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Bibleline Bibleline, here God’s word on Bibleline, here God’s truth on Bibleline. Welcome to Bibleline with Dr. Ralph Yankee Arnold, pastor of Calvary Community Church in Tampa, Florida. Clearly declaring the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the radio and the internet. Your regular prayers and monthly support make it possible for Bibleline to continue on the You can reach us toll free at 1-800-576-3771. Online donations may be made by clicking on the donations link on the BibleLineMinistries.org homepage. We pray that you will enjoy our commitment to the clear gospel of Jesus Christ and that today’s first part of this two-part message will be a blessing to you and your family.

What I want to show you tonight, and I want you to take your Bible and turn there with me, to the book of 1 Corinthians, 1 Corinthians, and chapter 9, you know there’s a story here about running a race. So you look there in chapter 9 and he talks about in verse 24, know you not that they which run in a race run all. But one, receive at the prize, so run that you may obtain. And every man that striva for the mastery is tempered or self-controlled, tempered, and in all things.

Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we are incorruptible. I therefore so fight, not as uncertain, but I fight, not as one that beat at the air. But I keep under my body and bring it into subject unless by any means when I have preached to others I myself should be a cast away. Now, sometime we take that little portion of the description, we pull it out of the contact, you know, around it. And you can preach a great sermon off of that.

You know, you’re running a race and it’s good. It’s great. But sometimes there’s some things right before it and then there’s some things afterwards. So if you kind of break it down and you look at that, sometimes if you don’t do it, you’re going to miss so much about the race that he’s talking about us running. So what I want do is look there in 1 Corinthians in chapter 9 and look what he says in verse 16. Now I believe that most of this in these little sections has one main thought in mind and that is what he says in verse 16, for though I preach the gospel I have nothing to glory of, for necessity is laid upon me.

Yeah, he woe unto me if I preach not the gospel.” Now, he seemed to be pretty convinced that he has a responsibility to preach the gospel. And I don’t know why I guess because I’m just gospel driven. I find this permeates the scriptures. I don’t get where I go. I can find that and I can find a way to get to the gospel. And so he makes a statement here. If I do this thing willingly, I have a reward.

But if If against my will a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me. I’m still responsible. What is my reward then? When I preach the gospel I may make the gospel of Christ without charge, that I abuse not my power in the gospel. So he’s talking about rewards. Now you know when he talks about rewards you’ve got to be talking about service. If you’re talking about rewards you’ve got to be talking about, you know, it’s not just how to be saved, it’s a reward is doing some work and God’s gonna reward you for it.

So I looked at that in verse 18 and thought, now what is my reward then? What is my reward then? He’s talking about me doing and giving the gospel and then he talks about what is my reward then? And then I don’t think you see it until you get started, then he explained, what is the reward? Well, we say when we get to heaven, you’ll get a crown of glory, a crown of righteousness. You’ll get this soul winner’s crown.

Well, maybe it will be all of that. But what I want you to see is that when he saw his responsibility, woe is unto me if I don’t do this. But if I do, I’ll get a reward. But what is this reward? Now look in verse 19, for though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant to all that I might gain the more. Now what’s the reason for what he’s doing and preaching this gospel is that he can gain more?

Gain more what? More rewards? Things I’m gaining more rewards, nor is he talking about souls that I might by all men save some. He’s after souls. This race is about soul winning. It’s about reaching people. Look what he says in verse 20. And unto the Jews I became a Jew that I might gain the Jews to them that are under the law as under the law that I might gain them that are under the law. So we’re not talking about the reward then.

Is it the people that you win? is the reward. What is my reward then? Did you gain more people? You’ll gain more the more you make yourself a servant, the more you care. But now what kind of a servant are you going to be? And that’s why you find the next section. It’s like then it deals with what kind of a servant you’re going to be. What kind of a race are you going to run? So we’re like all in a race.

We’re all in a race. What are we in a race for, trying to get souls before they die, get souls before we die, before we get out of here. How many can we reach? I was sharing with the class this morning some of those that I’ve gotten in just in the last 24 hours. There were people trusting the Lord last night in the middle of the night and emailing me at, you know, 1.30 in the morning. And several other preaches, even a preaching contact to me.

I mean, this is awesome. But it’s because, you know, with the internet service we got going on the website and all that and it’s just it’s tremendous I love it but now notice what it says down here in verse 22 to the week became my week that I might gain the week but the gospel that he’s talking about I’m responsible whoa and to me if I don’t do it whoa and to me if I don’t gain them whoa and to me if I don’t win them so my races that I’m after souls so that means that you know you’re in a race, but that also means that there’s some things that will keep you from winning.

Something that’ll keep you from running your race. Something that’ll keep you from finishing the course that God has for us. So there has to be something that’s worth all of this. And he does say in the book of Mark something along the lines of, you know, if you lose your life for his sake and the gospel. You guys know that verse? What is it John John? He didn’t say it was like, Gelulukin. But who’s the devil? Gelulukin is like, well, my sake is in the gospel, it’s the same thing I’ll say.

Ha ha! Alright, that was his first memory verse. First memory verse. But this is why I believe this is so important. Now look down here in verse 23. And this I do for the what? So then this running the race deals with the gospel. Yes or no? That’s what it is. It deals with the gospel. This race that we’re in. So then He makes this statement in the next verse 24, no ye that they which run in a race run also.

Here’s all of God’s children. We all know the gospel. We know we’re going to heaven when we die. So who’s supposed to running this race. All of God’s children are just a few. Everybody’s in the race. And if you’re in the race, run that you may what? Win! Look what He says. So run that you may obtain. What am I after? I’m after souls. And so we should be as faithful as we can and there’s a way to run.

There’s a way to witness. There’s a format, you know, a method that we ought to use that doesn’t compromise the message. I preached this term in one time called the man, the message, the motive, the method. There ain’t any good sermon. There’s a good sermon there. I mean, that’s a done-appreciate that up reach. Now, look what he says in verse 25, and every man that is in pursuit of the souls, because he says, I do all these things, I’m running.

There’s things that you will eliminate out of your life. There’s things you’ll put into your life because the goal is to win the soul. Woe unto me if I don’t do this. And if I don’t preach the gospel, woe unto me if I don’t strive to win. This is what it’s about. I mean, that’s how I see it. Now, of course, I could be putting in a lot of things in here that’s not there, but I do believe that’s kind of in the context.

It kind of looks like that. And every man that’s striva for the mastery is tempered in all things. In other words, you want to win all kinds of people. I’ll all circumstance and I’ve had some people who say, I can only win little kids. Or I only win adults. I only win teenagers. Where’s it saying the Bible to go only after a certain age group? It doesn’t say it. Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all those that are under 18.

All those that are over 18 or every creature. So you want to learn how to witness to little children, you want to learn how to witness to teenagers, and you want to learn how to witness to adults. And so you strive for that. You discipline yourself. That’s why Paul says, I made myself a servant. I made myself a servant. you have to determine, I’m gonna make myself a servant because whoa on to me if I don’t do this. So he says here in verse 25, that means you gotta be temperant, self-controlled in every area of your life because God wants to use all of your life, every area of your life, and that’s why he brings things into your life so that you will have more opportunities.

So God will let people come across your path and he’ll put you in the hospital, he’ll let the carb break down, don’t let this happen or that happen. All kind of things happen. Why? Because God is moving his light around. He’s moving around causing to get see different. You know if you didn’t get sick you might not go to the doctor. Well if you didn’t go to the doctor that might be a nurse there that you never got a chance to talk to.

You may never got a chance to witness to that preacher and they need it. I was laying in bed one time and this guy with a funny and the caller came in here to see me, he was the chaplain. And I got into an argument with the chaplain because he wasn’t clear on the gospel. But anyway, I talked to him about the Lord. And you never know the people that God’s gonna bring across your path, but that’s what you do.

So now, load this what he says in verse 26, I therefore so run, not as uncertainly so fight out, not as one that beateth the air, not just wasting your time playing games, you gotta get serious about it. So this is why he says, I keep my body in subjection. Keep your body in subjection. Because the body is going to, well, it’s got some desires of its own. It’s got lust of the flesh. And could lead you astray and cause you to fall.

Now it’s amazing that in the following chapter, there’s some things in there that talks about falling because you’re running in a race and you don’t want to stumble, you don’t want to fall. And I believe that for when he says in verse 27, the last part, when I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified for the race. In other words, because you wouldn’t discipline yourself, God may have to put you on a shelf and not use you.

Now you’ll still live and you’ll deal, do things and you’ll go here and you’ll go there and you’ll have something, you’ll lose something, and you’ll go through life, but you won’t win souls. You’ll be set on the sideline and you’ll be rejected, disapproved. In other words, you want to win souls. Now God’s going to reward you. I believe there will be literal rewards in heaven because God says that He’s going to reward you. But I believe that we might see that the people that we reach for the Lord will be our greatest reward.

Now hold your place right here and turn with me over there to the book of Thessalonians and chapter 2. First Thessalonians and chapter 2 and notice what Paul says. He’s talking about running the race but there’s also somebody that wants to hinder you from running the race. See what he says in verse 18 verse 18 says Therefore, we would not have come unto you. Even I, Paul, once and again, we would have come to you once in a form.

He says, but Satan hindered us. You ought to underline that. You’re running a race. You’re pursuing. Satan is not going to let you alone. Satan will hinder you. Then look what he says in verse 19. For what is our hope or joy or crown? of rejoicing are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming. For ye are our glory and our joy. Do you realize the one of the greatest joys you’re going to have is sin the people that you reach for the Lord in heaven.

I had a friend of mine, Rick Long, he He emailed me yesterday and he has the church there in Arvada and he’s, the name is Grace Church, that’s what it’s called, and he says, since January, I should have brought it out here and just read it, since January he’s had over 850 people trust Christ as Savior and he’s baptized.

About 300 and something so far this year. And they built a 3000 seat auditorium, you know, very long, and played on basketball team. But he’s thrilled that he’s doing what he’s doing in the competition, but he says, the Lord, all the glory, he’s just so thankful that he’s winning people to Christ. And I think that is so, so awesome. But he says here, are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ as a could part of our reward be the people that we lead to the Lord.

And you’ll see them when you get to heaven, the people that you’ve reached. And you may only see them one time, witness one time, they trust the Lord, and then they go to heaven and you may never see them again until you get to heaven. And you’ll be surprised because God’s going to say, hey John John, those 10,000 over there you reach those. You say, I didn’t reach 10,000 yet, but the ones you reach reached those. That’d have been for you.

That wouldn’t have been that. Justin’s look over there, Justin. See, he had just 10,000. You had 100,000 over there. See that? Look over there. Tyler? See that? No, but you’re always striving and working because you believe that eventually one day down the road, it will be worth it all. believe that? Now go back here to the book of 1 Corinthians and notice now in chapter 10, I don’t think the issue is over. I believe he’s still talking about running the race and then he talks about up there.

See, we all run, we’ve all got the same opportunity, we’ve all got the same command, we’ve all got the same Holy Spirit, but God says I’ve got a problem with some of you. Now look what he says in verse 1 of chapter 10. Now you’ll notice that there are five privileges mentioned that everybody got the same five privileges. And then you’ll notice that there are five basic sins that people commit. Five privileges and five sins. So you notice there in verse 1, brethren, He said, more of a brother.

He’s still talking to him about the same subject. You see, the chapter division wasn’t put in there by divine inspiration. I would not that ye should be ignorant. Now, why would they be ignorant? Because, ignorant of the race that they’re going to run. You’re in a race. Don’t be ignorant about things that are gonna happen in this race. He says, how that all, see, there are all these words down through here. all, all, all, all, all. Five times the word all is used.

Well, that goes up there to where he says, all run in a race. We’re all, see, whatever God did for me, He did for you. So we’re all saved the same way. We all have the indwelling Holy Spirit. We all have the same purpose in life. But not everybody yields to what God says. Now, notice what He says. He says, how that all our fathers were under the cloud. Now he’s going all the way back to the children of Israel, back there in Egypt and coming out of the land through the Red Sea, under the cloud, and how God took care of them.

Now look what he says, all our fathers were under the cloud. There was protection. All passed through the sea. There was their guidance that God gave to them, and were all baptized under Moses. And they had the same counsel, the same leader, they all had Moses, so they had the same counseling from the same leader in the cloud and in the sea. And did all eat the same spiritual meat, they all had some manatee heat, and did all drink the same spiritual drink because they got some water from the rock.

So they all got the same food. They all got the same water. They all had the same counselor. They all passed through the sea. Oh, what happened? What happened to all of them? What God did for me, He did for you. He did it for all of us. But we’re all in this race and God allowed us the chance to live. Now, notice what He says. That spiritual rock was Christ. And verse 5, but with many of them, God was not well pleased.”

Now think about it. He’s talking to the most carnal-minded church in Corinth. They were very carnal-minded. They were fleshly-minded. They were rebellious. And so he’s letting them know with them, God was not well pleased, which is another way of saying, he’s not well pleased with some of y’all. And he wasn’t well pleased because they were living like lost people. So he kind of gives them a little wake up call. So he says here in verse 5, and referring to those all, there were some in verse 5, but with many of them, God was not well placed, for they were overthrown in the wilderness.

These are warnings because of their sins, their sins become warnings to us, because God had to judge them because of their sin. And God is using that as an example for you and I. So he makes the statement here in verse six. Now these things were our examples to the intent we should not lust after evil things as they also lust them. Are we still talking about running the race? Because there’s things that will hinder you from running your race.

And so you have a body that you need to keep control. That’s why he said up here in verse 27, I will keep my body in subjection. Your body is a good tool to use, but it’s a terrible master. Don’t let the physical body be your master. Let the Word of God be your master. Do you know him? You follow him and serve him. For they were overthrown in the wilderness. And then in verse 6, now these things were our examples to the intent we should not.

So he’s applying what they did to what they should be doing here in Corinth. We’re in a race. We’re all in a race. Some, God was not well pleased with. I, Paul says, and set for the defense of the gospel, it burns inside of me. He says, whoa unto me if I don’t do this. But we’re in a race, And my goal is to win. Win as many as he possibly can win. So now look at the next one.

In verse seven, these sins are mentioned because it’s possible for God’s children to commit all five of these sins. True? It’s possible. All of God’s children can commit all of these sins because he’s referring to them. Unless you do it, lest they cause you to fall, because Satan wants to get an advantage of you. So he says in verse 7, neither be ye idolaters, then it must be possible that they could become an idolater. He wouldn’t have to say that.

See Christians can fail. Christians can mess up their life. So he says, as we get this Yoran on it, some of them. See not everybody falls the same way. Satan gets some this way and he’ll get a few people this way and he’ll get a few more this way. But the thing is it didn’t have to be that way. Is it when you take your eyes off the Lord? Did you realize that when they were in the wilderness God allowed them to get thirsty?

God allowed them to get hungry so that they would have to take the food that he gave and the water that he gave to drink. And some people, no doubt, was satisfied with God’s provision. But then there’s always somebody who says, you remember those onions and leeks and garlic we had down there in Egypt? Man, I wish I was back down there. I’m sick and tired of this food. I wish we had some meat to eat. How many times I’ve heard people in church?

I’m tired of this milk. I wish I had some meat to eat. Sounds like people who want to go back to Egypt again. But that’s okay. Now look what he says in verse 8, neither let us commit what? Why would you have to say this to believers if it wasn’t for believers that even had that possibility? It must be possible. Can Christians commit adultery? Can Christians commit murder? Getting the drugs? Commit suicide? Christians can do every sin the world can do.

But he says, Paul said, I don’t want any of those things to trap me because of my love for the Lord and my love for the gospel. For the gospel’s sake, I do this. And that’s why he made himself a servant. But nobody can make you dedicate your life to the Lord. Nobody can make you serve Him. So notice what it says here in verse 8, Neither let us commit for an occasion as some of them committed and fell in one day.

How many? Three and twenty thousand. Twenty three thousand people died one time. Whatever will be will be. That must have been the will of God. No, it wasn’t what God wanted because that’s the consequence of people rebelling against God. Now look what he said in verse nine. Neither let us. Neither let us. So he’s a one. Hey, you want to run this race. It’s just not that, you know, I’m going to do this and not worry about all this other stuff.

No, you got to worry about every area of your life. Because Satan is looking for an opportunity to catch you in a moment of weakness so he can destroy you. And cause your testimony to be such that God will not have to, he won’t be able to honor you. He won’t be able to use you. And you have to set you on a, you’re disqualified. Because God wants a clean vessel. Keep yourself clean, keep yourself pure. Now, notice what he says up here in verse nine, neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted.

So that means they tempted Christ in the Old Testament. And he says, and we’re destroyed of serpent. Remember, he sent those serpents among them because they murmured and complained. You don’t want to be caught doing that, do you? murmuring and complaining. Ooh, okay, that’s rough. Because everybody complains about something, don’t we? Murmur, whan, whan, whan. I was up there with training tender one day and I must have been whining about something. Tender walks over me and he says, you want some crackers?

I says, for what? He says, go that whan. You get it. Next time somebody starts wine and says, you want some crackers with that. So, and I didn’t drink any wine either, just so that you know. But he says here in verse 10, neither murmur ye, because all of these are things that cause you to fall. You had to see there’s that in verse eight, see that one word committed, fell in one day. See, you’re running a race and some fell.

You don’t want to fall. So notice what he says here in verse 10, neither Mermany as some of them also murmured and were destroyed of the destroyer. All these are things that happens to people that keeps him from being a success. That keeps him from running the race and attaining the go and winning more souls. You’ll get more if you’ll watch your life. Look what else he says here in verse 11, now all these things, those Old Testament things he just mentioned to who had all had five privileges exactly the same.

You’ll have some people that will whine about everything. Boy, if I had the opportunities that he had and they don’t realize they’d get the same opportunity, they just don’t take advantage of them. Or maybe they think, you know, I could, if I’d have done this, I could have done that. Yeah, you probably could but you didn’t do that, so you can’t do that. And you can have desire without knowledge, and you have knowledge without desire, but if you put the two together, God can open up many doors.

Are you a new listener to Bibleline? Do you enjoy the teachings of Dr. Arnold? Well, if you’ve never contacted us before, we want to give you Dr. Arnold’s book, The Gospel-Driven Man. Every day we receive many emails from folks who have questions about repentance and salvation, about faith in works, and about how to share the gospel with friends and loved ones. This book, The Gospel Driven Man, covers all those topics, and we want all new listeners of Bibleline to receive a free copy.

There’s no obligation, no donation necessary, simply call us at 1-800-576-3771 or write to us and request your free copy of The Gospel Driven Man. The mailing address is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634. Again, don’t forget to include your mailing address. And God bless you, and thank you for listening to Bibleline. Thanks for joining us on Bibleline. If you are in the area, we welcome you to visit us. The address for Calvary Community Church is 4811 George Road, Tampa, Florida, 33634.

And now, a closing thought from Pastor Arnold. Friend, one day it will happen. The trumpet will sound. that we will be changed. God, I can meet the Lord in the air. So live today and every day. Believe in that the Lord is coming soon. Just keep looking up.