Professional Body Builders
1 Thessalonians 3:1-10
1. Body Building Requires Great Sacrifice and Pain. (Vs. 1-5; 1 Cor 9:26-27; Acts 13:2-3, 14:21-22; 2 Tim 3:10-12)
a. 1 Corinthians 9:26-27, “So I do not run like one who runs aimlessly or box like one beating the air. Instead, I discipline my body and bring it under strict control, so that after preaching to others, I myself will not be disqualified.”
b. Acts 13:2-3, “As they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after they had fasted, prayed, and laid hands on them, they sent them off.”
c. Acts 14:21-22, “After they had preached the gospel in that town and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, to Iconium, and to Antioch, strengthening the disciples by encouraging them to continue in the faith and by telling them, “It is necessary to go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God.””
d. 2 Timothy 3:10-12, “But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, and endurance, along with the persecutions and sufferings that came to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured—and yet the Lord rescued me from them all. In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.”
2. Body Building Requires a Coach and a Participant. (Vs. 1-2, 6, 10, 3 John 5-8, Rom 10:13-15)
a. 3 John 5-8, “Dear friend, you are acting faithfully in whatever you do for the brothers and sisters, especially when they are strangers. They have testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God, since they set out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from pagans. Therefore, we ought to support such people so that we can be coworkers with the truth.”
b. Romans 10:13-15, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. How, then, can they call on him they have not believed in? And how can they believe without hearing about him? And how can they hear without a preacher? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.”
3. Body Builders Reap the Rewards of their Hard Work. (Vs. 7-10, Col 3:23-25)
a. Colossians 3:23-25, “Whatever you do, do it from the heart, as something done for the Lord and not for people, knowing that you will receive the reward of an inheritance from the Lord. You serve the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong he has done, and there is no favoritism.”