Finally he came out with it. I heard today that Lance Armstrong publicly admitted that he used performance-enhancing drugs during all 7 of his Tour de France victories. It's a major disappointment for many sports enthusiasts who believed, at least for a time, in the legend of the cancer survivor turned superhero. I have to admit it was inspiring to see what appeared to be a squeaky clean rider waving the American flag in victory so many times.
Armstrong duped many people, convincing them that his legendary status was real, and he successfully fought off questions about his integrity for years. Why did so many people believe him? I think in part, it's because as human beings, we are attracted to the idea of the underdog, who against all odds, works hard, sacrifices and comes out on top. It's an age-old appealing story that always sells well.
We admire those individuals who through strenuous discipline and ongoing sacrifice are able to master and perfect a set of athletic skills and attain top rank in their particular sport. Think of any sport and names immediately come to mind. For example, Michael Jordan in basketball, Mohammed Ali in boxing, the Brazilian soccer player Pele, Bobby Orr and Wayne Gretzky in hockey, Michael Phelps in swimming or Nadia Comaneci in gymnastics.
All these individuals were driven to excel and pushed their bodies to the limit to attain the goal of becoming one of the world's best athletes. They adhered to strict training schedules and diets, often forfeiting other social activities for years at a time. We might say they were willing to die to one part of their life (the little pleasures the rest of us indulge in and take for granted), in order to more fully have life in terms of their athletic achievements.
While we respect their discipline and achievements, most of us don't see ourselves as made of the same stern stuff. That type of mastery and goal attainment is for an elite few. But did you know that God not only sees you as capable of accomplishing great things, He calls you to do so?
In Romans 12:1 it says, “I urge you in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” And in 1 Corinthians 9:25 we are told, “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”
No matter how great, every athlete’s moment in the limelight is fleeting. They pay a high price in their dying to ordinary pleasures, for a brief moment of life at the top. Father God calls each one of us to become a living sacrifice, willing to die to ordinary patterns of life in order to become alive to abundant life. He calls this true and proper worship. Can we really die to live? Father God says yes we can and assures us that, in contrast to the athlete whose attainment fades away, our achievement is an eternal reward that will never be taken from us.
Please come join us this Sunday at 9:00 AM or 11:00 AM. We will be continuing our series, “A Life of Worship,” and my sermon is, “A Surrendered Life.”
Pastor Che
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