We love our games. It’s controlled conflict. We train, we compete, we accept the consequences: to the winner, the spoils. They wear the crown. To the loser, better luck next time. Maybe that’s why we love our games. It’s that clear cut.
But make no mistake about it, life’s games and the game of life are not the same. The consequences of the game of life are greater. That’s why control, more precisely, self-control is critical. It’s more than what you don’t do, but what you must do to win. Every day, there are conflicts that can get out of control with dire consequences when self-control is absent. Never was that more evident than from the Uvalde shooting video released this week that showed self-control can fail. The video revealed trained first responders failed to act as they waited 77 minutes before directly engaging a shooter who killed 21. One trained first responder is even seen taking the time to use a hand sanitizer as shots and the cries of children rang out. There were no crowns to hand out to any one on that video.
Where there is no self-control, there are no acceptable crowns. The problem is not all self-control is created equal; neither are their consequences. There is a self-control where “self” is the problem. There is also a self-control—administered by Spirit—that produces lasting victory. This self-control is the last of the nine qualities of the Fruit of the Spirit that does the Body of Christ good.
What are the consequences of Spirit-led self-control?
We will see in 1 Corinthians 9, as Paul uses the metaphors of games, what is the difference between self-control where self is in charge and self-control where the Holy Spirit is leading.
First, self-control where self is in charge produces temporary crowns that will fail in the end. Second, we will see self-control where the Holy Spirit leads to a better crown, an everlasting victory.
First, self-control where self is in charge produces temporary crowns that fail in the end. Paul wanted to show the Corinthians, through the metaphors the Isthmian games—similar to the Olympics—the need for a higher self-discipline to achieve a better crown. Not all crowns are the same. Look at verses 24-25:
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win. 25 And everyone who competes in the games exercise self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath. I Cor. 9:24-25
If worldly runners exercised self-control to win a wreath made essentially of celery stalks that will perish, all the more reason, should the Body of Christ run the race of faith with a greater a discipline for a better crown.
The problem with self-control where self is in charge is self. Flesh is at the controls. And when flesh is at the control, the end is failure. The failure of the flesh is the opposite of the Fruit of the Spirit. Look at Galatians 5:19-21:
19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21
When flesh is in control, you will not like the outcome.
· Idolatry will be your theology—what you can hold and mold will be your “little g-o-d. Celery will be your salvation. Here today, gone tomorrow.
· Hatred will be your matrix, rather than love as a course for life. Celery will be your map. Here today, gone tomorrow.
· Self-ambition will be your all-consuming attention, rather than God’s calling on your life. Celery will be your salary. Here today, gone tomorrow.
Every athlete in training has to make a decision: give up what he loves—cigarettes, candy, and ice cream—to gain for what he loves more: victory. Self-control is really question of what you love according to 1John 2:15-17
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world. 17 The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever. 1John 2:15-17
So Church, fire flesh as your trainer. Run and train with a higher aim with a better coach--the Holy Spirit.
Self-control led by the Holy Spirit nets a better crown, but this gain will require pain. Paul illustrated through the metaphor of boxing, that self-control will produce a greater gain but here will be suffering. Look at verse 1 Cor.9:26, 27:
26 … I box in such a way, as not beating the air; 27 but I buffet my body and make it my slave, lest possibly, after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified. 1 Cor.9:26, 27:
Paul’s faith journey required a Spirit-led self-control that took him through much suffering. His body was beat up: whipped five times, ship-wrecked three, stoned once. But his preaching had a powerful punch because His walking did the talking because his self-control was Spirit-led, suffering tested. His ministry produced lasting crowns for the kingdom of God.
So did Daniel because he possessed self-control, Spirit led and suffering tested. He denied himself for the sake of the kingdom, and emerged ten times better. You know his story. In Daniel 1, Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon deported the brightest Hebrew children to serve in his court to include Daniel along with Shadrach, Meshack and Abedigo. He changed their names and ordered them to eat Babylonian food and assume Babylonian culture, but Daniel refused. Instead, he exercised self-control and was obedient to God’s way. At the end of a contest between cultures--God’s ways verses Babylon’s ways—the final score was conclusive:
“And in all matters of wisdom and understanding, that the king enquired of them, he found them 10 times better than all the magicians and astrologers that were in all his realm” Dan. 1:20
Daniel and his friends were appointed to positions of power. Self-control by the Spirit will separate you from the world and give you a better crown where it counts—in wisdom and understanding.
Church, self-control that is trained by the Holy Spirit will net you a better crown. You will be ten times better when you are Spirit-led and suffering tested.
CONCLUSION
Self-control that comes from self, has flesh as the trainer. The results will be temporary crowns and disappointing victories. But self-control led by the Holy Spirit, produces consequences that speaks for themselves: eternity, rather than celery.
Where there is no Spirit-led, self-control, there is no acceptable crown. First responders failed at the Uvalde school shooting because flesh was in charge.
Self-control is more than what you don’t do, but what you must do to win. That’s why self-control of the Fruit of the Spirit is so critical. It’s a matter of life and death in the game of life.
Church, as you step into the ring and fight for the life of your church, train to win a better crown, so you will hear the ring announcer say:
“In this corner, weighing in at 20 members, is Woodland Christian Church, trained by the Holy Spirit and fighting under the banner of The Fruit of the Spirit. Undefeated at nine and 0…
· You defeated hate with Love.
· You knocked out discouragement with Joy.
· You went toe-to-toe with conflict and won a unanimous decision with a confident Peace.
· You went the distance with anxious people, and won with Patience.
· You took on meanness and scored a first round TKO with Kindness.
· Selfishness refused to answer the bell when you came out swinging with Goodness.
· You didn’t throw in the towel when everybody quit, but answered every bell with Faithfulness.
· You beat low blows with high character by managing strength with Gentleness.
· When the world offered an opportunity to take a dive, you stood with Spirit-led, suffering-tested Self-control for a better prize.
Church, you got the Fruit. Receive it, live it, bless others with it, this summer, and for every season of your faith journey to come. It will do your body good until your get your crown.
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