Olympic

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Olympic
Faith
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Introduction

• Just as Jesus and the apostles taught many
  lessons from present day events and
  circumstances, we can learn many valuable
  spiritual lessons from events of our day when we
  make biblical parallels and application.
• Recently, the XXVIV Olympiad was held in Beijing,
  China.

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Acropolis at Athens
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Amphitheater at Corinth
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Amphitheater at Epidaurus
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Introduction

• Just as Jesus and the apostles taught many
  lessons from present day events and
  circumstances, we can learn many valuable
  spiritual lessons from events of our day when we
  make biblical parallels and application.
• Recently, the XXVIV Olympiad was held in Beijing,
  China.
• It is a time when the best athletes from all
  countries around the world gather to compete for
  a prize in various sporting events.

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What Lessons Can We Learn From Various Sporting
Events In This Venue?
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1. Marathon

• The Beijing 2008 Marathon will be run on a
  historic course, comencing in Tian'anmen Square
  and finishing in the National Stadium, aka the
  Birds Nest.
• The Bible teaches us that every Christian has
  entered a marathon race that will last a lifetime
  (Hebrews 121-2 1 Corinthians 924-26)

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Hebrews 121-2
Therefore we also, since we are surrounded
by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay
aside every weight, and the sin which so easily
ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the
race that is set before us, 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 at the
right hand of the throne of God.
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1 Corinthians 924-27
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. 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.
Therefore I run thus not with uncertainty
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2. Hurdles

• As we run our race of faith the devil will be
  putting obstacles of every type to hinder us from
  successfully finishing the race set before us.
• let us lay aside every weight, and the sin
  which so easily ensnares us
• Romans 1221

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Romans 1221
Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil
with good.
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3. Boxing

• As Christians we are toe-to-toe in a spiritual
  fight against the wicked one. Let us discipline
  ourselves as to win this fight!

• I do not box as one beating the air but I
  pommel my body and subdue it (1 Cor. 926-27)
• I have fought the good fightI have kept the
  faith (2 Timothy 47)

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4. Archery

• Sin is defined as transgression of law.
• Transgression is defined as missing the mark
• When we sin, we miss the mark

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Missing the Mark
Hitting the Mark
No matter how far off the mark you are, when
you miss the mark, you MISS the mark!
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O Timothy, guard what has been entrusted
to you. Avoid the godless chatter and
contradictions of what is falsely called
knowledge, for by professing it some have missed
the mark as regards the faith. (1 Timothy
621)
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Whoever transgresses misses the mark and
does not abide in the doctrine of Christ does not
have God (2 John 9)
Set your mind on things above not on things on
the earth. (Colossians 32)
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5. Wrestling

• Our warfare is spiritual - (1 Corinthians 103-6).

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• For we do not wrestle against flesh and
  blood, but against principalities, against
  powers, against the rulers of the darkness of
  this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness
  in heavenly places (Ephesians 612)

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6. Fencing

• Again, our warfare is spiritual and it requires a
  spiritual armor of defense Ephesians 613-17

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Therefore take up the whole armor of God,
that you may be able to withstand in the evil
day, and having done all, to stand. Stand
therefore, having girded your waist with truth,
having put on the breastplate of righteousness,
and having shod your feet with the preparation of
the gospel of peace above all, taking the shield
of faith with which you will be able to quench
all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take
the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the
Spirit, which is the word of God
(Ephesians 613-17)
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7. Synchronized Swimming

• If only brethren could learn to work together in
  the unity that God calls us to!

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And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some
prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and
teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the
work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of
Christ, till we all come to the unity of the
faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to
a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of
the fullness of Christ that we should no longer
be children, tossed to and fro and carried about
with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of
men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful
plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may
grow up in all things into Him who is the
head-Christ-from whom the whole body, joined and
knit together by what every joint supplies,
according to the effective working by which every
part does its share, causes growth of the body
for the edifying of itself in love.
(Ephesians 411-16)
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Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name
of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the
same thing, and that there be no divisions among
you, but that you be perfectly joined together in
the same mind and in the same judgment.
(1 Corinthians 110)
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8. Diving

• What point do you think this sporting event
  makes? YES! Immersion into water!

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And both Philip and the eunuch went down into
the water, and he baptized him. Now when they
came up out of the water (Acts
838-39)
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What Other Lessons Can We Learn From This Great
Event?
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9. Opening Ceremony

• For the Christian who has entered the race of
  faith (Hebrews 121-2), you entered that race
  with an opening ceremony worthy of remembrance! -
  Colossians 211-12

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Colossians 211-12
In Him you were also circumcised with the
circumcision made without hands, by putting off
the body of the sins of the flesh, by the
circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in
baptism, in which you were also raised with Him
through faith in the working of God, who raised
Him from the dead.
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9. Opening Ceremony

• For the Christian who has entered the race of
  faith (Hebrews 121-2), you entered that race
  with an opening ceremony worthy of remembrance! -
  Colossians 211-12

• Definitely a ceremony worth remembering!
• When we became a Christian our sins were washed
  away and we were added by the Lord to His special
  family (Acts 238-47).
• Praise God for such a remarkable ceremony!

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10. Lighting of the Torch

• As Christians, our torches have been lit to shine
  the light of Jesus Christ in our lives!
• Let your light so shine before men, that they
  may see your good works and glorify your Father
  in heaven.
• (Matthew 516)

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10. Lighting of the Torch

• No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it
  with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it
  on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the
  light. For nothing is secret that will not be
  revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be
  known and come to light.
• (Luke 816-17)

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11. Torch Remains Lit

• The Olympic Torch remains lit throughout the
  entire span of the games.
• We must do all we can to keep our light shining.
• Nevertheless I have this against you, that you
  have left your first love.
• (Matthew 516)

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11. Torch Remains Lit

• Do not fear any of those things which you are
  about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to
  throw some of you into prison, that you may be
  tested, and you will have tribulation ten days.
  Be faithful until death, and I will give you the
  crown of life.
• (Revelation 210)

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12. Sacrifice Training

• Countless hours and much effort has been spent to
  prepare these athletes for the toughest
  competition.
• But I discipline my body and bring it into
  subjection, lest, when I have preached to others,
  I myself should become disqualified.
• (1 Corinthians 927)

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12. Sacrifice Training

• Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the
  present, but painful nevertheless, afterward it
  yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to
  those who have been trained by it.
• (Hebrews 1211)

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13. Humans Can Make Mistakes

• The new leader of USA Track and Field analyzed
  the team's underwhelming performance at the
  Beijing Olympics including dropped batons and a
  record-low men's gold medal count and judged
  the federation's overall performance to be
  "seriously deficient."

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13. Humans Can Make Mistakes

• for all have sinned and fall short of the
  glory of God (Romans 323)
• They have all turned aside They have
  together become unprofitable There is none who
  does good, no, not one. (Romans 312)

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14. Cheaters Will Be DQ

• The head of the IAAF said on Friday that the
  Belarusian silver and bronze medalists in the
  men's Olympic hammer throw competition have
  tested positive for doping and would be
  provisionally suspended. Vadim Devyatovskiy and
  Ivan Tsikhan, who finished second and third in
  Beijing, are still being investigated for doping
  offences at the Games by the International
  Olympic Committee and risk being stripped of
  their medals.

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14. Cheaters Will Be DQ

• And also if anyone competes in athletics,
  he is not crowned unless he competes according to
  the rules.
• (2 Timothy 25)

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15. Teamwork Is Vital

• Teamwork isnt just for sports!
• Churches need to function as a team to accomplish
  its given task.
• Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus
  Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that
  you strive together with me in prayers to God for
  me (Rom. 1530)

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16. Different Talents Are On Display

• Archery, Handball, Table Tennis, Badminton,
  Hockey, Judo, Baseball, Tennis, Basketball, Track
  Field, Boxing, Rowing, Canoe/Kayak, Sailing,
  Volleyball, Cycling, Shooting, Water Polo,
  Diving, Soccer, Weightlifting, Equestrian,
  Softball, Wrestling, Fencing Swimming,Gymnastics,
  etc. 

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16. Different Talents Are On Display

• Having then gifts differing according to the
  grace that is given to us, let us use them if
  prophecy, let us prophesy in proportion to our
  faith 7 or ministry, let us use it in our
  ministering he who teaches, in teaching 8 he
  who exhorts, in exhortation he who gives, with
  liberality he who leads, with diligence he who
  shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
  (Romans 126-8)

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16. Different Talents Are On Display
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17. Winners Get to Wear A Crown

• We do it for an imperishable crown
• (1 Corinthians 925)
• Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of
  righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous
  Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me
  only but also to all who have loved His
  appearing.
• (2 Timothy 48)

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18. Closing Ceremony

• At the end there is a ceremony of festivities to
  close out this great sporting event.

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18. Closing Ceremony

• Behold, I tell you a mystery We shall not
  all sleep, but we shall all be changed--in a
  moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last
  trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead
  will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be
  changed. For this corruptible must put on
  incorruption, and this mortal must put on
  immortality. So when this corruptible has put on
  incorruption, and this mortal has put on
  immortality, then shall be brought to pass the
  saying that is written Death is swallowed up in
  victory. "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades,
  where is your victory? The sting of death is
  sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But
  thanks be to God, who gives us the victory
  through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my
  beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always
  abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that
  your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
  
• (1 Corinthians 1551-58)