the heart of a sinner from wanting to come
hear this saving message, don't drink it. Don't drink it. Don't let them see the bottle
in your house. Just put it away. Put it away. We who believe,
we understand what Paul's saying here, don't we? We understand
it. Paul is not saying that he can
save a sinner and he's not saying he can stop a sinner from being
saved. Not at all. Here's what he's doing. He is
acknowledging God's means. And he's saying, let's push those
means and let's not be a hindrance to those means. Verse 25, he
said, and every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate
in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible
crown. That's the end of his earthly
illustration that he's given it. They run this race to obtain
a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. We're trying to
obtain a crown. Now, if we receive a crown, where
would we want it to be placed? Would I just hold out my arm
and say, why don't you just loop it over my arm? I want it on
my head. We all want it on our head. Who is our head? Christ is. I want it on my head. I don't want it anywhere, but
on my head. I'm the body. We're all the body. He's the head. If there's a crown
to be won, that's where we want it. Christ our head. If they
literally placed a crown on our head, you know what we would
all do? We'd all take it off and cast it at his feet. Verse 23, I'm going to finish
this up, verse 23, he said, this I do for the gospel's sake that
I might be partaker thereof with you. Know ye not that they which
run in a race run all but one receiveth the prize, so run that
ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for
the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain
a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible. I therefore so
run, not as uncertainly, so fight I, not as one that beateth the
air, but I keep under." He's not saying, I keep under my body. He's saying, I keep under my
body and bring it into subjection. Lest that by any means, when
I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway man." Paul
said, I run and I run to win. And I don't ever want to be lifted
up in pride through it. That's what he's saying. Pride
comes before a fall. How do we do this? How do we
do this with this resolve and with this fire, if you want to call it
that? How do we do this without being overtaken by pride? Go
with me to Hebrews 12. Hebrews 12 verse 1 says, wherefore,
seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of
witnesses, Let us lay aside every weight and the sin which doth
so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that
is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher
of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured
the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right
hand of the throne of God. We take the ministry of this
gospel in hand. We take it in hand knowing that
the author has already finished it all. We run and we press it
knowing that the author has already finished it all. We do this looking
unto him the whole time. Looking unto him. We press this
gospel looking unto him. And I want to close with this
statement, okay? I would just stop because I'm
way over, but I don't want to. I want you to get a hold of this,
okay? Turn with me to 1 Thessalonians 5. I am very thankful that the Lord has given me the
avenue of preaching. He called me to be a preacher,
and I'm very thankful for that. And the reason is because I've
never been good at witnessing the gospel to people. It's never
been a gift of mine. Opportunities, I just don't feel
like they present themselves like I want them to. And when
they do present themselves, my brain doesn't work. I can't think
of what to say. I can't think of how to say it. If you find yourself in the same
boat, it's okay. It's okay. He knows our frame
and he remembers that we are dust. It's okay. Here is the best way to run this
race. Paul keeps saying, I want you
to run. I want you to fight. Here's the best way to fight.
Here's the best way to press ourselves and our loved ones
to the Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Thessalonians 5 verse 17 says,
pray without ceasing. Pray for them. Pray for them. That's what Job did continually. That's what Job did continually. He prayed for him. Paul said,
when I'm weak, I'm strong. Lord, I can't do this. You can. You can. So just pray for him.
Take that and run with it. Pray for him. All right.