Surrender to His Plan
The theme for this year is planning for God in 2016. We talked about last week how we need
to stop making plans based on our desires, our fears, our agendas, and actually plan for what God is calling
for us to do, individually, and as a church. God has a schedule and plan that is actually worth following. It
is time that we surrender to His plan. But, as we concluded, it cannot be a half-hearted commitment to
God’s plan. We need to give 100% if we are going to plan for God this year, and this means not only
giving up our own plans for God’s plans, but committing to do God’s plans with all of our hearts, souls,
minds, and strength.
Paul compares this wholehearted commitment to a common sight in the ancient world, athletes in
training. Athleticism was a commonly taught value in ancient Rome, and athletes competing in
competitions were often watched in the coliseum and Stadia.
There were many different sports that we would recognize today, such as track and field, boxing,
wrestling, and chariot racing (which was the NASCAR of the day). And the wealth that could be
accumulated was immense. ***Consider Gaius Appuleius Diocles, a Roman chariot racer who over 24year career, Gaius competed in over 4,200 races, winning 1,462 and finishing second 861 times. Due to
these winnings, he became one of the wealthiest men in Rome, with the ability to pay the salaries for the
entire Roman Army for 2 months, a cost in today’s dollars of 15 Billion dollars. But unfortunately, most
of the time the athletes did not get this wealth. For while there were a few athletes who were free men and
freely participated in the sports, the majority of the athletes were slaves and forced to participate in order to
live. This was a strong motivation for them. They would train hard so that they could survive, and if
they did well enough, for long enough, they were even able to earn their own freedom.
In boxing, it was especially brutal. While in the beginning there were pieces of soft leather that
were used to soften the blows, soon these were replaced by hard leather that had fixed pieces of metal on
them. There were no time limits to the bouts, so the only determining factor was when one of the fighters
would simply surrender or someone would die. You would try not to kill your opponent, because that
would make them the automatic winner, but it oftentimes happened. The hand grips were eventually given
the nickname “bonebreakers,” and archeology has oftentimes confirmed that the athletes had deformed
limbs and bones due to these bouts. ***While Christians would condemn these brutal games and think
them barbaric, the illustration from them would have been clearly burned into the minds of the common
man.
So, instead of picturing a well-respected athlete who trains in his own gym, consider a slave who is
fighting for his life when you read the passion behind Paul’s words here. Therefore I do not run like
someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body
and make it my slave.
If we are going to plan for God in 2016, then we need to realize that this is a life and death struggle
we are engaged in, rather than just a friendly match. Planning for God in 2016 requires us to take on the
perspective that we are in a battle each day that we must be willing to train and fight with all our strength.
Let us consider together the training needed to plan for God in 2016.
1.
A clear goal. 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. Running is a task that requires a clear direction, a clear goal.
It is not just about running fast, but running fast in the right direction. You need to keep an iron clad focus
to do well in a running race. You cannot be distracted even for a moment or you will lose the race you are
running, or even worse be disqualified. You must keep that goal constantly in front of you and not waver
in following it well, or considering its cost and worth. In a race, each step counts, each moment the focus
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must be held so that you can win that clear goal before you. If you take your eyes off of the goal for even a
moment, you could lose it.
Soren Kierkegaard told this parable, “The Wild Duck of Denmark” A wild duck was flying
north across Europe when he happened to land in a barnyard in Denmark. There he made friends with the
tame ducks and enjoyed the corn and fresh water. He decided it was so nice that he would stay, an hour,
then a day or two, and finally a week, which turned into a month. At the end of that time, he thought of
joining his friends in the North, but it was so safe and comfortable there, that he stayed the summer. In the
autumn, he heard his friends flying North and was stirred with delight. He used all his might and flapped
his wings, rising in the air, but he found he could not longer fly higher than the eaves of the barn. As he
waddled back to the safety of the barnyard, he muttered to himself, “I’m satisfied here, I have plenty of
food, and the area is good. Why should I leave.?” So, he spent the winter on the farm. In the spring, when
the wild ducks flew overhead again, he felt a strange stirring within his breast, but he did not even try to fly
up to meet them. When they returned in the fall, they again invited him to rejoin them, but this time, the
duck did not even notice them. There was no stirring. He simply kept on eating corn which made him fat.
The duck took the eyes off of the goal. He missed the prize. And while the prize of the duck was
fulfillment, and the prize of athletes is monetary or bragging rights, there is a much greater prize that sits
before us as believers if we finish the race. It is a prize that will sustain us as we train and fight hard for our
Master. It is for a home in heaven that we yearn and hope for. As Paul stated, They do it to get a crown
that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.
The scriptures say that “Eye has not seen, nor ear has heard nor the mind conceived of the
wonderful things God has in store for those who love Him.” The scriptures describe such an amazing
home in heaven that it is a home that all Christians are meant to long for and wait in eager expectation for.
***It reminds me of the little girl who was born blind. She only had her mother’s descriptions of what
flowers in Spring looked like, or trees in the fall, snow in the winter, ocean in the summertime. And then at
10 years old, she had experimental surgery and after several weeks, the moment of truth came. The
bandages were removed and she rand to the window and stood breathless, “Mother, why didn’t you tell me
it was so beautiful? “I tried to, but words just wouldn’t suffice!” This is what heaven will be like.
Breathlessly…”Why didn’t you tell us, John, that it was this amazing!” Consider a few of these
descriptions of it from Revelation 21. In Heaven, brokenness has ended. Our broken bodies are replaced
with new, heavenly bodies. There was no longer any sea. That symbol of chaos has been removed. Sin is
no longer there. We are made perfect and finished in Christ Jesus. There will not be temptation or lust or
envy.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes.
There is no more need for sorrow. Even the past hurts that we have carried with us, that have
marked our every day will be replaced by His gentle grace. All that hurt us in the past will be replaced by
His love.
There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.
Death talks about separation. But this too is destroyed in the presence of God. We will “dwell in
the house of the Lord forever.” Together, we will fellowship together forever before His throne.
We will be with God: listen to this passage,
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now
among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself
will be with them and be their God.
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The greatest part of everything in heaven is that God himself is there. All these things, no more
tears, no more no more death, no more chaos, these are all the result of being in His presence. While we
experience bits of His grace around us , in the sunrise, the fellowship of others, our pets, but in heaven, we
will experience His grace fully, face to face. This is what Phyllis Berkey is seeing right now. As she
stands in the presence of God, she experiences life in Him. Quote: “This is what makes heaven, heaven! If
the streets were not gold but gravel, if the walls were particle board and not jasper, if mud was knee deep
and weeds over our heads, it will still be heaven because Jesus is there!” What we yearn most about
heaven is to be with God.
In this world we search for satisfaction. We search to be known, to be loved, to be filled. But it
will be different in heaven. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.
Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. In
heaven, we will not need to worry about being in need. God Himself will satisfy us. He will give us the
water we thirst for. As our Father in heaven, He will meet our every need.
*There was a little girl who stayed the night at a friend’s house for the first time. During the day
she was fine, but by night, she felt miserable and really just wanted to be with her family. The friend’s
mom came to her and asked “Honey, are you feeling homesick?” No, she said in all innocence, “I’m
feeling here sick!” Do you feel “here sick” as you look forward to heaven?
As we were brought into the family of God, we began a relationship with Jesus that makes us just
want Him more and more. This is our goal, and we need to keep this in mind that we might wholeheartedly
commit to plan for God in 2016.
2.
Strict training Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. Training in
the ancient world affected every aspect of their lives. Many of the top athletes were actually vegetarians
because they understood that the food which was put into them affected them. Many chose to forgo their
marital duties, because they believed it would sap their strength. The training not only determined if they
would win the race, but if they would be able to survive it. Training is essential to victory.
In 1930, in a small town in Oklahoma one high school lost all the football games they played
against their arch rival. The more important the game, the worse they lost. Finally, a wealthy oil producer
decided to fix this. He spoke to the team giving one of the most inspiring football speeches of all times. He
promised to give a brand new Ford to every boy on the team and to each coach if they would simply defeat
their bitter rivals in the next game. The team went crazy. They howled and cheered and slapped each other.
For seven days, the boys ate, drank and breathed football. Finally, the big night arrived. Excitement was at
an unprecedented high. The team stuck their hands together and shouted a simultaneous "Rah!" Then they
ran onto the field and were demolished, 38 to zero. The team's excitement did not translate into a single
point. Seven days of hooray and whoop-de-do simply couldn't compensate for the players' lack of
discipline and conditioning and practice and study and coaching and drill and experience and character.
We cannot skip out on the training if we want the victory.
I find it incredibly sad that there are athletes out there who have more of a dedication for their
sport than most Christians have toward following Christ. Is this what our Master deserves? Should
there be basketball players who train harder than Christian pray? Should there be football players who are
more excited for the big game than Christians are about Sunday morning? Let us train harder than others
around us because the prize we are searching for is worth more than any other prize out there. C.T. Studd
said it this way, “If Jesus Christ be God and died for me then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make
for him."
WE need to train hard if we are going to wholeheartedly commit to following God’s plan in
2016.
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3.
A warning of disqualification. so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not
be disqualified for the prize.
This is a scary thought. Paul was concerned about being disqualified. Disqualification is
something that happens at times in sports. The toe crossed the white line, there was a flag on the play,
steroids were used. * The 29 year old French athlete, Mahiedine Mekhissi-Benabbad, two-time Olympic
medalist, was on the verge of winning his third straight title in the 3,000-meter steeplechase at the
European Championships. With only 100 meters to go, he excitedly took off his shirt, and got the crowd
cheering as put his shirt in his mouth to finish the race. After finishing, Track and field’s world governing
body, disqualified him from the race. Bibs should not be obscured in any way during the race. Yes, he was
stripped of his gold for stripping.
While it is one thing to lose a gold medal, how much worse it would be to be disqualified for that
prize of heaven that we long for so much. And yet, this is something that we have seen happen to many
believers over the years. They stopped training, they took their eyes off of the goal, and they gave up.
They were deceived and corrupted. Paul saw this as a real possibility that faced him and us all. He used
this motivation to continue to drive and push wholeheartedly for God. We need to strive not to be
disqualified if we are going to wholeheartedly plan for God in 2016.
Challenge: Let us not grow weary and lose heart. The final mile of the journey is before us. Let
us keep our focus and shun those temptations, those sins that can keep us from where we are longing to be.
Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles and run with perseverance the
race marked out for us, because it is a race is worth running and a battle that is worth fighting. Let us plan
for God wholeheartedly.
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