January 2005 chaplain's corner
The Chaplain's Corner is a monthly message for chaplains.
Chaplain's Corner - January 19, 2005
Rev. Rich Hines
Chaplains - Run With Purpose and Pursue Christ's Program
This message is prepared especially for those in the United States who call
upon the name of Jesus Christ as their own Lord and Savior from sin, and serve
as a chaplain in a jail, prison or a follow-up ministry such as a rescue
mission.
All Scripture quotes are taken from the New King James Version (NKJV),
copyright 1979,1980,1982 by Thomas Nelson Inc. Used by
permission. All rights reserved. When quoting a text, any
deviation from the NKJV text is within parenthesis signs ( ). These
usually occur as direct translations from the original languages,
or as notes from the original setting, to help apply the text to today's
culture. ALL CAPITAL LETTERS are sometimes used to emphasize a text, or a comment
about the text.
Dear chaplains, as you enter yet another year of service for our wonderful and
glorious Lord, I want to commend you for your endurance and continuance in the
spiritual battle that is jail, prison and rescue mission chaplaincy. I also
want to encourage you this first month of the new year
to CONTINUE in the struggle - for the glory of God and our Savior, Jesus
Christ.
By God's grace you've finished another year. By God's grace you enter this one.
The Christian life and ministry is a
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the
prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.
25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they
do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.
26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who
beats the air.
27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached
to others, I myself should become disqualified.
I begin with this text not because it comes first in the order of New Testament
books, but because in its context the Apostle is talking about Christian
ministry. The other passages I want to have you consider are more about the
Christian life in general. Of course, there is an overlap and connection
between living the Christian life and serving in the Christian ministry. But
first, let's consider 1 Corinthians 9:24-27.
Notice that in verses 24 and 25 the Apostle is speaking directly to others in
Christian service about how to do it. "Do YOU (you all) not know" ...
"Run in such a way that YOU (plural, you all) may obtain it (the
prize)" ... "they (that is physical athletes) do it to obtain a
perishable crown, but WE (spiritual athletes in the ministry, competing against
our own flesh) for an imperishable crown."
Right there in the grammar of verse 24, is something very important that I
don't want you to miss. The use of the PLURAL verb "YOU ALL MAY OBTAIN"
in reference to a prize, means that unlike an physical athletic race where
there can only be ONE WINNER, in our spiritual ministry WE CAN ALL BE WINNERS.
That's because unlike a physical race we ARE NOT COMPETING AGAINST EACH OTHER,
BUT RATHER AGAINST OURSELVES. The contest for each minister is against their
own flesh.
The race illustration is primarily for one purpose, and that is to stress how
those that are in ministry MUST MINISTER ACCORDING TO THE RULES God has given. In the ancient Greek Games just like in our
modern Olympic Games, there were RULES about training, which if broken
disqualified a contestant from competing, or took away their award (prize)
after they appeared to have won it.
This is why the Holy Spirit caused Paul to use the word "TEMPERATE"
in verse 25. This word refers to an inner strength, controlling urges to yield
to a temptation. It can be translated "exercising self control."
Galatians 5:23 uses this same word and says it's part
of the fruit produced in the believer's life by the Holy Spirit.
The Apostle is saying in effect, "If the physical athletes that are
preparing to compete in the Games do so much to control their urges, so that
they can win and not be disqualified - all for a very temporary perishable
crown, shouldn't WE who are in Christian ministry, and have the help of the
indwelling Holy Spirit, be able to CONTROL INNER URGES that could DISQUALIFY us
from our heavenly - imperishable eternal reward?"
In verses 26,27 The Apostle Paul used himself as an
illustration of this temperance.
26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty (or, to paraphrase it - not as
one who doesn't see the goal, one who doesn't know where they're running). Thus
I fight: not as one who beats the air (like shadow boxing).
In other words, he competes against his flesh WITH REAL PURPOSE. So he
continued in verse 27 -
27 But I DISCIPLINE my body and BRING IT INTO SUBJECTION, lest, when I have
preached to others, I myself should become DISQUALIFIED.
The word "DISCIPLINE" comes from the words meaning: "to strike
under the eye" meaning to beat the face black and blue (he was just using
a boxing illustration). Hence here, metaphorically to beat back the sinful
urges from the yet unchanged flesh.
"BRING IT INTO SUBJECTION" is literally to "lead it as a
slave." So the idea is expanded to making your body your servant rather
than it being the other way around. The same thought is expressed by the
Apostle in 1 Corinthians 6:12. When discussing a believer's liberty to
participate in certain activities he said, "I will not be brought under
the power of any."
"DISQUALIFIED" is literally to have been "tested and found to
have failed." In an athletic context, disqualified is the idea. It is to
have your ministry REJECTED as valid by the Lord. Remember chaplain, all
ministry is examined and tested and reviewed by the Lord Jesus Christ.
Ultimately that will be at "the judgment seat of Christ" (see Romans
14:10-12; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
The message from 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 to those in Gospel ministry is clear. If
we don't discipline and beat back the sinful urges of our flesh, if we don't
make our body the slave of our new mind in Christ, if we don't apply the
Spirit's inner power to control our thoughts and actions we will end up
disqualified at the award stand before Christ. It can even mean BEING put out
of the ministry BEFORE OUR LIFE ON EARTH IS OVER.
"DISQUALIFIED" would also mean we will loose our reward. It would
mean all the ministry we did for the name of Christ will then burn up; as wood,
hay and straw (see 1 Cor. 3:11-15). If we truly love
our Lord, we don't want that to happen because all the rewards any of us will
receive will be to honor and glorify Him more in heaven, throughout eternity.
SO PRESS ON, stay in the spiritual marathon. By God's continual supply of
grace, RUN RIGHT IN 2005. KNOW YOUR PURPOSE IN CHAPLAINCY, AND RUN HARD AFTER
IT.
Here are two other passages to help you keep you focus on the goal, which
ultimately is to BE LIKE JESUS.
Philippians 3:12-14 (The context from verses 10,11 is
the desire to attain the perfection a believer will have when they receive
their glorified body at the resurrection).
12 Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I PRESS ON,
that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.
13 Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do,
FORGETTING those things which are behind and REACHING FORWARD to those things
which are ahead,
14 I PRESS TOWARD the goal ("mark") for the PRIZE of the upward call
of God in Christ Jesus.
"PRESS" in verse 12 and 14 is to pursue, TO
RUN HARD AFTER. In verse 13 the word "FORGETTING" is an intensified
form of forgetting. God through the example of Paul is telling Christians to
CONSTANTLY AND INTENSELY ESCAPE THE NOTICE of all that is behind. Don't even
let an image of past bad things come before your mind. That's fairly hard to
do. How do we do that? By concentrating and focusing on Christ!
"REACHING FORWARD" in verse 13, is to "STRETCH FORWARD
TOWARD" and pictures a runner LUNGING TOWARD THE TAPE or "goal"
which is literally the "mark" in verse 14. In order to lunge for the
goal, God's Spirit said one had to be "intensely forgetting those things
which are behind." When a runner dives for the tape, he's not looking back
at those pursuing from behind.
The word for "PRIZE" in verse 14 was the word the ancient peoples
used for the special trophy that was connected to the Greek Games. But here it
refers to the reward at the judgment seat of Christ, which will be in heaven
above.
The PRIZE IS NOT the "upward call," or THE CALL ABOVE, but it will be
given there, in heaven. It is best described in 2 Timothy 4:7,8
as "the crown of righteousness" that the Lord will give to those who
proved their love for Him and His glory, by finishing well.
Lastly, in 2005 consider Hebrews 12:1,2 - which begins on account of the
example of past believers in Chapter 11, the "cloud of witnesses,"
who through faith, endured
1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside (Lit. - put off) every weight, and the sin which so easily
ensnares us, (actually there is a change, and this word is a singular adjective
best translated "so easily encompasses you") and let us run with
endurance the race that is set before us,
2 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 HAS SAT
DOWN (verb - indicative, which asserts a fact, and also a perfect tense verb,
which means a completed act with ongoing results) at the right hand of the
throne of God.
On account of the example of past believers, AND MOST OF ALL the example of
Jesus who through faith endured, we are to also live out our faith. We do this
by running well each race set before us looking to the greatest example - even
Jesus. To run well we first have to put off sin and then focus and concentrate
on Jesus alone.
In verse 2 where it says, "LOOKING UNTO JESUS " the verb is also a
present tense, active plural verb - meaning believers are to be constantly
looking away to, to be gazing upon, to be looking away from one thing so as to
see another - even Jesus! That's how we can forget everything else and
concentrate on Him.
Concentrate on Jesus because He is the "Perfect Exemplar" of a life
of faith! HIS FAITH OBEYED the Father's will, and that brought Him the greatest
joy. His joy wasn't in the suffering of the cross, but in being obedient to the
Father's will there and accomplishing the salvation He planned before the
foundation of the world.
That kind of life of faith will also bring those who continue to run well in
it, great joy. Even though there will be many hurts and sorrows along the way,
you will have great joy in 2005, if you like Jesus, are obedient to your
heavenly calling.
So chaplains, in 2005, RUN WITH PURPOSE. Pursue Christ and His biblical program
for the inmates and staff, nothing less will matter.
May God bless you as you do it.
Rich Hines - Minister To Chaplains,
"for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ"