Sermon 02/08/09 (1 Corinthians 9:24-27)

“Keep Your Eye on the Prize”
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Rev. Désirée H. Gold
St. Mark’s United Church of Christ, Baltimore, MD
Sunday, 8 February, 2009
Fifth Sunday after Epiphany
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 How many of you watched the Super Bowl last Sunday? I actually watched the game, and there were actually parts of it that I enjoyed. (Not just the ads either.) I wanted the Cardinals to win, of course (out of loyalty to the Ravens), and it was thrilling when they got ahead in the game. As disappointed as I was that they lost, the end of the game was exciting, and I have to give props to the Steelers. They played a good game.

It’s thrilling to watch good athletes do what they do best. Professional athletes have amazing skill, and we can be in awe of the hard work they have done to get where they are. The amount of exercising, self-control, and concentration it takes to become a professional athlete is awesome. I think this is why people were so disappointed when Michael Phelps made his recent gaffe. We revere our athletes as examples for the rest of us, and it was hard for a lot of people to admit that Michael Phelps is actually human and could do the same stupid things any normal 23-year-old might do. “He’s the winner of 8 Olympic medals! How can he be human?!” we wonder.

Reverence for athletes is not just a modern phenomenon. The original Olympic games began in Greece in 776 B.C.E. -- hundreds of years before Christ was born! Those games included foot races, chariot races, boxing, and wrestling, and typical prizes were olive wreaths, palm branches, or woolen ribbons. (No million-dollar endorsements in those days.)

In our Epistle reading for this morning, the Apostle Paul mentions two athletic sports, running and boxing. It appears here that Paul had an appreciation for sports and that he may have done some running and boxing of his own. He is at least aware of the dedication it takes to be a serious athlete. ...So, why does he bring up sports? What do sports have to do with the Gospel? The same “self-control that athletes exercise in all things” is a necessary component of being a good Christian. He’s essentially telling his listeners to behave themselves, so they can win the race. But here is where the self-control of an athlete and the dedication of a Christian part ways. What does an athlete get if he or she practices that self-control and wins the race? He or she gets something that won’t last -- in Paul’s day, a piece of greenery, in our day, money in the bank. What did Santonio Holmes get for winning the Super Bowl? He got a fancy Super Bowl ring, a trophy, a bunch of money, the admiration of his peers and millions of fans. What did Michael Phelps get for winning so many swim races at the Olympics? He got a bunch of gold medals, millions of dollars in endorsements, and the honor of having girls scream and faint from excitement when they see him.

These seem like pretty great rewards. The Pittsburgh Steelers are the envy of everyone in the NFL because of that trophy and those rings. Other professional athletes are in awe of Michael Phelps. The screaming fans that come when one wins the game (or keeps on winning) are a thrill. And, boy, those millions of dollars sure would be nice to have in an economy like ours. I think this is one of the reasons we look up to our sports idols so much -- they have things we want, like money, and fans, and dedication, and plain old human ability. But here’s the thing. As great as all those rewards are -- the money, the fans, the trophies -- they can’t top off the reward that we are waiting for as Christians. Paul points out that if we live as Christians successfully we will get a permanent reward: eternal salvation.

We have more incentive to practice self-control than any athlete. Granted, it is the grace of God that will get us into Heaven and not anything that we do here on earth, good or bad. But by practicing self-control we will be pleasing God. Now, in what ways should we control ourselves? How will we go about “winning” this race? Our reading for this morning doesn’t give specifics -- it’s a tiny piece of a larger scripture that contains more details. Throughout his letter to the Corinthians Paul warns against being jealous of one another, or fighting. He talks about the importance of being trustworthy. He warns against being arrogant and boastful. He talks about sexual immorality (do not commit adultery). He goes off on “thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers.” It sounds like we have to follow a whole bunch of rules when you list everything that Paul includes in his “good and bad behavior.” But basically, in the words of Jesus, he is telling us to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind and love our neighbors as ourselves.

God loves us, even though we are not perfect. (Yes, God even loves people who make mistakes, like Michael Phelps.) But when we practice self-control and work hard at being a Christian, our rewards are endless. We will have the satisfaction of knowing that we are pleasing God and loving our neighbor, and we will have the rewards of eternal salvation.

In a few weeks we will baptize two young people into the faith and family of the Christian church. Miranda and Michael, I hope you have been listening. Basically I’m telling you that being a Christian is a big deal and an important responsibility. I don’t just sprinkle a few drops of water on your forehead and send you on your way. You are being welcomed into the church, and that means that from now on you are being asked to act like a Christian. This means that you love one another and treat other people the same way that you would like them to treat you (no matter who they are, and whether they are Christian or not). It also means that you are part of a new family, and that we will help you when you make mistakes or when you have a hard time. This is part of what it means to be a Christian too.

Whether you are brand new to this church, like Miranda and Michael, or whether you have been here a very long time, I hope you will continue to learn what it means to be a Christian and that you won’t do it just for the big reward you get at the end.

Now let us pray.